In a major boost for the city of Chicago's sustainability, PepsiCo will install 2,500 Free Green Cans throughout the Chicago Park District that will increase public access to recycling receptacles by 125 percent. These new cans combine trash and recyclables into a single bin so city residents won't have to think about putting their plastic bottles or aluminum cans in the proper receptacle.

As an added bonus for the community, the more bottles and cans that people recycle, the more support that the company will offer to the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities (EBV). This noble cause is a nationwide initiative that provides training and small business management tips for veterans of foreign engagements that have become disabled.

The donation of the solar-powered bins couldn't come at a better time - according to Keep America Beautiful, only 12 percent of public spaces are equipped with recycling receptacles, which leads to unnecessary waste in many of America's parks. PepsiCo's foray into Chicago is the first step in its goal of achieving a 50 percent beverage container recycling rate by 2018.

"We are thrilled to work with Free Green Can on this unique extension of the Dream Machine recycling program," said Jeremy Cage, head of the Dream Machine recycling initiative. "By recycling a bottle or a can in a Dream Machine-sponsored Free Green Can, residents and visitors of Chicago can help make a real difference for our planet and in the lives of disabled U.S. veterans."

The Dream Machine recycling program is one of many progressive ventures throughout the United States that is spreading awareness about the importance of recycling and making our cities and parks a bit greener.