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A N N U A L R E P O R T P D F

Moving Forward Together

COMMUNITY EDUCATION & OUTREACH
2020 AND BE Y OND

Personal engagement at events remains one of OCWR’s most important and effective outreach tools. Every question posed or asked leads to conversation about the resident’s role and responsibility in the local waste stream. That engagement leads to learning relative to our key educational outreach messages:

  • Proper recycling
    and preventing
    contamination
  • Preserve
    landfill space
  • Proper disposal
    of hazardous
    household waste

And it also allows us to help residents understand the impacts of the dynamic recycling industry, including the diminishing number of CRV beverage container refund facilities.

The 41 events and presentations we executed in 2019 covered all districts in the County and directly reached more than 8,000 residents reflecting a range of age and multicultural demographics.

We added two new strategic components to our education and outreach efforts in 2019: A digital recycling resource called OC Recycle Guide and an Activity Book that teaches youth waste stream, environmental and recycling lessons in a fun, engaging medium. Through events and a partnership with OC Libraries, we have distributed more than 8,000 activity books directly to residents as well as to haulers and cities.

S T R A T E G I C C O M M U N I C A T I O N S A C T I V I T Y B O O K
  • LANDFILL
    TOURS
    GIVEN
    119
  • NUMBER
    OF TOUR
    GUESTS
    1,514
AMBASSADOR
HOURS
INVESTED
450
COMMUNITY
EDUCATION
& OUTREACH
EVENTS
41

THESE PROGRAMS REFLECT OCWR’S COMMITMENT TO PROMOTE FORWARD-THINKING IN HOW WE REDUCE WASTE

GRANTEE RECIPIENT PROGRESS

Grants

In 2019, seven organizations in Orange County continued executing projects and programs funded by the OCWR Regional Recycling and Waste Reduction Grant. The grant supports compliance with state-mandated organic waste diversion goals. These unique and innovative programs reflect OCWR’s commitment to promoting creativity and forward-thinking in how we reduce waste in our landfills, especially compostable waste.

Grant recipients and their programs:
CITY OF ANAHEIM
Commercial food recovery and organics program.
CITY OF IRVINE
Commercial food recovery and organics collection program.
COSTA MESA SANITARY DISTRICT
Residential organics recycling program.
WASTE NOT OC COALITION
Helping resolve food insecurity by recovering edible food.
DISCOVERY CUBE
Education about organics and composting.
INSIDE THE OUTDOORS
Education about composting and food recovery.
KATELLA HIGH SCHOOL
School recycling and composting program.

Partnerships

OCWR continued its marquee partnerships with Discovery Cube OC, Angels Baseball and the Anaheim Ducks. More than 343,000 guests visited The Cube in 2019, including the County-sponsored EcoChallenge exhibit, learning about recycling best practices and waste diversion. Of 476 guests surveyed, 94 percent said they will change their habits to become better recyclers. The department also initiated development of an organic waste exhibit expansion set to open in Spring 2020. Our collaboration with the Angels and Ducks provided engagement opportunities with thousands of fans through game-day events, in-game promotions, educational booths, a player signing at the library and recycling collection events.

We also launched a digital toolbox of outreach materials for haulers and cities to expand outreach to their customers and residents.

Landfill Tours:
A Hot Ticket

Complementing our series of events, tours are another of our most effective – and popular – tools. Tours give OCWR the opportunity to bust myths and help guests understand the purpose, value and excellence of the landfills as well as the role OCWR plays in environmental stewardship. From scout troops and elementary school classes to neighbors and university classes of future engineers, tours offer learning to everyone.

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