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5 Comments
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Re: Contaminated recycling loads
2008-12-04 23:44:35 UTC
Good signage is key. More pictures increases comprehension. At the University of Vermont's Davis Center, they have several places where trash, recyclables, and compostables are collected. At what must be the most successful spot, which is in the cafeteria, staff has pasted actual items on signs above each receptacle. Students actually take the time to stop, hold up an item and visually match it with the item on the board, and put it in the right container. At another spot, where the signs are text only, I watched some students approach, stand in front of the signs and stare blankly, and then head to the trash container, where it all goes-recycling, compostables, and everything. I know you can't have pictures of everything, but where you can include them as general guides, they help. I have also seen Drop-Off Centers where actual items are literally nailed to a board above each bin.
Tell them WHY you want them to rinse and more will understand that you're not just being picky. At our MRF, recyclables are sorted mechanically and by hand. I see comprehension in people's faces when I tell them the two main reasons for rinsing out containers:
1. There are people in there and if you rinse out your containers it makes it a much less unpleasant job to hand sort.
2. Food is considered a contaminant by recycling companies that buy our recyclables. If there's too much, there's a chance that they will either reject the load-in which case it gets landfilled-or they reduce what they pay us. Our recycling program depends on those funds to keep going.
Clare Innes
Marketing & Communications Manager
Chittenden Solid Waste District
1021 Redmond Road Williston, VT 05495
(802) 872-8100 ext. 207
Fax: (802) 878-5787
www.cswd.net -
Re: reusable bags
2008-12-01 10:12:08 UTC
GREAT idea!
Clare -
Re: reusable bags
2008-11-22 19:14:31 UTC
Fran,
I was thinking the same thing about producing a magnetic shopping list with "bring reusable bags!" or some such as the first item, after reading www.igotmybag.org tips on remembering to bring bags. I have not yet priced out producing either that or the door hanger. I thought the door hanger would be good because so many people stuff their bags in a closet or heap them somewhere else easily overlooked and forget them. If they have this thing hanging on the door, they'll be reminded to go back and grab a bag, even if they choose not to or flat-out forget to hang them on the door.
Cheers,
Clare
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Re: reusable bags
2008-11-20 16:39:19 UTC
Tim,
Your tips on how to remember your bag is great (http://www.igotmybag.org/tips.htm) Thanks for passing your site along!
Clare
Clare Innes
Marketing & Communications Manager
Chittenden Solid Waste District
1021 Redmond Road Williston, VT 05495
(802) 872-8100 ext. 207
Fax: (802) 878-5787
www.cswd.net
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Re: bottled water ban
2008-11-19 14:24:59 UTC
Dear Jennifer,
For the past few years CSWD has been giving out tote bags. Nowadays, so does everyone else--to the point where everyone seems to have piles of them but still forget to use them. Next year, we'll be working instead on reinforcing the behavior of actually bringing them with you in your car by giving out door hangers along the lines of hotel "do not disturb" signs--maybe something as well in the car to remind people to actually bring them in the store with them (haven't thought of anything yet--this is all still deep in the hmmmmmmmmmm stage).
I wonder if you would want to do something similar regarding water bottles: maybe give out small mesh bags to hang on the doorknob to hold a water bottle so people remember to "fill before you fly" or some such. Great idea to undertake this effort. How will you get businesses on board that make money by selling bottled water?
Cheers,
Clare
Clare Innes
Marketing & Communications Manager
Chittenden Solid Waste District
1021 Redmond Road Williston, VT 05495
(802) 872-8100 ext. 207
Fax: (802) 878-5787
www.cswd.net
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