Environmental Protection


Begins with You


A Guide to Environmental Community Service

1EPA
Make a Difference in Your


Community—Volunteer!


T his guide contains examples of 

volunteer projects related to solid 

waste management.Whether 

you’re an experienced volunteer or looking to participate in service projects for 

the first time, many benefits and opportunities await you.Volunteering provides the 

opportunity to enjoy new experiences, 

meet new people, learn new skills, and 

put ideas and talents to work. 

We hope these stories will inspire and motivate YOU to make a difference by 

participating in a local volunteer program or maybe even starting one of 

your own. Be sure to check the resources on page 12 of this document for 

additional ideas on volunteering. 

About This Booklet

This booklet is the second volume of a series of case 

study documents and contains just a few examples of 

volunteer projects related to solid waste management. 

Other examples are contained in Volunteer for 

Change: A Guide to Environmental Community Service, 

EPA530-K-01-002, May 2001, which can be ordered 

from EPA’s Web site at <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/ 

publicat.htm> or by calling (800) 490-9198. Many 

other community groups and organizations exist 

throughout the United States as well. 
The ABCs of Volunteering


Thinking of volunteering? You might want to consider the following: 

•	 What types of activities you are good at and like to do. 

•	 What you hope to learn by volunteering. 

•	 Whether you want an ongoing, regularly scheduled assignment, a 

short-term assignment, or a one-time assignment. 

•	 Whether you want to work alone, with a group, or with a friend or 

family members. 

•	 What kind of people you want to work with—both in terms of who is 

receiving services and who your co-workers might be. 

•	 Whether you are willing to participate in a training course or want to 

start your volunteer work immediately. 

So, you’ve decided you want to volunteer for activities related to solid waste 

management, including waste reduction, recycling, composting, or household hazardous waste. Now it’s time to contact an organization that could 

use your help,such as: 

•	 Your municipality’s solid waste management program, recycling


centers, or special household hazardous waste collection sites.


•	 Master Composter, Master Recycler, or Master Gardener programs in 

your community. 

•	 A 4-H or Cooperative Extension office in your local community or 

your state. 

•	 Local college or university environmental groups. 

•	 National environmental organizations with branches in your area. 

•	 Local environmental groups. 

•	 Organizations listed in the “Resources”section of this booklet. 

Check your local phone book or the Internet for contact information, such 

as addresses and phone numbers. 
Contents 

Recycling Projects

Raucous Revelry and Recycling 

Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling Volunteer Effort,


State College, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1


Living and Breathing Recycling at ASU 

Arizona State University Recycling,Tempe,Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2


Kids of All Ages Get Their Recycling Kicks 

Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County, Glenview, Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3


Receptive Rural Recycling 

Perry County Recycling, Perry County, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5


A History of Excellence 

Seattle University’s Recycling Program, Seattle,Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6


Reuse, Recycling, Composting, and/or Household

Hazardous Waste Projects Combined

Floridians Help Protect the Environment 

Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County, Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . .8


Volunteers Instill an Environmental Ethic 

Columbia Public Works, Columbia, Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9


Other

Fighting Illegal Dumping and Littering 

PA CleanWays, Greensburg, Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10


Defending the Planet One Beat at a Time 

Rock the Earth, Denver, Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11


Resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12


Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17


Contacts listed in this document are current as of the printing date. Note that 

phone numbers and Web site addresses can change frequently. 
Raucous Revelry and 

Recycling 

Penn State Beaver Stadium PostGame Recycling Volunteer Effort

State College, Pennsylvania

The Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling 

Volunteer Effort (PGRVE) strives to promote environmental sustainability through recycling and heightened awareness of recycling, while also encouraging the 

Pennsylvania State University students to become 

engaged in public service through environmental 

activism.The first program of its kind in the United 

States, PGRVE is a collaborative initiative between 

students and the university’s Office of the Physical 

Plant. 

After each Penn State home football game, typically 50 to 75 students volunteer to collect thousands of pounds of recyclable plastic materials that otherwise would be discarded with regular trash collection.When 

the other Nittany Lion fans are at home recapping the game’s highlights,these Penn 

State students re-enter the then-empty stadium,walking through the stands collecting recyclables left behind by the roughly 110,000 fans that attend each game. 

Often, this effort is further coordinated with Boy Scouts,Girl Scouts,Nittany Lion 

fans, additional Penn State students, and other volunteer groups who walk in pairs 

through the parking lots and lines, collecting recyclable material from tailgaters and 

fans entering the stadium. 

Materials collected through the PGRVE are recycled and the annual profits are 

donated to the Centre County United Way. In its 10-year history, PGRVE has collected 

nearly 300 tons of recyclables that would have otherwise required disposal. 

Throughout the years, the program has shared its unique stadium recycling 

approach and plan with many other colleges and universities, including: the Air 

Force Academy, the Ohio State University, 

University of Connecticut,University of 

Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, University Contact: of Tennessee, and University of Virginia, as 

Al Matyasovsky well as with the National Football League’s 

119 Physical Plant Building Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans. 

University Park, PA 16802 

Phone: (814) 863-4719 


E-mail: aem3@psu.edu

Web Site: www.psu.edu

1

Living and Breathing Recycling 

at ASU 

Arizona State University Recycling

Tempe, Arizona

By receiving college credits or community 

service hours (and maybe even getting a 

volunteer T-shirt) Arizona State University 

(ASU) Recycling volunteers gain even more than 

the satisfaction of participating in the campus 

recycling and beautification activities. 

ASU recycles practically everything under the 

sun—white ledger and colored ledger paper 

(pastel, dark, neon), computer paper, newspapers 

(including inserts) catalogs (glue back and stapled), magazines (glue back and stapled), fax paper, envelopes (with or without 

windows), file folders, bound books, phone books, chip board, batteries, printer cartridges, cell phones, and even shoes. 

Recycling volunteers can choose to participate in a wide variety of activities 

such as posting flyers around campus, giving presentations, answering questions at 

information tables, or volunteering to help with Earth Day and America Recycles 

Day events. One of the specific activities that volunteers engage in is putting signs 

on various recycling bins to educate the ASU community about what may and may 

not go into the bins.Volunteers routinely make rounds of the bins, replacing signs, 

and distributing educational information. 

The recycling program not only has general student volunteers, but also has 

Recycling Ambassadors who share their recycling knowledge with students in their 

resident halls through presentations, brochures, games, and/or informational 

posters.To become a Recycling Ambassador, 

students attend a one-hour training class at 

the ASU Recycling Facility. Recycling Contact: Ambassadors are also responsible for monitoring the outdoor recycling collection con- Kerry Suson tainers and acting as liaisons between the Arizona State University hall and ASU Recycling. Recycling Program 

ASU doesn’t stop there. Arizona State 2325 E. Rio Salado Parkway 

University: Clean & Beautiful, an initiative Tempe, AZ 85281 

sponsored by Arizona State University 

Recycling, also provides volunteer opportuni- Phone: (480) 965-7639 

ties.Volunteers clean up areas around the E-mail: recycle-q@asu.edu 

campus that need attention, gathering trash, kerry.suson@asu.edu 

leaves, or other debris and recycle them, Web Site: http://recycle.asu.edu 

whenever possible. 

2

Kids of All Ages Get Their 

Recycling Kicks 

Solid Waste Agency of Northern

Cook County

Glenview, Illinois

Volunteers from a county agency, a 

major athletic company, and local Contact: 

high schools are working together to 

make recycling happen.The Solid Waste Mary S.Allen 

Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) Solid Waste Agency of Northern 

serves 23 towns in Northern Cook County, Cook County 

Illinois, and Nike, Inc. offer high school stu- 2700 Patriot Blvd. Suite 110 

dents the opportunity to recycle athletic Glenview, IL 60026 

shoes through the company’s Reuse-A-Shoe 

program. SWANCC’s program has been oper- Phone: (847) 724-9205 

ating for the past six years, three years as a E-mail: mary@swancc.org 

pilot program and three years as a partici- Web Site: www.swancc.org 

pant in the national Reuse-A-Shoe program 

promoted by the National Recycling Nike, Inc. 

Coalition.	 1 Bowerman Drive 

Beaverton, OR 97005 

Each spring, SWANCC solicits student 

volunteers to assist during a three-day shoe Phone: (800) 806-6453 

collection drive.Throughout the years, volun- Web Site: www.nikereuseashoe.com 

teers from 15 high schools have earned 

between one and four hours of community 

service credit to help with this project and 

have collected approximately 37,500 pairs of 

athletic shoes for Nike’s program.The shoes are sorted and boxed for shipment by 

the high school volunteers.Hundreds of “gently used”shoes have been donated to 

charity. 

On average, Nike processes between 1 million and 2 million pairs of athletic 

shoes each year through the Reuse-A-Shoe Program to create a material known as 

“Nike Grind.”Nike Grind is composed of shoes from post-consumer collections,Nike 

shoes with material or workmanship flaws (defectives), and materials from the manufacturing of Nike footwear. Since its inception in 1993, Nike’s Reuse-A-Shoe program has recycled more than 16 million pairs of shoes. In addition, Nike has worked 

in concert with its community affairs initiative (NikeGo) to donate more than 170 

basketball courts, tennis courts, tracks, fields, and playground surfaces made from 

recycled content to communities around the world. 

3

SWANCC’s close relationship with area schools and other entities has made it 

possible to educate students and adults about the importance of reducing, reusing, 

recycling, and buying recycled.Nike’s “Air to Earth”shoebox—containing a video 

and a sliced shoe with samples of 

Nike Grind and sport surfaces— 

helps students understand the importance of closing the loop in a 

product’s life cycle. 

4

Receptive Rural Recycling 

Perry County Recycling

Perry County, Pennsylvania

I

t all started back in the mid-1980s when the sixth grade class at Greenwood 

Elementary School implemented Millerstown, Pennsylvania’s first recycling program as a way of earning extra money in this rural area. One Saturday each 

month,the school collected glass,tin, and aluminum in 55-gallon drums.When the 

drums were full, a local farmer would put the drums on a truck and haul them to a 

recycler. Unfortunately, after accounting for the transportation costs, not enough 

profit was realized and eventually the program was discontinued. 

In February 1990,Greenwood Township,Tuscarora Township, and Millerstown 

Borough implemented a communitywide program within Perry County by collecting recyclables in the parking lot of Greenwood Elementary School. Perry County 

staff bagged the recyclables in large woven plastic salt bags obtained from a local 

plant. On a rotating basis, each municipality had the responsibility of hauling the 

materials to the recycler.The profits earned from selling the recyclables helped 

defray some trucking fees and employee salaries.Although never profitable,the program reduced the amount of waste headed to the landfill. 

In the mid-1990s, the Penn State 

Cooperative Extension helped Perry County 

Contact: Recycling receive a grant from the 

Pennsylvania Department of Environmental 

Brenda Benner Protection.Through the grant,Perry County 

201 Turkey Ridge Road purchased large roll-off bins, which are disMillerstown, PA 17062 tributed to individual drop-off sites. 

Phone: (717) 589-3724 Collections at the county’s individual 

drop-off sites occur once a month, and the E-mail: bkb@pa.net county picks up the extra costs to move the 

Web Site: www.perryco.org bins.Volunteers, including interested community members, school groups, church groups, 

scouts, and Lions’ Club members, operate the 

drop-off sites. Originally, Perry County only 

collected clear glass, bi-metal cans, and aluminum, but recycling has now expanded 

to collect brown, green, and clear glass; cardboard; newspapers; aluminum; bi-metal 

cans; and recyclable plastics. 

5

A History of Excellence 

Seattle University’s Recycling Program

Seattle, Washington

Waste reduction and recycling on Seattle University’s campus began in 

1988, with small-scale ventures by individual offices and student groups 

that collected aluminum cans to raise party funds and do something 

good for the environment.As the cost of solid waste disposal increased,the 

university began to realize that institutionalizing recycling efforts could be both 

environmentally and economically advantageous. 

In 1993, the university recognized the need for a special unit within Facility 

Operations that specifically dealt with campuswide environmental issues.The 

Environmental Services Office (ESO) was established, and the positions of 

Environmental Safety Technician and Environmental Coordinator were created. 

Some of the many responsibilities of the new office included establishing a comprehensive solid waste management 

plan, assisting in the development of 

purchasing policies and guidelines that 

support waste reduction strategies and Contact: 

techniques, and producing a comprehensive campus educational program 

Tyler Dierks 

about waste reduction and recycling. Seattle University 

901 12th Ave 

As with many large institutions, the Seattle,WA 98122 

opportunities to reduce waste or reuse 

materials at colleges and universities are Phone: (206) 296-6290 

practically limitless.They can be found E-mail: dierkst@seatttleu.edu

almost anywhere on campus where Web Site: www.seattleu.edu

waste materials are generated, including 

offices, classrooms, libraries, mailrooms, 

campus stores, student unions, food service areas, dormitories, and at special events. Because these opportunities were recognized early on, Seattle University’s waste reduction and recycling program has been 

a success. 

During the first two years of the program—1988 and 1989—data from a campuswide waste audit showed that the recycling rate was between 31 and 37 percent.With increased educational efforts aimed at staff and students, along with 

greater accessibility to recycling containers, the recycling rate has risen to 62 percent. In 2003, the university recycled 745 tons of materials and saved $57,000 

through recycling, composting, and diversion. Not limited to standard recyclables 

such as mixed paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, and steel and aluminum 

cans, the university also collects fluorescent tubes, batteries, computers, scrap 

6

metals, ink cartridges, books, pallets, and noncompostable scrap 

wood. It also conducts surplus sales 

and recycles construction and 

demolition debris. 

The university also operates an 

organics recycling program that 

includes composting pre-consumer 

food scraps and coffee grounds at 

its onsite composting facility. 

Landscaping debris is sent off campus to be composted. In addition, 

campus staff practices grasscycling 

(allowing mowed grass clippings to 

break down naturally in the lawns 

and feed the soil), and using coarse woodchip mulch from local tree services in 

planting beds. 

7

Floridians Help Protect the 

Environment 

Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach

County

Palm Beach County, Florida

Community volunteers play a vital 

role in disseminating informa- Contact: 

tion, educating residents, and promoting the Solid Waste Authority (SWA) Linda Moreno 

of Palm Beach County’s environmental Volunteer Coordinator 

efforts.These volunteers are a valuable Solid Waste Authority of PBC 

asset to SWA’s programs because of their 7501 North Jog Road 

dedication to the environment and will- West Palm Beach, FL 33412 

ingness to promote SWA messages. Phone: (561) 640-4000 ext.4327 

Implemented in 1994,the SWA volun- E-mail: Lmoreno@swa.org

teer program assists SWA in reducing Web Site: www.swa.org 

annual solid waste generation in Palm 

Beach County. SWA volunteers support 

the community’s environmental initiatives 

in numerous ways: 

•	 Neighbor-to-Neighbor—This community-based program, available to all Palm 

Beach County residents, promotes the three Rs of solid waste management 

(reduce,reuse, and recycle) at the grassroots level.Volunteers are proactive 

in their communities by educating their families, friends, neighbors, and 

coworkers about waste prevention and recycling. 

•	 Green Team—Volunteers assist SWA staff with special events held throughout the county. These events are designed to educate residents about the 

authority’s waste prevention and recycling programs. 

•	 Litter Matters: Adopt-A-Spot—Adopt-A-Spot involves the adoption of specific 

areas by individuals or organizations for litter abatement and beautification. 

When these spots are officially adopted, the adopter assumes responsibility 

for ensuring the specific area is kept litter free. Although collecting litter and 

debris is the main objective, mowing, edging, and other forms of maintenance and beautification can also be part of the effort. 

•	 Office Support—Volunteers assist SWA staff with various administrative 

duties.Volunteers assist the Recycling and Customer Information Services 

Departments by answering telephone calls, filing, data entry, and sending 

out mailings. 

8

Volunteers Instill an


Environmental Ethic


Columbia Public Works

Columbia, Missouri

With a mission statement that 

emphasizes utilizing the 

unique talents, skills, and 

knowledge of volunteers to extend 

waste reduction and environmental 

cleanup programs, the Columbia Public 

Works’ volunteer program is an integral 

part of the community.Volunteers are 

involved in numerous activities, ranging 

from assisting at household hazardous 

waste collections to teaching compost 

workshops, distributing compost bins, 

researching and writing informational 

publications, and helping to promote 

events such as Earth Day and “A Day With Wildlife.”Volunteers even get the opportunity to wear a costume at schools and events and work on campaigns such as the 

Use Less Stuff holiday campaign. 

One of the most popular events is the Recyclabration. Held in the children’s 

area at the Columbia Festival of the Arts, it has become an attraction for all ages. 

Volunteers collect materials for use in making artistic creations and set up tables at 

which participants can work. In fall 2005, hundreds of people crammed the tables 

making envelopes from old calendars, flowers out of plastic six-pack plastic rings, 

and art from CDs and phone wires.The opportunity is used to promote waste 

reduction, reuse, and recycling, to educate people about the importance of proper 

recycling and the location of recycling collection sites for special materials, and to 

answer questions.Attendees enjoy being given the opportunity to use their creativity, and because the materials are all things that would otherwise be thrown away, 

they feel uninhibited about using them. 

Volunteers are also helping shape the future of recycling in the county by educating children about recycling.Columbia Public Works is combating a “contamination”problem at the city’s material recovery facility,meaning residents are mixing 

non-recyclables with recyclables which “contaminates”the materials and slows 

down the sorting and recovery process. 

Volunteers help instill children with the knowledge to make them good recyclers from a 

young age. Several schools have shown interest 

in this effort and promote activities and classes so that every student can learn how to 

properly collect recyclables. 

9 

Contact: 

Christine Gardener, Program Assistant 

Grissum Building 

P.O. Box 6015 

Columbia, MO 65205 

Phone: (573) 874-6271 

E-mail: cmgarden@GoColumbiaMO.com

Web Site: www.gocolumbiamo.com
Fighting Illegal Dumping and 

Littering 

PA CleanWays

Greensburg, Pennsylvania

Every county in Pennsylvania is plagued with numerous illegal dump sites.To 

help combat this problem, PA CleanWays, a statewide nonprofit organization, 

fights illegal dumping and littering through a comprehensive approach that 

includes facilitating community cleanups, addressing problem disposal items, offering education,beautification, and adoption opportunities.The organization,which 

has a network of grassroots chapters and affiliates throughout the state, also provides technical assistance to individuals, groups, organizations, and companies 

interested in safely cleaning up illegal dump sites and keeping them clean. 

PA CleanWays solicits volunteers interested in making a difference through participating in 

or organizing a cleanup. PA 

CleanWays has found that many 

of the common items in illegal 

dumps include tires (found in 

more than 90 percent of 

Pennsylvania’s illegal dumps), 

household products (e.g., cleaning supplies, diapers, paints, oil), 

and various toxic items. 

Unfortunately, household garbage 

can contain chemicals and other 

liquids that can eventually seep 

into and pollute the groundwater. Other items improperly dumped include appliances, furniture, vehicles and auto parts, and construction and remodeling debris. 

Furthermore, one of the more surprising items found are compostable materials 

such as yard clippings. 

Illegal dumping is an ongoing problem; cleanups 

alone won’t solve it. Monitoring dump locations, 

increasing successful prosecutions, addressing problem disposal items, increasing affordable and convenient recycling or disposal opportunities, and 

providing public education are also needed. 

10 

Contact: 

Karen McCalpin 

PA CleanWays 

105 West Fourth Street 

Greensburg, PA 15601-2981 

Phone: (724) 836-4121 

E-mail: kmccalpin@pacleanways.org

Web Site: www.pacleanways.org
Defending the Planet 

One Beat at a Time 

Rock the Earth

Denver, Colorado

Rock the Earth, founded in 2002 by 

environmental attorney Marc 

Ross, is dedicated to bringing 

about positive and beneficial environmental changes through active litigation 

and negotiation on behalf of members of 

the music industry, their fans, and the 

general public.The organization also 

focuses its efforts on reducing the ecological footprint of music tours through 

the use of recycling, biodiesel fuel for 

tour buses and trucks, organic clothing 

for merchandise, and wind power credits 

to offset tour emissions.The organization 

consists of a 25-person volunteer staff of 

environmental attorneys, technical consultants, public relations professionals, marketing and media relations experts, and a fundraising team. 

The organization strives to become the primary voice of the music industry as it pertains to current environmental initiatives by 1) bringing together members of the music industry, their fans, and the environmental 

community in order to publicize environmental issues of mutual 

concern, and 2) providing specialized, experienced, passionate, 

and pragmatic environmental, legal, and technical assistance 

to individuals and communities affected by past, current, 

or proposed activities that threaten the environment, 

natural resources, and/or human health. 

Contact: 

Marc A. Ross 

Rock the Earth 

1536 Wynkoop St. 

Suite #B200 

Denver, CO 80202 

Phone: (303) 454-3304 

E-mail: marcr@rocktheearth.net

Web Site: www.RockTheEarth.org 

11

Resources


1-800-Volunteer.Org

Points of Light Foundation 

1400 I Street, NW 

Suite 800 

Washington, DC 20005 

Phone: (202) 729-8000 

E-mail: 1800support@1800volunteer.org

Web Site: www.1-800-volunteer.org

1-800-Volunteer.org connects you to volunteer opportunities in your community, 

helps you track your volunteer service, 

and sends you automatic e-mail notifications—enabling you to respond when 

you’re needed most.You can also conduct 

a search for volunteer opportunities based 

on issue and zip code. 

America Recycles Day

Web Site: www.americarecyclesday.org

America Recycles Day is a national grassroots campaign dedicated to increasing 

the purchase of recycled-content products 

and recycling throughout America. 

Action Without Borders

360 West 31st Street, Suite 1510 

New York, NY 10001 

Phone: (212) 843-3973 

Fax: (212) 564-3377 

Web Site: www.idealist.org 

This organization maintains an Internet 

database, Idealist, which currently boasts 

the most detailed community of nonprofit 

and volunteering resources on the Web. 

Information is provided by 20,000 organizations in 140 countries.Volunteers can 

search for opportunities based on a variety of criteria, including their area of interest, geographic location, or the duration of 

time they are available. 

Citizens’ Environmental Coalition

33 Central Avenue 

Albany, NY 12210 

Phone: (518) 462-5527 

Fax: (518) 465-8349 

Web Site: www.cectoxic.org

The Citizens’ Environmental Coalition is a 

statewide environmental organization that 

aims to eliminate pollution in 

the state of New York. 

Volunteers work to 

empower, educate, and 

assist others who are 

concerned about environmental problems and 

to eliminate solid waste 

and create healthier communities. 

Cornell Composting

Web Site: http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/

composting.html

This Web site offers a comprehensive listing of composting resources as well as 

examples and case studies from Cornell’s 

Waste Management Institute. 

Corporation for National & Community

Service

1201 New York Avenue, NW 

Washington, DC 20525 

Phone: (202) 606-5000 

E-mail: info@cns.gov

Web Site: www.cns.gov

National service partnerships offer opportunities for businesses, foundations, nonprofits, educational institutions, local and 

state governments, and others to extend 

their reach and further their effect on 

communities.The Corporation for 

12

National Service currently has three main 

service initiatives—Learn and Serve 

America,AmeriCorps, and the National 

Senior Service Corps—as well as partnerships with other national organizations. 

Earth 911

Web Site: www.earth911.org

This site can help you locate local environmental information and recycling centers for all types of recyclables based on 

ZIP code. 

Earth Force

1908 Mount Vernon Avenue 

Second Floor 

Alexandria,VA 22301 

Phone: (800) 23-FORCE (233-6723) 

Fax: (703) 299-9485 

E-mail: earthforce@earthforce.org

Web Site: www.earthforce.org

Earth Force engages young people as 

active citizens to improve the environment 

and their communities now and in the 

future. Earth Force offers training and supporting educators in programs that enable 

young people to lead community action 

projects focused on creating sustainable 

solutions to local environment issues in 

the community. 

Eco-Cycle

Phone: (303) 444.6634 (Boulder, CO) 

E-mail: recycle@ecocycle.org

Web Site: www.ecocycle.org

Eco-Cycle believes in individual and community 

action to transform society’s throwaway ethic into 

environmentally friendly 

stewardship. Its mission is 

to provide publicly 

accountable recycling; 

offer conservation and 

education services; and 

identify, explore, and 

demonstrate the emerging 

frontiers of sustainable 

resource management. 

Environmental Alliance for Senior

Involvement (EASI)

P.O. Box 250 

Catlett,VA 20119-0250 

Phone: (540) 788-3274 

Fax: (540) 788-9301 

Web Site: www.easi.org

EASI’s mission is to build, promote, and utilize the environmental ethic, expertise, and 

commitment of older adults to expand citizen involvement in protecting and caring 

for the environment. In addition to providing information on senior environmental 

programs, EASI publishes a quarterly 

newsletter as well as a resource guide to 

national projects. 

Hands On Network (formerly City Cares)

600 Means Street, Suite 110 

Atlanta, GA 30318 

Phone: (404) 979-2900 

Fax: (404) 979-2901 

Web Site: www.citycares.org 

Hands On Network is a national civic 

movement bringing people together to 

tackle tough community problems. 

Keep America Beautiful (KAB)

1010 Washington Boulevard 

Stamford, CT 06901 

Phone: (203) 323-8987 

Fax: (203) 325-9199 

E-mail: info@kab.org

Web Site: www.kab.org

KAB is a nonprofit organization whose 

network of local, state, and international 

affiliate programs educates individuals 

about litter prevention and ways to 

reduce, reuse, recycle, and properly manage waste materials.Their programs focus 

on enabling local volunteers to acquire 

the skills, tools, and resources to work 

together in building quality communities. 

Through partnerships and strategic 

alliances with citizens, businesses, and 

government, KAB’s programs motivate millions of volunteers annually to clean up, 

beautify, and improve their neighborhoods, thereby creating healthier, safer, and 

more livable community environments. 

13 
National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Campus Ecology Program 

11100 Wildlife Center Drive 

Reston,VA 20190-5362 

Phone: (703) 438-6000 

Web Site: www.nwf.org/campusecology 

Since its founding in 1989, NWF’s Campus 

Ecology Program has become a cornerstone conservation initiative in higher education.The program works to transform 

the nation’s college campuses into living 

models of an ecologically sustainable 

society, to train a new generation of environmental leaders, and to ensure a strong 

future for America’s environmental movebook of successful programs 

and activities. 

ment. Its primary goal is to reduce 

the need to r

of en

einvent the wheel 

vironmental action from 

campus to campus by communicating to campus 

organizers what other environmental leaders have 

already learned. NWF’s 

Web site features a yearNetwork for Good

8615 Westwood Center Dr. 

Suite 1A 

Vienna,VA 22182 

Phone: (866) 650-4636 

Fax: (703) 265-6811 

Web Site: www.networkforgood.org

Network for Good is a nonprofit organization that connects individuals with their 

favorite charities—making online donations, exploring volunteer opportunities, 

and learning more about the causes that 

matter most. 

14


Points of Light Foundation

1400 I Street, NW, Suite 800 

Washington, DC 20005 

Phone: (202) 729-8000 

Fax: (202) 729-8100 

Web Site: www.pointsoflight.org

The Points of Light Foundation’s mission is 

to engage more people more effectively in 

volunteer community service to help solve 

serious social problems.The Foundation, 

among other things, assists employers in 

developing workplace volunteer programs 

and helps develop youth service leaders 

and youth service programs. 

Seattle Works

312 First Avenue, N. 

Suite 200 

Seattle,WA 98109 

Phone: (206) 324-0808 

Fax: (206) 324-0817 

E-mail: info@seattleworks.org

Web Site: www.seattleworks.org

Seattle Works was founded in 1989 by a 

group of young adults who saw the need 

to involve their peers in community service.The organization has since developed 

several innovative volunteer programs that 

mobilize people to get involved in their 

community. Seattle Works operates on the 

premise that people in their 20s and 30s 

want to give back to their communities, 

but often just don’t know how or where to 

do it most effectively. 

Student Conservation Association (SCA)

689 River Road 

Charlestown, NH 03603-0550 

Phone: (603) 543-1700 

Fax: (603) 543-1828 

Web Site: www.sca-inc.org

SCA is America’s largest and oldest 

provider of national and community conservation service opportunities, outdoor 

education, and career training for youth. 

SCA volunteers and interns annually perform more than 1 million hours of conservation service in national parks, forests, 

refuges, and urban areas in all 50 states. 
Recycler’s World

Web Site: www.recycle.net

This site is a worldwide trading center for 

information related to secondary or recyclable commodities, byproducts, and used 

and surplus items or materials.The site 

also offers a calendar of events, a listing of 

associations, and a publications list. 

The Compost Resource Page

Web Site: www.oldgrowth.org/compost 

This site offers a detailed overview of composting and a list of additional resources 

on home composting and vermicomposting, as well as composting toilets. 

The Freecycle NetworkTM

P.O. Box 294 

Tucson,AZ 85702 

E-mail: info@freecycle.org 

Web Site: www.freecycle.org 

Freecycle aims to build a worldwide gifting movement that reduces waste, saves 

precious resources, and eases the burden 

on landfills while enabling members to 

benefit from the strength of a larger community. Membership is free. Individuals in 

a given community give and receive 

unwanted items as a way to reuse and 

recycle. 

The Master Composter Site

Web Site: www.mastercomposter.com

Visitors to this site can learn everything 

they might ever want to know about making and using compost.The information is 

geared toward home composters and 

includes directions on how to build a 

compost pile and contact information for 

local composting programs. 

The Heart of America Foundation

401 F Street, NW 

Suite 325 

Washington, DC 2002 

Phone: (202) 347-6278 

Fax: (202) 347-8599 

Web Site: www.heartofamerica.org

The Heart of America Foundation is a 

national humanitarian network that celebrates, honors, and empowers both young 

people and adults. One 

of its initiatives, Heart 

Corps, is a college 

scholarship program 

that rewards students 

with financial credits 

for their future education based on time volunteered for 

community service. 

Heart Corps gives students an opportunity to 

nourish their self-esteem, improve their 

neighborhoods, and earn financial credits 

toward their education through serving 

their communities. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency’s Office of Solid Waste (OSW)

Web Site: www.epa.gov/osw

OSW provides detailed information on 

how to reduce, reuse, and recycle as well 

as on composting and source reduction. 

The site also provides an extensive list of 

links to relevant sites. 

The U.S. Environmental Protection

Agency’s Environmentally Preferable

Purchasing Program (EPP)

Web Site: www.epa.gov/epp

EPP is a nationwide program that encourages and assists executive agencies in the 

purchasing of environmentally preferable 

products and services.This site includes 

tools to implement EPP, successful stories 

and events, and an EPP discussion section. 

15

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Volunteer Clearinghouse 

Phone: (800) 865-8337 

Web Site: www.orn.usace.army.mil/

volunteer

The U.S.Army Corps of Engineers 

Volunteer Clearinghouse is a nationwide, 

toll-free hotline for individuals who want 

to volunteer their time with the Corps. By 

calling the hotline, a potential volunteer 

can express interest in any Corps project 

nationwide.The Clearinghouse gives the 

individual a point of contact for the area 

they have requested, as well as written 

information about the area’s volunteer 

opportunities. 

VolunteerMatch

385 Grove Street 

San Francisco, CA 94102 

Phone: (415) 241-6872 

Fax: (415) 241-6869 

Web Site: www.volunteermatch.org

VolunteerMatch, a service of the nonprofit 

group ImpactOnline, uses the Internet to 

help individuals nationwide find volunteer 

opportunities.VolunteerMatch’s online 

database allows volunteers to search thousands of onetime and ongoing opportunities by ZIP code, category, and date. 

Youth Serve America (YSA)

1101 15th Street NW 

Suite 200 

Washington, DC 20005 

Phone: (202) 296-2992 

Web Site: www.servenet.org 

YSA is a resource center and an alliance 

of more than 200 organizations committed 

to increasing the quantity and quality of 

opportunities for young Americans to 

serve locally, nationally, or globally.YSA’s 

mission is to strengthen the effectiveness, 

sustainability, and scale of the youth service movement.YSA believes a strong youth 

service movement will create healthy 

communities and foster citizenship, knowledge, and personal development of young 

people. 

16

Glossary


Biodegrade: To decompose under natural conditions—the breakdown of a compound to simpler chemicals by microorganisms. 

Compost: A crumbly, earthy, sweet-smelling mixture of decomposing organic matter 

(e.g., leaves, food scraps) that is often used to improve the texture, water-retaining 

capacity, and aeration of soil. 

Grasscycling: Source reduction activity in which grass clippings are left on the 

lawn after mowing.The practice consists of mowing grass so it is never more than 

two to three inches tall.The grass clippings are left where they fall and allowed to 

decompose, returning nutrients to the lawn. 

Household hazardous waste (HHW): Small quantities of unused or leftover hazardous products used in the home that become waste. Paints, pesticides, and some 

cleaners are examples of household hazardous waste. Caution must be taken when 

handling, storing, or disposing of these products. 

Landfill: An engineered disposal site where solid wastes are deposited, compacted 

to the smallest practical volume, and covered by soil or other material applied at 

the end of each operating day. Hazardous wastes are taken to special disposal sites 

selected and designed to minimize the chance of releasing hazardous substances 

into the environment. 

Municipal solid waste: Wastes such as durable goods, disposable goods, containers 

and packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes 

from households, certain commercial establishments (e.g., businesses or restaurants), institutions (e.g., schools or hospitals), and some industrial sources. It does 

not include nonhazardous industrial wastes, sewage, agricultural waste, hazardous 

waste,or construction and demolition waste.Also known 

as garbage, trash, refuse, or debris. 

Recyclable: Material that still has useful physical or 

chemical properties after serving its original purpose and 

can be reused or remanufactured to make new products. 

Plastic, paper, glass, steel and aluminum cans, and used 

oil are examples of recyclable materials. 

17

Recycling: Collecting, sorting, processing, and converting materials that would have


been thrown away into raw materials used to make the same or new products.


Refurbish: To repair, clean, and make useful again. Some electronic manufacturing


companies and other businesses take back used equipment, refurbish it,


and sell it again.


Source reduction: Any change in the design, manufacture, pur­


chase, or use of materials or products (including packaging) to


reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal


solid waste. Source reduction also refers to the reuse of products


or materials.


Trash: Items that are discarded because they no longer work and


are uneconomical or impossible to reuse, repair, or recycle.


18

Notes


19

1EPA

United States Environmental Protection Agency (5305P) Washington, DC 20460 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 July 2006 EPA-530-K-06-001 www.epa.gov/osw 

2 Recycled/Recyclable—Printed with Vegetable Oil-Based Inks on 100% (Minimum 50% Postconsumer) Recycled Paper