Ecology Center — Newsletter

A few months ago we discussed in this column the benefits of keeping recycling efforts local and nonprofit. Today we need your help. Now is the time for you to voice your support for Recycle Ann Arbor and in support of the new curbside recycling contract with the City of Ann Arbor.

The proposed ten-year contract signals a true partnership between the city and RAA. It acknowledges RAA’s pivotal role in developing one of the country’s best recycling programs in terms of participation and recovery, and signals a long-term commitment on the part of the city to the recovery goals established by its solid waste management plan.

Once signed, this agreement will herald a new phase in Ann Arbor’s recycling and recovery. While we’re one of the best, we believe we’ve just begun. There is so much more of the waste stream to be recovered; there are so many people who are not yet recycling. We intend to reach them and grow this program.

But we can’t do it without you. We need your assistance in educating Ann Arbor residents and decision-makers on why this contract is the right move for our city. The performance-based agreement being negotiated would tie RAA’s compensation to specific performance goals while providing incentives to increase recovery and participation. It provides cost controls and accountability for the city, while fairly compensating RAA for the costs of operating a high-recovery, high-participation program.

But we’re not just a recycling company – we’re a nonprofit – and we believe that makes a difference. Here are some of the advantages:

RAA creates local jobs and all the money stays in the local economy. Being a community-based nonprofit, RAA hires locally and spends its money locally, either through programs that give back to the community or by buying locally.
RAA is committed to recovery first. RAA is mission-driven, meaning that our first priority is to ensure that we divert recyclable waste from the landfills while reducing pressure on natural resources. We do this through consistent public education and awareness efforts while striving to keep the collection process as easy and convenient as possible, which in turn encourages increased participation in our programs. With RAA you’re not paying for a profit margin. Being that we’re not out to pad our bottom line, RAA focuses on keeping its programs cost effective and streamlined while maintaining its commitment to recovery growth. All RAA successes go towards funding other innovative recovery and energy-efficiency driven programs, keeping our efforts and the money in the Ann Arbor area.
RAA is more than a service provider – it’s a partner in recovery goals. RAA was built on a mission to minimize the waste ending up in landfills and continues to dev-elop new ways to ensure the continued reduction in waste. By building a successful curbside recycling collect-ions program over the past 25 years, RAA has been able to create additional programs that have focused on recovery, reuse, recycling, and energy efficiency.

A successful nonprofit curbside program is a seed for additional environmental programs. RAA is proof of that. Look at all we’ve done over the past 25 years:

Pioneered Ann Arbor’s award-winning curbside recycling program, recognized as a model by the EPA.
Developed the Washtenaw County Drop-off Station into the region’s most comprehensive, managing 6,500 tons per year and accepting over 30 different materials for recycling, with seven satellite locations throughout the county.
Opened the ReUse Center, a 20,000 square-foot retail space of donated items, diverting countless tons of material each year from the landfill.
Played a pivotal role in Ann Arbor’s burgeoning green building coalition with the Environmental House Energy and Green Building Resource Center.

As the contract goes before the Ann Arbor City Council, now is the time to raise your voices in support of Recycle Ann Arbor, its curbside collection programs, and all the programs it brings to the City of Ann Arbor. Call your city council member. Write letters to the editor of the Ann Arbor News. Speak out and be heard. Discuss the benefits of keeping the curbside recycling program with RAA. Help us to keep it local and mission-driven. Together we can succeed.