Keeping Current with Recycle Bank News

One of the benefits of being active in environmental issues is the wonderfully engaged and interesting people I meet. I met Denise Diorio McVeigh of Recycle Bank at a Recycling Advisory meeting and she is a font of Recycle Bank passion and information.
I'm sure most Chestnut Hillians are not only aware that Recycle Bank is back and better than ever, but are active participants. Chestnut Hill does, after all, have one of the highest recycling rates in the City. Here is some pertinent information from Denise about how points are going to be awarded now that the roll-out introduction phase is complete.
"The Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program was rolled out over the course of 6 months –- February to July 2010. We rolled out one sanitation area of the City a month starting with North Philadelphia. During this rollout period, we jump started people’s accounts by rewarding them 38 points a week for their recycling efforts. Members in each area will receive the 38 points per week for recycling for the first 6 months beginning the month we rolled their area out. For instance, if you live in the Logan section of the City we rolled your area out in March so you will continue receive 38 points a week until September. After that we will be using the real data so your points may vary depending on the tonnage."


Philadelphia Recycling Rewards roll-out schedule was as follows:

§ February 2010: North Philadelphia – Area 3
§ March 2010: Lower Northeast, Frankford and Logan Sections - Area 5
§ April 2010: West and Southwest Philadelphia – Area 1
§ May 2010: Center City and South Philadelphia – Area 2
§ June 2010: Northeast Philadelphia – Area 6
§ July 2010: Northwest Philadelphia – Area 4

How to Sign Up
· Residents may sign up online or over the phone
· Account is activated upon sign-up
· Start Recycling
· RecycleBank sends Welcome Kit via mail
· Includes instructions and Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Sticker

How You Earn Rewards
· Points earned each time resident participates (weekly recycling)
· 2 Points for recycling (for every pound recycled)
· 1 Point for trash reduced (for every pound less that is thrown out)
· Trash reduction points are rewarded monthly (not weekly like recycling)
· Points can be earned for eWaste

PA Horticultural Society needs you to make a call!

Philadelphians instinctively know, and research shows, that a well cared for lot is better for communities than a neglected one. That's why Next Great City identified cleaning and greening vacant lots as one of our ten action recommendations for the city. And Philadelphia residents and business owners agree.

Next Great City coalition partner, the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS), is a national leader in vacant land stabilization.

PHS's vacant land program has cleaned and greened thousands of vacant parcels in Philadelphia, creating well-managed open space for communities to enjoy and attracting private investment. But now, because of a significantly reduced city budget, $2.4 million in funding for PHS's vacant land program, which supports community revitalization and employs more than 300 people in full- and part-time green jobs, is on the chopping block.

While these are difficult times, cutting funding to this program will hurt neighborhoods and remove a vital tool for economic development.

Please contact Mayor Nutter today to urge him to continue his support for the valuable work PHS is doing to revitalize our city one vacant lot at a time. Don't delay, email the Mayor at Michael.Nutter@phila.gov or call the Mayor's Office at 215-686-2181.

Mayor's Office of Sustainability and Local Food

Objective: Bring Local Food Within 10 Minutes of 75 Percent Of Residents. To advance Philadelphia toward achieving the Greenworks goals of locating local food within 10 minutes of 75 percent of residents, the City is using a multifaceted approach.

Watch this video about the City of Philadelphia's plans to promote and encourage Local Food!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kxoaCjKtKLQ&NR=1