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Home > Programs > Waste Management & Recycling > Maine Recycles Week > Municipal Participation
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Waste Management & Recycling Program

Municipal Participation

Municipal Participation

Anyone can celebrate Maine Recycles Week (MRW), and everyone is encouraged to participate in Maine Recycles Week. Generally school programs are met with enthusiasm, especially for the poster competition; however communities often see the organization of MRW as a daunting task, which definitely should not be the case. We have provided some suggestions below to see ways to celebrate MRW!

Municipal Experience

Municipal experience can be driven by many factors. The program must be created by a well-organized plan and effort. There need not be plans of epic proportions to accomplish a great deal. Well-organized feel-good experiences may have far more far-reaching results than a complex event.

Municipal campaign suggestions have been broken down into three levels of categories. Level 1 activities are those that involve only the recycling program and its staff, whereas Level 2 activities are ways that the recycling program can reach out to the community, and Level 3 activities encourage cooperation between the recycling program staff and the community in the planning and implementation of events. Think of these levels as building blocks. If you can accomplish everything in Level 1, move on to Levels 2 & 3. For many communities, MRW 2003 may be the first time that they have attempted this sort of campaign. In that case, Levels 2 & 3 will be something to aim for in future years.

Ideas

  • Develop a special recycling education campaign to be held during Maine Recycles Week.
  • Promote Maine Recycles Week by displaying posters in a variety of places in the community. Contact Bruce White for free posters and planning guides.
  • Hold an open house at your recycling facility or transfer station. Use refreshments and entertainment to attract people to your event.
  • Hold a special, "out of the ordinary" materials recovery drive (such as a latex paint swap or an electronics collection).
  • Organize school tours of the recycling facility or transfer station
  • Work with local radio or public access TV stations to record a public service announcement on buying recycled.
  • Set up a display in your local library.
  • Sponsor a Trash-To-Art Festival, complete with prizes and an award ceremony.

General Advice

No matter how much your community plans to do for MRW, there are a few general things to keep in mind:

  • If you have a recycling or solid waste committee, involve them early in the planning stages. Chances are they will be able to take a good deal of the weight off your shoulders.
  • Make sure to let the local media know what you are doing. Recycles Week is to raise public awareness of recycling and the purchase of recycled content products. The media will help you to reach the widest audience with your message.
  • Be creative in assessing your resources. If you are a one-person team or a small shop and you think that it is impossible for you to do what you want to do for MRW, think again. Look around the community for other resources. There may be a 4th grade class, for example, that would be able to create a Buy Recycled display for a class project.
  • Make sure that the State Planning Office (SPO) knows about your efforts. SPO will list all known municipal events on the MRW web site, both to recognize participating towns and also to serve as inspiration for other towns wondering what to do. SPO will also be including municipal events in any MRW press releases. In addition to publicity, SPO may also be able to offer educational materials, contact information, and other resources that will help you plan your event(s).

For information to involve your municipality in this year's Maine Recycles Week, please contact Bruce White at (207) 287-8053/1-800-622-4545, or bruce.white@maine.gov.