[GreenYes] Re: RecycleBank

[David Biddle <Dbiddle@no.address>]

Dennis,

RecycleBank is not a collection company. They¹re basically a value-added
marketing/educational service that haulers and municipal governments can use
as an option for enhancing program participation and enthusiasm. They may
not be right for all their potential customers. Time will tell if they are
right for their current ones. So  far, though, from the folks I¹ve spoken
with, their service is proving highly successful. More than anything, by
tuning the enthusiasm of residential customers the quality of material that
goes to processors, according to the processors, is strikingly
high?contaminants are low and compliance is exemplary.

In fact, I¹m beginning to think that the value of simple avoided cost
savings is just not enough?both residentially and commercially?to fully
capture the imagination of the bulk of waste generators. For some of us,
recycling has been such a no-brainer that it is hard to understand why
anyone would not ³get with the program.² For others, though, for many, if
not most, recycling is just not very important and appears to require too
much effort. We¹re trying to build this system for the masses and to change
deeply rooted behavior. It¹s been a really tough and often frustrating job.
I¹ve been at this for over 20 years now. What I see with RecycleBank is the
first real glimpse of a direction that can work across the board
sustainably. 

I¹ll close and shut up about this by pointing out that the beginning of your
last missive was: ³I don¹t know much about the company...² . My suggestion
is that in areas where recycling needs a boost, people do get to know and
understand what this company is all about. Move to set up pilots or go visit
areas where they have programs underway. Talk to residents, talk to haulers
who work with them and processors. Check out their system online
(http://recyclebank.com/). There are obviously many issues that they still
are working on, but the overall concept and model really is exciting and
innovative and that¹s the only way we¹re going to succeed with any
environmental program that is so all-encompassing.

Sorry to sound like a commercial.

db
-- 
David Biddle, Executive Director
<http://www.blueolives.blogspot.com>
Greater Philadelphia Commercial Recycling Council
P.O. Box 4037
Philadelphia, PA 19118

215-247-3090 (desk)
215-432-8225 (cell)

<http://www.gpcrc.com>

Read In Business magazine to learn about sustainable
businesses in communities across North America!
Go to: <http://www.jgpress.com/inbusine.htm>

on 2/14/07 10:52 AM, Dennis Sauer at compostspecialist@no.address wrote:

> I don¹t know much about the company but it seems to me they have in place the
> technology to provide incentives for waste reduction that go beyond the coupon
> reward system.  Why not weigh trash and recycling, charge a fee based on
> weight; highest for trash, less for recycling, providing the customer with an
> incentive to reduce both streams and save money at the same time.  Money they
> can use for any purpose they wish.  I realize I may be oversimplifying this
> and it is certainly not a good business model to encourage your customers to
> need you less but fees could be set to allow  profit to be made from providing
> whatever level of collection services are needed.
>  
> Dennis  Sauer    
>  
>  
> 
> 
> From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address] On Behalf
> Of Nancy Poh
> Sent: Wednesday, February 14, 2007 3:58 AM
> To: eric@no.address
> Cc: stevew@no.address; GreenYes@no.address
> Subject: [GreenYes] Re: RecycleBank
>  
> There is money to be made from recycling. In Malaysia, recycling has been used
> to raised funds by some schools to buy equipment they want. Some charity
> organizations here run monthly collection sites to collect recyclables to
> raise funds.
> 
> The point is, whether you reward or do not reward for recycling, there is
> going to be consumption. People are motivated by rewards to act and will make
> conscious efforts to recycle with that in place. "Monkey see, monkey do"; once
> the adults start doing it, the children will follow;-)
> 
> Nancy
> http://greenbeings.netfirms.com
> 
> <-----Original Message----->
>> >From: Eric Lombardi [eric@no.address]
>> >Sent: 2/14/2007 2:40:37 AM
>> >To: stevew@no.address;GreenYes@no.address
>> >Subject: Re: [GreenYes] Re: RecycleBank
>> >
>> >My biggest question has to do with "follow the money"... what is the source
>> >for this fountain of cash that creates "The Bank"? Once I know that, then I
>> >can determine whether or not this idea would ever fly in my backyard.
>> >
>> >Eric
>> >
>> >Eric Lombardi
>> >Executive Director/CEO
>> >Eco-Cycle Inc
>> >Boulder, CO. USA
>> >303-444-6634
>> >www.ecocycle.org
>> > 
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address] On Behalf
>> >Of Stephen N Weisser
>> >Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 10:44 AM
>> >To: 'GreenYes'
>> >Subject: [GreenYes] Re: RecycleBank
>> >
>> >
>> >This discussion is useful to us as we've been considering getting involved
>> >with Recycle Banks program. Overall I like what I see and I think it's a
>> >win win for everyone if folks can choose to buy recycled products from a
>> >company like ours with Recycle Bank points.
>> >
>> >Although I have to say I'm not that impressed with single stream, especially
>> >in non-bottle-bill states. But hey if it works it works.
>> >
>> >
>> >Stephen N. Weisser, Sales Manager
>> >GreenLine Paper Company, Inc.
>> >631 S. Pine Street
>> >York, PA  17403
>> >717-845-8697
>> >1-800-641-1117
>> >stevew@no.address
>> >www.greenlinepaper.com
>> >Close the loop: recycling works when we buy recycled.
>> >
>> >-----Original Message-----
>> >From: GreenYes@no.address [mailto:GreenYes@no.address] On Behalf
>> >Of Dana
>> >Sent: Tuesday, February 13, 2007 12:02 PM
>> >To: GreenYes
>> >Subject: [GreenYes] Re: RecycleBank
>> >
>> >
>> >The incentive is not to consume more, but to recycle more of what they are
>> >already consuming.
>> >
>> >As was already mentioned, much of the success has been in the working class
>> >neighborhoods where grocery coupons are chosen as the "reward."
>> >RecycleBank also gives the option to donate your reward. A few towns in the
>> >Southern part of NJ recently signed on to the RecycleBank system. I can put
>> >you in touch with the appropriate people there if there is interest. Our
>> >office visited the facility in Philly where RecycleBank's material was
>> >sorted about a year ago. It is a single stream facility, but they also take
>> >dual stream. I believe the customer can choose which collection route they
>> >want to take.
>> >
>> >
>> >Dana C. Coyle (dana.coyle@no.address) NJ Department of Environmental
>> >Protection
>> >
>> >401 E. State Street
>> >P.O. Box 414
>> >Trenton, NJ 08625
>> >P: (609) 984-3438
>> >F: (609) 777-0769
>> >
>> >On Feb 12, 8:50 am, "Dennis Sauer" <compostspecial...@no.address>
>> >wrote:
>>> >> I'm a little puzzled by the logic that you can reduce waste by giving
>>> >> the incentive to consume more.
>>> >>
>>> >> Dennis Sauer
>>> >> Central Vermont Solid Waste Mgt. District
>>> >>
>>> >> On Feb 10, 4:03 pm, Gary Liss <g...@no.address> wrote:
>>> >>
>>>> >> > Is anyone familiar with RecycleBank
>>>> >> > (http://www.recyclebank.com/)?What do you think of it? A colleague
>>>> >> > asked me if anyone has worked with them in CA.
>>> >>
>>>> >> > Gary
>>> >>
>>>> >> > Gary Liss & Associates
>>>> >> > 916-652-7850
>>>> >> > Fax: 916-652-0485www.garyliss.com
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>> > >
>> >.
>> > 
> 
> > 
> 
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