Educational and Promotional Initiatives for Recycling

While the loss of funding in the mid-‘90s has hampered the Department’s ability to conduct educational programs and public relations campaigns on behalf of recycling, a number of significant projects of this nature were implemented over the past decade:

Educational Initiatives

• Economics of Recycling Manual - The Department issued its “Practical Recycling Economics – Making the Numbers Work for Your Program” manual in 1999. This publication was developed by the Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education, in conjunction with the Department, and was written as a reference and instruction manual for municipal, county and other recycling coordinators. It was designed to provide specific information, tools and strategies to make recycling more cost-effective for individual recycling programs. An additional chapter that focuses on cost-effective promotional strategies that can be employed on behalf of local recycling programs was added to the manual in 2004. The manual is available online at the following weblink: http://www.state.nj.us/dep/dshw/resource/techman.htm#prem
• Certified Recycling Coordinator Training Program - The Department is an active partner in and supporter of the certified recycling coordinator training program that is coordinated by the Cook College Office of Continuing Professional Education (Rutgers University). This educational and training program was the first of its kind in the United States. The program is funded by the NJDEP and has resulted in the certification of over 200 recycling professionals. For additional information, visit http://www.cookce.rutgers.edu/programs/recycling.html
• Information Center - The Department helped establish the South Jersey Environmental Information Center in the West Deptford Public Library. This facility now houses a vast library of recycling related educational resources.
• Websites - The Department developed its recycling and Buy Recycled websites during this period.
• Recycling Poetry Contest - The Department’s annual recycling poetry contest for children in grades 4 – 6 has been a huge success and is a wonderful tool for teachers to use to educate students about recycling.
• "Here Today, Here Tomorrow - Recycled!" - the grades 1-6 curriculum resource, updated with cross-references to the core curriculum content standards.
• PowerPoint Presentation on Recycling for 4th - 8th Grade Audiences Now Available!
  
  
  

  Promotional Activities

• Movie Theater Campaign - In 1999, the Department developed two promotional messages that were shown at movie theaters throughout New Jersey. The promotional messages were shown prior to the start of movies on approximately 435 screens across the state. One message promoted the Buy Recycled cause while the other congratulated New Jersey residents for their recycling achievements.
• National Campaign - The Department provided financial support for Environmental Defense/National Ad Council media campaigns on behalf of recycling.
• America Recycles Day - The NJDEP has been an active participant in the America Recycles Day event since its inception in 1997. This annual national recycling awareness event is held every November 15. The Department has procured and distributed numerous promotional items for county and state America Recycles Day events. Visit the America Recycles Day website at http://americarecyclesday.org/
• Promotional Display - The Department developed a new promotional solid waste management display for use at public events.

Helpful Resources

• Visit http://www.nj.gov/dep/dshw/recycle/educat.htm for links to additional resources on recycling education and promotion.
• Contact Vicki Kerekes, NJDEP, Bureau of Recycling and Planning - Victoria.Kerekes@dep.state.nj.us or 609-984-3438.