As promised on our conference call yesterday, following is a draft letter to
send to NRC regarding their Advocacy Message. Please review and comment on
this draft letter today so that we can send it out tomorrow to NRC for their
May 17-19 Board meeting in DC. If I don't hear from you, I will delete your
name from the memo. Thanks!
Gary Liss
to: Mark Lichtenstein, President, National Recycling Coalition
cc: Joan Rohlfes, NRC Policy Chair
from: Grassroots Recycling Network Steering Committee: Bill Sheehan, Neil
Seldman, Brenda Platt, Dan Knapp, Dave Williamson, Dave Kirkpatrick, Tim
Brownell, Mary T'kach, Lynn Landess, Marty Forman, Rick Anthony, Gary Liss
re: NRC ADVOCACY MESSAGE
date: May 9, 1996
Since 1978, many of us have been working to develop a National Recycling
Policy, through the work of the National Recycling Coalition, and through
other avenues. With the drafting of the NRC's current Advocacy Message, the
NRC has crafted a document which would lead to such a National Recycling
Policy, if implemented.
This is a unique time in American politics. The environment has become one
of the major issues of this year's Presidential and Congressional campaigns.
Conservative Republican Congressional leaders have joined with progressive
Democrats to call for the
elimination of corporate subsidies that are distorting free market forces and
resulting in environmental degradation and poor choices in the use of our
natural resources. The President has just released a comprehensive plan for
Sustainable Development. And the American people in numerous polls reiterate
their strong support for environmental protection and pollution prevention
program.
Reuse, recycling and composting are dramatic examples where the President and
Congress could achieve all the above goals on a bipartisan basis. To level
the playing field and invest in waste prevention, reuse, recycling and
composting, Congress needs to eliminate corporate subsidies for mining,
deforestation and nonsustainable development and provide incentives to
create jobs through recycling and to eliminate waste. The NRC Advocacy
Message as drafted has the potential of communicating these important
messages to be a part of this year's Presidential and Congressional
campaigns.
We urge the NRC to adopt the Advocacy Message at the May Board meeting, and
immediately to begin advocating that Message to all Presidential and
Congressional candidates, and to be incorporated into the Republican and
Democratic party platforms. We are committed to mobilizing a powerful
grassroots recycling network to support those candidates which support this
Message, once adopted by the NRC. It is time for the NRC to act and lead.
We hope that the NRC rises to this historic challenge.
DRAFT Background of NRC Advocacy Message (Note: Dates need to be checked)
1978 - National Recycling Coalition (NRC) formed to organize grassroots in
support of recycling, and specifically to promote Buying Recycled message.
1979 - Committee for a National Recycling Policy organized National Recycling
Research Agenda and the first National Recycling Congress
1980 - First National Recycling Congress held in Fresno, CA, cosponsored by
the Committee for a National Recycling Policy and the California Resource
Recovery Association. After lengthy policy discussions at the National
Recycling Congress, the NRC offered to carry forward these national
organizing activities, and attendees accepted that offer.
1983 - Second National Recycling Congress held in Boulder, CO, organized for
the first time by the NRC.
1986 - NRC adopted its first National Policy on Recycling unanimously at
Fifth National Recycling Congress in Seattle.
1989 - EPA adopted Agenda for Action; recommended forming a National
Recycling Advisory Committee to help develop national recycling policies.
1991 - NRC forms Recycling Advisory Council with EPA support and key
bipartisan leaders from government, industry and environmental groups
(including Paul Tsongas, Bill Ruckelshaus and Al Gore) to develop and
advocate national recycling policies.
1992 - NRC compiles detailed policies it adopted on many key recycling
issues. Alliance for a Sustainable Materials Economy formed in part to
advocate national recycling policies.
1993 - NRC forms State Recycling Organization Council (SROC) to work more
closely with its affiliated SROs. SROs call for NRC to be more proactive in
advocating national recycling policies. President Clinton forms Council on
Sustainable Development with strong bipartisan representation.
1994 - NRC established Advocacy Committee to advocate adopted NRC policies.
Advocacy Committee recommends adopting an Advocacy Message that brings
together in a single document NRC policies in a way that would be
understandable to elected officials.
1995 - NRC Draft Advocacy Message circulated to SROs and others for review
and comment.
1996 - Advocacy Message endorsed by many SROs, and detailed comments in
support of most of the Advocacy Message provided by most of NRC's affiliated
SROs. President Clinton's Council on Sustainable Development released its
recommendations for action.