1/23/2013
CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, RECYCLEBANK WIN OUTSTANDING PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Philadelphia, January 22, 2013 - The City of Philadelphia and Recyclebank were selected for the Outstanding Award in Public/Private Partnerships by the United States Conference of Mayors (USCM). The award honors the partnership’s success in building a more sustainable city by increasing recycling participation among community members and diverting more waste from landfills.
“As Philadelphia strives to be the greenest city in America, we are focused on forging partnerships that help us reach our sustainability goals, increase community engagement and stimulate the local economy,” said Mayor Michael A. Nutter. “In working with us to create Philadelphia Recycling Rewards, Recyclebank has been a strong partner and has helped Philadelphia to reach new heights of urban sustainability and national environmental leadership.”
The award was presented Saturday, January 19 at the USCM 81st Winter Meeting. The Excellence in Public/Private Partnership Awards were established by the USCM to recognize the achievements made possible by the partnerships between the member companies of the Mayors Business Council and cities across the nation. Mayor Nutter and Erika Diamond, vice president of community solutions at Recyclebank, accepted the award.
“Philadelphia’s strides in building a more sustainable and smarter city is testament to the impact that partnerships between public entities and private corporations can create,” said Diamond. “By rewarding residents for taking more everyday green actions like recycling, Philadelphia has increased recycling rates in the face of stagnant national average rates and helped residents realize the financial benefits of making more sustainable choices.”
In summer 2008, the City of Philadelphia made a commitment to sustainability by expanding its recycling program, switching to a single-stream recycling system. In February 2010, the City furthered its commitment by partnering with Recyclebank and offering more than 540,000 household residents the opportunity to get rewards for recycling at home with the program, Philadelphia Recycling Rewards. In addition to rewards for recycling, the partnership has raised awareness and education for recycling, both critical components to recycling behavior change. Because of these combined efforts, the City has increased the total amount of residential recycling collected by nearly 20,000 tons and its curbside recycling diversion rate is up four percentage points since the Recycling Rewards Program was implemented Citywide in July 2010.
"The Philadelphia Streets Department is very proud to be the co-recipient of the Outstanding Award in Public/Private Partnerships with our partner Recyclebank," said Streets Commissioner Clarena Tolson. "The award signifies how far Philadelphia has come in its recycling efforts and supporting Mayor Nutter's vision for Philadelphia to be the most viable and environmentally conscious city in the country," Tolson said. "Philadelphia Recycling Rewards allows us to give back to residents who have made recycling a priority in their community. This program not only makes the City greener by increasing recycling rates and saving the City from costly landfill fees; it puts more green in the pockets of local residents by giving them points redeemable at local businesses.”
Philadelphia Recycling Rewards, powered by Recyclebank, rewards residents for recycling with discounts and deals from locally-based businesses and national brands. For more information on the program, please visit www.phillyrecyclingpays.com.
ABOUT THE PHILADELPHIA STREETS DEPARTMENT
For more information about the Philadelphia Streets Department, visit: http://www.philadelphiastreets.com.
ABOUT RECYCLEBANK
Recyclebank helps create a more sustainable future by rewarding people for taking everyday green actions with discounts and deals from more than 4,000 local businesses and national brands. Through its online platform and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank empowers individuals to make a collective impact on the environment by increasing household recycling and taking other environmentally-friendly actions. A Certified B Corporation, Recyclebank has been recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Program and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors. Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.Recyclebank.com.
# # #
« Return to Press Releases