Turn Trash to Cash - Recyclebank

David Anderson · Post by **David Anderson** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 4:24 pm

http://www.recyclebank.com/

No more sorting.
No longer would we need two different recycling garbage trucks.
Residents earn points/rewards for every pound of recycled material picked-up.
Reduce a city's carbon footprint.
Save city dollars (potentially).

Here's a video that appeared on MSNBC http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp ... 0#27286665

Ed FitzGerald · Post by **Ed FitzGerald** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:27 pm

This is a great link. I'll be sharing this with people at work tomorrow.

Colleen Wing · Post by **Colleen Wing** » Tue Oct 21, 2008 8:48 pm

http://www.wired.com/science/discoverie ... 6/01/70078

The Waste Management system is what we had in Detroit. It sorts down to compost with no effort from the customer. This would be a 100% participation system.

Barbara Michel · Post by **Barbara Michel** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 9:04 am

Great video David! Thank you for bringing this up.

I sent information on these programs to city personnel in â€™06. At that time the city was considering fining residents that didnâ€™t recycle. Unfortunately department and personnel were trimmed during budget cuts.

Also posted On Deck in July during an interesting thread called: â€œHow â€œGreenâ€ Should Lakewood Be?â€ Residentâ€™s had some great thoughts:
http://lakewoodobserver.com/forum/viewt ... sc&start=0

Some additional sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/21/busin ... ref=slogin
http://www.springwise.com/eco_sustainab ... recycling/
http://www.recyclebank.com/how-it-works

Making it easy for residents and taking it a step further by giving them incentive rewards works.

A side benefit would be no more bags and papers blowing around streets.

Rhonda loje · Post by **Rhonda loje** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 10:43 am

Great video and it makes sense!

David Anderson · Post by **David Anderson** » Wed Oct 22, 2008 1:26 pm

Thanks for linking the July conversation, Barbara.

I briefly recalled that thread but couldn't put my finger on it.

I agree with your sentiment, providing a real incentive to recycle seems to be the key.

It would be great of a resulting Lakewood recycling rewards program could allow residents to redeem at Lakewood businesses. Maybe our local Chamber of Commerce has some reaction.

Thanks again.

Danielle Masters · Post by **Danielle Masters** » Thu Oct 23, 2008 10:30 am

Nice video, interesting system. We had those types of bins, minus the chip, in Arizona. It was nice to be able to put all recycling in one bin. Everyone on our street used the bins, it was easy so there was no reason not to. With the added incentive I think even more people would recycle.