Community Involvement

Community Involvement

Community Outreach

MarBorg understands the importance of quality interactions with our customers, both when they require assistance regarding services, and when they just wish to learn about recycling and company operations. That is why MarBorg operates a variety of public outreach programs designed to educate the public. These programs are free of charge, and arranged regularly at the convenience of those requesting the program.

Tours of the C&D Facility MarBorg provides tours of the C&D Facility to anyone requesting this service, from school children to cub scouts to community members just looking to see what MarBorg does. In the past year, MarBorg has conducted approximately 30 tours of this facility to various groups, from 2 people to 30 and from 3-yearolds to adults. These tours begin outside of the facility, with an age appropriate discussion of both recycling in general and MarBorg’s specific operations. Next, the tours receive a presentation about integrated pest management practices and meet MarBorg’s resident falcon. The tours then move inside the facility to see the operations in action. Safety is a primary concern at MarBorg Industries, and these tours are conducted from the safety of an observation platform that overlooks the tipping floor. Many tour attendees enjoy the tour so much that they come back again, particularly school teachers who bring their classes year after year, and individuals who attend with one group and then return later with a new group to see the operations.

Community Speaking On several occasions, community members have called MarBorg to request a speaker at a local event that is in some way related to recycling or waste management. In the last year, MarBorg has sent a guest speaker to events ranging from retirement community meetings to a monthly meeting of the Santa Barbara chapter of the Assistance League. In each case, the presentation is designed to meet the needs of the organization requesting the talk, and to contain information that the organization will find both interesting and instructive.

Vehicle Presentations

Sometimes, instead of requiring teachers to bring their classes to MarBorg, MarBorg will bring their operations to the classroom with a Touch a Truck presentation. This is particularly suitable for younger children who may be intimidated by the noise and activity level within the facility, and large groups that are harder to take on a field trip. In the last few years, MarBorg has taken vehicles to several different preschools in the area. Generally, teachers request this service because their classes get so excited when the trash is picked up each week. MarBorg employees will arrive with a collection vehicle, and let the children walk around the truck, sit in the driver seat, and have their picture taken in front of it (Figure 21).  This will generally be followed by an age-appropriate discussion of recycling, and end with the distribution of MarBorg coloring books to the children.

Sponsorships and Festivals

MarBorg Industries is, and always has been, a local company with roots in the community. As such, MarBorg recognizes the importance of caring for the community, as the community has supported the Company since its beginning.  MarBorg Industries donates time and money to many causes and events in the Santa Barbara area, and has made numerous cash donations to hundreds of community non-profit organizations, youth support groups, environmental groups, medical care foundations, community resources, events and many other deserving groups that help sustain our community. MarBorg also provides numerous in-kind donations to community groups and events to support them in their efforts to improve the quality of life in the area, including partnering with the Foundation for Girsh Park to help build the MarBorg Industries Fieldhouse with a permanent restroom facility.

MarBorg is a sponsor of the California Lemon Festival in Goleta in perpetuity. Knowing that this sponsorship will be available forever allows the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce to focus on enhancing all aspects of the festival, instead of on fundraising.

Another festival that is sponsored by MarBorg each year is Earth Day. There, MarBorg employees enjoy the opportunity to interact with and educate the public about many of the services and programs that MarBorg offers (Figure 22). The message of Earth Day, promoting conservation and sustainable living, aligns with MarBorg’s corporate philosophy and provides MarBorg with another opportunity to emphasize the importance of MarBorg’s diversion and sustainability programs.

Disaster Support

Santa Barbara is a beautiful community, situated between the Santa Ynez Mountains and the Pacific Ocean.  This location, while rife with natural beauty and recreational opportunities, has also been subject to many natural disasters in recent years.  Numerous wildfires have spread through the Santa Ynez Mountains, threatening or even reaching into the County of Santa Barbara.  Since 1990, there have been at least thirteen significant fires that have affected Goleta, Santa Barbara, and the surrounding County.  The most recent, the Thomas Fire, resulted in catastrophic mudslides in the City and County of Santa Barbara.

Throughout each of these disasters, MarBorg Industries has supported the community both during the disaster event and throughout the recovery and clean-up efforts.  MarBorg works directly with CalFire, CHP, first responders, Army Corps of Engineers, and other disaster relief organizations to provide them with supplies as quickly as possible. During the Thomas Fire, MarBorg sent daily e-mails to thousands of customers with updates to service schedules, and made automated phone calls to hundreds of customers to update them on make-up service days.  Route managers and drivers coordinated to continue scheduled pickups whenever and wherever they could, both during and after the disaster.  To this day, MarBorg continues to haul load after load of debris from the affected area, and to sort through this debris at the C&D Recycling Facility.  

In many areas of the Country, committing to support a community through any potential natural disaster may seem like an empty promise.  On the South Coast, MarBorg’s commitment to do just that is anything but empty.  MarBorg has proven time and again that they can be counted on in a disaster, and any future franchise agreement will include MarBorg’s proven commitment to disaster relief and recovery efforts.