CVP offers new tool to recycling coordinators.

Recycling coordinators have a new educational tool that is available for free through the Curbside Value Partnership (CVP).

The "Recycling Communicators Toolbox," an education toolkit available online and on CD-ROM, was launched during the 2007 National Recycling Coalition Annual Congress and Exposition in Denver.

According to the CVP, the kit features "tried and true strategies for maximizing education dollars." The CVP has worked with more than 40 communities and says it has found increased education leads to increased participation in curbside recycling programs.

The toolkit is free to interested communities, thanks to CVP sponsors Alcoa, Anheuser-Busch Recycling, ARCO, Ball Corp., Novelis and Rexam. Communities can navigate across various subjects, including best practices and research findings; the need for education; how to use public relations; the importance of branding; using social marketing techniques; leveraging the Web; reaching diverse audiences; and measuring success. Worksheets are also included to encourage users to get "hands-on" with the toolkit's contents. Additionally, dozens of resources and tools are provided to jump start activities.

Steve Thompson, CVP program director, says, "We know time and money are an issue when it comes to education, so we created an easy-to-use toolkit to take some of the guess work out of it."

The toolkit and an audio "Webinar" to better educate communities on the toolkit is available through the CVP Web site at www.RecycteOurbside.org.