CWC Fact Sheet
Goal
The purpose of the Partnership is to help schools, government offices and businesses in Chelan and Douglas Counties realize the benefits of buying recycled office products, particularly high grade office paper. This effort includes educating members about cost effective and high quality products and providing model procurement policies to assist in changing purchasing practices.
High grade recycled office paper was chosen as the primary focus of this program because it is used daily by local governments, schools and businesses Recent developments in the availability of competitively priced, high quality paper have improved the acceptance of other recycled products.
This project aims to "close the loop" because although many area residents, schools and offices have an interest in collecting recyclable materials such as aluminum cans and newspaper, they are not buying products made from recycled materials. Market prices for many recyclable materials are often low; reprocessing centers are already at capacity or there is not enough demand for the recycled product. Buying recycled paper products increases that demand. Diverting recyclable materials from Eastern Washington landfills conserves resources and reduces waste collection charges.
Government offices and schools join businesses to represent the three largest users of high grade office paper, and could make an impact on markets for recycled paper. Schools and local governments face an even more immediate incentive to change their purchasing habits since the state has established mandates for all agencies, including educational facilities to adopt purchasing policies that include buying recycled products.
Objectives
The Buy Recycled Partnership assists local governments, schools and businesses to buy recycled by:
The Partnership targets ten government offices, thirteen businesses, four schools and one school district in six communities, while remaining open to participation by others throughout Chelan and Douglas Counties. Bridgeport, Cashmere, Chelan, East Wenatchee, Waterville and Wenatchee were carefully selected as model communities for a program that may be replicated in other rural counties throughout Eastern Washington. A strong foundation in these two counties may encourage other rural areas throughout the state to follow their lead.
Partnership Members
The Buy Recycled Partnership is initially an alliance between the East Wenatchee Chamber of Commerce, Douglas County Solid Waste, Washington Citizens for Recycling and the Clean Washington Center. All of the targeted office product consumers are tracked to compare current buying practices against changes.
Technical assistance is provided in selecting high grade recycled office paper and other office products, increasing the variety of products available by working with suppliers, reducing purchasing costs wherever possible, and developing and implementing procurement policies. Offices outside of the initial targets will be provided with information and assistance as the program's time and budget constraints allow.
By changing purchasing and disposal practices, office product consumers become eligible to receive recognition with a "Partners in Progress" decal to display on a window or door. The decal is promoted regionally through local chambers of commerce to indicate that the bearer has demonstrated progressive leadership by changing purchasing practices to replace products made with virgin materials with high grade recycled products. Eligibility for this recognition depends on meeting a specific number of criteria. Ongoing advertisements, press releases and PSA's will promote these offices as friendly to the environment and community leaders. An awards program further recognizes the accomplishments of participants.
Vendor Fair
A Buy Recycled Vendor Fair was held in East Wenatchee to allow attendees to meet directly with suppliers of high grade recycled office products and learn from experts in the field. Speakers discussed examples for success in recycled product purchasing and waste reduction. Participants were able to network with others undertaking the challenge of buying recycled products.
Chamber Involvement
The East Wenatchee Chamber of Commerce is spearheading the Buy Recycled Partnership project. As part of its' responsibilities it solicits support from five other area chambers in the two county area. The East Wenatchee Chamber encourages target chambers to each provide a community representative to the buy Recycled Partnership Advisory Committee. Also, each chamber helps increase awareness of the Partnership to its members and provide recognition for those participating in the program. Specifically, each chamber has the opportunity to display its name and logo as part of the Partnership window decal presented to the chamber members that become Partners in Progress. Further, each chamber presents recognition awards to its' participating members.
One-to-One Assistance
Specific government offices, schools and businesses in Chelan and Douglas counties are targeted to receive extensive assistance in adopting recycled office product purchasing policies. Participation in the program is completely voluntary. These offices and schools, representing the diversity of a rural region, are selected for their ability to provide a positive model for others throughout Eastern Washington. Technical assistance to them includes:
While specific offices have already been targeted, others interested in learning more about recycled paper products will be provided information and encouraged to join the Partnership.
Various alternatives will be presented and developed during this program including inter-local agreements, procurement policies and case studies to make buying recycled not only smart resource management, but smart fiscal management as well.
For copies of the full Clean Washington Center reports, Buy Recycled
Partnership - Chelan and Douglas Counties (Report No. PM-95-2), A Guide
to Conducting a Buy Recycled Campaign (Report No. PM-93-1), or Environmental
Purchasing for the 90's (Report No. PM-94-1) call the Center's Information
Line at (206) 587-5520.
Report Dated: October 1994 Fact Sheet Update: October 1994
CWC Fact Sheet
Next Step Association is a local nonprofit organization serving the recycled markets development program in Whatcom and Skagit Counties. Next Step Association continues the work of the Third Arrow Project's Buy Recycled Campaign. After several years of experience and success in the community, Next Step Association has developed a large contact network in the target audiences. The Buy Recycled effort is divided into six market segments of the business/commercial sector that are considered large potential consumers of recycled products. The unique program combines group networking and workshop participation, general community education and one-on-one educational sessions. The following is a brief summary of the target segment programs.
Printing
Over 200 local print industry members are targeted for involvement in workshops focused on education about using recycled printing papers. A quarterly newsletter supports the recycled concepts of the workshops, promotes events and explains demonstration projects. A Print Task Force of industry members set outreach and educational goals, organized field trips and developed the Print Project Check List. The Print Project Check List has been distributed to major print buyers as a way to calculate the quantity of recycled paper (equivalent to 100% post-consumer recycled) used in projects and suggests options for more recycled or less toxic printing practices. The Task Force is working with several local governments on demonstration projects to evaluate current printing practices and suggest changes in future print projects.
Auto Education
Automotive fleets and automotive service shops are the primary target groups within the auto industry. Public sector fleets are provided with technical assistance on purchasing recycled products including rerefined motor oil, retreaded tires and recycled antifreeze. A "Green Service" marketing program, giving automotive owners the option of using recycled products, has been provided to local automotive service shops. An automotive educational newsletter is mailed to the target audience of service shops and fleets. Phone surveys to service shops document quantities and types of recycled products used and identify market barriers to recycled product usage.
Construction
The local building industry is educated about recycled building materials, provided opportunities to design for and use recycled materials, and introduced to locally produced recycled products such as crushed glass, compost, glass pavers and other recycled or reusable products for construction. Members of a local Northwest EcoBuilding Guild chapter are working to identify information needs and barriers in recycled product usage. Large workshop events, demonstration projects and newsletters educate builders about recycled materials. A reference library of educations materials, source books, case studies, and testimonials is maintained for the local building community. One-on-one contacts are made with industry and local governments for early identification and facilitation of recycled products in project design.
Local Governments
A quarterly newsletter highlighting local government activities, bids, policy changes and purchases of recycled products serves as a networking tool between governmental subagencies. Cooperative purchases are encouraged as a method for reducing cost differences between recycled and virgin products. A database of product purchases and successful purchasing methods will be developed through surveys, one-on-one assistance and task force meetings. Early participation in the bid specification design process is used to encourage bidders to offer recycled products at reasonable prices. Waste reduction techniques are encouraged to offset any price differences when recycled products cost more.
Local Crafters: Second Wind
In order to support the use of waste materials in small scale local manufacturing, a cooperative marketing group known as Second Wind has formed to assist in marketing locally made recycled products. Second Wind focuses on expanding retail markets for members' products. Members receive education on product marketing, distribution systems, promotion and retailer-supplier relationships. A public education component includes window displays, workshops and news articles. A quarterly catalog/newsletter is mailed to an extensive list of local retailers as well as green stores and catalogs nationwide.
Major Employers
New contacts will be made with at least 20 major employers in the region, as well as continuing work with the 75 employers already contacted, to promote the purchases of recycled products. Focused outreach is used to generate changes in purchasing policy and behavior concerning buying recycled. One-on-one meetings and group presentations illustrate case studies, policy guidelines, product directories, samples, and "buy recycled" literature.
Segment Summary
Each target segment's tasks will include press releases and media articles about events and activities. Reporting will include details of activities, contact lists, press releases and articles, survey results, samples of newsletters and educational materials, and recommendations for changes in the programs. Documentation of recycled product supply and distribution systems will be made when possible. Each project will be documented to explore replication or expansion to other communities.
Next Step Association is exploring potential strategies for soliciting private funding to sustain the Buy Recycled Product Marketing program through voluntary contributions from product vendors who benefit from the marketing efforts. A strategy group of experts has convened and is exploring various possibilities.
This project was funded by the Clean Washington Center and the Whatcom County Waste Prevention and Recycling Program. For more information please call the Center at (206) 464-7040.
Report Dated: June 1995 Fact Sheet Dates: June 1995