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Salem Recycles: Background
In early 2008, Mayor Driscoll appointed a recycling committee (Salem Recycles) as part of a ‘green’ initiative to develop ways to increase recycling throughout the city and promote other green efforts. Salem Recycles is comprised of residents who are committed to recycling. Their backgrounds include environmental studies, art, business, and education. During the first year the committee has distinguished itself by hosting a number of events. It was also the primary force educating the citizens of Salem regarding the new regulations for the recently bid trash contract. Salem has become a leader on the North Shore regarding its recycling efforts, improving recycling rates over 100%.
Goal of the Recycling Committee: To increase the overall rate of recycling in Salem through education and increased ease and availability.
Meetings: Regularly scheduled meetings are open to the public and held the first Tuesday of each month, 3rd floor of 120 Washington Street at 6:30 pm. Task forces on communications, events, and other projects convene between meetings.
Committee Accomplishments in Year 1:
Events:
- Reached out to every Salem school to partner on Earth Day celebrations; participated in earth day fairs at Carlton School, April 17 and Saltonstall School, May 8, 2008
- Participated in Salem’s first Living Green & Renewable Energy Fair, Old Town Hall, 10 am - 3 pm, Saturday June 14, 2008
- Partnered with Northside Carting and the Phoenix School to create recycling float for 2008 Haunted Happenings Parade and passed out literature along parade route
- Partnered with Salem Chamber and Salem Main Streets to hold a Business Recycling Forum on November 20th, 2008 that was attended by representatives from over a dozen businesses
- Collaborated with North Shore Recycled Fiber to host a Shredding Day on November 22nd, 2008
- Hosted a free book swap on February 28th, 2009 which attracted over 100 participants and resulted in over 2,000 books being swapped or recycled
- Participated in two Salem Access Television shows on recycling
- Participated in Salem Science Fair at Witchcraft Heights Schoolon March 12, 2009 with a display describingvalue of recycling aluminum cans
- Provided one-on-one community outreach in public areas to answer questions and distribute information
Outreach:
- Created Salem Recycles logo for use on all materials
- Developed and distributed flyers and postcards to every Salem household, educating them on new regulations
- Created visual displays for and staffed information booths on recycling throughout the City
- Collaborated with Salem Gazette on a regular column about trash and recycling best practices
- Updated and improved City website under Trash/Recycling, salem.com/recycling
- Initiated “Dear Neighbor” program consisting of letters written for individual outreach to neighbors
- Developed a “Recycler of Month” program which identifies residents who have increased their recycling and thanks them with personal notes for engaging in the new program
- Created Salem Recycles bookmark
Ongoing Projects:
- Strategic planning, including creating a recycling baseline, capturing best practices of other communities, and continuing to work with other city government entities to promote ‘green activities’
- Public recycling initiative, starting with a DEP grant providing the City with 24 Canables and supporting the City’s purchase of several Big Belly recycling kiosks
- Developing city-wide ‘green’ website to capture all green initiatives and continue to update City website under Trash/Recycling
- Developing ‘green’ business award to acknowledge businesses with best green practices
- Working with MBTA to create a paper recycling program at the Salem train station; this will become a prototype for other stations
- Participating in Salem Access Television training in order to produce recycling segments for an overall “Green” show being produced monthly
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