Calling Young Artists! Evanston Recycling Truck Design Competition Returns

The City is kicking off the fifth year of its Recycling Truck Design Competition, and this year the contest is getting a regional upgrade. The City is partnering with the Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC) to tie the competition into "Feed the Cart," a larger regional outreach campaign, similar to the approach already used with the City's Cart Tagging program.

Feed the Cart is a collaborative effort to get residents excited about recycling, increase curbside participation, reduce confusion about recycling rules, and improve the quality of materials placed in recycling carts. The campaign draws on the expertise of DuPage, Kane, McHenry, and Will counties, the Solid Waste Agency of Lake County, SWANCC, and the City of Chicago, with resources awarded to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus through a US EPA grant.

Meet Loop the Cart

This partnership gives the opportunity to promote the grant, support regional messaging, and put the campaign's mascot, Loop the Cart, in front of local students to see what they can creatively come up with. Loop is described as a small cart with a big appetite for recyclables, known for his silly voice and enthusiasm for helping residents recycle more.

Design Rules

• Designs must be original (not AI-generated)
• Artwork must follow a 2.34:1 aspect ratio
• Submissions must be in PDF format
• Designs must now include Loop the Cart, a first-time requirement

Key Dates

• Designs Due: Friday, October 16
• Public Vote: October 19-26
• Winners Announced: Thanks to grant participation, the City will award two winning designs instead of one. They will be displayed on two Evanston recycling trucks

Submit designs.

Get Inspired

Students are encouraged to review the City's shared resource folder for reference images of Loop and past winning designs and visit feedthecart.org to learn the basics of recycling.

Last year's winning design was created by Taylor Hardin of Nichols Middle School, whose artwork now appears on an Evanston recycling truck.

For more information, view the promotional flyer or call/text 847-448-4311 or simply dial 3-1-1 while in Evanston.