Victoria Theatre Association and Waste Management launch Green Partnership

The trademark WICKED green color that once painted downtown Dayton hasn't been seen since early March. But Victoria Theatre Association (VTA) and Waste Management are still seeing "green" - recycling green.

With the assistance of Waste Management, VTA has adopted a new recycling program, which kicked-off on Opening Night of the blockbuster WICKED's 3-week run in Dayton at the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center. Inspired by the efforts of Broadway Green Alliance, an organization formed to motivate Broadway productions and theatres across the U.S. to become environmentally friendly, Victoria Theatre Association began taking necessary steps to become a "green" organization.

VTA Vice President of Development, Michael Roediger, recognized that "it was the perfect storm. WICKED, the Broadway Green Alliance and recycling-we had to act on the opportunity and a partnership with Waste Management was the only way to go." Roediger contacted Waste Management District Manager Brian Schlise who was immediately interested in the partnership.

"Our goal was much more than just simply providing recycle bins to VTA and walk away considering our job complete," Schlise said. "We undertook a comprehensive review of the organization's wants and needs. We met with the managers and employees to understand the challenges we would face in rolling out a program that would benefit the environment and their business structure."

"Since the start of the recycling initiative, we have been able to reduce our solid waste volumes by nearly two thirds through collection of single stream recyclables such as paper, plastic, and metal items to name just a few, " said VTA Facilities Manager, Harley Blankenship. " Our patrons and employees have embraced this campaign, and we look forward to continuing to reduce our solid waste volumes in the future. Not only have we made a positive impact to the environment, but we have also realized a reduction in our waste removal costs. This has been a win-win endeavor."

Future recycling programs are planned for roll out throughout the remainder of the year by incorporating electronics, light bulb, and battery recycling through Waste Management's Lamp Tracker Program available to businesses as well as individuals.

For more information regarding how businesses can go "green," contact Waste Management at 1-800-343-6047.

For more information about Victoria Theatre Association, visit www.victoriatheatre.com.

To learn more about the Broadway Green Alliance program see www.broadwaygreen.com.

Victoria Theatre Association is one of Dayton's premier arts organizations, presenting the Miami Valley and Good Samaritan Hospitals Broadway Series, the Young at Heart Family Series, the Michelob Ultra Cool Films series, Star Attractions, the Universal 1 Variety Series, and the Physicians for Kids Discovery Series, which features curriculum-enhanced live theatre productions for school children. Victoria Theatre Association is proud of its alliance with the Dayton Opera. In addition to the performances it presents, Victoria Theatre Association also manages the historic Victoria Theatre, the Benjamin and Marian Schuster Performing Arts Center, and the Metropolitan Arts Center, which houses The Loft Theatre. Victoria Theatre Association receives funding from a variety of diverse public, corporate, individual and private sources, including the Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District and the Ohio Arts Council. The Ohio Arts Council helped fund this program or organization with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans.

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