WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ARCHIVE   BACK TO ARCHIVE INDEX

22 Jan 01 - product responsibility; brochure reuse; treated lumber; computers; GRRN; Shabecoff ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive --------------------- From Clare Lindsay and Gordon Hui, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Solid Waste, Washington, DC: EPA's Extended Product Responsibility (EPR) program has developed an extensive web site on EPR and product stewardship issues. In addition to general information and resources on the concept of EPR, the newly-updated web site highlights innovative product stewardship activities by states, businesses, and multi-stakeholder groups. Read about how manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and governments are working together to make products more sustainable. Detailed profiles are available on specific products, including: Electronics; carpet; packaging; tires; batteries; vehicles. Learn about cutting-edge product stewardship initiatives, such as Sony's electronic takeback program in Minnesota or the Midwestern Working Group on Carpet. Find information on international product stewardship activities, as well as projects in your region of the country. Browse the comprehensive collection of web site links and downloadable resources. For more information on EPR and product stewardship initiatives, visit EPA's EPR web site at: http://www.epa.gov/epr Clare's e-mail: lindsay ( D O T ) clare ( A T ) epa ( D O T ) gov Gordon's e-mail: hui [D O T] gordon [A T] epa [D O T] gov --------------------- Excerpted from a message from Chris Cameron, California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) project (forwarded by Susan Salterberg from an environmental education listserv for teachers): Remember those beautiful brochures you get when you visit a National Park? They're always full of great pictures and helpful information! Well, whenever there is a minor detail to change (like an area code), the Government Printing Office prints a new edition. So what do they do with all the old ones? Check this out! The National Park staff (special thanks to Sheila Braden) thought like a teacher. They developed age-appropriate educational worksheets on biology, geology, history, and they will send them to you, along with a classroom set of appropriate brochures! Your students can study many aspects of environmental education, thanks to our National Parks, while still in the classroom! Want a free set? Call or e-mail Annette East (805-370-2348, annette_east (AT) nps (DOT) gov) and let her know your grade level, the number of students, and what area of study you are emphasizing. She'll get a classroom set right out to you! --------------------- From Dave Kunz, Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Portland, OR, responding to the 1/17/01 posting about CCA lumber, which is treated with Chromated Copper Arsenate, a pesticide and preservative: Regarding treated lumber, I was surprised to learn that vendors like Home Depot, etc., cannot cut treated wood due to federal OSHA regulations! Made me wonder how many "do-it-yourselfers" realize that breathing the dust from cutting treated wood may be hazardous? Thanks. E-mail: KUNZ [ DOT ] David [ AT ] deq [ DOT ] state [ DOT ] or [ DOT ] us --------------------- Link to a fact sheet on office equipment (mainly computers) energy conservation from the Peninsula School District, Gig Harbor, WA (forwarded by Marcia Rutan): http://www.peninsula.wednet.edu/conservation/Energy/office.htm Some of the tips on this fact sheet also conserve other resources, in addition to energy. --------------------- Link to an article about the GrsssRoots Recycling Network (GRRN) by Jennifer Bogo in the January, 2001, E Magazine (forwarded by Jeff Gaisford): http://www.emagazine.com/january-february_2001/0101curr_virgin.html Although this article deals primarily with recycling, it does include some information about GRRN's zero-waste and waste reduction goals. --------------------- Link to the transcript of the 1/18/01 online chat with Phil Shabecoff, on the website of the Center for a New American Dream, Takoma Park, MD (forwarded by Marcia Rutan): http://www.newdream.org/chat/shabecoff.html Shabecoff, an author and former New York Times environmental reporter, fielded questions and comments about what environmentalists can expect from the Bush administration. Topics covered include environmentally-preferable purchasing and pollution prevention. - end -