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29 Nov 04 - education materials; PAYT; holidays; consumers; honeymoons
** WASTE PREVENTION FORUM **
-- A project of the National Waste Prevention Coalition
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Forum archive: http://www.nwpcarchive.org
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From Susan Salterberg, Center for Energy and Environmental Education,
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA:
WANTED: ARTICLES ABOUT WASTE REDUCTION
In an effort to teach 2nd-12th grade teachers about the importance of waste
reduction, I'd like to share one or more brief articles about the topic with
them. Can anyone think of a good one, or even several? I'm looking for
articles that might point out the following (all of which I think are true -
but I welcome edification if I am incorrect on these points):
1) Gains in recycling rates have not corresponded with a reduction in
landfill disposal.
In the energy efficiency field, efficiency gains have not resulted in a net
benefit (because we just use more energy). So, too, in the recycling field,
efficiency (recycling) gains may actually lead to more consumption rather
than a decrease in resource usage. Therefore, recycling alone cannot be
relied upon as a solution to our waste issues.
2) Increased waste is caused by -
a) convenience packaging
b) increased advertising to all Americans, including children as young as 2
c) more single-person dwellings (and fewer people per household, in
general)
d) planned obsolescence
e) dwindling repair industry
Hope someone can help me. Thank you.
E-mail: salterberg (AT) uni (DOT) edu
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Also from Susan Salterberg:
I have another small request. In my Waste Reduction: Addressing the
Overlooked "R" graduate credit course for teachers, I use the book "Stuff:
The Secret Lives of Everyday Things," by Ryan and Durning (NW Environment
Watch). I also use a poster produced by Dow Chemical called The Life of a
Hamburger. Does anyone know of other books or posters that describe the
lifecycle of products? Though I love "Stuff," I would like to find one that
provides a more balanced perspective. Another option would be for me to
find a counterbalance to that book - something that gives other perspectives
so that students use more critical thinking skills. Can you help? Thanks!
E-mail: salterberg [ A T ] uni [ D O T ] edu
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Link to the Fall 2004 edition of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's
"Pay As You Throw" (PAYT) Bulletin (forwarded by Dena Blickstein):
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/payt/tools/bulletin/fall-04.htm
In
communities with pay-as-you-throw programs (also known as unit pricing or
variable-rate pricing), residents are charged for the collection of
municipal solid waste based on the amount they throw away. This creates a
direct economic incentive to recycle more and to generate less
To be alerted each time a new Bulletin is posted to the PAYT website and to
receive related PAYT information, use this order form:
http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/payt/tools/bulletin/subscrib.htm
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From Polagaya Fine, Snohomish County Solid Waste Division, Everett, WA:
Does anyone know of websites where someone can find, fill in and print
"giftless" certificates to give such things as a free hug or an evening of
babysitting, etc.? Seems like a few years ago they were everywhere and now
I can't find any. We are going to try for a "shopping free" holiday.
Nobody I know anymore needs me to buy anything for them. Thanks.
E-mail: Polagaya ( D O T ) Fine ( A T ) co ( D O T ) snohomish ( D O T ) wa ( D O T ) us
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Excerpted from an article by Hubert Herring in the 11/21/04 New York Times:
SCROOGES HAVE COMPANY
The thing about Christmas gifts is that sometimes they don't seem to be
optional. If you're a red-blooded American - Christian or, increasingly,
otherwise - people just don't allow you to skip this shopping spree in
peace. Try to say, "I don't do Christmas gifts," and many people see you as
something less than human, a selfish boor, a misanthrope - a Scrooge.
Where can those who are wary of Christmas excess, so lonely among the big
spenders, find kindred sentiments? On the Internet, of course. But we'll get
to that. First, it should be noted that this isn't just about saying no.
Saying no to gifts doesn't mean that you can't, if you're so inclined, say a
resounding yes to any religious celebration you choose, or to any
combination of prayer, song and eggnog - or just celebrate that magical time
of year when the sun skids to a halt on its miserly trip south and begins
sharing more of its light again.
The idea of being anything but wildly enthusiastic about the annual mass
transfer of merchandise often seems abhorrent to the American psyche. That
may be one reason why the new movie version of John Grisham's book "Skipping
Christmas," was renamed to the less incendiary "Christmas With the Kranks,"
though another explanation was that it was to differentiate it from another
recent film, "Surviving Christmas." The message of the Grisham book is that
those who dare to try to skip Christmas are punished severely.
Undoubtedly, much gift-giving is well planned, and if people want to
exchange gifts, more power to them. But the reality is that many people wind
up spending whole seasons either buying things other people don't want or
methodically going down people's wish lists - so that, on Christmas, they
can check off the gifts bestowed just as they would mail orders duly
received. Ah, yes, there's the plaid shirt, there's the Rolex. And attics,
closets and basements become ever more packed with vases and candle sets and
stuffed animals that people don't really want but can't bring themselves to
toss - or to post on eBay.
If your goal is to build psychological fences to ward off mandatory joy, the
Internet abounds with resources. For example, if you're not ready to abandon
shopping but want to make a token protest, go to http://adbusters.org
, which holds an annual "Buy Nothing Day" on the day
after Thanksgiving. If you want to take the compromise route of bestowing
only "alternative" gifts, chances are that there's a local church or civic
group that offers them. Or head to http://www.altgifts.org
, where you can donate money to feed a family or
help save a rainforest in someone's name, and send a card notifying the
recipient of same. Or you can try http://www.buynothingchristmas.org
, where you can find ready-to-print
coupons for things like child care or back massages, as well as posters with
slogans like "Have Less, Live More."
If you really want to become militant, head for
http://www.xmasresistance.org "You know
this annual consumer frenzy wreaks havoc on the environment, filling
landfills with useless packaging and discarded gifts," the site advises, and
promises, "Together, we can resist Christmas!"
Feel better now?
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From Jay Shepard, Washington State Department of Ecology, Olympia, WA:
From "I Want to Be a Consumer," by Patrick Barrington (found in "Freedom
from Want - American Liberalism and the Idea of the Consumer," by Kathleen
G. Donohue, 2003):
"And what do you mean to be?"
The kind old bishop said
As he took the boy on his ample knee
And patted his curly head.
"We should all of us choose a calling
To help society's plan;
Then what do you mean to be, my boy,
When you grow to be a man?"
"I want to be a consumer,"
The bright-haired lad replied
As he gazed up into the Bishop's face
In innocence open-eyed.
"I've never had aims of a selfish sort,
For that, as I know is wrong,
I want to be a Consumer, Sir,
And help the world along.
"I want to be a Consumer
And live in a useful way;
For that is the thing that's needed most,
I've heard Economists say.
There are too many people working
And too many things are made.
I want to be a Consumer, Sir,
And help to further trade.
"I want to be a Consumer
And work both night and day,
For that is the thing that's needed most,
I've heard Economists say.
I won't just be a Producer
Like Bobby and James and John;
I want to be a Consumer, Sir,
And help the nation on."
Jay's e-mail: jshe461 [AT] ecy [DOT] wa [DOT] gov
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Excerpted from an article by Jane Levere in the 11/21/04 New York Times:
SKIP THE TOASTERS - HELP US PAY FOR A TRIP TO ITALY
A growing number of couples are taking a pass on traditional wedding
presents and instead choosing to go on their honeymoon courtesy of their
wedding guests, with the help of Internet-based registries. These registries
include DistinctiveHoneymoons.com, HoneymoonWishes.com, TheBigDay.com,
TheHoneymoon.com, HoneyLuna.com, and MoonRings.com
Wedding registries, particularly for traditional gifts like silver, crystal
and china, have been around for many years. But the Internet has
revolutionized the business. In a customer survey in 2001 by
WeddingChannel.com, 71 percent of couples said they registered for gifts;
the number climbed to 89 percent last year. The Internet has also encouraged
development of new types of registries, including honeymoon registries,
which first appeared in the late 1990s. And couples' interest in online
registries is rising: In a survey of readers by Bridal Guide magazine this
year, 43.6 percent said it was very important that their registry be
available online, up from 24.8 percent in 2002.
Contributing to the popularity of honeymoon registries, experts say, are the
changing demographics of newlyweds, many of whom are older, do not need to
furnish their homes or have previously been married. The Fairchild Bridal
Infobank says the average age of a bride is now 27, up from 20 in 1960. For
grooms, it is 29, up from 22.
After sign-up, it is generally the couple's responsibility to create the
online registry list, itemizing the parts of the honeymoon they would like
as gifts. The registry operator then provides announcements, printed or
electronic, of the couple's participation, and, of course, sells honeymoon
travel to wedding guests. From the list, guests choose the parts of the
honeymoon they want to buy - a night at a hotel, perhaps, or a spa
treatment, or even his-and-hers bathing suits - and then arrange, online or
by phone, to send payment to the registry operator. The operator forwards
what it collects to the couple.
Registry operators differ greatly in how much they help couples plan trips,
and in the service fees they charge to the honeymooners and guests. Some
registries provide their services free. Because of the registry operators'
varying fee structures and areas of expertise, couples may well want to shop
around. Experts also recommend checking out a registry's reputation with
friends or other references, or with the Better Business Bureau.
No matter how enthusiastic a couple may be about a honeymoon registry, they
should remember that some guests may not use it because they are
uncomfortable with the Internet or disapprove of the idea. Among those who
oppose the idea is Letitia Baldrige, the etiquette expert. "There's
something so temporary about paying money toward someone's honeymoon," she
said. "To pay for someone's four days in Hawaii is not in the spirit of a
wedding gift. A gift is something you have around the house, that reminds
you of the people that gave it to you. I guess I'm an old-fashioned soul."
Brooke Hinkle, who is 30, disagrees. "Our generation doesn't place a lot of
priority on all that stuff," she said. "We'd rather spend money on memories
and good times." She and her husband Curt, of Fort Worth, Texas, had 80
percent of their eight-day Hawaiian honeymoon paid for by their wedding
guests, through an online honeymoon registry. Her honeymoon, she added, was
"the best eight days" she and her husband ever had.
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