It would be tough to find anyone in the Town of Perinton more excited about recycling than Noah Moretter. When COVID-19 shut down the schools in March, Noah decided to spend his time collecting cans. He made some fliers and passed them out to neighbors and relatives. “I have always been passionate about the environment and I had the time, so I thought I would help the community,” he said. “A win-win for everyone.”
He started out with about 20 customers in March. Then he launched a website (https://noahsrecycling.weebly.com/) in April, and opened an Instagram account in July. He currently has 250 customers and gets an average of 10 more each week. He collects recyclables from about 50 customers a week, and rakes in between 5,000 and 6,000 cans a week. Noah makes a monthly donation (about $50) to the Perinton Food Shelf, uses some for business expenses, including gas and more bins, and puts the rest in his college fund.
He knows what he is doing. He contacted Busch Systems in Toronto in June when he realized he would need lots of bins. Noah offered to promote the company on his Instagram and website in exchange for bins and stickers with his logo — yes, he has a logo — to put on the bins. Noah has made educational videos for America Recycles, which is part of the Environmental Protection Agency, and he has secured a grant from General Motors to start a recycling program at JP. Even with all his planning and hard work, Noah is shocked his business took off like it did. “I never would have guessed, I’m super surprised,” he said. “When I first started, a customer gave me a $10 gift card. I was shocked. I never expected to get anything for myself. People are treating me like I’m a Superstar. I’m just recycling here.”