Recyclebank and Ziploc Debut Recycling Rewards Program in Corpus Christi, Texas

NEW YORK, Feb. 11, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Recyclebank®, the sustainable action platform that motivates individuals to make a collective impact on the environment, in partnership with the Ziploc® Brand, announced today the expansion of its curbside recycling rewards program in Corpus Christi, Texas. As part of a larger initiative to dramatically increase recycling rates across the country, Recyclebank and Ziploc have teamed up with city officials to establish single-stream recycling and partnerships with local and national businesses to reward Corpus Christi citizens for taking small steps to improve the environment and their community.

Ziploc is sponsoring the expansion of Recyclebank's impactful rewards-for-recycling platform into enough new U.S. communities to keep approximately the same amount of other waste—including glass, metals, paper and plastic—out of landfills as the amount of potential waste, measured by weight, generated by Ziploc. As the first city to benefit from this new partnership, Corpus Christi hopes to increase recycling participation of its residents — currently at less than five percent — through incentives from Recyclebank and Ziploc®.

"We are dedicated to reducing the environmental footprint of our products and achieving zero-waste status, and our partnership with Recyclebank allows us to take that commitment to the next level," said John Peoples, director of Home Storage, SC Johnson. "Families depend on Ziploc Brand to help make their lives easier, and are also looking for ways to incorporate more sustainable practices into their daily routines. Together with Recyclebank, we are helping families realize the impact everyday products have on the environment, and motivating them to change the way they dispose of them to lessen the amount of waste sent to the landfill."

Recyclebank has a proven track record of success, helping to double—in some cases, triple—recycling rates in hundreds of diverse communities across the United States and United Kingdom. The Corpus Christi Recycles program uses Smart Carts to track household participation. Each time a household recycles, the amount is recorded and converted into Recyclebank Points, which can be redeemed at www.Recyclebank.com for rewards from thousands of local businesses in more than 10 categories, including automotive, beauty and health, beverages, entertainment, food and grocery, restaurants, and sports and recreation.

"At Recyclebank, we believe in the power of individual actions. We've seen how monumental the collective impact can be when members of local communities, government and businesses work together," said Recyclebank CEO Jonathan Hsu. "We're thrilled to kick off our recycling expansion partnership with Ziploc in Corpus Christi. Together, we can enable people to take small steps that make a huge impact on their communities, local economies and the planet."

"The City of Corpus Christi is proud to partner with Recyclebank and Ziploc to bring this valuable recycling rewards program to local households. This is an innovative way to increase recycling, stimulate our local economy, and reduce our impact on the environment," said Corpus Christi Mayor Joe Adame. "Together, we can encourage residents to help make Corpus Christi a greener and more sustainable city, and reward them for their efforts along the way."

To kick off the program, Ziploc is organizing various community events to educate residents on recycling best practices, debunk recycling myths, and answer any questions as the new Recyclebank program takes off. Ziploc will help facilitate Recyclebank registration, inspiring families to take action and ensuring they are rewarded for doing so. Ziploc will host the first of these recycling awareness events this weekend, Saturday, Feb. 12th, and Sunday, Feb. 13th, at local H-E-B Supermarkets in Corpus Christi. Residents are encouraged to drop off Ziploc bags at in-store bins to recycle and earn rewards.

ZIPLOC BRAND SUSTAINABILITY INITIATIVES

The partnership with Recyclebank is another step in Ziploc Brand's ongoing sustainability efforts to minimize the environmental footprint of its products across the entire lifecycle – from the materials sourced, to the energy used during manufacture and transport, to the way the products are disposed.

Other initiatives include:

• Launching Ziploc® evolve™ bags in 2009, which use 25 percent less plastic than the same size regular Ziploc® Brand Bags and are partially made with wind energy;
• Offering bag and container recyclability;
• Producing containers that can be used multiple times;
• Manufacturing many Ziploc products in Bay City, Mich. using a combination of renewable wind energy and energy from traditional sources.

For more information about the sustainability efforts of Ziploc, visit www.ziploc.com/sustainability.

SC JOHNSON SUSTAINABILITY LEADERSHIP

SC Johnson has been committed to reducing its environmental footprint for decades and has set specific goals every five years for the last two decades. Currently, the company is working against firm goals to reduce waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and utilize alternative renewable energy sources by 2011. Seventy-five percent of these objectives had already been met by the end of 2009. To learn more about SC Johnson's commitment to sustainability and view its 2010 public report, visit www.scjohnson.com.

ABOUT RECYCLEBANK

Recyclebank is the leading environmental social platform that realizes the collective impact of individual action. Through its digital offerings and partnerships with municipalities, haulers, small businesses and corporate brands, Recyclebank incentivizes green actions with points that can be redeemed for discounts and rewards. By educating, engaging and empowering its community online and offline, Recyclebank aims to encourage a more sustainable lifestyle by increasing household recycling, reducing household energy usage and motivating individuals and communities to take other environmentally preferred actions. Recognized as a Technology Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, a Champion of the Earth by the United Nations Environment Programme, and for Outstanding Excellence in Public/Private Partnerships from the U.S. Conference of Mayors, Recyclebank is headquartered in New York City. For more information, visit www.Recyclebank.com.

ABOUT SC JOHNSON

SC Johnson is a family-owned and managed business dedicated to innovative, high-quality products, excellence in the workplace and a long-term commitment to the environment and the communities in which it operates. Based in the USA, the company is one of the world's leading manufacturers of household cleaning products and products for home storage, air care, and insect control. It markets such well-known brands as GLADE®, OFF!®, PLEDGE®, RAID®, SCRUBBING BUBBLES®, SHOUT®, WINDEX® and ZIPLOC® in the U.S. and beyond, with brands marketed outside the U.S. including AUTAN®, BAYGON®, BRISE®, KABIKILLER®, KLEAR®, and MR. MUSCLE®. The 125-year-old company, with more than $8 billion in sales, employs approximately 12,000 people globally and sells products in virtually every country around the world. www.scjohnson.com

ABOUT ZIPLOC® BRAND BAGS AND CONTAINERS

Ziploc® Brand Bags and Containers are not formulated with BPA and provide smart, quality solutions that help families get more out of the things they do every day. Ziploc® Brand products are available in a variety of sizes, shapes and seals with suggested retail prices ranging from $1.09 to $4.59. Ziploc® Brand products are available in grocery, mass merchandise and drug stores nationwide.

SOURCE Recyclebank

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED