RecyclingCommunicationsPlan 1
Recycling Communications Plan
1. Focus Areas
• City will have new curbside recycling program and vendor starting Jan 1, 2012
• Carts instead of bins
• New carts will arrive up to three weeks before program starts
• New bi-weekly pick-up but still on Fridays
• Additional recyclables will be accepted
• Watch for mailing from Allied Waste regarding schedule
• Carts must be stored according to City ordinance
2. Mission
3. Goals and Objectives
• Educate citizens about the City’s new curbside recycling program and vendor.
• Explain changes to recycling program and what homeowners need to do to participate.
• Get public to understand the role of the City and of the vendor, Allied Waste, in the new recycling program.
• Encourage homeowners to participate in the curbside recycling program.
• Educate public about City’s efforts to provide improved recycling services with less impact on the
community.
• Build public support for City’s recycling efforts.
• Help citizens understand how increased recycling impacts the community and the region.
• Educate public about City’s efforts to be responsible stewards of the environment.
• Encourage citizens to consider and act upon their responsibility to the environment.
• Encourage public to go to the City website for detailed information about the program and other recycling
questions.
• Help citizens understand City ordinance regarding cart storage
4.1 Strengths 4.2 Challenges
• City Newsletter
• City Website
• Cable TV programs
• Point of Contact events like Mighty Tidy Day
and Fall Leaf Drop-Off
• Utility Bills
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• Cart delivery date vs program start date
• Adapting to change in January
• Changing behaviors developed over 20 years
• Weather during implementation period
• Timing and holiday scheduling during
implementation period
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5. Audience Identification
1. Residents in 4-plexes and lower. (“If you have recycling bins, changes are coming.”)
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6. Key Messages
• Environmental: You will be able to recycle more items.
• Environmental: Every other week pick-ups mean fewer truck trips in your neighborhood.
• Change: Changes to your recycling program will occur after Jan 1.
• Change: Recycling pick-ups will be every other week. Watch your mail for schedules from Allied Waste.
• Logistics: You will receive wheeled carts with covers. No more bins. No more separating
• Logistics: Recycling will be every other Friday. Watch your mail for schedules from Allied Waste.
• Logistics: Carts will be delivered up to two weeks before program starts
• Logistics: Carts must be stored on property per City ordinance
7. Potential Strategies (1 = high priority, 2 = medium priority, 3 = low priority)
• Postcards announcing upcoming changes: mailed to every home 4-plex and lower
• Newsletter articles in Nov/Dec, Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr to announce, promote, and reinforce changes
• Website: news stories on home page with links to new recycling pages, promotional stories, etc
• Website: create transition page now with new program information, then update recycling pages with new
program information for Jan 1.
• Cable TV news and promo spots
• News releases to local media
• Ads in Park & Rec Winter Catalog and Seniors Newsletter
• Announcements via GV e-Connect, City’s email listserve
• Announcements at City meetings, which will replay on Cable TV and online
• Posters and displays for public buildings
• Presentations at Meadowbrook, Noble, and other local schools
• Recycling seminar for Seniors at Brookview
• Utility bill announcements
• Distribute flyers at Mighty Tidy Day, Leaf Drop-Off days, City meetings
8. Potential Resources
• City publications and electronic media
• City meetings and events
• Allied Waste
• Local media
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9. Communication Vehicles and Strategies for Target Audiences
1. Develop a memorable slogan for introducing
the new program:
• “New Year, New Program, Never Easier”
Use on postcards, newsletter articles, news releases,
videos, website, etc
2. Website transition page • Recycling page will have “Current Curbside
Recycling Program” link and “New Curbside
Recycling Program Starts Jan 1” link to transition
page.
• Transition page will outline new program features.
• On Dec 31, transition page will become “Curbside
Recycling Program” page and old page will be
deleted.
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3. Videos: Instructional and Promotional
Shoot two short videos. One will be a teaser promoting
the new program. One will be instructional, showing how
the new program works. It will be designed to stay on
the website.
4. Newsletter articles To start with, a series of three articles promoting the
new program and leading up to the roll-out. Issues will
be Nov/Dec 2011, Jan/Feb 2012, and March/April 2012.
Every newsletter has one page totally devoted to
recycling, and news stories can be added as needed.
5. News releases Timed news releases published on City website and to
local media outlets.
6. Community presentations
Instructional presentations at schools, the senior center,
and elsewhere as requested.
7. Ads Display ad (similar to look for postcard) to be published
in City’s Park & Rec catalog.
10. Evaluation Techniques
• TBD
Notes:
11. Updating the Communications Plan
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This plan will be updated and changed as needed as the program rolls out.
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Timeline/Calendar
Notes for 2011
October 2011
• Oct 5: Send postcard to printer
• Oct 12: Transition page for new program goes live on City website
• Oct 12: First news release on new program goes out on City website and to local media
• Oct 14: Display ad to Park & Rec for Winter catalog
• Oct 15: Mighty Tidy Day: Distribute postcards
• Oct 17: Mail postcards to all homes four-plex and under
• Oct 20: City Minute video airs on upcoming recycling change
• Oct 29: Leaf Drop-Off: Distribute postcards
• Oct 24: Shoot promo video and instructional video
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November 2011
• Nov 4, 5, & 12: Leaf Drop-Off: Distribute postcards
• Nov 14: Second news release on new program goes out on City website and to local media
• Nov 15: Allied Waste mailing to homes four-plex and under
• Nov 20: Start airing promo video
• Nov 23: CityNews is published with first story about upcoming change
• Nov 1: Utility Billing Message?
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December 2011
• Dec 1: Utility Billing Message?
• Dec 2: Park & Rec Winter catalog, with new recycling program display ad, mails to all GV homes
• Dec 7: Presentation to GV Seniors on new recycling program
• Dec 12: Presentations to GV schools on new recycling program
• Dec 12: Third news release on new program goes out on City website and to local media
• Dec 19: Post Allied instructional videos to City website
• Dec 19: Start airing City’s instructional video
• Dec 27: Fourth news release on new program goes out on City website and to general media
• Dec 31: Transition page for new program becomes Curbside Recycling page on City website
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Notes for 2012
January 2012
• Jan 1: Utility Billing Message?
• Jan 23: CityNews is published with second story about changes to program
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February 2012
• Feb 26: Display on new recycling program at City table at West Metro Home Remodeling Fair
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March 2012
• Mar 23: CityNews is published with third story about new program
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April 2012
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May 2012
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June 2012
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July 2012
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August 2012
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September 2012
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October 2012
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November 2012
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December 2012
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Communications Plan