Today's Topics:
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America Recycles Day (4 msgs)
anti-recycling questions
FWD>Call-in day
HOP where are you?
My 2 cents Re: America Recycles Day
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Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 11:25:14 -0700
From: Bob Harsell <riverboy@injersey.com>
Subject: (no subject)
unsubscribe
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Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 12:16:07 -0400 (EDT)
From: STEVESUESS@aol.com
Subject: America Recycles Day
Dear Joel Makower,
When America Recycles Day was first introduced to us here in California,
my reaction was that this was a group that was doing a good job organizing
the corporations and a rotten job organizing the public - I saw a serious
case of Greenwashing whereby the public would appear apathetic and corporate
America would appear doing good.
The CRRA is the supporting organization here in California - remember 41
states are members of this thing - and yet I've called more than 20 people in
Northern California and have found exactly zero (0) events are occuring here.
I have heard from a number of members about their outrage that we are a part
of this event!
I saw the other side of this coin in Orlando at the NRC congress. Here
I meet many recycling proponents from states where very little recycling
occurs, and to these people America Recycles Day was a gift from heaven -
Finally someone was talking to the public in their part of the world about
recycling!
Sooo.....
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 10:04:32 -0700
From: Robin Salsburg <robin@mrwmd.org>
Subject: America Recycles Day
Hi Joel--
Good question about America Recycles Day. I've had grave concerns about =
this event from the start. =20
My sense is that it is greenwashing-- corporations opportunity to show =
that, yes, just like you, they recycle aluminum cans, newspaper and =
cardboard boxes. Oh, but don't look at the other actions the company =
maybe taking (like clearcutting, toxic manufacturing, promoting =
anti-recycling messages, etc.) =20
The event does not come close to touching on crucial issues of producer =
responsibility for waste, redesign of products to minimize and/or reduce =
waste, and the rampant consumerism that creates all this waste and =
environmental degradation in the first place. =20
What a great PR scam this is-- how can you NOT support recycling or =
anything or one that is promoting it? Thus some of the environmental =
groups are signing on. Unfortunately, I believe this is an "astroturf" =
movement-- not a grassroots movement.
Below is an article I wrote for the Oct. issue of RecycleScene, the =
newsletter for the California Resource Recovery Association.
I am also sending along, under separate cover, a press release posted to =
the Green Yes listserve from the Grocery Manufacturers of America about =
America Recycles Day. Seems that there is little promotion going on out =
there about the event, even though that was one of the main reasons =
groups were eager to participate. =20
I would also recommend that you check out their website: =
americarecyclesday.org What is rather interesting is when you go to the =
section that shows all the events going on for the day, there is little =
if anything listed. Curious if this is a grassroots movement...
Let me know what you find out and what your conclusions about the event =
are.
Robin Salsburg
Monterey, CA
PR vs. the 3R's
Public relations manipulates, controls, and limits the public's access =
to truth for the benefit of powerful corporations-- at the expense of =
the public's interests.
The CRRA is supporting such a slick public relations (PR) campaign =
claiming to promote recycling-- America Recycles Day.
Look who is supporting America Recycles Day. The following are all =
national steering committee members:
**Direct Marketing Association-the "junk mail folks"
**American Plastics Council-all talk and no action on plastics recycling
**National Soft Drink Association- inaction on refillables and recycled =
content containers
**American Forest and Paper Association-fighters of forest protection
**Chemical Specialties Manufacturing Association---toxic chemical =
promoters
**Keep America Beautiful-fighters of bottle bills
**Eastman Kodak-dumpers of toxic chemicals in America's waterways
**Dow Corning-knowing creators of hazardous products
**Walt Disney-leaders in transforming children into consumers
The National Sierra Club turned down an invitation to participate on =
this steering committee because it sounded like corporate greenwashing =
to them. =20
CRRA is the leader and outspoken advocate for Zero Waste. Our =
credibility could be irreparably harmed by providing "green cover" to =
these organizations which have no genuine interest in resource =
conservation. Why is CRRA willing to help give these types of =
organizations the environmental credibility they so desire?
What can we expect from America Recycles Day:
**Promotion of Zero Waste Concepts or Technologies? No.
**Discussion about Producer Responsibility? No.
**End of Subsidies for Wasting and Resource Extraction? No.
**Critique of our Disposable, Consumption Based Lifestyle? No.
America Recycles Day does not tackle the tough issues-they actively =
avoid addressing them. How then does America Recycles Day further the =
current goals of CRRA?=20
CRRA has been formulating messages which forward the public debate on =
waste and resource use-- Zero Waste, Jobs from Discards, End Welfare =
for Wasting. We should be joining with other grassroots activists to =
highlight the REAL issues and take REAL actions. We should not =
willingly capitulate our principals and our goals.
Call or write CRRA Board Members and tell them you want CRRA to remove =
their endorsement of this event.
----------
From: Joel Makower[SMTP:makower@enn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, October 14, 1997 1:03 AM
To: GreenYes@ucsd.edu
Subject: America Recycles Day
I'm curious what GreenYes members think about America Recycles Day. Do =
you
believe this a genuine attempt to reduce waste and emissions? Is this a
grassroots effort? I am curious, because of the large number of =
corporate
sponsors -- WMX, Steel Recycling Institute, AFPA, National Soft Drink
Assn., et al. -- who have joined with EDF, Californians Against Waste, =
and
activist groups on this.
Thanks.
*************************
Joel Makower, Editor
The Green Business Letter
1519 Connecticut Ave. NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-332-1700 (tel)
202-332-3028 (fax)
makower@enn.com
http://www.enn.com/gbl
*************************
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 19:28:50 -0400 (EDT)
From: STEVESUESS@aol.com
Subject: America Recycles Day
Dear Joel Makower,
When America Recycles Day was first introduced to us here in California,
my reaction was that this was a group that was doing a good job organizing
the corporations and a rotten job organizing the public - I saw a serious
case of Greenwashing whereby the public would appear apathetic and corporate
America would appear doing good.
The CRRA is the supporting organization here in California - remember 41
states are members of this thing - and yet I've called more than 20 people in
Northern California and have found exactly zero (0) events are occuring here.
I have heard from a number of members about their outrage that we are a part
of this event!
I saw the other side of this coin in Orlando at the NRC congress. Here
I meet many recycling proponents from states where very little recycling
occurs, and to these people America Recycles Day was a gift from heaven -
Finally someone was talking to the public in their part of the world about
recycling!
Sooo.....
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 08:56:44 +0900
From: oldxeye@crisscross.com (Hop)
Subject: America Recycles Day
Joel Makower <makower@enn.com> said:
>I'm curious what GreenYes members think about America Recycles Day. Do you
>believe this a genuine attempt to reduce waste and emissions? Is this a
>grassroots effort? I am curious, because of the large number of corporate
>sponsors -- WMX, Steel Recycling Institute, AFPA, National Soft Drink
>Assn., et al. -- who have joined with EDF, Californians Against Waste, and
>activist groups on this.
>
>Thanks.
Joel, here's what I said when I first heard about it .....
Sorry to be so sceptical but ...... having read the following:
>I am writing to share some exciting news about America Recycles Day.
>To help spread the word in your state, McDonald's restaurants are
>considering using colorful "Buy Recycled" tray liners with information
>similar to the sample enclosed. Two years ago, McDonald's distributed
>more than 30 million "Buy Recycled" tray liners to their customers
>nationwide. It is a terrific way to publicize how and why to "Buy
>Recycled."
..... I couldn't help but visit my archives and send you guys this:
Embargoed till:
Sunday 16 October 1994
MEDIA RELEASE
Hey Mac ... Take Back Your Pack!
The occurrence of Worldwide Anti-McDonald's Day today, Sunday 16 October,
has sparked the Waste Crisis Network to call on McDonald's, and other 'fast
food' outlets in Australia, such as Hungry Jack's and KFC, to take back
their packaging.
"Packaging is a major contributor to the waste crisis" says Peter Hopper,
Project Officer for the Nature Conservation Council of NSW. "One only needs
to look down and around them in the street to find examples of takeaway
packaging litter from fast food outlets."
"Landfill capacity is dwindling around the country. The one-way approach to
packaging has to end."
"McDonald's, Hungry Jack's, KFC, and others, could help to ease the waste
crisis by taking a leaf out of Pizza Hut's book. They should abandon their
use of disposable packaging for eat-in customers and provide reusable
knives, forks, spoons, plates, cups and glasses instead" says Mr Hopper.
"The potential benefits of such a switch are very real and go beyond just a
cleaner environment. Extra jobs would be created by such a move and savings
would result from the avoided cost of the packaging and waste disposal
charges."
"Instead of allowing huge quantities of takeaway packaging to become a
burden to local councils, the community, and the environment, 'fast food'
providers should:
* avoid packaging wherever possible,
* replace disposable packaging with reusable alternatives, and
* retrieving the remainder for recycling or composting.
In this way they would demonstrate to their customers, and to the wider
community, that they have a commitment to the 3Rs - Reduction, Re-use, and
Recycling, in that order of priority - and that they wish to contribute to
the '50% reduction in waste by the year 2000' target adopted by the
Commonwealth, and State and Territory Governments" says Mr Hopper.
end.
Update: Since then the target for New South Wales (the east coast state of
Australia having Sydney as the capital) has been raised to "60% reduction
by the year 2000", new waste minimisation legislation has been introduced,
and a lot more is expected of companies such as McDonald's.
Can't you expect a bit more in the US?
We've been suffering the disbenefits of your poor packaging laws for years
(ie. we've had bestowed upon us by business, following the US example, the
worst rather than the best of your packaging trends).
Honestly, truckloads of "Buy Recycled" McDonald's tray liners is not enough
to expect from such a campany. Perhaps Worldwide Anti-McDonald's Day on 16
October (I assume it's on again this year) will provide some of you with
the opportunity to let them know you expect a little more!
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 09:57:23 -0600 (MDT)
From: mfearer@reporters.net (Mark Fearer)
Subject: anti-recycling questions
Howdy folks,
I'm a journalist, and some of you might remember me from the
Atlanta conference, as the guy scribbling a lot of notes and recording
sessions. As I told people then, I was writing a story for a local
publication, which finally got published this summer. You can check it out
on my web site, listed below in my sig.
Now I'm doing another story for In These Times (a national
progressive magazine), focused on the politics of the anti-recycling
faction, whom I also call the Recycling Minimizers. I'd like your
perspectives on the following questions. Feel free to email me off-list or
publicly. Please keep answers somewhat brief, as I can only include so
much. If I'd like to use your answers, I'll email you first to get
permission. TIA
1. Who are the anti-recyclers or recycling minimizers? (i.e. plastics
industry, beverage industry, etc.)
2. Are they against recycling, and/or do they try to limit the
effectiveness of recycling?
3. What are their strategies, and how effective are they?
4. Is there a trend towards privatization of waste and recycling, and is
that part of their strategy? Is it hurting recycling?
5. Keep America Beautiful: is a friend of the recycling movement, a front
group that keeps recycling from being too effective, both or neither?
6. Are think tanks part of the anti-recycling strategy, and if so, how do
they influence public policy?
7. Anything else you would say about the issue of the politics of the
anti-recyclers?
Thanks.
_________________________________________________________________________
Mark Fearer
Freelance Writer
Boulder, CO.
www.ecentral.com/members/writer
"Writing is easy. All you do is stare at a blank piece of paper until drops
of blood form on your forehead." -- Gene Fowler (1890-1960)
_________________________________________________________________________
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 10:51:40 -0400
From: Cindy/Mike Shea <mcshea1@gte.net>
Subject: FWD>Call-in day
Mark me off as calling all three numbers.
I said
I support early action to stop climate change and hope _____ does too.
Our first target should be 2005, if not before.
Aggressively promoting energy efficiency will strengthen, not weaken,
the US economy.
Good luck.
Cindy Pollock Shea
Promoting Sustainable Development
------------------------------
Date: Thu, 16 Oct 1997 02:58:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: STEVESUESS@aol.com
Subject: HOP where are you?
Hello HOP from Australia,
I'd like to talk to you about a project.
Would you be so kind as to pass on your e-mail and phone numbers.
------------------------------
Date: Wed, 15 Oct 1997 23:41:19 -0400
From: WOODY GETZ <WGETZ@FRE.FSU.UMD.EDU>
Subject: My 2 cents Re: America Recycles Day
STEVESUESS@aol.com wrote:
>
> Dear Joel Makower,
> When America Recycles Day was first introduced to us here in
> California, my reaction was that this was a group that was doing a
> good job organizing the corporations and a rotten job organizing the
> public - I saw a serious case of Greenwashing whereby the public
> would appear apathetic and corporate America would appear doing
> good.
> The CRRA is the supporting organization here in California -
> remember 41 states are members of this thing - and yet I've called
> more than 20 people in Northern California and have found exactly
> zero (0) events are occuring here. I have heard from a number of
> members about their outrage that we are a part
> of this event!
> I saw the other side of this coin in Orlando at the NRC congress.
> Here I meet many recycling proponents from states where very little
> recycling occurs, and to these people America Recycles Day was a gift
> from heaven - Finally someone was talking to the public in their part
> of the world about recycling!
> Sooo.....
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Steve and other GreenYessers!
Sooo ... think globally and act locally!!
I live in Allegany County, Maryland (that's out in the western
panhandle, 150 miles West of Baltimore, 60 miles East of Morgantown,
West Virginia).
Maryland's Recycling Act of 1988 requires each waste jursidiction (the
23 counties plus Baltimore City) to recycle either 15% or 20% of its
in-county wastestream depending on population size. As a county with
less than 150,000 residents, Allegany County was required to recycle
15%.
The original deadline was (I believe) January 1, 1994 which was later
extended 6 months to July 1, 1994 if you put in writing to the
Department of Environment (MDE) how you planned to achieve the mandated
level.
To the best of my knowledge ours is the only county in Maryland which
has yet to reach our (15%) mandated recycling goal, according to copies
of the MDE calendar year summaries (by county) for 1995 & 1996. And
while some counties have just barely surpassed the appropriate 15% or
20% mandates, the state as a whole is at 29%.
As a side note, to the best of my knowledge, ours is the only county in
Maryland which has a privately owned and operated landfill as Chambers
Development Corporation (which has since become a wholly owned
subsidiary of USAWaste) built a landfill which accepted its first
tonnage in February 1992. It is permitted to landfill acceptable MSW
and permitted special wastes up to 125,000 tons per year.
I am a member of our County's Solid Waste Management Board, an advisory
board, established by under our most recent Solid Waste Management Plan
(August 1996) although it was also a recommendation in the previous
(1992) SWM Plan. I was the Sierra Club representative on the committees
which wrote those plans. On the current Board I serve as the
representative for Environmental Groups.
I have been a Sierra Club member and local officer for the past 8
years.
With that context, my 2 cents:
1) America Recycles Day?
YES! Great idea to bring a national focus to the issue of solid waste
and one of the top three strategies for managing it.
Yet these educational/motivational efforts must be done at the local
level and I feel therefore are best done by local folks.
This not only is necessary because of the different local lists of
readily recyclables for each community, but also it provides the
opportunity to eliminate or at least drastically reduce corporate
greenwashing.
Recycling is done locally and therefore needs local public awareness
and education efforts. Yet, at the same time, by sharing ideas and
outcomes we can also build a common, national platform.
2) But, why November 15th?
I am aware from the presentation I attended at the 1996 NRC Conference
in Pittsburgh, that Texas has used November 15th as a "Texas Recycles
Day" with growing success.
BUT, while November 15th may be a lovely time of year to encourage
people to get out and recycle in Texas -- many of us in the upper
latitudes and altitudes will probably find it very nippy (we've already
had out heat on twice this Fall!!) and plus continuing into December,
January, February, March, etc. will not be conducive to reinforcing
whatever is learned in November!!
Actually, I have been surprised that no one else has written a similar
comment on Greenyes. (NOTE: I subscribed to GreenYes early September
1996, just after the NRC Conference.) Has anyone else thought of the
wide difference in local weather at that time of the year and the months
to follow by using November 15th?
In other words - yes, November 15th has worked for Texas; but -- "Don't
mess with Texas" aside -- what are the benefits and detriments of
applying it to the entire country for America Recycles Day?
3) The "Greenwashing" controversy.
As a Sierran I read with interest the posting to Greenyes by Steve
Suess (9/17/97) stating that the Sierra Club turned down the America
Recycles Day steering committee because of the evident corporate
greenwashing. I can understand their taking such a position at the
national level.
(Receiving such a posting also reinforced my use and advocacy of the
'Net for sharing ideas and outcomes thus creating improved local efforts
and therefore national outcomes. I am still amazed at the
"conversations" that I can either "listen to" or participate in!)
Yet at the local level -- other than my previous questioning of the
specific date being used and the process by which it was chosen -- I
welcome a general America Recycles Day. Certainly a focus on such an
important strategy which gives people the opportunity to both act and
learn about their actions, including purchasing as well as recycling
actions, will enable more to make better choices.
3) Our local approach.
So what will happen in Allegany County, Maryland?
Well, the SWM Board's Recycling & Composting Committee that I chair has
proposed writing the first annual "State of Recycling & Composting in
Allegany County, Maryland" and presenting it in conjunction with the
local Sierra Club monthly meeting in November near America Recycles Day.
The report will state both the mandate from the Maryland Recycling Act
of 1988 and the County's own goal of "25% by 2000" which was first
written in the County Recycling Plan and later included in the 1992 and
1996 County Solid Waste Management Plans.
Next it will give the annual historic progress of the County's
recycling/composting efforts since 1992 as well as the comparison to the
other counties in Maryland.
Finally, it will suggest several strategies (curbside collection of
ONP, more general education and in schools, etc.) to get us beyond the
15% hurdle and toward our locally established 25% goal by 2000.
We hope to have this report presented in conjunction with a panel
discussion with local presenters (a Frostburg State University economics
professor who will describe his observations of daily differences during
a period where he lived in Germany, a campus representative of the
Student Sierra Coalition to describe their efforts to increase recycling
on campus, etc.) to again focus on the local issues but also with an eye
to "what else is already happening elsewhere and could happen here".
Additionally, we will train members of local organizations (high school
ecology clubs, service group, etc.) who will work with the public on
Saturday, November 15th from 10 AM - 2 PM at the county operated
recycling drop box sites. There are 16 recycling drop box sites and it
looks like we will have "educators" at the 5 or 6 most active sites.
Sooo ... in general, I'm glad that America Recycles Day will take place
-- although I would prefer a Spring date in the future so that the
following months are more conducive to local participation.
And I believe that by going *local*, we will provide some valuable,
applicable, public awareness and education both for what's available
here now as well as where we can be headed.
Woody Getz
Reduce, ReUse, Recycle, Compost -- It's a small planet!
You can visit my "Recycling in Allegany County, Maryland" website
hosted by the Frostburg State University Computer Science department
at: http://www.cs.fsu.umd.edu/~recycle
Your feedback about the website would be appreciated.
P.S. Anyone else have thoughts about using a Spring date for future
America Recycles Day? Where are the voting booths?
------------------------------
End of GreenYes Digest V97 #250
******************************