B.E.A.R. Campaign for Container Recycling

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GRASSROOTS RECYCLING NETWORK
Retreat - Oct 6-9, 2000 - Group Report

B.E.A.R. Campaign for Container Recycling

FACILITATOR: Helen Spiegelman
RECORDER: Susan Waughtal
REPORTER: Rick Best

PARTICIPANTS: Ed Boisson, Ann Morse, Helen Spiegelman, Rick Best, Lance King, Susan Waughtal, Ford Schumann, Chris Rutan

BACKGROUND Businesses & Environmentalists Allied for Recycling (BEAR) is being launched as a project of Global Green USA, based in Santa Monica, CA (the U.S. affiliate of Green Cross International led by Michail Gorbachov).

BEAR's GOAL is to work on advancing new policy approaches to increase the national beverage container recycling rate in the United States to 80%.

BEAR IS GOVERNED by a steering committee (* = ExCom) including:

Pierre Ferrari*, Chair. (business consultant; on Ben & Jerry's BOD; former Coca-Cola executive)
Pat Franklin, Executive Director, Container Recycling Institute
Clint Hubbard*, Beaulieu of America
Lance King*, consultant representing founding non-profits
Matt Peterson*, Executive Director, Global Green USA
Bill Sheehan, Network Coordinator, GrassRoots Recycling Network

Note: Another business will be added to the Steering Committee shortly.

Distinguishing characteristics of this campaign
(Basics already in place)
- new alliance (businesses and environmentalists)
- near-term objectives (build alliance, communicate the problem, create model legislation, unveil legislation in a few key states)
- initial funding support (Turner Foundation and Beaulieu Carpets)
- interim staff (Scott Bunn)
(Work still to be done)
- link to the grass-roots, including new constituencies in local communities
- expand business participation
- refine and spread the message (both the problem and the solution)
- raise more money
- hire permanent Atlanta-based Director
Anticipated outcomes in 12 months
- Model legislation
- serious legislative initiatives in at least 3 states (GA, KY, +)
- bottle bill back on Federal agenda
DISCUSSION IDEAS TOO GOOD TO BE LOST:

ON THE MESSAGE:
- Beverage containers are not a high-profile issue; the public needs to know the problems: litter, market issue, EPR/zero waste philosophy
- Language must be crafted with input from grass-roots: Ann identified that the term 'bottle bill' won't go over well in midwest where there's too much baggage associated with it.
- There needs to be discussion around some fundamental issues including: are refillables going to be part of the message & how, without losing business allies who are there for recycling? how will unredeemed deposits be allocated in the model legislation? how can we provide flexibility in the model, while addressing need for harmonization of rules across the country?
ON THE ALLIANCE
- Experience in midwest (carpet stewardship) shows power of a multi-state initiative: consider joint campaign in MN, WI.
- Look for new constituencies to support this initiative - think of all the groups who would benefit from bottle bills: e.g. scouts/sports teams (bottle-drives are serious fundraisers!); advocates for the poor (income from scavenging), local governments (reduced costs for glass recycling); churches (stewardship/global climate change), Izaak Walton/litter/enviro groups; students/youth market/state PIRGs; end-markets for materials [Helen's thought: even local industry partners - plastic converting has lots of small firms], independent retailers & their associations who might support a return system based on bottle depots rather than return to retail; existing bottle/can buy-back centers.
- [Thought from Helen: develop an organizing survey for local campaign leaders to develop lists of these kinds of organizations in their area. Could be part of Organizer's Kit]
ON FUNDRAISING
- Fundraise at local grassroots level to build broad sense of ownership of campaign - as you get endorsements, raise $.
EARLY AWARENESS-BUILDING CAMPAIGN
- mass-produce stickers for people to put on empties: 'THIS WOULD BE WORTH A NICKEL IF WE HAD A BOTTLE BILL'
- [Thought from Helen: these could be distributed right now to campus/student organizations along with Coke materials).
Resources needed
- More stakeholder involvement: need to establish links with local grass-roots, state & local. This is needed NOW for input in crafting the message, later for endorsements, for workers, and for financial support
- Information about local conditions: what are the available financial and strategic resources in each region? who are the friends / enemies in each region? what is the political/legislative context in each region (update after the elections)
- Training resources: a manual (organizing kit) for local campaign organizers telling how to participate in the legislative process, how to respond to counter-arguments, media support materials, etc.
- Stickers for public awareness building starting immediately?
Who does what/where/when?
GRRN:
- establish/revive listserv for grassroots groups to link into this initiative and communicate together
- post on the listsev the minutes of Founding Meeting with industry partners and also any other existing planning details - if Scott Bunn is hired, he could introduce himself on listserv
- develop STICKER for immediate awareness-building during school year?
MIDWEST (Ann, Susan, Sherri)
- October 2000: Ann, Susan and Sherri will email out the notes from their discussions at the GRRN retreat
- Nov/Dec 2000: raise this project with Multi-State Mini-Forum of heads of the midwest SW organizations (Ann)
- Autumn 2000: develop and distribute survey of SW county people
- Autumn 2000: Identify a small working group to work on honing the message
- check back in after the elections: update on new landscape
- February 2001: participatory workshop at MN state solid waste conference to identify local constituencies and resources
COLORADO (Chris Rutan)
- June 2001: research stakeholders, issues
- Fall 2001: local conference - form campaign 'hardcore' working group
- Fundraise, get legal counsel advice on Initiative process, find potential sponsors for 2002 leg. session
- January 2002: introduce legislation
- February - June 2002: gather signatures for Initiative.
MARYLAND (Ford Schumann)
- Autumn 2000: talk to Board members and get them up to speed
- approach MaryPIRG
- later: prepare for approach to Sen. McKalski (sp?) longstanding opponent from retailers' point of view: a non-return-to-retail system might win her support
NORTH CAROLINA (Ed Boisson)
- find out who's who & establish connections with regional recycling coordinators to 'get the chatter going'
- October 2000: meeting with APC, NAPCOR, AFPC: have a frank discussion to understand their perspectives. ….Focus on establishing the problem (lack of supply) rather than the BEAR campaign.
- will not publicly align with B.E.A.R.
CANADA/BRITISH COLUMBIA (Helen Spiegelman/Clarissa Morawski)
- share information about existing legislative models (Clarissa's Canadian spreadsheet is now available on Pat Franklin's website)
- share information about successful strategies (Helen will fwd petitions, Resolutions and other materials from the BC campaign to expand deposits)
- share information about governance of Canadian programs (Helen will fwd info on 'delegated regulatory organization' in Alberta that reduces government costs by legally shifting oversight/management of the program to a multi-stakeholder Management Board.)

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