A tenants’ association is an excellent way to get the word out to building residents about recycling more and wasting less. Consider implementing some of the ideas below.
Remind tenants to recycle. Provide reminders encouraging residents to fully participate in the City’s mandatory recycling program. Remember, recycling is the law.
Join the NYC Apartment Building Recycling Initiative(ABRI). With your building management's permission, ABRI participants work with the Department of Sanitation to educate tenants in their buildings about the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Request a re-fashioNYC clothing donation bin for your building. This City partnership with Housing Works makes clothing donation easy with in-building drop-off for buildings with 10 or more units.
Educate tenants about the amount of waste generated in the building. If possible, work with building management to estimate the quantity of waste disposed of by the building’s tenants and the quantity of material collected for recycling. Publish this information in tenant newsletters and post the data near waste disposal and recycling collection areas. Consider setting a waste prevention goal for your building.
Give tenants information about what they can do. The next step is to share information about how individual residents can reduce the quantity of waste they generate. Provide information to tenants on everyday ways they can reduce waste at home and while shopping. Distribute information on how to reduce the quantity of junk mail that they receive.
Encourage tenants to exchange items among themselves. Consider hosting “swap days” to provide tenants with an opportunity to trade, sell, or donate unwanted items that are in good condition. Schedule a weekend, set aside a common area, promote the event, and invite people to trade items such as books, CDs, small appliances, video games, and sports equipment. Identify a neighborhood charitable organization and arrange to donate items that remain after the swap. Visit NYC Stuff Exchange 
to find where to donate stuff.
Seek suggestions. Remember to seek input from tenants and publish their waste prevention suggestions. Periodically check with building management to determine if the quantity of waste has declined, and report decreases in waste disposal and increases in recycling. People like to know that their efforts are making a difference.
back to top
Go to:
Tips for your home
basement/storage | bedroom | car | kitchen | living room | yard
Tips while shopping
appliances | dry cleaner | hardware | grocery store | deli
Tips in apartment buildings
Tips for home improvements
