EPA/530/SW-551
NOVEMBER 1976
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An environmental protection publication (SW-551) in the solid waste
management series. Mention of commercial products does not constitute
endorsement by the U.S. Government. Editing and technical content of this
report were the responsibilities of the Resource Recovery Division of the
Office of Solid Waste Management Programs.
Single copies of this publication are available from Solid Waste
Information, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, Ohio 45268.
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SOURCE SEPARATION
The Community Awareness Program
in Somerville and Marblehead, Massachusetts
This report (SW-551) describes the work carried out
under demonstration grants no. S803683-01 and S803758-01
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
1976
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This report was prepared by Resource Planning Associates,
Inc., Cambridge, Massachusetts, as part of the work done
under demonstration grants no. S803683-01 and S803758-01.
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FOREWORD
In accordance with the authority granted under section 204
of the Resource Recovery Act, the U. S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) conducted studies to determine the feasibility of
multimaterial source separation in the communities of Somerville
and Marblehead, Massachusetts. As a consequence of the promising
results yielded by these studies, the two municipalities were
awarded demonstration grants (nos. S803683-01 and S803758-01
for Somerville and Marblehead, respectively) to fund the imple-
mentation and documentation of this resource recovery approach.
These funds were granted on the premise that information on
this method of resource recovery would be of value and use to
other municipalities throughout the nation.
This study of the community awareness program in Somerville
and Marblehead, Massachusetts, marks the completion of the first
phase of the documentation process required under the grants. I
would like to acknowledge the work of Resource Planning Associates,
Inc., in preparing this report for the two communities. In par-
ticular, I would like to thank the public education coordinators
John Madama, David Grebow and Joelle Brown in Somerville, and
JoAnne Rowe and Mickey Clement in Marblehead for their assistance
in the preparation of this report. In addition, I would like to
thank Penelope Hansen, Resource Recovery Specialist of EPA for
her work as project officer overseeing the implementation and
development of the two programs.
Sheldon Meyers
Deputy Assistant Administrator
for Solid Waste Management Programs
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CONTENTS
Page
1. BACKGROUND OF THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM 1
Program Objectives and Major Elements 1
The Communities 2
2. PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF
THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM 5
A. Initiating the Programs 5
Program Goals 5
Program Staffing 6
Components of the Programs 6
B. The Media Component 7
Recycling Program Logotype (Logo) 10
Newspapers 16
Community Letter 30
Radio 37
Cable Television 38
Commercial and Public Broadcasting
Service Television 39
Posters 40
Graphic Display 42
Stickers 44
Calendar 46
C. The Schools Component 52
Somerville Schools Program 52
Marblehead Schools Program 55
D. The Community Groups Component 57
Somerville Community Groups Program 57
Marblehead Community Groups Program 61
E. Other Community Awareness Activities 67
Recycling Crew Workshop 67
Community "Hot Line" 67
v
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CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
F. Status of Materials Recovery and Community
Awareness Program Costs 68
Status of Materials Recovery 68
Community Awareness Program Costs 68
3. GUIDELINES FOR A COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM 71
A. General Guidelines 71
Scheduling 71
Local Participation 71
Clarification of Roles 71
Planning the Program 72
Commercial Support 72
B. Specific Program Components 73
Media 73
Recycling Program Logotype and Title 73
Newspapers 74
Community Letter 75
Radio and Cable Television 76
Commercial Television 76
Posters 77
Graphic Displays 77
Stickers 78
Calendar 79
Schools 80
Community Groups 81
Other Activities 81
Exhibits
1-1 Key Characteristics of Communities 3
2-1 Community Awareness Program Schedule - Somerville 8
2-2 Community Awareness Program Schedule - Marblehead 9
VI
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CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
Exhibits
(Continued)
2-3 Somerville Recycling Program Logotype 11
2-4 Somerville Program - Cartoon Characters 13
2-5 Marblehead Recycling Program Logotype 14
2-6 Other Entries for Marblehead Logotype Contest 15
2-7 SOMERVILLE SAVES Start-Up Article 18
2-8 SOMERVILLE SAVES Participant Instructions 19
2-9 SOMERVILLE SAVES Article - Program Success 20
2-10 SOMERVILLE SAVES Article - Program Success 21
2-11 SOMERVILLE SAVES Article - Problem Areas 22
2-12 SOMERVILLE SAVES Editorial 23
2-13 SOMERVILLE SAVES Advertisement 24
2-14 RECYCLE-PLUS Article - Cost Issue 26
2-15 RECYCLE-PLUS Special Interest Article 28
2-16 RECYCLE-PLUS Editorial 29
2-17 SOMERVILLE SAVES Community Letter 31-32
2-18 SOMERVILLE SAVES Community Letter Envelope 33
I
2-19 RECYCLE-PLUS Community Letter 36
2-20 SOMERVILLE SAVES Poster 41
2-21 RECYCLE-PLUS Poster 43
2-22 SOMERVILLE SAVES Sticker 45
2-23 SOMERVILLE SAVES Calendar 47-48
VI1
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CONTENTS
(Continued)
Page
Exhibits
(Continued)
2-24 SOMERVILLE SAVES Schools Program Teaching
Materials - Sample 54
2-25 RECYCLE-PLUS Schools Program Flyer 56
2-26 SOMERVILLE SAVES Organization Leader Brochure 59-60
2-27 SOMERVILLE SAVES General Organizational Handout 62-63
2-28 RECYCLE-PLUS Church Group Letter 65
2-29 RECYCLE-PLUS Church Bulletin 66
2-30 Recycled Materials Recovery in Somerville and
Marblehead 69
viii
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1. BACKGROUND OF THE COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) conducted studies
to determine the technical and economic feasibility of multimaterial
source separation.* Two Massachusetts communities were selected for
these studies; Somerville, an urban community of 90,000, and Marblehead,
a suburb of Boston with 23,000 residents. The major findings of these
studies are:
• Materials that can be readily recycled by the home-
owner comprise over 30 percent of the solid waste
stream by weight
• At reasonable levels of participation, the revenues
and disposal cost savings from source separation
would exceed the costs of separately collecting these
materials, thereby reducing the communities' solid
waste management costs
• Surveys conducted in both communities revealed that
the citizens were aware of recycling and its benefits
and were willing to participate in a recycling program
if it were relatively convenient to do so and if it
promised an economic return to the community.
As a result of these promising studies, EPA awarded grants to
each community to demonstrate source separation for a three-year
period. EPA funded these programs in order to demonstrate and docu-
ment approaches to recycling that would be of interest and value to
a range of municipalities across the United States.
PROGRAM OBJECTIVES AND MAJOR ELEMENTS
The source-separation programs in the two selected communities
are designed to achieve an optimum balance between materials recovery
and economic return to the communities, by:
• Minimizing collection costs
Source separation, one of several approaches to resource recovery,
involves the separation of solid waste by the homeowner into
recyclable components (paper, glass, cans) and non-recyclable com-
ponents. The recyclables are then collected and sold for reuse.
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• Establishing a favorable long-term market for recov-
ered materials
• Maximizing the participation rate.
Collection costs are being minimized by using special recycling
trucks, collectors from the available labor pool, and efficient collec-
tion routes.
Favorable markets for materials were obtained: (1) by seeking
competitive bids on contracts with a floor-price* provision; (2) by
assuring the successful bidder of a stable supply of all recyclables
from the community; and (3) by guaranteeing that the materials would
be delivered in a form that could be readily processed into a valuable,
marketable commodity.
Maximizing participation involved two steps. First, the program
was designed to minimize inconvenience to the participating residents
by offering weekly collection and by establishing simple, easily remem-
bered separation and collection procedures, e.g., combining glass and
metal cans in one container, eliminating cleaning or other preparation
of materials, and scheduling collection of recyclables on the same day
as the regular mixed-refuse pickup. Secondly, intensive community
awareness campaigns were planned and implemented in both communities to
generate and maintain interest in recycling. The campaigns were designed
to make recycling a habit for all residents of the community.
THE COMMUNITIES
The two communities represent opposite ends of the municipal
spectrum (see Exhibit 1-1).
Somerville
Somerville is an urban community with a population of 90,000
and a population density of 27,000 persons per square mile,
one of the highest in the nation. The city, which is in the Boston
metropolitan area, is governed by a mayor, who was reelected to
his fourth consecutive term in November 1975, and a board of aldermen.
Single-family homes house 10 percent of the families in Somerville,
while most of the remaining population lives in two-, three-, and
four-family homes. Sixty-five percent of the families rent their homes
or apartments, while 35 percent live in their own home. The median
income is $9,600 per year, and the median education level 11.6 years.
Somerville has a strong, aggressive municipal employees union. Prior
to the EPA grant, Somerville had never had a recycling program.
A floor price is a guaranteed minimum price that the buyer must
pay to the community regardless of fluctuations in the market pric«.
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Exhibit 1-1
KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITIES
Somerville Marblehead
Population 90,000 23,000
Land area (sq. mi.) 4 4.5
Population density (persons/sq. mi.) 22,600 5,200
Housing: Single-family 10% 70%
Multi-family 90% 30%
Median income (per year) $9,600 $12,600
Median education (years) 11.6 13.2
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Marblehead
Marblehead is an affluent suburban community, also within the
Boston metropolitan area, with a population of 23,000 and a population
density of 5,200 persons per square mile. The town is governed by a
board of selectmen, with a nearly autonomous board of health in charge
of all public health matters, including refuse collection and disposal.
Seventy percent of the families live in single-family homes. Fifteen
percent of the families rent their homes or apartments, while 85 per-
cent own their residences. The median income is $12,600 per year,
and the median education level 13.2 years. The municipal employees
are unionized. The town had a relatively successful municipally oper-
ated, multimaterial, curbside source-separation program for several
years prior to the start of the new program, although with less fre-
quent pickups than the new program.
Under the conditions of the grants from EPA, Somerville and
Marblehead are to implement the program and to provide documentation
to EPA at-periodic intervals. EPA will use these reports in an infor-
mation transfer program to provide other interested communities with
complete information for establishing similar programs.
This report represents the first phase of the documentation pro-
cess, and, by mutual agreement between EPA and the communtiies, is
focused on the community awareness programs that were planned and
implemented for each community. Chapter 2 is a detailed description
of the planning and implementation of the community awareness programs
in the two target communities, with evaluations of each phase of the
programs. Chapter 3 provides a concise, general guide to planning
and implementing such programs for other communities, based on the
practical experience gained in Somerville and Marblehead.
This report was prepared by Resource Planning Associates, Inc.
(RPA), program planning consultants to both communities. Assisting
RPA in the preparation of the report were the community awareness
coordinators (subcontractors to RPA): Steppingstones, Inc. in
Somerville and Mickey Clement and JoAnn Rowe in Marblehead.
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2. PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF
COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAMS
A. INITIATING THE PROGRAMS
In this chapter, we describe the broad objectives and approaches
to community awareness for the recycling programs in Somerville and
Marblehead. Detailed documentation and evaluation of each phase of
the programs is provided in the following sections. The chapter con-
cludes with a discussion of material quantities recovered to date and
community awareness program costs and manpower requirements for each
community.
PROGRAM GOALS
The overall objective of the community awareness program was to
maximize citizen participation. To achieve this objective, the pro-
grams were developed with the following major goals:
• To create citizen awareness of the benefits of recycling
to their community, their environment, and their country,
with a focus on:
The importance of conserving scarce resources,
including both materials and energy
The economic benefits of recycling to the com-
munity
The environmental benefits of recycling to the
community, such as reduction of litter and of
air and water pollution.
• To instruct the citizens on how they would partici-
pate actively in the program by providing detailed
information on:
In-home recycling procedures (level of separation)
Collection schedule (day of collection and fre-
quency)
- Procedures for placement at the curb.
• To maintain citizen interest in the program and to
make recycling a habit by reporting program results,
benefits, and progress.
-5-
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PROGRAM STAFFING
To achieve these goals, we established a team of community aware-
ness coordinators in each community before detailed planning and
implementation of the program. In both Somerville and Marblehead, it
was decided that program staff should include some representation from
within the community. In Somerville, community awareness was coordin-
ated by Steppingstones, Inc., an environmental education firm located
in Somerville. Of the three team members, one is a Somerville resi-
dent and two live in neighboring Cambridge. The group has substantial
previous experience in community work, environmental education, and
media design. The staff in Marblehead consisted of JoAnne Rowe and
Mickey Clement, both of whom live in the town and have been active in
community affairs for several years.
COMPONENTS OF THE PROGRAMS
The specific means of accomplishing the program goals in both
communities involves an integrated communications approach with three
major components:
• Media
• Schools
• Community Groups
Through these three elements, all citizens could be reached in a num-
ber of ways and with a number of different images, all of which would
reinforce the concept of, and need for, recycling.
The major steps in planning and implementing the awareness pro-
grams were:
1. Establishing a starting date when collection would
begin. This required close coordination with various
officials and community groups. The grants were
awarded in June 1975, and the initial starting date
for both programs was set for September 1975. Delays
in truck acquisition and other problems caused post-
ponement to December 1, 1975, for Somerville and
January 12, 1976, for Marblehead.
2. Deciding on the specific elements of each of the three
major program components.
3. Establishing the timing of each element to coordinate,
primarily, with the recycling program start-up date.
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4. Developing a detailed plan and design for each element,
including graphics, printing requirements, and distri-
bution needs.
5. Implementing the planned activity, including final
design, printing, press releases, distribution of cal-
endars, mailing of letters, etc.
The interrelationships of the various elements of the aware-
ness program are extremely complex. Some indication of the degree
of integration required will become apparent in the detailed des-
cription of the program elements in the following sections of this
chapter. Exhibits 2-1 and 2-2 provide a schedule of community
awareness activities in each of the communities. These schedules
are a useful overview of the timing of the various elements of the
program.
The following discussion of the program elements includes a
detailed description of each and an evaluation based on both the
Somerville and Marblehead experiences. The evaluation cannot be con-
sidered comprehensive or complete at this time, since the programs are
barely underway. The real success of the programs will be reflected
only in longer-term program results and will be addressed in later
reports. The evaluations presented here are the result of citizen
feedback received to date and the collective opinions, in retrospect,
of the community awareness teams as to effectiveness or shortcomings
of the various elements of the programs.
B. THE MEDIA COMPONENT
The media component involves a number of specific communication
vehicles, including:
• Recycling program logotype
• Newspapers
• Community letter
• Radio
• Cable television
• Commercial and Public Broadcasting Service television
• Posters
-7-
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COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM SCHEDULE-SOMERVILLE
19
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Somerville Journal
Somerville Times
Boston Globe
Boston Herald American
Commercial TV
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Community Letter
Community Groups
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Other Activities
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• Graphic display
• Stickers
• Calendar
We chose many different approaches in order to be certain that each
individual in the community was reached at least once. Each of these
media elements is discussed and evaluated in detail below.
RECYCLING PROGRAM LOGOTYPE (LOGO)
A logo and identifying title were developed for both the Somerville
and Marblehead recycling programs to make the programs more readily
identifiable to the citizen and to establish the uniqueness of each.
It was decided at an early stage in both programs to paint the logos
on the recycling trucks to achieve the maximum visual impact.
Somerville
The logo and program title were developed by the program team,
assisted by professional graphic artists. Residents were requested,
through newspaper articles, to submit suggestions for the program name
in July and August 1975. These suggestions were added to a list of
titles developed by the program staff. Following discussions with
city officials and EPA representatives, the title SOMERVILLE SAVES was
selected and a logo chosen (see Exhibit 2-3). The name of the program
encompasses all of the major objectives of the program and is easily
remembered (Somerville saves glass and cans and paper; Somerville saves
money for the city and for improved city services; Somerville saves
valuable energy and limited natural resources; Somerville saves by
reducing the pollution of the air and water and land).
Other names considered include: TREE-CYCLES, SOMER-CYCLES,
PROJECT SORT (Reparation of Recyclable Trash), SCRAP (Somerville
Cooperative JRecycling Approach Program).
The logo features three arrows in a recycling pattern, one each
for the glass, cans, and paper to be recycled. An orange logo on a
yellow background was chosen as an appealing and distinctive color
combination.
Local artists, employed by the city to paint murals in public
buildings, painted the logo and name on both sides of the two recycling
trucks, and the bodies of the trucks were painted a bright yellow to
differentiate them from the regular orange refuse vehicles. Four
additional signs were painted to be attached to other refuse trucks
in the event they had to be used to collect recyclables.
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Exhibit 2-3
Somerville Recycling Program Logotype
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In addition to the formal program logo and title, three cartoon
characters were developed to represent each of the recyclable compon-
ents (see Exhibit 2-4). These characters were used in newspapers,
community handouts, and posters, and in the school program.
Marblehead
Marblehead took a different approach to the selection of a pro-
gram name and logo. At a meeting of the Marblehead Board of Health
in September, the program teams presented several alternative ideas
for names, with a recommendation that MARBLEHEAD MULTI-CYCLE be chosen.
The Board of Health eventually developed and adopted the name RECYCLE
PLUS to connote both the recycling of more than one material and the
fact that this program is an extension of their previous multimaterial
recycling program.
Following the selection of a name, the Board of Health sponsored
a logo contest, in which the residents were requested to submit their
ideas for a logo that coordinated with the program name and objectives
and that would be appropriate for display on a collection vehicle.
The winner of the logo contest was to receive a 10-speed bicycle recon-
structed by a member of the board from parts found at the town landfill.
Thirty-one contest entries were received, including several from
professional artists who live in the town and one from an elementary
school class. The winning entry is shown in Exhibit 2-5. Other logo
design entries are shown in Exhibit 2-6.
The logo was painted on both recycling trucks by the firm who
furnished and painted the truck bodies. The logo is in green and
orange on a white background.
All logo entries were exhibited in the town hall and the public
library throughout November and December 1975.
Evaluation
The use of a unique logo and name, particularly when highly visible
to the residents on a continuing basis (i.e., painted on the collec-
tion vehicles), is an effective and inexpensive communication tool. A
number of residents in both Somerville and Marblehead have commented
very favorably on the visual appeal of the design. In addition, the
recyclable collectors have taken a sense of pride in their special
trucks.
The encouragement of public participation in the logo/name design
process is an effective way of getting the public involved in the pro-
gram. The more formal contest approach chosen in Marblehead was par-
ticularly effective.
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Exhibit 2-4
Somerville Program—Cartoon Characters
SOMER VILLE SA VES
- get ready to sort out your:
-13-
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Marblehead Recycling Program Logotype
Recycle
m
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C71
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Exhibit 2-6
Other Entries for Marblehead Logotype Contest
PLUS
recycle
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NEWSPAPERS
Coverage in both local and regional newspapers is an important
part of the awareness program, since it offers one of the best oppor-
tunities to reach a majority of the citizens at planned intervals.
Both Marblehead and Somerville have community newspapers that are
published weekly or monthly and distributed to most residents. The
Boston Globe and Boston Herald-American are major regional newspapers
serving the greater Boston area and a significant portion of New England.
Program coverage through these newspapers has been extensive and has
included news articles, editorials, letters to the editor, and adver-
tisements. Items covered in the newspapers include:
• General information related to recycling, e.g., energy
conservation
• Instructions to participants
• Program achievements, e.g., weights, revenues
• Problem areas, e.g., scavengers, operational delays
due to weather
• Feature articles.
Somerville
The Somerville program was covered by the following newspapers:
• Somerville Journal (published weekly; circulation
12,000)
• Somerville Times (published monthly; delivered free
to each Somerville household)
• Boston Herald-American (published daily, with a regu-
lar "Somerville Stroller" section; Somerville circu-
lation 8,358)
• Boston Globe (published daily; Somerville circulation
10,485).
Limited coverage was provided by the Tufts University Paper and
EPA News (EPA Region 1 publication).
Initially, personal contacts were made with the reporting and
editorial staffs of the local and regional newspapers. The purpose
of these meetings, and the continuing contacts that followed through-
out the early months of the program, was to inform the press about
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the objectives, the expected benefits to the community, and the unique-
ness of the program. It was hoped that the enthusiasm of the program
team could be transmitted to the press, thereby maximizing the possi-
bilities for press coverage.
The format and content of the news items were varied according to
requirements of the program. News articles with photographs were
developed and distributed to the press, usually through official press
releases from the city's Public Information Office, with personal
follow-up provided by members of the program team. The news articles
(which numbered 57 through mid-May 1976, ranging in length from
a few lines to one-third of a page) covered a wide range of topics:
• Major program events, such as the EPA grant presenta-
tion, program start-up, and city-wide calendar distri-
bution (see Exhibit 2-7)
• Instruction to citizens on when and how to recycle
(see Exhibit 2-8)
• Program success, measured in material tonnages col-
lected and dollar savings (see Exhibits 2-9 and 2-10)
• Problem areas, such as scavengers operating delays
due to snowstorms (see Exhibit 2-11)
• Feature articles, on such subjects as how recycling
conserves energy or the flow of recyclables from the
home of the manufacturing plant, or the environmental
benefits of recycling.
In addition to news articles, limited use was made of editorials
and advertisements. The Somerville Journal had two editorials on the
program shortly before start-up; both encouraged residents to parti-
cipate in the program (see Exhibit 2-12).
One advertisement was taken in the Somerville Journal (Exhibit
2-13). The purpose of the advertisement was to advise the residents of
the success of the program to date and to thank them for their cooper-
ation. The advertising format was chosen both because if offered a
more flexible format than a news articles and because of the positive
impact of buying advertising space on press relations with the Journal.
During the four-month period from the start of the planning phase
until about six weeks before recycling program start-up, the news-
papers were somewhat reserved in their enthusiasm for news items about
the program, due to the uncertainty surrounding the program starting
date and the delivery of the new trucks. Until they knew for sure
when the program would begin, they offered rather limited coverage.
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Exhibit 2-7
SOMERVILLE SAVES Start-up Article
= AND WILL YOU BE READY? This is how the Somerville Saves
S people hope it'll look on sidewalks across the rity Monday when the
= first orange and yellow pirk-up trucks roll to gather in especially
H separated papers, cans and bottles. iK. Schaffel photni
\Somerville Saves
i
I is ready logo!
by Barbara Powers
There'll be no marching bunds heading
up and dnwn the city's seven hills following
trie pick-up trucks There'll be no plaque
ceremonies at City Hall for the household
that puts out the most
Bui Somemlle householders who go
atony with llu1 new Sornerville Saves
(in.i'i.ni, starting up Monday will tct
salutes from across the countr> and
recognition in Washington. Kor this is a
federally-sponsored program And, ac-
cording to the Environmental Protection
Agency's iKPAi Penny Hansen. "Ihe rest
nl the country is anxiously looking to sec
what will happen here "
It's a citizen program of recycling and
the city government will be there to back
up the citizen but if he nr she doesr. t
cooperate of his or her own fret- will, the
program, .set up js a pilot program Id see if
a cit> will work ti> save itself uionpv. von'I
work
The federal government is betting about
$122,0(10 that SonKTville ran tin it
S". what do you have to do
Vcordmg to the letter which went out
across the cits this week signed hy
Municipal Kmployees Association
president James Babmeau: Chamber of
I "iiiiinTcc Director Krank Stellato and
Mayoi S. Lester Halph. you start by
separating out from jour other trash 'do
il day by day 15 easiest i your flat papers in
• •no place and your cans and clear glass
nut green or brown or other tints i in
another 'I liv latter dc not have to be
washed
Then nn your regular pick-up day, you
put out ynur ordinary trash in whatever
way is yoiii custom. And you put out your
piles of papers cilhci tied with twine or put
ml" a paper bag 'big grocery bags nicely
fn .1 good-sized slack of newspapers i. And
M>II rolled your cans and clear glass and
I'M1, Ihcin in :\ slunl> c;irrthoard box or an
i 111 Hash « i- .lo IK' : flu; ned i. Do not U.~C
paper liags for the cans and glass and do
nc.i use plaslic bags for anything
• Miiirnal. .improper)) sorted or
packaged cannot be collected.
Then put everything to out side of your
regular trash and expect one ul the city's
ncwl\ painted Soinerville Saves trucks In
i onie along and pick them up.
Why will you be doing if To save the
• il) 'this means you - on taxes or rent i
trash disposal money: to recycle
n.aterials rather than waste them: and to
make money for the city, as the recycling
plani will pay Ihe city for your recyclable
material
I he cit\ could save up to $25 a ton on this
stuff II produces -lUlflO Inns of waste per
M.II
If you have any (juc:itiiin.N, call the
Sanitation Department through t>25-£600
cxi 182. If you can volunteer lime to help
ttif program planners, call 776-W23.
HlllllllllUlilllllllllllllllli|lllllllllliilil|i|tl|i!lllli.Hiii IlillllllllUIII OIIMIII nillllllltlllllllllMliMllllMIIIIIIIIMUIIimilllllllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIimHIHIIIIIIlfil
-18-
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Exhibit 2-8
SOMERVILLE SAVES Participant Instructions
Recycle Time, Dec. 1
Starting December 1, tlie Monday after Thanksgiving, the people 01 somerville will be
asked to separate glass and paper and metal cans from the rest of their trash so that they
can be recycled.
They will be asked to do this because Somerville has been chosen for a national
demonstration program to see whether people will take the trouble to save their own and
their neighbor's money.
For every 10 percent of the population that participates it is estimated that the city can
save $33,000.
Somerville's recycling program is unusual in that it depends not upon the complex
machinery but upon the actions of each citizen.
The City hopes you'll be a good scout and help out.
Here, then, are the rules:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECYCLING
PAPER
1. Save any paper that is flat.
2. This includes newspaper, magazines, telephone
books, cardboard, envelopes, letters and
paper bags.
3. Stack and tie the bundle vith tvine or place
in a paper bag.
CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS
1. Save clear glass only. No brown, green or
tinted glass.
2. Save all cans, container lids and other small
metal items.
3. Save allminum pie plates, foil and containers.
4. It is not necessary to wash or remove labels.
5. Place outside together in the same container,
for example a sturdy box or old trash can.
6. Make sure the recycle container is suited to
weather conditions. Do not use a paper
bag because it will fall apart when damp.
DO NOT PUT ANY MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED IN
PLASTIC BAGS. MATERIALS IMPROPERLY SORTED
OR PACKAGED CANNOT BE COLLECTED.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTION
Place tied bundle of flat paper and the recycle
container vith clear glass and cans off to one
side of your regular trash. Two new recycling
trucks with specially designed compartments will
pick them up on your normal collection day.
ANY QUESTIONS CALL 625-6600
-19-
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Exhibit 2-9
SOMERVILLE SAVES Article-Program Success
Recycling program
hailed in Somerville
The recycling program in
Somerville is being hailed as
a huge success by those
involved in the program.
"The results from the first
week of the Somerville
Saves recycling program are
truly impressive," said
Public Works Commissioner
Kevin Cfiiver. "The first
week's rate of recovery, in
the first in the nation
operation is at a level that
was not projected to be
possible until the end of the
first full year of the
program."
During the first week, the
two recycling trucks, paid
for out of the federal grant
which is backing the
program, collected and
delivered to the collection
point 130,000 pounds of
reuseable material.
The breakdown contained
94,000 pounds of paper and
36,000 pounds of glass and
cans and amounts to 26,000
pounds of recyclable
materials recovered each
day of operation.
John Madama, In-
formation coodlnator for the
project said that the ac-
ceptance of the project by
Somerville residents "is
amazing" and that, while a
10 percent participation was
hoped for in the first months
of the program, "some 30
percent or more of the
residents are participating in
the first week."
Madama wanted to stress
that the recyclable materials
will be picked up. "The
participation by the
residents has been so out-
standing," Adama said "that
we had to request additional
trucks from the city to assist
the two recycling trucks in
making the pickups and we
have been running a little
behind—but we will get it
all."
At current prices, this
recyclable materials that
were picked up tlte first
week saved the city $1755.
At this rate of recovery
at current prices, the city
can expect to save over
$91,000 for the first year of
operation.
"The rate of recovery is
already excellent and I am
optimistic that it will im-
prove," Mayor S. Lester
Ralph said. "There is a'^o
a very strong likelihood that
the prices of recycbble
materials will go up in the
future and will result in an
even greater savings for the
city."
"We have done in the first
week, what we expected and
hoped to do at the end of
the first year in operation,"
said Madama "and the
residents are really getting
behind the program."
He indicated' that the
savines obtained by the
recycling program are the
.savings of the city in ad-
dition to saving the natioal
resources.
"Seeing that the program
is far exceeding what we
expected it to be, some of
the pickups may be late,"
Madama said "but we are
doing everything possible
and impressing other city
trucks to insure that the
recycable materials will not
remain on the streets."
-20
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Exhibit 2-10
SOMERVILLE SAVES Article-Program Success
Somerville cleaning up
with US recycling funds
By Nick K.ng
Globe Staff
The workaday world of Somer-
ville sanitation man Charlie Faul-
hefer has changed
After hefting garbage and rub-
bish for 16 years, Charlie doesn't
have to touch the stuff anymore.
And it's all thanks to the Federal
Government.
Two and a half weeks l£0, the
recycling of newspapers, clear glass
and cans began in Somerville. It is
the first of only two recycling exper-
iments in the nation funded by
grants from the Federal Environ-
mental Protection Agency (EPA).
The other, m Marblehead, will begin
Jan. 12.
Charlie Faulhefer, 58. w« one of
several Somerville disposalmen who
volunteered for the new job of col-
lecting the recyclable:.
"It's new, it's excitjng ind it's
cleaner," Charlie said yesterday as
he swung stacks of newspapers and
barrela of (lass and cans from the
curb to the new compartmentalized
disposal truck purchased with part
of the city'* $130.000 EPA grant He
leaves the real rubbish, the nonrecy-
clables, for the regular sanitation
men.
With municipalities across the
country caught between rising dis-
posal costs and Increasing amounts
of trash, and between diminishing
landfill space and the warnings of
environmentalists, the EPA. recy-
cling programs in urban blue-collar
SomervdJc and affluent suburban
Marblehead could he significant be-
yond the two disparate communities.
In backing the three-year-long
projects, it is the EPA's intention to
find out whether low-cost, conve-
nient, community-wide recycling
can work.
''We're not trying to come up
with pie-m-the-sky. This 'gold in
garbage' business has gone too far,"
.ays Penny Hanwn, project manager
or EPA's source separation division
i Washington.
"But we^re looking for urban and
iburban recycling systems that can
• reproduced by other communities
P
Dan Madonna torts out rubbish
m SorocrviUe for recycling.
(Phil Preston photo)
at a reasonable cost And when we
do we'll publicue the hell out of ii,"
Harden said
Recycling, an offspring of the
environmental movement, has had a
questionable upbringing m many
communities Most programs re-
cycled only newspaper, which resi-
dents had to lug themselves to local
transfer stations. The result was low
public participation, with the pro-
jects often fizzling when the price of
newsprint dropped.
Mindful of the** pitfalls. Re-
source Pi ininB Associates, Inc. of
Lar.. Bridge, wniutreTTts !., both
Somerville and Marblehead, have
designed recycling programs in
which glass and cans as well as
newspapers are picked up at the
curbside on a weekly schedule.
Moreover. both communities
have signed long'term contracts
with Recor, Inc . a Salem-baaed re-
cycler, which offer the economic sta-
bility of minimum floor prices
should the P*per or glass market
take a downward spiral.
The recycling programs are pre-
eeeded by an intensive public edu-
cation blitz which includes meetings
with community leaders and organi-
zations and recycling education
workshops for local teachers at all
grade levels.
"Most people think recycling is a
great idea but wonder how many
people will change their habits to do
it." said David Grebow. one of Som-
ervilk's three recycling educators.
"So we try lo make it a community
program and go right to the source
— the home."
The education technique worked
better than expected. During the
first week of recycling, some Sorner-
ville sidewalks looked the victims of
a sanitation strike. As Charlie Faul-
hefer recalls:
"Nearly everbody put stuff on
the sidewalks, much more than we'd
expected And we were green, too. It
took us two days just to do one
day's work-™
Somervil le recycled 130,000
pounds of paper, glass and cans the
first week and nearly 162,000
pounds the second. For every ton re-
cycled the city saves approximately
$14 in disposal costs, plus it is paid
approximately $8 a ton for recycla-
ble* by Recor. Officials are hoping
recycling will save Ihe taxpayers
$100,000 of its annual $1.4 million
disposal budget.
"It's something the people can
see and grab hold of," Charhe Faul-
hefer was saying. "It's a good feel-
ing when you can say, 'I'm helping
out'"
-21-
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Exhibit 2-11
SOMERVILLE SAVES Article-Problem Areas
SOMERVILLE JOURNAL
Somerville 9s saving...
but scavengers are hurting
The Somerville Saves recycling program is
working. Citizens are saving. "The response
is great!"
Things got underway Monday along with the
Monday trash pick-ups and "we are amazed
at the number of people who had put out their
pdpers, bottles and cans for us," says John
Madama, a program planner whose Stepping
Stones environmental consultant group got
the whole local recycling program going and
persuaded the federal government to pick up
the tab for its start.
There is one big problem: scavenging.
The successes and the outlook, rather than
the problem, was the focus at City Hall
Monday when Washington's emissary from
the Environmental Protection Agency-
Penny Hansen, its solid waste manager —
DPW dignitaries, the mayor, Stepping Stones
leadership and others made everything of-
ficial with ceremonies.
But, as soon as the niceties were over, the
workers all went back to trying to solve the
problem of picking up the "incredible
amount" that households responded with and
getting "some of the bugs worked out of the
system."
The scavenger headache is being tackled
head-on with all workers taking down
registration numbers of those who are out
ahead of the trucks picking up papers for
their own profit. There is a city ordinance
which prohibits this, saying that all refuse
piled for collection is already the property of
the city. But administering this and slapping
on a fine for the offense is still just being
planned.
To those whose collections for Saves were
not picked up, administrators say, "The truck
will be around, leave it out."
To those who were confused by last week's
story saying that nothing for Saves should be
put in. plastic bags, they say, "But of course
you can put your regular rubbish in plastic
bags—just not things to be recycled."
-22-
-------
Exhibit 2-12
SOMERVILLE SAVES Editorial
When you recycle., Somerville Saves
Federal agencies don't knock on Somer-
ville's door every day with $500,000 to set up
programs. But last spring the EPA,
Environmental Protection Agency did. And
next week every household here will be able
t« get involved.
Somerville SAVEIS is a first-in-the-nation
curbside recycling program. It has the
support of the federal government, the
mayor, the Chamber of Commerce, and those
whose participation is so crucial to the
program's success,the Municipal Employees
Association. S. Jester Ralph, Frank Stellate
and James Rabineau have written to every
household saying just that.
Reminders should be going out with vour
next gas bill, as well, and a public education
program in the schools is in full swing.
People from the business community, civic
groups, the schools, federal and municipal
government and others are doing their part to
get Somerville Saves off to a good siart.And
we would hope every household will com-
plement this enormous and positive effort.
As Jim Babineau, Frank Stellate and
Lester Ralph put it. ""V- • .; -^vole.
Somerville -.-i-vVs."
-23-
-------
Exhibit 2-13
SOMERVILLE SAVES Advertisement
Congratulations!!
To all Somervllle citizens on your overwhelming response to recycling.-
•OVER 1/4MILLION IBS. RECYCLED IN 2 WEEKS*
Keep up the good work -
Your participation has been so great that we're sorry If we haven't
been able to pick up your materials on time. We're Improving our
operations and we will be back on schedule soon.
You can help us speed up collections by ^
. • ptecmg^eurrecycte materials a couple ei Jeet away from yew *&**&(*# j
^( • making sure recycle materiak are not in plastic bags ^
T: • not placing dear glass and cans in paper bags (they fall apart when damp) T:
* *
^ At the present we cannot recycle corrugated cardboard. We would appreciate it if you "£
•+C put ttwfth your regular refuse. We hope this is only a temporary change. •%
^ Many thanks for your cooperation. w
* ^
r .. SOMERVILLE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS "f*
•f ANY QUESTIONS CALL 625-4400 X-18? •«
-24-
-------
From six weeks before start-up through the first two-to-three months
of the program, new articles appeared at least weekly, due to the
pressure exerted on the papers by the program team and to the news-
papers' belief that the coverage would be of considerable interest to
their subscribers. As the program moves into the post-start-up period
and becomes less newsworthy, the papers are less willing to provide
prominent and frequent coverage. To combat this declining interest,
we will seek periodic (say, bi-weekly or monthly) features, which will
include both statistics on the progress of the program and short,
general-interest articles about recycling, e.g., on the energy conser-
vation opportunities associated with recycling.
Marblehead
In addition to the two Boston newspapers, RECYCLE PLUS was covered
by four local papers:
• Marblehead Messenger (published weekly; circulation
3,500)
• Marblehead Reporter (published weekly; circulation
over 8,000)
• Salem Evening News (published daily; circulation 31,000)
• Lynn Daily Evening Item (published daily; circulation
over 35,000).
Salem and Lynn border Marblehead, and their two papers have regu-
lar Marblehead columns.
As in Somerville, the Marblehead program team made a considerable
effort to maintain personal contact with the reporting and editorial
staffs of all the papers.
By mid-February 1976, 54 newspaper articles had been published
covering all important aspects of the program. A major theme for
many of these articles was the importance of reducing the town's col-
lection and disposal costs. In August 1975 the town's incinerator
was closed and a new transfer station opened, at a disposal cost to
the town of $18.95 per ton. This figure represented a sharp jump in
the town's refuse budget, and the Board of Health was most eager to
cut costs. The issue was of considerable public interest, and there-
fore received extensive local news coverage, especially when the Board
of Health began to discuss imposing a $50 fine on non-recyclers, as
provided for in town by-laws (see Exhibit 2-14).
The program team began, and are maintaining, a bi-monthly column
in the Marblehead Reporter. The column focuses on special interest
-25-
-------
Exhibit 2-14
RECVCLE-PLUS Article-Cost Issue
Recycle or pay $50
fine, residents told
By Irv Dierdorff
Residents not currently
recycling willl have to start to
do so by this fall or face a $50
fine.
A Board of Health meeting.
Tuesday night, to discuss
commercial haulers and
businesses use of the transfer
station was highlighted by
Chairman Bruce E. Hum-
phrey's statement that his •
department plans a crack-
down on home-owner
recycling when the new
compartmentalized vehicles
are pressed into service Oct.
6.
Past estimates made by
health board officials indicate
only 30 to 40 percent of
residents participate in
recycling. Humphrey notes
that the most recent paper
pickup was the largest ever -
and feels that publicity of how
recycling saves transfer
station expenses may have
had an effect on the public.
When weekly pickup of
recyclables start with the use
of the new trucks, his men will
be able to enforce the town's
ir.andatorv recycling bylaw,
he said. Humphrey explained
that it was hard, i! not im-
possible, to enforce thu law
while the town still picked up
recyclables monthly.
"I couldn't ask those guvs
'.employes) to rip open trash
bags and sift through garbage
to see if there were cans or
bottles mixed in," he said.
When the recyclables are
picked up weekly, Humphrey
claims that his men will be
able to tell easily if a
household is recycling or not.
Lists will be kept of
residents no! putting
Continued on Page 7
Continued from Page l
recyclables out on the curb, he
s..;d. A letter will be sent the
offcnd-'r, first, and if he still
refuse- to recycle — the $50
fine v. > it be levied.
"It 'i.ight take us $200 to
take them to court." he said,
"But at least we'll get $50 of it
back."
Commercial Discussion
Humphrey's comments
came after discussions with
commercial haulers about
new strict mandatory
recycling requirements for
them. Several haulers and
landlords questioned why they
should face revocation of their
right to dump at the transfer
station when residents could
get away with not recycling.
. Humphrey explained that
truckers and businesses were
not alone in facing new tight
regulations, and that
residents would also have to
abide by stricter restrictions.
The Board of Health took
the opposite of their stand
expressed by their chairman
only a week previous in
regards to disposal of com-
mercial waste. Last week,
Humphrey said that all
commercial firms would pay
$18.95 a ton to dump at the
compactor. Now, they would
pay nothing, but are subject to
strict health board control.
In a separate meeting with
Atty. Edward Rockett,
representing haulers, R. D.
Williams and Robert Pappas,
and in a later discussion with
a room full of landlords, store
owners, carpenters, con-
tractors and restaurant
owners, Humphrey explained
the strict rules for dumping of
commercial trash.
Pappas and Williams were
told that they would have to
provide the board within two
weeks a list of all their
customers and the ap-
proximate tonnage. The
truckers will also have to
submit a plan on how they
plan to recycle.
Should the truckers be
caught taking out-of-town
trash or recyclables to the
compactor they will im-
mediately and permanently
be banned from using the
transfer station.
They .will be banned, for
their first offense, ne saiu.
"If we find one envelope,
one can from out of town in
your dump you will be banned
from the transfer station.
That's it," he said.
Humphrey said that
Marblehead will be the only
town in the area not charging
for commercial trash.
"We're bending a little, so
you guys will have to bend a
little. We're not trying to put
the screws to anyone," he
explained.
Rocket took issue with the
first offense ban, calling it
"unreasonable."
"I don't understand why my
guys should lose their right to
dump. Mistakes can happen.
You have the remedy in that
$50 fine. I don't think the
penalty should be any dif-
ferent for my fellows than for
homeowners," argued the
attorney.
Lawyer's View
Assistant Town Counsel
Lawrence J. Markell, who
advised the board on the new
rules, told Rockett that
commercial waste presented
a radically "different
problem" than residential
trash. He stressed that the
health board could legally
prohibit anyone they wanted
to from dumping at the
compactor.
Humphrey and Markell
explained to truckers and
other businesses that the
transfer station contract is for
10,000 tons per year. Anything
over that and the town pays
the $18.95 per ton, they said.
The incinerator was burn-
ing an average of 11,300 tons
per year, necessitating a l,3W
ton drop to stay within th<
May Town Meeting ap
propriation for statioi
operation.
The board expressed hop
that the threat of the ban (an
the $50 fine for residents
would provide motivation t
recycle. With a bette,
recycling percentage, th«
board hopes to keep within th«
10.000 ton contract.
Contractors were told that
they must get the person for
whom they are doing work to
get a permit so that the
contractor can dump trash
created by construction, etc.
The permits mean that
contractors will not be
charged. Without a permit,
should the resident be "too
lazy" to get one, Humphrey
suggested contractors hike
their rates accordingly.
After remarks by several
that they would be swamped
with paperwork and "red
tape" if they have to get a
permit for every job, Hum-
phrey relented and agreed
that no permit was required
for the dumping of three
barrels of trash or less.
-26-
-------
items, such as senior citizen recycling and recycling for Christmas
(see Exhibit 2-15).
The local Marblehead papers also featured two editorials on the
program, one of which is shown in Exhibit 2-16.
During the months preceding the commencement of collection, the
Marblehead program received more intensive coverage than Somerville1s,
primarily because of the new transfer station and cost issue.
As in Somerville, Marblehead plans continuing newspaper coverage
through features and status reports.
Evaluation
Feedback from residents indicates that newspaper coverage has been
a very effective means of communication about the program in both
Somerville and Marblehead. The personal rapport established with the
newspaper staffs proved to be effective in gaining the maximum cover-
age from the papers. Early coverage of the Somerville program was
not intensive, primarily because the papers considered it too pre-
mature to be newsworthy,' but in Marblehead there was a newsworthy issue
associated with recycling that greatly enhanced early coverage.
The Somerville newspaper coverage would have been more complete
if pictures of the trucks and crews had been featured shortly after
the start-up date. This would have been a particularly effective way
to boost the morale and stature of the sanitation department and the
crew members.
In Somerville we discovered that the newspaper is not an effec-
tive way to communicate with residents rapidly. There were severe
operational problems in Somerville in the early weeks due to heavy
snowstorms. Collections were delayed, and people were angered at the
inconvenience. News articles expressing the city's regrets at the
delay appeared one week or so later, but a more rapid response would
have had a much more favorable impact on the citizens. The problem
was compounded by the fact that the Somerville Journal is published
weekly and has a rigid deadline (three days prior to publication) for
all news articles. Further complicating this situation was the require-
ment to clear the articles witjh several operating and administrative
levels in the city prior to release.
Finally, we feel that more pre-start publicity could have been
generated if more attention had been given to the "Somerville Stroller"
column in the Boston Herald-American. The program team did not dis-
cover that such a local column existed until close to the recycling
program starting date.
-27-
-------
Exhibit 2-15
RECYCLE-PLUS Special Interest Article
THE REPORTER Thursday, December 11. 1975 Page 10
Christmas joy does not
have to be new • recycle!
by JoAnnRowe
Ai Christmastime, as much as
at any other time of year, the
lessons of the past can be
combined with the ingenuity of the
present, to take scraps and
possible discards and lurn them
into thoughtful, creative gifts and
decorations. Recycling used to be
a way of life, even at the holiday
season. In the past, people knew it
wasn't necessary to spend large
sums on Christmas gifts. With
imagination and some effort, we
can emulate them to produce a
warm and thoughtful group of
gifts.
Consider, for instance, one little
girl's Christmas last year: ... a
doll house, made, (along with new
materials) with a base of thick
pine shelving too good to toss
aside, papered with the bits
remaining from the redecorating
of her own house, and furnished
with some hand made pieces
covered with scraps of upholstery
fabric (don't completely furnish a
first doll house - it's a many-year-
long project, with each piece
considered and added as a treat.))
... a doll bed, very old, rescued
from the back room of an antique
shop. A bit of cleaning up with
denatured alcohol, and a rubbing
with linseed oil gave it a rustic but
lustrous look. Then some ticking
remnants were filled with polyfill
for a mattress, and a quilt made of
remnants from her own room's
curtains - made a perfect resting
place for the (new) Christmas
doll.
... a doll trunk, rescued from the
same back room, painted the color
of her room, with her name in
bright red.
... total cost: under $20.
... total joy: immeasurable, for
parents and child.
Invent your -own gift ideas --
scraps of fabric can easily be
turned into all manner of patch-
work: large and small wreaths,
small animals for the tree or for
"stuffers", appliques on shirts or
aprons. An old table, once
cleaned, would add an interesting
touch to an empty corner in your
mother's (sister's, aunt's) living
room. An old frame would look
wonderful surrounding a colorful
(and usually inexpensive) print by
a local artist. Cut out scraps and
arrange on a large piece of felt to
"map" a .child's hometown.
Use your head and the things
around you, not just your money,
to brighten your holidays. Resolve
to have a thoughtful Christmas,
not an expensive one.
And after Christmas, make your
New Year's Resolution to start
participating in Recycle Plus, the
expansion of Marblehead's
Recycling program. Starling on
January 12, all recyclables will be
picked up weekly. So watch for the
brochure explaining the program
and don't throw away your parl>
leftovers - recycle them. It's never
been easier.
-28-
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Exhibit 2-16
RECYCLE-PLUS Editorial
Page 6 - Week of August 27,1975
Mandatory recycling
Marblehead does have a mandatory
recycling law, to its credit, so it should
therefore come as no surprise that the
chairman of the Board of Health is telling
residents that they must start recycling Oct. 6
or face a $50 fine.
Of course, from the standpoint of the sheer
volume of work and legal expense and time
involved there can be no wholesale crackdown
with every resident who fails to recycle being
socked with a $50 fine.
But his announcement can be enormously
helpful to the important cause of recycling —
and preserving our environment — and we're
glad he made it.
Just as everyone who exceeds the speed
limit, violates the tax laws, or parks overtime
is not charged and fined, so would many
violators of Marblehead's mandatory
recycling law escape prosecution. But a few
would be, hopefully, and such selective en-
forcement would be a tremendous spur to
increase the percentage of residents
recycling.
What makes Chairman Humphrey's warn-
ing realistic and practicable is the arrival
next month of two special trucks, purchased
under a federal grant, that will make possible
weekly collection of all recyclables. Under
weekly collections, no one will be faced with a
storage or other hardship while letting
newspaper, cans or bottles accumulate.
Hence, the Humphrey warning is in the ball
park. And it can be enforced.
It's nice to think of Marblehead as a leader,
or as a place setting a good example for others
to follow. We think Mr. Humphrey's plan can
be categorized that way.
-29-
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COMMUNITY LETTER
Letters were sent to every household in Somerville and Marblehead
shortly before the start of the programs to announce the starting date,
provide instructions on the proper ways to recycle, and encourage the
residents to participate (see Exhibit 2-17). The letter is one of the
most personal means of communication with individual residents, and,
since it was signed by public officials, also serves as a clear indi-
cation to the residents of the official commitment of the city to the
program.
Somerville
The important considerations in developing and distributing the
letter were:
• Form and content
• Timing
• Paper and printing
• Distribution.
Each consideration is discussed in detail below.
Form and Content
The letter was written under the official Somerville letterhead
to demonstrate tfre importance of the program and the commitment of the
community leaders. The content of the letter was discussed extensively
with the mayor, other city officers, labor officials, and interested
members of the community. The body of the letter was designed to be
as short and uncomplicated as possible. It was decided not to empha-
size the mandatory nature of the program, but to request the coopera-
tion of the citizens and to explain briefly why the program was impor-
tant (e.g., to save collection and disposal costs, to conserve scarce
resources and energy). In addition, the letter included general
instructions on the levels of separation, with reference to detailed
recycling instructions printed on the reverse side of the sheet.
After considerable discussion, it was decided to have the letter
signed by three community leaders (the mayor, the president of the
Somerville Municipal Employees Union, and the president of the Somer-
ville Chamber of Commerce) to demonstrate the broad range of community
support for the recycling program.
The envelope (see Exhibit 2-18) was designed to reflect the
official nature of the letter. The diagonal lettering across the
right-hand side was used to attract the attention of the recipients
-30-
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Exhibit 2-17
SOMERVILLE SAVES Community Letter
CITY OF SOMERVILLE
DEPARTMENT OF PUSUIC WORKS
Dear Somerville Resident:
On Monday, December 1. Somerville will begin a new and better way of refuse collection
and disposal called RECYCLING. In order u> insure the success of this program, each household
is requested to separate their refuse into three parts:
1. Flat paper for recycling.
1. Clear glass and metal cans mixed together for recycling.
3. All remaining refuse for regular disposal.
All material will be picked up each week on your normal collection day beginning the week
of December 1.
Somerville now spends over 1.4 million dollars each year on refuse collection and disposal.
Recycling will save money for our city by reducing this disposal cost and by providing an income
from the sale of the paper, clear glass and metal cans. That means extra dollars for improved
city services. Recycling also helps to clean our air. water and land by reducing pollution, and
saves limited natural resources and energy.
We usually think of our refuse as waste. Today we must realize that it is a valuable resource
for Somerville. This program is a cooperative effort between the Mayor's office, the Somerville
Municipal Employees Association, and many community and business organizations. In order to be
a success, this program also needs your help. Please follow the instructions on the back of this
letter. When you recycle, SOMERVILLE SAVES.
Very truly yours.
Jameo Babineau
President •
Somerville Municipal
Employees Association
Frank Stellate
Director
Chamber of
Commerce
S. Lester Ralph
Mayor
-------
Exhibit 2-17.2
SOMERVILLE SAVES Community Letter
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECYCLING
PAPER
i. SAVE ANY FLAT PAPER INCLUDING NEWSPAPERS. MAGAZINES, TELE-
PHONE BOOKS. CARDBOARD, ENVELOPES. LETTERS, AND PAPER BAGS.
2. STACK AND TIE THE PAPER WITH TWINE OH PLACE IT IN A PAPER BAG.
MIXED CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS
1. SAVE CLEAR GLASS ONLY (NO BROWN. GREEN OR TINTED GLASS).
2. SAVE ALL METAL CANS INCLUDING ALUMINUM CONTAINERS, TRAYS
AND FOIL, AND STORE THEM TOGETHER WITH YOUR CLEAR GLASS.
3. IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO WASH OR REMOVE LABELS FROM CANS OR
BOTTLES.
«. PLACE CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS IN THE SAME CONTAINER.- FOR
EXAMPLE. A STURDY CARDBOARD BOX OR OLD TRASH CAN (IT WILL BE
RETURNED). DO NOT USE A PAPER BAG BECAUSE IT WILL FALL APART
WHEN DAMP.
INSTRUCTION FOR COLLECTION
1. PLACE THE TIED BUNDLE OR BAG OF FLAT PAPER AND THE BOX OR CAN
FILLED WITH CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS OFF TO ONE SIDE OF YOUR
REGULAR TRASH.
2. NEW RECYCLING TRUCKS WITH SPECIALLY DESIGNED COMPARTMENTS
WILL PICK THEM UP ON YOUR NORMAL COLLECTION DAY.
DO NOT PUT ANY MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED INTO PLASTIC BAGS
MATERIALS IMPROPERLY SORTED OR PACKAGED CANNOT BE COLLECTED
CALL 625-6600 WITH ANY QUESTIONS
PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER
'
-32-
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Community Letter Envelope
00
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EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
CITY HALL
SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS O2143
BULK RATE
U. S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. B7500
SOMEHVILLE. MA
POSTAL CUSTOMER
SOMERVILLE, MASSACHUSETTS
souaviiu
Ul-UUIIU CITY
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-------
and encourage them to read the contents. Each letter was addressed
"Postal Customer," due to the high costs and time required to use
personalized addresses.
Timing
The letter was distributed to all resident households on Friday
and Saturday ten days before program start-up. The date was chosen
to give people sufficient time to save at least one weeksworth of recy-
clables close enough to the starting date so that the starting date
and the instructions would be easily remembered.
Paper and Printing
The letter was printed on 100-percent recycled paper in keeping
with the spirit of the program. We found that 100-percent recycled
paper is more expensive and more difficult to obtain from distributors
than lower recycle-content papers. The envelopes, also printed on 100-
percent recycled paper, were obtained from a local supplier (Mass
Envelope) who donated about 15,000 (50 percent) of the envelopes to
the program. Volunteers stuffed the envelopes.
Printing was done by a Somerville printing establishment. The
body of the letter was typeset instead of typewritten to achieve the
best possible appearance. Copies of the first letters off the press
were checked for general quality and appearance before all copies were
printed. The exact number of copies to be printed (30,000) was deter-
mined as a result of discussion with the postal service to determine
the number of postal delivery points in the city and the addition of
a few percent for later distribution to residents who were missed on
the first mailing. Families in large apartment buildings were excluded
because, up to this point, they have not been involved in the program.*
Distribution
The letter was distributed by the U.S. Postal Service at a bulk
mailing rate of 6.2C per letter. Letters were bundled by the program
team for each mail route in the city, using route cards provided by
the postal service to determine the number of deliveries in each
route. The bundled letters were then delivered to the various post
offices for distribution to the mail carriers.
Marblehead
The same four considerations discussed above for the Somerville
letter applied also to the Marblehead mailing.
Refuse from these apartments is collected by non-municipal collectors.
-34-
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Form and Content
Each resident received the fold-out letter/brochure shown in
Exhibit 2-19.. This format is similar to previous annual mailings in
Marblehead which provided residents with a calendar showing pick-up
dates for each of four recyclable materials under the previous program.
The front side of the sheet includes a letter from the Board of
Health explaining the benefits and mechanics of the program, empha-
sizing the ways in which RECYCLE PLUS is an improvement over the earlier
recycling program. Following the letter are detailed instructions for
recycling, including the placement of materials at the curbside.
The reverse of the sheet is a map of the town showing which areas
of the town should recycle on their first mixed-refuse collection day
and which should recycle on their second collection day.
Timing
As in Somerville, the mailing was distributed approximately one
week prior to the initiation of collections.
Paper and Printing
The mailing of 8,000 was printed on recycled paper (not 100-percent
recycled) by a local printing establishment.
Distribution
The Light and Power Department's addressograph was used as the
most up-to-date listing of residents. Mailings were distributed by
the postal service at the bulk rate of 6.2
-------
RECYCLE-PLUS Community Letter
3!
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2
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00
ON
DEAR MARBLEHEAD RESIDENT:
On Monday, January 12,1976, Marblehead
will begin its new recycling service, Recycle
Plus. In addition to your regular refuse col-
lection service, your household will then re-
ceive weekly collection of all recyclables.
Recycle Plus will also combine this more
frequent service with simpler home separa-
tion procedures than under ou'r present
program. New instructions on how to re-
cycle your paper, glass, and cans and when
they will be collected are included on the
adjacent panels.
Marblehead now spends about $200,000 each
year on refuse disposal. Recycling saves
money for our town by reducing this dis-
posal cost and by providing an income from
the sale of the paper, glass, and metal cans.
An $80,000 grant from the U. S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency has allowed us to
purchase two new recycling trucks and to
offer the kind of collection service that will
enable everyone to participate in this revenue
producing program.
We can no longer think of refuse as waste.
Today we must realize that it is a valuable
resource for Marblehead. Please follow the
instructions in this pamphlet, because when
you recycle, Marblehead saves.
Sincerely,
Bruce E. Humphrey, Chairm
Donald Moore
Dwight J. Grader
THE BOARD OF HEALTH
**/
arr
Three categories of materials will be picked up
during each weekly collection under the new
Recycle Plus program: paper; mixed cans and
clear glass; and mixed cans and colored glass.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECYCLING
PAPER
1 Recycle newspapers, magazines, junk mail,
telephone books, envelopes, paper bags, and
other flat paper.
2- Please stack and tie the paper with twine or
place it in a paper bag.
MIXED CANS AND CLEAR GLASS
1 • Save clear glass separately from colored glass.
2. In the same storage container, save some of
your metal cans, including aluminum con-
tainers, trays, and foil.
3- It is not necessary to wash or flatten cans or
to remove labels from cans or bottles.
4' Place the cans and clear glass in a sturdy card-
board box, an old wastepaper basket, or any
other durable container.
MIXED CANS AND COLORED GLASS
'• Save colored glass. Brown, green, and other
tinted glass can be mixed together.
2. Store the rest of your metal cans and alumi-
num with this colored glass.
3- Place the cans and colored glass in a container
similar to that for clear glass and cans.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTION
1 • Since most collection days have been changed.
please refer to the map on the reverse side of
this letter to determine your new collection
day. It will be one of your two regular refuse
collection days.
?• On your recycling day, place the tied bundle
or bag of flat paper and the two containers
filled with clear or colored glass and cans at
the curb separate from your refuse. Labeling
your recycling containers will make collec-
tion easier.
3 A special compartmentalized truck will pick
\jp your materials and carry them to a re-
processing center in Salem. Your recycling
containers will be left behind so that you can
reuse them.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Do not put any materials to
be recycled into plastic bags. Cans and glass should
not be put into paper bags as these fall apart when
damp. Materials improperly sorted or packaged
cannot be collected.
Please call 631-0212 with any questions.
- PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER -
Exhibit 2-19-
-------
• The envelope was unsealed, which is characteristic
of a variety of advertising and promotional materials
• The envelope was addressed to "Postal Customer," rather
than to the individual householder by name
• The distinctive diagonal lettering across the right
side of the envelope may have been reminiscent for
some people of junk-mail envelopes.
One reason why the Marblehead receipt rate was higher is that the
format of the mailing is very similar to previous annual recycling
mailings. Residents were familiar with this format and were antici-
pating a mailing at about the same time. Also, the addressograph
listing enabled the town to address each letter individually, which
lent a more personal touch.
We feel that the official support indicated by the signatures on
the letters is an important motivator in obtaining citizen commitment
to the program. This is particularly true in Somerville, where repre-
sentatives of city government, labor, and the commercial sector all
signed the letter. '
RADIO
Radio was used in both awareness programs, primarily in the form
of public service announcements. While it was not so important as,
say, newspapers, it was nevertheless part of the overall strategy for
reaching as many people through as many media as often and effectively
as possible.
Somerville
The program team contacted the nine major radio stations in the
Boston area at an early date to gain their cooperation in providing
coverage for the program. The first radio activity was a half-hour
discussion show at 7:30 on a Sunday morning several months before the
start-up date. This program, "Down to Earth," is sponsored by the
Sierra Club and focused on the mechanics of recycling in Somerville,
the benefits to the city, and the natural resource conservation poten-
tial of recycling. The program moderator was well versed in environ-
mental matters, and the format of the program was a question-and-
answer session with members of the program team.
The remaining radio activity consisted of three public service
announcements; one at the beginning of the recycling program, one
announcing the interruption of recycling operations due to heavy snow-
fall, and one shortly before the delivery of the recycling calendar
(described later in this chapter).
-37-
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In future, radio coverage will be used primarily for public
service announcements. It may also be possible to interest stations
in a longer program describing the success of the recycling program at
a major milestone point, e.g., after one year of operation.
Marblehead
The program team contacted by letter five radio stations, including
the local Marblehead station. This station was also contacted per-
sonally.
Radio coverage began in November when the local station inter-
viewed the EPA Project Officer on the program. This 15-minute inter-
view was followed two months later by an interview with the program
team in which the implementation of RECYCLE PLUS was discussed. The
local station also ran two public service announcements during this
two-month period.
Coverage by other stations included a news item and a series of
public service announcements. The League of Women Voters conducted a
"Consensus" interview with one member of the program team, which was
aired in March 1976.
Evaluation
It is not known how effective the radio was in terms of the num-
ber of residents reached. Except for the early Sunday morning inter-
view in Somerville, for which listenership must have been rather low,
it is felt that the other radio efforts represented a cost-effective
means of communicating with the residents in both communities.
CABLE TELEVISION
Cable television was utilized in Somerville, where there is a
cable-TV system with from 8,000 to 10,000 subscribing households.
Three of the channels are devoted primarily to news and community-
interest programs for Somerville and adjacent communities. It was
decided to use these local communication links as another means of
reaching the residents.
One of the channels features a "message board" that operates con-
tinuously for most of the day between programs. This message board
features community events of note and rotates from one message to the
next, completing a cycle in about 20 minutes. A SOMERVILLE SAVES
recycling message has been a regular item since several months prior
to start-up of the recycling program and will continue to be used
throughout the program.
-38-
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The same station also featured "Community TV Week" during the
week immediately preceding the starting date of the program. The
program team gave a 15-minute spot presentation, advertised prior to
broadcast in one of the local newspapers, about the importance of
recycling to Somerville and to the nation. In future, these 15-
minute spots will be used periodically to focus on some specific
aspect of the recycling program, e.g., the processing of mixed cans
and glass.
Another of the cable channels features a weekly program entitled
"Mayor's Report." Ceremonies associated with the beginning of collec-
tions were shown on this program approximately 10 days after start-up.
This channel also broadcast a major hour-long documentary, produced
jointly by the program team and station personnel, covering all aspects
of the recycling program from collection through materials processing,
and including interviews with the collection personnel, residents, and
city officials. This film was broadcast twice; two weeks and six
weeks after the beginning of collections. The newspapers provided
advance notice of the showing of this film, and notices were also
placed in each school classroom.
Evaluation
Cable television has the advantage of being a "local" visual
medium. In Somerville nearly one-third of the households subscribe.
It is not known how many residents learned of SOMERVILLE SAVES through
cable television. However, since the service is paid for whether it
is used or not, it is reasonable to assume that is is used regularly
and that the message reached many of the subscribers with some measure
of positive impact for the program.
COMMERCIAL AND PUBLIC
BROADCASTING SERVICE TELEVISION
Boston has three major television stations representing the three
national networks and one public broadcasting service station. In
view of widespread positive impact of television coverage both on the
communities and on the region as a whole, the strategy for major TV
coverage has been to persuade each of the network affiliates to fea-
ture some aspect of the program at least once as a news item or as a
special feature of one of the regular programs.
Somerville
The major commercial stations were initially notified by press
release when the grant was awarded to the city. Periodically, during
the five-month pre-start period, contacts were made by the program
-39-
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team, but the stations were not interested in providing any coverage
until the commencement of recycling.
The ABC affiliate aired a brief news announcement on the program
on the first day of operation. The NBC affiliate covered the cere-
monies associated with the distribution of the recycling calendar in
a news item.
Marblehead
Letters were sent to each of the four major Boston-area stations.
Two of the network affiliates provided major coverage of the program
in the first month of operation. The ABC affiliate interviewed a mem-
ber of the program team and operating personnel as part of its evening
news, "Neighborhood Report." Tkis report also featured film coverage
of the recyclable collections. The EPA Project Officer and a member
of the program team were interviewed for 10 minutes on the NBC affili-
ate's "Woman 76" program, which is shown daily.
Evaluation
The major stations were not interested in providing coverage
until after .the programs started. However, the coverage they pro-
vided was substantial and most certainly reached a large audience,
both in the two communities and in other towns in the area as well.
Television is a most effective communications tool, particularly since
it requires a relatively small investment of program time and funds.
POSTERS
Posters were developed in Somerville and Marblehead, and placed in
business establishments and public places to focus the attention of
the public on the program through the use of appealing graphic designs
and brief, readable messages.
Somerville
The one poster used in Somerville to date (see Exhibit 2-20) was
prominently displayed in 150 establishments three days before the
start of the program. The 11" x 14" poster is designed to be moti-
vating, instructional, and humorous; its theme is "Recycling only
takes a minute." The idea for this poster developed from discussion
between the program team and community groups, who expressed concern
about the time required to separate recyclables and place them at the
curb.
-40-
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Poster
^.
H
WHY WASTE?
recycling only takes
a minute and does so
much good
Save money and energy
and resources
SOMERVILLE RECYCLING PROGRAM
STARTS DECEMBER 1st.
X
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Although the posters were printed in black and. white for economy,
the balloon on each was colored red by hand before they were placed
on display to heighten the visual impact.
The posters were placed in key locations throughout the city by
two people in one day; locations included drugstores, grocery stores,
hardware stores, and bakeries.
Two additional poster campaigns, geared to different themes from
that described above, were introduced in April and May.
Marblehead
The Marblehead poster (Exhibit 2-21) was placed in 65 commercial
establishments throughout the town by the Boy Scouts shortly before
the start of the program. The 18" x 23" poster was an eye-catching
yellow with black lettering and focused on the cost-saving theme that
was used throughout the program.
Evaluation
Posters are effective ways of communicating' with the residents
for a number of reasons. They can be printed and distributed rapidly
(3-4 days) and cheaply, and are perhaps even more efficient than news-
papers for rapid communication. The Somerville poster seemed to be
effective in responding to residents' concern that recycling takes too
much of the homeowner's time.
The process of distributing posters is effective as a means of
getting to know the commercial establishment in the community. It
was found in both programs that conversations with the proprietors
of the various businesses produced useful information and feedback on
the problems and successes of the program.
Observations in Somerville indicated that most posters were dis-
played for about two weeks. Some proprietors kept them up for two
months, and a very few are still up at this date. Since other
groups seek to place posters in commercial establishments, the more
visually appealing and eye-catching the poster, the longer it is apt
to remain in the window. In Marblehead, some of the posters are still
on display.
GRAPHIC DISPLAY
A graphic display was developed for the Somerville program, with
the objective of providing in one place comprehensive written infor-
mation, presented in an attractive manner, on all aspects of the
-42-
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Exhib ' 2 21
RECYCLE-PLUS Poster
Recycle PLUS
DON'T THROW MONEY AWAY
Trash disposal costs are now at an all time high.
Recycling saves money and energy
TURN TRASH INTO CA$H!
Weekly pickup of all recyclables starting
Tan
tlv.
-43-
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program (operations, benefits) combined with appropriate graphics,
such as the SOMERVILLE SAVES logo. This unit, displayed on a 3" x 5'
board supported by an easel, was designed for display in businesses,
at community events, and in schools. It was displayed for two weeks
in a bank shortly after recycling program start-up and for one week
at the Elderly Festival two months before the program began. Future
plans call for exhibition of the display in all of the city schools
on a cyclic schedule.
Evaluation
The size of the graphic display limits its commercial use to
establishments such as banks with large, open floor areas. In retro-
spect, it would have been better for the program in Somerville to have
made more extensive use of the display in the public and school librar-
ies.
STICKERS
Stickers, designed to be attached permanently to curbside recycling
containers, were distributed to all Somerville residents. The stickers
are intended to fulfill the dual purpose of serving as a continuous
reminder of the program and of providing for the collection crews a ^
visible means of identifying the location of recyclables along the col-
lection routes, and so improving collection productivity.
In order to conserve the awareness program funds and, at the
same time, to involve the commercial sector more directly in the pro-
gram, it was decided to seek help from local business in developing
and distributing the stickers. It was further decided that a local
utility company would be ideal as a distributor, since the stickers
could be mailed with the periodic utility bills. We made contact with
several executives of the Commonwealth Gas Company, including the
regional public relations director. Following several discussions of
the program and the costs and preliminary designs of the stickers, the
company agreed to fund the production and distribution of 17,000
stickers, one to each of their customers in Somerville.
The 3" x 6" sticker (see Exhibit 2-22) was designed to fit in the
Commonwealth Gas envelopes and was made of weather-resistant vinyl
material for maximum durability. In addition to the logo and program
name, the sticker featured the slogan: "Turn Trash Into Cash." A
stuffer explaining the necessity of recycling was sent in the billing
envelopes with the sticker.
Following the commitment from Commonwealth Gas, the program team
contacted Boston Gas to persuade them also to send stickers to their
Somerville customers. Boston Gas agreed and mailed 8,000 stickers.
-44-
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Sticker
tn
TURN TRASH
INTO CASH!
RECYCLING
SAVES MONEY
FOR OUR COMMUNITY
USE THIS STICKER FOR GLASS AND CAN CONTAINER
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-------
The stickers were distributed over a six-week period that began
two weeks after the recycling program starting date. The papers publi-
cized the mailings by the gas companies.
Commonwealth Gas funded an additional 8,000 stickers which have
been made available at City Hall and the two city libraries for resi-
dents who do not use gas or who, for some other reason, did not receive
a sticker through the mail. The newspapers carried notices announcing
the availability of these additional stickers.
Evaluation
Besides improving collection operation, the stickers proved to be
an effective way of gaining commercial support for the program. They
may also have helped to encourage some Somerville citizens to purchase
permanent recycling containers.
Although the gas companies were most helpful, it is questionable
whether they would have been so enthusiastic if federal support had
not been available and the recycling program so much in the public eye.
However, utilities are still a good source for this type of program
support because they are usually interested in public service and
offer a very convenient vehicle for sticker distribution.
The effectiveness of the sticker campaign may have suffered some-
what due to the fact that the stickers were distributed during the
period when recycling operations were closed down because of snow.
CALENDAR
The program team in Somerville expended a major effort in devel-
oping and distributing a calendar for all Somerville residents (see
Exhibit 2-23). The calendar was intended to serve several important
functions:
• To be a continuous reminder of the need for and bene-
fits of. recycling, hopefully displayed in a prominent
place in every household
• To relate the recycling program directly to the Somerville
environment
• To provide the residents with an attractive gift from
the program which would have a use beyond simply pro-
viding information about the program.
-46-
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Calendar
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Calendar
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Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday
MAY
A walk In Foss Park In the spring, circa 1900. The problem was never with the-envlronment, but with the
way we used our environment.
2
9
Mother's Day
16
23
30
3
10
17
24
31
Memorial Day
4
11
18
25
5
12
19
26
6
13
20
27
7
14
21
28
} 1
8
15
22
29
Please recycle
this month
~
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-------
As with the letter, there were four main considerations in the
development of the calendar: (1) form and content; (2) timing; (3)
paper and printing; and (4) distribution.
Form and Content
The calendar was designed to be instructional, informative, visu-
ally appealing, and functional. Instructions for recycling were
printed on the opening pages, and the statement "Please recycle this
month" was printed in the first "day" of each monthly matrix. The
information content of the calendar focused on nature and natural
recycling and on historical Somerville. The economic benefits of the
program to Somerville were deliberately de-emphasized, in order to
stress the more subtle natural (environmental) theme of the calendar.
The photographs of historical Somerville, which faced several of the
monthly calendar leaves, were obtained from the Somerville Historical
Society, and were chosen to emphasize the open space, the cleanliness,
the uncluttered streets, and the "naturalness" of the past.
Color selection was important, from the point of view both of
cost and of visual impact. Assisted by the Graphic Workshop, Inc., of
Boston, the program team selected two basic colors, green and orange.
Surprinting the two colors to reproduce the photographs resulted in a
third color reminiscent of older reproduction processes, and this
authentic "antique1' look greatly enhanced the visual impact of the
photographs.
The calendar matrix provided blank boxes for each date so that
the resident could enter reminders and engagements. It was also decided
to include an extra bonus month (January 1977).
Timing
The original objective was to distribute the calendar to all
residents by mid-December (that is, by or before the time they would
be receiving other calendars) to ensure that the recycling calendar
would be used in most homes in 1976. The deadline was not met for
two reasons: first, there were problems in procuring paper and in
scheduling press time; second, because of production delays, we were
unable to use the community youth groups who had been enlisted to
hand-carry the calendars to each ,house. When we missed the original
December 15 deadline, it was obvious that the volunteers would not be
as readily available because of the Christmas and New Year holidays
and school vacations. Accordingly, it was decided to distribute the
calendars on Saturday, January 17, about six weeks after recycling
program start-up.
-49-.
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Paper and Printing
To conserve program funds, commercial support was solicited and
received: the Bergstrom Paper Company donated all of the 100-percent
recycled paper used in the calendars. The company was most interested
in supporting a unique, federally-sponsored recycling program, and
they used this as an opportunity to promote a new line of recycled
paper. Bergstrom purchased several thousand calendars for their own
use for promotional purposes.
Additional support was received from a local printing concern,
Nimrod Press, who printed the calendars for 25-50 percent less than
their normal rates. The calendar represented by far the largest expense
in the awareness program in terms of materials and outside service.
The total cost, not including the time of the program team, was about
$4,200 for 30,000 calendars. Without commercial assistance, the price
could have been in the vicinity of $10,000.
Distribution
It was recognized early in the program that mailing would be pro-
hibitively expensive. As an alternative, we decided to organize dis-
tributions by hand through the assistance of community groups. The
program team learned that similar distributions had been made in this
manner in the past, and an effort was begun to contact groups for
assistance in this program.
Approximately 650 individuals took part in the program; 300 Boy
Scouts, 300 Girl Scouts, and 50 other volunteers from the Somerville
Boys Club, YMCA, and the high school and junior high school ecology
clubs. Each group was solicited in a different way. For example, the
Boy Scouts were first contacted through the Boy Scouts Regional Office.
The regional representative then called the leaders of several of the
most active Somerville troops to solicit their cooperation, and these
troops then contacted other troops. Three hundred of the city's 1,000
Boy Scouts were thus committed to the program.
Several incentives were developed for the participants, donated
in large part by Somerville commercial establishments:
• Free movies. The Somerville Theatre arranged a free
movie showing for all participants.
• Ticket raffle. A total of 10 tickets to Boston Bruins
and Boston Celtics games were donated by individuals
to be raffled to the participants. Two gift certi-
ficates to Steve's Ice Cream were also donated for the
raffle.
-50-
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• Free food. McDonalds, Jack-In-The-Box, and Burger
King donated free meals for all volunteers.
• Certificates of appreciation. Each participant was
given a certificate of appreciation signed by the
mayor and the EPA Region I administrator.
• Merit badges. Participation was credited toward public
service merit badges for the Boy and Girl Scouts.
On the day when distribution was to begin, a rally was held for
the volunteers, of whom about 350 attended. The rally featured the
ticket raffle, speeches by the mayor and local educators, and heavy
coverage by the press and the the NBC-TV affiliate.
Each volunteer was given 50-60 calendars and a map of a particular
section of the city which was his or her responsibility. Shopping bags
with handles were donated by Star Market and Johnnie Food Master for
use in carrying the calendars. The volunteers were asked to ring each
doorbell and to talk with the residents about the recycling program.
Calendars were also made available at prominent public locations, e.g.,
City Hall, public libraries, schools.
Shortly before the calendar was distributed, the need arose to
distribute a notice to all residents with instructions for recycling
in the event of snowstorms. This notice was inserted inside the front
cover of every calendar prior to distribution.
Evaluation
The calendar was without question the most substantial and effec-
tive component of the Somerville community awareness program. Very
favorable reaction was received from a number of residents on the high
quality and appearance of the calendar.
Besides its inherent communication value, the calendar was the
integrating force for other community awareness activities. It received
very favorable TV and newspaper coverage; it involved several community
groups actively through the voluntary distribution system; and eight
commercial establishments participated by donating a substantial part
of the cost of materials and services.
Despite the delay in the original schedule, the actual delivery
date of January 17 proved to be most timely. The four-week program
shutdown due to snow ended with the resumption of collection on January
19, and it is felt that the calendar proved to be a real motivator in
getting the program moving again. Were it not for this unusual situ-
ation, we feel that a mid-December distribution would have been more
effective.
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C. THE SCHOOLS COMPONENT
The objectives of the school programs in Somerville and Marblehead
are:
• To educate students (and future residents) in the bene-
fits of, need for, and approaches to recycling
• To encourage these students to take information home
to their parents and thereby impact immediately upon
the participation rate.
As the means of reaching these objectives, a curriculum on recycling
and solid waste was introduced into all elementary and secondary schools
in the community.
SOMERVILLE SCHOOLS PROGRAM
The Somerville school program involved four major phases:
• Commitment
• Curriculum development
• Workshops
• Implementation.
Each of these phases is discussed below.
Commitment
Shortly after the EPA grant was awarded to the city, the program
team met with school department officials to obtain their commitment
to the recycling program and to a role for schools in the program.
Planning sessions were then held with school officials to work out the
details of the program. In August 1975 a meeting was held with the
Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction to begin
planning workshops for the teachers. During September and October
regular meetings were held with the Superintendent of Elementary Edu-
cation to plan workshops. During this period, meetings were also held
with parochial school principals and high school and junior high school
science teachers, and close ties were developed with the chairperson
of the science department of the public schools.
-52-
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School Activities Development
Recycling activity packages, composed of activities booklets and
supplemental resource material (e.g., a slide show), were developed
for use in the classroom. The activity packages were written for
three levels: Grades K-3, Grades 4-6, and Grades 7-12. Sample pages
from the K-3 booklet are shown in Exhibit 2-24. The packages were
distributed to 11 teachers for review and evaluation, and approximately
800 packages were eventually printed. The teacher's materials contain
instructions on how to use the student package in the classroom and
provide introductory background information. The booklets are struc-
tured in four general topic areas: (1) What is waste? (2) Where does
waste come from? (3) What is done with waste and how does it affect
the earth? (4) What can we do about waste? The focus of all the
lesson plans is to provide activities for the students under the tea-
cher 's guidance.*
The resource units were developed to supplement the core materials.
Many of the ideas for these packages were derived from the Environ-
mental Action Coalition curriculum materials. Among other things, the
resource units included a copy of The Garbage Monster in Somerville (a
slide show and script), a recycling skit or play, and recycling posters.
These units were intended to be kept in each school's library or
resource center.
Workshops
Workshops were conducted for all elementary school teachers,
junior high school and high school science teachers, and high school
sociology teachers. Twenty-six schools were represented in these work-
shops, which were conducted between November 19 and December 10, 1975,
with 600 participants, representing a total of approximately 17,000
students. The workshops were run by three teams consisting of members
of the program team and volunteers from Tufts University Ecology Club.
The fifty-minute workshops included an introduction to recycling, a
description of the benefits and operation of SOMERVILLE SAVES, and
instruction in the use of the classroom materials and resource units.
About fifty minutes was alloted for each workshop. The school news-
letter (circulation 16,000) carried an article in the December 1975
issue about these workshops.
Implementation
Teachers began implementing the educational programs shortly
after the workshops, coinciding roughly with the start of the recycling
program.
*These activity packets have been combined into one document which
will be published by EPA.
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Schools Program Teaching Materials-Sample
ui
£>
G. WASTE HAS A VALUE WHEN IT IS BE-US ED
H. RECYCLING TAXES OLD WASTE AND TURNS IT INTO HEH MATERIALS
Activity Hino
Vocabulary - recycle
This activity it very important since it introduces the concept of
recycling and reuse as an alternative to dunping and burning. The children
shoald b*coM very fan!liar with this word and use it frequently. Early
in the prograa we will begin a school paper recycling program so that stu-
dent> can not only learn about recycling, but practice it by recycling in
ClMir classroom. Thus it in hoped now habits will develop.
a) Write the word "recycle" on the board or a large sheet of paper.
Next to it draw a picture of * bicycle wheel and write this word
also. Askt What does a bicycle wheel do? Point out to the
children that both end in the word "cycle".
A bicycle wheel goes around and around - the word recycle swans
to use over and over again or go around.
b) Point out that when we recycle* something, it does not go to the
duap or to be burned, but goes back around into something new.
• old paper can beeoma new paper
• old cans and glass becosw new can* and glass, toys, etc.
c) Have the children imagine what the old could be turned into by
recycling.
Ex.: old sovlp can part of a new fire engine*
pop bottle • window in school
d) When the school recycling program begins (this date will be
Announced later) set up a paper recycle box for your classroom.
Have the students paint, color or paste pictures on it. Recycle
all paper that cannot first be re-used in some way.
-U-
e) An experiment can be set up- where the children can weigh on a
bathroom scale how much they recycle each week. A comparison
can be Bade with other cl*sd«s eo see how auch they ar« recycling.
Activity Ten
a) Using Recycle Notes from the Children's Museuot or oth*r resource
materials, stake up gauss, toya and crafts fro* discarded objects
and materials-
Thl* book IB available from your school recycling resource packet.
You can get nore copies by writing to them. They cost SI. 00 each.
They are an excellent resource. Thia and the following activities
illustrate that reusing is a way of recycling.
b) Set up a reuse box in your class. Place in it all materials that
can be used again. Thia can include paper that is only written or
drawn on one side. Pictures for collages, etc. Reuse first if
possible then recycL*.
e} Set up a Sw«p box or Swap day when the children can bring In old
toys that eight be thrown out. They can trade an old toy for another
one that is new to then.
I. WVTOKE EECYCLES
Activity Eleven
This activity completes the cycle by showing that recycling is something
nature has been doing all th« tine.
a) Collect dead leaves in several stages of breakdown. Ask the children
if they know what becomes of all the leaves that are on the ground in
the fall. Hnere do they go next sunfter?
bl Hake the connection to then that they become soil by showing and
having then feel the layers oi leaf and soil that the teacher can
bring in.
-12-
Exhibit2-24
-------
Future school program activities include: initiation of an in-school
recycling program; a poster competition; silk-screening of T-shirts with
the SOMERVILLE SAVES logo; and teacher evaluation of the activity pack-
ages and resource units.
MARBLEHEAD SCHOOLS PROGRAM
To date, the Marblehead school program has been focused primarily
on developing a commitment to the program from the school administra-
tion and on initiating a recycling program in the schools. Limited
curriculum development work will start at a later date.
Soon after the grant award, the program team met with the superinten-
dent of Schools, his administrative assistant, and the chief of main-
tenance for the school system. The purpose of this meeting was to
inform these officials of the program and to discuss the feasibility
of school participation in recycling. The outcome was favorable, and
a general commitment to in-school recycling was obtained, including
the use of available equipment, e.g., containers, in the schools.
This meeting was followed about a week later by a meeting with
the town fire inspector to determine whether there would be any fire
safety concerns associated with an in-school recycling program. His
reaction to the program was favorable, particularly if collections
were made on a regular, frequent schedule.
A meeting was then held with all of the school principals in the
town to discuss possible approaches to recycling in the individual
schools. The principals' reaction was favorable, and the meeting pro-
duced a useful exchange of ideas and approaches.
When town recyclables collections started on January 12, 1976, it
was decided not to include school pickups until the Board of Health
could observe the new trucks on the municipal pickups and be assured
that they had sufficient capacity to collect from all residents. It
is hoped that a school pickup program can be implemented soon.
Other school programs included a presentation of Cycles for all
junior high school science classes and flyers sent home with each
student (about 5,000) on start-up day (see Exhibit 2-25).
EVALUATION
Although we have so far no quantitative measure of the success of
the school programs, it is clear that students and teachers in both
communities have been communicating with one another about recycling
(e.g., some Somerville classes have had homework on this topic) and
this initial effect will .have been beneficial for both programs. The
workshops in Somerville were heavily attended and well received, and
-55-
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Exhibit 2-25
RECYCLE-PLUS Schools Program Flyer
Recycle. Pfus
Marble
tuill
bwodtert.
Clear
ere. is no need
. It cuts
Cast*
disposal
-56-
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the school administrative support for recycling was nearly unanimous
in both communities. The Somerville teacher workshops held after the
recycling program started produced much more active participation than
those held prior to start-up. The program team feel that the curricu-
lum package in Somerville would have been more effective and informa-
tive if the budget had allowed for more illustrations.
A major part of the school programs in both communities is student
activity in recycling. Due to start-up uncertainties and problems,
in-school recycling has not been initiated in either community. The
school programs will not be fully effective until in-school recycling
begins.
D. THE COMMUNITY GROUPS COMPONENT
The objectives of the community-group component of the Somerville
and Marblehead programs are:
• To initiate a dialogue between the program team and
the residents
• To obtain feedback on the residents' reaction to the
program
• TO communicate to residents the value of the program
and the means by which they would participate.
By establishing personal contact with groups and individuals in
the community, it was hoped also to obtain a pool of volunteers for
subsequent program activities and a network of interested people who
would be able to maintain the program on a continuing basis after the
EPA grant funds are expended.
SOMERVILLE COMMUNITY
GROUPS PROGRAM
The community groups program involved four major phases:
• Survey
• Contact and commitment
• Materials development
• Group meetings.
Each phase is discussed on the following pages.
-57-.
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Survey
The community component of the Somerville program began shortly
after the EPA grant award with identification of all community leaders
and community organizations. The list included both organizations with
memberships, such as fraternal organizations and church groups, and
service organizations without memberships but with active community
contacts.
Organizations included: volunteer groups; youth groups (e.g.,
Boy and Girl Scouts); outreach groups (e.g., Women's Health Center);
information centers (e.g., Family Service Association); fraternal
organizations (e.g., Kiwanis); church groups; PTAs; and some of the
ward civic associations. Over fifty groups were listed in all and
were ranked by such factors as community impact, size, frequency of
meetings, etc. The survey also covered the socioeconomic character-
istics of Somerville and organizing strategies (order of the use of
media, contacts with leaders, schools, groups).
Contact and Commitment
Letters were sent to the listed groups informing them of the
program and requesting meetings with them to discuss the program in
detail. Follow-up phone calls were made to arrange the meetings and
to answer any questions about the program operations and objectives.
Meetings with the group leaders produced excitement about the
program in almost every case. Leaders were asked to commit themselves
to making the program a success and to provide information on the pro-
gram to their own group members as well as other residents. They were
provided with materials prior to general distribution. The program
was divided into three tasks; alert, inform, and educate. For example,
leaders were alerted to the various program developments ahead of the
general community.
Development of Materials
Materials were developed as aids for the program team and for use
by community leaders and group members. A community slide show was
created incorporating parts of the graphic display and the Cycles
slide show, as well as materials taken directly from the Somerville
experience. Over 150 community-leader brochures (see Exhibit 2-26)
were developed specifically for organization leaders to give them a
full understanding of the program from both the Somerville and the
national perspectives. The brochure was printed on 100-percent recycled
paper and had a striking yellow color with an orange logo on the cover.
Many people remarked they had not realized how attractive recycled
paper could be. Space was left on the back of the brochure for commun-
ity leaders to write down ideas, comments, or criticism they received./
-58-
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Organization Leader Brochure
(outside pages)
•THE-IMPACT ON OTHER CITIES
II is anticipated thaMhe results of this program will be of consldsrable benefit to
other cities across trie country. The success of the program In Somervllle can
demonstrate that home separation, In a large urban area, Is an economically
feasible solution to our solid waste disposal problem.
NOTES AND COMMENTS
VO
STEPPINGSTONES, 10 Willow Avenue, Somervllle, Mass., 02144 tel. 776-5423
Printed on 100% recycled paper.
Exhibit ? -20
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SOMERVILLE SAVES Organization Leader Brochure
(inside pages)
I
ov
SOMERVILLE SAVES
AN INTRODUCTION TO RECYCLING
When a city lakes out the garbage, there is a lot more Involved than just throwing
It away. Last year, we Americans spent over 4.5 billion dollars burning and
dumping millions ol Ions ol trash. Somervllle alone spent over 1.4 million dollars
for collection and disposal, and the cost Is Increasing each year.
A good part ol out trash Is valuable. It can be sold, reprocessed, and used
again to make new products. This Is called RECYCLING. Dumping pollutes our
land and water. Incineration pollutes our air. Both waste the natural resources
that are necessary to create paper, glass and metal. Why throw away anything
that can be used again? RECYCLING makes use and reuse possible. It will extend
the life of our resources and bring new revenues to our city.
SOMERVILLE SAVES
The environmental Protection Agency has awarded the city of Somervllle a
national demonstration grant of $121,568 to enable the Department of Public
Works to begin a multi-material, home separation recycling program.
The following are the facts and figures about the SOMERVILLE SAVES Program:
• Somervllle produces - 44,000 tons of waste per year
• Old way of disposal coils -
• New way of recycling saves -
$14.75 per ton
$800,000.00 per year
$14.75 per ton: reduced cost of
disposal
TOTAL SAVED
$10.25 per ton:
$25.00 per ton
revenues from
sale of
paper, glass,
and cans
• Paper, clear glass, and metal cans = 30% of total weight of all refuse
13,000 tons per year
• SAVINGS:
With 35% public participation =
With each additional
10% participation =
4,600 tons recycled
X $25.00 saved per ton
$115,000 SAVED PER YEAR
$ 33,000 SAVED
SOMERVILLE SAVES INSTRUCTIONS
Two new recycling trucks with specially designed compartments will pick up
paper, clear glass and metal cans once a week on the normal collection day.
Each household will be requested to put recyclables Into the following
separations:
PAPER
1. Save any paper that Is flat.
2. This Includes newspapers, magazines, telephone books, cardboard,
envelopes, letters and paper bags.
3. Stack and lie the bundle with twine or place in a paper bag.
CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS
1. Save clear glass only. No brown, green or tinted glass.
2. Save all cans, container lids and other small metal Items.
3. Save aluminum pie plates, foil and containers.
4. It Is not necessary to wash or remove labels.
5. Place outside together In the same container, for example a sturdy box or
an old trash can. Do not iise paper bags for glass and cans. They fall apart
especially when they are wet.
DO NOT PUT ANY MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED IN PLASTIC BAGS.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTION
Place tied bundle or bag of flat paper and the recycle container with clear glass
and cans off to one side of the regular trash.
Exhibit 2-26.2
-------
Over 2,500 general community handouts were distributed at meetings
and teacher workshops. The black and white handout was less technical
than the community leader brochures and introduced the cartoon recyclables
and a new variation of the logo (see Exhibit 2-27).
The graphic display was also used at many community meetings along
with mock-ups of the cartoon recyclables made from cans, papers, and
bottles that could be held up as each recyclable component was dis-
cussed.
Group Meetings
Several months before the start-up of the recycling program, attempts
were made to schedule presentations before meetings of a number of com-
munity groups. This effort was complicated by the low frequency of
meetings scheduled by most groups and the relatively low level of enthu-
siasm before the program was actually in operation or informational
materials distributed. Early presentations were made at meetings of
the Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce, and these sessions provided
helpful feedback. Basic concerns that proved useful at later meetings
were identified.
Once the program was in operation, community groups were more
receptive to the presentations. The groups were offered a choice between
a 15-minute and a 30-45 minute presentation with a slide show. Most
groups chose the shorter show; however all meetings involved extensive
question-and-answer periods. About 20 presentations have been conducteed
for various groups since the start-up of the program. Feedback from
these meetings has been of great value to the program planners and to
the city's operating personnel.
MARBLEHEAD COMMUNITY
GROUPS PROGRAM
Community groups have been the source of a substantial amount of
activity in the Marblehead program. These groups are of a somewhat dif-
ferent type from the groups in Somerville. For instance, there are
numerous garden clubs in Marblehead, while there are none in Somerville.
In addition, the Marblehead groups are more active and hold more fre-
quent meetings.
In August 1975 letters were sent to 40 community groups, including
church groups, garden clubs, PTAs, and civic groups. Exhibit 2-28 is
a sample of the letter sent to Marblehead church groups. The letter
describes the program and solicits approval for the program team to
speak before meetings of the groups. Each group was offered a choice
between a brief 15-minute presentation and a longer, more complete pre-
sentation with slide shows and/or panel speakers.
-61-
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NJ
SOMERVILLE SAVES General Organizational Handout
(outside pages)
INSTRUCTIONS FOR RECYCLING
PAPER
1 Save any paper that is flat.
2. This includes newspaper, magazines, telephone books, cardboard?
envelopes, letters and paper bags.
3. Stack and tie the bundle with twine or place in a paper bag.
CLEAR GLASS AND METAL CANS
1. Save clear glass only. No brown, green or tinted.glass.
2. Save all cans, container lids and other small metal items.
3. Save aluminum pie plates, foil and containers.
4. It is not necessary to wash or remove labels.
5. Place outside together in the same container, for example a sturdy
box or old trash can.
6. Make sure the recycle container is suited to weather conditions.
Do not use a paper bag because it will fall apart when damp.
DO NOT PUT ANY MATERIALS TO BE RECYCLED IN PLASTIC
BAGS. MATERIALS IMPROPERLY SORTED OR PACKAGED CANNOT
BE COLLECTED.
INSTRUCTION FOR COLLECTION
Place tied bundle of flat paper and the recycle container with clear
glass and cans off to one side of your regular trash. Two new
recycling trucks with specially designed compartments will pick them
up on your normal collection day.
ANY QUESTIONS CALL 625-6600
SOMERVILIE'S RECYCLING PROGRAM
m
x
NJ
-------
SOMERVILLE SAVES General Organizational Handout
(inside pages)
(A)
SOMERVILLE RECYCLES
SOMERVILLE SAVES
On December 1, 1975
Somerville residents started
breaking the expensive
throw-away habit.
Each year we in
Somerville throw away
44,000 tons of things
we no longer need.
TRASH DISPOSAL IS EXPENSIVE
$600,000 PER YEAR
ADDED TO COLLECTION COSTS
$1.4 MILLION PER YEAR
WHEN WE THROW SOMETHING AWAY - WHERE DOES IT GO?
BURNING — POLLUTES THE AIR
DUMPING — POLLUTES THE LAND AND WATER
BOTH WASTE NATURAL RESOURCES
WE CAN DO SOMETHING BETTER WITH OUR TRASH THAN JUST
THROW IT AWAY
WE CAN RECYCLE IT!
RECYCLING TAKES THE OLD AND TURNS IT INTO THE NEW
NEW GLASS
NEW METAL PRODUCTS-
NEW PAPER PRODUCTS•
•FROM OLD BOTTLES
•FROM OLD METAL CANS
•FROM OLD NEWSPAPERS.
LOVE LETTERS, LOSING
LOTTERY TICKETS
RECYCLING - A GREAT IDEA
FOR OUR CITY
FOR OUR COUNTRY
RECYCLING SAVES
SAVES•
SAVES•
SAVES•
SAVES •
SOMERVILLE SAVES
WITH
RECYCLING
MONEY
ENERGY
NATURAL RESOURCES
BY REDUCING POLLUTION
Money we save from the
reduced cost of disposal
and the sale ot paper.
glass and cans, can mean
extra dollars for improv-
ed city services.
RECYCLE A HABIT • TAKE THE OLD IDEA OF THROW AWAY AND TURN
IT INTO THE NEW IDEA OF RECYCLING
RECYCLE this by giving it to a Iriend.
m
x
-
N>
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Speaking dates were arranged by telephone during the following
month. The response was most enthusiastic, and the program team gave
approximately 30 presentations of varying length from September 1975
to January 1976. The presentations included a brief explanatory talk
about the recycling program and a question-and-answer session. Although
most groups requested the 15-minute presentation, the program team found
that the presentations usually ran a minimum of 30 minutes and often
longer, including informal post-meeting discussions with individuals.
For the churches, the most effective communication seemed to be
through the church literature, such as bulletins, rather than actual
speaking engagements, although the program team was invited to speak
at a service of the Marblehead Unitarian Universalist Church. Exhibit
2-29 is an example of a church bulletin about the program.
Other community volunteer efforts included Boy Scout assistance
with poster distribution. The Scouts have expressed an interest in
being of further help, and their services will be used in some of the
spring and summer program activities.
EVALUATION
Community programs were successful in both Somerville and Marble-
head. In Somerville, while there were fewer actual presentations
before groups, there was a major demonstration of community support in
the various volunteer efforts, especially with the distribution of the
calendars. Commercial support has also been of great importance in
Somerville. In Marblehead, volunteers have been used in a more limited
way, but the community presentations have offered an invaluable forum
for opening lines of communication with a wide range of community
groups. The feedback obtained in both communities has been of great
assistance in designing and reorienting the program.
It has proved useful in Somerville to have the community meetings
phased over a longer period of time than in Marblehead, to provide the
opportunity for community contact as problems arise in the initial
implementation phase.
The program teams' approach of offering groups a choice between
a brief presentation and a more lengthy presentation was a very effec-
tive way of gaining access to busy groups who do not react favorably
to long lectures on any topic.
In both communities, contact with groups and individual citizens
indicated active concern for their environment and their community.
They want to participate in the program, but there have been severe
frustrations due to operating problems. Citizens are also interested .
in the ways in which funds from their recycling efforts are going to
be used.
-64-
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Exhibit 2-28
RECYCLE-PLUS Church Group Letter
ABBOT HALL
TOWN OK MARBLEHKAI)
OFFICE OF
Boarb of IHealtb
OFFICE HOURS Raymond A. Reed
MONDAY - FRIDAY /I™,.,™ f D.M1 H la, Bruce E- Humphrey, Chairman
l'»-»'" «"•-«"« Doctor of Pubhc Health Donald W. Moore
Telephone, 6JI-02I2 Dwight J. Grader
July 31, 1975
Dear Sir:
As you may know, the Town of Marblehead has been awarded a grant b.-
the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that will enable the town to
engage in a new recycling program. As part of that program, weekly
curbside collections of all recyclables will be possible. Because of
Marblehead1s innovative recycling program, the town is considered a model
for the rest of the nation. It is important that the townspeople under-
stand the need for increased participation in the program and the benefit
of savings that recycling brings to the town.
To ensure maximum participation in the program, we would like to come
before your group: and explain the new recycling program. Me can limit our
talk (e.g., to approximately 15 minutes) or provide a more complete presen-
tation with slides and/or panel speakers.
Please consider the possibility of placing us on the agenda of one of
your general meetings in the fall. To confirm our availability or obtain
further information, please contact us at your convenience at 631-4560
(Mrs. Clement) or 631-0163 (Mrs. Rowe).
Sincerely,
Mary Kay Clement
JoAnn Rowe
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Exhibit 2-29
RECYCLE-PLUS Church Bulletin
RECTORY:
85 Atlantic Avenue
Tetephone: 631-0086
Rev. Msgr. Joseph J. Bukay, Pastor
Rev. Timothy J. Kelleher, Co-Pastor
Rev. G. Thomas Ryan, Co-Pastor
Rev. James Power, In Residence
PARISH CENTER
76 Atlantic Avenue
Telephone: 631-8340
Educational Coordinators
Mr. Thomas J. Bright
Sr. Mary Elizabeth Broderick
Sr. Mary Lou O'Neill
Liturgy Coordinator
James H. Alphen
MASSES:
Sat. 5:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. Folk Mass
Sun. 7:30 -9:00-10:30-12:00
Daily 8:30 a.m. & 5:15 p.m.
SACRAMENT OF PENANCE:
Sat. 4:00 -4:45 p.m.
Thurs. before First Friday &
Eve of Holy Days 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Or by appointment
BAPTISM:
Preparation Meeting for parents
necessary prior to celebration -
call rectory for dates
January 11, 1976
FROM THE PASTOR...
Parent to Parent Mini-Meetinq on Down's
Syndrome - At Josie Stephens-20 Vassar
Road. Mental retardation is not the
only aspect of Down's Syndrome. It
also affects many areas of physical
development. About 40% of the chil-
dren have serious heart defects. Other
problems include greater susceptability
to infection, eye and ear problems and
poor muscle tone. If you need direc-
tions to the meetings, call Josie at
631-0193.
Marblenead Recycling Program - starts
January 12. Sponsored by the Board of
Health and funded by the Environmental
Protection Agency. Pickups will be
weekly, instead of monthly, pickup
will be at curbside. Three categories
will be picked up weekly. PAPER -
CLEAR GLASS MIXED WITH CANS - COLORED
GLASS (BROWN AND GREEN) MIXED WITH CANS.
In view of the fact that the incinera-
tor has been closed and trash disposal
costs are at an all time high ($18.95/
ton), every ton of trash recycled is a
savings to the town. Since the town
sells the materials to local re-cycl-
ing facilities it also brings revenue
into'the town. Please refer to the
flyer sent to all homes this past- week.
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E. OTHER COMMUNITY AWARENESS ACTIVITIES
Two types of community awareness activity that do not fall strictly
within the three major components of the program were developed: a
workshop for the sanitation department recycling crews; and the estab-
lishment of a community "hot line." We discuss these activities below.
RECYCLING CREW WORKSHOP
The workshop was conducted only in Somerville. Its purpose was to
motivate the sanitation department crews assigned to the recycling
program and to instruct them in the necessary procedures. The session
was held by the community awareness team one week before program start-up,
and included the six crew members and their supervisors. The workshop
featured Cycles, the slide show on recycling developed prior to this
program by the community awareness team, and a discussion of the value
of recycling and the benefits to Somerville. Also included were instruc-
tion to the crews on operation of the trucks and collection procedures.
Evaluation
The workshop was considered a success, but would have been even
more effective if it had been conducted earlier and had included all
sanitation personnel, since there is a need for interaction and coop-
eration among the recyclables collectors and mixed-refuse collectors.
COMMUNITY "HOT LINE"
In both communities, special telephone lines were established to
provide residents with a means for direct communication about the
recycling program.
Somerville
A direct telephone line was established for citizens to call the
Public Works Department with questions or complaints about the program.
The number was widely publicized. In the first three months, approxi-
mately 440 calls were received; about 39 percent questions about the
program, the remainder complaints about missed collections.
Marblehead
Marblehead also maintains a telephone line to the Board of Health
office for complaints and comments about the program. In the first
seven weeks, 366 calls were received about RECYCLE-PLUS. Of these,
about 70 percent were from citizens who had questions about the program,
e.g., home separation procedures. The remaining 30 percent were com-
plaints related to missed collections.
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Evaluation
Feedback obtained through the community hot lines in both Somerville
and Marblehead has been an invaluable aid in fine-tuning program opera-
tions, particularly in the early stages. For example, numerous complaints
were received about missed recyclable pickups , and steps were taken
promptly to rectify the situation.
F. STATUS OF MATERIALS RECOVERY
AND COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM COSTS
In this section we provide information on the recycled materials
recovered to date in Somerville and Marblehead, and on the costs and
personnel requirements of the community awareness programs.
STATUS OF MATERIALS RECOVERY
Exhibit 2-30 lists the monthly total of materials collected in two
communities. Somerville source-separates and collects paper, cans,
and flint (clear) glass; Marblehead collects paper, cans, and flint,
brown, and green glass. Through April 1976, Somerville has recovered
924 tons of recyclables, or 8.1 percent of total municipally collected
refuse. Since the start of RECYCLE-PLUS, Marblehead has recovered 723
tons of materials, or 30 percent of total municipally collected refuse.
In 1975, under Marblehead's previous recycling program, 1,176 tons of
recyclables were collected, which amounted to 13 percent of total muni-
cipally collected refuse that year.
Municipally collected refuse in Somerville includes residences
and small commercial establishments, while in Marblehead it includes
residences only.
COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM COSTS
The two community awareness programs differ substantially in their
requirements, primarily because of the different levels of effort
required in the two communities. Marblehead is a much smaller com-
munity than Somerville and had operated a moderately successful recy-
cling program for several years, while Somerville had never been for-
mally engaged in recycling. Thus, a considerably greater community
awareness effort was required for Somerville than for Marblehead.
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Exhibit 2-30
RECYCLED MATERIALS RECOVERY IN SOMERVILLE AND MARBLEHEAD
Somerville*
Marblehead"
Month
1975
December
1976
January
February
March
April
Paper
(tons)
132
58
122
147
145
Cans&
Clear Glass
(tons)
50
41
74
74
82
Total
(tons)
181
99
196
221
227
Percent of
Municipally
Collected Refuse
10
9
8
8
7
Paper
(tons)
82
83
93
94
CansSi
All Glass
(tons)
—
76
96
100
98
Percent of
Total Municipally
(tons) Collected Refuse
— —
158 33
179 32
193 28
192 27
NOTE: Municipally collected refuse is defined as follows:
Somerville—refuse from residences and small commercial establishments
Marblehead—refuse from residences only
'Recycling program started December 1, 1975. No collections due to weather problems December 22—January 29, 1976.
•"Recycling program started January 12, 1976.
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Staff requirements are presented as person-hours only, not as
actual dollar costs, because of the lack of comparability in the effec-
tive wage rates for program staff in the two communities. Actual cost
figures are provided for all other non-direct labor expenses, e.g.,
printing, graphics support.
In Somerville, approximately 2,300 person-hours were expended in
the 9-month period from June 1975 through February 1976. We estimate
that about 25 percent of this effort was expended in program develop-
ment activities which would not have been required if the team had had
the planning and organizational guidance provided'in this report. A
group with similar skills and interests attempting a program similar
to the Somerville program in another community could expect to expend
approximately 1,750 person-hours. Other Somerville expenses total
approximately $8,100* to date, of which the calendar accounted for about
55 percent.
In Marblehead, approximately 540 person-hours were expended in
the 9-month period. Of this, approximately 10 percent would not have
been required if the team had had access to this report. A group
attempting a similar program in a comparable community could anticipate
expending approximately 500 person-hours. Expenses to date total
approximately $850, including $700 for printing and mailing the fold-
out community letter.
The $1,800 mailing cost of the letter, included in this total,
was paid by the city of Somerville.
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3. GUIDELINES FOR A COMMUNITY AWARENESS PROGRAM
The previous chapter provides a detailed description of the com-
munity awareness programs for the Somerville and Marblehead recycling
programs and an evaluation of each program component in both communi-
ties. The purpose of this chapter is to synthesize the important
findings of Chapter 2 and to develop guidance and suggestions for the
conduct of a community awareness program related to recycling. While
the specific approaches applied in either Somerville or Marblehead
may not be directly relevant to other communities, it is our hope that
the general suggestions offered below will serve as guidance for a
wide range of communities throughout the United States.
First we present suggestions that apply generally to these kinds
of programs and are not keyed to any specific component. We then
develop more specific guidance for each component, paralleling the
discussion in Chapter 2.
A. GENERAL GUIDELINES
SCHEDULING
If possible, recycling programs that involve homeowner partici-
pation or specific public works collections should be planned for
start-up at a time of year when weather conditions are favorable.
Severe winter weather created operational problems and citizen dis-
affection in Somerville, thereby increasing the program team's
workload and lowering the participation rate.
LOCAL PARTICIPATION
The program team should include local people, preferably residents
of the community who have lived in the town long enough to know some-
thing about local newspapers, community groups, and commercial estab-
lishments. It is not necessary that the entire staff live in the com-
munity; specialists, such as graphics experts and media consultants, may
not be available locally and would certainly be of value to the team.
CLARIFICATION OF ROLES
A community recycling program involves many active participants,
both official and unofficial. At the earliest possible point in the
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planning phase, the role and authority of the program team must be
clarified and agreed to. For ease of operations, the team should have
as much flexibility and authority as possible (e.g., to issue news
releases) within limits dictated by community policy. It follows,
however, that with greater authority and flexibility, the team must
act responsibly in its acquired capacity as an official community rep-
resentative (e.g., in the quality and tone of news releases).
PLANNING THE PROGRAM
Planning is a must for a successful awareness program, as is
evidenced by the complex interrelationships of the elements described
in Chapter 2. There are clearly many ways to communicate with the
public about recycling, and each program will have its own individual
focus, consistent with the specific needs of the community. A public
attitude survey, such as that conducted in EPA's Somerville and Marble-
head feasibility studies, is a useful way to focus on community needs
and attitudes and identify the types and mix of program elements most
suitable for the community. In Somerville the calendar, with its
themes of historic Somerville, open spaces, and natural resources,
offered a subtle linkage to recycling and has been the major program
effort to date. In Marblehead, due to the particular circumstances
and timing, the economic, cost-saving theme was heavily used. Imple-
menting all of the program components listed in Chapter 2 required a
significant expenditure of time and funds. The program teams were
paid (albeit at low hourly rates), and they brought to the program
considerable interest as well as communications skills. In programs
that involve exclusively volunteer efforts, or in which people do not
have large amounts of time to spend, it is of the utmost importance
in the planning phase to focus the program effort on those activities
that will have an important impact in the community and that can be
performed well with available resources. Planning of timing is very
important. Furthermore, maintaining community contact after the
recycling program has started (to sustain interest and for feedback) is
essential, and it is important not to expend the entire awareness
effort and budget before the program begins. The whole program must
be planned carefully.
COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
Commercial support may be vital to the success of a community
awareness program, particularly where financial resources are limited.
The Somerville program illustrates this point very well. There are
many ways in which local commercial establishments can help a program,
and the following types of firms should be targeted for special atten-
tion by program staff: printers, paper distributors, utility companies,
and fast-food chains for active participation and support; and small
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commercial establishments for such purposes as poster display. Dona-
tions of services and merchandise may be more readily obtained than
donations of money.
B. SPECIFIC PROGRAM COMPONENTS
It is important in the planning phase of the program to decide
not only on the approach to individual components, but also on overall
strategy for coordinating all components to achieve the program objec-
tives. The objective of such strategy should be that each component
will reinforce a message or a theme in as many interesting and crea-
tive ways as possible. Comments and guidance for specific components
are provided below.
MEDIA
All of the media employed in Somerville and Marblehead have been
discussed in this report in the interests of completeness. We recog-
nize that many communities will not be able to provide such a compre-
hensive multimedia program. However more limited programs can still
be effective if the media used are carefully selected on the basis of
the community's nature and needs. At the same time, we recommend that
the following elements should be considered essential ingredients of
any community awareness program, whatever its scope:
• Program logotype and title
• Newspapers
• Community letter
• Commercial television
• Posters.
Recycling Program
Logotype and Title
• A logo and program name can be an effective and ongoing
reminder of the program, especially if displayed in
prominent places, such as recyclable collection vehicles.
• The logo should be developed early in the planning
phase.
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Suggestions for the logo and/or name should be solic-
ited from the public as a whole, or from specific com-
munity groups, such as schoolchildren.
A contest with a prize can be an effective way to gen-
erate community enthusiasm for the program and as a
vehicle for the program to "give" something to the
community.
Newspapers
Newspaper coverage is very effective and relatively
inexpensive. It should be a part of every community
awareness program.
At the beginning of the planning phase, contact should
be established with the reporting and editorial staffs
of all local and regional newspapers.
Regional newspapers may feature columns with regular
news about specific communities. Papers should be
checked for such columns.
The program team should be aware of the types of news
stories or features desired by particular papers. Some
papers give heavy coverage to community activities;
others focus on news items.
The program team should carefully plan the timing of
news releases and feature articles so that there is a
realistic chance of the paper's printing them. It is
a waste of resources to spend time writing articles
that will not be published.
All newspapers have deadlines for articles. The pro-
gram team should be aware of and abide by them, par-
ticularly where the papers are published infrequently.
Intensive coverage should be planned for the two-month
period preceding and following recycling program start-
up.
Paid advertisements should be considered as program
funds allow, both to provide a more flexible communi-
cation format and to serve as a reciprocal gesture to
the papers in anticipation of their full support of
the program.
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• Early news stories should feature, among other things,
pictures and interviews with the collection force as
good "human interest" news and as a morale- and status-
booster for the collectors.
• News coverage should be as detailed and informative
as possible, and should feature as many photographs
of people, equipment, and recyclables as possible.
• Instructions for recycling should appear in local news-
papers concurrently with the mailing of instructions
to each household.
Community Letter
• The letter is used to communicate personally with each
household. It can effectively convey the community's
official commitment to the program and can provide
detailed instructions for recycling. It is an impor-
tant component of the community awareness program.
• Careful consideration should be given to the matter
of who signs the latter. Whoever signs it is committed
to supporting the program, and the broad range of suppbrt
reflected in the Somerville signatories may be of great
importance to the program.
• The letter should be as brief and as simple as possible.
• The envelope should be designed to avoid any resemblance
to "junk" mail.
• The letter should be addressed, if possible, to the
individual resident by name to assure that as many
people as possible get the message.
• The letter should be distributed approximately ten days
before program start-up.
I
• Distribution can be effected through the Postal Ser-
vice (bulk mail rates) or by a volunteer hand distribu-
tion program (e.g., by Boy Scouts). It could be timed
to coincide with another mass mailing, such as
the calendar mailing, in order to conserve distribu-
tion resources. However combined mailings diminish the
positive impact of phased mailings.
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Volunteer distribution can be an effective means of
saving program funds and involving community groups
actively in the program.
Program funds can be conserved by obtaining commer-
cial support in the form of reduced printing and
paper costs.
A number of the objectives of the letter could be served
almost as well by soliciting the cooperation of all
local newspapers to print an "open letter" to all citi-
zens from selected community leaders. This would not
have the "personal touch" of individual mailings, but
it would conserve program resources.
Radio and Cable Television
• While both radio and cable television are effective
ways to communicate with residents, they are probably
not as important in most communities as other mass
media, particularly newspapers and commercial tele-
vision.
• At the beginning of the planning phase, contacts should
be established with station programming personnel.
• If radio and cable television are used, the program
team should attempt to arrange coverage during audience
peak periods, especially if time and budget resources
must be expended in preparing for the broadcast.
• Public service announcements and messages are very
easy to prepare, and represent a cost-effective way
to communicate via these media. Radio stations are
required by FCC regulations to commit a certain amount
of time to public service announcements.
• Intensive coverage is not likely until after the col-
lections have started and some "hard" results are in.
Commercial Television
• While it is difficult to involve major TV coverage until
the program has started and there is something to film
and results to report, this coverage should be sought
whenever possible. It is certain that major station
news programs are viewed by a large number of residents,
both in the community and in the surrounding region.
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• Contacts should be made shortly before recycling program
start-up and contacts maintained with station programming
staff.
• When a major station decides to cover an event, such as
the recycling program start-up, the news department
will send sufficient staff (reporters, technical crews)
to do all of the work. However, the program team should
be on hand to answer questions and facilitate special
arrangements (e.g., a backdrop for a truck photograph)
and community liaison.
Posters
• Posters are an effective way to communicate rapidly
and directly, if necessary, with many residents.
• Posters should feature one short, catchy phrase or
slogan with minimal additional copy, and should be visu-
ally exciting and interesting. They should be as large
as possible, consistent with the display capabilities
of the stores. Posters are usually read quickly or
in passing and need to be posted for as long as possible
in order to reach the largest number of people.
• Posters should focus on a single aspect of the program,
either the general theme (cost savings to Marblehead)
or perhaps a response to a specific resident concern
("Recycling only takes a minute").
• Posters should be considered if there is an urgent
message about the program that has to be communicated
quickly to residents, e.g., weather-related delays.
• The poster distribution process should be used by the
program team as an opportunity to get to know the owners
and staff of commercial establishments in the community
and to open up another channel for feedback on the
program.
i
• Posters should be displayed shortly (1 week) before the
recycling program start-up.
Graphic Displays
• The graphic display is a useful way to communicate,
in an appealing way, a substantial amount of informa-
tion (benefits, operations, results) in one centralized
and easily accessible location.
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• A plan should be developed to keep the graphic unit
continuously on display.
• Banks and libraries and special events, such as fairs,
are ideal locations for the display.
• The display should effectively combine words and visual
elements to communicate a message that can be absorbed
by a reader in a relatively short time.
• An interesting (and more expensive) refinement is an
audio component. The display would then consist solely
of captioned photographs: the audio component would
transmit a message (say, via headphone) that would
complement and expand on the visual component. A fur-
ther refinement would be a rear projector slide or film
loop show coupled with the headphones or loudspeakers.
Stickers
• Stickers provide an active link to the program for all
residents. In addition, identification of permanent
recycling containers improves collection productivity
by simplifying container identification.
• Stickers should be designed to be as large and as dur-
able as possible, and to be visible to the collectors
as they approach each house.
• Instructions should be provided, preferably on the
sticker itself, to ensure that it is used on a recycling
container and not, for example, as an automobile bumper
sticker.
• Stickers should be distributed shortly before or just
after the recycling program start-up.
• Stickers offer an interesting way to involve commer-
cial establishments, such as utilities, in the program,
by subsidizing free mailing of the stickers. Program
funds can be conserved if commercial establishments
will finance the production and/or mailing of the
stickers.
• Utility companies are particularly responsive in this
regard because of their public service orientation,
their local presence, and their frequent mailings to
large numbers of residents.
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Utilities serving a multi-community area may resist
funding one community's program, for fear of estab-
lishing a precedent to support other communities.
Where more than one utility serves the community, a
commitment from one provides considerable leverage
to gain support from the other(s).
Calendar
The calendar is something useful and valuable that
residents will appreciate and use throughout the year.
It is thus very effective in both the initial communi-
cation impact and also in serving the important func-
tion of sustaining community awareness.
There are many possible themes for a calendar. The
theme selected should relate both to some major aspect
of the recycling program and to the individual commun-
ity, as the environmental theme of the recycling pro-
gram and the historical photographs were linked in the
Somerville calendar.
Printing and paper costs for a large number of cal-
endars could severely tax program resources. Commer-
cial contributions of money, supplies, or services
could play a vital role here.
A possible means of conserving funds and, at the same
time, incorporating other program objectives would be
to delegate the design and printing of the calendar
to the schools. The design could be selected from
competitive entries from all grades (or selected grades),
and printing carried out as a major project of the
local or regional vocational school.
The calendar should include instructions on recycling
program procedures and reminders to participants, as
well as information about broader issues of economics,
conservation, and recycling.
The calendar should be distributed on or before December
15.
Local volunteer groups should be used for distribution.
Commercial establishments should be persuaded to pro-
vide incentives for the volunteers, e.g., free hamburgers,
movie passes.
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SCHOOLS
The school component of the community awareness program
is important for two reasons:
- The students can influence their families to par-
ticipate
The students will develop an environmental aware-
ness which will hopefully have an important long-
term effect on the community.
School administration officials should be contacted at
the outset of program planning to explain the program
to them and gain their commitment.
Existing curricula should be reviewed with teaching and
administrative staff to determine the best fit for a
recycling education component.
Classroom materials should be developed similar to those
for the Somerville program.
Meetings should be held with school principals and
teachers (elementary, secondary science, social sci-
ences) to explain the program and their potential role
in it, and to receive feedback on specific educational
requirements.
Classroom participation in recycling or waste-related
activities is important in maintaining student interest.
In-school recycling should be started and should include
arrangements for pickup by public works personnel and
other operating requirements.
Students can be used effectively, if with some limita-
tions, for distribution, e.g./ the distribution of
program start-up notices. This can be a very rapid
means of communicating important program notices.
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COMMUNITY GROUPS
• The involvement of community groups is vital to total,
long-term community commitment to the program, as evi-
denced in Somerville and Marblehead. A wide variety of
groups, including youth groups (e.g., Boy Scouts, Girl
Scouts), senior citizens groups, commercial establish-
ments , and garden clubs, to name only a few, can make
meaningful contributions to the program.
• Community organizations should be surveyed and their
leaders contacted to advise them of the program, gain
their support, and schedule follow-up meetings.
• Information packages should be prepared for the com-
munity leaders, describing all important aspects of the
program.
• Meetings should be held with community leaders, and where
possible, presentations given to, and feedback received
from, members of the groups.
• In attempting to speak before community groups, the pro-
gram team should offer a choice of brief or full presen-
tations, so that groups with busy meeting schedules will
be reached.
• Community groups are an excellent source of volunteers
and can help to distribute the program workload. Youth
groups are particularly useful in this regard.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
• Training should be, offered to the collection force (both
recycling and mixed-refuse crews). It is vital that
they understand their importance to the program, and be
thoroughly familiar with the background, objectives,
benefits, and operations of the program.
• A means should be established for direct citizen feed-
back on the program, such as a telephone "hot line" to
record and respond to complaints and suggestions.
SW-551
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