The ULS Report TM

Helping people Use Less Stuff by conserving
resources and reducing waste.


November-December 1996
	Volume 3, Number 6

  


Index



 
     



 Thursday, November 21st is...


The Second Annual ULS Day





It's that time of year again, when the wrapping paper flows like 
water and mail carriers start to whine. While it's virtually 
impossible to look specifically at the Christmas season, annual 
trash from gift wrap and shopping bags totals about 4 million tons. 
Third class mail adds another 4.4 million tons to mail bags and, 
ultimately, to garbage bags. These items combined account for a 
bit over 4% of the total solid waste generated yearly in the 
United States.

Educating people about the need to fight waste and conserve 
resources is what ULS Day is all about. To get the message out 
and help people learn to reduce and reuse as well as to recycle, 
100 organizations have signed on as ULS Day 1996 sponsors and 
participants:






ULS Day 1996 Participants


National




State/Regional




County/Local



Return to Index


 
    

Don't Let the Holidays
 Go to Your Waste


We kick off the holidays with Thanksgiving dinner, which produces 
more edible food waste than any other meal of the year. The season 
ends with the fall of the ball in Times Square -- and with the 42 
tons of confetti and other garbage left behind for the New York 
Department of Sanitation. Here's what you can do to help reduce the 
trash in your town:


Make a List and Check It Twice




  • 	Holiday cards bought in one year would fill a 
	football field 10 stories high! If each of us sent 
	out one fewer card, that huge mound 
	would be reduced by a full story, saving 
	over 50,000 cubic yards of paper.
    

  • 	Local postmasters tell us that up to 20% of all 
	mail is incorrectly addressed or otherwise 
	undeliverable. Save time, money and resources 
	by updating and paring down your list.
    

    • 

    Food for Thought
    

    

  • 	Over 100 pounds of food are wasted per person
	each year. Take smaller portions. You can 
	always go back for more!
    

  • 	Plan meals wisely and buy based on the 
	number of guests you expect.
    

  • 	Save energy by cooking multiple items in the 
	same oven. (Check to make sure that they 
	should cook at about the same temperature.)
    

  • 	Buy fresh foods carefully, not just because they
	are cheap or on sale. Research shows that 
	cheaper foods are wasted at a higher rate 
	than more expensive items.
    

  • 	Give extra food to guests in plastic containers.
	Donate what's left to local food banks.
    

    • 

    Home for the Holidays
    

    

  • 	Having a party? Turn down the heat before
	guests arrive. Their extra body heat will help
	warm the room.
    

  • 	Going to a formal occasion? Consider renting, 
	rather than buying, a gown or tux.
    

  • 	Turn your fireplace into a furnace by using a
	heat exchanger. Glass doors will further improve
	efficiency, as will a flue that's open just enough
	to provide a draft without creating indoor smoke.
    

  • 	50 million Christmas trees are purchased each 
	year in the U.S. Consider a potted tree that
	can be planted in the yard, or an artificial one.
    

  • 	Buy outdoor light strands that are wired in
	parallel. If one bulb burns out, the rest stay lit.
	Also, make sure you re-box lights after the season,
 	or use old newspaper as a spool and wind the
	strands around it. Either way, lights won't get 
	tangled, so you won't end up buying more.
    

  • 	Make your own wreaths out of natural materials
	such as branches, dried flowers, herbs, red and
	green chilies, etc. They make great gifts, too.
    

    • 

    Gift Giving Guidelines
    

    

  • 	Use the comics instead of gift wrap -- If we each
	wrap only 3 gifts in reused paper, we'd save
	enough paper to cover 45,000 football fields!
    

  • 	Shop early, while you have time to make careful
	choices. Last minute spending often leads to panic
	buying, which leads to unwanted gifts.
    

  • 	Give gifts of yourself -- offer to baby-sit, wash
	the car, do the dishes, run errands, etc.
    

  • 	Don't know what to give? Make charitable
	donations. Consider gift certificates, so people
	can choose for themselves.
    

  • 	Plan trips in advance and consolidate, especially
	when going to the post office. Mail everything
	at once and save time, aggravation and energy.
    

  • 	Shop at antique stores, holiday bazaars and
	thrift shops. Someone's trash may be someone
	else's treasure.
    

  • 	Consolidate purchases into one bag. Better yet,
	bring along a few from home and reuse them.
    

  • 	Reuse packaging cartons and shippings materials.
	Old newspaper makes for excellent packing, too.
	Shred some at work and bring it home, if you can.
    

  • 	Save fancier bags and use them as gift wrap.
    

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

    • 

    Save Your Energy
    

    

  • 	A turnback thermometer, which automatically
	turns the heat down at night and up in the
	morning, can reduce energy costs by up to 12%.
    

  • 	Shop from home -- electronically or through
	catalogs.
    

  • 	Walk to local parties, or carpool if you have
	to drive.
    

  • 	Run appliances such as the dishwasher, 
	washing machine or dryer only when full.
    

  • 	Let meats defrost to room temperature. They'll
	cook faster, save energy, and taste better, too.
    

    • 
 
    Spreading Holiday Cheer
    

    

  • 	Donate unwanted gifts to charity.
    

  • 	Reduce the number of cards you send by
	sending e-mail or calling those casual
	business acquaintances.
    

  • 	Try sending holiday postcards, which will
	save on paper, envelopes and postage.
    

  • 	Donate those cosmetic "free gifts with 
	purchase" to a women's shelter.
    

    • 

    Creating Memories
    

    

  •  Remember to bring your camera to capture
	holiday memories. Disposable cameras may
	be convenient, but they can also be wasteful.
    

  • 	Buy "faster" film such as 400 or 800. This 
	will reduce the use of the flash and save 
	energy.
    

  • 	Buy larger size rolls of film. Versus three rolls 
	of 12, one roll of 36 reduces waste by 67% and
	saves you about $4.
    

  • 	Use rechargeable batteries.
    

  • 	Reuse video tapes instead of buying new ones.

  • 	Give family photos as gifts. A picture costs little
	to take, but the joy it can bring may be priceless. 
    

    • 

    Have a Happy, Healthy and Resource-full Holiday Season!
    

    
Return to Index

    

    

    

    Have a Merry Xmas
     with as Little X-mess as Possible!
    

    Happy Holidays from Dr. William L. Rathje
    

    Archaeologist, Garbologist and Artist Extraordinaire
    

    
What you see...
.............................................................................
...What you get
    

    

    


    

    Reduction RoundupTM
    

    
Reuse, not Refuse. The Detroit Institute of Arts is hosting 
an exihibit entitled Re(f)use: Good Everyday Design. The show 
features 100 common products that celebrate the success of 
recycling and the power of design. Items include chairs made 
from old newsprint, necklaces from used inner tubes, stationery 
from obsolete maps, carpeting from soda bottles, and benches 
from milk jugs. Call Marci Rivers (313-833-9769) for details.
    
The Green Team. The Alliance for Environmental Innovation 
(AEI) and S.C. Johnson & Son are teaming up to develop a range 
of new approaches that will improve the environmental efficacy 
of S.C. Johnson's products and packaging. The company makes a 
variety of household products including Raid, Pledge and 
Johnson's Wax. AEI is a project of the Environmental Defense 
Fund and Pew Charitable Trusts. Call 617-723-2996 for 
more info.
    
Coal Goal. Recognizing that coal accounts for 95% of its 
growing power needs, China has announced plans to develop 
cleaner-burning fuels that can bring emissions down to 
near-international standards.
    
Hanging it Up. Sears is starting two reuse and recycling 
programs designed to save money and landfill space. The 
programs will reuse or recycle plastic hangers and garment 
bag film. Hangers and bags will be sent to a central 
processing facility for immediate reuse or recycling back 
into similar items.
    

    

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

    

    

    

    

    

    


    

    
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
    

    
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are trademarks of Partners for Environmental Progress, please contact us
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Copyright 1996 Partners for Environmental Progress
    

    

    

    

    
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