PORTLAND, March 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, “green” is on our minds even more than usual.
Spring holidays — and the season in general — provide a fresh opportunity to take a look at education and outreach for the recycling programs and services you provide. Now’s the time to better align these efforts with your environmental mission while powering positive outcomes such as improved participation and reduced recycling contamination.
Ready to take your recycling education from green to greener? Here are ReCollect’s top five tips to help:
1. Align with your MRF. One of the top issues recycling educators face is communicating with program participants about what’s recyclable. To get it right, start with your materials recovery facility (MRF). Find out what they accept for recycling, then feed this list into every channel you use to communicate about what goes where — from your website and emails to mailers and signage.
Bonus tip: Provide a searchable, online database where people can find out what goes where. It’s easier to update than a PDF and much more user-friendly.
2. Save a tree with digital calendars. What if you could provide your curbside collection calendar in digital format without the hassle of hours of website work? With the Collection Calendar by ReCollect, people access their schedule by searching their address on your website or mobile app – then set powerful weekly reminders. You can eliminate printed calendars, lower call volumes and take back your time when you streamline calendars and communications with digital tools. Southwest Oakland County saved an estimated 200 calls per day after implementing digital communication tools.
3. Grow an email list. You need to communicate with citizens and customers about solid waste services and environmental education, but sending materials in the mail is slow, expensive, and – let’s be honest — not the best for the environment. Think about all that paper, not to mention emissions from the delivery vehicles. Start working today to build your email list so you can stay in contact with those you serve. Collect emails on your website and at events, then build a newsletter with one of the many free, easy-to-use online tools available. No paper or delivery vehicles needed!
4. Decrease emissions with scheduled collections. How do you handle special or bulky collections? If you’re still running spring cleanups — or sending out crews to drive the city looking for bulky waste set out for collection — there’s an easier, more efficient way with online scheduling. ReCollect’s Special Collection Tool lets people make an appointment right on your website, then place items at the curb on a specific date. It’s easy and efficient, and keeps your community clean and green. Just the way it should be.
5. Think about the OTHER green. Digitizing aspects of your education and outreach isn’t just effective, it’s also efficient from a budgetary standpoint. For example, the City of Austin saved $66,000 in one year when it stopped printing and mailing information to everyone in the city. That’s money your municipality can use to invest in zero waste strategies, smart cities initiatives, and more.
ReCollect, a Routeware Company, provides digital recycling education and outreach tools that make it easier for governments, haulers, and universities to connect and engage with the people they serve. Our solutions save time and resources, and help foster better recyclers. For more information, visit www.recollect.net.
Routeware has been digitally transforming the waste and recycling industry for over 20 years. Our mission is to help waste and recycling operators use technology to delight customers, improve operations, and protect our planet. Routeware solutions are used by smart cities and haulers in every US state, across Canada, and in the United Kingdom, benefiting over 50M people. Find out more at www.routeware.com.
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