Changing Recycling Behavior Across California
In an effort to improve recycling practices and reduce waste contamination, the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) launched I Recycle Smart—the state’s first-ever organics and proper sorting education campaign.
The team now at Mediasol led the initiative from 2020 to 2023, focusing on behavior change through research-driven messaging, strategic outreach, and community collaboration. Targeting low-income and disadvantaged communities, the campaign emphasized simple, actionable steps, like placing food scraps in yard waste bins, to help Californians adapt to evolving recycling rules. Leveraging a diverse mix of paid media, social media, community partnerships, and localized outreach, Mediasol ensured the message reached residents in rural, suburban, and urban areas alike.
Statewide campaign budget managed across three years, including coordination of seven subcontractors and nearly a dozen external vendors.
This inaugural statewide organics recycling education effort was shaped by community-based social marketing, pilot programs, and deep formative research.
