RECYCLING IS A SUCCESS Every beverage container that gets recycled is a victory. But some people go further than others to help all those bottles and cans move on to their next stage in life. Read about these recycling success stories. Or send your own to recyclinginfo@conservation.ca.gov. HOLLYWOOD HIGH SCHOOL Hollywood, California January 7, 2008 The Challenge: Hollywood High School students took notice of the numerous bottles and cans thrown in the trash by their fellow classmates and wanted to do something about it. The Solution: The high school’s environmental club, the Tree Huggers, kicked off its own recycling program designed to cut down waste on campus. They turned to the Los Angeles City Bureau of Sanitation and requested seven 90-gallon blue recycling bins to start their program. The club placed the bins around campus, providing infrastructure so Hollywood High School students could have the option to keep their recyclables out of the waste stream. The Result: The students have opted to recycle their empty beverage container through curbside as opposed to taking them to a recycling center to redeem them for the California Refund Value. By not turning in the recyclable items for money, the Tree Huggers hope to send a message to fellow classmates that caring for the environment doesn’t have to include monetary compensation. In addition to beverage containers, the students also collect other types of recyclable materials including paper, cardboard, lunch trays and Styrofoam, thereby encouraging students and faculty to be more environmentally conscious in a variety of ways. AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY RELAY FOR LIFE Atwater, California September 1, 2007 The Challenge: Raise much needed funds at the American Cancer Society Relay for Life for cancer research and advocacy. The Solution: Beverage container recycling bins were placed at sites throughout the Relay for Life event route for participants to recycle their empty water bottles and energy drinks while gearing up for the remaining miles. Event planners worked to promote recycling during the fundraising event in hopes it would not only raise needed funds for cancer prevention, but also motivate families to incorporate recycling into their own homes. The Results: More than 120 pounds of bottles and cans were taken to the local recycling center. The CRV increase to 5 cents for containers less than 24 ounces, 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger, contributed to the total of $115 donated to the ACS. The event planners anticipate continuing the recycling program at Atwater races in the future. In addition, both are working with the ACS to incorporate beverage container recycling into their races nationwide. Bryan Condy--Scotts Valley High School Recycling December 2, 2006 Bryan Condy, as a sophomore at the time, started Scotts Valley High School Recycling to reduce waste on campus and generate money for the school. His goals have been accomplished by developing partnerships with his teachers, students, principals, city officials, a local non-profit environmental organization, and local businesses. To date, the school has kept more than 42,000 bottles out of landfills and has raised over $1,420 for the school. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. Mac’s Project, Inc. Santa Clarita, CA November 6, 2006 The Challenge: To promote recycling in the Santa Clarita community and raise funds to assist local families dealing with childhood cancer. The recycling program must encourage local businesses, organizations and individuals to collect recyclable materials on a weekly basis to be picked up and redeemed for California Refund Value (CRV) to support the organization’s cause. The Solution: Chuck Maier and his wife are now dedicating much of their time and energy to their self-started non-profit recycling corporation, Mac’s Project, Inc. After battling through cancer with their daughter, MacKenzie, the Maiers realized the great financial need for families dealing with problems just like their own. Through bottle and can recycling, they have begun raising funds for their mission. “Using beverage container recycling as a fundraiser has served as a tremendous way for us to raise money for families dealing with the hardships of childhood cancer, while doing something good for the environment too,” said Chuck Maier. “We are blessed to live in a state that recognizes the environmental problems we face and provides an incentive for people willing to take that extra step to recycle, instead of just tossing it in the garbage,” said Chuck Maier. Mac’s Project, Inc. currently has more than 20 businesses, one school and eight individuals participating in the recycling program. Together, the community participants are committed to recycling their CRV plastic and aluminum beverage containers to benefit Mac’s Project. To help support the collection efforts, the California Department of Conservation has provided several Recycling Starter Kits (with recycling bins) to organizations affiliated with the charity’s recycling program. The recyclables are picked up once a week on a regular schedule, and sorted to be taken to the local recycling center. The Results: Since the program began in March 2006, Mac’s Project, Inc. has collected almost $2,000 from recyclables. In addition to purchasing supplies, these funds have gone toward the business’ primary goal of helping families dealing with cancer. By collecting the community’s bottles and cans, a 16-year-old Leukemia patient went back-to-school shopping and a single mother of three received $200 in gas cards. Mac’s Project, Inc. hopes to expand the collection of CRV bottles and cans to even more businesses and individuals in the area to help families who have children battling cancer. For more information on Mac’s Project, Inc. visit www.macsproject.com. For more information about starting a recycling program in your community, visit www.bottlesandcans.com. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. Bishop Alemany High School Mission Hills, CA November 30, 2006 The Challenge: To create a self-sustaining recycling program at Bishop Alemany High School (Mission Hills, CA) that would continue to function after the students who had founded the program graduate. In the past the school had a recycling program established by the Key Club (a service club on campus), but this program disappeared once the original students had graduated. This time it was imperative that Bishop Alemany students start a recycling program that could continue with future students. The Solution: In an effort to make the recycling program a permanent part of the school’s waste management system, Bishop Alemany High School decided to include recycling in the junior class curriculum. As such, every junior must complete a Social Justice class, taught by three teachers at Bishop Alemany. Included in the Social Justice Curriculum is a component that allows each junior to become a part of the recycling program at Bishop Alemany. There is administrative support for the program, but the day-to-day duties are completely run by the junior classmen. The students involved in the program have placed small boxes converted into recycling bins in every classroom (65 rooms) and larger recycling bins, donated by the California Department of Conservation, were placed in the gym, theater and popular lunch areas throughout campus (75 recycling bins total). The recyclables are collected and sorted by the students twice a week. One of the three teachers of the Social Justice courses will then take the recyclables to the nearest recycling center where the recyclables are weighed for their California Redemption Value (CRV). The Result: In January, 2005, Bishop Alemany High School started a beverage container recycling program designed to last for years to come. The school recycles about 25, 30-gallon bags of recyclables every week. The CRV money received each week totals between $70 and $75. This money is managed by the students who then decide how it will be allocated. Some past uses have included Hurricane Relief, sending mechanical pencils to local low-income elementary schools and a Thanksgiving Food Drive. The Bishop Alemany recycling program has not only created a student-run, self-sustaining recycling system at the high school, but has found a way to give back to the local community through funds raised by recycling on campus. Students are not only helping the environment, but they are connecting with social causes and supporting their local community. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. AMERICA RECYCLES DAY, 2004 Point Loma Branch Library Celebrates with Poster Display November 15, 2006 America Recycles Day 2004 was celebrated at the Point Loma Branch Library through a colorful display of recycling posters. Several of the posters included in the display were made available by the California Department of Conservation to help promote beverage container recycling. If you would like to order your own posters to help promote beverage container recycling, please check out the "Local Assistance" section of Bottlesandcans.com. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. CITY OF VICTORVILLE "Business Community Recycling Partnership" November 10, 2006 The City of Victorville created a "Business Community Recycling Partnership" program to increase recycling opportunities in their community. Victorville provides free recycling collection barrels to restaurants, sandwich/lunch shops, and offices for collection of California Refund Value bottles and cans. This program is helping local non-profit groups raise money because the city assists the businesses with locating a local nonprofit group to collect and redeem the CRV. Participating businesses receive laminated placards/signs to post above the collection containers. The signs inform the public the business is a participant in the Business Community Recycling Partnership Program and which non-profit group is being supported by the business. Interest in the program has been growing as several nonprofit groups are actively seeking companies with which to partner. So far ten businesses signed up benefiting four non-profit groups. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. California Art Institute, San Diego October 4, 2006 The Challenge: To promote recycling awareness and encourage students and staff of the California Art Institute to recycle their bottles and cans. With the exception of the initial set-up costs for supplies, this program was designed to be self-sustaining – funded by the collection of CRV (California Refund Value). The Solution: In early 2005, Bill Kilby, a staff member at the Art Institute, rallied a group of staff and students, now know as the Gang Green Club, to create a beverage container recycling program on the California Art Institute’s San Diego campus. In order to get the program off the ground, the Gang Green Club needed inexpensive bins and funds to purchase initial program supplies. With the help of the California Department of Conservation’s Recycling Starter Kit program, the Club received durable, light-weight recycling bins free of charge. Additionally, the California Art Institute’s facilities department funded the additional materials necessary to get the program up and running. The Club arranged for the existing campus janitorial staff to empty the recycling bins on a daily basis. The janitors empty the bottles and cans into a large, three yard dumpster, separate from the trash containers, where they are stored until they are collected monthly by a local waste hauling company. As part of the agreement with the waste haulers, the school receives the CRV generated by the recycled bottles and cans to buy new supplies and materials. The Result: The Gang Green Club placed the recycling bins throughout the Art Institute campus in hallways, classrooms and lounges. Educational materials are posted near the bins and throughout the campus to help generate awareness for the recycling program. In the first month, the California Art Institute earned approximately $200 from the bottles and cans collected through their on-campus recycling campaign. This self-sustaining program includes a campus-wide initiative to recycle paper, cardboard and aluminum and plastic beverage containers, with hopes of adding glass recycling in the near future. The Gang Green Club aims to raise enough funds next year to continue running the recycling program, as well as sponsor local events such as beach clean-ups and community beautification projects. To help sustain awareness, program leaders meet monthly to identify new ways of encouraging people to recycle on campus and in the community. Currently, the printing of educational materials is paid for by the money raised from recycling. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. Longfellow Elementary School Long Beach, CA October 23, 2006 The Challenge: To introduce the importance of conservation and beverage container recycling to elementary students and reward them for their efforts to preserve the environment. With the dedication of the parents, faculty and students, the recycling program could become a permanent staple of the school’s education and fundraising programs. The Solution: While on a class field trip with her son to the local recycle center in Long Beach, California, parent Gigi Goodman quickly learned first hand the benefits of simply collecting and recycling bottles and cans with the young students. In one day, the second grade class redeemed more than $35 in California Refund Value (CRV) beverage containers. The children celebrated their recycling success with a pizza party – paid for by the CRV they earned by recycling. The field trip inspired Goodman to move forward with a school conservation program. Beginning in October 2005, a permanent “recycling area” was established at the school. This area enables students to contribute the plastic bottles and cans they collect at home to the school recycling program each Friday morning. In return, students receive proud recognition with a sticker that reads “I Recycled Today.” The recycling program is sustained by Longfellow Elementary parents and other volunteers, who sort the plastic and aluminum into large bins. The volunteers then take turns redeeming the bottles and cans for cash at a local recycle center. And at 4 and 8 cents per bottle or can, the weekly collection of beverage containers adds up to big bucks for the school! With CRV payout scheduled to increase to 5 and 10 cents as of January 1, the school will soon be receiving 25 percent more cash for each container. In addition to the established recycling area, Goodman visited the California Department of Conservation’s Web site, www.bottlesandcans.com, and was delighted to find a wide variety of informative materials about conservation to help educate the students about the importance of beverage container recycling. The DOC has also provided Longfellow Elementary with 35 copies of an interactive computer game that was installed on each computer in the school computer lab. “The students are able to engage in the recycling games, while learning the importance of conservation,” said Goodman. The Results: Not only is conservation a vital asset to the students’ learning at Longfellow Elementary School, but recycling now plays an integral role in fundraising as well. Having gathered an average of $100 each week, the school has raised more than $3,200 since the program’s inception less than one year ago. With the extra money, the Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) has decided to purchase new sports equipment for the 2006-2007 school year. Recycling has allowed the parents and students to participate in raising money for their school, as well as learning about the numerous ways to preserve the environment. Goodman, along with parents and teachers at Longfellow Elementary School, will continue to work together to keep the program a permanent fixture for future students. Do you want to start a recycling program at your school? Call 1-800-RECYCLE for technical assistance, and visit bottlesandcans.com to find your nearest recycling center. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. PALOS VERDES HIGH SCHOOL Palos Verdes, California September 21, 2006 The Challenge: To create a sustainable, student-run beverage container recycling program at Palos Verdes High School. The initial funding for this program was provided in part by the California Department of Conservation’s grant program, school funds and a donation of small recycling bins from a local division of Coca-Cola. This program would eventually need to fund itself through the collection of the CRV (California Refund Value) redeemed from the recycled bottles and cans. The Solution: Lynn Hiel, E-Club President and founder of the recycling program at Palos Verdes High School, applied for and received a grant from the DOC in the amount of $3,833 to help start a school-wide beverage container recycling program. Ms. Hiel also requested assistance from Coca-Cola, which in turn donated several small recycling bins to aide in the collection of bottles and cans. To begin the beverage container recycling program, Ms. Hiel and the E-Club members placed the small recycling bins near existing trash cans throughout the common areas. Once the bins were in place, the beverage container recycling program was adopted quickly by both students and faculty. However, with the instant success came unexpected troubles – the Palos Verdes High School recycling program encountered beverage container theft. To remedy this problem, Ms. Hiel and the E-Club researched and purchased new larger locking recycling bins with some of the remaining DOC grant funds. Once the new bins were introduced to the recycling program, theft of the recyclables was greatly reduced. The smaller bins are now used for sporting and school events, bottle and can drives and fundraisers and other school-related activities where the bins can be easily emptied at the conclusion of the occasion. To generate more exposure for the program, the E-Club utilizes a bulletin board in the common area of the high school. The board displayed updates on recycling events as well as a running tally of funds raised to date from the redeemed CRV. The Result: After just one year, Palos Verdes High School has successfully created a thriving, self-sustaining beverage container recycling program supported by the E-Club and the entire student body. E-Club members empty the bins weekly and take the bottles and cans to their local recycling center to redeem the CRV. In the first year of the beverage container recycling program, the school raised more than $1,480. The money earned through the program will be used to buy more recycling bins and supplies to keep the program growing. The E-Club has also conducted bottle and can recycling drives in an effort to raise funds for charitable organizations such as Tsunami Relief. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. GOLD'S GYM Venice, California April 25, 2006 The Challenge: To create a gym-friendly beverage container recycling program to capture the hundreds of empty water and energy drink containers being thrown away each day at the world famous Gold’s Gym in Venice. The Solution: As part of a statewide beverage container recycling pilot program, the California Department of Conservation met with the facility manager of the Gold’s Gym in Venice, California. Upon initial review of the 25,000 sq. ft. gym facility, the DOC provided Gold’s Gym with approximately 20 light-weight recycling bins designed with simple, yet bold, white lettering on black with a clearly marked hole for bottles and cans only. The new recycling bins were strategically placed near existing trash receptacles and in high-traffic areas including main pathways, weight rooms, aerobic areas, member locker rooms and the employee break area. Once the bins were in place, the Gold’s Gym facility manager arranged for the janitorial staff to collect the containers as soon as the bins were filled. The Result: The Gold’s Gym beverage container recycling program saw instant success. Gym members began using the recycling bins immediately – with a very low contamination rate of non-recyclable materials. Members praised the recycling program as a great new addition to the gym, and commended gym management for being a socially responsible organization. In the beginning of the program, the Gold’s Gym janitorial staff emptied the recycling bins when they were full, approximately every three days. Now, almost one year after the program began, the bins are filled daily and require collection on a nightly basis. The janitorial staff elects to use their personal trucks to transport the containers to a local recycling center, and in exchange, they are able to keep the more than $150 in California Refund Value (CRV) generated each week by the recycled bottles and cans. Additionally, due to the nature of the gym environment, most of the bottles and cans collected are clean, non-sticky containers such as water bottles, energy drinks and supplement containers – making it very easy to keep the recycling bins and surrounding areas clean and convenient to use. Overall, the Gold’s Gym beverage container recycling program is a “win, win, win” situation for gym members, employees and most of all, California’s environment. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger. Cans for Critters Silicon Valley, CA January 4, 2006 The Challenge: To create a program that will help clean up the community while raising funds for the Silicon Valley Humane Society. In order to create a substantial enough donation amount, this program needed the participation of a large number of community businesses. The Solution: After learning about the California Department of Conservation’s beverage container Recycling Starter Kit program, Anne Mitchell and her seven year old son, William, came up with a solution that would help clean up their community and assist abandoned animals in their city. The program, affectionately known as “Cans for Critters”, was formed in September, 2005. To start the program, Anne contacted her local Starbucks coffee shops to request their participation in the program and arranged to place a bottle and can recycling bin in each location. A “Cans for Critters” sticker, with information about the program, was placed on each recycling bin. In the beginning, Anne checked the bins once a week to empty the bottles and cans and redeem them for cash at her nearest recycling center. Less than five months since the inception of the program, Cans for Critters has a team of volunteers and more than 20 participating businesses. The Result: Together with the support of the community, the Cans for Critters program is helping to keep thousands of bottles and cans out of the landfills while raising funds for local animal charities. The program is growing rapidly; gaining volunteers and overwhelming support from local businesses throughout the Silicon Valley. “People love this,” says Anne. “It is good for the businesses, it is good for the animals and it is good for the planet.” Although the program currently raises $35 a week, Anne is very positive about the future of Cans for Critters. “We are just starting out, so the program is still picking up,” says Anne. “I am confident that over time, the money will really add up and make a difference for hundreds of animals.” All of the money redeemed from the bottles and cans is donated directly to the Silicon Valley Humane Society and other local animal charities. For more information on the Cans for Critters program, visit the web site at www.cansforcritters.com. As of January 1, 2007, the California Refund Value (CRV) is five cents for beverage containers less than 24 ounces and 10 cents for containers 24 ounces and larger.