- About
- Neighborhoods
- Adobe Meadow
- Evergreen Park
- Old Palo Alto
- Barron Park
- Fairmeadow
- Palo Alto Hills
- Charleston Gardens
- Greater Miranda
- Palo Alto Orchards
- Charleston Meadows
- Green Acres
- Palo Verde
- College Terrace
- Greendell
- Southgate
- Community Center
- Greenmeadow
- The Greenhouse
- Crescent Park
- Leland Manor/Garland
- Triple El
- Downtown North
- Meadow Park
- University South
- Duveneck/St. Francis
- Midtown
- Ventura
- Esther Clark Park
- Monroe Park
- Walnut Grove
- Bike Palo Alto 2012
- Mini-Can Challenge
Join the Neighborhood Mini-Can Challenge!
Join the Mini-Can challenge and help your neighborhood be the first to reach 50%! On Earth Day, April 22nd, 2011 the Green Teams launched the Neighborhood Mini-Can Challenge. Mini cans are the smallest container size (20 gal.) for garbage service in Palo Alto. Switching to a mini-can saves money and reduces the amount of garbage sent to the landfill, helping the environment! In the first nine months of the challenge we had great success, increasing mini-can use an average of 7% in participating neighborhoods. No one has hit 50% yet, so there is still a chance to have your neighborhood win bragging rights!
What is the Mini-Can Challenge?
The City of Palo Alto's Zero Waste program published a Progress Report www.zerowastepaloalto.org/progress-report with a map (see below) in 2011 showing the percent of mini-can use by neighborhood. The percentages ranged from 13% - 37%. The City challenged the community to get to 50% mini-cans.
The Palo Alto Neighborhood Green Teams took up the challenge and launched the Mini-Can Challenge on Earth Day, April 22, 2011. The goal is to get our neighborhoods to 50% mini-cans. Barron Park, College Terrace, Midtown and Greenmeadow neighborhoods have signed onto the Challenge. The Challenge rewards? Working side by side with neighbors to strengthen our neighborhoods, a sense of accomplishment for our community to “go green”, save money and of course, bragging rights!
How do I join the Mini-Can Challenge?
1) Switch to a Mini-Can!
Is this difficult? It may sound daunting, but it's not! Households that take advantage of Palo Alto's extensive recycling and composting collection programs can often downsize to the mini-can. If recycling more doesn't quite get you there, following some simple packaging purchasing and waste reduction guidelines can close the gap. For more information on Palo Alto's recycling program and what you can put in the green and blue bins, see the How To section.
Why else should switch? Save money! Changing to the mini-can can also save a household hundreds of dollars per year. The mini can (20 gal.) level of garbage service is $15.90/mo. The regular can (32 gal.) level of service costs $32.86/mo. Switching from a mini-can to a regular can saves a household $203.52/yr.
How do I sign up? For more information on mini-can service and how to sign up, see the FAQ section below the map.
2) Volunteer to help your neighborhood get to 50%
To volunteer to help with the mini-can challenge in your neighborhood, visit your neighborhood Green Team homepage for more info. If your neighborhood does not have a Green Team yet please e-mail info@pagreenteams.org. The Green Teams have resources to help you organize and get the word out in your neighborhood for the challenge!
Mini-Can Challenge Resources
GreenWaste has information in various languages (English, Spanish, Russian, Simple Mandarin and Japanese) on their website, including:
The Zero Waste Program has a “tool kit” that includes:
Sorting game: Test your knowledge about what goes in what can.
How to videos:
- Residue - How clean do recyclables have to be?
- Film Plastics - What's accepted and how do I prepare them?
- Paper Cups - Where do they go?
- Plastics - What is accepted?
- Products from Multiple Materials - What are they and why are they not accepted?
- Electronics - Yes, they really can go in your recycling cart!
- Food Composting - It's for more than just restaurants and cafeterias
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Where can I find out more information about the community's progress toward Zero Waste?
A: The City of Palo Alto Zero Waste Program has a progress report page on their website. The Zero Waste Program can be reached at (650) 496-5910 or zerowaste@cityofpaloalto.org
Q: What is a mini-can?
A: The mini-can is the smallest garbage service level available to those residing in single-family homes or small apartment complexes (four or fewer units). A mini-can is 20 gallons.
Q: Who do I contact to switch to the mini-can for garbage, or inquire about my garbage, recycling or yard trimmings services?
A: Contact GreenWaste of Palo Alto Customer Service at (650) 493-4894.
Q: Why do the current 32 gallon and mini-can (20 gallon) garbage carts look the same
A: The carts for both are the same size; however, if you have the mini-can service, GreenWaste places an insert inside the 32 gallon cart so the volume the cart holds is reduced to 20 gallons.
Q: Can I use a 20 gallon garbage can instead of a garbage cart from GreenWaste?
A: Yes. If you prefer to purchase a 20 gallon garbage can instead of receiving a 20 gallon wheeled cart from GreenWaste, that is an option. Contact GreenWaste Customer Service at (650) 493-4894 for details.
Q: Are there circumstances where I must use my own 20 gallon garbage can if I change to the mini-can?
A: Yes. If you have back/side yard garbage collection or you participate in the Physical Limitations Program, you must provide your own 20 gallon mini-can. GreenWaste does not provide a wheeled garbage cart in that service scenario. Contact GreenWaste Customer Service at
(650) 493-4894 for details.
Q: Most of the time our household makes 20 gallons (mini-can) or less garbage each week, but sometimes we have extra. What do we do?
A: On the occasions you need to place extra garbage out for collection, contact GreenWaste Customer Service at (650) 493-4894 so they know to expect it. You can place extra garbage out for a fee ($10.60, rate effective until 9/30/11) and your account will be billed.
Q: My neighborhood is interested in the mini-can challenge. Who do I contact?
A: Contact the Palo Alto Green Teams, info@paloaltogreenteams.org
Q: What are the monthly garbage rates?
A: Below is a list of the various rates for mini-, 1-, 2-, and 3-can services. A detailed list of refuse rates is listed on the City of Palo Alto website (rates effective until 9/30/11).
| Mini-can, 20 gal. | $15.90 |
| 1-32 gal. | $32.86 |
| 2-32 gal. | $67.84 |
| 3-32 gal. | $101.76 |
Q: Most of what is left in our garbage is food scraps. What more can we do to change to a mini-can?
A: You may want to consider worm or backyard composting. Worm composting is no muss, no fuss and requires little space and works well with food scraps. The City offers reduced-cost bins for backyard composting. The City of Palo Alto Zero Waste Program offers free workshops for both types of composting. Contact the Zero Waste Program at (650) 496-5910 for details.
Q: If I switch to a mini-can, the City will receive less revenue. What will the long term effect be on my rates?
A: The current garbage rates are effective through September 30, 2011. The City is in the process of modifying its rate structure model to address years of declining revenue. Currently, the rates are based on the size of garbage service only, with recycling and yard trimmings being provided at no additional cost. Less garbage has meant less revenue for the City; however, the reality is that there are costs associated with recycling and yard trimmings collection and processing services, too. In addition, the closing of the Palo Alto Landfill and a long-term contract entered into years ago with another local landfill, has contributed to a revenue shortfall. The new rates that the City is developing will likely be structured in a way that you pay for each service used, not just garbage. For more information, contact the City of Palo Alto Zero Waste Program at (650) 496-5910.