Today's Topics:
Fwd: Jerry Taylor's Op-Ed
GRN CAMPAIGNS: The Great Paper Caper
It pays to waste--changing the model -Reply
Recycling of Cathode Ray Tubes
ZERO WASTE ACTION CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF
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Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 18:56:28, -0500
From: david_reynolds@prodigy.com ( DAVID B REYNOLDS)
Subject: Fwd: Jerry Taylor's Op-Ed
Hi Jeffrey,
If Jerry Taylor believes that virgin materials subsidies are
insignificant, then the receiving industries should not have any
problems with measures designed to eliminate these subsidies. Do you
think these industries will go for it, and support bills such as H.R.
515?
I was recently made aware of a good study published by the Center for
the Study of American Business (CSAB), Washington University, St.
Louis. It is Policy Study #137, entitled "Toward a Healthier
Environment and Stronger Economy: How to Achieve Common Ground."
(January 1997). This study identifies some activities and dollar
amounts that you may or may not have come across before. If you have
a Web Browser, point it to <http://csab.wustl.edu/>. The CSAB paper
can be viewed and down loaded from this site. You can reach CSAB at
(314) 935-5630.
Regarding the international scale, the Worldwatch Institute recently
published "Paying the Piper: Subsidies, Politics, and the
Environment." (Worldwatch Paper #133, December 1996). I recently
received a copy, but have not yet read it. You can order on-line via
Worldwatch's web site at <http://www.worldwatch.org/>, or by phone...
(202) 452-1999.
How can I get my hands (or eyes) on the 1994 EPA study and other
sources that you referred to in your e-mail message?
Thanks,
Dave Reynolds
Enviro-nomics
----------------------------
From: ZeroWaste@aol.com
Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 14:05:14 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <970223140512_508841466@emout02.mail.aol.com>
To: GreenYes@ucsd.edu, recycle@envirolink.org, waste@cedar.univie.ac.
at
Subject: Fwd: Jerry Taylor's Po-Ed
I am forwarding a quick response I wrote to the Op-Ed piece in the
2/3/97
Waste Age's Recycling Times written by the Cato Institute's Jerry
Taylor.
Taylor claims that there are no significant subsidies to virgin
materials
production and that recycling advocates are grasping out for recycled
content
mandates to subsidize recycling which doesn't make economic sense on
its own.
This same issue came up in Wa State's Future of Recycling study last
year. I
had prepared an incomplete, preliminary list of subsidies to virgin
materials
and energy industries based on the EPA's study in 1994 and a few
other
sources. Exxon's representative to the Future of Recycling Task
Force jumped
all over this list and claimed that there were no subsidies or
special
treatment for petroleum. He never supplied any written specifics. I
was a
subconsultant to the lead consultant Cascadia, one of whose biggest
clients
is the American Plastics Council. Cascadia was not willing to
devote
additional project time or budget to pursue the truth on the subsidy
issue.
The subsidies list from EPA was even left out of the final report,
perhaps
to appease Exxon and the American Plastics Council.
So I'd like to pursue this issue on my own now. It's of course a
given that
petroleum, timber and mineral extraction industries were heavily
subsidized
during their formative years through depletion allowances, land
grants, free
access to federal lands, no constraints on environemtnal damage from
resource
extraction, to name subsidies off the top of my head. Think of where
the
solar power industry might now be if Regan hadn't eliminated the
solar energy
tax credit. All of this to say that the virgin materials industries
got to
be gorillas through subsidies and now have the capital to beat up
recycling
even if there aren't as many virgin subsidies today as there used to
be.
But it would be useful to have a current and complete list of
today's
subsides to virgin materials extraction. What I quickly ran up
against is
that globalization of the corporation means that US subsidies are now
only a
part of the picture. So we need to not only get a complete list for
the US
but also for all the other countries of the earth where virgin
materials are
extracted. Tall order, huh? Anyone else into this and/or have
sources that
I should be gathering info from?
Jeffrey Morris, Ph.D.-Economics
Sound Resource Management
119 Pine Street, Suite 203
Seattle WA 98101
206-622-9454
fax: 206-622-9569
e-mail: info@ZeroWaste.com or ZeroWaste@aol.com
internet: www.ZeroWaste.com or www. SoundResource.com
------------------------------
Date: 24 Feb 97 23:55:55 EST
From: Myra Nissen <76275.1032@CompuServe.COM>
Subject: GRN CAMPAIGNS: The Great Paper Caper
I believe pollution and over consumption of rescources is a human problem. I
was an archaeologist for 13 years before I got into recycling. I have
whitnessed archaeological remains that indicate prehistoric peoples over
consumed and polluted. We just got better at it as we became more
industrialized and populated.
My
--------------- Forwarded Message ---------------
From: INTERNET:RicAnthony@aol.com
To: Myra Nissen, 76275,1032
INTERNET:6500KAI@UCSBUXA.UCSB.EDU
INTERNET:JENNIE.ALVERNAZ@SFSIERRA.SIERRACLUB.ORG
Cc: INTERNET:GREENYES@UCSD.EDU
Date: Sun, Feb 23, 1997, 8:21 AM
RE: Re: GRN CAMPAIGNS: The Great Paper Caper
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Date: Sun, 23 Feb 1997 11:06:35 -0500 (EST)
Message-ID: <970223110632_244821468@emout15.mail.aol.com>
To: 6500kai@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu, jennie.alvernaz@sfsierra.sierraclub.org
cc: GreenYes@ucsd.edu
Subject: Re: GRN CAMPAIGNS: The Great Paper Caper
In a message dated 97-02-15 02:24:40 EST, 6500kai@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (William
P. McGowan) writes:
<< In short, I think if the GRN is really wanting to work towards more
recycling, you are going to have to figure out a very pro-market
approach. You may not like what the capitalist system created, but look
at how clean our, the USA's, environment is relative to any other
country. Indeed, the countries that tried the opposite of capitalism
are now perhaps the most polluted regions in the globe. Capitalism, in
short, must become part of the envrionemntal movement if the movement is
to survive long term.
Its nice to think that all of recycling's problems were created by mostly
white men sitting in a darkened room drinking hard liquor and smoking
cigars, but it ain't so.
>>
Bill,
To set the record straight, it is the industrialized Countries (capitalist,
socialist, communists or other) that are wasting resources and polutting the
world. Nobody thinks it is hard liquor drinking cigar smoking white men
who have created our recycling problems any more than anyone thinks that the
environmental movement is a bunch of pot smoking communist dead heads.
However; the real compaint is not left/ right nor capitalist/communist, but
status quo versus change. Most subsidies and tax breaks were created in a
time where there were rich and abundant resources and a small population.
These incentives encouraged the industrial revolution. Today it is large
populations , deminishing resources and hugh amounts of urban waste.
Change todays tax laws to rid the system of virgin material depletion
allowances and subsidies and stimulate demand for recyclables. Eliminating
the false market insentives these tax breaks creates will bring on the market
forces for zerowaste systems.
Yes Bill, the U$A is a market driven economy; and as you know, when people
know about the history of a product; they can use their dollars to vote
whether or not the product deserves economic life. Economic boycotts to
enourage legislative changes to level the playing field is the market
reaction to todays recycling problem, gven the lobbying power of the status
quo.
Rick
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 08:41:24 -0600
From: George Dreckmann <GDRECKMANN@ci.madison.wi.us>
Subject: It pays to waste--changing the model -Reply
One answer to the funding delimia is to size new landfills with some
waste reduction in mind. It may not be an easy sell, but it is one way to
incorporate waste reduction into the system.
I am very reluctant to encourage a system that has no government
owned landfill in it, just a trasnfer station at the back end. Given the long
term liability problems of dry tomb landfills, we cannot rely on the private
sector to be around when the landfills finally cause problems.
Regarding the economics of pay as you throw systems... My study of
implementing such a system in Madison, Wi found that the big winners
under a trasnfer of costs from the property tax to a fee were in fact the
businesses. Assuming that the property tax would be reduced dollar for
dollar by the fee, business' property tax would go down but they would
see no corresponding fee increase as they are already paying fees for
refuse collection. Sooooo, the progressivity arguement of a PAYT
system is not necessarily true. (Is is more progressive than the property
tax? Yes, but margainlly so.)
------------------------------
Date: Mon, 24 Feb 1997 13:45:44 +0600
From: "John Reindl 608-267-8815" <reindl@co.dane.wi.us>
Subject: Recycling of Cathode Ray Tubes
Dear List Members --
I was asked by a German company which makes equipment to recycle
television picture tubes (CRTs) whether there are any CRT recycling
operations in the US, or for information on companies or communities
that are interested in recycling CRTs.
I don't have any personal information about this company, but would be
glad to share the information that they sent to me or to pass your name
on to them (Gesellschaft fuer Wiederverwertung von Gebruchsguetern).
In their pro forma statement, they calculate the cost of recycling TV
picture tubes at about 12 to 18 cents each, or $120 to $175 a ton, with the
major cost component (58%) being labor, calculated at $3,300 a month
for one person.
Thank you for any assistance you can provide.
John Reindl, Recycling Manager
Dane County Dept of Public Works
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 25 Feb 97 01:18:57 PST
From: jennie.alvernaz@sfsierra.sierraclub.org
Subject: ZERO WASTE ACTION CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF
February 24, 1997
Dear GreenYes list members,
Attached below is the electronic version of a letter and conference
registration brochure that the Grassroots Recycling Network(GRN)is
distributing to grassroots recyclers, community development and
environmental advocates around the country. Please review the letter and
return the GRN registration form at the bottom, even if you cannot attend
the conference. By returning this form, you will be "registered" as a GRN
member, providing you are involved in grassroots recycling activities and
sign on to the GRN campaign endorsement.
Please also provide specific campaign and
conference program suggestions for the Network in your response, cc:ing
these ideas to the entire GreenYes listserv as many of you are already
doing. GRN members who have returned this form by postal mail or email
will be eligible to serve on an expanding Steering Committee, Advisory
Committee or other working groups of the Grassroots Recycling Network.
Thank you for your continued work in promoting zero waste, jobs from
discards, and ending corporate welfare for waste.
Sincerely,
Bill Sheehan
GRN Steering Committee Chair
Dear Friends and Colleagues,
Activists and leaders brought together by the Sierra Club Waste
Committee, Institute for Local Self-Reliance, and California Resource
Recovery Association recently formed the Grassroots Recycling Network
(GRN). Prompted by a desire to preserve hard-won gains of the last 25
years and to seize the initiative in the public policy debate, GRN is
preparing to launch a Zero Waste Action Campaign at a national
conference April 5-7, 1997 (Saturday - Monday noon).
I am writing on behalf of the interim steering committee for the Grassroots
Recycling Network to invite you to join us at the conference to launch this
national, direct action campaign. The conference site is the Rock Eagle 4-H
Center located among the pines of the Oconee National Forest outside of
Atlanta, Georgia (ground travel from the airport will be provided). At the
Center is a massive, 5,000-year-old rock sculpture of a soaring eagle -- a
fitting emblem of our aspirations and a link to the past.
The Grassroots Recycling Network also wants to know your organization's
priorities and personal perspective on a range of environmental, economic
development, community, and recycling issues. A central objective of
GRN is building a diverse coalition of community-based activists and
recycling advocates working together for sustainable economic
development that strengthens community and protects the environment.
Why GRN? The Grassroots Recycling Network was formed in response
to continuing attacks on many of the nation's most important
environmental and recycling programs by powerful corporate interests and
political extremists. At a time when 'welfare reform' is a dominant issue
for legislators, GRN is calling for an end to corporate welfare for wasting. It
is time to stop logging old growth forests to make newsprint and telephone
books. It is time to eliminate public subsidies for landfills and
incinerators
that waste natural resources. It is time to end subsidies and tax policies
masking the true costs of exploiting our natural heritage and the health of
workers and communities.
While Congress has become the chief battleground in the last two years,
some of the most serious challenges are at the state and local levels where
well-financed special interests often operate outside the spotlight of public
scrutiny. Under the guise of regulatory 'reform,' major corporate interests
are weakening state laws protecting drinking water and workplace safety.
GRN believes it is time to fight back! Why focus on recycling?
The answer is simple. Recycling is the way that more than 100 million
Americans express their environmental commitment daily. It is a way for
ordinary citizens to take action, without waiting for government to study
the issue for a decade, as happens too often with problems like Superfund
site clean ups. More Americans recycle than vote -- and most recyclers
vote.
Many large industries and product manufacturers are acting as if they no
longer need to support recycling. For example, the American Plastics
Council and its member companies abandoned their national commitment
to recycle 25 percent of plastic containers by 1995 and pushed through
repeal of plastic packaging minimum content, waste reduction, and reuse
standards in California. Some companies are cutting back on orders for
recycled paper.
In a media campaign using deceptive and inaccurate information,
opponents of recycling spoon fed the New York Times information from
industry-sponsored think tanks leading to an article by John Tierney
calling recycling "the most wasteful activity in America." Do you agree
with the anti-recyclers?
When the mayor of New York City set out to cut back recycling programs,
activists joined with members of the city council to "just say no." These
attacks can be useful if they serve as a wake-up call.
It is time for community activists to mobilize public support for recycling
in a new call for action. We must hold companies and public officials
accountable for wasting human and natural resources. Let's show that
there is a penalty for abandoning recycling and the jobs it creates and for
allowing the plunder of precious resources to continue.
Zero Waste Action Campaign The Grassroots Recycling Network is
developing a Zero Waste Action Campaign as a means to end the 'waste
management' mind set, the use-it-once-and-throw-it-away corporate
culture, and focus our energies on creating livable communities and a
sustainable and just economy. Georgia State Senator Donzella James has
introduced legislation for zero waste in Georgia (see attached articles).
GRN is developing the campaign around three basic messages:
Zero Waste!
Create Jobs Not Waste!
End Corporate Welfare for Waste!
A range of campaign issues, organizing strategies, public policies,
legislative proposals, and communications approaches are being
developed. We are aiming to mobilize support from 1 million Americans
over the next 12 months for the Zero Waste Action Campaign.
Yes, gaining support from 1 million Americans is an ambitious goal, which
is why your participation is so important. It is essential in our view to
build a diverse and broad-based coalition.
Our basic strategy is to link community-based recycling activists with
networks of environmentalists, advocates for community economic
development, forest activists, opponents of corporate welfare, religious
leaders, seniors, youth, and organized labor. Utilizing the communications
potential of the internet combined with time-tested organizing techniques,
GRN is planning a campaign that will build over the next 2 to 4 years.
We'd like your input by the end of February on campaign tactics that
complement your efforts or address needs you face at the local level. You
can help us choose the campaigns and strategies as well as fashion the
agenda for our upcoming conference so that both are relevant to activists in
the trenches. Please take a few minutes to describe the issue(s) that
concern you most (see GRN CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES on back page).
Your response is a means of consulting with hundreds of organizations
and individuals as part of the campaign and conference planning.
Meeting in the Oconee National Forest provides an inspiring setting to
forge a positive campaign based upon the hope and possibilities for
building a sustainable future.
Attached are: (1) a conference preregistration form for the Zero Waste
Action Campaign conference; (2) information on GRN conference
sponsorships; (3) information on GRN scholarships; (4) a GRN campaign
endorsement form; and, (5) information on GRN campaign priorities. The
conference preregistration deadline is March 20th; you must be
preregistered to attend. Please respond as soon as possible.
Please contact Lance King, GRN campaign coordinator, at 916-492-2924
with questions or comments. Send your survey response and registration
to the Institute for Local Self-Reliance at 2425 18th Street, NW, Washington,
DC 20009. For ongoing discussion, join the GRN listserve by sending an
email message (leaving the subject field blank) to listserv@uscd.edu with
the message <add greenyes-digest>.
Sincerely,
Bill Sheehan
Steering Committee Chair
Grassroots Recycling Network
P.S. As with any grassroots campaign, GRN needs your financial support
to succeed. Checks made payable to GRN/ILSR in the amount of $25, $50,
$100 or more will be greatly appreciated and are tax deductible, since ILSR
is a 501 (c)3 organization. Information on becoming a conference sponsor
is provided below.
ZERO WASTE ACTION CAMPAIGN KICK-OFF CONFERENCE
Date: April 5 - 7, 1997 (Saturday -Monday noon)
Place: Rock Eagle 4-H Center, Atlanta, Georgia
Who: Community-based activists
PRELIMINARY CONFERENCE PROGRAM
Saturday, April 5
* 10:00 a.m. Registration
* 12:00 noon Lunch
* 1:00 p.m. Keynote: Georgia State Senator Donzella James
(Sen. James has introduced zero waste goal by 2020 in Georgia legislature)
*Ratify the three GRN Messages
*Breakout Sessions on GRN Campaigns
*Plenary Session: Report on breakout sessions & special topics
*Cook-out dinner, volleyball tournament, music and bonfire
Sunday, April 6
* Breakout Sessions on GRN Campaigns and Strategies and Tactics
* Plenary Session: Report on breakout sessions
* Plenary Session: GRN structure and future
* More volleyball, music and bonfire
Monday, April 7
* TBA in Atlanta
* Depart by noon
GRASSROOTS ACTIVITIES
Participation is limited to individual activists, organizers,community-
based non-profits and for-profits. Please describe your
involvement in these areas:
CONFERENCE PREREGISTRATION
Name:
Title:
Organization: __________________________________________
Address:__________________________________________________________
City: _______________________________ State ________ Zip __________
phone: day____________________ night _____________________
fax: ____________________
email ________________________________
preferred mode of communication _____ email ______ snailmail
________ fax
___ Please check if you cannot attend the conference, but want to
participate in/keep up with GRN campaigns.
Preregistration is required for the conference. Preregistration mail-in
deadline is Thursday, March 20, 1997. Preregistration fax deadline (202-332-
0463) is Thursday, March 27, 1997.
___ Conference Cost: $90 ___ Local Conference Cost: $25
(Conference cost includes: 2 nights accommodation in cabins overlooking
a lake, meals from Saturday lunch through Monday breakfast, and
transportation to/from Atlanta.)
___ Friday Night Accommodation: $10
Please make checks for the conference payable to: "GRN/ILSR" and mail to:
Zero Waste Action Campaign
c/o ILSR, 2425 18th Street, Washington, DC 20009.
Refund requests must be received in writing by
March 20, 1997 and will be subject to a 25% service charge.
GRN CONFERENCE SPONSORSHIPS*
Type of Sponsorships Levels Sponsors Receive
Founding Sponsors $1,000.00 and up 4 registrations
Sustaining $500 to $999 3 registrations
Advocates $250 to $499 2 registrations
Activists $150 to $249 1 registration
Grassroots $125 to $149 1 registration
* These sponsors will be recognized in promotional materials as of March
10, 1997, in a banner at the conference, and in news releases. Unless
otherwise approved by the steering committee, contributions must be
received prior to March 10 or printing deadlines to get listed.
CONFERENCE SCHOLARSHIPS
We know many of you may not be able to afford the travel and conference
expenses, so, first, we are asking you to try to raise the money in your
local communities to attend the conference. And, thanks to a Turner
Foundation grant, we have money for limited scholarships. To apply for a
scholarship, we ask you to fill out the enclosed forms and send a letter
explaining your scholarship needs.
Scholarship levels are:
___ Scholarship for room & board: pay as low as $30 (full rate is $90)
___ Scholarship for travel from (city) _________________________
Requests for scholarships must be received by March 1st. You will be
notified by March 7th of the availability of funds to meet your request.
GRN CAMPAIGN ENDORSEMENT
Your endorsement can help us launching the GRN campaign. We
appreciate your endorsement even if you are unable to participate in the
conference.
Yes, I/We ___________________ support development of the Grassroots
Recycling Network as a means to foster cooperation among community-
based waste prevention, reuse, recycling and composting activists engaged
in conserving our human and natural resources and give voice to the
conservation ethic that more than 100 million Americans express daily by
recycling.
The Grassroots Recycling Network MAY/MAY NOT (circle one) use
my/our (circle one) name in a public list of supporters.
Name:
Organization:
GRN CAMPAIGN PRIORITIES
Please help us in deciding which campaigns GRN should focus on. Based
on your input and on feedback from past outreach, we will select three or
four campaigns to work on at the April conference. Please write about the
issue(s) that concern you most. Some questions it would be helpful to
consider:
* how it relates to the goals and missions of GRN;
* what actions are needed to 'win' or achieve specific goals;
* what is going on locally related to the issue; and,
* what you and/or your organization can contribute in time or resources to
the campaign.
Please return your feedback by Monday, March 3, 1997 to Lance King,
Campaign Coordinator: email: lmking96@aol.com; OR include with your
conference registration to ILSR. We will send you information in a
follow-up mailing in early March.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT GRN: Please contact Lance King,
GRN Campaign Coordinator, phone: 916-492-2924, fax: 916-448-3207,
email: lmking96@aol.com
FOR CONFERENCE LOGISTICAL QUESTIONS: Please contact Jennifer
Leahy, phone: 202-232-4108, fax: 202-332-0463, email: ilsr@igc.org
------------------------------
End of GreenYes Digest V97 #37
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