Sustainable NCW launches recycling education campaign featuring marmot mascot

WENATCHEE — Sustainable NCW has launched a new public education campaign featuring a marmot mascot named Wizzle to help Chelan and Douglas county residents better understand recycling and waste disposal options.

The campaign, called "Wizzle It!," promotes the nonprofit organization's online Waste Wizard tool, which helps residents determine how to reuse, repair, recycle, donate or safely dispose of household items.

According to Sustainable NCW, the Waste Wizard has helped 36,000 residents find disposal and recycling options for hundreds of everyday items since its launch four years ago.

The organization is introducing Wizzle, a fictional marmot that lives beneath Saddle Rock, as the face of the Waste Wizard. The character will appear in a series of educational videos addressing common recycling questions and misconceptions.

Sustainable NCW is working with Howell at the Moon to produce 12 videos, each focusing on a specific recycling issue. WM and the Chelan and Douglas county solid waste departments are also providing assistance to ensure the information is accurate.

Three videos have been released, with nine additional episodes in production. The initial videos introduce Wizzle and address recycling contamination and "wish-cycling," the practice of placing items in recycling bins without knowing whether they can be recycled.

Upcoming episodes will cover topics including batteries, glass, construction debris and household hazardous waste.

The campaign is funded in part through a Washington State Department of Ecology Public Participation Grant.

Sustainable NCW said the campaign is intended to expand awareness of the Waste Wizard across Chelan and Douglas counties, which have a combined population of approximately 129,000 residents.

The Waste Wizard is available at www.wizzleit.org. The campaign's educational videos are available on YouTube.

Sustainable NCW is a regional nonprofit organization that provides sustainability education and outreach. Its programs include classroom education, the annual Earth Day Fair, waste-reduction assistance for community events and partnerships addressing recycling and waste management issues.