RE: [greenyes] waste and humanitarian supplies for Iraq

["Pat Franklin" <pfranklin@no.address>]

AMEN!!   If the water bottles had a refund value there would be a recycling
infrastructure and end markets and money to be made.  AND there would be no
litter and no waste.

****************************************
Patricia Franklin
Executive Director
Container Recycling Institute
1911 N. Fort Myer Drive, Ste. 702
Arlington, VA 22209

TEL:   703.276.9800
FAX:   703.276.9587
EMAIL: pfranklin@no.address

http://www.container-recycling.org
http://www.bottlebill.info
****************************************

-----Original Message-----
From: Sharon_Gates@no.address
[mailto:Sharon_Gates@no.address]
Sent: Thursday, March 27, 2003 9:57 AM
To: greenyes@no.address
Subject: [greenyes] waste and humanitarian supplies for Iraq


During my morning commute to work today, I heard a story about
humanitarian supplies starting to be delivered in southern Iraq.  A BBC
reporter describing the supplies said they were small amounts of food in
plastic bags, with a small bottle of water.  While I'm sure most people
hearing this story thought about the contents of the bags and getting this
stuff to the people who need it, I was struck by the thought of the
packaging.  Regardless of how one feels about the war, we are creating a
totally unnecessary garbage mess by shipping all this stuff in
single-serving packages.  And I doubt the U.S. military will set up
collection of all those water bottles for recycling.

Imagine the desert littered with #1 bottles, to be blown who-knows-where
with the next sandstorm, slowly being broken into bits by wind and sand,
to be lodged against desert vegetation, eaten by small animals, eaten by
bigger animals...

Sharon Gates
Recycling Specialist
City of Long Beach, California
562/570-4694