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25 Oct 01 - plastic bags; online billing; Oregon videos; holidays ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- From Reena Kazmann, Eco-Artware.com, Washington, DC: I'm looking for a little information on plastic shopping bags and wonder if there are any studies here in the U.S. about them. I just saw statistics saying that New Zealand goes through 50-60 million per year (including outer carrying bags and the thinner ones for veggies). In one city, they estimated each household uses 5-6 bags per week. How does the average shopper know which ones are biodegradable? Is there any movement in the U.S. to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags, with incentives? Outright charges for them? Is it true that most are not recycled because they are not cleaned? If someone could point me in the right direction, I'd be grateful. So far, not much luck. E-mail: reena (AT) veriomail (DOT) com ------------------- The next two postings are in response to the 10/22/01 posting about online billing (also known as electronic billing, or e-billing). ------------------- From John Jakupcak, City of West Hollywood, CA: I have a question regarding on-line billing. I use this service for all my utilities, phone, and mortgage payments. All the utility companies (these are big companies, as they serve the greater Los Angeles area) and the mortgage company send me a monthly statement WITH A RETURN ENVELOPE INSIDE. The only one that doesn't is Working Assets Long Distance. This envelope cancels out any paper savings from not having to write a check or use a postage stamp. I realize this is a small matter in the scheme of things, but I always feel like I am making it easier for these companies to do business when all I am hoping for is less paper use, which isn't happening. Is this everyone's experience with on-line billing? Yes, I realize envelopes are stuffed by machines. E-mail: JJakupcak [ A T ] weho [ D O T ] org ------------------- From Burt Hamner, Hamner and Associates, Seattle, WA: The Clean Washington Center (http://www.cwc.org) is interested to know if any public utilities have e-commerce over their websites for useful conservation products, like compact fluorescent bulbs, water conservation devices, high-efficiency appliances, etc. We are developing a concept linking online bill payment to online purchasing of money-saving products. Please provide any feedback to: bhamner (A T) cleanerproduction (D O T) com ------------------- Excerpted from a 10/22/01 press release from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality, Portland, OR (forwarded by David Allaway): Three short videos touting the environmental and economic benefits of waste prevention in businesses are now available to businesses and other organizations interested in saving money while conserving natural resources and reducing pollution. The videos were produced by the Oregon State University Extension Master Recycler Program and Clackamas County Community Environment Division through a $15,314 grant from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) Solid Waste Program, plus assistance from Clackamas County and the Portland-based environmental organization Recycling Advocates. The videos are available free of charge through a lending program (with preference to in-state requests), or may be purchased. Each of the tapes highlights a different aspect of waste prevention and is targeted to different staff. The videos include: - "Why Should I Bother: Waste Prevention in the Workplace" (10 min.): This is designed as an introduction to the benefits of cutting waste. Emphasis is on motivating company executives, managers and employees to take action to save money and resources. It can be used at community meetings or shown to employees as part of a comprehensive waste prevention education effort. - "Better Than Recycling: Waste Prevention in the Office" (14 min.): This focuses on the biggest waste item in most offices - paper. Various businesses show techniques they practice to reduce the amount of paper they use, increase efficiency, save money and improve communications with customers. It is primarily designed to show to office staff. - "Better Than Recycling: Waste Prevention in Manufacturing and Distribution" (15 min.): This video focuses on the many waste-saving challenges facing manufacturers. It shows how a number of Oregon businesses met that challenge. Tips include using reusable packaging and using new materials and methods to produce and ship goods. The video is geared to company manufacturing line staff and supervisors, and others interested in streamlining operations. Businesses and other groups in Oregon can borrow individual videos or the complete set for free from OSU Extension offices in Multnomah, Crook, Lane, Coos Bay, Lincoln and Sherman counties, or by calling DEQ Solid Waste program offices in Bend, Eugene, Portland, Salem and The Dalles. In the Portland metro area, solid waste program government offices (Metro, cities, counties) also have videos available to loan. Persons contacting DEQ about the videos may call toll-free in Oregon at 1-800-452-4011, ext. 5913. In addition, copies of the three-video set have been distributed to chambers of commerce and small business development centers throughout Oregon for community outreach purposes. The videotapes may be purchased individually or as a set of three by writing to: Publication Orders, Extension and Station Communications, Oregon State University, 422 Kerr Administration Building, Corvallis, OR, 97331-2119. The phone number is (541) 737-2513. Individual videos are $19.95 and the complete set is $48, including shipping. Discounts are offered for bulk orders: 25 percent off for 10 to 49 copies per address, and 40 percent off for 50 or more copies per address. Purchase order requests may also be made by writing to: puborders [ AT ] orst [ DOT ] edu ------------------- Link to online resources for simplifying the holidays, from the October-December, 2001, Simple Living Newsletter (forwarded by Marcia Rutan): http://www.simpleliving.net/newsletter/holiday_insert.asp?inum=35 Scroll down. Includes articles, books for sale, excerpts from those books, and other resources. - end -