Resources

• Sample Letters to the Editor
• Sample Letter to your State Representative/Senator
• Sample Article
• Sample City/Town Resolution

Sample Letters to the Editor

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Sample City/Town Resolution

Whereas The Massachusetts Bottle Bill, enacted in 1982, has allowed _____ residents to enjoy a cleaner environment by creating an incentive for users of certain beverage containers to recycle those used containers; and,

Whereas, states with deposit laws have higher residential recycling rates of beverage containers than those of non-deposit states, and;

Whereas litter decrease in states with Bottle Bills averages 70-85%, and,

Whereas, through the Massachusetts Bottle Bill, we recycle nearly 80% of containers of deposit containers, but only 22% on non-deposit containers, and

Whereas the Governor of the Commonwealth, and members of the Massachusetts Senate and House of Representatives have recognized that the original bottle bill does not take into account those beverages such as bottled water, sports drinks, and teas.

Whereas the addition of bottled water, sports drinks, and teas to the Bottle Bill will decrease the total volume of municipal solid waste that is needed to be collected, thus saving disposal fees and landfill space,

Be It Resolved

That we, the members of _____ (board of Alderman/City Council), commemorate the 30th anniversary of the implementation of the Massachusetts Bottle Bill.

Furthermore, Be It Resolved that the City/Town of _____  be placed on record as being in support of the Massachusetts Beverage Container Deposit Law and encourages it's strengthening through expanding the list as recommended by the Governor in his proposed budget and currently being considered by the House and Senate Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy.

Furthermore, Be It Resolved that the City/Town of _____ goes on record in supporting programs that encourage residents and visitors to return or recycle all beverage containers and other recyclable materials to fully utilize the currently available recycling programs.

Be it Further Resolved that the City request that our state representatives and state senators, and our governor to support and vote in favor of updating the Massachusetts Container Beverage Law.