Wedgwood and other neighborhoods that comprise the “Wednesday-North” collection area won the $50,000 Waste Reduction Rewards competition held by CleanScapes. The annual competition pits service area against service area to see which one can reduce their waste over a year. This includes reducing garbage, recycling, and compost to help conserve the valuable resources that go into handling each of those waste streams. According to the final results, the “Wednesday-North” service area reduced their waste by -2.2%. Each of the other service areas actually increased their waste during the year.
As the victors, CleanScapes has awarded $50,000 to those parts of Wedgwood, View Ridge, Inverness, Meadowbrook, and Matthews Beach towards a community project to be located somewhere in the service area. CleanScapes is soliciting project proposals from the community. Last years winning project was the new NE Seattle Tool Library! The applications are due by April 15th. Anyone can submit an application.
More information can be found via the following links:
Project Application Forms
Project FAQs
Project Selection Process
The complete Press Release from CleanScapes is below:
PRESS RELEASE | February 08, 2013
SEATTLE, WA– Last night at Seattle’s NE District Council meeting, CleanScapes announced that the Wedgwood, Meadowbrook, Inverness, Matthews Beach and View Ridge neighborhoods won the 2011/2012 Seattle Neighborhood Waste Reduction Rewards competition. They will receive a $50,000 community improvement project selected by community representatives and funded by CleanScapes.In this annual competition, CleanScapes challenges the neighborhoods it serves to reduce their solid waste footprint. To increase their odds of winning, residents compost leaves and grass in their yards; use washable rags, dishware and napkins; share tools with their neighbors; and donate unwanted but usable items to charity. Residents of this year’s winning neighborhoods decreased their solid waste by 2% from September 2011 through August 2012, compared to the same period the previous year.
“This program is about making the connection between waste reduction and enhancing the communities we serve,” says CleanScapes founder and President Chris Martin. “This is a great opportunity for Seattle residents to get engaged in reducing waste and to be rewarded for their efforts. We are looking forward to seeing some great proposals for a community project.”
Starting today through April 15, 2013, all Seattle residents are invited to submit project proposals for the $50,000 reward. To be eligible for consideration, proposals must be for a capital improvement project located in the winning neighborhood collection area. Proposed projects must be easily accessible for active use by the public and can cost up to $50,000. Last year’s winner built the NE Seattle Tool Library where members can borrow tools for household projects and yard work.
Seattle residents can submit project proposals and learn more about the Neighborhood Waste Rewards Competition by visitingwww.cleanscapes.com/Seattle (see Special Programs, Neighborhood Rewards). To request more information please email EducationOutreach@cleanscapes.com.
CleanScapes is the trusted partner for communities seeking to enhance residential and commercial vitality by providing innovative streetscape maintenance, recycling and solid waste services. CleanScapes was founded in Seattle, Washington in 1997, and currently provides sustainable solid waste and recycling collection to the communities of Seattle, Shoreline, Issaquah, Des Moines and Carnation.