How to Start a Recycling Co-Op through Community Collaboration

CBC Online 2020
Speakers: Kate Martini, Leah Cooper, Luke Truman

Considering how many breweries there are today and how much we all want to do the right thing, it is crazy how many of us are forced to throw recyclable materials in the garbage. This doesn’t have to be the case. Following the example set by Great Divide Brewing Company, Bell’s (Michigan), Sierra Nevada Mills River (North Carolina), and Allagash (Maine) have each spearheaded the creation of a brewing-community based recycling program in their areas. This seminar is an opportunity to learn how to navigate this process. Attendees will walk away with the tools necessary to begin planning a program in their community, save precious resources from landfills, and hopefully save some money in the process.

Learning Objectives:

  • Recycling 101 –
  • Discover what is going on in the recycling market, why certain materials must be isolated in order to be recycled, and why it matters Materials –
  • Many of the wastes generated by the beer industry are recyclable, but some make more sense than others when starting a community recycling program Partnerships –
  • In order to succeed in developing a successful program, you’
  • ll want to align with the right group(s) that share your vision and dedication. You’ll learn what ideal partnerships look like and how to start developing them Infrastructure and Logistics –
  • The infrastructure chosen will impact the experience that all parties will have with the co-op. It’
  • s important to avoid making the recycling effort into a second job for anyone involved by designing the system to be logistically easy for both you and your partners to use Funds –
  • Your program won’
  • t be free, but there is help out there. Learn about what costs to expect and where to look for the financial resources necessary to avoid breaking the bank

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This seminar was sponsored by:

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Solid Waste