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04 Aug 03 - Master Reusers; disposables; diapers; printers; instruments ** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM ** -- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition -------- Forum archive: http://www.reuses.com/nwpcarchive --------------------- From Anna Bitansky, New York City Department of Sanitation, Bureau of Waste Prevention, Reuse and Recycling, New York, NY: I thought people might be interested in this local news item: MASTER REUSER TRAINING LAUNCHED IN NEW YORK CITY Nicole Tai, program manager for the ARROW (Astoria Residents Reclaiming Our World) building materials reuse center in Long Island City, has announced creation of a Master Reuser Training Program. (Long Island City is within New York City, in the borough of Queens.) Modeled after the Master Composter program, the Master Reuser program will consist of at least four 2-3 hour training sessions. Session one will be an overview entitled "Why Reuse?"; session two will cover existing reuse resources; the third session is entitled "Artists and Reuse"; the fourth session will deal with reuse and community. Participants in this free workshop series will receive valuable training; a resource book on local and national reuse resources; and ideas on how to reuse on the job, at home, and in life "to improve the planet through more sustainable communities." The program is funded by Citizens Committee of New York City. Volunteers will be asked to donate 12 hours to community reuse events. For more information, contact Nicole at: nctai (A T) att (D O T) net -------------------- Excerpted from an 8/1/03 article by Grace Aquino in PC World: DIGITAL CAMERAS GO DISPOSABLE Ritz Camera Centers has unveiled a single-use digital camera that costs only $11. The Dakota Digital Single-Use Camera is available in select Ritz Camera and Wolf Camera retail stores in 14 U.S. cities, including Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Washington, DC. David Ritz, Chairman of Ritz Camera Centers, said that with this new camera, "Customers have an opportunity to try digital technology without investing in a pricey digital camera." The Dakota Digital, which was developed by San Francisco-based Pure Digital Technologies, captures up to 25 snapshots and has 12MB of internal memory. The camera runs on AA alkaline batteries (which are included) and features an automatic flash and a self-timer. Although the camera has no LCD (liquid crystal display) for viewing images, it does include a delete button. This means that unlike disposable film cameras, the Dakota Digital allows users to delete a bad photo - for example, when users know a subject has inadvertently moved or blinked. However, users can only delete the most recent photo. After capturing 25 pictures on the Dakota Digital, users return the camera to a Ritz or Wolf lab that has the equipment to process the images. The camera uses a proprietary image format that works only with Pure Digital's machines. It cannot be connected to a personal computer to transfer photos. Ritz/Wolf charges about $11 for processing 25 4-by-6 prints and a photo CD. By comparison, the company charges $14 for developing film (from a disposable camera or a standard roll of film) for the same quantity and size prints and a photo CD. Once the prints have been developed, Ritz/Wolf returns the camera to Pure Digital for recycling. Much like the method for film disposable cameras, Pure Digital will refurbish each camera for resale. -------------------- Excerpted from a 7/31/03 press release from the Kimberly-Clark Corporation: KIMBERLY-CLARK ANNOUNCES NEW DISPOSABLE CHANGING PAD Kimberly-Clark Corporation has announced a new product: Huggies brand Disposable Changing Pads, designed for parents to use when changing their baby's diaper away from home. The pads have a soft, absorbent top layer for comfort and a non-slip bottom layer that keeps the pad in place. The product has a water-proof barrier and is disposable for added convenience and cleanliness. Also, Huggies Disposable Changing Pads come folded into the size of a paperback book for easy storage, but when unfolded are big enough to cover a 20-by-30-inch area. "Consumers told us they want an easy-to-pack and easy-to-use changing pad for away-from-home use," said Dudley Lehman, Group President for Infant and Child Care at Kimberly-Clark. "With an estimated 20 million on-the-go diaper changes taking place every week, parents are concerned about protecting their child from unsanitary surfaces while making diaper changing quicker and more convenient. New Huggies Disposable Changing Pads are the perfect complement to the Huggies line (of diapers and related products)." Huggies Disposable Changing Pads come four to a package and will be available nationally at grocery stores, drug stores and mass merchandisers by mid-August. ------------------- The next three postings are in response to the 7/28/03 posting about the idea of starting a cloth diaper advocacy group in the San Francisco Bay area. ------------------- Excerpted from a message from Donald Van Dyke, California Integrated Waste Management Board, Sacramento, CA: One of the web pages I maintain (for the California Integrated Waste Management Board's Waste Prevention Information Exchange) addresses diapers: http://www.ciwmb.ca.gov/WPIE/HealthCare/Diapers.htm Also, in the United Kingdom, cloth diapers are promoted by The Real Nappy Association: http://www.realnappy.com ("Nappies" is the British term for diapers.) E-mail: DVanDyke [ A T ] CIWMB [ D O T ] ca [ D O T ] gov ------------------ From Francesca Lyman, Kirkland, WA, environmental journalist and columnist for MSNBC: Here is some info on diapers, from the Green Guide Institute: http://www.thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=45 I did a story on this whole issue of disposable vs. cotton diapers 15 years ago or so for Garbage magazine, before their editorial philosophy became, shall we say, "execrable?" E-mail: chicha19 (AT) comcast (DOT) net ------------------- From Carl Woestwin, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle, WA: Seattle Public Utilities gave grant monies to the King County Nurses Association a number of years ago for research and advocacy on cloth diapers. E-mail: Carl [DOT] Woestwin [AT] seattle [DOT] gov ------------------- The next three postings are in response to the 7/28/03 posting asking about efforts to promote pollution prevention, recycling and sustainability practices among commercial printing firms. ------------------ From Carl Weimer, RE Sources, Bellingham, WA: Here is some information about the Great Lakes States' Great Printers Project. It is all on the website of the Printer's National Environmental Assistance Center at: http://www.pneac.org/greatprinters There is much more information if you do a search for the Great Printers Project. I know about this because my brother-in-law owns a large printing company in Michigan, and he spearheaded his company's efforts to become one of the first companies recognized by this program. He went on to speak as an industry mentor at various conferences, and a larger paper company even named a brand of recycled paper after him. When he brags about his company these pollution prevention and recycling efforts are usually the first things out of his mouth. E-mail: carlw ( A T ) re-sources ( D O T ) org ------------------- From Gretchen Brewer, Earth Circle, San Diego, CA: I know of two U.S. organizations with start-up efforts in the clean printing vein. Their main focus so far is use of recycled paper. One is the Green Press Initiative (http://www.greenpressinitiative.org), co-sponsored by the Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative (http://www.recycledproducts.org, phone 1-800-694-8355) and Conservatree (http://www.conservatree.com, phone 415-721-4230). This program enlists authors and book publishers to print books on recycled post-consumer paper, or paper from certified sustainably managed forests. Also, I see that a planned environmental printing program of Conservatree is listed on their website map under Printers. No links yet, but I'm sure that Gerard Gleason at the Conservatree number above would be able to report on clean printing initiatives/contacts in the U.S. He has an extensive printing background and good networks. E-mail: EarthGB [ AT ] aol [ DOT ] com ------------------- Excerpted from a message from Chuck Moxley, EcoLogical Mail Coalition, San Ramon, CA: The Direct Marketing Association publishes a booklet called "The DMA Environmental Resource for Direct Marketers." It's a 125-page guide for direct marketers on how to be more environmentally sensitive about their practices, including printing. (One caveat: The last printing of this document was the second edition printed in 1997.) It mentions several organizations that are related to the question in the Forum posting. Here are a couple potentially relevant excerpts from that booklet: - The Great Printers Project is a joint initiative of the Environmental Defense Fund, Printing Industries of America, and the Council of Great Lakes Governors, and is helping to make pollution prevention a standard business practice in the lithographic printing industry. Recommendations for printers, print customers, print suppliers and distributors, government regulators, and public and private technical and financial assistance programs are included. - The Inter-Association Council on Paper and the Environment provides a forum for more than two dozen trade associations in the print communications industries. The DMA is a founding member and participant. At its quarterly meetings, members from the printing, magazine, newspaper, direct marketing, graphics and paper manufacturing fields discuss and hear presentations concerning paper, its impact on solid waste, options for managing discarded paper, and pertinent regulatory developments. Participants receive regular updates that encapsulate worldwide news, stories and technical information concerning the use of paper. When appropriate, its members can coordinate responses and initiatives for regulatory change. E-mail: mox [ A T ] redflagservices [ D O T ] com --------------------- From Renee Kimball, Enuf! (an "enviro-boogie" band), Portland, OR, responding to the 7/28/03 posting seeking ideas for hands-on activities for America Recycles Day events: We have a set of 6- and 10-page worksheets called "The Wastrument(TM) Worksheets." These describe how to make guaranteed playable (and not cheesy) musical instruments made from reused things. Anyone interested in having a copy, please e-mail me. Some of the instruments are fairly simple and quite suitable for making in a drop-in workshop situation. We have an entire workshop designed around building six of the instruments, but it's pretty labor intensive. Anyone interested in a copy of the sheets is more than welcome to reproduce for your OWN needs, but please do not sell - unless you give us a cut. We only ask that you make sure our trademark indication is on every use of the work: "Wastrument(TM)". E-mail: rrrrenee [AT] aracnet [DOT] com - end -