draft press release
Trashwomyn@AOL.COM
Fri, 22 Jan 1999 16:20:56 -0500
Dear Rick,
Thanx for taking initiative to get a Grassroots Recycling Network message to
the conventions. Sorry my feedback is so late. Here it is:
press release seems to have two different messages and audiences: one for
the political parties and another for grassroots activists. I suggest
because of timing that you stick to the first audience. So leave out all the
stuff about how to join.
I'm uncomfortable about calling for zero waste without having the background
materials to support this stance. We risk appearing flaky. Why not just
emphasize the link between recycling and economic development and jobs? This
should get their attention. Calliing for zero waste without substantiation
will get us discounted very quickly. Our sustainable communities argument
is a strong one for advocating more recycling. Let's push for platforms to
include maximum waste reduction, recycling, reuse, composting as a way to
reindustrialize our communities; retain, expand, and attract businesses; and
create jobs. We have well substantiated facts to prove this! Use those in
our draft position on Create Jobs Not Waste. I think we could get some
attention by just focusing on this jobs and recycling message in the short
term while we flesh out our Zero Waste position.
You could add somewhere in the press release that we advocate for higher
goals beyond EPA's current 35% by 2005.
How is the Network going to monitor government activities?
[By the way, Neil suggests adding "...monitor the activities of government
AND THE PRIVATE SECTOR....influence the decisions of government AND THE
PRIVATE SECTOR toward..." His only other comment was to change the second
sentence of the 3rd paragraph to read, "Zero waste is an appropriate goal for
society in that it conserves natural resources, protects bio-diversity, saves
wilderness, creates jobs AND COMPANIES ROUTED TO THE LOCAL ECONOMY, and
requires ending welfare for wasting." [Caps indicate words added.]
Brenda Platt