Out of the 30 to 50 tons of recycled material processed at the City of Santa Cruz’s recycling center on Dimeo Lane every day, nearly a third ends up in landfills.
The city’s Public Works Department is currently accepting applications for its 2026 Master Recycler Volunteer Training Program, in which participants will gain hands-on experience in waste reduction and recycling.
Participants are expected to attend eight training sessions to become “Master Recycler Volunteers.” Session topics include sustainability, food waste prevention and zero-waste practices. Most are held on Tuesdays.
The program holds Saturday field trips for a behind-the-scenes tour of the city’s recycling center, and participants will also take a trip to the Grey Bears campus in Live Oak for a presentation on “Rethinking Your Purchases.”
Graduates will emerge from the program ready to put their newfound skills to use by agreeing to a minimum of 20 hours of volunteer service over 12 months.
Applications can be found here and will be accepted until Jan. 30.
Public Works also offers a half-day training for people who are curious about recycling but don’t have the time to commit to volunteering.
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