So when is the last time you’ve heard, seen, or mentioned the word Green?  Odds are you’ve heard it, seen it, or said it within the last 24 hours.

So why do people choose to ignore recycling programs when they are bombarded by environmental messages on a daily basis?  One word: Change.

Managing change can be one of the most difficult tasks in managing your business.  However, managing change becomes even harder when it involves changing habits that have been reinforced by long time practices of your company or organization.

So how do you change the habits of your customers, employees, or students? 

Use immediate, understandable feedback.  

Yes the idea sounds simple, but immediate, understandable feedback isn’t just responding to issues when they arise.  It requires proactive communication with your target audience in a manner that makes recycling convenient and enforceable.   

So how can you implement immediate, understandable feedback in your recycling programs?

1) Make Recycling An Extension of Your Target Audience’s Current Habits. 

While change is needed, change for the sake of change may lead to less compliance with the recycling program.  If possible, involve your target audience in the development of the program so that they feel like they have a stake in the success of the program.   

In addition, these steps can also increase participation in recycling programs:

• Logical/Convenient locations of recycling bins (How can people recycle if they don’t know where to recycle?)
• Properly Sized Recycling Bins (extremely important in residential programs since  too small of a recycling bin may lead residents to discard recyclable items once the bins are full)
• Proper number of Recycling Bins (in an event setting, instead of setting up a 1:1 ratio of recycling bins to trash containers, examine the types of waste that the event will generate.  Will most of the waste be recyclable products?  If so, maybe a 2:1, 3:1 or even higher ratio of recycling bins to trash containers is needed.
• Clear, Consistent Communication - which leads to point number 2 …

2)  Consistent Communication.

Be proactive and communicate with your target audience so that recycling becomes second nature.  Just like riding a bicycle takes time to master, expect that it will take time for your target audience to feel comfortable and become master recyclers.  Therefore, instead of labeling all of your recycling bins in the same manner, mark your containers so that they are consistent with the nature of your recycling program (after all, bicycles also have to be adjusted to fit the rider) .   

For instance, if you are running a residential recycling program, the residents are going to have different questions each week since they use different household products and eat different foods over the course of a year.  Therefore, the markings on the containers should be thorough and should act like a reference guide so that the residents can determine which items are recyclable. (sample below)

Sample Residential Recycling Guidelines Decal

However, if the recycling program is for an event or if it is being conducted in a location where there is little to no change in the types of recyclable products,  instead of using a reference type of decal, a bullet point or single product decal will make it easier to recycle. (sample below) 

Sample Commingled Recyclables Decal

Similarly, also take into account language barriers that exist in your program areas.  Are bilingual messages or pictograms needed to be understood?

Bilingual Commingled

Lastly, what is the age and the environment of your intended audience?  Younger audiences and office environments are drawn to characters that promote recycling. 

School or Office Recycle Decal

Besides being proactive, consistent communication also has a reactive element to it.

So what happens when a resident does not comply with your recycling program?  Do you reward residents who do not recycle by picking up their trash which is mixed with recyclables? 

If so you may be committing the Folly of Rewarding A while Hoping for B (”On the Folly of Rewarding A while Hoping for B” by Steven Kerr). http://www.sba.oakland.edu/Faculty/york/Readings434/Readings/On%20the%20folly.pdf

The most effective Immediate Reactive Feedback I have seen occurs in a town in Wisconsin.  If the workers on the trash route suspect that recyclables are mixed with the trash, they slice open the trash bag.  If recyclable items are present, the bag is left at the curb and it is not collected until the following collection day and the infraction is recorded on a dear customer tag. (pictured below)

While that response may seem harsh, residents have quickly learned to follow the guidelines in that town because the hauler does not reward the residents who do not follow the rules (i.e. has been Consistent in its Communication from Start [proactive measures] to Finish [reactive measures]). 

Perforated Non Collection Notice

I hope immediate, understandable feedback helps you build a successful recycling program in your company, community, or organization.

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