As of Sept. 17 a new kind of contest began in the city of Walla Walla: The Curbside Recycling contest. The rules of the contest are very straightforward and anyone can participate. You simply compile all of your recyclables in the green recycling bin provided by your City Council and place it on the curbside for pick-up each week. Following these simple instructions enables participants not only to win a $25 gift certificate to be spent at a local grocery store but also help this community and your environment. A new winner is chosen at the end of each week and is picked entirely at random. The contest continues until November 23rd. 
The contest is designed to target all people, not just seasoned recyclers, and as such there are two numbers you can contact with recycling related issues: (509) 524-4474 or (509) 524-2626. The contest is organized by the City of Walla Walla Resource Conservation Committee, the City of Walla Walla, and Walla Walla County. It was made possible by the sponsorship of Albertson’s, Grocery Outlet, Walla Walla’s Harvest Foods, Safeway-Plaza, Safeway- Rose, and Super-1 Foods.
The overarching goal of this project is to “increase participation and awareness by residents of the importance of conserving resources,” said Sandra Cannon, chair of the Walla Walla Conservation Committee. The contest is part of a larger movement by the Walla Walla Waste Management Division to promote the green movement and environmental activism in the greater community. The committee, in collaboration with other local organizations such as the Conservation Committee, tackles a number of environmental issues each year. “The city recently initiated a green waste collection program utilizing special green containers and our automated side loading collection trucks. Green waste is diverted to the recently opened compost facility operated by the City at the Sudbury Road Landfill,” said Richard Dudgeon, the sanitation supervisor for the city of Walla Walla. More information regarding past and current green projects or for information on how you can get involved may be found at ww202.bmi.net/recyclngrev.htm.
According to Dudgeon, “So far, the reaction to the Curbside contest seems to be generally positive; our participation rates have climbed a small amount in the past few weeks and requests for recycling bins have increased.”
