c) Woodbury, New Jersey

Woodbury, New Jersey, became the first city in the U.S. to mandate recycling in 1981. This pioneering environmental policy required residents to separate recyclable materials from their trash. Woodbury’s initiative reflected a growing environmental consciousness and set a precedent for recycling programs nationwide. The city’s effort to promote recycling was an early example of community-level environmental action, contributing to the broader movement towards sustainability and responsible waste management in the United States.