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05 Nov 99 - phones; grants; janitorial products; green holidays; feds ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive ------------------- Excerpted from an item in the Spotlight section of the 11/5/99 edition of the SustainableBusiness.com website (forwarded by Barbara Nichols): MOBILE PHONE TAKE-BACK PROGRAMS IN EUROPE Every time you switch mobile phone companies you are given a new telephone. The European Union is looking at take-back programs for the millions of discarded phones. In its pilot program in Sweden, United Kingdom-based telecommunications company Ectel collected 35,000 phones in 1997, at a cost of about $1 per phone. Now the company is expanding the service into Britain, with plans for Spain and Italy. Cell phones will be returnable at some 400 United Kingdom collection outlets or by mail to increase collection rates from the present 5,000 a year. Ectel believes that heading off legal mandates with a voluntary program will be more cost-effective for the company. Switzerland's program mandates a $3 surcharge on new phones to cover recycling. The current Internet address for the above website item is: http://www.sustainablebusiness.com/html/insider/nov99/spotlight.cfm#8706 -------------------- >From Tom Watson, Waste Prevention Forum moderator: I'd like to clarify the 11/4/99 posting about the article in the November, 1999, issue of Today's Homeowner magazine that questions the value of reuse. We included the magazine's website address in the posting, and I'm sorry if that gave the impression that the article was on the website. Like many magazines, Today's Homeowner apparently does not put the articles from their current issue on their website (they want people to buy the magazine). However, many magazines put their older articles on their website, so it may go on there eventually. For now, probably the only way to see the article is to buy a copy or look at it at a library. -------------------- Excerpted from a release forwarded by Wendy Brawer and Ann Thorpe: The National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance has a grant program for students and faculty of member institutions, for innovative course development and projects. Past grants have been for projects such as an organic pest control device. For information, see: http://www.nciia.org/grants/index.shtml -------------------- Excerpted from Karen Hamilton's 11/5/99 King County (WA) Environmental Purchasing Bulletin: A large collaborative effort called the Janitorial Products Pollution Prevention Project is underway in the San Francisco Bay area. See their website at: http://www.westp2net.org/Janitorial/jp4.htm Note: For information on Karen's Environmental Purchasing Bulletins, see this site: http://www.metrokc.gov/procure/green/bulindex.htm -------------------- Excerpted from message from Melissa Kelley, Co-op America, Washington, DC (forwarded from the GreenYes listserv by Bill Reed): PLANNING FOR GREENER HOLIDAYS Co-op America, a non-profit, has compiled a number of green holiday suggestions at http://www.coopamerica.org/woodwise/wholidays.htm -- including "9 WoodWise ways to wrap a present" and "Tips for a Zero-Waste Party." E-mail: mkelley ( A T ) sonic ( D O T ) net -------------------- >From Barbara Nichols, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency WasteWise program: FOR FEDERAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES ONLY: The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's WasteWise program (http://www.epa.gov/wastewise) is considering applicants for a potential one year "detail" appointment. Applicant must have effective teamwork and communication skills; sense of humor; vigorous work ethic; and have a keen interest in assisting more than 950 businesses, governments, and institutions to reduce municipal solid waste. Applicant will serve on a team which manages marketing, recognition and technical assistance activities for a voluntary partnership program. Requires: Bachelor's degree in public administration, business administration, environmental management or related field, plus one year of experience in recycling program administration or related field. If interested, please send your resume via e-mail to nichols (DOT) barbaraa (AT) epa (DOT) gov (Since it's a short-term appointment, it's not necessary to send a formal "cover letter" at this time.) - end -