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Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program
What is the Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program?
The Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program is a certification by CVSan being offered to multi-family communities. With certification, multi-family properties receive recognition and awards for improved recycling and composting. The value of awards to Green Neighbor Communities is based on the number of multi-family units in a community, a calculation of garbage diversion including recycling and organics service levels, and completion of required and optional activities. Once certified, multi-family properties will receive:
- Property and Tenant Awards.
- Public Recognition of the property in CVSan marketing and publicity.
- Framed Green Neighbor Community Award Certificate.
Click here to view the Green Neighbor Community Directory.
How do I apply for the award?
The property owner/manager should submit the Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program Application to CVSan. Email to contact@cvsan.org.
CVSan staff will perform a site assessment at the multi-family community. Documents will be requested for verification of items on the Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program Application.
What qualifications need to be met for an award?
The multi-family community must meet criteria listed in the 4Rs categories - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot (organics) listed on the application to qualify for an award. Following are a sample of some of the required items:
- Email or give StopFoodWaste’s Produce Storage Guide to tenants once a year.
- Email or give Zero Waste newsletter content (which CVSan provides) to tenants twice a year.
- Schedule and educate tenants on Bulky and Reuse Pick-Ups once a year.
- Promote reuse sales and donation, instead of throwing away (ex. Freecycle, Craigslist, NextDoor, Goodwill, etc.) once a year. Newsletter or mailbox flyers are acceptable.
- Subscribe to recycling service through Alameda County Industries (ACI).
- Achieve a 50 percent recycling (and organics) rate or better by volume/service level.
- Distribute recycling information to tenants twice a year (Mandatory Ordinance–required).
- Subscribe to organics service through ACI and compost food scraps.
- Request from CVSan and distribute food scrap recycling pails (as needed) once a year.
- Distribute organics information to tenants twice a year (Mandatory Ordinance-required).
The Property Award is an amount earned for improved recycling and composting at the property, for a value up to $475.00. CVSan will provide a credit for services and supplies from ACI from the following options:
- Credit for construction and demolition debris service.
- FREE pick up of extra mattresses.
- FREE pick up of extra “white goods” such as refrigerators.
- FREE mulch delivered for on-site landscaping use.
- FREE compost delivered for on-site landscaping use.
- FREE biobags (compostable plastic bags) for indoor food scrap recycling.
What is the Tenant Award?
The Tenant Award is an amount earned for improved recycling and composting at the property, for a value up to $475.00, which is divided and shared as a gift card (by CVSan from 4R Star Business in Castro Valley) to tenants within the multi-family community.
How does a community receive a larger Property Award or Tenant Award?
Awards are based on community size (in units) and participation in each of the 4Rs categories - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot (organics). Larger community size and measured improvements that result in higher recycling and organics levels, will calculate to larger value awards. Awards will be given on a first-come, first-served, basis. Awards can only be used for the property awarded certification and are not redeemable for cash. If the cost of the requested services is less than the awarded amount, the balance is not transferable and not redeemable for cash.
The Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program Application takes eight to ten weeks to process.
Once approved, the property manager will choose one or more of the award options on the application up to the total value awarded. CVSan staff will work with ACI to schedule service and supply awards. Biobags are ordered and delivered by CVSan.
When will we receive the Tenant Award?
The Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program Application takes eight to ten weeks to process.
Once approved, the property manager will let CVSan know how many tenants are at the property and choose gift cards from a 4R Star Business in Castro Valley that offers gift cards or certificates for the value awarded. CVSan will mail gift cards to each tenant unit in the multi-family community.
How long is the multi-family property certified for?
Certification is for three years and multi-family properties are eligible for renewal and award upon expiration.
What is the recertification process?
Certified members of the Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program will receive reminders of items they will need to maintain for recertification after three years.
Property managers will be notified by CVSan to begin the recertification process a year in advance of expiration. CVSan staff will be available for assistance and support with meeting program requirements. Recertifications will complete the same Green Neighbor Community Recognition Program application.