Way to Grow Number 4

We all love technology.  Check out these free and easy ways to utilize the web to make your earnings GROW!

Earth911.com is an online directory of recyclers, and you can add your location to the list!

1.  Go to their website.  Type in Earth911.com in your browser, or click here.

2. Click the “contact us” link at the bottom of the page, then the Submit/Update a Recycling Location link at the bottom of that page.  Or, click here.

3. Add your school or organization’s info to be listed as a recycler in your area.  When people near you search for recyclers and find you, your collection can grow!

Craigslist is a well-known site where you can list ads for anything, recycling included!

1. Go to the Craigslist site.  Click here to go right away.

2. Click your location, then the “Post to Classifieds” link on the top left.

3. Post an ad under “Service Offered” or “Item Wanted”.

4. Watch your collection grow!

**DON’T FORGET…MENTION ALL THE ITEMS YOU ARE COLLECTING AND THE PLACE TO DROP THEM OFF**

Put the internet to work for you, and let us know how it goes! Write to us at contact@cartridgesforkids.com.

Way to Grow Number 2

Here on the CFK blog, we talk about Recycling Trees ALL THE TIME!  In fact, the T, R, E, and S button on my computer are all but worn off completely.  But we just can’t stop ourselves.

Recycling Trees can boost your earnings,

increase participation,

and give your school a lovely new decor…

(Thanks Foothills!)

Recycling Trees are easy to do at your school or organization.  Here’s how…

1. Click here to print off a template for the tree trunk and leaves.  Post the trunk somewhere everyone can see it.

2. Give a leaf to everyone who brings in a recyclable item.  They can decorate the leaf, write their name on it, etc., and place it on the tree.

3. The more items you recycle, the fuller your tree is!

Recycling Trees can be adapted to fit your school or the season!  Try a Field of Flowers, Winter Scene, or Holiday Scene, where each participant can receive a petal, snowflake, shamrock, or heart to place on a paper mural.

Recycling Trees can earn lots of money.  Read all our other Recycling Tree success stories here and here and here and here and here and here and here.

Once you start your Recycling Tree, send us pictures and stories so we can share your success!

America Recycles Day is almost here!

America Recycles Day is just around the corner–November 15th!  Join us in celebrating the only nationally recognized day dedicated to encouraging Americans to recycle.

Visiting the America Recycles Day website will let you find out about events in your area, calculate your recycling’s impact, and pledge to amp up your recycling efforts in the next year.  You can even get fun facts about recycling, see videos, and find useful recycling links.

Most importantly, this year, make a commitment to recycle and let us know about it.  We’ll keep you posted with more ideas on what other people are doing to celebrate.

Again with the 10

2009 is the year of the “10″ around here at CFK.

• CFK’s 10th birthday is this year (if you’re sending cake, send chocolate)
• We’ll give you 10% if you tell someone about CFK and they sign up (it’s easier than you think)
• We’re about to tell you our top 10 list of Ways to Grow (if top tens work for David Letterman, they can work for all of us)

Stay tuned throughout the next few weeks as we give you the best ideas for growing your program.  Want a sneak peek?  Check out our full list of green-growng, program-boosting, participant-enhancing ideas here.

How will YOU use YOUR CFK Funds??

The Christian Academy of Indiana is using theirs to help out in the library! Marilyn Hock, the school’s librarian and CFK coordinator, encourages recycling with CFK to help purchase books for the library,  Accelerated Reader quizzes, and prizes for the kids.  Marilyn passes out fliers, hangs posters, and is currently considering holding a collection drive to increase their fundraising potential at the school.

How do you use your CFK funds? Write to us and let us know! contact@cartridgesforkids.com

You can MAKE a Collection Box!

Yes, yes you can.

Having a central location for people to drop off their items helps your program stay visible.  Why not create your own special station?

Get everyone involved!  Each class can decorate their own collection box, or come together as a group to make your container represent everyone.  You can use a cardboard box, laundry basket, plastic bin, anything that will hold piles of items.

Print an item poster here, or download graphics from our website here.  Use our fliers if you want.Once your box is made, announce its location, and keep recycling!

Lakeland Hills Scores Big with Blackberries!

Lakeland Hills Elementary has been participating with Cartridges for Kids since 2006, and communication with parents is a very regular part of their recycling program.  But in the Spring of ‘09, Lakeland’s program coordinator Alisa Kruse decided to try something a little different. She sent home CFK’s summer fliers, encouraging parents to save their recyclables over the summer.

In the Fall when the students returned, they immediately held a collection drive to gather all the items collected over the summer months.  One of the parents who received a Save over Summer flier was able to collect over 70 Blackberry smart phones from her husbands employer, earning the school almost $450! Lakeland was given a $50 bonus for earning over $200 during their 6 week collection drive, bringing their total to just shy of $500.

The moral of this story is you never know WHO you might reach if you just put the word out! We have lots of great ideas for getting in touch with parents, local businesses, and other potential supporters. Find them all on our website under Ways to Grow.

Way to go Lakeland Elementary!

Time for a Story…

CFK is a big group of chatterboxes.  We LOVE talking about recycling, and we love sharing stories about our participants.  We just can’t keep our mouths shut about the program.

BUT, we also want to hear from you.

Please Please Please share your comments, questions, stories, ideas, successes, failures, attempts, concerns, rants, raves, anything you want to gab about.  Post them here yourself, email them to us (contact@cartridgesforkids.com), even call us if you want (800.420.0235).

We’ll listen, we promise.  As much as we love to talk, hearing from our participants is what makes our day.

World Teachers’ Day 2009

Today is World Teachers’ Day, and CFK wants to join in by saying….

The focus of this year’s World Teachers’ Day is on the importance of investing in teachers now, even considering the current global economic situation.  By investing in the teaching force, we are ensuring that their knowledge and experience can be used to bring new solutions to global issues, and to lead our children down the same path of global vision and creative thinking.

We here at CFK want to encourage and thank all those teachers out there who inspire, motivate, and energize our kids every day.  You truly make a difference.

Visit the World Teachers’ Day website to send your favorite teacher an e-card, post pictures of how you’re celebrating World Teachers’ Day, and check out pictures from schools around the world.

Finding a box…it’s easier than you think

Need a shipping box?  Try asking the following places for boxes you can reuse:

• Big-Box Stores (you know, the local Target and Wal-Mart)
• Grocery Stores (produce boxes could work, just don’t send us any stray fruit)
• Bookstores (these places have sturdy boxes that hold a lot and stack wonderfully)
• School janitor (cleaning supplies arrive in boxes)
• School cafeteria (mystery meat patties also arrive in boxes…)
• Office supply stores (Paper boxes…cartridge boxes…)
• Home improvement stores (the staff at these stores are usually VERY helpful)
• Janitors at local businesses (get in good with the janitor, and maybe the business can sponsor your school/organization)

Save money, time, and resources by using recycled boxes instead of new ones.  CFK recycles every box we receive.

Have ideas of where to find a box that aren’t listed here?  Comment here or email us.