The bulk of the records are for the years in which the Wisconsin Coalition for Recycling was active although some reference materials are present documenting past recycling efforts in Wisconsin and the United States. The collection has been arranged into three categories: Correspondence, Organizational Files, and Subject Files. The records range in dates from 1969-1985 but the bulk of the records are from 1980-1985.
The Correspondence (1970-1985) relates to both support and opposition to beverage container legislation. These records consist of correspondence to and from Wisconsin Governors and Legislators and include references to failed beverage container laws such as AB 221, SB 172, and AB 840, all of which proposed deposits on beverage containers. Also included is correspondence with various companies in the food, beverage, and container industry and correspondence with various environmental groups.
The Organizational Files (1975-1985) consists of contracts of affiliation, bylaws, and articles of incorporation, general business files, minutes, newsletters, financial records, and membership records. Included with the articles of incorporation are agreements with Environmental Action, Inc. General business files consist of business and governmental mailing lists, grant proposals and applications, and an Independent Study of the Wisconsin Coalition for Recycling. The meeting minutes and agendas and the newsletters provide an extensive look into how the Coalition functioned and how it planned for events. The financial records principally document the finances of the Coalition before its incorporation in 1983. The membership files consist of mailing lists, demographics, and suggested responsibilities of active members. Also included is a slide presentation with audio created by the Coalition in the summer of 1982 in an attempt to recruit new members and to promote recycling awareness.
The Subject Files (1969-1985) consists of legislation, recycling in Wisconsin, and recycling in the United States. The legislation relates to beverage container legislation in both Wisconsin and other states and consists of background research, statistical data, economic impacts, opinion polls, a history of the bottle deposit law, and news clippings. The remainder of this series consists of research and background material relating to general recycling in both Wisconsin and the United States.
