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04 Aug 05 - bags; course; school; deconstruction; job; Freecycle; buy used
** 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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Excerpted from a message from Curt McCormack, Sustainable Environmental
Services, Montpelier, VT (forwarded by Carolyn Grodinsky):
I'm interested in working with a local food co-op to help them gradually
phase out the use of disposable grocery bags. The idea is that they would
instead stock inexpensive, durable bags for sale at cost. Does anyone know
if such a program has been tried? If so, where and when? Was it
successful? Any problems? Thanks for your help.
E-mail: curtmccormack [AT] adelphia [DOT] net
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From Susan Salterberg, Center for Energy and Environmental Education,
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA:
HELP WANTED ON WASTE REDUCTION COURSE FOR TEACHERS
Does anyone know of a lesson plan that simulates the siting of a landfill?
How about lesson plans that include more economics information (incentives,
disincentives, market solutions, etc.)?
I am planning to pilot an Advanced Waste Reduction course to teachers. I
have been teaching a waste reduction course to K-12 educators for 5-plus
years, and want to go a step further with this new course.
I welcome any ideas you might have regarding topics, resources and/or lesson
plans to include in an Advanced course. At this point, I am planning three
main foci:
1) Economics and the environment (addressing the article, "Eight Great
Myths of Recycling" found at http://www.perc.org/pdf/ps28.pdf
).
2) Update on educational resources and introduction to lesson plans
new-to-the-audience.
3) Community service - what is it, how to initiate a project in your
school, what works/what doesn't, etc.
I welcome ideas. Thank you.
E-mail: salterberg [ AT ] uni [ DOT ] edu
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Link to the Center for a New American Dream's "Back to School Guide"
(forwarded by Marcia Rutan):
http://www.newdream.org/buy/bts
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Link to information about the Deconstruction '05 Conference, to be held Nov.
6-8, 2005 in Atlanta (forwarded by Julie Rhodes):
http://www.decon05.com This two-day conference
focuses on building materials reuse and recycling, deconstruction, design
for deconstruction, and disaster-debris recycling. It is sponsored by U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency Region 4 and the Building Materials Reuse
Association.
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Link to a position opening for a waste reduction/recycling coordinator for
the Cabarrus County Solid Waste Department, Concord, NC (seen in the
Washington State Recycling Association bulletin):
http://www.cabarruscounty.us/JobList
Scroll down. The annual salary for this job is $34,426 to $39,849. The
application deadline is Aug. 12, 2005.
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Excerpted from the August 2005 Philadelphia Magazine "Best of Philly" issue
(forwarded by Carl Hursh, following up on recent postings about Freecycle):
BEST OF PHILLY - HELP SECTION
Freecycle Network
This free, online network, a non-profit run by volunteers, is dedicated to
"keeping stuff out of landfills." The more than a dozen chapters in the
Philly area let you get rid of and receive things from others in the network
(http://www.freecycle.org ).
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Excerpted from a September 2004 column by Liz Pulliam Weston on the MSN
(Microsoft Network) Money website:
THINGS YOU SHOULDN'T BUY NEW
Obviously, some things are best purchased new. Lingerie pops to mind. But
lots of other stuff depreciates quickly while still having plenty of useable
life left. Here are items where the cost vs. use equation strongly tilts
toward buying used.
Books
Most books don't get read more than once, if that, and they're astonishingly
easy to find used at steep discounts - if not absolutely free. Your local
library, for example, may allow you to reserve titles online and then
deliver them to your nearest branch for pick-up. Used book stores abound,
both in your town and online.
- Exception: Reference books you'll use again and again.
DVDs, CDs and videos
Good hunting grounds for purchase of these items used: Movie rental chains
like Blockbuster, used record stores and yard sales.
Little kids' toys
Parents know: It's all but impossible to predict which toy will be a hit and
which will lie forlorn at the bottom of the toy box. So rather than gamble
at full price, cruise consignment shops and yard sales for bargains. Better
than cheap, though, is free. Some parents set up regular toy-swapping meets,
or you might be lucky enough to score hand-me-downs from friends and
relatives.
- Exception: Gifts. Most of us (and our kids) have been fairly well
brainwashed into believing that gifts should be purchased new. Try to opt,
though, for classics, like sturdy wooden toys.
Jewelry
Fat markups on most gems (100 percent or more is fairly common) means that
you'd be lucky to get one-third of what you paid at a retail store, should
you ever need to sell. So let somebody else get socked with that
depreciation. Find a pawn shop that's been in business for awhile, get to
know the owner and ask him or her for recommendations.
- Exception: You want something custom-made. Even then, consider buying used
stones and getting them reset.
Sports and exercise equipment
We may buy this equipment fully intending to wear it out, but too often it
winds up collecting dust. Buy someone else's good intention and you'll save
some bucks. Happy hunting grounds include yard sales, newspaper and online
ads, and resale stores like Play It Again Sports.
- Exception: Shoes, baseball mitts and anything else that will mold to the
wearer's body. In addition, some people shun buying anything used if it has
a motor, like a treadmill. They worry they won't get enough use out of the
piece before it dies. Given how little use most such devices get before
they're sold, though, you might want to take the chance.
Cars
The average new car loses 12.2 percent of its value in the first year. Some
cars depreciate even faster, depending on demand, incentives offered and
other factors. Why not let someone else take that hit? Not only will you be
able to save money, but you'll pay less for insurance. Cars are better-built
and last longer than ever before, which means you're less likely to get a
lemon. Companies like CarFax allow you to trace a car's history. Many
late-model used cars are still under warranty, and a trusted mechanic can
give your potential purchase the once-over to spot any problems.
Software and console games
Buy used, and you'll pay half or less what the software cost new. Console
games like those for the Xbox and Sony PS2 that list for $50 new, for
instance, can often be purchased used for $20 or less a year after release.
Also, you'll find more reviews and information on software that's been out a
year or more (and you won't be that far behind the leading edge). The bugs
will have been identified along with any workarounds, although you may have
to live with some problems that are fixed in later versions.
- Exception: Some software restricts the number of computers on which it can
be installed, which can make it difficult (but not impossible) to transfer
the product license to a new owner.
Office furniture
Built to take a beating and last a lifetime, good-quality office desks,
filing cabinets and credenzas are relatively easy to find even when a
recession isn't cratering the local economy.
- Exception: Some people balk at buying used chairs for the same reason they
won't buy a used catcher's mitt - it's had too many hours to mold to someone
else's body.
Hand tools
Well-made tools with few or no moving parts - like hammers, wrenches,
shovels, hoes, etc. - can last decades with proper maintenance and are
relatively easy to find at yard sales. If you're not going to use a tool
frequently, you may be able to rent it or borrow from a friend or neighbor
rather than buying something else to clutter up your garage. Some
neighborhoods even run tool-sharing cooperatives.
- Exception: You're a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and you need power tools,
especially cordless versions. These have a relatively limited life span and
you may not know how much time they've got left. If the tool is cheap
enough, of course, that may not matter, but most often you'll want to buy
new if the power tool will get substantial use.
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Note from Tom: I will be out of the office Aug. 8 -11. Hope you're all
having a great summer!
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