Blog

The State of Recycling in 2016: In Need of Better Outreach

December 15, 2016

The Recycling Partnership and the EPA released the 2016 State of Curbside Recycling report yesterday. The report identifies Areas of Opportunity, or ways in which…

On Clamshells and Clarity: Unpacking the Latest Research on Recycling Communication

December 8, 2016

The Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI) recently released the results of a survey conducted to better understand how language, images and instructions affect communication about recycling.

The Big 5 Trends of City Tech

December 7, 2016

At a public hackathon five years ago, Kevin and I created an app called VanTrash. My mom liked it so much, that she suggested I…

Making Sense of Big Numbers in a Big Industry

December 2, 2016

In the solid waste and recycling industry, we hear statistics all the time. The amount of hazardous waste produced each year could fill the Superdome…

SWANApalooza Ski Day in Tahoe

November 30, 2016

Recyclist and SWANA are excited to offer SWANApalooza conference attendees the opportunity to spend a day skiing in the iconic Lake Tahoe area. Sign up…

Let the Yellow Pages Be Bygone

October 31, 2016

For a long time, the yellow pages were the final word on local businesses and services, including recycling information. Need to find a copy shop,…

The Best Outreach Tool You’re Not Using (But 65% of Neighborhoods Are)

October 25, 2016

Nextdoor is a private social network site for neighborhoods. Launched in 2010, it’s intended to help neighbors share local information, whether that’s to vet a…

Making an Impression: Communicating Recycling Changes

August 28, 2016

When developing a communications plan, an important way to evaluate success is to to count "impressions." Simply put, an impression is any time a communications tool,…

Billboards are Big! How to Connect to All Residents about Waste

August 11, 2016

Formerly the domain of the legal, insurance, and restaurant sectors, municipalities are starting to use billboards as part of their communications efforts.

Better Call a KAB: Teaching Residents About Recycling

July 28, 2016

In communication and outreach practices, there's a simple change model called KAB -- knowledge, attitude, behaviour. The principal behind this model is pretty straightforward: when…

What’s the Deal With #hashtags

July 6, 2016

You've seen or heard of them: hashtags. In social media, a hashtag is a word or phrase that starts with a # (pound or hashtag…

Waste Communications Assessment: Using Data from Drop-Off Events

June 28, 2016

Many municipalities offer "mobile" drop-off events for "special" wastes such as hazardous materials, electronic waste, tires, and even paper shredding. These events may take place…

Seven deadly sins of social media

June 21, 2016

Many municipalities are using social media to reach their residents. And it's no wonder: in 2016, 78% of Americans have a social network profile. Social media is…

Deep Dive Into the Latest Recycling Survey: The Upshots You Haven’t Heard Yet

June 10, 2016

The recent Carton Council survey has given us the latest numbers on recycling attitudes and awareness, and the industry is buzzing. The media is focusing on two…

Deciphering the QR code

June 8, 2016

We've all seen them -- those square, black and white, pixelated images that appear in print advertising and posters. These are quick response (QR) codes.…