17 Oct 4 Steps To a Successful Bottle Drive

 School’s back in full swing (after a bumpy start), which also means it’s fundraising season again. Chocolates, anyone? Cookies? Magazines? Entertainment Books?!!

 But what if you’re looking to make some money for your organization and save the planet at the same time? For this, nothing beats a good old fashioned bottle drive. Except, in order to make yours successful it might be time to do away with the “old fashioned” and bring your bottle drive into the 21st century!

 Here are four steps to help make your bottle drive efficient, profitable, and fun:

STEP ONE: ORGANIZE
Form a small group of people willing to take initiative and delegate tasks to each person in the group. For example, have one person in charge of advertising, one person in charge of volunteer recruitment, and someone else in charge of sorting the collected containers. Choose a leader, having one point of contact will make the whole process run smoothly. You should also decide whether you want to go door-to-door, or have people drop off their bottles and cans at a central location.

STEP TWO: REGISTER WITH ISLAND RETURN IT
We have the knowledge, expertise and materials to make your day a success. Registration is FREE, and you’ll want to register well in advance to take advantage of our advice along the way. We’ve helped community groups collect over $95,000 from bottle drives, so you know you’re giving yourself the best chance for success.

STEP THREE: GET THE WORD OUT
This is where being strategic really counts. Start advertising as early as you can, to give people time to start saving their containers. Remind people about 1-2 weeks before the bottle drive and again 1-2 days prior to the event. There are countless methods for local advertising these days…use them all. Social media is an obvious choice (Facebook especially) and provides an easy way to post detailed information and connect with the community. Community websites often have places to post local events. Also, don’t ignore tried and true methods such as posting on community boards, advertising in local media, or even handing out flyers (though do be strategic with these for the good of our planet).

STEP FOUR: GAME DAY
If you’ve followed Steps 1-3 (especially Step 2), then the actual bottle drive itself should be a breeze. Have a big group meeting before you start, so everyone is on the same page. Give a clear outline of what the day will look like with a specific timeline of events. Ensure that everyone involved knows who the leader is and has his or her contact information. Make it fun. Remind everyone why the money is being raised. Above all, thank everyone for coming out in support of your group…especially if it’s a “lovely” west/wet coast fall day.

So no excuses now…get out there, make some money, and save the planet!  And, while you’re at it, don’t forget that Island Return It Recycling Centres also collect electronics, appliances, and a host of other planet-saving items.