Travel and living

How to Encourage Community Involvement in Recycling

In 2018, China stopped accepting much of the world’s plastic rubbish. The one solution many countries in the world had for their waste was no longer an option. Now, every town, community, city, and country, must come up with ways to reduce their waste output and overall global footprint as well.

One way to do that, no matter how small, is by encouraging community involvement in recycling. Here are a few of the many ways you can go about it.

Make it Convenient

If it’s not convenient for individuals and families to recycle, then you may find that very few will put in any effort. Make rubbish collection and recycling something that’s effortless and doesn’t require a lot of thought.

A way to do that is by selecting a rubbish collection service that emphasizes reusing, recycling, and refurbishing. Instead of putting your bin on the curb knowing that everything goes into landfill, make use of services that are more selective – but still don’t put pressure on the homeowner.

Homeowners can then put their rubbish out for collection, but know that companies are doing their best to put your waste to good use.

Recycling Stations in Public Places

The global population has an unhealthy love affair with plastic, and it’s not doing our planet any good. In as little as 60 years, manufacturers have made over 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic – with the vast majority going into the production of single-use products.

Many people then throw those items away without a second thought, not knowing that the world is becoming a dumping ground. You can do your part – however small – by partitioning for recycling stations in your local community.

Instead of rubbish bins that take everything, provide facilities that allow people to separate their rubbish. There are bins for plastic, glass, food, and paper. Recycling centers and rubbish collection services can then do everything they can to recycle, reuse, and repurpose for the benefit of the environment.

Recycling Center Tours

Ignorance and a lack of education can be a driving force behind people not recycling as much as they should. Sometimes, all it takes is a first-hand look to realize that choosing not to recycle is having a dramatic impact.

If you want to see a change in your local community, then there’s no reason why it can’t start with you. One day, your country could even be as adept at recycling as Germany. Get in touch with your local recycling center and see if they have any tours or educational tools that could help educate the public.

They can see the sheer volume of trash that comes in and what rubbish collection businesses do with it. There are also bound to be educational videos that show the detriment of waste on the environment and wildlife. Sometimes, you have to tug at the heartstrings to evoke a desire to change.

School Education

Alongside community education, you can go one step further with school education. Find out what local school boards are doing to grow a country of conscientious recyclers. Do they study recycling and the planet? If not, then why not?

If you don’t believe your local schools are taking a proactive approach, then step in. Ask if you can hold a presentation for kids, informing them on why they should recycle, and what happens if they don’t. No one, least of all kids, wants to be responsible for dolphins dying.

School Projects

Alongside school education, you can make recycling a fun and educational activity. For young kids, see what they can make out of recycled products – and give them a theme. For older kids, why not look at science projects, getting them to calculate how much trash they throw away over a month. They could then look at ways to reduce the waste for rubbish collection and measure the results.

Both options give the kids a real view into what’s involved in recycling and the detriment of not doing it. It’s also something with which the whole family can get involved.

Conscientious Purchasing

It can take up to 1,000 years for plastic to break down, depending on the type. That’s a long time for something to exist that no one wants. If you’re going to do your part, then try to make recycled and environmentally-friendly products more accessible in your community.

Talk to supermarket owners about eco-friendly brands they could stock, and even talk to them about their waste. You may only be one person, but the squeaky wheel gets the oil.

Conclusion

If no one is there on the sidelines encouraging others to recycle, then there is no incentive to do so. Rubbish collection businesses can only do so much. Talk to your local schools, community leaders, and recycling centers. Together, you can come up with a plan to reduce your waste and improve your recycling rates.

If you have any questions, please ask below!