Recycling offers many benefits to a community—it helps reduce waste, create jobs, conserve resources and decrease pollution. Yet, only about 34 percent of the 258 million tons of waste created each year is being recycled.
There are many reasons people don’t recycle. Some are unsure of how or where to recycle. Some don’t realize the impact of recycling, and some do not think recycling is worth the effort. Many communities are developing community recycling programs to help educate citizens. These programs seek to make recycling easier and more convenient while engaging participants. Here are some eco-friendly giveaways that can draw attention to your community’s program.
Build Awareness
The first step in getting people to participate in your community recycling program is to make them aware that the program is available. Mail residents a magnet with the program’s information, as well as important phone number and locations. If your community has a curbside recycling program, gift residents a magnetic calendar to remind them of recycling day.
Create less waste
Americans use around 2.5 million plastic water bottles every hour. You can drastically decrease this by giving away reusable water bottles. It’s a way to promote your recycling program while also reducing waste.
Another way to reduce waste is to offer promotional grocery bags as alternatives to plastic bags. Consider partnering with local grocery stores to offer residents a few cents off their total if they use a reusable bag. You can even encourage waste reduction in your own agencies by asking employees to print less and use jump drives.
Educate employees and residents
Many Americans say they would recycle more if they were better informed about what is recyclable. Incorporate recycling trivia or games into your community activities as a way to educate them. Reward participants with small gifts like a spiral notebook or a keychain that proudly sport your recycling program’s information.
Trained employees can also be a great educational asset. Make sure your employees know all the details of your program and then give them eco-friendly giveaways like reusable bags or a jar opener to hand out.
Host a contest
To overcome the perception that recycling won’t make a difference, let residents see just how large of an impact it can make.
Hold a social media contest to encourage participation in your community recycling programs. Have groups or individuals compete to collect the most recyclable material and reward winners with a custom printed T-shirt, baseball cap or hoodie. These giveaways are perfect because residents can continue to compete against one another while showing off their community pride and increasing awareness about recycling.
Happy recycling!
Recycling is a big win for the environment and local residents. When it comes to promoting community recycling programs, these eco-friendly giveaways are sure to be a hit for both you and your community.