Step 3: Form an Advisory Committee Once the partners are established, an Advisory Committee should be formed. The Advisory Committee should include individuals representing their own organization and supporting the development of the cooperative. This committee will provide the leadership for the program and organize steps four through seven. Committee Members’ Responsibilities: Committee members may include property managers, commercial real estate agents, active Chamber or Rotary members, and local recycling and solid waste officials who are familiar with businesses, business locations and business people in town. Advisory Committee members should be enthusiastic and willing to reach out to their neighboring businesses. The members should be prepared to meet frequently at the beginning of the process (once each week or two weeks). This time commitment will decrease dramatically once the cooperative is up and running. Committee members may also be asked to provide pro bono assistance to the cooperative or be willing to seek it from others. The level of volunteerism will be dependent upon whether there is a paid coordinator and project budget or whether this is entirely a volunteer effort. Step 3: Check List An Advisory Committee will guide the direction of the cooperative and establish its timeline. It should be comprised of representatives from the partnering organizations. An Advisory Committee may also include representatives from the host community and the hauler.
		Did you form an Advisory Committee? Does your Committee have a Chairperson or Coordinator? Have you set up a regular time to meet (e.g., weekly/biweekly) Are committee members fully invested for the long-term?
		Step 4: Design the Program Once a community, a sponsoring organization and an Advisory Committee are selected, the cooperative’s structure can be designed. Surveys can be used to collect the information you will need to design the program. Cooperatives can be structured to provide pickup service for participating businesses or to provide recycling containers in central locations for businesses to use as dropoff sites. The two models of recycling have distinct advantages and disadvantages.