Coca-Cola ‘Recycle & Win’ – Looking to Increase Metro Nashville Recycling Rates Once Again

“Programs such as ‘Recycle & Win’ promote good environmental stewardship and encourage recycling participation, which reduces the amount of material destined for landfills,” Mayor Dean said. “Public-private partnerships like this one helps Metro provide good services and stretch tax dollars. ‘Recycle & Win’ also provides our residents with vital information and tips on proper recycling.”

16 Nov 2012 --- It’s back and better than before. Metro Nashville in partnership with Coca-Cola and Kroger are bringing back Recycle & Win – a proven “green” initiative designed to increase recycling rates.

After Metro Nashville Public Works introduced Coca-Cola Recycle & Win in 2011, recycling rates throughout the city increased. Now, Recycle & Win is back as the city continues efforts to realize Nashville Mayor Karl Dean’s goal of becoming one of the “greenest” cities in the Southeast. Coca-Cola and Kroger have invested over $250,000 on the program’s implementation in the Nashville market.

To kick off the program, a Coca-Cola Recycle & Win educational packet has been mailed to all single-family households in Nashville. The mailer outlines the Do’s and Don’ts of recycling, along with instructions on how to win a $50 Kroger gift card by placing a “Give it Back” sticker on curbside recycling carts. To help residents understand which items are accepted for recycling, an additional YES! sticker, with photos of permitted recyclables, is also included in the mailer. Residents can also have the chance to win a $10 Kroger gift card simply by going to www.cokerecycleandwin.com and taking a pledge to recycle.

“Programs such as ‘Recycle & Win’ promote good environmental stewardship and encourage recycling participation, which reduces the amount of material destined for landfills,” Mayor Dean said. “Public-private partnerships like this one helps Metro provide good services and stretch tax dollars. ‘Recycle & Win’ also provides our residents with vital information and tips on proper recycling.”

“Bringing back the Recycle & Win program just made sense.” said Veronica Frazier, Director of Metro Beautification and Environment. “The first Recycle & Win program significantly raised awareness throughout the county about the importance of recycling for both economic and environmental reasons. And as we look to increase recycling rates and participation, we believe the Coca-Cola Recycle & Win program can help with this goal.”

“Coca-Cola is proud to once again sponsor the Recycle & Win initiative,” said Lauren Steele, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Coca-Cola Bottling Company Consolidated. “It is more important than ever to educate everyone on the importance of recycling and recycling properly. We also believe that recycling should be a rewarding experience, and what better way to encourage people to recycle than by giving them an opportunity to be a winner!” Steele, a long-time proponent of recycling added, “Recycle & Win enhances Nashville’s reputation as a leader in this country’s sustainability efforts.”

The Coca-Cola Recycle &Win Street Team will begin patrolling for Recycle & Win stickers in early December and plans are to award ten (10) $50 Kroger Gift Cards a week for a total of 260 prizes over six months.

“At Kroger, we believe it is both our privilege and obligation to engage in our communities, protect the environment and have a positive economic impact. Over the years we’ve implemented numerous programs in all phases of our operations designed to improve efficiencies and otherwise lessen our impact on the environment," said Melissa Eads, Kroger Community Affairs Manager. "Recycle & Win is a great program because it offers an incentive for community members to develop positive recycling habits while bringing additional attention to the importance of recycling. We are proud to partner with Coca-Cola in this effort and thank Metro Nashville Public Works for joining us as well."

Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated is the second largest Coca-Cola Bottler in the United States. The Company is a leader in the manufacturing, marketing and distribution of soft drinks.