In the fall of 2011 Ann Arbor residents were invited to respond to a survey about the new single stream recycling expansion and the Recyclebank recycling incentives program. This "Residential Recycling Survey" was promoted through the "WasteWatcher" city publication, press releases, and online.

Residents could complete the survey online, fax, drop-off at City Hall, or by mail until Nov. 30, 2011. A total of 1,012 valid survey responses were received. The full results of the surveys can be seen online at www.a2gov.org/recycle under the "Press Releases" tab. (or specifically here).

Some highlights from the survey include responses to the launch of Ann Arbor's single-stream recycling program starting mid-2010 and the city's subsequent partnership with the Recyclebank recycling rewards incentives later that year:

• 67 percent of single family respondents recycle more with single stream recycling
• 72 percent of single family respondents have signed up for Recyclebank
• Of those that haven't signed up for Recyclebank, the main reason: don't need incentives to recycle (78 percent)
• 17 percent of respondents are recycling more as the result of Recyclebank.
• 63 percent of respondents have not used any of their Recyclebank points (the main reason: not seeing any rewards that appeal to them)

City staff will be working with Recyclebank to develop rewards that were suggested as being more appealing to these residents. More information on Recyclebank is available at www.recyclebank.com. For 24-hour information on the city's solid waste services, call 734-994-7336 or consult the city's web site at www.a2gov.org/recycle.

Nicole (Lowen) Berg is the MRF education center and special projects coordinator at the City of Ann Arbor. Nicole can be reached at nlowen@a2gov.org. Visit www.a2gov.org for more information on local environmental topics including recycling, composting, water conservation, and choices for green living.

Your World provides local environmental information to our community. Contributing partners include: Washtenaw County’s Environmental Health Division; the nonprofit Recycle Ann Arbor; the City of Ann Arbor’s Public Services Area, Natural Area Preservation, Systems Planning programs for Energy, Environmental Coordination, Solid Waste, Transportation, and Water Resources.