Everyone should be aware of this organization. It is based in Phila. Wilmington, DE, where I live, is now participating. When I lived in CA, we got used to recycling, and then we moved back East and they were so behind here. Not any more!
Recycle Bank has an awesome business model. Hopefully they will continue to expand. Here are some links:
http://www.recyclebank.com/resources/vedit/RecycleBankNYTimes.pdf
Check it out!
We used to have City trash pickup twice a week. With the new system, Recycle Bank gives out bins for all recyclables, and you don’t have to sort at all. I have been told they have a state-of-the-art machine that does lots of the sorting. Now, they collect trash one day a week, and recyclables one day a week. Everyone you talk to has way more recyclables than trash now.
You can go online and check your account. They weigh what’s in your bin each week, and you earn recycle bank “dollars” and can redeem them for coupons. For example, you can get $10 off a $50 purchase at the grocery store. Makes recycling fun with good incentives.
I believe that they negotiate a contract with the City, in our case, and the City makes out by saving landfill fees.
I love that these guys figured out a business model that makes economic sense, and everybody wins.
