MERIDIAN, TOWNSHIP - During the February 3rd Environmental Commission virtual meeting, essential tips for building a more compelling presence on social media was presented by Kelly Schalter, program manager at Michigan Recycling Coalition. Schalter shared how social media can be used for environmental change and the ways that the MRC assisted Recycle Michigan, a nonprofit, with its social media campaign.

The Recycle Michigan campaign was launched in 2014. At the time, the intent was to connect recycling programs in Michigan to a statewide brand that would give the nonprofit legitimacy and remind Michiganders that recycling is available in Michigan. In 2016, another plan was created to partner with organizations from across the state and provide them with a sign, promotion, and premade customizable social media content.

Social media is a critical piece of building a brand, and having content that was already made, makes the process a lot less complicated. The Recycle Michigan social media campaign's goal is to empower shorter time and staff crunched organizations with the ability to leverage social media to educate and enhance programs. Schalter recommends to localize social media posts because residents tend to relate more.

"Any time you can feature an employee and community member with a lesson about recycling, it instills trust in the community and helps spread your message," Schalter said.

The potentials of social media are endless. It targets audiences, inspires information-seeking and self-identified communities within which trust is built. Posting content and sharing it with a personal page, and having friends share can help build community.