Celebrating our Recycling Ambassadors

At Green Living Science (GLS), we believe in doing work for, and with, the communities we serve. When we build out our programs, we seek input from the community, ask for and implement feedback, and prioritize goals that bring needed resources to the city of Detroit. We want to take the time to celebrate the impact of one such program, our Recycling Ambassadors.

Supported by funding from MGM Resorts Foundation, our Recycling Ambassador (RA) program extends Detroit’s residential curbside recycling and empowers local community members to become leaders of sustainability in their neighborhoods. Beginning in 2015, we have partnered with residents across Detroit who want to spread the word about recycling at community events, through canvassing in neighborhoods, and by engaging fellow Detroiters who want to be a part of a greener tomorrow. 

Background and History

In the last several decades, many individuals and groups, like Margaret Weber with Rosedale Recycles, Zero Waste Detroit, the Detroit Environmental Agenda, and the Green Task Force, organized grassroots movements to transform the city’s waste stream. These folks have garnered results such as: 

• The 2007 opening of the first drop-off facility in the city, Recycle Here!

• The 2018 opening of state-funded grants for recycling infrastructure and market development

• The 2019 closing of the City’s high-polluting waste incinerator

Indeed, motivated people with dreams of a more sustainable future for our city have been leading the charge to create a cleaner, healthier Detroit for years.

The roadmap above shows major events in the history of the waste stream in Detroit.

A beautiful change we witnessed was the 2014 implementation of the City of Detroit’s opt-in curbside recycling program. After several years of piloting the program in select neighborhoods, ALL single-family homes and multifamily buildings with less than four units are now eligible for a free, weekly serviced recycling bin. Through the City’s Detroit Recycles initiative, residents can request a cart to participate in the program.

Due to the nature of the opt-in program, residents have to know about the program to sign up for it. Additionally, we have data to show that recycling programs are most successful when residents receive education about what can and can’t be recycled. This education reduces the amount of nonrecyclable items that make it to the Materials Recycling Facility (MRF).

This graph shows the recycling rate and contamination rate of an apartment building in Midtown, Detroit before and after the residents received education from a Recycling Ambassador. Before education, the contamination rate was 12%, and after, it was 4%. 

When this happens, we call it contamination, and it impacts the MRF’s ability to accept, sort, and bale the recyclable materials. For example, if grass clippings make it into a recycling cart, it can get the paper and cardboard too dirty to be processed. Or, if film plastics make it into the materials being processed at the MRF, it can get tangled in the machinery, costing facilities extra time and money to get it out. For this reason, if haulers or facilities see a lot of contamination in the materials coming into the facility, they could choose to reject a whole truckload of materials. 

Recycling Ambassador Program

From experience, we know that education is key to the success of recycling programs. That’s exactly why Green Living Science was founded, to bring Detroiters environmental education and spread awareness about waste reduction and recycling. Our genuine connections to fellow residents help us authentically deepen community impact. So, when the opt-in program launched, we started our community-led RA program in turn. We wanted to join forces with the City to get residents signed up for carts and educated about what can and cannot be recycled through the curbside program. 

GLS maintains 25 active Ambassadors who receive training about the curbside program, table at events, and canvas in neighborhoods. Their role is to engage community members, walk them through getting signed up for the curbside recycling program, and pass along information about what types of materials are accepted in the carts. At the same time, their experience as an RA will also give them transferable skills and workforce training. Ambassadors receive ongoing professional development in public speaking, data collection, environmental literacy, customer service, and goal tracking. Through paid, hands-on field experience, participants gain expertise that prepares them for careers in sustainability, outreach, and public service.

Impact

With support from the MGM Resorts Foundation last year, we introduced monthly challenges and performance incentives. This enabled us to exceed our annual goal of 90 events within six months, hosting 105 events during that period. Door-to-door data shows that 63% of engaged residents enroll in recycling, with an additional 36% increase in sign-ups in the four weeks following outreach. City-wide enrollment in the curbside cart program has risen from 35% in 2020 to 45% today. GLS and the City of Detroit are both committed to raising these numbers to meet ambitious waste reduction goals. 

As enrollment increases, GLS is also focused on improving recycling quality through our Feet on the Street initiative. Teams track recycling participation rates, identify common contaminants, and provide immediate feedback using “Good Job” and “Oops” tags on curbside bins that they check the contents of. This real-time education improves recycling outcomes while giving Ambassadors structured, team-based field experience.

Recycling Ambassador, Jennifer Spivey.

Reflecting on her time as an RA, Jennifer Spivey shared this reflection, “I want to believe that I have encouraged people to recycle more – at least in my community, I can see the difference on my block. So that is pleasing! And I really enjoy working with the team, ambassadors, and community leaders I’ve met along the way. I hope to continue to work with Green Living Science in the community!”

Want to host a Recycling Ambassador Workshop? Do you have an event coming up in the city where a Recycling Ambassador could talk to folks about recycling in Detroit? Fill out the form linked here! Did you just find out about the Detroit Recycles program and want a FREE cart of your own? Signing up is as simple as giving us a call at (313) 871-4000 ext. 3 or going to the City’s website!!