Fri. November 11, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC – The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) and the District Department of Public Works (DPW) are proud to observe America Recycles Day with national partner PepsiCo, which is distributing giveaways to people using select PepsiCo Dream Machine recycling bins in Downtown.
The DowntownDC BID, DPW and PepsiCo partnered in March to place 363 of the blue recycling bins throughout the DowntownDC BID area, offering a convenient recycling option for people while they are on-the-go and advancing the BID’s Greening Downtown DC initiative, incorporated in its Downtown ecoDistrict framework, and the District’s Green DC Agenda.
On November 15, America Recycles Day, PepsiCo is distributing free T-Shirts, tote bags or buttons until 3:00 pm today to people who recycle plastic bottles and aluminum cans in select recycling bins located throughout Downtown. Recyclers will help make the planet a little greener and support post-9/11 U.S. veterans with disabilities. PepsiCo contributes to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities–a free, national education program–based on the amount of recyclables collected in its recycling bins nationwide.
“America Recycles Day is a way to further educate and motivate people to recycle every day,” said Richard H. Bradley, executive director of the DowntownDC BD. “So far, the Dream Machine recycling initiative has helped divert more than 77,000 pounds, or 38.6 tons, of material—including glass, aluminum and paper—in Downtown since March. Of that total, 78.5% was recycled, but with everyone’s participation, we can do even more.”
The BID’s Safety/Hospitality and Maintenance employees (SAMs) maintain the bins and serve as on-the-street liaisons who educate people about public recycling and the Dream Machine program. With a 1:2 ratio of recycling bins to trash bins on Downtown streets, the public can now contribute to the city’s environmental goals and recycle with ease.
“DPW is pleased to have the boost to the District’s public space recycling program that these bins and the partnership with the DowntownDC BID and PepsiCo represent,” said DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr. “Use of these bins increases daily and training the America Recycles Day spotlight on them will promote additional use.”
Prior to PepsiCo’s involvement, the BID, DPW and the American Beverage Association launched a six-month, pilot program of public recycling, placing 25 recycling cans throughout the BID area in July 2008. The lidded cans were placed in high pedestrian areas next to existing trash receptacles. Last year, federal stimulus funds allowed the city to purchase and install 39 additional recycling bins in the BID area.
PepsiCo converted 63 existing recycling bins to Dream Machines and delivered 300 new ones, which DPW installed, last spring. At the time, DC was the first city to sign on to the Dream Machine recycling initiative, with Downtown leading the charge with the static-only bins (PepsiCo also offers interactive recycling kiosks in some cities).
America Recycles Day began in 1997 and is the only nationally recognized day to promote recycling in the U.S. To locate existing recycling bins in Downtown, click here.
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About the DowntownDC Business Improvement District
Vibrant, inviting and smart, Downtown DC is Washington’s premier destination for exploring, creating and sharing ideas and experiences. The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) is a private non-profit organization that provides capital improvements, resources and research to help diversify the economy and enhance the Downtown experience for all. This special district, where property owners have agreed to tax themselves to fund services, encompasses a 138-block area of approximately 825 properties from Massachusetts Avenue on the north to Constitution Avenue on the south, and from Louisiana Avenue on the east to 16th Street on the west. As a catalyst, facilitator and thought leader, the Downtown BID promotes public/private partnerships to create a remarkable urban environment. For more information, visit www.downtowndc.org or follow on Twitter @downtowndcbid.
About the Department of Public Works
The Department of Public Works collects recyclable materials weekly from 105,000 single-family homes and buildings with up to three dwelling units. To make it easier for residents to recycle, DPW offers “single stream” recycling, allowing all recycled items to be mixed together in one container. In FY 2010, DPW collected more than 29,000 tons of recyclable materials. Currently, the District’s diversion rate is 22 percent of the waste stream. The goal is to reach 45 percent of waste stream. Go to www.dpw.dc.gov for a list of recyclable materials and visit collectionday.dcgis.dc.gov for your street’s recycling schedule.