Imagine a group of passionate content creators from high schools and colleges across the state coming together, each eager to spark change in their communities. That’s the heart of the Student Social Media Ambassador Program (SSMAP), a collaboration between CalRecycle’s Recycling Reimagined campaign and Grades of Green.
Over five months, from January to May of 2026, 35 budding influencers dove deep into sustainability storytelling. They started by learning the art of composting, from sorting foods scraps to tackling challenges like odor. Then they focused on beverage container redemption for cash, including newly added containers like wine, distilled spirits, and larger juice bottles, and new and innovative redemption methods like Reverse Vending Machines. The fifth and final lesson highlighted the simple power of reducing waste through reduction and reuse.
Each month, ambassadors gathered virtually to brainstorm and learn together, transforming lessons into creative videos and posts that resonated across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to amplify sustainable messaging. By the program’s end, ambassadors learned more about ways to recycle and reduce waste, and helped inspire behavior change across California.
As the way people communicate continues to change, social media offers a fun and engaging way to connect young people with environmentalism and recycling. It also creates an opportunity to reach diverse audiences online, where many now turn to learn about issues they may not have been exposed to before. By tapping into these platforms, we can connect with new audiences, inspire positive change in our communities, and keep sustainability at the center of the conversation.
Learn more about the SSMAP program and its impact, and check out the student content on the website.
Imagine a group of passionate content creators from high schools and colleges across the state coming together, each eager to spark change in their communities. That’s the heart of the Student Social Media Ambassador Program (SSMAP), a collaboration between CalRecycle’s Recycling Reimagined campaign and Grades of Green.
Over five months, from January to May of 2026, 35 budding influencers dove deep into sustainability storytelling. They started by learning the art of composting, from sorting foods scraps to tackling challenges like odor. Then they focused on beverage container redemption for cash, including newly added containers like wine, distilled spirits, and larger juice bottles, and new and innovative redemption methods like Reverse Vending Machines. The fifth and final lesson highlighted the simple power of reducing waste through reduction and reuse.
Each month, ambassadors gathered virtually to brainstorm and learn together, transforming lessons into creative videos and posts that resonated across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram to amplify sustainable messaging. By the program’s end, ambassadors learned more about ways to recycle and reduce waste, and helped inspire behavior change across California.
As the way people communicate continues to change, social media offers a fun and engaging way to connect young people with environmentalism and recycling. It also creates an opportunity to reach diverse audiences online, where many now turn to learn about issues they may not have been exposed to before. By tapping into these platforms, we can connect with new audiences, inspire positive change in our communities, and keep sustainability at the center of the conversation.
Learn more about the SSMAP program and its impact, and check out the student content on the website.