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Recycle More. It's Easy To Do.

Be a better recycler video podcast Watch the ‘be a better recycler’ video online (Windows Media) or subscribe to the podcast through iTunes to learn how to make recycling more convenient and effective.

In 2007, King County launched a Recycle More campaign to increase recycling among single family residents, multi-family residents and businesses.

• Residential Recycling Campaign
• Multifamily Recycling Campaign
• Commercial Recycling Campaign

‘Be a better recycler’ Podcast

Although most King County residents say they participate in their curbside recycling program, more than half of what ends up in the Cedar Hills Regional Landfill is readily recyclable. King County has created a podcast and campaign to encourage King County residents to increase their recycling at home and start putting food scraps and food-soiled paper in their curbside yard debris carts, to meet the county's goal of zero waste of resources by 2030. Subscribe to the video podcast through iTunes, or watch the video online (Windows Media). (Also available in Real Media format).

Residential recycling campaign

A study conducted with nine King County families in the spring of 2006 revealed that most families recycle, but don't recycle much because it's either inconvenient or messy. For example, the farther they were from their recycling bins, the less likely they were to walk there. Or, if a container still had food in it, it would get tossed into the trash. From this, radio, TV and print ads targeted residents with messages aimed at making recycling covenient and easy. Results [document link to come] at the end of one year demonstrated an increase in recycling, and the same advertising was scheduled for a second year.

Video, TV and radio ads

Check out the "Recycle More…" TV and radio ads.

Multifamily recycling campaign

A pilot program to improve recycling at condominiums and apartments targeted five large complexes in King County. The outreach program included coordination with garbage haulers, meetings with building managers, translations of recycling information for non-English speaking residents, tenant meetings, and , provision of recycling tote bags for a selected section of residents to see if they increased amount recycled. The results of the pilot were varied, but definitely demonstrated that hands-on assistance is the key to increasing a multifamily recycling program.

Tips for Multifamily Recyling:

• Print newsletters and "how-to" materials in the languages spoken by the residents.
• Focus recycling of cardboard, newspaper, and mixed paper.
• Provide directional signs for recycling and garbage containers.
• Place a labeled container in the mailbox area to capture junk mail.
• Communicate with the garbage hauler, complex manager and residents to prevent contamination and to solve problems.
• Provide newsletters and resident letters to explain the do's and don'ts of recycling.

Commercial recycling campaign

A commercial recycling program targeted businesses that could demonstrate cost savings with an increased recycling program, especially with regard to paper, cardboard and organics. Ten businesses participated in the program. Final reporting of quantities diverted from the waste stream will be available in mid-2008. A surprise in the study was the quantity of organics that could be diverted from the garbage to collection for local composting.

Tips for business recycling:

• Know what's in your company's trash; it's the first step toward more effective recycling.
• Set a goal for improving recycling performance, communicate the goal to employees and devise methods for measuring results.
• Appoint a "Chief Recycling Officer" who can educate and motivate fellow employees, and help measure performance.
• Choose from a large group of local recyclers to pick up materials. Visit the What Do I Do With…? Web site for material-specific information. Businesses can work individually with private recyclers to set up a service that meets their needs. Several cities, including Auburn, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond, Snoqualmie and Tukwila, provide free recycling services for their business communities.
• Encourage employees to recycle in the workplace by making recycling a part of your company's culture.

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