“Throw in the Know” – Four Tips for Savvy Sorting
February 16, 2012
At Harvest Power, we talk a lot about Source Separated Organics, Zero Waste programs, and putting organic materials to their highest and best use. The beauty of these programs are that the power to make a difference lies in our hands: By sorting our waste efficiently – food scraps, yard trimmings, recycling, and landfill-bound materials – we make a huge difference in collection and processing of these materials. Proper sorting yields better recycling rates and a better flow of materials back into society.
This is especially true for organic materials. Organic materials — yard trimmings, food scraps, wood waste, and paperboard products —typically make up about a third of the municipal solid waste stream. 12.5% of the US waste stream is food scraps, and only 3% of that is recovered. This is not only a wasted opportunity, but food waste in landfills takes up valuable space and ultimately results in higher emissions of methane, a greenhouse gas. By source separating organics, we maximize the environmental and economic potential to recycle these valuable materials into compost, soil products and renewable energy.
We see organics recycling programs launching left and right across North America and beyond. To help improve source separating efforts at homes and offices, we’ve listed 4 handy, dandy tips that can dramatically improve efforts in source separating organics and recycling.
Tip One: Use Pictures
Images or even actual objects are more effective than text alone.
Tip Two: Point Positive
Use arrows to show where items should go.
Tip Three: Proximity is paramount
Place your signs as close to the point of disposal as possible
Tip Four: Color Coordinate
Pair colors with categories. Match sorting categories with recognizable colors, and always use the same color scheme throughout.
By sorting correctly- we make things easier, cheaper and more efficient for the folks helping us reuse and recycle our waste.
If you are interested in pursuing best practices of Source Separated Organics, the Econservation Institute (EI), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization advancing diversion and energy efficiency recently released their research: the study looked at program designs, materials, cost and payments, enrollment practices, collection frequency, containerization, incentives and pricing and more.
by Erin Munning
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