enjoys winning great prizes and getting a
pat on the back for their efforts.
Virginia localities can easily join this
national outreach campaign as a way to energize their waste
reduction programs. It may be a way to entice new citizens to
recycle or can simply be a means of encouraging and rewarding
faithful recyclers so that they don’t fall off the wagon.
THINKING GLOBALLY,
ACTING LOCALLY
ACTING LOCALLY
As an AMERICA RECYCLES partner, your
locality agrees to sponsor an activity or event to promote
recycling and products containing recycled materials. In
exchange, you will receive a toolkit of ideas and resources to
help plan your event, plus pencils (made from recycled
newsprint) to give away at your event. The campaign even
provides posters that are ideal for posting at government
offices, libraries, and businesses.
Your activity could be as simple as
sending a press release to the local paper (a sample press
release comes in the toolkit) or more involved,
such as having a recycled field day at the
elementary school. Events can be targeted to adults or
children. Check out Table A for a list of events held in 2004.
If any sound interesting, contact me to find out how to
organize a similar event in your locality.
At an AMERICA RECYCLES event, citizens are
invited to make personal commitments to step up their recycling
efforts and sign pledges to recycle more in the coming year.
Nearly 200,000 individuals made this commitment in 2004. Suggestions
on the pledge card include making an effort to purchase more
recycled content products and increasing recycling at school or
the office, because recycling away from home requires more
thought and preparation.
The AMERICA RECYCLES campaign practices
what it preaches, awarding prizes made of recycled materials.
Grand prizes are awarded each year to one adult and five for
those under 18. In 2005, the adult prize is the Ford Escape
Hybrid SUV that has a fuel economy of 36 mpg in the city and 31
mpg on the
AMERICA RECYCLES Events in Virginia
“Can”necting the County,
Luray
Page County collected approximately 17,000
cans to “can”nect the community from one school to
another. Proceeds from redeeming the cans at an aluminum recycler
supported fundraising efforts for a local skateboarding park.
Giant Indoor Yard Sale, Roanoke
Roanoke residents participated in the
Giant Indoor Yard Sale to promote reuse and to raise money for
local recycling efforts. People took the recycling pledge for a
chance to win one of 60 prizes donated from local organizations
and groups. The event also featured educational booths and
demonstrations on home composting.
Dramatic about Recycling, York County
The York County Junior Master Gardeners
created a play about recycling that they filmed on video to
be shown at community events. The kids also set up displays in their classrooms to help educate their classmates about recycling and collected all of the paper the students put into trashcans during the week to demonstrate what could be recycled.
be shown at community events. The kids also set up displays in their classrooms to help educate their classmates about recycling and collected all of the paper the students put into trashcans during the week to demonstrate what could be recycled.
Recycled Couture Fashion Show, Richmond
The Virginia Recycling Association and
Fashion Design Department of Virginia Commonwealth University
held a Recycled Couture Fashion Show. The students made unique
creations from items bound for the trash can, including shower
curtains, cigarette cartons and bottle caps.
Rethink Recycling Art Contest, Alexandria
The City of Alexandria sponsored a
recycled art contest that encouraged students to “Rethink
Recycling”. Students were provided a variety of
materials, including plastic bottles, plastic video cases, and
manufacturing scraps, with which to create custom art.
Prince William County Recycles Day
A day of education and entertainment for
the whole family. Visitors to the county landfill were educated
about the value of recycling and of buying recycled products
after touring the landfill. Staff also held a home composting
workshop. The event was complete with food, prizes, giveaways,
a recycled art contest, a clown, moonbounce, and DJ.
Recycled Product Display, Langley Air
Force Base
Langley Air Force Base staff set up
display outside the Base Exchange to highlight the variety of
recycled products such as playground equipment and outdoor
furniture that are available. Information about the Air
Force’s affirmative procurement program with emphasis on
buying recycled products was also shared with participants.
Dumpster Diving, Charlottesville
University of Virginia’s recycling
staff sponsored the third annual Dumpster Dive. Each year,
student volunteers sort out the contents of a huge dumpster to
demonstrate that half of the items on average should have been
recycled.
Family Recycling Festival & Art
Supply Drive, Richmond
The Central Virginia Waste Management
Authority and the Children’s Museum of Richmond hosted a
family festival about recycling complete with children’s
recycled art activities. Employees of Bank of America
contributed items such as plastic tubs and lids, egg cartons,
buttons, yarn and clothes to be used in the Museum’s Art
Studio.
Recycling Center Open House, Rockbridge
County
The Rockbridge County Regional Recycling
Office distributed bumper stickers, bookmarks and recycling
brochures to patrons at the area recycling centers on November
15th. Hot dogs and beverages were served.