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City of Buffalo Press Releases

Posted on: September 6, 2019

Oxford Square Block Club Wins 2019 Let’s Do This! Block Club Recycling Competition

BUFFALO – Mayor Byron W. Brown announced today that the Oxford Square Block Club was the top winner of the City of Buffalo’s Let’s DO This! Block Club Recycling Competition for 2019. The Oxford Square Block Club increased community participation in curbside recycling by 69.84%! Second place went to the Lafayette Ave Block Club. As winners of the competition, these Block Clubs will receive a Community Shredding Event and/or a Street Planter. Winners were announced at the Apollo Media Center.

“As we continue to build an equitable and inclusive City of Opportunity, healthy communities and a healthy environment are critical to the health and wellness of every person,” said Mayor Brown. “Building on my Administration’s goals for a greener, more sustainable city, I congratulate City of Buffalo Block Clubs for embracing the 2019 ‘Let’s Do This! Recycling Challenge’ for the third consecutive year. This friendly neighborhood competition is a wonderful way for us to raise awareness about recycling and recycling opportunities in the City of Buffalo.”

Let’s DO This! Block Club Recycling Competition was launched in 2017 to incentivize residents to participate in curbside recycling and help bring the City to its goal of 34% recycling. Under Mayor Brown’s leadership, the City has introduced many programs designed to increase recycling, including single-stream green tote recycling, electronic waste recycling, expanded curbside yard waste pickup and drop off center, residential food scraps recycling program, the Western New York Coalition for Donated Goods, the Community Dare to Repair Café events, and the 34andMore Buffalo Recycles promotional events. As a result of these initiatives and others, overall recycling rates have increased from 15.9% in 2012 to 29.30% in 2018.

As part of this year’s month-long recycling competition, all participating Block Clubs received $100 worth of beautification items, including tools and bulbs, to be used in their neighborhoods. Over 3,200 households in 34 Block Clubs participated in the friendly and fun competition. Participating Block Clubs included:

18th Street Come-n-unity Block Club

Academy/St. Mary’s Block Club Alliance Stockbridge #2

Bickford Edith Alice Block Club

Bird-Herkimer Block Club

Blaine Avenue Block Club #1 Cottage District Safety Committee

Courtland Avenue United Block Club

East Lovejoy Coalition (ELCON)

F&K French Street Block Club Fargo Estate Neighborhood Association

Fordham Drive Block Club

H.E.A.P. Alliance

Hamlin/Lonsdale Block Blub Hodge Avenue Homeowners Association

Indian Orchard Block Club