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Step 4: Developing the Proposal
It is very likely that you will need to submit a proposal to the campus administration for support for the recycling program. A good proposal will also provide a "road map" for where your program is going and how you will get there! Therefore, a proposal should contain the following components:

The waste audit will provide an idea of how much office paper your campus disposes each month and the cost of that disposal. Multiply the disposal cost times a 40% recycling goal and the resulting amount will represent the disposal cost avoidance. Add to this the revenues from selling the paper to a recycler and you will have an estimate of the economic benefit of recycling office paper for your campus. Repeat the analysis for each recyclable material that is generated in large quantities on campus. The greatest economic benefit will be realized by recycling materials that are heavy or bulky and/or those with high market value.

Program goals should be stated as precisely as possible in the proposal. Goals should also be stated in a way that they can be measured or evaluated. Here are some examples.

Achieve 40% reduction of solid waste by diverting recyclables from the waste stream.

Establish 150 bins in classrooms, dorms, food service areas, arenas, computer labs, and offices throughout the campus for the collection of recyclables.

Hire one full-time campus recycling coordinator to oversee the program.

Establish a central collection and processing center on campus to consolidate paper, cardboard, plastic, glass, aluminum, steel and other materials.

Program implementation steps and timeline. Many campuses begin with a pilot program, focusing on a representative sample of buildings and/or one or two easy to handle materials. The pilot program should include an education and publicity component to raise awareness that recycling has arrived on campus. (Make it known that you are using recycled paper for publicity and other printed materials.) Bins should be labeled clearly and consistently so that everyone recognizes them. Many campuses have a website that provides details on accepted materials, how to handle (e.g. please rinse soda cans), and the locations of collection containers.

Evaluation. Use the pilot program to work out problems and streamline the collection and marketing process. Keep records of participation, amounts collected, revenues and expenses. Watch out for obstacles including limited storage space, lack of cooperation among students and staff, and contamination (people throwing trash in the recycling containers).

Recommendations. A thorough and honest evaluation should result in a set of recommendations that mark the conclusion of the pilot project and the beginning of the next proposal.