The ULS Report

November-December 1995 Volume 2, Number 6

Index

• First Annual ULS Day

• 38 Days, 38 Ways to Reduce Waste

• Reduction Roundup

• ULS electronic subscriptions and PDF version

To remind people of the need to reduce waste during the 38 days between Turkey Day and New Year's Day, we're declaring November 16 to be ULS Day. (That gives you exactly one week before Thanksgiving to start cleaning up your act!)

We're very proud that many well-known and highly-respected government, environmental and academic groups are joining us in our efforts. Participants include The Environmental Protection Agency Office of Solid Waste, The National Audubon Society, Keep America Beautiful (KAB), The California Integrated Waste Management Board, the National Pollution Prevention Center for Higher Education at the University of Michigan, The University of Arizona/The Garbage Project, Chicago Clean Streak (KAB affiliate) and Foodchain. (The last is a national network of prepared and perishable food rescue programs.)

All of these groups share our belief that a truly sustainable society is a more efficient society. Since using less stuff significantly increases efficiency, it helps maintain a healthy and sustainable environment.

We can't stress enough how important it is for all of us to get involved in the fight for sustainability. Like the old saying goes, there's strength in numbers. Since there are over 250 million people in the United States, each of us doing a little bit adds up to a whole lot. If every family reduced its weekly waste during the holidays by only one pound, the total trash eliminated would be a rather staggering 500 million pounds.

We've packed the rest of the newsletter with ways to make holiday time a lot less wasteful and a little less expensive. Many of the tips can be used year-round as well. Happy savings and happy holidays from The ULS Report!

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• Keep your first portions small. If you're still hungry, ask for seconds.
  (You'll waste less and make the cook very happy!)

• Buy smart. Here are some realistic guidelines for what the
  average adult might consume:

  Portion Control, Holiday Style

  Food	Amount Per Person
  Eggnog	1/2 cup
  Cheese	2 ounces
  Crackers	10
  Celery	1 stalk
  Turkey	1/2 lb. raw
  Ham, Roast Beef	1/3 lb.
  Squash, Sweet Potatoes	1/2 lb.
  Broccoli, Potatoes	1/3 lb.
  Pie	1/8 of pie

• Purchase products in bulk, and buy those that use less packaging.
  Replacing a cardboard box for 12 packs of soda with plastic rings
  will cut waste by 92%.

• Bread and cereal bags can be reused to store food and other items.

• Compost your leftover fruits, vegetables and peels.

• Need food covers? Use the shower caps you took from your
  last hotel visit!

• Send guests home with leftovers. Use paper and plastic bags
  and plastic containers.

• Mesh bags from onions and potatoes make great scouring pads
  when first tied in a knot.

• Bring your own shopping bags. Paper, plastic and cloth are
  all fine. (The latter two are easy to fold and store in pockets
  and purses.) In New York City alone, one less grocery bag
  per person per year could save 5 million pounds of waste
  and $250,000 in disposal costs.

• Wrap gifts in old maps, newspapers, Sunday comics or
  kids' artwork.

• Break down gift boxes and store for next year. Use those tins
  you've been saving for gift boxes.

• Leftover wrapping paper and wallpaper scraps can be used
  to decorate gift boxes, and as art supplies for your children.

• Get a tree that can be planted or mulched.
  Or, buy an artificial one.

• Buy outdoor light strands that are wired in parallel.
  If one bulb goes, the others still work, so you won't be
  throwing away 'bad' strands.

• Smaller bulbs are lower wattage, which means they
  consume less electricity and give off less heat --
  a definite safety plus around the tree.

• Put all your lights on timers for energy savings and
  peace of mind when you're away.

• Make your own wreaths with dried flowers, pine cones
  and other similar items which you've saved or collected.

• Use clove-studded oranges for room fresheners or make
  homemade potpourri using dried flowers. (A drop of
  vegetable or body oil will enhance the scent and
  keep it moist.)

• Be selective when you send Christmas cards.
  Also, you probably have a few different cards left over
  from years gone by. Send these to the new people
  on your list.

• Cut off the front of cards you receive and reuse
  them as postcards or ornaments. Recycle the rest
  of the cards and the envelopes. Contact your Lion's Club
  about their cancelled stamp donation program.

• Reduce unwanted mailings and duplicate catalogs
  by calling the toll free (800) number listed on the
  order form. To have your name removed from most,
  if not all lists, contact: Mail Preference Service,
  P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735.

• Ask friends to bring holiday gifts they don't want.
  Put them on a table and let others choose an item
  that they like. You'll be amazed at what happens!

• Buy rechargeable batteries for toys and other items
  that are used frequently.

• Make gifts out of items that you already have
  around the house:
  • Old clothes and jewelry for a dress-up box.

  • Tools and gadgets for a young inventor.

  • Clean and refill deodorant roll-on bottles with
    poster paint for budding Picassos.

  • Make pot holders and oven mitts from old
    ironing board covers.

  • Empty lipstick cases make pretty, easy-fo-find
    pill and breath freshener holders. Remove the
    spiral platform and clean well.

  • Old clothes, drapes, robes and tablecloths can be
    used to make doll clothes, broaches, etc.

• Drop off extra packaging materials at local private
  mailing centers such as Mail Boxes Etc. Call the Plastic
  Loosefill Products Council (1-800-828-2214) for the names
  of local businesses that reuse them.

• Recycle that corrugated! It's a valuable money-maker
  for most towns.

• Reuse packaging cartons and shippings materials.
  Old newspaper makes for excellent packing, too.

• Paper grocery bags can be used to wrap
  small to medium sized packages for mailing.

• When staying in hotels for extended visits, set up
  a schedule with the hotel to wash sheets and towels.
  They don't really need to be changed every day.
  The same goes for all of those cute little toiletries.

• If you do open the little shampoo, conditioner and
  mouthwash bottles, keep them in your travel kit for
  those times when you forget your own stuff.

• Make sure that Santa and his reindeer eat the
  cookies and carrots that your children leave out
  for them. (Dad might try having a light Christmas Eve
  dinner so that he has room for a late night snack.)

• Make it your Number One New Year's Resolution to
  USE LESS STUFF throughout the year!

• The best things in life are free. Give your family the gifts
  of time and love.

Reduction Roundup

Thank You, Mr. President -- October has been declared Energy Awareness Month by President Clinton. His proclamation highlighted the need to "build a strong foundation of sustainable energy policies that will benefit generations to come."

Building Better Bridges -- Scientists and engineers are working to develop a new generation of construction materials for bridges so that structures will last longer, resist corrosion and need fewer repairs. The key to such durability appears to lie with the development of composite fibers made from glass, carbon and plastic.

An Ounce of Prevention -- Oregon, known for its leading role in recycling, is taking the lead in using less stuff as well. The Oregon Department of Energy is co-sponsoring a model city project to develop a program which reduces solid waste generation, uses energy efficiently, conserves water and maximizes recycling.

They Got the Lead Out -- Leaded gas is almost dead. The last areas to market these fuels should have phased them out by the time you read this. Parts of the Pacific Northwest have such mild weather that old cars and trucks last virtually forever. Since many run on leaded gas, some stations have continued to sell it. But that's finally changed. The switch won't hurt the engines, but will hurt the wallet: up to 10� per gallon more for unleaded.

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A Special Thanks

We would like to acknowledge the following groups for providing ULS Day holiday tip information:

• The EPA Office of Solid Waste
• The New York City Department of Sanitation
• The Tightwad Gazette
• Choose to Reuse (Ceres Press)

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The ULS Report is a bi-monthly publication of Partners for Environmental Progress. Send e-mail to [email protected]. Snail mail address: P.O. Box 130116 Ann Arbor MI 48113 Phone: 313-668-1690 Fax: 313-930-0506 Editor: Robert Lilienfeld Technical Advisor: Dr. William Rathje Editorial Advisor: Tony Kingsbury  Copyright 1995, The ULS Report and Partners for Environmental Progress. The ULS Report and Reduction Roundup are trademarks of Partners for Environmental Progress.

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