Welcome to our Close the Loop® E-Newsletter Issue 19 Jan/Feb 2003 A Bimonthly Newsletter for Friends of www.closetheloop.com _____________________________ In this issue: Grass Roots End to Landfilling? Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture USPS ReDoes it Right Kids Corner Marketplace: Exceptional Products Propose an Article _____________________________________________________________ Grass Roots End to Landfilling? Landfills waste resources and compete directly with beneficial resource conserving enterprises such as reuse, recycling, composting. Waste can and should be designed out of our industrial system. Waste is not inevitable. Nor are landfills. Zero waste or darn close! In other words, design toxics and waste out of the system at the design stage; end subsidies for resource extraction and wasting; hold producers responsible for product and packaging waste; and build self-reliant communities that treat discards as job-producing assets push waste back up the pipe. Let's not get hung up on the Zero the point is to aim for zero and put the resources currently being spent managing waste towards eliminating waste and managing resources. Check out the GrassRoots Recycling Network at www.grrn.org and http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/index.html Meet our friends and neighbors across the globe, many of whom are who are working toward the Zero Waste goal, all of whom are willing to share their knowledge on how it can be done. http://www.grrn.org/zerowaste/zw_world.html ___________________________________________________________ Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture The Center for a New American Dream A membership-based non-profit organization working to challenge the "more is better" definition of the American dream. They help Americans consume responsibly to protect the environment, enhance quality of life and promote social justice. A booklet on Kids & Commercialism is available from the Center for a New American Dream. The booklet contains information and statistics about the harmful effects of excessive commercialism on kids and families, and positive tips and actions to help parents raise healthy children in this highly commercial culture. Studies show that less time in front of the TV and more time outdoors would do our children a world of good. Early experiences with the natural world have been positively linked with enhancing the development of imagination and a sense of wonder in children. Time outdoors in nature also plays a key part in helping children feel comfortable in the world around them. Too much time spent in front of the TV also has been linked with increased violence, low self-esteem and obesity. Check out Tips for Parenting in a Commercial Culture and other Publications at: http://www.newdream.org/publications/index.html JAN 16: RAISING INDEPENDENT MINDED CHILDREN IN A COMMERCIALIZED CULTURE (Washington, DC) Speech by Center President Betsy Taylor at the Lowell School in Washington, DC. The speech is open to the public and tickets are $12 each. Ticket information can be found at www.lowellschool.org or by calling 202-577-2000. _____________________________________________________________ USPS ReDoes it Right A waste prevention group played a key role in revising U.S. Postal Service regulations that previously prevented the donation of undelivered product samples to food banks and homeless shelters. The Reuse Development Organization Inc. (ReDO), the National Waste Prevention Coalition, and the King County (Washington) Solid Waste Division helped revise the regulations that took effect Oct. 31. The Postal Service estimates that up to 164,000 tons of undelivered product samples remain at U.S. post offices every year, not to mention other undelivered products and items. The new regulations will make it much easier for all undelivered items - food, toothpaste, shampoo, diapers and many other items - to be distributed to people who need them. For example, in the past, undelivered, unopened toiletries and over-the-counter drugs were not supposed to be donated at all. The new regulations specify that these items should be donated to food banks, shelters or other non-profit organizations. ReDO and America's Second Harvest will work in partnership with their affiliates and the Postal Service in communities across the country to make sure these product donations get to the people that need it most. America's Second Harvest provides emergency food assistance to more than 23 million hungry Americans each year. ReDO promotes the reuse of surplus and discarded materials by assisting reuse programs around the nation to meet environmental and social objectives. For more information, please visit: http://www.redo.org and http://www.secondharvest.org/newsroom/pressreleases/111102.html _____________________________________________________________ Kids Corner Check out the following website for links to kids recycling projects such as colorful coasters from found objects, magazine mosaics, puzzles, tin punching, etc. http://www.kinderart.com/recycle/ __________________________________________________________ Marketplace: Exceptional Products Close the Loop, LLC wishes to thank all of our friends, customers & mentors for a successful year in 2002 and we look forward to another year of promoting environmentally friendly products in 2003! We have many plans for the future as you will be hearing about in our upcoming newsletters. The 1st is an announcement of 10-15% reduction in cost of our Promotional EcoSpun bags made especially for Close the Loop in Lehighton, PA. Our bags are made from 100% recycled EcoSpun with 100% recycled polypropylene handles, with your imprint on one or both sides. Please check out: http://www.closetheloop.com/pro_ecospun.html A new product this year is the recycled tire planters shaped into BIRDS: http://www.closetheloop.com/tireswing.html For your sweetheart this Valentine's Day, the gift of a Lovestone will tell your significant other that you love and care for them and the environment. We appreciate your support through your purchase of rubber mulch to help reduce injuries associated with falls from playground equipment and reduce waste tires across Pennsylvania and the US by putting shredded/ground rubber to good use. Check out our rubber mulch page where you'll find information on playground surfacing comparisons, grants, and more at www.closetheloop.com/tirechips.html In addition to checks, money orders and PayPal, we now accept Discover, MasterCard, Visa, and American Express credit cards. _____________________________________________________________ Propose an article If you have an informative article that you would like us to feature in an upcoming newsletter, please email your article to closetheloop@msn.com. If we use your article, a link to your web site will be featured as well. As always, we are interested in any comments or feedback and would love to hear from you! _____________________________________________________________ Inspirational Quote: At the foundation of every life is one central desire: to make a difference that you lived. --Ron Smothermon _____________________________________________________________ Give Peace & Recycling a Chance in 2003 - Close the Loop |
