Organizing county-wide recycling with RSVP volunteers
Abstract
Because there is no home pickup for recycling in Cascade County, Montana, the Cascade County RSVP organized a recycling program. Approximately 187 volunteers collect and transport materials from neighborhoods to recycling centers. As a result, roughly 100,000 pounds of materials have been recycled instead of going to the landfill each year since the program began in 1980. In 2002 the program expanded and began recycling over 200,000 lbs annually.
Issue
The rate at which landfills are filling up is alarming and proper disposal of solid waste is a concern worldwide. Efforts have been made to encourage everyone to reduce, reuse, recycle and rethink the products they are consuming. Although many areas of the United States have actively engaged in recycling efforts, more needs to be done.
Action
- Volunteers with the Cascade County, Montana, RSVP serve as neighborhood block captains, i.e. they go to the houses of homebound seniors and collect recycling to save for pickup. In apartment buildings, the block captain will collect recycling for all the tenants. This not only allows more seniors to participate in the recycling effort, but makes pick-up easier because recycling is more central.
- Volunteers drive donated vehicles to collect the recycling and take it to recycling centers.
- Volunteers educate others about the importance of recycling. For example, RSVP volunteers hand out information at community events or visit schools' Boy Scout or Girl Scout meetings to share ideas.
- Volunteers sometimes have "challenges" to see who can collect the most recycling within a specified time period.
Context
Cascade County has a population of about 80,000 people, which includes Great Falls, the third largest city in Montana. At least 14,000 county residents are senior citizens. Community support for the recycling program is strong. Despite limited resources, the community has donated two vehicles for this program and residents make approximately ten calls a day for pick up. In May 2007, one of the main recycling volunteers (Ralph) will receive the President’s Call to Service Award, in recognition of over 4,000 hours of lifetime service, all of which occurred since he began with the program in 2003.
Outcome
The project, ongoing since 1980, now annually diverts 200,000 pounds of material from landfill. Additionally, it generates about $6,000 each year, which offsets the cost of fuel needed to travel to and from the recycling centers.
The program also recycles ink and toner cartridges, and cellphones, however these items are not included in the overall annual tally. Volunteers have saved over 4,265 ink and toner cartridges, and 94 cellphones, from going to the landfill since this phase of the recycling program started in 2005.
This program provides homebound seniors the opportunity to serve by being a part of the countywide recycling effort.
