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29 Jun 00 - cell phones; biodegradables; model city; Skid-Lock; ketchup bottles ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- Update on the "Call to Protect" cell phone donation program, based on a press release from Gail Baasch, City of Richland, Washington: Through the "Call to Protect" program, people can donate their outdated or no-longer-needed cell phones to help fight domestic abuse. "Call to Protect" collects, refurbishes and distributes wireless phones to victims of abuse. The phones are pre-programmed with emergency phone numbers and provided to victims to use in threatening situations. All airtime is donated by the wireless industry. People can donate their old phones and chargers by sending them directly to a processing facility in Indiana (however, if you do it that way, you must pay your own postage). Or, local organizations can sponsor cell phone collection drives for the "Call to Protect" program. For example, in Richland, a small city in eastern Washington, cell phones are being collected at city hall, a senior center and a library, through November 15. The city of Richland, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and AT&T Wireless are the local sponsors of this collection drive. For more information on "Call to Protect," and to learn how to start a cell phone collection program in your community, see the website at: http://www.donateaphone.com -------------------- >From Michelle Nagle, Wake Up America Project, Inc. (an environmental education project), Alameda, California, responding to the 6/21/00 posting about the biodegradable food service products and bags made by Biocorp: I was impressed with Biocorp's products when they sent me a sample pack, and I also have a few concerns. Their products are biodegradable, so those who are informed can put them in their compost pile. They say that they have a pollution-free manufacturing process, which is great. The vice president of customer relations, Gene Houston, used to be in the lumber business. I asked him if they use recycled content, plant fibers or virgin trees for their paper products. He said that they use virgin trees, which are grown strictly for the purpose of being cut for paper, and that all virgin paper is generated this way. I mentioned that there are viable options such as hemp and recycled content, but he was content to be using trees grown for this purpose. Even though these trees are grown on "farms" there are still other issues to consider. Trees are a major source of oxygen and are one of the few things that decreases the carbon dioxide in the air. We need to plant trees and keep them in the ground to help prevent global warming, etc. If people do not use recycled paper, they do not close the recycling loop. It takes a lot more energy and causes more pollution to make virgin paper products than it does to create recycled paper products. A company with the ability and consciousness to create biodegradable products might want to consider why they would choose to support the lumber business instead of the recycling or hemp fiber markets. E-mail: earthshepard ( AT ) hotmail ( DOT ) com Note from Tom: We ran the item above because there is a connection with home composting, which is a form of waste prevention. If you have comments on recycled content, you could reply to Michelle directly.... I wasn't familiar with the "Wake Up America" project, so I wrote to Michelle and asked her about it. I thought you all might be interested in her reply, which is below. -------------------- Also from Michelle Nagle: The Wake Up America Project, Inc., is located in Alameda, California. I am the founding director. We are an environmental education corporation with a twist. Our goal is to create a model city, in regards to environmental consciousness here in Alameda. I write weekly articles for the Alameda Journal in which I include information and tips for businesses on how to reduce waste, utilize non-toxic products, etc. As of July the articles will branch out into many areas of concern and success in regards to the planet. I speak at local schools, clubs, etc., and help them to implement environmental activities into their curriculum. Some schools will be embarking on a project to create organic gardens. Not only will they learn to grow food without the use of pesticides, they will be donating their produce to local homeless and senior services. All of our services are provided at no cost. We visit local businesses and help them get started with a recycling program, cut waste, use non-toxic cleansers, etc. It is very fulfilling work. If only I knew how to obtain funding - it would be nice to have a salary for the 40-50 hours per week that I donate. E-mail: earthshepard (A T) hotmail (D O T) com -------------------- Excerpted from a message on the environmentally-preferable products procurement listserv from Jim Gilbert, Environmental Management Investment Group, Empire State Development, Rochester, NY (forwarded by Kinley Deller): STRETCH WRAP ALTERNATIVE "Stretch wrap" is a type of plastic sheeting used mainly to secure loads to a pallet. I know of an alternative to this that's worth exploring - it's a product called "Skid-Lock," made by the Gluefast Company, 3535 Route 66, Bldg. #1, Neptune, NJ 07753. Phone: (800) 242-7318. Fax: (732) 918-4646. Website: http://www.gluefast.com It's a form of glue that makes the boxes on the pallets hold together, but releases them when you want them to come apart. This is not a very scientific explanation but I think you get the basic idea - it works on palletized boxes kind of like "Post-It" notes work on paper. Many large companies use it quite successfully. Jim's e-mail: JGILBERT ( A T ) EMPIRE ( D O T ) STATE ( D O T ) NY ( D O T ) US ------------------- Excerpted from an article by Jonathan Eig in the June 22, 2000, Wall Street Journal: The Heinz Co. is trying to replace the refillable glass Heinz ketchup bottles used in restaurants with nonrefillable plastic bottles. Apparently some restaurants refill the Heinz bottles on their tables with another, cheaper brand of ketchup. Heinz doesn't like that. But Heinz said the main reasons they're trying to get restaurants to use plastic bottles are sanitation and aesthetics. With the refillable glass bottle, people might stick dirty knives in the bottle to get the ketchup flowing, or a mischievous child might put a french fry in there. Heinz also says a glass ketchup bottle that's partly full looks bad. The plastic bottles, on the other hand, are made with red plastic, so you can't tell just by looking at it how full it is. Restaurants will pay more for the new plastic bottles - roughly $18 for a 24-bottle case vs. $16 for one containing the same amount of ketchup in glass. At first, Heinz will offer two options for the red plastic bottles, refillable and nonrefillable, but the company hopes to eventually move to all nonrefillable (the nonrefillable bottles have a top that can't be removed). - end -