Recycling Results for Team Sam

Does recycling work as a fundraiser?

I'm about as green as a man can get and not own a hybrid (would if I could afford it). I'm so green, that I am purposely buying my soft drinks, or whatever I'm drinking, in bottles or cans so that I have something to recycle (instead of getting them in cups at 7-11 or something like that). In fact, I would say that Pepsi is indirectly supporting the fight against cystic fibrosis by virtue of my soda habit! Thanks Pepsi! And Pepsi, you're welcome for my continued support during the economic crisis.

This year, for the first time in our fundraising adventure, we recycled as part of our campaign. This will be a much more established and well-thought-out process for the 2010 campaign, but we did what we could with what we had. In all, our trial program netted the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation $16.24 and it netted the program in Palestine $22.22. It isn't much, especially in light of what we're hoping to raise this year, but it was a very important start.

Below is a breakdown of the money raised during our two recycling runs.

Recycling Information
11/17/08
Item Material	Gross Pounds	Price/Pound	Total
PET Segregated: Plastic	8.3	$0.92	$7.64
#2 HDPE-Segregated	7.1	$0.54	$3.83
Aluminum Cans	2.9	$1.57	$4.55
Old Newspaper	89.3		$0.22
Recycling Information
01/05/09
Item Material	Gross Pounds	Price/Pound	Total
PET Segregated: Plastic	10	$0.96	$9.60
Glass	11.5	$0.07	$0.87
Aluminum Cans	7.4	$1.57	$11.62
Old Newspaper	31.7		$0.08

As you can see from the above, newspaper and glass are virtually worthless from a recycling perspective. Plastic and aluminum are the major producers money-wise. Although the amount of recycling will be drastically reduced when I'm deployed, as the primary soda drinker will be gone, I'm sure it will pick back up when I return.

My plan upon return is to start talking to neighbors and local businesses. I don't have a truck, so I can't go overboard, but I do hope to be making at least one trip a month to the recycling center near my house. We'll see how it goes.

So how about your campaigns? Did you recycle for your campaigns?