[GRRN] TAKE ACTION: Congress, Recycle ... or Recycle Congress!

From: Bill Sheehan (bill_sheehan@mindspring.com)
Date: Tue Sep 19 2000 - 18:32:52 EDT

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    150 million Americans recycle every day at home and
    at work because it conserves resources. Our elected
    employees in Congress, however, act like the rules
    that apply to the rest of America do not apply to them.
    Remember, its an election year, more Americans
    recycle than vote ...and recyclers vote!

    Send the letter below to your Representative and
    Senators from GRRN's website: http://www.grrn.org/
    (thanks to Center for Environmental Citizenship!).
    Background information is on GRRN's site and on
    a new website: http://www.recyclecongress.org

    Dear Representative / Senator ____ :

    I am writing to express concern about the failure of
    Congress to manage recycling and waste reduction
    effectively in Capitol Hill offices. The Architect of the
    Capitol did such a poor job last year that 71 percent of
    the paper collected for recycling was contaminated and
    Congress got no revenue at all for millions of pounds of
    paper.

    It is my understanding that Congress could increase
    revenue tenfold by simply separating high grade office
    paper (such as letterhead and copy paper), cardboard
    and newsprint, and avoiding contamination. Why should
    taxpayers lose more than $300,000 this year due to the
    failure to separate these kinds of paper and keep them
    clean?

    In addition, I understand that millions of pounds of
    valuable paper, aluminum cans, glass and plastic bottles
    and other materials are being needlessly sent to landfills
    rather than being recycled. Why should taxpayers spend
    hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to transport and
    landfill these recyclable materials.

    At a time when many businesses are reducing waste by
    70 to 90 percent and doing it cost effectively, Congress is
    clearly wasting valuable natural resources and tax dollars.
    Even worse, I understand that these problems have been
    known for years.

    It's good to see Congressional committees holding
    hearings on Bridgestone/ Firestone tires and auto safety,
    but when are you going to cleanup your own wasteful
    practices and protect worker safety?

    Please take action immediately!

    Sincerely,



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