ZW Kit Home

Start Here

What's In The Kit?

What is Zero Waste?

Additional Resources

Objective

A contest where entrants are invited to submit Zero Waste ideas provides a simple means of interactive learning: entrants ask themselves what Zero Waste might mean practically and then decide on ways to put flesh on their ideas. A Zero Waste contest also provides opportunities for media coverage (e.g., a short story on the winning idea) and serves to help draw folks to an information table or public event.

How To Do It

Step 1 (2 months before contest entry deadline):

Seek prize donations. Emphasize "eco-friendly" prizes such as a bike, overnight at a spa, or bed and breakfast trip. When asking businesses for donations, emphasize that you will put their logo on contest entry forms and on other media associated with the contest, such as invitations, newspaper ads, etc. Make sure to follow through with these commitments.

Step 2 (2 months before contest entry deadline): Develop an outreach plan and a timetable for promoting the contest and offering opportunities for the public to enter. Consider a newspaper advertisement, information booths or tables at stores and at fairs and festivals, and a table at a public recycling center. Make sure you are clear about the terms of the contest and how the entries will be judged: What is the deadline date? Are there any restrictions on entry (e.g., a minimum age, or a stipulation about the exclusion from participation of friends and relatives of contest organizers)? How many winners will there be? What criteria will be used to judge entries? If you are planning to host a Zero Waste forum for grade school students, consider soliciting contest entries from them as well, and be sure to offer an age appropriate prize.

Step 3 (8 weeks before contest entry deadline): Develop your contest entry form (see Tips below) and also a flyer if you want to advertise the contest at places where you do not intend to collect entry forms. See EcoCycle's contest entry form (attached) as a model. If you use a printer, submit your contest entry form design to them 7-10 days before you first want to make the forms available to the public.

Step 4 (6 weeks before contest entry deadline): Start your outreach activities and solicitation of contest entries from the public. Where possible, have your prizes on display at contest entry opportunities-this lets entrants know there really IS a prize! To be fair, hold firm to your entry deadline. Keep collected contest entries together in a safe place. Recruit impartial contest "judges" to evaluate entries. These judges should be people who cannot enter the contest but who have a working knowledge of Zero Waste principles and practices and no stake in who is chosen as a winner!

Step 5 (At contest entry deadline): Gather your "judges" and review the criteria you have set for determining contest winners (see Tips below). In the Eco-Cycle contest, more weight was given to ideas that would be especially relevant in Boulder County, Colorado (this emphasis was stated on the entry form). For example, the idea of an Advanced Disposal Fee (ADF) on computers purchased in Boulder County would be a valuable idea because of the high consumption rate of computer equipment in the region.

Determine your winner(s), and double-check any donor-imposed deadlines for use of non-material contest prizes (e.g., overnight trips, spa visits) and be sure to let the winner(s) know of these restrictions.

Step 6 (After determining contest winner(s)): Notify winner(s) by phone and mail to congratulate them and confirm the delivery or use details of their prize. Also, contact the media and write a press release that mentions the winner(s) and describes their winning idea(s). Get a quote from the winner(s) (you might ask them how they thought of their idea) if possible. Use the attached press release associated with EcoCycle's Zero Waste contest as a model.

Step 7 (After determining contest winner(s)): Send a thank-you to each prize donor and let them know both who the winner(s) is/are and what the winning idea(s) was/were.

Tips

• Be creative in choosing prizes.
  Design your contest entry form thoughtfully (remember the problems with the electoral ballot design in Florida!). On the form, consider including:
  • Clear instructions and plenty of space for entrants to record their contact information (name, telephone, address).
    
  • A succinct definition of Zero Waste
    
  • A sample Zero Waste idea to give entrants a sense of what you are looking for
    
  • Pictures of the prizes or the logos of the prize donors
    
  • Clearly printed restrictions on the contest (e.g., who cannot enter, entry deadline)
• EcoCycle used the following criteria for judging contest entries:
  • Consistency with Zero Waste concepts
  • Originality
    
  • Potential impact on environment if idea was implemented
    
  • Relevancy to specific area or region in which idea would be implemented
• Consider having a line on the contest entry form for entrants to fill in their age, and then choose an "under 12" winner and an "over 12" winner.
  

Co-producers of the Zero Waste Activity Kit

Contact Us	© Zero Waste USA © Archive maintained by Laughter On Water	Search