10 Easy Steps to Kick Start a Recycling Program in your ...

10 Easy Steps to Kick Start a Recycling Program in your Community · Step 1. Browse Your City's Website · Step 2. Create a Team · Step 3. Conduct a ... Skiptocontent Thiswebsiteusescookiestoprovidethebestonlineexperience.Bycontinuingtousethissite,youareconsentingtotheuseofcookies.Learnmorehereandhere.  ACKNOWLEDGE 10EasyStepstoKickStartaRecyclingPrograminyourCommunity August31,2019 in Magazine , ByPattiGirardi   NearlyallAmericanssupportrecyclingand75percentsayitshouldbeapriority,accordingtoarecentsurveybytheU.S.PublicInterestResearchGroup.Yettheaveragenationalrecyclingrateisonlyabout35percent,whichmeanstwo-thirdsofourwastewindsupinlandfills,incinerators,oraslitter.AgrowingpercentageofAmericansliveinapartments,yetmanymultifamilycommunitiesdonothavearecyclingprograminplace.Ifyoursisamongthem,hereisastep-by-stepplantobeginrecycling. Step1.    BrowseYourCity’sWebsite Thefirststepistofamiliarizeyourselfwithyourcity’srecyclingmandates.Typein“recycling”inthesearchbarofyourcity’swebsite,andfromthereyouwillhaveaplethoraofinformationatyourfingertips.Keythingsyoushouldlookforinclude: Whatyourcityrecycles. Whatyourcitydoesnotrecycle. Recyclingmandates. Theguidelinesandrequirementsformultifamilycommunities. Recyclingplansheetsandapplications. Locationstorecycleelectronicwaste Sanitarywastecontactinformation. Recyclingfliers. Step2.CreateaTeam Composeateamofindividualswhowillberesponsiblefortheupkeepoftheprogram.Appointakeyrecyclingcoordinatorwhowilloverseetheoperation.Makesurethatthisteamismotivatedandenthusiasticaboutgoinggreen. Step3. ConductaWasteAssessment  Determinewhatyourcurrenttrashwastestreamconsistsof.Visuallyinspectthecontentsofyourcommunity’swaste,andlistthecomponents(paper,foodcontainers,plastic,foodwaste,etc.).Thiswillhelpyouprioritizewhichitemsyouneedtorecycle.Setanassessmentperiod(forexample,recorddailyfor2-3weeks). Step4.CreateaPlan Outlineyourprogram’svision,mission,andobjectives.Yourplanshouldkeepyouorganized,goaloriented,andspecific.Beintentionalwiththisstep.Double-checkwhetheryouarerequiredbyyourcitytosubmitarecyclingplanorapplication. Step5.DecideWhattoRecycle Decipheringwhattorecyclemayseemtobetheeasieststep,butitcanbeachallenge.Bespecificandthoroughtopreventconfusionamongstyourresidents.Compilealistofalternativesfornon-recyclables.Thiswayifyourresidentswanttorecyclethingsthatcansimplybereused,youhaveasolutionready.Youcandosobycheckingyourcity’swebsiteforcity-approvedstationsforelectronicwaste,medicalwaste,andfurnitureandotherdonations.Lastly,makesureyoucontactyourcity’ssanitaryservicestofindoutwhatisn’taccepted. Step6.DetermineHowtoCollect Onceagain,referenceyourcityandstaterecyclingmandatestoidentifytherequirementsforcollectionandprocessing.Yourcollectionsystemisafundamentalaspectofthesuccessofyourprogram.Considerthesequestions: Whowillsortthematerials? Willyourprogramcollectusingcurbsidemethodsorrecyclingdrop-offcenters? Willyououtsourcethecollectiontoathird-partycontractor? Whatareyourdesignatedservicedaysandhours? Whattypeofcollectionbinsreceptacleswillyouuse? Willyouenforcemixed,singlestream,orno-separationrecycling? Doublecheckyourcity’srecyclingmandates;certaincitiesrequireaspecificformatforcollection. Step7.HaveaPreventionPlantoReduceWaste It’seasytoforgettofocusonhowyouareproducingwastewhenimplementingarecyclingprogram.Amajorkeyistograspanunderstandingbehindthe“why”ofyourwastestream.Youwillneedyourentireteamonboardforthisstep,includingthird-partyhaulers(ifused). Thepreventionplanwouldbedeterminedbytheauditthatwasheldatyourcommunity.Forexample,ifyourauditsshowthatyourresidentsthrowawaycardboardthemost,yourpreventionplanshoulddepicthowyoucandecreasethatspecificwastestream.Thisstepisallaboutpreventingmishapsinyourrecyclingprocess. Step8.Educate,Educate,Educate Thisstepiscrucialtoaneffectiverecyclingprogram.Createinformativecollateralandeventsforyourresidents.Considerenlistingasupplierpartnertoprovidethisforyou.Makesureyourpartnerunderstandstheinsandoutofyourprogram.Distributeflierstoallcurrentresidentsandtofutureresidentswhentheymoveindays;havereoccurringrecyclingeventstogetyourresidentspumpedandexcited.Keepthemsweet,simple,fun,andtothepoint.Oftenyoucandownloadfreefliersandothereducationalmaterialsonyourcity’swebsite.Lastlymakesureyouareabidingbytheeducationalrequirementofyourmunicipality;mostrequiremultifamilycommunitiestofollowaneducationalrequirementoveracertainperiod. Step9.BriefYourStaff Briefyourmaintenance,custodial,andofficestaffaboutthebestrecyclingpracticesandthedetailsofyourprogram. Step10.Share! Finally,bragabouttheresultsandsharetheprogresswithyourteam,city,staff,andresidents.ThiscanbetiedbacktoStep8.Youcanchoosetothrowarecyclingresultsbash,oryoucanalsosendoutmonthlyupdatessharingyoursuccess.Thisstepwillserveasencouragementandcontinuedcooperationfortherecyclingprogram. RecyclingTips&Facts  Whenrecyclingglass/plasticcontainers,makesuretowashthoroughlytoavoidgreasecontamination. Cutoffthesectionofyourpizzaboxesthathavegrease. Breakdownyourcardboardboxesbeforerecycling. Inquireaboutcomposting(forfoodwaste). Recycleplasticbagsbyreturningthemtoyourlocalgrocerystore. UseyourownTheaverageofficeworkerintheU.S.usesroughly500disposablecupseachyear. Makeuseofreusablestraws.Americansuse500millionplasticdrinkingstrawseveryday. Reduceyourtrash.Approximately40%ofthemunicipalsolidwastethatmakesupourlandfillispaperandcardboard. Recyclingdoesmorethanignitethefeel-goodchemicalsinourbrain: It’sagrowingindustrywithpromisingresultsforoureconomy.Beachangeagentandgetyourresidentsonboardwithlivinggreen.   PattiGirardiischiefmarketingofficerforValetLiving.   ThankYouforanExcitingandRewardingYearAugust31,2019 AugustE-NewsletterAugust30,2019 Categories AdvocacyNews E-Newsletter FAANews 50thAnniversary Magazine MostRecentPosts FloridaAPTitudes-May2022 May18,2022 DeadlinetoApplyforOURFloridaisMay12 May11,2022byAmandaWhite CallforNominations|ExecutiveCommittee May11,2022byKatieWrenn SignificantHVACChangesontheHorizon April28,2022byAmandaWhite HeretoStay:PandemicInspiresChangesWorthKeeping April28,2022 × Membership&AccountAccess IsYourCommunityorCompanyaMember? Ifyouareanemployeeofanapartmentcommunity,managementcompany,orsuppliercompanythatisamemberofanyFAAaffiliate,weinviteyoutosetupanonlineaccountto: AccesstheSupplierDirectory RegisterforEvents ReceiveFAAUpdates View&PayInvoices...andmuchmore! CreateanAccount BecomeaMember Ifyouareanemployeeofanapartmentcommunity,managementcompany,orsuppliercompanythatisNOTcurrentlyamember,weinviteyoutojoinoneofour11localaffiliates acrossthestateofFlorida: Yourcompanycanbecome amemberofFAAbyjoininganaffiliatedapartmentassociationinthelocationyoudobusiness.Whenyoujoinoneofourlocalaffiliates,youautomaticallybecomeamemberoftheFloridaApartmentAssociation.  ViewMembershipInformation