Keep America Beautiful (KAB), a nonprofit that aims to build and sustain vibrant communities, is trying to increase the amount of recycled paper products in corporate America.
The nonprofit is asking businesses, governments and institutional entities to sign up for its Recycling at Work pledge on AmericaRecyclesDay.org and ergo, commit to a 10 percent increase in the recycling of paper products, beverage containers, electronics, batteries, food waste and other biodegradables in the workplace by 2015. Those participating will be responsible for reporting the actions they take to increase recycling and to report the results of those changes.
“The environmental impact from recycling remains critically important as a measure of sustainable economies and vibrant communities,” said Matt McKenna, KAB president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “To increase our national municipal recycling rate from its current 34 percent level, the increase will come less from national initiatives and more from locally-driven efforts. Engaging individuals to take the action to recycle at home, at work and at play is the linchpin to increasing recycling rates.”
According to a press release, Recycling at Work‘s 2015 goal will be achieved through the following steps:
- Increasing employee awareness of the availability of recyclable services and benefits of recycling in offices and other facilities;
- Enhancing infrastructure and communications to enable greater recycling and diversion of the materials in offices and other facilities;
- Identifying cost-effective opportunities to incorporate consideration of end-of-life recyclability and increased recycled content into the products purchased;
- Reporting on progress each year through the Recycling at Work online system; and,
- Inviting other organizations to take the Recycling at Work pledge.
By taking this pledge, not only are companies and businesses facilitating recycling in the work place, but hopefully these work place changes will also inspire employees to make positive changes at home as well.
