RecycleBank: Cash Instead of Trash

RecycleBank creates recycling incentives

How would you like to get paid for recycling more?  Actually, you can when you enroll with RecycleBank.  The recycling incentives program rewards people that fill their curbside bins with cardboard, junk mail, glass, plastics and more.  There is also a rewards program for e-Waste recycling (laptops, cell phones and mP3 players).  In fact, you can even get rewards just for going green, including use of solar or wind power, efficient use of water, riding public transportation, and purchasing products manufactured from recycled content.

All you need to do is sign up at RecycleBank for free.

While you won’t be given a check from RecycleBank, you can earn points that can be redeemed for merchandise at over 1,500 retailers.  And numerous small efforts can add up quickly.  How does an extra $400 a year sound?

Ron Gonen co-founded RecycleBank in 2004 while he was enrolled at Columbia Business School.  While using financial incentives to encourage recycling itself is not a new concept (here in Oregon, we pay an additional 5 cents per aluminum can, glass or plastic bottle, that you can get back when you recycle the drink container), Gonen decided to take it up a level.  Now, homeowners can get credit for all the other recyclables that they keep out of the trash can.  Using a computer chip embedded into the special container, the amount of recycling is measured by weight.  The more you recycle, the more points you earn – quite literally cash instead of trash!

All you have to do to start earning points is (1) see if your city or county has partnered with RecycleBank, and (2) sign up for free.  When a municipality partners with RecycleBank, they let their customers know.  If your region has not yet implemented RecycleBank, maybe its time to bring the concept to the next council meeting or board of commissioners!  Cities and counties save money through the partnership because less trash is hauled away and – obviously – less goes into the landfill.

Earn cash for your trash through RecycleBank

Currently, there are RecycleBank programs in 20 states, and in the UK.  The company is considered to be a success on many levels, most notably helping our planet by encouraging recycling.  In April this year, Mr. Gonen accepted a Champions of the Earth award from the United Nations Environment Program.

Truly, one can appreciate the difference that can be made on a global scale if we recycle more.  Consider these facts from the RecycleBank website:

• The average American generates 4.5 lbs of garbage per day.

• The average American family generates approximately 2.5 tons of garbage a year.

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to keep a 100-watt bulb burning for almost four hours or run your television for three hours.

• Plastics require 100 to 400 years to break down in a landfill.

Mr. Gonen noted the significant difference it makes when we recycle more:

“Today, RecycleBank serves over one million people in 20 states across the United States and that number continues to increase every week. We will launch our service in Europe this summer. To date, the material recycled by the households we service has enabled RecycleBank to save cities tens of millions of dollars annually in landfill disposal fees, save over 1.5 million trees, and save millions of gallons of oil.”

I signed up at RecycleBank today.  I think you should join me.