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I've been really impressed by what Cleveland, Ohio, is doing to promote waste reduction. Cleveland is being very public about its vision to become a "Green City on Blue Lake" by 2019. In a recent conversation with Beau Daane, the business recycling specialist for the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, and Emily Drew, the communications manager at the Fowler Center for Sustainable Value, I learned about Trash Oscars, a.k.a. Oscar the Grouch Awards.
The district's success is measured in the amount of materials recycled: 1.4 million tons in 2008, which is nearly half of Cuyahoga County's waste stream. Some of the keys to this success are replicable, inter-related, and scalable, and can be used to enhance other city or county solid waste management programs. Cuyahoga County has a six-point program:
1. employing a Business Recycling Specialist;
2. sponsoring collections of special wastes;
3. helping to start RET3.Job Corp., a local electronics recycler;
4. engaging with high-visibility businesses;
5. promoting automated collection of residential trash and recycling; and
6. awarding "Trash Oscars" to successful communities, individuals, and businesses.
The point of the last item is to draw attention to actions of excellence, just like the Hollywood Oscars. Each year Cleveland's Oscar the Grouch awards are given for the following:
Lead Community in a Recycling Role
Best Supporting Community in a Recycling Role
Lead Producers in a Curbside Recycling Program
Lead Performance in Commercial Recycling
Best Director in a Leading Role
Best Supporting Woman in a Recycling Role
Best Supporting Man in a Recycling Role
Best Adaptation of a Recycling Program
Most Improved Recycling Producers
Best Student Director
Best New Feature Program.
I think it would be a lot of fun to see this happening in all cities in America.
For more information on the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District, visit their website.
Roger Saillant
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