Government | Environmental Sustainability | Public Education
When California enacted landmark legislation prohibiting the disposal of certain electronic devices in landfills, state leaders faced a significant challenge: educating millions of residents about a new environmental requirement while making compliance simple and convenient.
Strategic Communications | Public Awareness Campaigns | Brand Development | Behavior Change Communications
In 2003, California enacted landmark legislation prohibiting residents from disposing of certain electronic devices, including televisions and computer monitors, in the trash.
The challenge facing the California Integrated Waste Management Board was significant: educating millions of Californians about a new environmental law while making compliance simple and accessible.
At the time, electronic waste recycling was still a relatively new concept. Most consumers were unaware of the environmental risks associated with electronic disposal and had little understanding of where or how to recycle these products.
Jon Myers helped develop a statewide communications strategy focused on one central idea:
“Make electronic recycling easy to understand and even easier to do.”
The campaign worked to establish a recognizable identity for the emerging electronic waste industry by creating consistent messaging and visual branding that could be used by recyclers, retailers, local governments, and environmental organizations throughout California.
A key component of the strategy was promoting eRecycle.org, a consumer-focused website that provided information about the new regulations and allowed residents to locate nearby recycling facilities by county or ZIP code.
Additional initiatives included:
The campaign combined public education, digital engagement, and strategic partnerships to reach consumers wherever they were seeking information.
Messaging was deployed across traditional media, retail partners, recycling organizations, and online channels, creating a unified statewide effort that encouraged responsible electronic disposal and increased public awareness of the new law.
The eRecycle.org website became the campaign’s central resource, helping consumers quickly find convenient recycling options and reducing barriers to participation.
The campaign helped establish electronic waste recycling as a mainstream environmental practice in California.
Key outcomes included:
The campaign received industry recognition and remains active today, continuing to support electronic waste recycling efforts across the state.
The success of eRecycle.org demonstrated how strategic communications can help drive large-scale behavioral change.
By simplifying a complex regulatory issue and making compliance convenient for consumers, the campaign helped transform electronic recycling from an unfamiliar concept into a routine environmental practice for millions of Californian.