WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ARCHIVE   BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX

03 Mar 99 - grasscycling; Zip-Loc; germs; art; virtual flea market; 2-sid ed copying; job ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition ----------------------------------------- From Bev Weber, Greater Vancouver Regional District, Burnaby, British Columbia: We are hoping to have residents track their experience with mulching mowers this season. Has anyone designed a questionnaire that asks: How the machine works; problems encountered; more or less time spent in the activity of grass cutting; do the grass clippings break down? We would like to benefit from others who have already done this and would share their experience with us. E-mail: Bev ( D O T ) Weber ( A T ) gvrd ( D O T ) bc ( D O T ) ca ----------------------------------------- From Brian Foran, California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, CA, following up on his 3/1/99 posting about Zip-Loc's new rigid plastic containers, which are being promoted as being both reusable and disposable: I guess I neglected to state why I wanted you to post my "inquiry." What I wanted to know is if any member of the Forum had written to the makers of the Zip-Loc containers to express their displeasure with the "disposable" side of their marketing, or if they had heard of anyone else who had written to the Zip-Loc makers. E-mail: bforan (A T) CIWMB (D O T) ca (D O T) gov ------------------------------------------ The next two postings are in response to the 3/1/99 posting about the Zip-Loc containers: ----------------------------------------- From Barbara Frierson, City of Alameda, CA: I've seen the Zip-Loc ads and also wondered about the product. Does anyone know what kind of plastic the containers are made from? And has anyone contacted Zip-Loc directly? E-mail: bfrierso [A T] ci [D O T] alameda [D O T] ca [D O T] us ------------------------------------------ From Tanya Baker, Lane County Waste Mgmt., Eugene, OR: Regarding Brian Foran's inquiry about Zip-Loc's new containers, an ad ran in our local hardware store's coupon book promoting these containers as disposable. I haven't actually seen the product up close so they may claim to be reusable too, but they are designed to be thrown away. Another ad I saw in a magazine promoted Bounty paper towels as a healthier way to clean up around the kitchen. It shows a wide-eyed little girl on the verge of touching a "germ-ridden" sponge. They suggest we all just wipe up our messes with paper towels and throw them away so we never redeposit germs by means of a sponge. They even have a free germ information booklet if you call the 888 number provided. Should we truly be worried about germs so much that we need to throw out everything we come in contact with? Or is this a new marketing tactic to promote expensive disposable items that people really don't need? How do waste reduction advocates counter the germ argument? Thanks! E-mail: Tanya ( D O T ) K ( D O T ) BAKER ( A T ) co ( D O T ) lane ( D O T ) or ( D O T ) us ---------------------------------------- From Sarah Grimm, BRING Recycling, Eugene, OR: One of the MANY recycled art enthusiasts I speak to each month has asked me if there is an association for those interested in Art from Scrap, junk art, gARTbage, RecycledArt, name it what you will. It seems to me the time is ripe for such an endeavor. Does anyone know if one exists? Thanks for any and all info related to Scrap distribution to schools and/or artists. E-mail: bring [ A T ] efn [ D O T ] org ----------------------------------------- From Eric Nelson, King County Environmental Purchasing Program, Seattle, WA: In the Northwest, we are pleased to be able to take advantage of the services of the Industrial Materials Exchange (IMEX), which enables industrial-quantity generators of waste materials to connect with other businesses who can extract value from those materials. It surely is better to use them than to pay to fill our landfills with them. IMEX, however, operates on an industrial scale, and there is nothing to help the average household. If an average person finds themselves in possession of something they no longer want, their options are pretty-much limited to calling a salvage charity or hauling it to the dump. It may be that e-mail, electronic commerce, and the World Wide Web could allow (who?) to develop a sort of "virtual flea market," where people can post what they've got and others can "shop." I can imagine a jurisdiction or other small organization developing a pilot program and releasing the code into the public domain for others to improve upon. E-mail: eric [ DOT ] nelson [ AT ] metrokc [ DOT ] gov -------------------------------------- From Jacqueline Badders, New Hampshire Recycling Market Development Program, Concord, NH (forwarded by Christine McCoy from the Jobs Through Recycling listserv): New Hampshire is considering pursuing the adoption of a double-sided copying policy for state agencies in an effort to reduce the amount of paper purchased/used/recycled, etc. We're currently in the proverbial information gathering stage and looking for answers to the following questions: 1. What states have implemented a double-sided copying policy? 2. Do they have documented results of any reduction in paper usage/costs after the policy was implemented? 3. Any tips for "enforcement"? 4. Any unforeseen issues we'll likely encounter in the process of implementing such a policy? Copies of the policies and related documentation would also be helpful. I believe EPA has such a policy and would welcome input from them as well. Thanks. Your help is appreciated. E-mail: j_badders [A T] badders [D O T] mv [D O T] com ---------------------------------------------- From David Assmann, City and County of San Francisco Recycling Program: JOB OPENING -- Fund Development Coordinator/Conference Sponsorship The California Resource Recovery Association is a dynamic non-profit organization dedicated to resource conservation through the practices of reuse, recycling and composting. CRRA works to expand markets for recycled materials, promotes sustainable materials policies and is a clearinghouse for information, innovation, and industry and governmental initiatives. It is the oldest state association of professionals in reuse, repair, recycling and composting in the United States. Each year the Association organizes an annual conference bringing together up to 1,000 attendees to exchange current industry information and cutting-edge ideas. The California Resource Recovery Association Conference Committee is searching for a skilled Fund Development Coordinator. This is a commission-based position and is part-time and temporary. The person selected for this position will be required to work closely with the conference chair and committee, attend regularly scheduled meetings and report progress on a weekly basis. The responsibilities include contacting and soliciting sponsorships, either monetary or in-kind, for the 1999 conference. The funds to be developed are a minimum of $50,000 and compensation will be a commission of 10 percent. The candidate should have prior experience and contacts with fund development in the environmental field. References helpful. To apply, please send cover letter and resume by March 12, 1999 to: City and County of San Francisco Recycling Program, CRRA Fund Development Coordinator, 1145 Market St., Suite 401, San Francisco, CA, 94103. Applications can also be faxed to (415) 554-3426 or e-mailed (with attached Word or compatible file) to: dassmann [ A T ] sirius [ D O T ] com - end -