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Recognizing the City of Philadelphia Streets Department for the Launch of Philacycle, a Program Designed to Enhance the City’s Ability to Encourage Recycling and other Sustainable Practices Throughout Philadelphia.
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WHEREAS, Recycling is a sustainable process in which previously used materials that would otherwise become waste are resold to manufacturers. In addition to diverting usable materials from landfills, recycling helps create green jobs, preserves natural resources, and reduces both energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions; and
WHEREAS, The recycling program in Philadelphia is historic. In 1989, the City of Philadelphia became the first municipality in Pennsylvania to implement curbside collection of residential recyclables. The Program has made significant strides, collecting a record 127,700 tons of recyclable materials from Philadelphia residents in the 2014 fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, Recycling has clear environmental and fiscal benefits for the City of Philadelphia. To date, the accrued benefit of the City’s recycling efforts are equivalent to removing more than 60,000 cars off of Philadelphia streets and generating electricity for 40,000 homes in one year. Fiscally, the City of Philadelphia has saved as much as $15 million dollars annually by recycling, allowing those funds to be used for other crucial City services; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia created the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program in July 2010 under the leadership of Mayor Michael Nutter. The Program, a partnership between the Streets Department and sustainable company Recyclebank, allows residents participating in City recycling efforts to earn points, prizes and other rewards. When established, Philadelphia became the largest City in the United States to offer recycling rewards to its citizens; and
WHEREAS, On November 15, 2017, the Streets Department will relaunch the Philadelphia Recycling Rewards Program as Philacycle. Like its predecessor, the goal of Philacycle will be to increase the usage and subsequent effectiveness of sustainable recycling practices in the City of Philadelphia. The relaunch will include a new website and mobile app, an updated social media presence, on-the-ground promotion, new rewards and event marketing. Philacycle is inspired by the circular economy, a restorative and regenerative concept that aims to keep products, components, and materials at their highest utility and value at all times; and
WHEREAS, The launch of Philacycle represents a renewed commitment to recycling by the City of Philadelphia, and is one of several actions that demonstrate the City’s dedication to the use and promotion of environmentally conscious and sustainable practices. In 2016, Mayor Kenney established through Executive Order 13-16 the Zero Waste and Litter Cabinet to move the City of Philadelphia toward the goal of reducing waste generation and increasing waste diversion by 90 percent by 2035; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we hereby recognize the City of Philadelphia Streets Department for the launch of Philacycle, a program designed to enhance the City’s ability to encourage recycling and other sustainable practices throughout Philadelphia.
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