Webinar Recap | Litter Prevention in Parks

Original Air Date: Wednesday, March 5, 2025 @ 1:00pm ET

Parks settings are particularly difficult to manage regarding recycling and litter prevention. While all programs experience challenges, some communities have demonstrated how systematic planning and creative strategies can deliver higher diversion and cleaner parks. This webinar featured two case study presentations, including a successful campaign to address chronic trash problems in an urban park, and a phased approach to design, implement and refine a recycling program across 300 park locations.

Moderated by:

ALEC COOLEY, Senior Advisor @ Busch Systems

Author:

Speaker Panel

TAYLOR EMERSON

Manager of Strategic Planning @ San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department

MEREDITH GAUTHIER, LEED AP BD+C, SITE AP, TRUE ADVISOR

Sustainability & Resilience Program Manager @ City of Austin, Parks & Recreation Department

ALEC COOLEY

Senior Advisor @ Busch Systems

Downloads and Resources

View/Download the Webinar Slidedeck

CLICK HERE to view/download a PDF version of the presentation slides from all presenters used in the live webinar

City of Austin PARD Recycling

Click here for the city of Austin’s PARD Recycling website; includes an overview of recycling implementation strategy, final report, and bin design and placement guidelines.

Click here for the city of Austin’s PARD Zero Waste Event Guidelines.

San Francisco Recreation & Parks

Click here for information on Leave No Trace, an 501c3 non-profit that supports local land stewardship efforts with research into best practices as well as training and educational resources.

Click here for a pet waste study conducted by Leave No Trace.

Click here for a national park visitor behavior study conducted by Leave No Trace.

Click here for the Student Conservation Association (SCA), a source for interns to help with organizing events, managing signage, monitoring parks onsite and other support tasks.

Past Parks and Streetscapes Webinars

Click here for our webinar from April 2021, Lessons Learned from Parks and Streetscape Recycling.

Click here for our webinar from February 2022, Tackling Litter & Recycling Contamination; additional resources can be found here including Keep America Beautiful litter studies, and NYC Central Park trash and recycling handbook

Click here for our webinar from March 2022, Finding the Perfect Outdoor Bin.

Past Parks and Streetscapes Blogs

Click here for our blog titled Communities Making Public Space Recycling Work; this blog profiles recycling programs for Baton Rouge, LA, Des Moines, IA, and Austin PARD.

Click here for our blog titled What To Look For With Outdoor Recycling & Waste Bins.

Click here for our blog titled Top 5 Practices to Reduce Park & Recreation Recycling Contamination.

Other Resources

Click here for the best practices for public space recycling website hosted by the Continuous Improvement Fund (CIF).

Click here for a 2021 Dutch study about relocating waste bins to park perimeter and if this results in less litter.