Recycling is a powerful tool for any community. With landfills filling and environmental awareness growing, many communities seek ways to help citizens recycle. Just in time for America Recycles Day, November 15, here are some examples of educational programs, community events, and employee initiatives to help your community stay green.

• Local Governments and the Economics of Community Sustainability features advice from staff and managers in four different local governments on solutions they found to the unexpected challenges of their environmental programs.
• Kingsport, Tennessee, shares a powerful set of programs that have driven its community to recycle three tons of plastic waste to date. Employees leveraged local environmental spirit and generosity from private industry to create friendly competition, all in the name of eco-friendliness.
• Sally Palmi, one of our Climate Change Fellows, contributed an interesting post about a community in Indonesia that is extremely serious about conservation and recycling. Everything is re-used or recycled, sometimes at a profit.
• Anoka, Minnesota, performs free on-site waste assessments for local businesses, aimed at reducing costs and improving environmental image.  
• Tempe, Arizona, received funding to create a mobile recycling education center.  Inside the truck, children are greeted with a miniature museum containing creative exhibits on the value of recycling.  Take a look at the truck here!
• Aurora, Colorado, created a combined recycling and recycling education program. Recycling is made easy for residents through partnership with waste disposal organizations, and residents are encouraged through the education program. How effective is it? By 2005, the program had already recycled 120,000 pounds of landfill-destined paper and 96% of properly-disposed electronics.