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Step 7 - Monitoring, Measuring Success and Sustaining the Program

Monitoring the program and reminding students and staff about correct procedures must be an ongoing and permanent part of your program. Responding quickly and appropriately to problems is necessary for a successful program. Here are some areas to watch, followed by corrective measures:

• Are the wrong materials being mixed in with recyclables? Improve your education program (a poster with we recycle this, but can not recycle this).
   
• Are targeted recyclable materials being thrown into the trash? Increase and focus your educational efforts. Get others (classroom monitors) to help oversee the program.
   
• How efficiently are the collected materials handled? Can it be better? Do you need to change the location of containers? Alter the collection system?
   
• Are there problems with the appearance of collection locations -- are they neat and clean? Have collection bins emptied regularly.
   
• Are there problems with insects around collected materials. Put them in different containers or set them outside. Inquire about the most environmentally sound way to improve you pest control program.

Set reasonable goals for your program, goals are useful in encouraging students to excel. Aim for an overall amount of recyclables to be collected, keep a running total displayed in a prominent place to announce progress. Evaluate the program on a regular basis. When your current system is running smoothly, you may be ready to add other materials.

Maintain an accurate tally of how much each student or class contributes to the recycling effort. Or you may just want to keep up with what the entire school is doing.

Publicize program milestones such as the first ton of paper or aluminum recycled; reporting the volumes of materials recycled, and calculating the environmental impact of you effort (i.e. number of trees conserved, number of barrels of oil saved, disposal costs avoided). (See facts below in box).

Monitoring the program and reminding students and staff about correct procedures must be an ongoing and permanent part of your program. Praise should be used as a motivator. This can be accomplished through contests and awards, such as recycling group of the month.

Periodically, organize a special event to honor those who participate in recycling excellence. Remember every day is an "Earth Day," not just April 22.

Other Impacts:

• Recycling one ton of paper saves:

7,000 gallons of water,

3.3 cubic yards of landfills space,

17 trees,

2 barrels of oil

4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity (enough to power an average-size home for 6 months).

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough electricity to power a 100-watt light bulb for 3 1/2 hours; your TV for 3 hours.
   
• Recycling one pound of cans saves 7.5 kilowatts of electricity.
   
• Recycling 1 ton of aluminum = 13 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) prevented
   
• Recycling 1 ton of newspaper = 2.5 tons of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) prevented