How to Recycle Paper With Paper Retriever and Raise Money for Your Organization or School

Go green and raise money for your school or nonprofit organization with a paper recycling program called Paper Retriever. It's free and easy to get started, and once you set it up, all you have to do is spread the word to increase your earnings from this program.

Go to the Paper Retriever website at paperretriever.com. Click on the "Areas We Serve" link to see if the company serves your area. If you don't see your area, contact customer service -- in some cases, you will still be able to use the service.

Pick a contact person from your school or organization to coordinate the effort. Once you are signed up for the service, the company will drop off the bin for free and empty it out for free when it is full.

Select a spot for the Paper Retriever recycling bin. For example, try a parking lot where it can be seen from the road and community members can conveniently drop off their paper.

Start recycling. Here's what goes in the bin: newspapers, magazines, mail, school and office papers, catalogs and shredded paper. Put your own small bin in your garage or home office for accumulating your paper recyclables; at the end of each week take it to your organization's site and empty it into the Paper Retriever bin.

Spread the word. The more paper that's put into the bin, the more money you make for your organization, so get the word out to the community that people can bring their paper to your bin. Think church bulletins, local merchants, doctor's offices, the library and any public bulletin boards. Refer to the Paper Retriever website for some ideas on how to advertise.

Watch the paper fill up and the checks come in. The community benefits from a cleaner, greener environment and your school or organization has some extra cash to spend. It's a win-win situation.