What do you do with a greasy pizza box? An empty paint can? A plastic take-out container? When it comes to recycling and waste disposal in Hampton Roads, the answer isn’t always obvious – especially when recycling rules vary between Hampton Roads localities. That’s why askHRgreen is launching a new campaign – “What Do You Do With This?” — aimed at helping residents get the answers they need before they toss something in the recycling bin or trash can.
Now running across the region, the campaign uses an engaging game show concept to tackle the everyday recycling and disposal questions that keep Hampton Roads residents guessing. The message is simple: “Don’t Guess. Just Ask! At askHRgreen.org.”
Launched in 2011, askHRgreen.org is a region-wide public awareness and education initiative administered by the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission (HRPDC) with support from 17 cities and counties across Hampton Roads. Through this regional partnership, askHRgreen.org provides residents with practical information and resources related to recycling and waste disposal, water conservation and the protection of local waterways.
“People want to do the right thing, but sometimes they simply don’t know what the right thing is,” said Rebekah Eastep, HRPDC Senior Environmental Education Planner and a team leader at askHRgreen.org. “This campaign gives residents an easy way to find the answers they need to take the guesswork out of recycling and disposal.”
The new campaign was made possible through a $1.96 million grant awarded to askHRgreen.org by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in 2024. The grant supports public education and outreach designed to expand access to recycling information, improve residents’ understanding of local recycling and disposal guidelines, and encourage people across Hampton Roads to recycle correctly.
Research conducted as part of the initiative helped shape the campaign’s strategy and messaging. During the spring and summer of 2025, OpinionWorks LLC conducted a regional baseline survey and six community focus groups for askHRgreen.org. The research explored residents’ recycling attitudes, behaviors and information needs.
The findings showed that while many residents believe they understand recycling, uncertainty remains about which items are accepted at curbside and how to properly dispose of materials that do not belong in a curbside cart. Participants also expressed a need for information that is clear, convenient and specific to their communities.
Those insights informed the campaign’s emphasis on common, real-life questions and its direct invitation for residents to turn to askHRgreen.org before deciding what goes where.
Now, Hampton Roads residents can just turn to askHRgreen.org for the answer. Through television, streaming, radio, digital, social media and more, residents will be invited to play along as contestants face a variety of real-life recycling and disposal questions. The campaign’s game show format brings a little fun to the uncertainty many people experience when deciding what goes where.
The campaign highlights a wide range of common questions, including:
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Can this item go in my curbside bin?
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Should I put it in the trash?
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Should I take it somewhere for special disposal?
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What should I do with an item that’s damaged, dirty or no longer usable?
“Recycling and disposal guidelines can be confusing, especially when the rules change from time to time and differ from one city to the next,” said Katie Cullipher, HRPDC Communications Director. “Our goal is to make it easier for residents across Hampton Roads who want to do the right thing to get the right answer for their community. Instead of guessing, just askHRgreen.org.”