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Welcome to the fifth issue of the NRC Newswire. The Newswire is=20
a free, monthly service of the National Recycling Coalition providing=20
articles for newsletters published by state and regional recycling=20
organizations (ROs).
A survey of NRC Newswire recipients is being sent out again this=20
month. Continuation of the Newswire service depends on feedback=20
from NRC members: If we hear that you value the Newswire, we=20
will continue to provide the service and continuously improve it to=20
meet your needs. But WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK! Please=20
return the survey as soon as possible.
If you prefer to download copies of the Newswire as a Microsoft=20
Word or plain text file, please visit the NRC web site, www.nrc-
recycle.org, and click on "Newswire."
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In this issue:
1) Inside the NRC: The 1999 State of the Coalition Report
2) NRC Hosts Online Forums for Electronics Recycling
3) In the Loop (short informational items)
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INSIDE THE NRC: THE 1999 STATE OF THE COALITION REPORT
By William Ferretti, NRC Executive Director
During NRC's Membership Meeting at the Annual Congress &=20
Exposition in Cincinnati in September, NRC President Frances A.=20
Kennedy delivered the "1999 State of the Coalition Report." The=20
following are excerpts from her report.
Being an effective advocate for recycling means being heard by=20
those who have the power to make changes that can move=20
markets and ensure a more sustainable future for recycling. Three=20
examples demonstrate how NRC has made its voice heard over the=20
last year.
--NRC has worked for the last two years to ignite political support=20
for recycling. As a result, on last year's America Recycles Day,=20
Vice President Gore announced the National Recycling Challenge,=20
which is intended to leverage new public and private sector=20
recycling initiatives.
--NRC's Buy Recycled Business Alliance (BRBA) launched a high-
visibility campaign targeting the CEOs of the nation's Fortune 1000=20
companies. The year-long advertising campaign with the Harvard=20
Business Review generated unprecedented ratings on the value of=20
the campaign, reader recall, and reader interest in seeing the=20
campaign continue, according to a survey by the magazine. BRBA=20
will continue the campaign for a second year.
--As one of the founders of America Recycles Day, the NRC and=20
BRBA have provided key staff and financial support to this national=20
effort. Last year more than two million people participated in 5,000=20
ARD events.
Through NRC-supported programs like the National Recycling=20
Challenge, the Harvard Business Review Campaign and America=20
Recycles Day, the NRC and its members are being heard, which=20
translates into a more secure future for recycling.
Being a stronger coalition and an effective advocate can only occur=20
if we are financially and organizationally sound. We are on the=20
threshold of meeting that goal.
--In the last year, NRC membership has grown by 17%.
--For the first time since 1994, the NRC ended the year with a=20
small, but nevertheless real, surplus.
--As of late September, twenty recycling organizations representing=20
more than 3,500 members have either signed or endorsed the new=20
affiliation agreement, which takes effect on January 1, 2000.
Today, the NRC is in a very good place. Our advocacy voice is=20
being heard and we are becoming a strong, more financially stable=20
coalition. The NRC Board of Directors, along with dedicated=20
volunteers and staff, are building an organization that will serve you=20
for years to come.
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NRC HOSTS ONLINE FORUMS FOR ELECTRONICS RECYCLING
In response to members' suggestions, the National Recycling=20
Coalition (NRC) is launching a series of Internet-based discussions=20
on electronics recycling through its new Electronics Recycling=20
Online Forum. NRC has convened a group of experts to answer=20
questions about different aspects of electronics recycling each=20
month. The experts will answer your questions in two=20
ways=97through an Internet message board and during real-time=20
online chats.
The Electronics Recycling Online Forum is open to anyone=20
interested in learning more about managing end-of-life electronic=20
equipment. The forum will provide a quick, expansive means to=20
address barriers to computer reuse, establish communication links=20
among organizations interested in computer reuse, and create a=20
learning environment full of authoritative information on emerging=20
topics.
The first real-time chat on trends in electronics recycling is=20
scheduled for Wednesday, November 3, 1999, from 2:00 to 3:00=20
pm ET. To join the discussion, go to www.nrc-=20
recycle.org/Programs/electronics and look for the link to the forum=20
and online chat.
You can help us plan the real-time chats by posting questions to=20
the online forum. How much electronic equipment is out there?=20
What is being done with it? Any questions you may have about=20
trends in electronics can be posted to the forum.
The Electronics Recycling Online Forum has been made possible=20
by funding from the U.S. Postal Service. For more information,=20
contact Dawn Amore at (703) 683-9025, ext. 205 or dawna@nrc-
recycle.org.
+++ Upcoming Electronics Recycling Online Chat Topics +++
--Early November: Trends in Electronics Recycling
--Late November: State and Local Policy Initiatives
--December: Proper Management of End-of-Life Electronic=20
Equipment
--January: Contracting for Proper Recovery and Recycling
--February: Procurement of Electronic Equipment
--March: Certification of Electronics Recyclers
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IN THE LOOP. . .
--During the Forum on Virgin Materials Subsidies at the NRC=20
Annual Congress & Exposition in Cincinnati, members provided=20
suggestions to NRC for ways to educate its members and=20
encourage advocacy on the subsidies issue. NRC plans
to continue this dialogue into next year by co-hosting several=20
regional forums on the subsidies issue with state recycling=20
organizations (ROs). ROs interested in co-hosting a forum should=20
contact Edgar Miller at edgarm@nrc-recycle.org or (703) 683-9025,=20
ext. 208.
--NRC members can work together on areas of special interest=20
through its five technical councils. Visit www.nrc-recycle.org and=20
click on "Councils" to learn how to work with your peers on issues=20
related to rural, collegiate, and nonprofit recycling; recycling and=20
environmental impacts in minority communities; and source=20
reduction. Council members can participate on listservs, plan=20
events, serve as peer advisors, and more.
--As of late September, state recycling organizations in Arizona, the
Carolinas, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas,=20
Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico,=20
Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and=20
Wisconsin have either signed or endorsed the new NRC affiliation=20
agreement.
--It's not too early to start planning your trip to Charlotte, NC for the
NRC's 19th Annual Congress & Exposition on September 10-13,=20
2000. Save money by registering before January 31, 2000.=20
Respond to the call for papers by submitting your abstract by=20
February 28, 2000. Visit the www.nrc-recycle.org for more=20
information.
*** End of October 1999 NRC Newswire ***
Gary Liss
916-652-7850
Fax: 916-652-0485