CRANBERRY TWP — The township is revamping its Collection Connection recycling program to improve recycling and reduce garbage.

The effort also is being done to keep with the number one goal of sustainability in the Cranberry Plan.

The renewed focus on recycling, dubbed Collection Connection 2.0, was presented to the township supervisors Thursday by Chelsea Puff, Cranberry’s community projects administrator.

The efforts seem to be yielding positive results. In the 12 months since the new effort was undertaken, the program recorded the highest tonnage collection for recyclables in the program’s history for four of those months.

In November, the township collected 276.7 tons and 321.5 tons in December. In April, the recyclables collected were 281.1 tons and in May, 297.1 tons, which were all township recycling collection records.

Cranberry Collection Connection was instituted in 2004.

The current effort undertaken by Lorin Meeder, Cranberry environmental projects coordinator and staff, involves communications.

The township developed a new logo and revised the Collection Connection website. The program’s new slogan is: “Recycle. It’s easy. It’s clean. It’s green.”

C3 Crew mascots were created, Garby, Yardley and Reece, to appeal to children and to help encourage them to recycle and to remind their parents to do so, said Puff.

The C3 Corner will be a permanent educational display geared toward children that will spotlight a monthly sustainability topic. Some of the topics include: paper recycling, backyard composting, electronic recycling and community beautification.

In addition, the township plans to begin an education blitz to tell people how easy and clean recycling is and to dispel myths about recycling.

“Recycling is free. Its always been free in Cranberry,” said Puff.

The township this year had a series of advertisements parodying local popular and recognizable images and messages to promote recycling.

“We’re had a really positive response to the ads,” said Puff, who added residents are asking to meet the man behind the parody advertisements.

Last fall, letters were sent out to 1,925 account holders with 35-gallon recycling carts encouraging them to upgrade to a larger cart.

Free indoor recycling totes and baskets were offered as a thank you to those who upgraded.

There was such a strong response that the township will continue the promotion until the end of this year, said Puff.

So far, 267 customers have upgraded to a larger recycling cart.

Surveys were sent out for receive feedback on the collection program.

The township received 150 responses, and it learned people were unsure if certain items can be recycled.

That confusion will be addressed through the township educational efforts, said Puff.

Customers also are interested in more special recycling events such as for hazardous materials, electronics and batteries.

The township is looking into possibly scheduling those types of events.

With residents’ spring and summer events like graduations, barbecues and pool parties, which usually generate more recyclable materials, the Collection Connection has recycling racks that will be lent out for free with a bag for recyclables and a bag for the regular trash.

So far, Puff said, the racks have been reserved for five major township events including Community Days and the Taste of Cranberry.