CEM- Using Partnerships to Effectively Reach Citizens

Those attendees willing to stick it out past lunch on the last day were treated to a great set of environmental program PR hints and strategies, provided by Julie Berbiglia, of Metro Beatification & Environment Commission, Nashville, TN and Steve Thompson, Program Director with Curbside Value Partnership.

Julie’s program provides the environmental education and promotion for Metro Nashville Public Works recycling as well as other community beautification outreach. She detailed the use of student groups looking for projects to accomplish various community environmental projects such as litter collections, illegal flyer/sign removal, and flower plantings. In addition, student or community groups are given free usable paint, collected via Metro’s HHW program, for graffiti abatement painting projects. Neighborhood groups are able to adopt a road median, providing initial planting labor and continued upkeep, specified within the Metro agreement. Using local public access television, the Commission airs ready-made information on their various environmental issues in the form of slides, movies, or “commercials” highlighting each program. These are available for the station to use as time allows.

Thorough an “accidental” grass-roots movement, the Commission was able to obtain space for a public recycling drop-off site in a neighborhood currently underserved by the current recycling program. When a Commissioner was purchasing refreshments for a local recycling event, they got to talking to the local Wal-Mart Manager. The Manager offered to host a public recycling drop-off site in the store’s parking lot. During the opening of the site, other area Wal-Mart Managers attended and asked to host site at their stores as well!

Offering further free PR resources, Steve Thompson mentioned Curbside Value Partnership’s Bin Buzz newsletter and Recycling Education Tool Kit. The newsletter is made available, free of charge, via a mailing list. Free resources on the Tool Kit are downloadable from CVP’s website or you may request a CD be sent. CVP provides items such as general environmental and recycling articles and information, PSAs, and promotions formats.