U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response
EPA 530-R-02-015
September 2002

                     20002 Annual Report

        Celebrating the Innovations of Our Partners 
                     WasteWise 8th Year


A Message from Christine Todd Whitman,
EPA Administrator

     As a former Governor and county official who has dealt
with the solid waste arena, I understand the many challenges
organizations face in reducing waste. In talking with
WasteWise award winners at last year's recognition ceremony, 
I was struck by their commitment to the goal of reducing
waste and the wide variety of programs they have
implemented. Partners described impressive waste reduction
accomplishments achieved across their organizations -- from
mail rooms to boardrooms to shop floors. Partners received
awards, not only for internal waste reduction activities,
but also for activities that reached far beyond their own
facilities -- working with suppliers and customers and
citizens to build innovative partnerships to reduce waste.

     I welcome this opportunity to present to you, in this
report, the 2002 WasteWise award winners. Once again our
partners have achieved impressive results and clearly
demonstrated their waste reduction leadership in the
corporate, governmental, and nonprofit worlds.

     Congratulations to this year's award winners and to all
WasteWise participants! Together we show that, through
voluntary partnerships, business success and environmental
stewardship can be mutually achieved. For those of you who 
are not yet a part of WasteWise, I personally encourage you
to sign up for the program and demonstrate your commitment
to waste reduction. For those already participating in
WasteWise, I wish you continued success in your programs.


                          CONTENTS

The Year in Review

2002 WasteWise Award Winners

WasteWise 2002 Partners of the Year
     Very Large Business
     Large Business
     Midsize Business
     Small Business
     Federal Government
     State Government
     Tribal Government
     Local Government
     School/School District
     College/University

WasteWise Electronics Challenge Awards 

Climate Change Award Winners 

WasteWise Endorser Program 

WasteWise 2002 Program Champions 
     Very Large Business 
     Large Business 
     Midsize Business 
     Small Business 
     Federal Government 
     State Government 
     Tribal Government 
     Local Government 
     College/University 

WasteWise 2002 Honorable Mentions 

Index of Articles by Member Name 


                     THE YEAR IN REVIEW

Record-Breaking Award Winners

     Since last year's awards ceremony, much has occurred in
WasteWise and with our partners and endorsers. WasteWise is
delighted to report its 8th year of accomplishments and
celebrate the innovations of our members! We were thrilled
with the nearly 50 percent increase in awards applications
-- and very impressed with the quality of the applications
and the breadth of activities our partners undertook this
past year. There were many tough decisions to make -- so
many that we decided to add an additional recognition
category,"Honorable Mention," in addition to our Partners of
the Year and Program Champions so your hard work would not
go unrecognized. We are also saluting the Electronics
Challenge winners and added a new awards category: the
Climate Change Award.

Partner Feedback

     After listening to feedback from the 2001 partner
roundtable, we evolved the WasteWise program to be
responsive to our partners' needs. We developed the new
campaigns described below, in addition to improving our core
WasteWise services (technical assistance, Web-based
resources, publications, and more). You can find more
information about all of these programs on our newly
redesigned Web site <www.epa.gov/wastewise>, in addition to
some new features, such as the Partner Spotlight. (Contact:
Grist.Terry@epa.gov) 

Climate Change Campaign

     As part of our nationwide effort to promote education
on the connection between solid waste and climate change, we
are encouraging partners to use EPA's Waste Reduction Model
(WARM) to calculate their waste-related greenhouse gas (GHG)
reductions, as well as to set and achieve climate goals.
With the creation of the Climate Change Award, EPA is now
able to recognize our partners' climate achievements. We are
partnering with other EPA voluntary climate programs and
external climate organizations, such as the PEW Center on
Global Climate Change and the International Council for
Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), to further these
efforts. (Contact: Canterbury.Janice@epa.gov)

Industry Sector Campaign

     In response to our partners' suggestions, WasteWise
plans to work in-depth with several industry sectors. We
completed initial research to target industrial sectors with
the greatest potential to reduce solid waste and GHGs, and
plan to launch a campaign to work with the utility industry
in the Fall of 2002. By partnering with the Utility Solid
Waste Activity Group (USWAG), the American Coal Ash
Association (ACAA), and other stakeholders that manufacture,
purchase, or use coal combustion products (CCPs), the
WasteWise program will enhance CCP diversion from disposal
and explore the beneficial use of these valuable products.
WasteWise is collaborating with EPA's Industrial and
Extractive Wastes Branch to identify barriers to boosting
the use of CCPs and implement program initiatives to help
increase the recycling of these materials. Heightened use of
CCPs has the potential for reducing millions of tons of
GHGs. (Contact: Glenn.John@epa.gov)

States Campaign

     WasteWise is pursuing new collaborations with states to
enhance partner services, reduce duplication of effort
between the federal and state governments and encourage
prospective organizations to join the program. EPA is
exploring the following ideas with states: 

          Advocacy: These states will promote WasteWise at
          the state level through state conferences,
          workshops, and meetings with organizations
          potentially interested in WasteWise. EPA will
          provide electronic copies of materials that states
          can tailor to meet their own needs.

          Partnership: These states will coordinate state
          waste reduction programs with the federal
          WasteWise program. For those states that already
          offer programs similar to WasteWise, EPA will work
          with the state to coordinate membership
          responsibilities and benefits. For those states
          interested in modeling a state-level program after
          EPA's WasteWise, EPA will provide assistance.
     
EPA envisions that these types of partnerships will enable
organizations to seamlessly participate in both state and
federal programs with minimal paperwork and maximum
benefits. Currently, WasteWise is in discussions with
Massachusetts to be the first pilot "partnership" state, and
South Carolina has agreed to be our pilot "advocate" state.
We believe that these partnerships begin a new era of
collaboration with states for the WasteWise program.
(Contact: Laing.Susan@epa.gov)

Voluntary Programs Campaign

     WasteWise has expanded efforts to work with other EPA
voluntary programs, and to explore the mutual benefits of
collaboration. These programs include Performance Track,
Climate Leaders, ENERGYSTAR, Hospitals for a Healthy
Environment -- H2E, and the pilot program underway in the
Office of Solid Waste, the National Waste Minimization
Partnership Program. Many WasteWise partners are aware of,
and participate in, some of these programs. These joint
efforts within EPA will provide partners with greater
benefits and more recognition opportunities. (Contact:
Heizenroth.Charles@epa.gov)

Note:  Office of Solid Waste, OSW, was renamed Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, ORCR, on January 18, 2009.

Resource Management

     An increasing number of WasteWise partners are
beginning to use resource management (RM) contracting,
pioneered by General Motors Corp., to increase resource
efficiency and save money. By changing the way in which
organizations demand and pay for integrated waste management
services, RM has the potential to align the incentives of
waste disposal contractors with those of organizations
desiring waste reduction. WasteWise is now working with
three pilot organizations: Northeast Utilities, Farview
Hospital, and Raytheon. These organizations have all signed
a Memorandum of Understanding with the program and have
pledged to consider putting RM systems in place. We will
work with these organizations to develop RM bid
specifications, assist in evaluating proposals, and monitor
each organization over the course of a year to document
resource efficiency gains. (Contact: Leith.Angie@epa.gov)

Building Challenge

     Because billions of tons of materials are used every
year to construct and rework buildings, WasteWise launched
the Building Challenge to provide program partners with the
opportunity to gain technical assistance and recognition for
reducing construction and demolition waste and purchasing
recycled-content building products. WasteWise expects this
to be a growing and vital challenge in 2003, and invites all
interested partners to get on board! Thus far, 16 partners
have made Building Challenge pledges and received
information on how to develop and implement Building
Challenge programs, which will be featured in next year's
awards program. EPA is giving each participant a CD
containing all issues (1992-2000) of the green building
newsletter, Environmental Building News. (Contact:
Sandler.Ken@epa.gov)

Endorser Program

     During the past year, EPA developed several new
resources for organizations that actively promote the
WasteWise program by participating as endorsers. These
resources include a revised tool kit for newly enlisted
organizations, a new section of the WasteWise Web site
designed specifically for endorsers, and a ready-to-publish
newsletter article about WasteWise. Additionally, EPA
created a new promotional flyer to help recruit new
organizations to the endorser program. (Contact:
Gallman.Deb@epa.gov)

Satellite Forum: "Communities: Setting Trends in Waste
Prevention and Recycling"

     On May 1, 2002, WasteWise, along with EPA's Office of
Solid Waste, the National Recycling Coalition, and the Solid
Waste Association of North America, sponsored a live
two-hour national satellite forum, "Communities: Setting
Trends in Waste Prevention and Recycling," for state, local,
and tribal solid waste managers. Panelists, including
WasteWise Endorser Alameda County Waste Management Authority
and Source Reduction and Recycling Board and WasteWise
Partner Baltimore County Department of Public Works,
provided valuable insights on successful government waste
prevention and recycling programs. For more information, go
to the Resources link of our Web site at
<www.epa.gov/wastewise/forum/index.htm>.


                2002 WASTEWISE AWARD WINNERS

Partners and Endorser of the Year

Electronics
     Panasonic
     Public Service Enterprise Group

Climate Change

     Constellation Energy Group
     Virco Mfg. Corporation

Endorser

     City of Clifton, New Jersey -- Recycling Program

Very Large Business

     Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
     The Walt Disney Company

Large Business

     Pitney Bowes Inc.
     Virco Mfg. Corporation

Midsize Business

     Guardian Industries -- Ligonier Plant
     NEC Electronics, Inc. -- Roseville Facility

Small Business

     Creative Office Systems, Inc.
     Evelyn Hill Inc.

Federal Government

     U.S. Postal Service -- Alabama District
     U.S. Postal Service -- Northeast Area

State Government

     State of Ohio

Tribal Government

     Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
     Tribal Transfer Station

Local Government

     Jackson County, Missouri
     King County, Washington

School/School District

     Los Angeles Unified School District

College/University

     Eastern Illinois University


Program Champions

Electronics

     City of Alexandria, Virginia
     U.S. Government Printing Office
     U.S. Postal Service -- Alabama District

Climate Change

     Allergan Sales, Inc.
     City of Clifton, New Jersey -- Recycling Program
     Public Service Enterprise Group
     The Seydel Companies

Endorser

     South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
     Control
     Washoe County Government, Nevada

Very Large Business
     
     Bank of America
     Eastman Kodak Company
     General Motors Corporation
     The Disneyland Resort
     Verizon

Large Business

     Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
     Battelle Memorial Institute
     Canon U.S.A., Inc.
     Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc.
     Constellation Energy Group
     Florida Power & Light Company
     Herman Miller, Inc.
     Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
     Millipore Corporation
     Pepco
     Public Service Enterprise Group
     Southern California Edison

Midsize Business

     DTE Energy

Small Business

     Kessler Consulting, Inc.
     The Seydel Companies

Federal Government

     Sandia National Laboratories
     The Presidio Trust

State Government

     South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
     Control

Tribal Government

     The Blue Lake Rancheria of California
     Robinson Rancheria Environmental Center

Local Government

     City of Clifton, New Jersey -- Recycling Program
     City of Fremont, California
     Kitsap County, Washington

College/University

     Emory University
     Ohio University Facilities Management
     Seattle University
     University of Virginia


             WASTEWISE 2002 PARTNERS OF THE YEAR

VERY LARGE BUSINESS

Anheuser-Busch Kicks the Can Out of Waste Reduction

     Even with 23,000 employees and multiple subsidiaries,
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. operates its WasteWise
program as easily as enjoying a cold beverage on a hot
summer day. Anheuser-Busch's waste reduction program
includes its breweries, theme parks, aluminum can
manufacturer, agriculture operations, transportation
outfits, recycling corporation, and other subsidiaries.
Since 1994, when Anheuser-Busch joined as a charter partner,
the company has been particularly successful with its
composting activities. In 2001, Busch Agricultural Resources
composted more than 325,000 tons of farm materials, and
Busch Entertainment Theme Parks composted 4,200 tons of yard
and animal stable waste for reuse in the parks for
landscaping projects. Likewise, the breweries reused 5,450
tons of spent beechwood chips, a byproduct of the brewing
process, as compost and mulch. Other waste prevention
activities at Anheuser-Busch include lightweighting cans to
save 465 tons of aluminum, having phone books available on
the company's Intranet, saving approximately 4 tons of
materials, and converting 300 hard-copy forms to an
electronic format used by approximately 5,000 employees. Of
course, Anheuser-Busch also achieved impressive results from
its recycling collection efforts, totaling more than 2
million tons! 

Disney Is Overflowing With Green Employees

     The Walt Disney Company made strides in its waste
reduction activities in 2001 by working with employees to
educate them on being environmentally conscious, even when
eating at Disney's commissaries. Disney posts signs asking
employees and guests to minimize their use of disposables
and to take only the condiments that they need. In addition,
employees are encouraged to use reusable beverage mugs which
are available for purchase at the commissary. A discounted
beverage refill is offered as an incentive. These processes
have helped minimize the waste created at the commissaries,
and the company continues to work closely with staff to
evaluate other waste minimization activities. 

     The Walt Disney Company also recognized the benefit of
reusing materials and equipment. The company worked with its
various facilities and warehouses to clean out unwanted
inventory and supplies including computers, electronics,
scrap metals, wood, paint, and videotapes. Employees
distributed these items internally, donated the usable
leftovers, and recycled the rest, diverting more than 90
tons from the landfill. Disney even looked into greener ways
to send its annual holiday cards. As Disney transitions from
mailing the cards, envelopes, and inserts to sending cards
electronically, the company reduced its paper use by more
than 6 tons, and saved  more than $100,000 in purchasing and
related activities! The company also worked with its office
supply company to conduct electronic ordering and billing,
saving $156,000 in incentives and rebates.


LARGE BUSINESS

Buying Green Pays Off for Pitney Bowes

     When spending the company's money, employees at Pitney
Bowes do it right! Pitney Bowes Inc., headquartered
in Stamford, Connecticut, continues to decrease its burden
on the environment by reducing wastes, recycling, and buying
products made of recycled materials. In conjunction with
designing products that are easier to disassemble, reuse,
and recycle, Pitney Bowes recycled more than 2,800 tons of
materials in 2001. Furthermore, it purchased food-service
supplies, paper, toner cartridges, and other office supplies
that contain 30 to 100 percent recycled content! These
products total more than 1,500 tons, constituting 15 percent
of total annual  purchases. Pitney Bowes continues to
identify products containing postconsumer recycled content
in their supply catalogues to facilitate purchasing
activities, and it encourages employees to purchase
materials with the highest recycled content available. 

     Pitney Bowes didn't stop there! An employee
environmental education program reinforces the company's
environmental mission at all levels. The program covered
topics such as environmentally preferable purchasing,
shortening the paper trail, reuse of office supplies, and
tips for recycling white versus mixed paper. The company
distributed nearly 20 percent of its 230 environmental
communications electronically. 

     From bins to great marketing signs, Pitney Bowes makes
recycling educational and fun -- so much so that many
employees started to recycle at home! The recycling
program's success is due in part to the fact that recycling
isn't just encouraged around the snack rooms and by the
printers. Pitney Bowes also placed recycling bins in
conference rooms, breakout rooms, copy centers, pantries,
and other office areas where waste is produced.

Community Gains When Virco Recycles

     "Virco's commitment is a credit to our community as
well as to our state and to industry in general," said
Debbie Plopper of the City of Conway's recycling division.
When the City of Conway, Arkansas, collected more cardboard
than it could handle, Virco Mfg. Corporation volunteered to
bale and sell all of it, giving the profits to the city.
Virco built corrals from used pallets when the local PTA
realized schools in the area needed collection bins for
cardboard. The company now collects cardboard every week
from all the schools in the area, sells it for recycling,
and divides the proceeds among schools in need of funding.
In 2001, Virco recycled 1,000 tons of corrugated cardboard. 

     This Arkansas-based furniture manufacturer is making
environmental commitments within its walls as well. Through
Virco's Document Retention Policy, the company focused on
reducing paper waste, collecting 34 tons of paper for
recycling in 2001. Virco also purchases recycled material,
spending an incredible $30 million on products with recycled
content in 2001. The company eliminated a line of furniture
that was producing nearly 48 tons of waste each year,
decreased its use of inter-polystyrene packaging material,
and even donated recycling equipment to the city to assist
with the city-wide recycling initiative. Since 1991, Virco
has recycled more than 75 million tons of materials, and
keeps on counting!


MIDSIZE BUSINESS 

Guardian Industries Innovates, Continues WasteWise Success

     As a WasteWise award winner for 4 years running, this
Indiana-based automotive glass manufacturer shows its
continued commitment to reducing waste through the newly
established Guardian Industries -- Ligonier Plant's
Recycling Center. The center has enabled the company to
increase its processing of recyclables in 2001, including 74
tons of corrugated cardboard that saved the company more
than $5,600. Guardian also collected and recycled 250 tons
of steel, along with large amounts of paper, plastic, and
non-ferrous metals. In 2001, Guardian Industries stopped 515
tons of material from being disposed of and saved more than
$111,000.

     Guardian continued a glove reuse program that launders
and reuses nearly 3 tons of gloves, preventing an additional
2 tons of new gloves from ending up in the trash and saving
Guardian Industries almost $48,000! The company switched
from disposable paper towels to a washable material,
avoiding more than 1 ton of landfilled wiping cloths. In
addition, Guardian Industries sends its leftover wood scraps
to a recycler that chips it to be used as animal bedding and
landscape material, preventing nearly 132 tons of wood from
incineration. As for internal WasteWise promotion, and to
thank its employees for their recycling efforts, Guardian
purchased shirts bearing the WasteWise logo for each
employee!

Online Auction Garners 100K While Reducing Waste at NEC

     Rather than throwing away surplus inventory this past
year, NEC Electronics, Inc. sold equipment, furniture, and
other extras through a public online auction that resulted
in $100,000 of direct revenue for the innovative company.
NEC employees also purchased electronics and furniture
through a private auction. Through these measures, the
company sold nearly 18 tons of materials for reuse and then
donated several tons of furniture to classrooms. NEC also
established the Employee Re-Use Center, providing a means
for employees to obtain used office supplies rather than
purchase new replacements. The company is progressing with
plans to establish an Intranet site with recycling
information and events, such as the 2001 Earth Day
celebration that more than 600 people attended.

     This California-based company also made innovative
advances in reducing waste from office products. NEC
continued its toner cartridge reuse program, which diverted
the disposal of 500 pounds of printer cartridges and allowed
NEC to purchase toner at lower prices. The company networked
many of its computers so employees can print directly to the
copy machine, reducing paper use, toner use, and equipment
maintenance, and saving NEC $20,000 in 2001. 

     As for reducing semiconductor production materials, NEC
used a pilot program to sell more than 9 tons of material no
longer useable in production for reuse in other areas. The
company also distributed new recycling containers in one of
its cafeterias and placed bins in every office. Widespread
distribution of mixed paper collection boxes increased paper
recycling by an estimated 15 to 20 percent, and newspaper
bins placed in parking lots encouraged workers to bring in
old issues from home. NEC refined its practice for recycling
lawn and tree clippings, saving nearly $4,000 per year. The
company also increased its purchase of products made from
recycled material, including 100 percent recycled-content
toilet paper and trash bags containing half  the plastic of
traditional liners. As a result of successfully achieving
WasteWise goals, NEC diverted more than 247 tons of waste
from disposal in 2001. 


SMALL BUSINESS

Creative Office Systems: In the Business of Reuse

     Creative Office Systems, Inc. (COS) does not just
recycle as a side activity -- its business is recycling!
This California-based company developed a program focused on
minimizing waste by following the priority of
reduce/remanufacture/reuse/recycle. Through this process,
COS has managed to save more than 70,000 tons of waste from
disposal in the last four years -- equivalent to enough
conserved energy to power 1,072 homes for an entire day. 

     For the fabric used to upholster its furniture, COS
lives up to its name by using recycled soda bottles (PET) as
45 percent of the material content, a 9 percent increase in
recycled material content from last year. 

     Within the lunchroom, the company has switched to
reusable dishes and flatware. It minimizes shipping waste by
reusing incoming packing and leftover textiles for outgoing
packaging products. The company also strives to involve all
workers in its environmental plans, which it effectively
does through scheduling a speaker series. 

Recycling Under the Statue of Liberty for Free

     Evelyn Hill Inc., the gift shop and food service
nestled at the base of Lady Liberty, operates a $50,000 per
year recycling center -- at no cost! Rather than dispose of
food baskets and trays after each use, the company cleans
them for reuse, saving enough money to pay the operating
costs of the recycling center. This progressive store
recycled 395 tons of cardboard, plastic, aluminum, and
glass. In 2001, Evelyn Hill Inc. recycled 63 percent of the
company's trash and reduced carting fees by more than 17
percent. In 2002, Evelyn Hill aims to maintain a recycling
rate of more than 75 percent!

     Changes in the company's purchasing practices enabled
Evelyn Hill to achieve such an impressive recycling rate.
For example, the company switched from paper cups to
recyclable PET (#1) plastic cups for its beverages. All used
PET plastic cups and bottles are sent to South Carolina
where they are made into fabric. Evelyn Hill Inc.
demonstrates closed-loop recycling by using this fabric for
its signature tote bag. In addition, new composting projects
boosted the recycled rate. In only six months, the
concessioner collected nearly 1 ton of used coffee grounds
for composting.

     Recycling is not the only area where Evelyn Hill
excels. The company also uses innovation to prevent waste,
such as ordering 12" x 12" napkins rather than 12" x 13." 
This one-inch difference eliminated 1 ton of paper. Evelyn
Hill also installed a pump system to dispense condiments and
creamers, eliminating the need for more than 2 million
single-serving condiment packets and 330,000 single- serving
creamer cups. To close the recycling loop, the company spent
$250,000 on recycled-content goods, such as 100 percent
recycled toilet paper and 20 percent recycled giftbags that
can also be recycled.

     Progress isn't close to stopping at Evelyn Hill after
2001's successes. Plans for 2002 and beyond include the
construction of a geothermal system for cleaner climate
control!


FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Alabama District's Cradle to Grave Commitment: Talking the
Talk and Walking the Walk

     "How do you portray environmental stewardship in a
stamp?" The U.S. Postal Service -- Alabama District posed
this question in 2001 with a "Design an Environmental Stamp"
contest, one of the many ways the Alabama District is
leading efforts in environmental stewardship within its
offices. In addition, the district printed nearly 9,000
calendars this past year on recycled paper to encourage and
inform workers about waste reduction and recycling. 

     To curb paper waste, the Alabama District expanded its
Paperless Society, formed last year to replace paper
timesheets with electronic time-clocks. In 2001, the postal
district created electronic forms to replace paper tracking
of personnel forms, memos, vending reports, and budget and
travel information. These actions, along with a steady
increase of e-mail communication, helped the Alabama
District save nearly 85 tons of paper and $137,000.
Additionally, the district recycled 4,000 tons of bulk mail
in 2001. The Paperless Society activities, which generated
$18,000 in recycling revenue, helped finance the more than
$100,000 spent on postconsumer recycled-content paper
purchased in 2001.

     To further reduce waste, the Alabama District organized
a swap shop through which multiple postal offices shared and
reused resources and supplies. Participants exchanged more
than $40,000 worth of office supplies, furniture, and
equipment. Rather than using disposable mail carrier
containers in 2001, the district acquired 320 reusable
containers made of 50 percent recycled material along with
nearly 12,000 recycled, reusable shipping pallets.

Northeast Area of the U.S. Postal Service Defines
Environmental Excellence Through Education

     For the past five years, the U.S. Postal Service - 
Northeast Area has upheld the definition of environmental
excellence with continuous efforts to reduce its waste. In
2001, waste reduction efforts enabled the Northeast Area to
save $2.6 million in avoided disposal costs. Building its
waste reduction program around education, the Northeast Area
recognizes the vital role its postmasters play in achieving
WasteWise goals. To ensure environmentally responsible
practices in all Northeast Area post offices, each
postmaster received a copy of its Pollution Prevention Plan,
which creates measurable goals for each postmaster. Over the
past three years, the Northeast Area audited more than half
of its facilities, creating the opportunity to personally
educate many postmasters on its environmentally progressive
policies.

     The continued growth of the discarded lobby mail
collection program marks another major success for the
Northeast Area. More than 2,800 facilities participate in
the recycling program, a 91 percent participation rate,
which is higher than any other postal area. The Northeast
Area increased the recycling participation rate for
undeliverable bulk business mail to 98 percent throughout 
the region, collecting 8,500 tons for recycling in 2001.

     The Northeast Area recycles its own materials as well,
collecting more than 2,750 tons of corrugated cardboard and
34,000 tons of mixed paper. For this area, recycling pays --
literally. The Northeast Area generated a revenue of more
than $300,000 in 2001 from recycling cardboard, paper,
glass, aluminum, and other materials. The Northeast Area is
also diligent at closing the recycling loop, spending nearly
$6 million on recycled content products. In fact, the
contract with its supplier limits the purchase of office
supplies to only those products containing recycled
material.


STATE GOVERNMENT

Ohio Considers the Entire Life of Products

     When the State of Ohio purchases products, it considers
more than just the immediate impact of the product on the
environment. The state considers the entire life cycle --
from creation to decomposition  -- of each product
purchased. This consideration of each item helped the state
purchase more than $2 million worth of products with
recycled content in 2001. Through a contract developed with
DuPont Flooring this past year, the State Purchasing
Division and Ohio State University bought recycled-content
carpeting and a product life-extension service for 623 tons
of carpeting.

     The State of Ohio's environmental commitment is also
displayed through its high levels of recycling. In 2001, the
state collected more than 1,472 tons of paper products for
recycling! In addition to mounds of plastics, metals, and
glass, Ohio recycled more than 448 tons of computers. The
state awarded the Ohio Penal Industries a $100,000 grant to
set up a computer recycling center in which inmates
refurbish computers that are donated to schools. Equipment
that is not usable is disassembled for recycling. The state
is currently helping communities deal with their concerns
about recycling electronics by adding this issue to the 2001
State Solid Waste Management Plan and by offering
electronics collection grants.

     Ohio also realizes that documenting waste reduction
success spurs additional activity. Ohio's Division of
Recycling and Litter Prevention compiles waste reduction
statistics for the state and is constantly encouraging other
state divisions to report their reductions. In 2001, the
Office of Quality allied with the Division of Recycling and
Litter Prevention to promote documentation of waste
prevention throughout the state's departments. To further
inspire waste reduction, Ohio produced its first report
detailing the waste prevention, recycling, and
recycled-content procurement efforts of each reporting
agency location. This report was distributed to the
governor, legislators, agency directors, and fiscal officers
to inform and inspire. 


TRIBAL GOVERNMENT

Milk Jugs Cure All on Umatilla Reservation!


     In Pendleton, Oregon, tribal members are reusing their
trash not only usefully, but creatively. The Confederated
Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation reuse milk jugs, 
for instance, as slow-watering irrigation devices and as
warning signs to cattle near barbed-wire fences. The tribal
operations manager promotes reuse by running an informal
materials exchange via e-mail. A resident once brought the
manager 500 flea-and-tick spray bottles, almost all of which
were then redistributed to willing takers in the community.

     The reservation's quarterly newsletter, The Tribal
Environmental Recovery Facility, educates residents about
waste prevention and highlights the community's progress in
reaching its substantial waste reduction goals. With the
installation of a new recycling and waste disposal facility,
residents now have the option of dropping off recyclables or
ordering curb-side pick-up. This center collected nearly 15
tons of paper products and 30 tons of metal for recycling in
2001. The tribe purchases recycled products whenever
possible. In fact, in 2001, 85 percent of the products
bought contained recycled material! Items like toner
cartridges, storage drums, and recycling totes all contain
100 percent recycled material.


LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Jackson County Receives Accolades for Cleaning Out Its Files

     In 2001, Jackson County, Missouri, took the lead role
in organizing a Clean Out Your Files Day event along with 25
other organizations. Jackson County recycled 55 tons of
mixed paper through the event, and the United States
Conference of Mayors recognized the successful event as the
best Clean Out Your Files Day in the nation! The county also
teamed up with ReStart, Inc. and the Court Appointed
Community Service Program to provide county employees the
opportunity to recycle aluminum cans. Partnering with
Mid-Missouri Recycling also allowed the county to reuse
printers.

     In addition to using solely rerefined oil in its fleet
vehicles, Jackson County's Parks & Recreation Department
heats its buildings with used motor oil from fleet and
employee vehicles. This practice enabled the county to reuse
900 gallons of oil in 2001.

     Jackson County also encourages purchasing officers to
procure recycled-content or remanufactured products. In
2001, the county spent more than $12,000 on recycled-content
products. Dispelling a common myth about the higher cost of
buying recycled, the county saved more than $121,000 by
purchasing 30 percent postconsumer recycled copy paper
instead of virgin paper! During the past 7 years, Jackson
County saved more than $700,000 through its environmental
programs. The County Executive, Katheryn Shields, routinely
quips, "In Jackson County, we don't just hug trees, we
squeeze money out of them."

King County Recycles Surplus

     In 2001, King County, Washington's WasteWise activities
expanded to included all county government agencies. One
element of the county's waste prevention efforts is its
internal Surplus Program, which, for the first time in 2001,
began tracking the value of the items reissued through the
program. Surplus redistributed more than 4,000 items to
county agencies, with a total value of more than $1.5
million. On just one floor of one county office building,
the county saved an estimated $2,600 from reusing office
supplies.

     Donation projects are another feature of the county's
2001 waste prevention program. One county office building
collected 219 pounds of polystyrene packing materials and
supplied them to a local shipping business for reuse. A
county division donated used binders to a non-profit
program, "Backpacks for Kids," that provides backpacks,
binders, and other school supplies for children in need.
Additionally, King County Transit gave away nearly 15 tons
of glass window panels from bus shelters to the public for
reuse. The Department of Finance stopped distributing
printed financial reports to county agencies in 2001.
Instead, the department now makes the reports available on
the county's Intranet. This process change saves the county
an estimated $16,000 and conserves 600,000 pages of paper
annually. 

     Buying recycled products was a priority for the local
government in 2001. King County spent more than $2.6 million
on recycled-content products and saved an estimated $580,000
by using environmentally preferable items. The county also
saved $40,000 by reconfiguring and reusing a group of
computers in the Solid Waste Division.


SCHOOL/SCHOOL DISTRICT

Reusing Outdoor Materials Generates Internal Savings for LA
Schools

     Rather than dumping construction-site asphalt and
concrete, the Los Angeles Unified School District ships
leftover materials back to a manufacturer for reuse in new
asphalt-based products that the district then purchases. The
school district, which projected that it will construct 150
new schools in the next 5 to 10 years, uses this "new"
material from the manufacturer for use on future
construction sites. In 2001 alone, the district diverted
9,000 tons of construction material from landfills. In
addition, the district requires landscapers to compost all
grass clippings, 6,750 tons of which were composted in 2001.
In 2002, the district will expand this effort by collecting
milk cartons and food waste for composting.

     With all the outdoor excitement, the school district
remembers to promote efficiency within its buildings as
well. Through a reuse program for computer and office
products, such as laser toner, inkjet, fax, and copier
cartridges, schools sell used cartridges for $2 each and use
the savings to buy the remanufactured cartridges back. This
activity diverted more than 313 tons of plastic from the
landfill.

     To further advance recycling, the school district plans
to implement a closed-loop program for polystyrene lunch
trays. It will select 50 schools for initial trials, and
hopes to eventually divert 114 tons of polystyrene trays
from disposal each year. In 2001, the district recycled
3,600 tons of paper and 3,024 tons of cardboard, and it
plans to increase these figures as it expands its successful
mixed-paper recycling program to all schools and
administrative offices.


COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

Eastern Illinois Doesn't Flush Money Away

     Eastern Illinois University had the right idea when it
avoided more than $26,000 in disposal costs by donating
toilets and washing machines to Habitat for Humanity, but
the reuse activities didn't stop with household appliances.
Instead of sending them to landfills, Eastern Illinois
distributed nearly 400 tons of coal ash from the school's
power generator to various government agencies to spread on
roads for added traction in winter conditions. Other
donations include giving used textbooks to third world
countries to replace reading material decades out of date. 

     Eastern Illinois University also achieved an impressive
recycling rate in 2001 -- 56 percent of its total waste!
Collection of paper seems to be the school's speciality -
374 tons of paper products were recycled in 2001. Allan
Rathe, the school's recycling coordinator, captured the
administration's sentiments on paper collection when he
said, "We are greedy in the Recycling Department; we want
all of Eastern's paperwork to come to us!" As for recycling
other materials, Eastern Illinois collected nearly 140 tons
of steel and nearly 83 tons of wood, along with impressive
amounts of plastic, aluminum, and yard trimmings. 

     The school also does its part in creating demand in the
recycling market by purchasing $194,000 worth of products
containing recycled materials. These recycled-content
products made up 36 percent of the university's purchases in
2001. 


           WASTEWISE ELECTRONICS CHALLENGE AWARDS

     More than 20 million computers became obsolete in 1998,
and 250 million more will be retired in the next five years.
But very few of these computers are recycled. With today's
increasing demand for faster computers, small cellular
phones, and personal digital assistants (PDAs), electronic
waste is the fastest-growing waste stream. 

     These materials take up valuable landfill space and can
contain hazardous materials, such as lead and mercury.
Reusing or recycling these devices saves valuable resources,
including energy, and reduces greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions. Fortunately, many of these devices have the
potential for reuse, remanufacture, and upgrades. 

     WasteWise designed the Electronics Challenge to inspire
partners to develop electronic waste reduction goals,
initiate projects to meet these goals, and report on their
progress through the annual reporting process. WasteWise
partners who participated in this initiative not only took
the opportunity to extend the life of their electronic
equipment, but some also realized cost savings! 

PSEG's Reused Cell Phones Protect Seniors [Partner of the
Year: Electronics]

     Recognizing the rise in cellular phone use, Public
Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) recently hosted a collection
drive throughout the company to collect used cell phones.
PSEG collected more than 700 phones, plus their chargers and
extra batteries, and then donated the phones to the local
sheriff's office. The sheriff's office distributed the
reprogrammed phones to senior citizens in the area for
emergency use. This activity helped ensure the security of
the senior citizens and also prevented 550 pounds of
electronics from entering a landfill. 

     PSEG also sees the value in reusing and recycling other
electronic equipment, such as computers. The company
collected more than 66 tons of computer equipment in 2001,
including CPUs, monitors, keyboards, and peripherals from
offices throughout the company. PSEG sorted the equipment
into categories -- either recoverable or ready to be
demanufactured/recycled. The company assigned nearly 28 tons
of equipment to the recovery program and found a number of
uses for the equipment. After refurbishment, PSEG reused
equipment internally in stand-alone applications; sold to
employees or the general public; or donated to local
charitable organizations, schools, churches, government, and
community groups. The company then recycled the remaining 39
tons.

Panasonic Helps Consumers Recycle the Old When Buying New
[Partner of the Year: Electronics]

     Going shopping for a new DVD player today? Bring in
your old VCR and we'll recycle it. Sounds crazy, but it
worked for Panasonic and the Best Buy Electronics Recycling
Program. Panasonic demonstrated its commitment to the
environment by signing on as the first manufacturer to
support this exciting venture. As Panasonic increased its
efforts to develop its collection and recycling
infrastructure and design products for efficient disassembly
and recycling, it wanted to bring together consumers and
retailers to reduce the amount of electronic waste entering
local landfills. 

     The Best Buy Program was the first of its type -- a
retailer initiating a store-based program where customers
drop off old or unwanted equipment. Panasonic's support
funded advertising and promotional materials for the event.
With 11 two-day events occurring at various locations, the
program succeeded in piling up more than 125 tons of
electronic equipment for recycling.

     Panasonic not only focuses on what to do once it
produces electronic waste, but also how to prevent the
equipment from becoming waste. In 2001, Panasonic extended
its Design for the Environment program by expanding several
different areas of work: implementing a product assessment
process based on life-cycle assessment, increasing energy
efficiency, and increasing television recyclability.
Outcomes from this assessment include redesigning television
sets for easier disassembly and standardizing plastic resins
to make them easier to identify and recycle.

Alexandria Pilots Electronic Collection Events [Program
Champion: Electronics]

     In September 2001, the City of Alexandria, Virginia,
partnered with EPA Region 3 and held a one-day pilot event
to collect and recycle electronics. Alexandria encouraged
residents to drop off idle monitors, CPUs, printers,
televisions, radios, and VCRs free of charge! The event not
only prevented the electronic equipment from entering
landfills, but also allowed the city and EPA Region 3 to
determine how to best manage an electronics 
collection/recycling program. Alexandria collected more than
7 tons of electronic equipment through the event. The
success of this program led to weekly collections from
October through the end of the year -- collecting more than
4 tons of equipment from the community. 

USPS Delivers on Electronics Recycling [Program Champion:
Electronics]

     The U.S. Postal Service -- Alabama District efficiently
delivers the mail and, likewise, uses and reuses its
computer equipment. In 2001 alone, the Alabama District
upgraded and rebuilt nearly 500 computers rather than
disposing of them. This exercise diverted more than 21 tons
of electronic waste from landfills. Additionally, the Post
Office recycled computer equipment no longer used or needed.
The Alabama District located piles of old electronic
equipment stacked in storage and cleaned up its warehouses
by collecting the equipment for recycling. With help from
scrap metal and electronics recyclers, the Alabama District
recycled nearly 3,000 computers, 20 laptops, 100 monitors,
65 printers, 3 copy/fax machines, and nearly 3,700
miscellaneous computer accessories in 2001. "We take
responsibility for our electronics from cradle to grave,"
said Ed Abrams, the district recycling coordinator, who is
responsible for recycling an amazing and creative array of
materials.

GPO Swap Meet [Program Champion: Electronics]

     When not printing new government publications,
employees from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO)
rushed to shop at an internal swap meet. GPO asked
employees, once in the spring and once in the fall, to
gather excess computer equipment as well as furniture and
supplies and leave them at the swap meet for others to
collect. GPO limited items to those with a value of $500 or
less to eliminate the need for paperwork. One other perk --
employees didn't have to bring something to take something.
The event drew a nice crowd and educated employees on
environmental responsibility, while saving the government
thousands of dollars in avoided purchasing and disposal
costs. 

     GPO also held two property sales, with a great emphasis
on computer equipment. Items sold for reuse included more
than 200 computers, 15 printers, 4 fax machines, 10
typewriters, 11 other office machines, plus 7 skidloads of
miscellaneous parts. GPO diverted a total of 7 tons of
electronic equipment from the landfill! 


                CLIMATE CHANGE AWARD WINNERS

     In 2001, for the first time, WasteWise has added a new
climate award, for significant actions leading to reductions
in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. There is an important and
measurable link between waste reduction efforts and global
climate change, recognized through this award. EPA is  
incorporating climate change education and technical
assistance throughout the WasteWise program. Today, as more
and more organizations are interested in their global
environmental impacts and in opportunities for reducing
their ecological footprints, this award provides a way that
these companies can link their local actions with a truly
global program. WasteWise recognizes the following
first-time climate award-winning companies for their
significant achievements in reducing their impact on climate
change.

Constellation's Pollution Prevention Power Plan Team
[Partner of the Year: Climate]

     Constellation Energy Group (CEG) reaches for the stars
when doing its share of environmental protection. To help
educate employees about the relationship between climate
change and waste reduction, CEG brought together a group of
employees to analyze WasteWise Waste reduction data and to
keep employees involved in environmental efforts. By
evaluating the company's waste minimization activities that
result in decreasing GHG emissions, this new group, the
Pollution Prevention Power Plan (P4) Team, raised employee
awareness on how their waste management activities help
decrease GHG emissions. 

     In 2001, the P4 Team successfully developed and
promoted the P4 Intranet site where interested employees
find information on reducing, reusing, and recycling wastes;
success stories; buying recycled; and links to further
information. Additionally, CEG's Web site contains an
overview of the company's WasteWise activities and how its
successful waste prevention and recycling activities led to
reductions in GHG emissions. In 2001, CEG prevented nearly
2,500 tons of waste from entering landfills and recycled
31,500 tons of materials. These waste reduction actions cut
GHG emissions by approximately the same amount of emissions
released in one year resulting from the powering of more
than 1,200 households.

Documenting Climate Connection Spurs Results for Virco
[Partner of the Year: Climate]

     "WasteWise's commitment to measuring and recording
recycling efforts and activities and GHG emission reductions
has enabled our program to achieve higher goals with more
efficiency and accuracy," says Don Curran, Virco Mfg.
Corporation's Resource Recovery Recycling Manager. The
Arkansas-based company looks to waste prevention and
recycling to reduce climate impacts. Through the 35 items
Virco collects, it recycled 11,000 tons of materials and
prevented the release of GHGs equal to the removal of 4,400 
cars from the road for one year.

     Virco positively impacts the environment in other ways
as well. Take, for example, Virco's newest facility
surrounded by 15,000 reforested trees and 4 acres of
wetlands! The company mows only 3 of the 35 total acres of
landscape surrounding the building. All of these healthy
systems remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, Further
reducing Virco's climate footprint. 

Allergan Educates Employees on Climate-Waste Linkage
[Program Champion: Climate]

     Allergan, Inc., a global specialty pharmaceutical
company, understands the connection between waste reduction
and climate change and educates its employees on this
important link. On Earth Day, for example, Allergan
explained the connection to employees. In 2001, as a result
of the company's waste reduction efforts, Allergan reduced
GHG emissions by 1,765 MTCEs   equivalent to the amount of
emissions produced from 1,300 cars each year. Additionally,
the company's comprehensive communications plan includes
discussion of the climate-waste link. How did Allergan first
become aware of the connection? Michael Whaley, Allergan's
director of environmental health and safety, notes that "The
WasteWise estimates of GHG emissions reductions were the
first quantifications we received directly attributable to
our actions." Allergan shares EPA's estimate of reductions,
generated by EPA's WASTE Reduction Model (WARM), with
management as well as with environmental health and safety
managers at each site. Allergan encourages all WasteWise
partners to consider the climate-waste link as part of their
communication efforts. Look for your WARM reports in the
mail -- all partners reporting 2001 data will soon receive
notice of their organization's contribution to reducing GHG
emissions via waste reduction efforts. 

Clifton's Future WasteWisers [Program Champion: Climate]

     The City of Clifton, New Jersey, knows that the future
of environmental stewardship lies in the hands of everyday
people -- local residents, school children, and civic group
leaders. In 2001, Clifton educated more than 750 adults and
students through classroom education, health fairs, posters,
and newsletters on what causes climate change and, more
importantly, what individuals can do to help prevent GHGs
that cause climate change. During 2001, the city discussed
various topics, including source reduction, GHG reduction,
solid waste management, and how these topics are connected
to climate change. The city used an EPA video on climate
change as a supplement to meetings and presentations to the
community. 

Fast Food Helps Seydel Meet Environmental Challenges
[Program Champion: Climate]

     Can reused fast food fryer oils be used to manufacture
water repellent fabric? That is exactly what The Seydel
Companies has been doing to decrease its impact on climate
change. The company combined modified PET (#1) plastic with
used vegetable oil from fast food fryers, efficiently
developing a water repellent that it uses not only on
textiles, but also on paper and wood! This new process
decreases the amount of money used on virgin materials,
while also greatly reducing GHG emissions, as less gas is
emitted when products are manufactured with recycled
materials instead of virgin materials. 

PSEG's Power to Decrease Climate Change [Program Champion:
Climate]

     Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG) developed its
Resource Recovery Process as a means to meet its aggressive
waste prevention and recycling goals with the underlying
theme of reducing the company's impact on climate change.
The program operates on two levels: reuse, recovery, and
recycling; and waste accounting and resource management.
PSEG views all waste as a resource for potential reuse,
remanufacture, or recycling and documents the cost of waste
to identify missed opportunities, promote further
reductions, and improve procurement practices. This focus
enables PSEG to more efficiently generate and distribute
electric power and reduce its impact on the environment. The
company educates its employees on these issues and how they
help reduce GHG emissions. In turn, PSEG receives support in
recycling scrap metal, cardboard, and paper; reusing or
donating computers and furniture; reusing and recycling
street lights; as well as buying vehicle tires, office
products, and furniture made with recycled materials. 


                 WASTEWISE ENDORSER PROGRAM

     The WasteWise endorser program, with more than 130
participants, continues to grow in numbers and activism.
Most endorsers are government agencies, trade associations,
and business groups that play an important role in waste
reduction by spreading the word out about waste reduction,
the WasteWise program, and its associated benefits. Many
endorsers disseminate promotional or technical materials,
conduct waste reduction workshops, sponsor award programs,
or facilitate sharing among their members or constituents.

The Model Clean Community, Clifton, New Jersey [Endorser of
the Year]

     In a nation increasingly inundated with disposable
conveniences, the City of Clifton, New Jersey, believes in
setting a better example by educating and motivating its
businesses, students, and citizens to act with the
environment in mind. 

     Clifton works to educate all members of its community
on the importance of waste reduction, recycling, and GHG
reduction through a variety of activities and programs. In
2001, Clifton broadcasted two videos covering climate change
and its relation to solid waste to civic groups and schools,
reaching more than 750 adults and students in the community.

     In 2001, the city continued its commitment to spread
the message that waste reduction makes both business and
environmental sense to the community, government, and
business leaders through a variety of promotional
activities. In addition to distributing waste reduction
information and displaying the WasteWise logo on posters,
newsletters, and brochures, Clifton went a step further by
working one-on-one with businesses to generate interest in
WasteWise. As a result, approximately 25 businesses
submitted requests for additional program information and
many joined the program. 

     Clifton's dedication to reducing waste, recycling, and
buying recycled within its own offices and to educating
others in the community has earned Clifton much deserved
recognition in the last several years and has made Clifton
the 2002 WasteWise Endorser of the Year.


************************************************************

     "Clifton has a goal of motivating 25 businesses to
     join WasteWise by the end of 2002."

     Alfred Du Bois, Clifton Recycling Coordinator

************************************************************


Perfect Promoting of Pollution Prevention: the South
Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control
[Endorser Program Champion]

     While the South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC) reduced its own waste and
received recognition for these efforts as a state government
Program Champion, it also focused on helping others reduce
Waste. DHEC incorporated WasteWise into South Carolina's
newly-formed technical assistance partnership, the Business
Recycling Assistance Program, and linked its Web site to the
WasteWise site. When talking with local businesses, DHEC
often suggests the benefits of becoming a WasteWise member.
The department celebrated America Recycles Day and Earth Day
and promoted the ideas of reducing waste and buying recycled
at various conferences and training sessions throughout the
past year, as well as within its own offices at employee
meetings. Various publications distributed throughout South
Carolina, such as the DHEC newsletter, Options newsletter,
and the South Carolina Recycles magazine, help DHEC inspire
further waste reduction. DHEC continued excellence with the
award-winning "Recycle Guys" public awareness campaign and
"Action for a Cleaner Tomorrow," an interdisciplinary
curriculum supplement for elementary and high school
students. 

************************************************************

     "We promote WasteWise because it is a one-stop
     program that is simple to do yet provides in-depth
     information, support, examples to follow and the
     necessary tools for businesses to set and meet
     waste reduction goals. WasteWise enhances and
     supports our mission. It's a perfect fit."

     Eric Melaro, South Carolina DHEC WasteWise
     Coordinator

************************************************************

 
Carpet Squares of a Different Kind in Washoe County, Nevada
[Endorser Program Champion]

     When Washoe County Government, Nevada, decided to
become an active endorser, it already had an award-winning
waste reduction program using many ingenious approaches to
tackling internal waste, such as only replacing squares of
carpet affected by wear and tear rather than the whole
carpet. In 2000 to 2001, the county decided to hit the road
and re-carpet the country with the message of its waste
reduction program, passing on its knowledge through national
speaking engagements in Atlanta, Seattle, Tucson, Reno, and
Las Vegas. As a result, the county directly solicited more
than 40 prospective organizations for participation in the
WasteWise program. The county also promoted waste reduction
and the WasteWise program in a number of publications, radio
interviews, press releases, and on television. 


************************************************************

     "WasteWise is an empowering program. By showing
     cost savings through waste reduction, partners are
     able to protect the environment and at the same
     time save their employers money. Everyone wins:
     taxpayers, businesses, and most importantly, the
     environment, which is our legacy to the next
     generation."

     John Fuller, Washoe County, Nevada

************************************************************


              WASTEWISE 2002 PROGRAM CHAMPIONS

VERY LARGE BUSINESS

Bank of America: Treading Lightly on the Environment 

     Bank of America brings environmental consciousness
right under its employees' feet. In 2001, it began
purchasing new products with recycled content, including
carpeting for a new office building. By working with an
office carpeting manufacturer and explaining its
environmental concerns, Bank of America purchased carpet
made of nylon face containing 82 percent recycled content
and carpet backing containing 100 percent recycled
materials. Furthermore, Bank of America partnered with
DuPont to take back and recycle old carpeting. The recycled
carpet is used in a variety of products including carpet
cushion, sod reinforcement, and even automobile parts!

     Bank of America's 40 environmental network teams enable
the bank to achieve impressive environmental results. On an
ongoing basis, the teams provide employees with resources on
environmental issues via a Web site, a monthly newsletter,
and various events. Its office supply cleanup day, during
which employees collected excess office supplies and
arranged them in central supply rooms, was one of the many
successful activities in 2001. During the day, employees
also gathered old office equipment for refurbishment or
donation to local nonprofit organizations.  Throughout the
year, many offices also participated in donate-a-phone
programs, through which they collected hundreds of cellular
phones and accessories for donation to victims of domestic
violence.

     Bank of America also began a new waste reduction
campaign. By educating its employees to incorporate waste
prevention activities into their daily tasks, the company
saw a reduction in the numbers of forms used, a reduction in
copying, and an increase in the development of online tools
for employees. The bank also eliminated nearly 23 tons of
paper use by subscribing to online magazines and newspapers,
and partnered with Compaq in a computer takeback program
that refreshes the computers every three years. 

Kodak's Education Efforts Net More Cameras for Reuse

     In 2001, Eastman Kodak Company found innovative ways to
help amplify waste reduction efforts. Because Kodak
continued to educate film processors on the recyclability of
Kodak's one-time use cameras, customer returns of cameras
increased allowing the company to remanufacture these
additional returns. This activity prevented 1,800 tons of
plastic and 1,400 tons of printed circuit boards from
entering the waste stream. Altogether, the company reused
and recycled more than 110 million cameras!

     Kodak also found various ways to reuse internal wastes.
In 2001, the company distributed more than 850 tons of
furniture and electrical equipment for reuse. Through
various onsite construction and demolition projects, it
harvested and reused more than 11,000 tons of concrete,
asphalt, and brick. It also continued its film container
recycling program, which collected more than 370 million
canisters in 2001 alone. Kodak also continues to reinforce
its commitment to buy products with recycled content. The
company works with its suppliers to help them better
understand Kodak's standards to promote life-cycle thinking,
waste minimizing, and using products with recycled content.
In 2001, Kodak spent $24 million on supplies with recycled
content. 

GM on the Environmental Road to the Future

     In 2001, General Motors Corporation (GM) completed the
development of one of its newest 4x4 vehicles -- the Hummer
H2 -- one of the most environmentally friendly all-terrain
vehicles currently cruising into the market. The
environmental craze about GM's work on this vehicle isn't
how it looks or how much power is under the hood -- it's
about the fact that the Hummer H2 is among one of the most
recyclable vehicles ever manufactured! GM marked nearly
5,000 tons of the vehicles' molded plastic for recycling,
which will ease the recovery process when the vehicle has
reached the end of its life. Among other developments,
GM produced radiator side air baffles that consist of
70 percent postconsumer recycled materials, using 12.5 tons
of rubber from used tires!

     GM's 2002 midsize sport utility vehicles -- the
Trailblazer,  Envoy, and Bravada -- got high marks in waste
prevention and recycling as well. Engineers decreased the
amount of waste produced during manufacturing, by an
estimated 2,000 tons annually. Plus, GM used nearly 4,000
recycled tires to produce the radiator side air baffles,
which not only helps  with waste reduction, but also makes
GM's midsize SUVs more fuel efficient.

     GM is also an industry leader in vehicle disassembly
for recycling. In 2001, the company was the first auto
manufacturer to make its vehicle disassembly information
readily available via the Internet. GM continues to post
more end-of-life vehicle manuals as they are produced
to provide dismantlers with information on recyclable
vehicle parts. 

Pushing the Waste Reduction Envelope at the Disneyland
Resort

     When The Disneyland Resort evaluated its waste
reduction successes, the resort found that it diverted more
than 37 percent of its wastes! This success, however, didn't
stop these environmental superstars. The Disneyland Resort
(located in Anaheim, California) is evaluating opportunities
that have the potential to reduce waste generation by an
additional 30 percent. 

     The company's main administration building houses more
than 1,100 employees, so it was a perfect location to
establish office supply reuse centers. The resort also
expanded its employee outreach program, which increased
participation in a videotape return and reuse program  --
diverting approximately 650 pounds of videotapes from
landfills. It also established a program to reuse usable
alkaline batteries. The program focused on the departments
that,  because of operational requirements, generate
batteries that can still be used in other applications.
Through the program, staff redistributed these still
powerful batteries  to other business units and employees. 

     The Disneyland Resort also continued activities to
recycle and buy recycled materials. In 2001, the resort
recycled more than 2,000 tons of paper and purchased picnic
benches, craft tables, and a lifeguard station made from
recycled HDPE containing at least 76 percent postconsumer
materials.

Entering the Environmental Information Age at Verizon

     Verizon provides electronic opportunities for its
employees and customers to become environmental stewards.
The company promoted the use of its online forms, training,
and personnel information, which allowed employees to
decrease office paper use by 1,300 tons, saving the company
$2.7 million dollars. The use of electronic purchase orders
led to an additional 47.5 tons of paper reduction.

     Verizon also supports recycling    from
telecommunications materials to office paper. Nearly 57,000
tons of telecommunications equipment was either upgraded,
repaired, reused, or recycled in 2001 -- avoiding $47.6
million in purchasing costs. These activities also produced
more than $36 million in revenues for items and materials
that were sold or recycled. Verizon's office paper recycling
program alone reduced annual waste removal costs by $1.4
million; furthermore, sales of 11,000 tons of office paper,
previously considered refuse, produced revenues of $54,300.


LARGE BUSINESS

AMD's Purchasing Preferences

     To help employees select office equipment and supplies
that have minimum environmental impact, Advanced Micro
Devices, Inc. (AMD) developed Green Procurement Guidelines
that outline product characteristics such as packaging
materials, end-of-life disposal, and energy usage. These are
attributes that AMD employees consider before buying these
products. Seven percent, or more than $100,000, of AMD's
2001 purchases contained recycled materials. The company has
a goal of annually purchasing 45,000 reams of photocopier
paper containing postconsumer material, which would
more than double its environmentally preferable purchases.

     This semiconductor manufacturer also looks at ways to
reduce its waste. Plastic items such as clean room shoe
covers, polypropylene bouffants and beard covers, latex
gloves, and wafer carriers are recycled. Plus, AMD steadily
increased the amount of textile clean room wipers it
launders and reuses each year, to 7 tons in 2001. 

     This 6,700-person company performs an impressive job
with recycling collection as well: 577 tons of paper and
cardboard, 145 tons of plastic, and 330 tons of metals. 

Battelle's Focus Shines on Cleaning Products

     Every year, Battelle Memorial Institute targets an area
within its company for environmental improvement, and 2001
saw the birth of an environmentally preferable purchasing
program for custodial products. This technology developer
found that environmentally preferable replacements were
available for all cleaning products it used. Battelle spent
$329,000 on recycled-content paper products including
towels, toilet tissue, and seat covers; $35,000 on plastics
such as traffic barriers and trash can liners; and $4,000 on
biobased cleaners made from corn, oats, and soy. These
replacements, in addition to products already being
purchased, boosted Battelle's total spending on
environmentally preferable products to nearly $1 million! 

     To increase green purchasing further, this Ohio-based
company offers regular training and information sharing
sessions. It publishes a quarterly newsletter with
environmental news and activities. Battelle even coined the
Rocky Raccoon Recycled Products Champion award to be given
to staff members who promote environmentally preferable
products. Other educational events held by Battelle include
an environmental fair, a waste sort, and an America Recycles
Day.

A Snapshot of Environmental Caretakers at Canon

     Canon U.S.A., Inc. not only manufacturers cameras,
optical products, and business machines, but also proves to
be a company concerned with its waste streams and how they
affect the environment. As one of the country's most
recognized camera manufacturers, Canon took the initiative
to prevent 100,000 cameras from entering landfills by
collecting used cameras for refurbishment, sale, or
remanufacture in 2001. Canon's Consumer Products Return
Center recycled more than 1 million accessories, in turn
saving the company more than $5 
million dollars!

     Canon also prevented packaging materials from becoming
waste. In 2001, it reused incoming packaging for its
outgoing shipments, and eliminated polystyrene use. If its
vendors shipped products with polystyrene, Canon reused it
and worked with the vendor to help them discontinue
polystyrene use as well. 

     The company continues to increase efforts to educate
its employees about environmental responsibility. Canon has
even incorporated postconsumer materials into new products.
For instance, Canon reuses plastics from old machines and
"sandwiches" them between two pieces of virgin plastics.
Through this innovative process, Canon skips the entire
pellet making process usually used to recycle plastics. In
addition, the sandwich molding technology gives consumers an
aesthetically pleasing product.

     Employees also started designing products to make
future recycling easier -- providing quicker disassembly
time, material labeling, and a decrease in the number of
adhesion points and tools needed for disassembly. Educated
employees have also influenced the company's procurement.
Canon purchases nearly 4,600 green-certified goods, from
desks and chairs to office supplies and toilet paper. 

Employee Education Pays Off at Con Ed

     As the provider of electricity, natural gas, and steam
for New York City (and most parts of Westchester County, New
York), Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc. (Con
Ed) proved that it doesn't just provide energy to its
customers, but it also cares about the footprint that it
leaves on the environment. Striving to increase reuse of
equipment and furniture in 2001, the company succeeded in
reusing 687 pieces of office furniture and 200 workstations.
This actually saved the company nearly $550,000 and also
prevented 171 tons of office furniture from entering the
waste stream. Additionally, the company worked with its
local vendor to remanufacture more than 9 tons of toner
cartridges!

     Con Ed understands that employees play a key role in
successfully implementing waste reduction activities. To
convey this message, the utility company produced a video
highlighting waste reduction and the importance of
segregating wastes as well as describing activities in the
company newsletter. These actions demonstrate success, and
as the company bought more than $1.2 million worth of
supplies containing recycled content, including office
paper, file folders, traffic cones, janitorial supplies, and
barricades, Con Ed closed the recycling loop. Many employees
continue to learn about buying recycled products from active
participation in monthly meetings of the Buy Recycled
Alliance in New York.

Constellation Shoots for the Stars

     In addition to winning the 2002 Climate Change
WasteWise Partner of the Year award, Constellation Energy
Group's (CEG's) Waste reduction program saved the company
$1.3 million in 2001. Through reusing, reducing, and
recycling, CEG avoided disposal costs of more than $500,000
and avoided purchasing costs of $800,000.

     One example of this successful waste reduction is the
group's ongoing electronics program. In 2001, Constellation
collected and donated 31 tons of computers and recycled an
additional 1,000 tons of metal from electronics.

     CEG also advanced its paper reduction and recycling
programs. The company converted many publications to
electronic formats and made them available on the company's
Intranet in 2001, including the employee handbook, the daily 
cafeteria menu, and corporate policies. CEG also collected
280 tons of paper for recycling and purchased many paper
items containing recycled material. 

Reuse Activities Abound at Florida Power & Light 

     Florida Power and Light Company (FPL) reuses materials
at every turn and saves money doing it! For example, by
refurbishing its system equipment, this Florida utility
salvaged 758 tons and $1.7 million worth of material
in 2001, avoiding an additional $21,000 in tipping fees and
multiple trips to the dump. This high salvage rate
represents a 19 percent increase from the previous year.

     FPL avoided another $6,000 dollars in tipping fees by
selling and donating wooden utility poles -- nearly 153 tons
worth! The company also continues to reuse wooden reels,
approximately 3,600 in 2001. This reuse avoided $20,000 in
tipping fees.

     FPL established an innovative buy-back program in 2000,
to encourage participating vendors to consider the entire
lifespan of their products. FPL's wire and cable vendor, for
example, bought back nearly $3 million dollars worth of
processed aluminum and copper from the utility in 2001.
Dianne Reale, FPL's corporate recycling coordinator,
explained, "Buy-back agreements are changing the way
industries do business.  These agreements save money, reduce
packaging, and increase efficiency." In addition to
recycling an incredible 23,030 tons of materials generated
by FPL's facilities, the company also donated several tons
of nonrecyclable materials to schools for creative learning
experiences for children and adults.

Herman Miller's Quest for Zero

     Herman Miller, Inc. is coming closer to its goal of
becoming a "zero landfill company." Standard company policy
dictates that Herman Miller products will contain a large
amount of recycled content products and materials, which
reduces the amount of material it landfills in its
production processes by 86 percent. In 2001, Herman Miller
recycled or prevented more than 3,000 tons of paper, 6,500
tons of steel, 2,900 tons of wood, 380 tons of mixed
plastics, and 700 tons of textiles from entering landfills.
When designing work environments, the corporation worked
toward innovative environmental stewardship by reducing the
amount of material landfilled during production by 20
percent. Herman Miller also recognized through internal
waste audits and tracking that it generates a significant
amount of paper as reports. In response, the company is
switching to an electronic system to reduce the amount of
paper reporting needed. So far, Herman Miller's new system
has eliminated about 40 percent of its paper from entering
the waste stream.

Planting a Green Ethic: Louisiana-Pacific 

     Louisiana-Pacific Corporation (LP) makes a concerted
effort to plant a green ethic into its business practices.
In January 2001 alone, LP spent more than 1,000 cumulative
hours on environmental training and education of its
employees. LP is at the forefront of a natural balance
approach to the wood products industry, having recycled 2.8
million tons of wood by-products, scrap metal, and plastics
in 2001. LP's corporate-wide waste prevention and recycling
efforts included using more than 1.5 million tons of waste
for energy recovery, and a 37,000 ton reduction in total
disposal. This effort represented a 43 percent reduction
from waste disposed in 2000. 

     The company also developed a range of environmentally
smart and energy-conscious products made from recycled
content materials. The company implemented an environmental
management system (EMS) company-wide. By the end of 2001,
approximately 75 percent of LP's manufacturing facilities
had fully implemented an EMS; full implementation at all
facilities will be complete by 2003. LP has received
numerous awards, certifications, and environmental program
recognition in addition to being a WasteWise Program
Champion.

Saving Money While Helping Others, Millipore Corporation 

     In 2001, Millipore Corporation donated 4.5 tons of
electronics equipment (computers, monitors, and printers) to
local and regional schools and third-world countries. Not
only did the donation fill a local and international need,
the corporation saved nearly $3,000 in avoided disposal
costs. Millipore saved an additional $2,200 by donating 5
tons of used office furniture  and industrial equipment, and
purchased 518 tons of corrugated material manufactured with
22 percent recycled-content material. Millipore Corporation
also continued its excellence in its recycling collection
activities, collecting 295.5 tons of corrugated containers,
62 tons of paper, 60 tons of plastic, 71 tons of metal, more 
than 6 tons of polypropylene, 366 tons of wood, and 270
pounds of ink.

Pepco Moves Waste Prevention into the 21st Century

     Moving anytime soon? Need an idea of how to keep
relocation costs down? Instead of using those cardboard
boxes to relocate, use something reusable. That is what
Pepco did when it relocated to its new headquarters in
Washington, DC. Using 4,700  reusable plastic totes saved
more than $8,000 in moving costs! In 2001, Pepco redesigned
its cable splicing kits, preventing one ton of wire waste
each year. Pepco also estimated a savings of $1.5 million in
disposal fees from its recycling program, generating
revenues of $575,000 from the sale of these recyclables.
Pepco closes the loop by purchasing recycled
content-products, including paper, office products,
remanufactured parts, antifreeze, and tires. 

PSEG Recycling Rate Surpasses 90 Percent!

     The Public Service Enterprise Group (PSEG),
headquartered in New Jersey, found that its waste prevention
and recycling activities not only benefit the environment,
but also benefit the company, employees, and the local
community. By working with its suppliers and employees, PSEG
reached a municipal solid waste recycling rate of more than
92 percent, recycling 96,000 tons of waste in 2001. This
figure includes more than 12,000 tons of wood (e.g., tree
limbs) cut to prevent them from obstructing power lines and
rights-of-way. After cutting down these safety hazards,
employees recycle or reuse the wood in agricultural and
landscaping applications. 

     In 2001, PSEG also conducted a pilot project to collect
and recycle ink-jet cartridges used in the office. The pilot
was so successful, PSEG is now planing companywide
implementation. PSEG also recycles holiday cards. More than
300 pounds of cards were sent to St. Judes Ranch for
Children where the backs of the old cards were removed so
the fronts could be reused.

     PSEG also supports the local community by providing
grants to environmental educators and by participating in
environmental fairs throughout New Jersey and even lectures
at schools and other organizations. 

SCE Rewards Energy Efficient Customers

     Southern California Edison (SCE) is a large
investor-owned electric utility company that not only thinks
about how its power generation affects the environment, but
also how to help the environment by reducing waste. During
the 2001 California energy crisis, SCE provided an
opportunity for its customers to make some money, lower
their electric  bills, and reduce the number of appliances
entering landfills by offering free pickup of unneeded
refrigerators and freezers for recycling. This great offer
came at a perfect time for consumers to consider purchasing
more  energy efficient appliances that save cash and the
environment! SCE's recycling program not only picks up the
refrigerators, but it also removes CFC-11 and other
hazardous materials for proper disposal. The organization
reinforced the program by presenting participants with
either a $35 check or a pack of energy-efficient light
bulbs. 


MIDSIZE BUSINESS

DTE Energy -- Modernizing Since 1886 

     Stemming from Detroit's first lightbulb manufacturer
and electric utility, DTE Energy has innovated new ideas for
nearly 120 years, and the company's environmental practices
are no exception. This Michigan-based energy provider
demonstrated its environmental commitment in 1994 by
becoming a charter member of the WasteWise program, making
annual advances in waste prevention and recycling. In 2001,
the company formalized its longstanding waste minimization/
pollution prevention program by forming a committee to
quantify environmental expectations and qualifications for
contractors and suppliers, assigning a pollution prevention
representative to each plant, and completing a pollution
prevention survey for every coalfired generating plant.

     The company expanded its use of electronic media as a
replacement for paper in 2001. Two electronic newsletters
replaced paper copies, along with the 10-page annual
internal survey, phone directory, and company policies,
which are no longer available in paper form. DTE Energy
devoted a chapter of the company's contract administrator
training manual to pollution prevention, waste reduction,
and environmental management.

     DTE Energy's computer recovery program completed
another successful year -- generating zero waste. The
company donated 227 computers, recycled more than 8,000
CPUs, monitors, keyboards, and circuit boards, and resold
$36,000 worth of parts. It also generated $31,000 from used
furniture sales and nearly $7,000 from the sale of other
items. The company reached these increased level of sales
through a new partnership with Goodwill Industries and the
development of an online sales Web site.

     DTE Energy purchased large amounts of paper towels and
toilet tissue containing postconsumer recycled content,
while collecting huge quantities of various materials for
recycling. By recycling metal within used computers alone,
the company avoided the production of GHGs equivalent to
taking nearly 2,000 cars off the road this past year! It
recycled an additional 500 tons of paper products, more than
221 tons of wood, and large amounts of ash, glass, and
plastic.


SMALL BUSINESS

Kessler Practices What It Preaches 

     For Kessler Consulting, Inc., reducing waste isn't just
a business  -- it's protocol! This environmental planning
firm creates innovative reduction ideas for clients as well
as itself. When the company moved into a new office last
year, it practiced many of the reduce, reuse, and recycle
efforts it preaches. To begin with, the seven-person staff
purchased a refurbished telephone system. Kessler also
stocked the new kitchen with dishes, cups, and flatware to
discourage the use of disposable items. 

     Common procedure within this Florida-based office is to
reuse all office supplies until they require recycling.
Envelopes, notebooks, folders, and boxes are constantly
reused, and all paper is printed on two sides. Through
duplex printing alone, the company has reused nearly 780
pounds of paper.

     In 2001, Kessler began a composting program that
collects food scraps and yard trimmings and uses the compost
on premises for landscaping. Because its policy is to
purchase items containing recycled material whenever
possible, Kessler purchased a 10-seater, 100 percent
recycled plastic picnic table for lunch breaks. The company
also purchases recycled-content paper, letterhead,
envelopes, and business cards. 

     Employees at Kessler clearly feel pride in their
WasteWise activities. The company displays WasteWise posters
in the kitchen, conference room, and copy room, as well as
the WasteWise logo on company reports and the Web site.
Based on the company's calculations, in 2001, it reused
nearly 15 percent of all waste and recycled an additional 60
percent. Only 25 percent of Kessler's trash actually makes
it to a disposal facility! 

1,000 Tons of Plastic Recycled by Seydel

     Not every company can boast such a high rate of
material collected for recycling, but The Seydel Companies
worked hard to achieve this honor. And the company certainly
takes it seriously, as Scott Seydel, CEO, said, "Our efforts
to lessen our impact on the environment are a source of
pride for all the Seydel associates." The company also
maintains a waste reduction relationship with its industrial
neighbors by pooling recyclable material collection. 

     In 2001, Seydel collected enough paper products to
allow 200 trees to keep growing and enough steel to prevent
energy losses equivalent to 54 barrels of oil. This
Georgia-based company also spent $372,000 on products
containing recycled material and continues to work with its
suppliers to increase this amount. In one of Seydel's
products, the company increased the amount of PET (#1)
plastic content from 38 to 40 percent, or 131 tons. 


FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

Sandia's Environmental Purchasing Doubles

     Sandia National Laboratories implemented an innovative
method to ensure its staff buys "green." When employees try
to order conventional products, the laboratory's purchasing
system automatically blocks the order and substitutes an
equivalent, greener product. This system enabled Sandia to 
double its level of compliance with federal environmental
purchasing requirements. Additionally, the lab saved $72,000
and increased spending on recycled-content materials from
$200,000 to $1.6 million after implementing the purchasing
system. 

     In addition to buying products with recycled content,
the lab collects large amounts of recyclables every year. In
2001, Sandia collected 800 tons of metals and 760 tons of
paper products for recycling. Collection of these materials
alone prevented the production of GHGs equivalent to taking
1,000 cars off the road for an entire year!

     Sandia National Laboratory makes great efforts to reuse
materials as well. Using the U.S. Department of Energy's
material exchange, Sandia posted a notice for surplus
air monitors. The equipment found new homes within 10 days.
Another creative reuse idea -- mulching wooden broom handles
for use in landscaping. 

300 Percent Increase in Composting for Presidio!

     The Presidio Trust, a federal management agency
overseeing the preservation and enhancement of the Presidio
National Park site, works in harmony with the park it
protects. In 2001, the California-based trust expanded its
onsite composting project by three times, processing more
than 250 tons of manure, grass, and brush onsite and saving
the trust $4,500 in disposal fees. The Presidio Trust
developed Green Building Guidelines for the rehabilitation
of historic buildings and utilizes the U.S. Green Building
Council's LEED rating for new construction. It salvaged or
donated $50,000 worth of materials to date.

     In 2001, through recycling, salvage, composting, and
source reduction, the Trust diverted more than 3,750 tons of
materials from the waste stream. Metal recycling alone saved
$6,000 in avoided disposal fees and prevented the production
of GHGs equivalent to 90 cars driving for a year. 

Aimee Vincent, sustainability manager, discussed the benefit
of the trust's WasteWise membership. "Our affiliation
with WasteWise has given our waste reduction program
increased exposure in the federal government and greater
credibility with employees who were originally skeptical of
waste reduction efforts."


STATE GOVERNMENT

South Carolina Escapes Inflation 

     The South Carolina Department of Health and
Environmental Control (DHEC) has reduced waste so
effectively it is paying the same tipping fees today that it
did in 1993! This escape from inflation results from the
state's efforts to continuously increase levels of both
waste prevention and  recycling collection.

     DHEC avoids a great deal of waste through reductions in
paper use. The organization stresses the importance of
double-sided printing within the office and has switched to
e-mail for routine communication. DHEC no longer prints
important information, such as phone numbers and
directories, instead including it on the agency's Intranet. 

     DHEC also achieved success in its recycling and green
purchasing efforts. The department recycled 150 tons of
colored paper in 2001 and 34 tons of other paper products,
along with large quantities of plastic, aluminum, glass,
wood, and computers. DHEC purchased $800,000 worth of
products made from recycled material in 2001. It also
requested that its vendors use less packaging for office
supplies and established a buy-recycled policy that gives a
7.5 percent price preference to recycled-content materials. 


TRIBAL GOVERNMENT

Double-Sided Printing at Blue Lake Doubles Success

     The Blue Lake Rancheria of California has made advances
in reducing one of its largest waste streams: paper. The
switch to duplex printing, two-sided copying, and faxing
saved the California tribal group large amounts of paper.
Recycling efforts collected nearly 6 tons of paper products,
allowing up to 93 trees to live and continue carbon
sequestration, an activity our whole planet can be thankful
for. Blue Lake is also making progress through green
purchases: 98 percent of the paper it bought in 2001
contains postconsumer material. Paper isn't the only area of
success, though, as the Rancheria collected nearly 1 ton of
steel and aluminum cans for recycling. 

Waste Reduction Spreads Across Robinson Rancheria

     "Disposal fees have dramatically dropped thanks to our
recycling efforts, and we expect them to drop even more,"
says Irenia Quitiquit. The Robinson Environmental Center is
spreading the word about waste reduction and recycling
across the  Robinson Rancheria of Pomo Indians because it's
not only good for the environment, it's also good for the
economy. As part of its efforts, the Rancheria conducts
workshops for each tribal department and holds sessions to
educate youth and the entire community. Last year, this
California-based tribe incorporated recycling and composting
practices into the operations of a newly expanded, 150-seat
restaurant. It then used the restaurant's compost, along
with compost collected from the ongoing program at the
Rancheria's senior nutritional center, in the environmental
center's community garden. Waste reduction efforts spread to
paper in 2001, as the Robinson Rancheria tribal employees
set up Internet services and an e-mail system. Going global
reduced the use of paper, while improving collection efforts
increased paper recycling -- the Robinson Rancheria recycled
an impressive 20 tons of paper products in 2001. 


LOCAL GOVERNMENT

City of Clifton, New Jersey, A Triple Crown Winner

     In addition to winning the 2002 WasteWise Endorser of
the Year and receiving the Program Champion Award for
climate change activities, the City of  Clifton, New Jersey,
also made significant accomplishments in the area of
reducing waste generated by the city government. For
example, the Department of Public Works uses scrap paper as
fax paper before recycling. As a result, the department
saved $400 in  fax paper purchasing costs. In addition to
its waste prevention measures, the city has also increased
the amount  of recycled content products purchased including
adding approximately 2 tons of recycled content paper in
2001 for use in its offices. 

The City of Fremont, California, Chooses to Reuse

     The City of Fremont, California, went on a diet at the
October 2001 Employee Appreciation Picnic. But it wasn't
food the city cut down on, it was waste. Fremont's
Environmental Services Division introduced ceramic "snack
plates" to 500 city staff members. The plates bear the
catchy title "Choose to Re-Use!" along with the city logo
and are now being used at birthdays, retirement parties,
staff meetings, and other events. Soon the plates will be
accompanied with a complete "Choose to Re- Use!" line in
2002, including commuter mugs, cloth napkins, lunch bags,
recycling baskets, and possibly recycled-content T-shirts. 

     Departments in all city facilities have been making the
choice to reuse and recycle. For example, the maintenance
division chipped more than 950 tons of scrap wood into mulch
for use on city property. The informational services
department auctioned scrap computers and electronics for
reuse or refurbishment. The environmental services
department installed beverage container receptacles and
paper recycling bins in the common areas of city facilities.
Environmental services also encouraged the East Bay Regional
Park District to make system-wide changes in the
specification of the recycled-content of waste receptacles
and park benches. 

Kitsap County Hits the Target When It Comes to Waste
Reduction

     Kitsap County, Washington, continued to expand its
waste reduction and recycling efforts in 2001, by using 400
recycled tires (approximately 3 tons of rubber) in its
shooting range for the Sheriff's Department. 

     Kitsap County regularly recycles at its main campus and
offsite facilities, including road shops, maintenance
facilities, and treatment plants. In 2001, employees
recycled 294 tons  of mixed paper, 61 tons of steel cans, 3
tons of aluminum (primarily from road signs) and 51 tons of
concrete and cement. County supervisors and several
departments completed a hands-on training for waste
prevention with employees, which will continue into 2002.
"The Wa$te Exchange," an internal exchange and donation
system of available surplus office supplies, continues into
its third year of operation, saving more than $5,000 in
purchasing costs. 

     The Solid Waste Division used modern technology to
battle waste by creating a credit card-sized CD containing
45 publications on topics such as recycling, composting,
household hazardous waste disposal, and environmentally
friendly lawn and garden care for distribution at the Kitsap
County Fair and Rodeo and Home Show. In all, the CDs
resulted in a net savings of approximately 9,500 pieces of
paper.


COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY

Emory and Starbucks Add Excitement to Reusable Mugs

     To promote the importance of "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,"
Emory University partnered with Rollins Environmental Health
Action Committee to buy and distribute 250 reusable mugs
across its Atlanta campus. To get students to use these
mugs, the local Starbucks gave a 50 percent discount on any
beverage. This mug and coffee deal pushed Emory students
into a reuse mindset. The school then sponsored an
"Everything Drive" during move-out days, through which
students donated their extras to be reused by people in
need. The Surplus Shop on campus sells used office furniture
and supplies at greatly reduced prices, saving employees
nearly $40,000 on equipment.

     In 2001, Emory expanded its toner cartridge collection
program to most academic and administrative offices,
recycling a total of 1,300 pounds of plastic cartridges. It
also collected an impressive 400 tons of paper products.
More than 75 tons of metal cans and nearly 57 tons of glass 
were also recycled. The school also established a community
recycling drop-off site that is so popular, it requires
collection three to four times every week. 

     Emory supports  recycling markets by purchasing items
containing recycled materials, such as 100 percent recycled
toilet paper and hand towels. In fact, 42 percent of the 
products the university bought in 2001 contained
postconsumer content, totaling $1.35 million spent on
recycled-content materials. 

Ohio University's Wastebusters

     When Ohio University students move into their dorms,
they not only receive their room keys, they also get an
array of recycling information -- from outdoor recycling
areas to displays and information in the buildings and even
in their rooms. Some of this visibility is assisted by
Wastebusters, which are recycling liaisons between students
and Campus Recycling and Energy Conservation Departments.
This corps of Wastebusters is made up of students and
residence life staff. 

     In 2001, Ohio University Facilities Management
continued to upgrade its buildings for the smoothest and
most efficient recycling  collection possible. It obtained
lightweight recycling barrels for outdoor events where
recycling collection is often difficult. The university
collected an impressive 1,200 tons of paper products for
recycling in 2001, plus 304 tons of metals, and a huge
amount of glass, yard trimmings, wood, textiles, and a wide
array of other materials. The school also collects reusable
items to be redistributed, including art supplies and art
work, clothing  and linens, and terrariums and aquariums.
These collections enabled Ohio University Facilities
Management to recycle nearly 50 percent of its overall waste
in 2001.

     To promote reuse, the school is generous with
donations. The university gave extra beds, chairs, and desks
to social agencies, schools, and organizations in 2001,
avoiding $2,000 in disposal costs. Plans for next year
include working with the school's office supply vendor to
increase recycled content in Ohio University's office
products. Ohio University Facilities Management is also
working to meet its impressive goal of recycling 80 percent
of the waste generated by its students, faculty, and staff. 

Seattle University LEEDs by Building Green

     In April 2001, Seattle University broke ground for an
innovative student center. Seattle University is one of the
few organizations in the country to construct a building
that achieves LEED certification by taking the entire life
cycle of this student center into consideration. The school
met this "green" goal by deconstructing the old student
center building, salvaging as many materials as possible for
reuse in the new structure, and recycling much of the rest.
In only the first nine months, the building team recycled 54
tons of construction and demolition debris. 

     As seen with the construction of the student center,
reuse activities are not hard to find at Seattle University.
The school has a surplus store where used items like tables,
blackboards, computers, and office equipment are sold to the
public at "bargain basement prices," saving more than 13
tons of extras from landfills. The university hosted a
moving-out clothing drive, which collected 1,450 pounds of
clothes. Plus, the Environmental Services Office gives away
reusable mugs to incoming freshmen, and Food Services sells
reusable mugs with which people get discounts on drinks
across campus.

     Seattle University knows that purchasing recycled
products is just as important as recycling. Not only did
Seattle University spend $17,000  on products with recycled
content in 2001, it followed the policy that no purchases
would be made from any vendor that does not recycle. Looking
to the future, Seattle University is  constructing an onsite
composting center for preconsumer food scraps. In 2001, more
than 46 tons of food went to a local composting facility.
Starting in 2002, the school will compost onsite and use the
enriched soil on campus grounds. 
                    
"Claim Your Can" and Win a Tee at UVA!

     The University of Virginia (UVA) has found catchy ways
to interest students in recycling. In a "Claim Your Can"
contest held in 2001, students wrote their names on aluminum
cans before recycling them. Across campus, cans were drawn
from recycling bins and the lucky winners received T-shirts,
gift certificates, and the grand prize of a CD player. This
contest allowed the school to collect and recycle enough
aluminum to prevent GHG emissions equivalent to 35 fewer
cars driven in 2001. UVA will hold the contest again in
2002, with 100 percent recycled-content T-shirts as some of
the prizes. 

     UVA also launched Printing Awareness Week, during which
it promoted the conservation of paper through activities
such as duplex printing and education about the impact of
over-printing. Only one month after this campaign, paper
usage in the campus computer labs was down by more than
ne-third, saving nearly one ton of paper. The school
recycled an additional 1,700 tons of paper products. 


              WASTEWISE 2002 HONORABLE MENTIONS

     WasteWise is proud to recognize the accomplishments of
the following partners in 2002:

City of Clifton, New Jersey -- Electronics

Tennessee Valley Authority -- Electronics

Allergan, Inc. -- Large Business

Amgen, Inc. -- Large Business

Dominion Semiconductor, LLC   Large Business

Panasonic -- Large Business

Spartech Corporation -- Large Business

Steelcase Inc.-- Large Business

Lake Shore Cryotronics, Inc. -- Small Business

Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, Chicago Academy of Sciences 
-- Small Business

Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation --
State Government

Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians -- Tribal
Government

Oneida Tribe of Indians of Wisconsin -- Tribal Government

City of Alexandria, Virginia -- Local Government

City of Fairhope, Alabama -- Local Government

City of Newport News, Virginia -- Local Government

Port of Seattle, Landscape Department -- Local Government

Contact WasteWise
www.epa.gov/wastewise
800 EPA-WISE (800 372-9473)
E-mail: ww@cais.net


                        MEMBER INDEX

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc 
Allergan Sales, Inc 
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc 
Bank of America 
Battelle Memorial Institute 
The Blue Lake Rancheria of California 
Canon U.S.A., Inc 
City of Alexandria, Virginia 
City of Clifton, New Jersey -- Recycling Program
City of Fremont, California 
Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation 
Consolidated Edison Company of New York, Inc 
Constellation Energy Group 
Creative Office Systems, Inc 
The Disneyland Resort 
DTE Energy 
Eastern Illinois University 
Eastman Kodak Company 
Emory University 
Evelyn Hill Inc 
Florida Power & Light Company 
General Motors Corporation 
Guardian Industries-Ligonier Plant 
Herman Miller, Inc 
Jackson County, Missouri 
Kessler Consulting, Inc 
King County, Washington 
Kitsap County, Washington 
Los Angeles Unified School District 
Louisiana-Pacific Corporation 
Millipore Corporation 
NEC Electronics, Inc. -- Roseville Facility 
Ohio University 
Panasonic 
Pepco 
Pitney Bowes Inc 
The Presidio Trust 
Public Service Enterprise Group
Robinson Rancheria Environmental Center 
Sandia National Laboratories 
Seattle University 
The Seydel Companies
South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental
Control 
Southern California Edison 
State of Ohio 
U.S. Government Printing Office 
U.S. Postal Service -- Alabama District 
U.S. Postal Service -- Northeast Area 
University of Virginia 
Verizon                       
Virco Mfg. Corporation 
The Walt Disney Company 
Washoe County Government, Nevada