Sustainable packaging: RecycleBank and leading brands unveil new ways to reward environmental actions

As part of an initiative to raise awareness for little-known holiday America Recycles Day on November 15, several national leading brands are partnering with RecycleBank, the premier green rewards program that motivates people to take environmental actions, to incentivize more consumers to recycle.  Joining RecycleBank in this effort are Nature Made, Kashi, LeapFrog and Nestle Purina's Friskies and Fancy Feast Gourmet Cat Food, which collectively represent four of the major areas of recyclable materials – plastic, paper, electronics and metal, respectively. 

Founded in 1997 and held on Nov. 15, American Recycles Day is the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle and buy recycled products. To promote the holiday and inform consumers about the importance of recycling, RecycleBank and its partners are launching several new digital and social media initiatives aimed at educating, motivating and empowering consumers toward responsible consumption, including:

    * LeapFrog's "Trade Up to Explorer" recycling rewards program: Recycle used LeapFrog platforms through RecycleBank's website or at Best Buy to earn discounts on the new Leapster Explorer platform. 

    * Nature Made vitamin bottle recycling rewards program: Earn RecycleBank points for pledging to recycle Nature Made vitamin bottles through www.RecycleBank.com

    * "Materials You Didn't Know You Could Recycle" consumer education campaign.

    * America Recycles Day Facebook and Twitter promotions.

    * Regularly updated content at www.RecycleBank.com about recycling leading up to Nov. 15.

As part of its commitment to encourage consumers to incorporate recycling into their everyday lifestyles, RecycleBank  is setting a goal to increase its community of people being rewarded for their environmental actions  by two million for America Recycles Day 2011 through the various reward programs launched with its partners. The reasoning is clear: Small steps by businesses and consumers can collectively make an enormous impact:

    * If two million people recycled their vitamin bottles just once, those actions would save 91,500 kWh – as much electricity as the Hoover Dam produces in one hour.

    * If one million people recycled their paperboard cereal boxes for one year, those actions would conserve 25,500 trees – as many trees as in Central Park.

    * If two million people recycled their cell phones, which are similar in content to many major electronic devices, more than 70,000 pounds of copper would be conserved – 10,000 more pounds than in the Statue of Liberty.

    * Recycling one 5.5-ounce aluminum pet food container saves enough energy to power a 60-watt light bulb for more than three hours.

"At Nature Made, we are committed to delivering quality products and programs that help enhance our customers' lives, including providing opportunities to move toward more sustainable lifestyles," said Mark Walsh, chief operating officer, Pharmavite.  "Working with RecycleBank has allowed us to both educate on and reward our consumers for the recyclability of our vitamin bottles; we've seen 35,000 pledges to recycle and redeem rewards so far, which is a true testament to our customers' enthusiasm for making a positive impact on the environment.  Recycling is something that every consumer can do, so we feel that raising awareness for this holiday will truly make a positive impact on the environment. "

"At Kashi, we believe a natural lifestyle isn't just about positive nutrition and making better food choices, it's also about supporting a  healthy environment," said Jeff Johnson, natural lifestyle expert and senior nutritionist.  "Our partnership with RecycleBank allows us to further educate people about the importance of recycling and reusing our product packaging, while at the same time rewarding them for it. We are always looking for new and innovative partner programs that create awareness and positively impact our environment."

"There is no doubt that sustainability is a top priority for brands today, and we are thrilled to have Nature Made, Kashi, LeapFrog and Nestle Purina join our movement," said Ian Yolles, chief marketing officer, RecycleBank. "Consumers realize that one of the easiest ways they can positively impact the environment is through their purchasing decisions, and are increasingly looking to corporations to be the ones driving environmental change. We've set an aggressive goal for America Recycles Day 2011, but believe there is strength in numbers and power in education."

To learn how your business can participate in RecycleBank's efforts to inspire change by motivating and empowering consumers to take part in environmental actions, please contact [email protected].

To learn more about America Recycles Day or the reward opportunities available, visit www.RecycleBank.com, and follow us on Twitter. Facebook fans can also take part in some fun and exciting activities leading up to the holiday.

SOURCE: RecycleBank

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