Drive recyclers to your store

Here’s an interesting way to reach those green consumers. Sign up with RecycleBank as a rewards partner. RecycleBank motivates people to recycle by rewarding them with points for the amount they’ve recycled. Points are used at RecycleBank Reward Partner locations, from mom-and-pop stores up to mega corporations like Coca-Cola.

More than $1 million RecycleBank Points were redeemed in 2007. There is no cost to participate as a rewards partner. Participating retailers will be advertised on the RecycleBank Web site, in promotional materials and media announcements in the participating city.

To date, the program is available in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Vermont, Massachusetts and New York. The program is gearing up to have a national footprint in 2008, said Lisa Pomerantz, director of marketing at RecycleBank.

RecycleBank doesn’t collect the recyclables -- it partners with municipalities or waste-hauling firms to pick up its carts. RecycleBank offers single-stream recycling, so everything goes into one container. Some of the recyclables accepted include newspaper, junk mail, telephone books, cereal boxes, plastic milk containers, detergent containers, empty aerosol cans, glass bottles and jars. RecycleBank’s bins are equipped with RFID tags to keep track of its customers’ recyclables.

Call (888) 727-2978 and ask RecycleBank to partner with your municipality. RecycleBank will do the leg work for you. When it’s available in your area, become a rewards partner by calling the same number. You’ll help keep waste stream out of the landfills and drive dollars to your store.

-- Kelli