Chicago is well known for its green initiatives, but one sore spot has been its recycling system. In recent years the city rolled out a successful Blue Cart program, and now Chicago is aiming to increase its recycling efforts by joining incentive based recycling program, RecycleBank…
RecycleBank works by rewarding its users by measuring the amount of material each participating home recycled, and issuing points (one pound = 2.5 points) that can be redeemed in the form of gift cards, discounts, groceries and products with over 1,900 local and national reward partners. There is also an option to donate rewards points to local schools and non-profit organizations.
Chicago is test-driving this program with the city’s 5th, 8th and 19th Wards, who have been using the Blue Cart recycling program the longest. Each Blue Cart in the test area will be outfitted with an RIFD tag that notes the address and account number of the user, while tracking recycling activity. Once the user activates their account with RecycleBank they can began earning points. Chicago Mayor Daley hopes that the program with increase participation in the Blue Cart program, if the new program is successful Chicago will expand RecycleBank to more Blue Cart users.
Visit the RecycleBank website to find out more about the program and the other participating cities.
Via City of Chicago
(Image via Edgewater Triangle Neighborhood Association)
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What about multi-unit buildings that share a can? Are we SOL?
view jyw's profile
Ahhh....Chicago's perpetual "test-driving" of recycling programs. We need city-wide recycling ten years ago. And fine people who don't do it. Pretty soon the Calumet area will be one large dump. What a blight on our city. I laugh every time officials say we're a green city. Two coal fired power plants operating within the city limits and no program! WTF?
view Baxatax's profile
The Blue bin program is freakin' awesome... unfortunately, it's limited to buildings of 4 units or less.
view vykim's profile
I wish we could have more specific recycle bins, such as glasses, plastic, and paper. I don't like the way that all stuffs are in one bin.
view vegetarcat's profile
Chicago's green initiatives are sorely, sorely limited and mostly contained to the better off, mostly white neighborhoods. The South Side, apart from a pocket around the U of C is devoid of recycling programs, and the supposed post-collection recycling done by the collectors of trash at buildings over 4 units is basically non-existent.
I'll applaud Chicago when we stop making recycling a racial/class issue like most services in the city.
view lisbet's profile
Yeah, I totally agree with Baxatax. The city sells itself hard as green by widely publicizing what it does do and convincing non-residents that its changes are more systemic than they are. Most of the city has no real recycling.... and knowing Chicago, this new program will result in people actually stealing each other's recycling, which is what happens elsewhere (in Southern NJ many people have to lock their bins or keep them in the garage until the last minute.)
Don't believe the hype and the press releases! Fight for real green change!
view lisbet's profile