Here’s what you do. Contact your local little league, kids basketball league, youth soccer league, public park, or even a local school to form a “green partnership.” (The best prospects you’ll find are those without recycling programs.)
When you reach them, be sure to say you’ve noticed they don’t have a recycling program, and you’d like to place a few recycling bins (they can be small) at their respective locations. Tell them you’ll buy the bins and maintain the recycling program. The only thing you want in return (which you don’t even need to tell them) is to put your name and phone number and/or website on the bins. (I’ve been doing this for the past month since little league started and my phone’s been ringing more this February then usual, and one reason why is because people tell me they saw my bins at the baseball field and what a great idea it is!)
Now I don’t want you to leave this post empty handed or with any uncertainty how to proceed, so here’s the exact transcript (exact letter) I use when setting these programs up. The following letter is yours to copy and use as you see fit. (I used this one to propose a new recycling program at my daughter’s softball field several years back:)
Dear West Valley Girls Softball (WVGSL) League:
My name is Eric Naftulin and my daughter, Sarah, plays in your West Valley Girls Softball League. I also help coach her team, Purple Reign, in the Minors division. I’m writing to you because I’d like to establish a recycling program for the WVGSL at Hughes School where the softball games take place.
At the conclusion of each softball game, I always make a point of cleaning up as many bottles and cans around the fields as possible, but lately I have noticed most of the trash cans are already full, not with trash, but also with bottles, cans and other recyclables which I assume are being purchased from your Snack Bar, so here’s what I was thinking.
I own a local summer camp for kids called Aloha Beach Camp (which many of the girls who play in the WVGSL Softball League attend). I’d like to place some new recycling containers at the fields. The containers would be clearly marked so people would know that the softball league now recycles bottles and cans, and that Aloha Beach Camp is the program’s sponsor.
As the program sponsor, I would pay for and maintain the recyling containers and bring all the recycled bottles and cans to the local recycling center on a schedule you see fit. Since I own a beach camp, I was thinking we could split the proceeds whereby 50% would be donated back to your league, and the other 50% donated to Heal the Bay which is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping southern California’s coastal waters safe, healthy and clean.
I hope you see as much value in this program as I do. I am looking forward to establishing this program with you as soon as possible. I look forward to your response and appreciate your thoughtful consideration.
All the best,
Eric D. Naftulin
Aloha Beach and Surf Camp
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