Welcome to The Loop Issue 22 July/Aug 2003 A Bimonthly Newsletter for Friends of www.closetheloop.com In this issue: What "drives" a tire recycler? April, May & June Showers Bring Rain Gardens State of the World 2003 The Cornerstone of a Healthier, Sustainable Community Marketplace: Exceptional Products Propose an Article What "drives" a tire recycler? The markets for rubber have been flat for 30 years. The equipment is expensive and high maintenance. There is tremendous interest in the excellent recycled rubber products on the market today such as rubber mulch, mats, pavers, etc. However, several hurdles remain: lack of local availability, cost of shipping, consumer confidence & awareness of these products and their beneficial uses & longevity. What drives the tire recyclers is the desire to help solve a national problem, cleaning up the environment and keeping kids safer with playground safety surfacing. CTL April, May & June Showers Bring Rain Gardens According to the EPA, 70% of pollution in our streams and lakes comes from stormwater. When it rains (or melting snow in winter), water courses down gutters, along roads and driveways and across yards before ending in storm drains or culverts and eventually streams. Along the way it gathers fertilizers, pesticides, oil residue and many chemicals from businesses and our own households. The first step in creating a rain garden should be evaluating your property after a rain. Make note of depressions where water pools or where fast-moving rivulets carry water down driveways or sidewalks. By filling these areas with layers of sand, compost and soil, then adding native plants, you've created an absorbent garden of flowers or shrubs. They will not only look pretty and provide a butterfly and wildlife haven, but also filter and absorb 30% more stormwater than the same size patch of lawn. Those flowers that result from our rain showers can also be helping to keep our streams and lakes free of stormwater pollution while recharging our groundwater. This year make a pledge to garden not just in the earth but for the earth. -- Resources: Yard & Garden News, University of Minnesota Extension Service; Gardening with Water Quality in Mind by Amy Middleton and Sarah Clark State of the World 2003 Building a world where we meet our own needs without denying future generations a healthy society is not impossible, but the challenge is to mobilize governments, businesses, and civil society to construct economies that are healthy for both people and the planet, reports State of the World 2003. According to the 20th anniversary edition of the Worldwatch Institute's award-winning report, scaling up recent successes in curbing infection, increasing the income of the poor, and advancing the use of renewable energy, among others, would soon put the world's economy on a more sustainable path. Developed nations can help by: -bringing environmentally damaging activities under control to restore and protect the integrity of the earth's systems we depend on. -manage resources crucial to human welfare more effectively. -give high priority to efficient use of energy, water, and other materials, including expansion of conservation and recycling. -reduce and eventually eliminate poverty. The developed nations have the obligation to provide aid and support to developing nations, because only the developed nations have the financial resources and the technical skills for these tasks. http://www.green-networld.com/tips/recycle_fr.htm http://www.green-networld.com/facts/facts_fr.htm http://www.worldwatch.org/press/news/2003/01/09/ More than a billion people live on less than a dollar a day. The wealthiest one-fifth of the world's people control about 85 percent of the money, the poorest fifth about 1.4 percent. In the U.S. about a third of the population is overweight. Amount the U.S. spends on weight-loss programs each year: $35 billion. Amount needed to eliminate starvation and malnutrition in the world: $19.25 billion. The Cornerstone of a Healthier, Sustainable Community by Doug McKenzie-Mohr, St. Thomas University Founded on the principles of community-based social marketing, www.toolsofchange.com offers specific tools, case studies, and a planning guide for helping people take actions and adopt habits that promote health and/or are more environmentally friendly. This Web site will help you include in your programs the best practices of many other programs - practices that have already been successful in changing people's behavior. A healthy sustainable community is in large part the result of each of its members. When members of a community adopt healthy habits - by getting more exercise, for example - the community becomes a healthier one. When the members use resources wisely - by recycling, for example - the community moves towards sustainability. When community members pollute less, the community becomes both healthier and more sustainable. Therefore, to promote a healthier, more sustainable future, it is essential to know how to encourage individuals to adopt corresponding lifestyles. Community-based social marketing involves: - identifying the barriers to a behavior - developing and piloting a program to overcome these barriers - implementing the program across a community - evaluating the effectiveness of the program The steps comprising community-based social marketing are simple, but effective. When barriers are identified and appropriate programs are designed to address these barriers, the frequent result is that individuals adopt healthier and/or more sustainable lifestyles. For more information, please visit: www.toolsofchange.com Marketplace: Exceptional Products Some people say that while rubber mulch is the most shock absorbing surface the cost is prohibitive. We have studies that show that CTL rubber mulch is amortized over a 3, 5 or 8 year period depending on color and quality of rubber mulch. The fact that it virtually lasts forever & is keeping kids safer is worth checking into. For a copy of the study, please give us a call or email closetheloop@msn.com Looking for a special, unique wedding gift? How about a wine bottle cheese board with a copy of the couple's wedding invitation decoupaged on the back, it's a very green gift idea! A greener earth is in the bag! CTL Promotional Products: Made from EcoSpun - certified to be made from 100% recycled soda, water & food containers. Your customers will remember you & appreciate the environmental awareness displayed by your unique bag made from 100% recycled post-consumer content materials. This fabric has the look & feel of canvas, is very durable and can be imprinted with a company logo or sold as blanks. We are offering a Reusable Tote Bag, Small & Large Grocery Bag & Lunch Bag. For more information on any of these products, please visit: www.closetheloop.com or call us at 866.629.8414. Inspirational Quote: "Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --President Teddy Roosevelt Your Friends at Close the Loop |
