5 Ways to Encourage People to Recycle

Recycling bins are usually in one location. But what if they were everywhere? What if you could throw your recyclables anywhere and know that there was a recycling bin nearby? If you have public recycling bins strategically placed throughout your city or town, people will have several opportunities every day to recycle. This would be a great way to make it easier for people to recycle, as well as making them more accountable for their waste. When the recycling bins are constantly in sight, it's more difficult for people to forget about them.

Keep recycling bins close by

People are more likely to recycle when they can do it easily. We’ve all seen the “oops, I forgot to recycle” feeling. If recycling bins are out of sight, then people will be less likely to recycle. Keep recycling bins close by so that people know where they are and how close to them they are. Also make sure that people know what items go in which bin, and post it on a sign nearby.

Get recyclable items in supermarkets

One way to make recycling easier is by including more recyclable items in supermarkets. This means that people won’t need to take the time to figure out what they can recycle and what they can’t. It also makes it just as easy for people who live in apartments or don’t have a car. When the throw-away items are right at the checkout, it becomes much more likely customers will remember to recycle them.

Reduce the price of plastic bags and create reusable ones

There is a company in Australia that has been able to reduce the use of plastic bags by 75% simply by banning them. Instead, they created reusable ones and now charge customers for them. A fee for single-use plastic bags can also encourage people to bring their own, which would help them recycle.

Make it fashionable to recycle

There are so many ways to recycle, but not everyone knows how or is willing to do it. One way to encourage people to recycle is by making it fashionable to do so. Talk with your local council about providing bins that can be put in high-traffic areas like cafeterias, libraries, and gyms. These locations are perfect for putting recycle bins because they are used every day and will have a chance of being seen by a lot of people.

Another way to make recycling fashionable is by adding incentives for people who take the time to recycle. For example, you could offer discounts on utilities or free tickets to events if someone takes the time to sort their recycling correctly. This helps motivate people and ensures that they are recycling responsibly because they have an incentive for doing so.

You also could provide rewards for doing other environmentally-friendly things like taking public transportation, walking or biking instead of driving, etc. You’re not just rewarding people for recycling - you're also rewarding them for doing positive things that help the environment as well!