mm 0 ‘«Ng ^ ,«S Chinese 3RUUB: ntiwmmit* Vietnamese Khong ai bi4t ro ve c§ng dong cua qui vj hem chinh qui vi. Tren cucmg vi la mot to chirc cong dong, nguoi lanh dao hoac hoat dong giup cong dong, qui vi dong mot vai tro chu r \ \ r f t iwp> _ yeu trong viec nang cao nhan thuc ve bao ton tai nguyen, doi pho chat phe thai va bao ve r moi sinh cho cac the he mai sau. Cong Tdc Cho Mpt Moi Sinh Ldnh Manh dirge lap ra de giup qui vi hoach dinh va thuc hien nhung sinh hoat trong cong dong de quang ba 3 R nham doi pho chit phe thai: Reduce (Giam Thieu), Reuse (Tai Sir Dung), va Recycle (Tai Che). mr. Spanish Nadie conoce a su comunidad mejor que usted. Como organization de base c omu n lider comunitario o activista, usted se encuentra en una posiciop singular para dirigjr esfuerzos de conscientizacion sobre la conservation de recursos, el buen manejo de desechos solidos y el salvaguardar el medio ambiente para generaciones futuras Trabajando juntos por un medio ambiente saludable esta disenado para ayudarle a planificar y ejecutar eventos comunitarios a fin de promover las 3Rs del manejo de desechos reducir, reutilizar y reciclar. Korean 4 , *1 4 44 4 44 44 , *1 4 AH t}) #4 fl 4 44 J£^4 jl4 4 7]# 44 44^41-°l:zife 444 & 4. 4lH 41*71 rr 4tl°l 45}]7] 444 4 ?}*} 444 “44 ~--7| ’7‘7j) %-§-47l ”t* ^#*1 7] 4 4 ^ A}$\ O] Eff 7}] ^ 31 ^ 5j Sffe 4 44 § 3*444 - ;v . « I. INTRODUCTION No one knows your community better than you do. As a community-based organization, community leader or activist, you are in a unique position to take the lead in raising awareness about resource conservation, good solid waste management, and safeguarding the environment for future generations. Did you know that: • Over 230 million tons of garbage are produced annually in the United States-that equals 4.5 pounds per person per day. • Trash provides breeding grounds for rats, cockroaches, and other pests that can, in turn, have negative health effects. • Clean, trash-free neighborhoods are safer for children to play in. • Clean communities promote a positive community identity and can result in increased economic development. Working Together for a Healthy Environment is designed to help you plan and execute community events that promote the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle. There are many things communities can do — and are doing—to create cleaner, safer, healthier, and more economically viable places to live, work, and play. NOW is the time to take action! A few words of advice: As you start planning your campaign, you may find that certain activities suggested in this guide are more relevant to your community’s needs than others. Or, you may need to conduct additional educational workshops, provide more publicity, or focus on school or business events. Pick and choose activities and events that work best for your community. Remember, you will all be Working Together for a Healthy Environment. 1 II. THE 3RS OF SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: REDUCE. REUSE. AND RECYCLE Across the country, many individuals, communities, and businesses have found creative ways to reduce and better manage their trash through a coordinated mix of practices that includes the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse and recycle. Reduce Source reduction, or waste prevention, means consuming and throwing away less. Source reduction can conserve resources, reduce pollution, help cut waste disposal and handling costs, and go a long way toward protecting human health and the environment. Source reduction includes: • Purchasing durable, long-lasting goods. • Seeking products and packaging that are as free of toxics as possible. • Redesigning products that use less raw material in production, have a longer life, can be used again after original use, or can be recycled. Reuse Reusing items-by repairing them, donating them to charity and community groups, or selling them-also reduces waste. Reusing products is even better than recycling because the item does not need to be reprocessed before it can be used again. Some Ways to Reuse • Use durable coffee mugs • Refill bottles • Donate old magazines or surplus equipment • Reuse boxes Turn empty jars into containers for leftover food Purchase refillable pens and pencils Participate in a paint collection and reuse program Recycle Recycling turns materials that would otherwise become waste into valuable resources. In addition, it generates a host of environmental, financial, and social benefits. Materials like glass, metal, plastics, paper, and organic materials (food and green yard waste) are collected, separated, and sent to facilities that can process these recyclables into new materials or products. 2 Some Benefits of Recycling • Conserves resources • Saves energy • Stimulates the development of greener technologies • Supplies valuable raw materials • Reduces the need for new landfills and incinerators • Creates jobs Buying Recycled There is more to recycling than setting out recyclables at the curb. To make recycling economically feasible, consumers must buy recycled products and packaging. Consumers “close the loop” when they purchase products made from recycled materials. Recycled-content products are made from materials that would otherwise have been discarded. Items in this category are made totally or partially from material destined for disposal or recovered from industrial activities - like aluminum soda cans or newspaper. Recycled-content products also can be items that are rebuilt or remanufactured from used products, such as toner cartridges or computers. There are more than 4,500 recycled-content products available, and this number continues to grow. In fact, many of the products people regularly purchase contain recycled-content. Products That Gan Be Made with Recycled-Content • Aluminum cans • Cereal boxes • Egg cartons • Motor oil • Nails • Trash bags • Comic books • Office paper • Newspapers • Paper towels • Carpeting • Car bumpers • Anything made from steel • Glass containers • Laundry detergent bottles • Plastic beverage bottles 3 Composting Another form of recycling is composting. Composting is the controlled biological decomposition of organic matter, such as food and yard wastes, into humus, a soil-like material. Composting is nature's way of recycling organic waste into new soil for vegetable and flower gardens, landscaping, and many other applications. Some Benefits of Composting • Provides nutrients to the soil • Increases beneficial soil organisms (e.g., worms and centipedes) • Suppresses certain plant diseases • Reduces the need for fertilizers and pesticides • Protects soils from erosion • Assists pollution remediation • Keeps organic wastes out of landfills For More Information More information on the 3Rs of solid waste management can be found in this guide in Section VI, Resources. r 4 * III. WHAT YOU CAN DO TO PROMOTE THE 3RS IN YOUR COMMUNITY Many community-based organizations, leaders, and organizers across the country are already engaged in promoting solid waste reduction activities to keep their communities clean and healthy. You can become one of them! You have the local contacts and influence to promote Working Together for a Healthy Environment in your community. You can promote the 3Rs of solid waste management in your community by: • Increasing community awareness of the benefits of the 3Rs of solid waste management. • Promoting community practices that include reducing, reusing, and recycling solid waste. • Sharing knowledge/information about source reduction, waste prevention, and resource conservation and their present and future importance. • Organizing community outreach activities and events that promote the 3Rs of solid waste management. 5 IV. GETTING IT TOGETHER ORGANIZING YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT Organizing is the first step in any successful strategy to effect change in a community. The following information will help you succeed in implementing a local event to promote the 3Rs of solid waste management. Remember that not all the steps may be relevant to your event or necessary for it to be successful. It is also important to have clear objectives of what you want to accomplish during and as a result of the event. Follow the steps that are most important or best suited to meet your objective. Know Your Community © Name a Leader and Build an Action Team o Evaluate Results © Implement Your Plan STEPS TO COMMUNITY ORGANIZING © Establish Working Committees o Develop an Action Plan Identify and Secure Partners 6 To organize a community 3R event effectively, there are six important steps to consider: KNOW YOUR COMMUNITY: This is an important step that helps identify community concerns. As a community-based organization, leader, or activist, you are probably already familiar with most issues affecting your community and have already earned the trust of your community. Pay particular attention to the environmental practices (e.g., frequency of trash pickup) and issues (e.g., illegal trash disposal) that are relevant to your community. NAME A LEADER AND BUILD AN ACTION TEAM: Name a leader for the 3R event who has strong community ties and is committed to getting the job done. The action team should consist of community members who are willing to commit time, energy, and passion to the event and who will see it through to get results. © ESTABLISH COMMITTEES: Form committees, name committee heads, and assign responsibilities. These might include: promotion and publicity; volunteers (crucial to any event); logistics (transportation, parking); food and entertainment; security; setup, breakdown, and cleanup; sanitation; trash and recycling collection; and technical assistance (solid waste education and awareness). DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN: Once you have identified the members of your action team, hold a meeting to agree on the nature of the event, to develop a timeline for when things should happen, and to assign responsibilities. It’s a good idea to develop an event objective, too, to guide the action team and keep it focused. A sample campaign objective might be: Objective Raise awareness in our community by holding an event that promotes the 3Rs of solid waste management: reduce, reuse, and recycle. The action plan should also include measurements that you establish and use to identify success and areas for improvements. These measurements might include: the number of participants; the volume of waste collected, including recyclables; the number of partners contacted/participated; the type and impact of pre¬ event publicity; the number of requests for more information/follow-up. ' IDENTIFY AND SECURE PARTNERS: Build a base of supporters that you can rely on during the implementation phase. These can include volunteers, elected officials, and other partners. Their support can range from providing letters of support to providing supplies (food) and services (free publicity, staffing during the event). Be sure to tap into the corporate community! Stress that corporate support of your event can provide an impressive and cost-effective opportunity to secure positive exposure in the community. IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN: Remember that the main focus of your event is to promote reducing, reusing, and recycling solid waste. In implementing your plan, it is important to be flexible and willing to make changes, if necessary. EVALUATE RESULTS: It is important to review and assess your event as soon as possible after it occurs. Use the measurements you established in your action plan as a baseline. Make sure you get input from your action team, attendees, partners, sponsors, and volunteers. Share your results with the local authorities. Remember that maintaining a healthy and safe environment is always a “win-win” for everyone in the community. £ 7 PLANNING YOUR COMMUNITY EVENT SELECT A VENUE AND DATE WISELY. Select an outdoor location with transportation in mind. It should be easily accessible by public transportation; have sufficient parking for those who drive; have ingress/egress; and be where food, a stage, exhibits, live entertainment, games, and a sound system are all permissible. Suggested outdoor locations include public parks, public school grounds, local sports arenas, community centers with adequate grounds, and a downtown area (if city and local merchants consent). Make sure you have plenty of room to accommodate your expected turnout In choosing a date, be sure your event won’t be in conflict with another community or local event, such as a major sporting or church activity. Don’t make people have to choose! However, you might want to schedule your event as part of another related planned community/cultural event to maximize attendance. CREATE A PLANNING TIMELINE. When you have selected a venue and date for your event, work backward from the event day to create a timeline for completion of the various activities related to event execution. ADVERTISE, ADVERTISE, ADVERTISE - BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER THE EVENT! Securing TV and radio sponsorships will give you the free publicity you need to maximize turnout. In turn, the media gets the opportunity to enhance its image, expand its audience, and reinforce audience loyalty to build market share. KEEP THE SITE CLEAN AND SANITARY! Have plenty of trash and recycling bins on-site. Label them properly-paper, glass, plastic, metal/aluminum, food waste-to educate the public while ensuring the grounds are left clean. Make sure you make the necessary arrangements to have the trash and recyclables picked up and disposed of properly after the event. set up food booths and sell food and/or give away Depending on the venue and the accessibility of available lavatories, rent enough portable toilets to accommodate the anticipated crowds. © PROVIDE FOOD AND ENTERTAINMENT. Create a festive atmosphere and ramp up excitement for the event! Make the kickoff a celebration, complete with entertainment, including: local bands, school bands and choruses, school dance groups, and a radio station live remote (with on-air personality/emcee to serve as master of ceremonies). Invite local restaurateurs, caterers, and food vendors to promotional samples. Set up rides and other activities for small children so that there will be something fun and educational for every age group (tots, teens, young adults, parents, seniors) to ensure that your event has cross-generational interest and impact. 8 V. WHAT YOU CAN DO: EVENT IDEAS WORKSHOPS Your event may include one or more workshops on particular aspects of the 3Rs and how the community may participate in sound solid waste management. The number, format, and content of your workshops will require an understanding of your audience: who they are, their educational level, and their awareness level of environmental issues. The more you understand your audience and tailor your workshops to it, the more effective your workshops will be and the more your audiences will learn, accept, and apply the principles of sound solid waste management. It is also important to identify the objective for your workshop(s). The following is a sample. Unlike an employment or home improvement workshop, your target audience may not understand how Objective Demonstrate how easy it is to make a difference in the environment by reducing, reusing, and recycling solid waste at home, in the workplace, and in your community. learning about and practicing waste prevention activities directly benefit them. Workshop promotion must be compelling and meaningful. Advertise by using such headlines as: Care About Your Kids Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Protect the environment for them! Save money and conserve resources! Developing Your Workshops Format - You might want to consider developing two workshops: a 30-minute workshop for a more in-depth presentation and one 15-minute workshop. These workshops may be used as stand-alone events or as an addition to some other event, such as a local festival or neighborhood party. If the workshops are part of a larger (e.g., a community) event, repeat them during the day, if possible, to maximize attendance. Make sure your workshops contain a presentation/demonstration of how waste can be reduced in the home and in the workplace; how to reuse packages, containers, boxes, and other items in new and creative ways; and how to recycle paper, glass, plastic, metal, and lawn/yard clippings. 9 Have enough handouts/brochures available for distribution to the audience on how they can make a difference in waste prevention, why waste prevention matters, and where the nearest recycling, composting, and buyback centers are. Speak with your local solid waste management authority; many local governments provide speakers and handouts/brochures at no charge for these activities. Funding - With corporate and media sponsorships, you may find that you can develop very interactive, visually appealing, and/or fun workshops. This funding can help you pay for portable displays, speakers, and handouts. Turn Trash Into Cash! 'iK'kinn Irrrdo/u l m Corporate sponsors include local banks, supermarkets, athletic goods stores, car and truck dealerships, and fast-food chains. Media sponsors, in particular, can help you publicize the workshops (as stand-alone events or as part of a larger community event) through local TV and radio stations, newspapers, and magazines. Offer the sponsors an “Official Sponsor” status on all promotional materials. Distribute decals (for restaurant, retail, and merchant windows) to all businesses, organizations, schools, and other venues that support or even host 3Rs workshops. Getting People There - Provide incentives for people to attend the workshops. These incentives might include: • Discount coupons for completing the workshop (good toward the purchase of goods or services from a corporate sponsor) • 3Rs diplomas to everyone who completes the workshop • Vehicle bumper stickers for ail “graduates” Traveling Workshop Venues - If you decide to take your workshop “on the road,” consider having a portable display unit. This will eliminate the need of having to worry about the availability of adequate equipment on-site. Consider the following venues for your workshops: Schools Community Centers Service Clubs Civic Groups Adult Ed/Vocational Centers Senior Centers Chambers of Commerce Homeowners’ Associations Retail Malls Church Groups Local Employers Apartment/Condominium meetings 10 RADIO STATION ACTIVITIES Encourage your local radio stations to support and promote safe and effective solid waste management by: • Kicking off every morning-drive and/or evening-drive segment with a 3Rs tip of the day, particularly if you are holding a community event. • Sponsoring a park, beach, highway, or neighborhood cleanup and recycling event spearheaded by the station’s on-air personalities. • Holding a “3Rs Public Service Campaign” contest. Ask listeners to submit a 30-second Public Service Announcement (PSA) about how everyone can reduce waste by recycling bottles, cans, paper, plastic, and how to reuse items to reduce the amount of disposable solid waste. The best PSA submitted each week or month would be produced by the station and voiced by the author. The winners might be awarded concert or sporting event tickets, a family day at a local theme park, movie tickets, or gift certificates. Secure the prizes from station advertisers in exchange for on-air promotion as a proud sponsor of Working Together for a Healthy Environment. • Challenging listeners to come up with the most “Creative Reuse” of an item. Ask listeners to submit to the station their most inventive ideas for turning an item earmarked for disposal into an item with an entirely new use. Award prizes, securing them from station advertisers in exchange for promotional consideration as a proud sponsor of Working Together for a Healthy Environment. • Promoting a children’s Recycling Hero contest held over a period of several months, with ongoing on-air marketing. The Recycling Hero would be the child who implements the ongoing recycling program with the most impact. Each participant would have a sponsoring teacher, who would nominate that youngster to be named the station’s Recycling Hero. Award the winner a proclamation from the mayor or other community official, honoring his or her innovation and dedication to saving our environment for future generations of children or even a US Savings Bond. • Sponsoring a “Mad Dash for Cans.” Give families, clubs, schools, and organizations a designated time to deliver their cans to a collection location (e.g. parking lot) to be weighed. (Make sure the station makes the appropriate arrangements to have the cans picked up!) The winning group might be awarded free movie tickets, gift certificates or other prizes donated by a station advertiser in exchange for on-air promotion as a “Mad Dash for Cans” sponsor. It KIDS FOR A GREEN TOMORROW COMMONITY CLEANUP CAMPAIGN A Kids For A Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign, for middle and high school students in grades 6-12, can reinforce neighborhood pride and establish a very real connection between waste prevention and the quality of life. This campaign can be conducted separately or as part of a larger “green schools” campaign that may be run by the local school district, county, or state. Supporting a community campaign by adding a schools campaign will likely increase your effectiveness and make a bigger impact on your local environment. Cleaning up a very visible public area, made possible by broader campaign participation, will reinforce neighborhood pride and bring home the very real connection between waste prevention and quality of life. As with your community event and/or workshops, you should establish a campaign objective, such as: Objective Educate youth about the serious consequences of environmental degradation, with the goal of sowing the seeds of environmental consciousness at an early age. Developing Your Campaign Present Your Proposal and Obtain School Support - First and foremost, present your school administrators with a proposal for a Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign. Their support is necessary to achieve your objective. Explain that the activity is designed to provide a hands-on experience that demonstrates how applying the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) to real life situations can derive very positive health and environmental results, and would engage the youth as environmental stewards. Your proposal should also contain measures for evaluating the success of the campaign. These measures can include pounds of waste collected, number of collection bins filled, and revenue generated by the recyclables. Assemble An Organizing Team - After getting the go-ahead from the appropriate school authorities, assemble an organizing team. Team members should include earth science, biology, health, civics, social studies, and home economics teachers, as well as the school’s facility managers. Have the team name a leader who will make sure things get done and who will act as a liaison between your community group and the school. Create Subcommittees - Recommend that the organizing team create subcommittees to address such activities as promotion and publicity; setup and transportation to the selected venue; collection of trash and recyclables; and obtaining giveaways (e.g., T-shirts, awards), supplies (gloves, bags), and water for participants. It is important to ensure that medical assistance (e.g., a nurse) is available should the need arise. 12 Select a Venue - Select a large public area that is in need of cleanup. Choose a public park, playground, downtown commercial center, beachfront, or other locale, taking into consideration: • Accessibility (by private and public transportation for the youngsters, teachers, and parent volunteers, and by solid waste management and recycling trucks that will be picking up the trash and recyclables) • Visibility (to make a statement, select a location that is highly visible and central to the life of the community) • Traffic and safety Scheduling and Logistics - Pick a cleanup date. Saturday mornings usually work best because they don’t interfere with normal school hours or the workday of parents and other volunteers. Make necessary transportation arrangements using public transportation or licensed volunteer drivers. Instruct all youngsters and volunteers to arrive properly dressed in long sleeves, long pants, socks, and rubber-soled shoes, with gloves and hats if sun protection is necessary. Inform your local solid waste management authority about your plans. Arrange for the collection, disposal and/or recycling of the materials collected during the event. Make sure there are sufficient — and clearly marked — disposal and recycling containers at the venue. Secure Funding - Corporate, community, and media sponsors can help defray out-of-pocket costs that may not be covered by revenue generated by the collection of the recyclables. These sponsors can include local businesses and merchants, service clubs, civic or church groups, area supermarkets, local TV and radio stations, newspapers, and magazines. You will need funding for such items as: • Transporting youngsters to the cleanup site • Permits for street closings and/or public gathering, if necessary • Off-duty police for crowd control, if necessary • Supplies and equipment (bags, gloves, goggles) • Insurance, if necessary • Publicity and promotion • Commemorative T-shirts and certificates • Photography and prints • Packaged snacks and/or water to be distributed to the children after the cleanup Offer your sponsors promotional consideration in exchange for sponsorship (on T-shirts and in press releases). Give sponsors official Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign sponsor status to use in advertising, public relations, and corporate promotional materials. 13 Get the Message Out - Send out a “Media Alert” in advance of the cleanup and follow-up with a phone call the day before the event to the newspaper, TV, and radio (news format) assignment desks to promote live coverage for the Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign. Develop a Schedule - Make sure the schedule you develop is realistic and flexible. Solicit input from your kids; a sense of ownership is important to ensure success! The following is a sample schedule. Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign 8:00am - 2:00pm - Chicago. Illinois 8:00am-8:30am: Set-Up Volunteers place clearly marked recycling containers, trash bins, and supplies (trash bags, gloves, bottled water) at strategic locations throughout the designated cleanup area. 8:30am-9:00am: Participants Gather At Staging Area Form teams and assign cleanup areas by class or grade. Give clear instructions on how to conduct the clean up. Each team (6-8 students) should have an adult chaperone/volunteer with a cell phone and first aid kit in case of an emergency. 9:OOam-ll:OOam: Conduct Cleanup 11 :OOam-12:OOam: Recognition and Awards At Staging Area Have a school official on hand to commend the students for their achievement and hand out certificates to participants. You may want to take photos of the award ceremony for the school or community newspaper. Make sure you have parental permission to take and publish the photos! After the event, make sure ALL the trash and recyclables are collected by your local solid waste management company and transported off site! Measure your success using the measures established in your project proposal. Insuring Success Before Your Event - Leading up to the cleanup, work with teachers and local solid waste management administrators to stage a series of educational events that make resource conservation and waste prevention interesting and meaningful to the children. Emphasize how and why reducing, reusing, and recycling solid waste benefit everyone by: • Preventing pollution • Saving energy 14 • Decreasing greenhouse gas emissions • Conserving natural resources • Reducing the cost of disposal • Helping to keep our streets, neighborhoods, and communities safe, healthy, and more beautiful • Helping to sustain the environment for future generations An in-school educational campaign before the event may consist of one or more of the following activities: • Hold a competition to design a Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign T-shirt. Announce the winner at a school assembly and award a gift certificate donated by an area merchant. Send the photo along with an announcement of the event to your local media (newspapers, TV, and radio stations). Again, make sure you have the parents’ permission to publish the photos. • Have the students create their own student handouts addressing the following: • how they can make a difference in the environment • why waste prevention matters • how practicing the 3Rs can help the environment • Hold discussions with the students on how and why reducing, reusing, and recycling waste benefits everyone. This can be done in the classroom, as part of the science curriculum, or during a special assembly to which parents are invited. As an information source, use the EPA Office of Solid Waste’s educational materials, video, pamphlets, and downloadable literature available at www.epa.gov/osw. After Your Event - Take your Kids for a Green Tomorrow Campaign out to other schools or the entire school district. Suggest to the school board that it officially designate participating schools as Kids for a Green Tomorrow Schools of Excellence with banners that are publicly displayed. You might also want to: • Encourage students to present their own Kids for a Green Tomorrow Campaign projects for a science fair competition. • Arrange for the hours spent on the campaign to count toward student service learning hours, as appropriate. • Arrange for student guest appearances on local TV and radio stations promoting the Kids for a Green Tomorrow Campaign and making “reduce, reuse, and recycle” a household phrase familiar to youngsters and adults throughout the community. • Send out post-event press releases and photos to keep the campaign and the 3Rs in the media and before the public eye. • Establish a goal for each successive Kids for a Green Tomorrow Community Cleanup Campaign, setting the bar higher each time. Mount a wall-sized chart in the school cafeteria illustrating the success of the initiative by tracking the amount of trash and recyclables collected over the course of the year. This will help sustain a high level of interest and maintain momentum. 15 ¥1. RESOURCES SAMPLE LETTERS TO MAKE YOUR CAMPAIGN SUCCESSFUL This section includes sample letters for you to send to local community leaders, city council/county commission members, faith-based organizations, and editors of local newspapers and radio stations, asking for support of your event. A. Letter Urging Community Leaders to Support the Healthy Environment Campaign R. City Council/County Commission Letter C. Letter to the Editor U. Letter to Radio Station E. Faith-Rased Letter 16 A. LETTER URGING COMMUNITY LEADERS TO SUPPORT THE HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT CAMPAIGN Dear : As of <Organization’s Name>, I am asking for your support in promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management—reduce, reuse, and recycle —to safeguard the environment in our community. The goal of Working Together for a Healthy Environment is to clean up our urban and rural neighborhoods and make them healthier and more appealing places in which to live, work, and play. We support this goal and hope that you do as well. Did you know that that almost 230 million tons of municipal solid waste or trash are generated in this country annually? That means each of us is responsible for an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. We want America’s multi-cultural communities to take a leading role in the development of an “environmental conscience” and help reduce this waste through reduce, reuse, and recycle. Please join me in supporting this all-important initiative. Where to start? Write letters to the editors of your local newspapers and magazines. In these letters, urge the editors to lend their influential voices to Working Together for a Healthy Environment. The following is a template Letter to the Editor, designed to be used as a starting point. Incorporate your own professional knowledge, personal experience and individual thoughts on the need to preserve the environment for future generations by promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management. As a community leader, you have the credibility and influence to help make a difference. If you set the example, others will surely follow. For information on the 3Rs, including outreach materials for distribution, please don’t hesitate to contact me at XXX-XXX-XXXX or visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste web site at www.epa.gov/osw. On behalf of <name of organization^ thank you for supporting Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Please help us share this important message with our community. Sincerely, <Head of Organization’s Name> B. CITY COUNCIL/COUNTY COMMISSION LETTER Dear <Council member/Commissioner>: As <title> of <Name of Community Organization>, I am asking for your support in promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management—reduce, reuse, and recycle —to safeguard the environment in our multi-cultural community. The goal of Working Together for a Healthy Environment is to clean up distressed urban and rural neighborhoods and make them healthier and more appealing places to live, work, and play. We support this goal and hope that you will as well. Did you know that almost 230 million tons of municipal solid waste or trash are generated in this country annually? That means each of us is responsible for an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. We want America’s multi-cultural communities to take a leading role in the development of an “environmental conscience” and help reduce this waste through reduce, reuse, and recycle. As a community leader, you have the power, as well as the responsibility, to support Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Where to start? Join cities and counties across our nation in publically supporting this initiative. Doing so will make both your constituencies and the media aware of the priority you place on the 3Rs of solid waste. Thank you for supporting Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Please help us share this important message with our community. Sincerely, <Head of Community Organization> Your Town, USA 18 C. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Dear <Editor>: Did you know that almost 230 million tons of municipal solid waste or garbage are generated in this country annually? That means each of us is responsible for an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day! Are you also aware that recycling results in energy savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions? These are staggering statistics! They underscore the need for waste reduction and recycling, while graphically illustrating the great strides that can easily be made to reverse the toll taken by environmental degradation. I would like to see America’s growing multi-cultural communities take a leading role in the development of an “environmental conscience” because... • Trash can turn neighborhoods into unsightly places to live, work, and play. • The rising cost of trash pickup and disposal raises all our taxes and diverts money from vital programs supporting public education, health, recreation, and the arts. • Environmental degradation and its resulting pollution breed unhealthy conditions that are already leading to a rise in the rate of children and adults afflicted with asthma and other respiratory diseases. The media has the power and, indeed, the responsibility to bring the message home in a way that will resonate with your readership and serve as a community-wide call to action. So, I am asking you to educate your readership on responsible solid waste management and support an outreach education and awareness program called Working Together for a Healthy Environment. As <title> of <Name of Community Organization^ I’m asking that you please give this vital program the news coverage it needs and deserves. For more information on waste minimization and recycling, visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste Web site at www.epa.gov/osw. On behalf of <Name of Community Organization^ thank you for supporting Working Together for a Healthy Environment. As a long-time subscriber to your publication, I am sure that you will help us share this very important message with our community. Sincerely, <Head of Organization’s Name> 19 D. LETTER TO RADIO STATION Dear Programming Directors As head of <Name of Organization^ I am asking for your support in promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management—reduce, reuse, and recycle —to safeguard the environment in our Hispanic/Latino community. Called Working Together for a Healthy Environment, the goal of the campaign is to clean up our rural and inner-city neighborhoods and make them healthier, more appealing places to live, work, and play by promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management. Did you know that almost 230 million tons of municipal solid waste or garbage are generated in this country annually? That means each of us is responsible for an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. This is a staggering statistic and we would like to encourage America’s Hispanic/Latino population to take a leading role in the development of an “environmental conscience” by making reduce, reuse, and recycle a part of their daily lives. Only Spanish-language radio has the power to bring our message into homes, offices, factories, parks and playgrounds in a meaningful way. That is why it is so important that your station become a partner of Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Your news broadcasts, while introducing songs, as the focus of talk or public service programming—all provide ideal opportunities to address the 3Rs of solid waste. Why get involved? Because responsible solid waste management improves the lives of our families and the nature of our communities. Nobody knows your audience better than you do, which is why <Name of Organization> is counting on your support. We have enclosed some programming, news, public service, and contest suggestions as a starting point, and you’ll undoubtedly have exciting ideas of your own. For information on the 3Rs of solid waste management, including brochures for distribution, please do not hesitate to call me directly at XXX-XXX-XXXX, or visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste Web site at www.epa.gov/osw. On behalf of <Name of Organization^ thank you for supporting Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Please help us share this important message with the Hispanic/Latino community. Sincerely, <Head of Organization’s Name> 20 L FAITH-BASED LETTER Dear <Head of Church/Faith-Based Organizations As head of <Name of Community Organization>, I am asking for your support in promoting the 3Rs of solid waste management—reduce, reuse, and recycle —to safeguard the environment in our community. The goal of Working Together for a Healthy Environment is to clean up our urban and rural neighborhoods and make them healthier and more appealing places to live, work, and play. We support this goal and hope that you will as well. Did you know that almost 230 million tons of municipal solid waste or trash are generated in this country annually? That means each of us is responsible for an average of 4.5 pounds of solid waste per day. We want America’s multi-cultural communities to take a leading role in the development of an “environmental conscience” and help reduce this waste through reduce, reuse, and recycle. Spread the word about the 3Rs in your sermons, religious education classes, childcare centers, community centers, and organizational newsletters. Remember, environmental degradation takes a devastating toll on families, the economy, and public health and safety, undermining the quality of life on our streets and throughout our neighborhoods. Please join us in making Working Together for a Healthy Environment a success. Nobody knows your congregation better than you do; that is why we are counting on your support. For information on waste minimization and recycling, including brochures for distribution, please don’t hesitate to call me directly at XXX-XXX-XXXX or visit the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Solid Waste web site at at www.epa.gov/osw. On behalf of <Name of Community Organization^ thank you for lending your support to Working Together for a Healthy Environment. Please help us share this important message with your community. Sincerely, <Head of Community Organization> 21 PUBLICATIONS ■89 EPA can provide a wealth of free, informational materials that you can use to increase knowledge and understanding of solid waste issues, promote environmental awareness, and inspire participation in environmental activities among community members. These materials can be found at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/publicat.htm Many of these publications are available in Spanish. This site also provides ordering information. WEB LINKS U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) www.epa.gov EPA Office of Solid Waste www.epa.gov/osw EPA Office of Solid Waste - Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/reduce.htm EPA Office of Solid Waste - Educational Resources www.epa.gov/epaoswer/education/index.htm EPA Office of Solid Waste - Recycle on the Go www.epa.gov/recycleonthego 22 NOTES 23 • ■ \