PROVIDENCE – 60 volunteers armed with information about Green Up Providence and the importance of recycling will head to Smith Hill on October 16 to spread the word to neighborhood residents.  The door-to-door effort comes two weeks before Green Up Providence goes into effect, an Operation Opportunity initiative designed to double city’s recycling rate and save taxpayers thousands of dollars.

The volunteers from Youth Build and the Environmental Justice League of Rhode Island will meet at Davis Park, located at the intersection of Chalkstone Avenue and Raymond Street, on Friday, October 16 at 1pm. 

The group will join Department of Public Works employees and go door-to-door distributing door hangers, printed in English and Spanish, with information about the upcoming recycling program.  The volunteers will also visit other Providence neighborhoods with low recycling rates in the coming days to educate residents on the program.

When Green Up Providence goes into on effect November 2, 2009, all Providence residents will be required to place recycling materials in two separate containers at the curb next to their Big Green Can.  If the containers are not placed at the curb, the trash will not be picked up.

Paper products should be placed in a green recycling bin, and cans, glass, plastic bottles and cartons should be placed in the blue containers.  For those who do not have recycling bins, they can be purchased at the Department of Public Works for $5 each or residents may also use their own containers as long as they are labeled “recycling”.  “Recycling” stickers may be picked up at the Office of Neighborhood Services and at DPW.