Promoting the idea of recycling/waste reduction and your program, is essential to the success of this practice.  Unlike most operational areas, recycling/waste reduction implementation requires a change in the cultural behavior.  In order to implement this system, creative education and promotional activities must compliment the operations.  It is important to train folks to incorporate a new practice into daily activities.  The goal includes refocusing our way of thinking as a culture.  

Recycling is just one step from the garbage can and is just a stop gap measure.   The larger picture involves waste reduction and material reuse.  This involves pre-cycling, which is consuming less by buying products that are not disposable and instead choosing things that can be fixed.  Pre-cycling also involves choosing products that are minimally packaged in recyclable packaging.   Additionally, in order for recycling to be successful, there needs to be a demand for the materials.  This demand is only created through consumers demanding recycled content products.  Recycling is more than just another garbage can, it involves closing the loop.  Reduce, Reuse and Recycling...this maximizes resources.  The key to the success in closing the loop is through excellence in education and promotion of these ideas to the culture while stimulating a consciousness that follows this path: "Buy Recycled Products So We Can Recycle The Products We Buy".

Where to Begin?

When considering educational opportunities, remember there is not one panacea for getting the word out.  People respond to different cues.  Some respond to pictures, others to printed words.  Diversify educational/promotional activities, which will increase the opportunity to reach more of the campus community.

There are many opportunities to implement waste education into all campus practices.   Incorporating this information into all program materials and operations is just the beginning.

There are several things that can be done with printed materials, but promoting waste reduction and recycling is also something that can be coordinated into actual activities and events such as Earthday and America Recycles Day.  There are many opportunities to promote the idea of waste reduction and recycling and also promote the campus and program in the process.

Promoting recycling and waste reduction can be inexpensive or involve higher costs.  There are many options that are effective.  The key is to be creative and resourceful but be sure and not to be limited to just one strategy.  Being on a college campus is a plus.  There are numerous resources in an educational institution.  Professors are always looking for practical application projects for classes.   This is especially true in journalism and advertising classes.  College classes are a good place for students to do projects that can be utilized within a class and also benefit a recycling program.  Professors are often open to incorporating these projects into their classes.  Through classes, internships or practicums, students can produce brochures, business plans, waste stream analysis, posters, ad campaigns, the list is endless.  Being on a college campus is a bonus as there is a diverse population of experts and students who are looking for real life hands-on experiences to compliment academics.

With the new generation of computer literacy, there is a huge opportunity to get students to produce graphics and web site materials at little or no cost.  The program gets some free PR materials and the students get an opportunity to see work published.   This is a great opportunity for students to build portfolios and gain practical experience.

Program Visibility

Recycling Programs on college campuses serve another important function for Universities: great PR!  Recycling Programs offer great PR opportunities for Universities just merely by the presence of recycling systems on campus.  When students preview Universities to attend, seeing recycling containers gives a message that the school has an environmental awareness and cares for the campus community.

Additionally, as institutions of higher education, our job is to create contributing community citizens.  After all, "Recycling IS Higher Education!"

Here’s a list of some great basic ideas to begin educating on campus:

*create a program name 

Many campuses call the recycling department: "Campus Recycling".  Others incorporate the name of the school for example: "Vermont Recycles".  Due to the inconsistency of where recycling programs end up being administered, it is important to create a name that makes the program accessible.  Folks do not automatically know that the recycling department is located within facilities or the administration or student government.  Additionally, recycling programs are very unique in being an operational function that involves much more administration then typical trade or custodial functions.  Recycling Programs also incorporate ed/promo into operations and involve other aspects such as creating conservation practices within existing University procedures.  With good PR and convenient collections, waste management will become an economic success.

*create a catchy program logo

This can be put on all recycling collection stations, program vehicles, signs, printed materials, employee T-shirts, newsletters, posters, recycling containers.  A program logo is the foundation for building a recycling program.  It identifies the program and also inspires the practice.  This could just be as simple as utilizing the generic recycling symbol with the name of the college.

*design a materials collection poster using program logo, graphics, sorting guidelines

Don’t make this too wordy.  Establish clear common sense guidelines.

*set-up user-friendly, aesthetically pleasing recycling collection sites

A strong presence is the best education strategy.  Most college recycling programs have inexpensive collection containers.  Keep these well signed and clean, which can make up for any aesthetic issues.

*create decals and/or signs, for labeling all collection containers

This works best in conjunction with posted sorting guidelines.

*create recycling program brochures that can be included in new student/employee packets,  these are a valuable resource to introduce this practice into daily life on campus

*create a program website

At a minimum, post operational information on a website.  A materials list, site locations and resource guide is helpful to the campus community.

*create a self service recycling information center located in the student union

*create annual/bi-annual campus waste reduction newsletters, keep the campus staff and student newspapers informed

*create a department list serve that the program can utilize to keep campus departments informed

*create an awards/recognition program for campus departments, groups and individuals

*solicit media coverage to promote program projects and successes

*perform a waste audit in front of the student union

*work with student union food service and nearby campus food vendors to provide cheap refills with refillable cups

*make refillable cups with the program logo, sell at all campus food areas, use these for giveaways, also give all new employees and new students refillable mugs (this promotes the program and reduces campus waste)

*include helpful hints, facts and other sayings on university literature including messages on paycheck envelopes and course schedules

 *give away's are great PR (refillable mugs, reusable lunch bags, etc....a lot of on-campus and local businesses will donate items as well)

*put messages on magnets that can be attached to campus service vehicles,  be sure and identify program trucks

*create multi-lingual program posters for international students 

This is a great project for academic credit.  These can be useful in areas where large populations of international students (often with children) reside on campus or in family housing areas.

*create generic posters with photographs of what category is being collected

*set-up displays that can be put in various locations on campus.  Set-up displays and bulletin boards in areas on campus that have display cases etc...

*make table tents to put in campus dining areas

*door hangers work great for info. in housing areas

*make signs with all kinds of factoids and place them around campus

People love facts!  Put interesting facts on stakes and get permission to set them throughout campus.

*advertisements in the campus newspaper help get the message across

*offer presentations in campus departments and classes

*offer program tours

*program surveys are not only informative but educational

*plan activities for Earthday, Recycling Awareness Week and America Recycles Day

There are endless ways to promote waste reduction and recycling on campus.   Enlist students to help determine what works to get attention.  There's some great ideas that come from brainstorming.

Resources

California Integrated Waste Management Board 
http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Schools/Curriculum/default.htm

DEQ Waste Prevention and Management
http://www.deq.state.or.us/lq/sw/wasteprevention/index.htm

EPA - Kids, Students, and Teachers
http://www.epa.gov/epahome/students.htm

Global Learning and Observations to Benefit the Environment
http://www.globe.gov

Grassroots Recycling Network
http://www.grrn.org

Recycling Resource Project
http://www.recyclingproject.com

Sharing Environmental Education knowledge
http://www.seek.state.mn.us

University of Oregon Campus Recycling Ed/Promo Section
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~recycle/edu_promo.htm