Published on January 06, 2026
The City of Santa Cruz is now accepting applications for its 2026 Master Recycler Volunteer Training Program. Over the course of eight weeks in February and March, participants will attend eight training sessions to become “Master Recycler Volunteers” in areas related to waste reduction and recycling. The interactive classes are taught by the City’s Resource Recovery staff and local discard management professionals.
2025 Program Session Schedule:
Session topics include the Six Rs of Sustainability; Food Waste Prevention; Diversion, Collection and Processing of Food Waste; Rethink Your Habits; and Green Businesses and Zero Waste. Saturday field trips will provide a behind-the-scenes tour of the City’s Recycling Center, where 30-50 tons of material is recycled every day, and a trip to the Grey Bears campus for a presentation on "Rethinking Your Purchases."
Program graduates will emerge with an agreement to put their new skills into practice through a minimum of 20 hours of community service. They will be invited to staff outreach tables and discard stations at special events, support Earth Day, and serve as recycle champions with the knowledge and confidence to educate and empower community members to waste less, rethink their habits and “recycle right.”
Applications are available at santacruzca.gov/recycleright and will be accepted until January 30. Space is limited and priority consideration will be given to those who reside or work within the City of Santa Cruz. Applicants must be at least 18 years of age. If you have any questions, please contact the Waste Reduction team at mrv@santacruzca.gov.
Ashley Hussey Community Relations Specialist (831) 420-5213 ahussey@santacruzca.gov