Comments from OKRA Brainstorming Meeting (no board formed as yet)
Following are most of the comments from attendees/e-mail by 11/30/2005 regarding recycling needs in Oklahoma:
ADVOCACY
- legislation for mandatory recycling
- recycling incentives for businesses and communities
- collaboration/networking for support
- bottle bill
- more public dollars in recycling
- legislation committing Oklahoma to a recycling goal
- more funding for recycling
- help from legislature to promote recycling/composting
- more curbside recycling
- pay-as-you throw programs
- financing for communities to recycle
EDUCATION (K-12)
- need technical information for blue bin programs
- guide to recycling markets
- public education
- partner with Dept. of Education on expansion of school recycling programs
- educate Oklahomans about need to extend life span of current landfulls (future costs)
- education on how recycling improves air quality and saves energy
OUTREACH AND COMMUNICATION
- more outreach and communication
- encourage cities with recycling programs to do more promotion (utility bills, etc.)
- speakers packets for those who want to do programs
- pay-as-you-throw programs
- promotion of Freecycle (free internet exchange of any items)
- event recycling, esp. at conference centers
- public relations to promote recycling in general
- annual conference
MARKET DEVELOPMENT
- market development and transportation
- recycling incentives for businesses and communities
- more end user entrepreneurs
- more options for disposing of electronic waste
- more options for disposing of yard waste
- more cardboard and paper depots
- more options for rural communities
- curbside organic waste collection
- diverting more recyclable/compostable materials at landfills
- increase C&D recycling
WASTE EXCHANGE
- on-line waste exchange
- promotion of Freecycle (free internet exchange of any items)
INFORMATION (DEQ)
- research other states
- guide to recycling markets
- step-by-step recycling guide for start-up programs (w/contacts & resources)
- enviroshopping guide
- speaker packets for those who want to do programs (what does this mean?)
- technical info for blue bin programs
