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12 Feb 02 - computers; inventory; construction; art ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive -------------------- Excerpted from a press release from Staples, a chain of office supplies stores based in Framingham, MA, with additional information from a Staples store manager in Washington state: STAPLES STORES WILL TAKE OLD COMPUTERS FOR REUSE AND RECYCLING FEB. 17 & 18 Staples, which operates more than 1,400 "superstores" for office supplies, will accept computer equipment for reuse and recycling at its stores nationwide this Sunday, February 17 and Monday, February 18 (Presidents' Day). Individuals and businesses can bring in their old computer equipment, including monitors and hard drives. There is no charge for this service. Through a partnership with Gifts in Kind International, computers will be refurbished and given to children's organizations in communities across the country. Computers that are unable to be rebuilt "will be recycled responsibly to generate reusable materials," according to the press release. To find the locations of Staples stores, see their website at: http://www.staples.com Click on "Find a Store" at the top. If you click on "United States" and give your city or zip code, it will find the closest stores, and will give their address and phone number. To confirm store hours and whether they will accept a certain type of computer equipment (especially anything unusual), people can call the store directly. People who bring in old computer equipment to Staples during this event can receive a $100 savings on a new computer with an Intel Pentium 4 processor, or $20 off a purchase of $100 or more for other Staples products purchased during those two days. -------------------- Excerpted from a 2/8/02 article by Will Edwards, from the Bloomberg financial news service (first seen on the Reuse Development Organization listserv): U.S. businesses are reducing their inventories at a record pace, the U.S. Commerce Department reported. These businesses have perfectly good stuff, but they are selling it off cheap, giving it away, or junking it. "At some point, the value of the inventory is less than the cost of holding on to it," said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Economy.com in West Chester, PA. "The sooner they sell it off or junk it, the better the economy will ultimately be because they're clearing the decks for future production." Wholesale stockpiles of furniture fell 8.4 percent in December, compared with a year earlier, the Commerce Department said. Sales fell almost 10 percent. Wholesale inventories of all goods fell 5.3 percent year over year, and sales fell 1 percent, both record declines. More publicly-traded U.S. companies sought bankruptcy protection in 2001 than ever before, according to Boston-based BankruptcyData.com. The 251 filings broke the previous record of 176 in 2000. Involved assets totaled $258.5 billion, compared with $94.8 billion the year before. A lot of that had to be sold. The breakup of Montgomery Ward & Co. put $1.6 billion worth of discounted merchandise on the market early last year. Such housecleaning has its benefits, Zandi said. "Economy-wide garage sales are a net-net plus" because consumers save money on the discounted goods and retailers that survive the downturn emerge with fewer competitors, enabling them to increase prices later on, he said. Cisco Systems Inc., the largest maker of equipment to link computers, designated as "scrapped" $555 million of $2.25 billion in excess inventory it reported as a charge against earnings in one quarter last year. Telecommunications manufacturers and their contractors wrote off $4.5 billion in excess inventories by the end of 2001. -------------------- The next two postings relate to the 2/6/02 posting seeking websites with information on construction techniques that result in less waste. -------------------- From Julie Rhodes, Reuse Development Organization (ReDO), Indianapolis, IN (from the ReDO listserv): I wanted to let people know about the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's new website on the issue of construction and demolition (C&D) debris. Please check it out at: http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/debris This website includes information and links to many diverse resources and organizations covering the characterization, reduction, reuse, recycling and management of C&D debris. If you have any comments on this brand-new site, contact Ken Sandler, EPA headquarters, at sandler ( DOT ) ken ( AT ) epa ( DOT ) gov or at (703) 308-7255. -------------------- From Sherrie Gruder, University of Wisconsin-Extension, Solid and Hazardous Waste Education Center, Madison, WI: I published a guide entitled "Construction Resources: A Waste Reduction and Recycling Guide for Wisconsin Builders and Contractors", 1997, 100 pages. This covers reduction, reuse and recycling of C&D materials including hazardous materials. Pertinent Tabs (not just Wisconsin-focused): C&D Facts and Economics; Job Site Management; Management and Market Options; Hazardous C&D Materials; C&D Management at a Glance; Resources & Worksheets. We have printed copies, but do not have it on our web site yet. We also have 3 videos, in a series called "Construction Waste Reduction & Recycling: Economical Options." They are: "Conservation by Design"; "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle On-Site" (companion to the guide); and "Specifying Recycled Building Materials." Contact our office, UW-Extension Solid & Hazardous Waste Education Center (SHWEC), at (608) 262-0385 to order a copy of the guide or any of the videos. E-mail: gruder (AT) epd (DOT) engr (DOT) wisc (DOT) edu ------------------- Link to the website for Marilyn Brackney's Imagination Factory in Columbus, IN (forwarded by Kinley Deller): http://www.kid-at-art.com The purpose of this website is to teach recycling and reuse concepts through art activities, using solid waste as a source of free materials. The site's "Trash Matcher" links specific waste materials with specific art activities: http://www.kid-at-art.com/htdoc/matchtmp.html - end -