Incredibly Effective Education Techniques

Winner: City of Coppell

The City of Coppell’s “Make Your Cart Count” campaign is an Incredibly Effective Education Technique.  This ongoing campaign was launched in December 2008 when the City of Coppell’s Residential Recycling Program transitioned from 18-gallon recycling bins to 64-gallon recycling carts.  When the decision was made by the City Council to replace the bins with carts, two goals were set by Council – 1) to increase the residential recycling participation by 15% and 2) to double the city’s diversion rate.

To meet these goals, the city’s Environmental Health and Community Programs divisions spearheaded the communication and educational efforts through the “Make Your Cart Count” campaign. These divisions worked closely with the City Manager’s Office, the Community Information Officer and the City Council to utilize the “Make Your Cart Count” campaign to ensure that Coppell homeowners had a complete understanding of the new recycling carts and the Residential Recycling Program.  Utilizing media, schools, local events, and unique outreach techniques, the “Make Your Cart Count” campaign results in sustainable efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle by encouraging residents to make recycling in their home personal to them.

The campaign shows residents that the efforts they make at home do make a difference by providing goals and showing residents the progress made in reaching those goals.  For instance, citizens are able to keep track of the community’s progress on the city website. Citizens can go on-line can see comparisons from the same month in 2008 to the same month in 2009.  In May 2008, 52% of homes were recycling and in May 2009, 66% of homes recycled; in May 2008, the residential diversion rate was 14.3% and in May 2009, that rate was at 15.76%.

Since the carts were delivered to homes in February, the Residential Recycling Program has seen steady increases in the participation rate and the diversion rate.  The goals set forth by the City Council are well on their way to being met and surpassed within the next few months!