July 2004 - San Mateo County
Multi-Family Recycling and Resource Conservation Nexus
A Monthly Electronic Newsletter from RethinkWaste.org/SBWMA
Closing the Loop
You may have heard the term, but "closing the loop" on recycling means that you purchase goods made from recycled materials and support companies that make recycled-content products. Here are a few things you can do:
- Buy recycled-content paper.
- Request that catalogs be printed on recycled-content paper.
- Purchase products made from recycled materials.
As a purchaser, you have the power to use your dollars to bring about positive change. So close that loop now!
Buy Recycled-Content Paper
You do that paper recycling thing. Now, take the plunge and close the loop by purchasing recycled paper. It is not often that you have the chance to help the environment four different ways with one purchase, but that is exactly what you do when you choose recycled paper products.
Buying paper made from paper saves energy and water, as well as trees, and reduces toxins released into the environment. Most recycled paper products are comparable in quality and price to those that do not have recycled content.
Some examples you can undertake are:
- Buy writing and copier paper that has at least 30 percent "post-consumer" recycled content.
- Purchase toilet paper made from recycled paper.
- Look for the ìrecycledî symbol on packaging for products you select.
For more information about buying recycled paper products, including a list of local vendors, go to www.BayAreaRecycling.org or call the BayROC Hotline, toll-free, at 1-877-STOPWASTE.
Green Your Favorite Catalogs and Magazines
As a consumer, you can voice your opinions through your purchasing power, which includes catalogs. You can urge your catalog or magazine company to publish on recycled-content paper.
New American Dream has joined with Forest Ethics and other groups to call upon five of the country's biggest catalog companies — all of whom currently use little or no recycled content — to start greening the 600 million catalogs they pump out each year.
To take action, you can send a letter yourself, or use an automated form letter through New Dream Action Network at capwiz.com/newdream/home/.
Buy Recycled
You've heard the adage "paper or plastic?" Now add "virgin or recycled?" into your lingo. Many opportunities exist for you to purchase comparable products or even innovative products made from recycled materials. A few excellent resources are listed below:
- RecycleStore showcases innovative recycled-content products and puts you in touch directly with their manufacturers. Visit the online store at www.RecycleStore.com.
- Recycled Content Product (RCP) Directory lists thousands of recycled products and provides information on the companies that reprocess, manufacture and/or distribute these products. Visit the online directory at www.ciwmb.ca.gov/RCP/.
- The Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative is a non-profit program dedicated to natural resource conservation. To learn more, visit www.recycledproducts.org/.
Factoid
Approximately 7.2 full grown trees are saved for every 40 cases (or 1 ton) of 30% post-consumer recycled paper purchased instead of virgin fiber paper.
Source: Conservatree
To be added or removed from this list, contact the RethinkWaste Recycling Coordinator at (650) 802-3500.
