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Below is an overview of several public education campaigns in place around
the United States that encourage citizens to send less waste to landfills.
Source: California Waste Prevention Info Exchange. E-mail: wpinfoex@ciwmb.ca.gov
- America Recycles Day: Celebrate the annual America Recycles Day on November
15, 2003! Last year 42 states participated and over 140,000 pledges to recycle
and buy recycled products were entered for the national awards. This year the
Green Dream House will be unveiled. For California events and information call
Alec Cooley at the California Resource Recovery Association (RCCRA), (707)
826-5920.
- Boxing Days: Created by the Corrugated Packaging Council (CPC), Boxing Days is
a two-week event designed to encourage increased recovery of corrugated
cardboard. It occurs just after the Christmas holidays. The program's purpose is
to raise awareness of the recyclability of corrugated boxes, which flood the
home during the holidays, and encourage citizens to participate in local
collection programs. The CPC has a kit available for potential sponsors and
interested communities that want to launch a community-based Boxing Days
program. For more information or to request a Boxing Days kit, contact Heather
Marshall at (847) 364-9600.
- Holiday Waste Reduction: Design a campaign that targets extra waste
generated around the holidays, such as Christmas trees, gift wrapping,
packaging, and food. The Integrated Waste Management Board has lists of holiday waste
reduction ideas and step-by-step instructions for conducting a campaign.
- Second Chance Week: Second Chance Week is a grassroots public awareness campaign held to promote reuse, repair, resale, and donation opportunities in California. The Local Government Commission (LGC) is looking for groups interested in participating in the annual Second Chance Week. For more information about Second Chance Week contact Leif Christiansen with the Local Government Commission at leif@lgc.org.
- Waste Awareness Week: Set aside a week to help consumers become aware of the amount and type of waste they personally throw away and help them relate it to their buying decisions. The Waste Prevention Info Exchange has step-by-step instructions on conducting a waste awareness week.
- SMART (Save Money and Reduce Trash) Shopping: Several communities in the U.S. have implemented programs that educate citizens about how to purchase items that come with less packaging. The "Save Money and the Environment Too!" campaign in the San Francisco Bay area is a large, well-organized, annual campaign.
- Environmental shopper programs and shopping tours: Several League of Women Voter chapters have provided environmental shopper tours in stores. This program seeks to help shoppers better understand the complexity of our solid
waste stream. The Waste Prevention Info Exchange has articles about these programs.
- Center for a New American Dream: Helping Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life and promote social justice. The Waste Prevention Info Exchange provides more for beyond
waste prevention.
- Grasscycling: Grass is about half of all yard waste and in some communities about 7 percent of
the waste stream. Why send it to the landfill when it is easier and better for your lawn to grasscycle? Team up with retailers or manufacturers that sell or make mulching lawn mowers. Jointly promote the benefits of grasscycling. The CIWMB has brochures in English and Spanish that provide information you can use. These are also available on diskette for easy customizing and printing. Several cities have implemented successful programs.
- Home composting: Master composters in numerous communities are educating citizens about how to set up and manage a compost bin. Gardeners love the end product: a fine soil amendment. The CIWMB has a kit available with information on setting up local home composting programs.
- Unwanted mail: Nearly everyone gripes about junk mail. Campaigns to reduce junk mail will not make dramatic decreases in waste, but they are popular with the public and can be combined with other waste reduction efforts. Use this type of program as a stepping stone toward greater waste prevention awareness.
The CIWMB has a fact sheet and sample outreach materials from other cities.
- Excess packaging week: Select a week to designate as excess packaging week. Provide consumers with information about packaging and encourage them to contact manufacturers to voice their opinions. The CIWMB has sample educational materials on this topic and step-by-step instructions for conducting this type of campaign.
- Guides to repairing, reusing, renting goods: Several cities have developed guidebooks to highlight businesses that provide services to keep goods out of landfills. Headings may include rental, repair, consignment, used goods, etc. The Waste Prevention Info Exchange has instructions on how other cities
have developed guides.
- Redecorate with used items: Upgrade the consumer perception of secondhand items by promoting flea market finds as "decorator chic." Work with interior design showhouse sponsors to consider an "environmental chic" showcase.
- Environmental Roundtables: Roundtables bring together key citizens and business leaders in your area to talk about waste reduction issues on a regular basis. They offer opportunities for education, information sharing, waste exchanging, and support. Often groups are formed about a specific industry or type of business such as hospitals or school districts, or by issue such as reuse, packaging, or compost.
Do you have information, ideas, educational materials, etc. that may assist other recycling coordinators? Cycle us some info of your own so we can share it with others!
Contact the California Waste Prevention Info Exchange:
(916)
341-6363
wpinfoex@ciwmb.ca.gov
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/
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