Notice The Trash Exchange is a working conceptual document to build the actual event. All ideas are currently concepts tailored to Santa Cruz County organizations who have not yet committed to participating in the Trash Exchange.

Last update Feb 18, 2025

Introduction

The Trash Exchange Event is an intensive one day cleanup event designed to cleanup the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz, CA and leveraging community-based exchange of goods and services.

Taylor Lahey will energize the community organizer role and this website lays out his plan to coordinate many organizations for the event.

Why an Exchange

Exchange programs with incentivized rewards are designed to benefit each participant and their respective communities. An exchange cultivates community and goodwill that common linear donation schemas may neglect or miss entirely. Traditional donation processes leave participants empty handed, while exchanges give back to its participants to stimulate future participation, shared purpose, and connection.

Green Exchange

The primary inspiration of the Trash Exchange was the Câmbio Verde program of Curitiba, Brazil, or the “Green Exchange” in English. The exchange program offers local produce to participants in exchange for recyclables. The participants, local farmers, community, and environment all benefit through Câmbio Verde’s mutually beneficial incentivized system.

The community organizer is responsible for

  • Directing and managing the program and events

  • Setting the event exchange rate

  • Recruiting program partners

  • Coordinating partners

Community Organizer Responsibilities

To build a Trash Exchange to clean the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County, I have identified organizations from the public, private sector, non-profits and put them into 3 separate groups:

Reward Backers
Institutions to financially back rewards for the Trash Exchange

  • City of Santa Cruz

  • Bay Federal Credit Union

  • Santa Cruz Community Credit Union

River Stewards
Organizations to cleanup or organize cleanups at the San Lorenzo River

  • Save Our Shores – Lead River Steward Partner

    • Responsible for cleanup resources, liability, and trash documentation

  • Coastal Watershed Council

  • San Lorenzo Park Neighbors

  • Downtown Streets Team

  • Pitch In Santa Cruz County

Collectors
Organizations to exchange trash or rewards with volunteers

  • Santa Cruz Waste Municipality

  • Downtown Association of Santa Cruz

Prospective Program Partners

Exchange Rate

Sourcing Reward
Trash Exchange events exchange rewards for volunteer work. The exchange rate is determined by the reward backers, collectors, and community organizer.

Rewards can be goods or a stored unit of value redeemable outside of the event.

Downtown Dollars
For the proof-of-concept event at the San Lorenzo River, I propose the backers purchase of Santa Cruz Downtown Dollars, a community currency offering by the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz, to reward volunteers.

By choosing Downtown Dollars as the reward, Santa Cruz volunteers will redeem their vouchers at local business along the San Lorenzo River. The relationship between the volunteer and Downtown Santa Cruz businesses cultivates location-based shared value and purpose.

Measuring Work
Trash of all sizes make impact on the environment from small pieces of plastic and cigarette butts to car tires or clothing.

All waste is harmful and should be equitably incentivized to be picked up by being based on hours and documentation based on volunteers inputing their work into the Save Our Shores Marine Tally App.

Event Design

Before Event
Taylor begins recruiting for all roles but will emphasize the

1. Before
Balancing and funding incentives with reward backers, purchase event rewards, set event logistics

2. During
Clean-up, exchange trash, dispose trash, distribute rewards

3. After Volunteers redeem rewards,

Event Design

Host

I propose Save Our Shores to host this event to utilize their event infrastructure, volunteer liability, and event experience and community.

All waste will be documented in the Save Our Shores Marine Tally App (Apple, Google) or a paper data card.

Collection Stations

The work to cleanup public space typically goes to outside agencies. I propose the City of Santa Cruz allocates a portion of their budget to a Trash Exchange event.

City of Santa Cruz would work with the organizer to set an Exchange Rate based on number of pounds.

"In fiscal year 2022 for Santa Cruz County, Cal Trans expended $693,000 and picked up 2900 cubic yards of material." Kelly McClain, Cal Trans (from www.pitchinsantacruz.org)

Press Inquires

Contact Taylor Lahey at hello@taylorlahey.com

Help build the Trash Exchange

Are you a community hub, municipality, non-profit, or neighborhood leader that wants to bring the Bike Exchange to your community? Let’s connect!