Today's Topics:
COKE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS 'CIVIC ACTION' (2 msgs)
Send Replies or notes for publication to: <greenyes@UCSD.Edu>
Send subscription requests to: <greenyes-Digest-Request@UCSD.Edu>
Problems you can't solve otherwise to postmaster@ucsd.edu.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 09:13:24 -0800 (PST)
From: Pat Franklin <cri@igc.org>
Subject: COKE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS 'CIVIC ACTION'
News from the CRI (Container Recycling Institute)
1400 16th St NW Washington DC 20036 202/797-6839 email: cri@igc.com
Check us out on the web at www.igc.org/cri/=20
COKE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS 'CIVIC ACTION'
In its October, 1997 Network News publication COKE says that with strong
support from members of The Coca-Cola Company Civic Action Network, soft
drink bottlers and retailers defeated proposals to implement new bottle
bills or expand existing bottle bills in eleven states. Now there=92s
something to be proud of!!!!
Here are two examples of the distortions that emanate constantly from the
beverage industry in general, and Coke in particular.
DISTORTION # 1
The article says that =93bottle bill proponents failed to convince a=
majority
of state legislators that this simplistic and outdated approach would
enhance recycling efforts or substantially reduce litter.=94 The MAJORITY=
OF
STATE LEGISLATORS they refer to was a majority of the members on legislative
committees in two states (MA and VT) not 12 states. There were hearings, but
no vote, in PA and VT. There were no hearings in OR, GA, OK, NH, NY or TX.
The article goes on to say that =93after hearing testimony on the Don=92t=
Mess
With Texas anti-litter program, PA legislators opted to revitalize their
Pick up Pennsylvania anti-litter initiative, rather than adopt a deposit
bill.=94 I talked with someone in Rep. Clymer=92s office today who said=
that
they did not adopt the Pick up Pennsylvania anti-litter program, because
they did not know how it would be funded.
It=92s probably just as well. Here=92s the real scoop on the Don=92t Mess=
With
Texas Program. According to program spokesperson Linda Levitt the
anti-litter campaign cost Texas taxpayers $2 million a year for the first
nine years of the program, and currently costs $1.5 million annually. She
says Don=92t Mess With Texas is credited with reducing litter in Texas by 72
per cent. =20
However, according to the Center for Marine Conservation=92s 1995
International Coastal Cleanup, nearly 10,000 volunteers helping with the
1995 Texas beach cleanup effort collected 361,800 pounds of litter, or 2,461
pounds per mile =97 twice as many pounds per mile than was collected during
any other statewide, beach cleanup effort that year. (NOTE: Only Puerto
Rico was higher at 2,613 pounds per mile.) It is interesting to note that
in Maine, where all beverage containers except milk have a 5 cent deposit,
volunteers picked up 152 pounds per mile. In Michigan, where beer and soda
containers have a 10 cent deposit, volunteers picked up only 35 pounds per
mile. =20
DISTORTION # 2
On the issue of curbside recycling vs deposit systems, the article points to
Biocycle=92s State of Garbage in America Survey showing that curbside=
programs
in the U.S. rose to 8,817 programs in 1996 with 51 percent of Americans now
being served by curbside recycling programs. What the article did not say
was that the population served by curbside recycling is 67 in bottle bill
states, and only 44 percent in non-bottle bill states. =20
Please send comments to cri@igc.org and check us out at www.igc.org/cri/
------------------------------
Date: Fri, 31 Oct 1997 13:50:29 -0800 (PST)
From: Pat Franklin <cri@igc.org>
Subject: COKE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS 'CIVIC ACTION'
News from the CRI (Container Recycling Institute)
1400 16th St NW Washington DC 20036 202/797-6839 email: cri@igc.com
Check us out on the web at www.igc.org/cri/=20
COKE GIVES NEW MEANING TO THE WORDS 'CIVIC ACTION'
In its October, 1997 Network News publication COKE says that with strong
support from members of The Coca-Cola Company Civic Action Network, soft
drink bottlers and retailers defeated proposals to implement new bottle
bills or expand existing bottle bills in eleven states. Now there=92s
something to be proud of!!!!
Here are two examples of the distortions that emanate constantly from the
beverage industry in general, and Coke in particular.
DISTORTION # 1
The article says that =93bottle bill proponents failed to convince a=
majority
of state legislators that this simplistic and outdated approach would
enhance recycling efforts or substantially reduce litter.=94 The MAJORITY=
OF
STATE LEGISLATORS they refer to was a majority of the members on legislative
committees in two states (MA and VT) not 12 states. There were hearings, but
no vote, in PA and VT. There were no hearings in OR, GA, OK, NH, NY or TX.
The article goes on to say that =93after hearing testimony on the Don=92t=
Mess
With Texas anti-litter program, PA legislators opted to revitalize their
Pick up Pennsylvania anti-litter initiative, rather than adopt a deposit
bill.=94 I talked with someone in Rep. Clymer=92s office today who said=
that
they did not adopt the Pick up Pennsylvania anti-litter program, because
they did not know how it would be funded.
It=92s probably just as well. Here=92s the real scoop on the Don=92t Mess=
With
Texas Program. According to program spokesperson Linda Levitt the
anti-litter campaign cost Texas taxpayers $2 million a year for the first
nine years of the program, and currently costs $1.5 million annually. She
says Don=92t Mess With Texas is credited with reducing litter in Texas by 72
per cent. =20
However, according to the Center for Marine Conservation=92s 1995
International Coastal Cleanup, nearly 10,000 volunteers helping with the
1995 Texas beach cleanup effort collected 361,800 pounds of litter, or 2,461
pounds per mile =97 twice as many pounds per mile than was collected during
any other statewide, beach cleanup effort that year. (NOTE: Only Puerto
Rico was higher at 2,613 pounds per mile.) It is interesting to note that
in Maine, where all beverage containers except milk have a 5 cent deposit,
volunteers picked up 152 pounds per mile. In Michigan, where beer and soda
containers have a 10 cent deposit, volunteers picked up only 35 pounds per
mile. =20
DISTORTION # 2
On the issue of curbside recycling vs deposit systems, the article points to
Biocycle=92s State of Garbage in America Survey showing that curbside=
programs
in the U.S. rose to 8,817 programs in 1996 with 51 percent of Americans now
being served by curbside recycling programs. What the article did not say
was that the population served by curbside recycling is 67 in bottle bill
states, and only 44 percent in non-bottle bill states. =20
Please send comments to cri@igc.org and check us out at www.igc.org/cri/
------------------------------
End of GreenYes Digest V97 #262
******************************