This capstone project consists of essentially two stages. Stage one entails research and an assessment of the current solid waste management (SWM) infrastructure and recycling programs in the Villages of Painted Post and Riverside, NY, and the surrounding region (Steuben County). In this phase, there is also an assessment of the common household waste management practices, as well as the villagers' concerns and doubts in regards to the topic. The analysis of the result of this assessment will enable the identification of weaknesses and potentials of the current implemented processing systems, as well as patterns in user behavior. It will also help to establish a network of stewards within the communities, who could potentially play an essential role if a pilot program, part of a more comprehensive outreach program, were to be implemented in the future. The information gathered could be used to apply for public funding grants which will hopefully be pursued by the local authorities and/or this work's client: the Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (STC). The second stage of this capstone project aims to design an outreach methodology. Its goals are to raise awareness among villagers of the SWM issues identified in the assessment and to educate them on ways in which they can reduce the amount of waste they generate and more efficiently handle the waste they do produce.