nvironmental Protectio
Begins with You
dde to Environmental Community Service
&EPA
-------
Make a Difference in Your
Community—Volunteer!
This guide contains examples of
volunteer projects related to solid
waste management.Whether
you're an experienced volunteer or look-
ing to participate in service projects for
the first time, many benefits and opportu-
nities await you.Volunteering provides the
opportunity to enjoy new experiences,
meet new people, learn new skills, and
put ideas and talents to work.
We hope these stories will inspire and motivate YOU to make a difference by
participating in a local volunteer program or maybe even starting one of
your own. Be sure to check the resources on page 12 of this document for
additional ideas on volunteering.
About This Booklet
This booklet is the second volume of a series of case
study documents and contains just a few examples of
volunteer projects related to solid waste management.
Other examples are contained in Volunteer for
Change: A Guide to Environmental Community Service,
EPA530-K-01-002, May 2001, which can be ordered
from EPA's Web site at or by calling (800) 490-9198. Many
other community groups and organizations exist
throughout the United States as well.
-------
The ABCs of Volunteering
Thinking of volunteering? You might want to consider the following:
• What types of activities you are good at and like to do.
• What you hope to learn by volunteering.
• Whether you want an ongoing, regularly scheduled assignment, a
short-term assignment, or a one-time assignment.
• Whether you want to work alone, with a group, or with a friend or
family members.
• What kind of people you want to work with—both in terms of who is
receiving services and who your co-workers might be.
• Whether you are willing to participate in a training course or want to
start your volunteer work immediately
So, you've decided you want to volunteer for activities related to solid waste
management, including waste reduction, recycling, composting, or house-
hold hazardous waste. Now it's time to contact an organization that could
use your help, such as:
• Your municipality's solid waste management program, recycling
centers, or special household hazardous waste collection sites.
• Master Composter, Master Recycler, or Master Gardener programs in
your community
• A 4-H or Cooperative Extension office in your local community or
your state.
• Local college or university environmental groups.
• National environmental organizations with branches in your area.
• Local environmental groups.
• Organizations listed in the "Resources"section of this booklet.
Check your local phone book or the Internet for contact information, such
as addresses and phone numbers.
-------
Contents
Recycling Projects
Raucous Revelry and Recycling
Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling Volunteer Effort,
State College, Pennsylvania 1
Living and Breathing Recycling at ASU
Arizona State University Recycling,Tempe.Arizona 2
Kids of All Ages Get Their Recycling Kicks
Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County Glenview, Illinois 3
Receptive Rural Recycling
Perry County Recycling, Perry County Pennsylvania 5
A History of Excellence
Seattle University's Recycling Program, Seattle,Washington 6
CJi Reuse, Recycling Composting, and/or Household
Hazardous Waste Projects Combined
Floridians Help Protect the Environment
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach County, Palm Beach County Florida 8
Volunteers Instill an Environmental Ethic
Columbia Public Works, Columbia, Missouri 9
(~) Other
Fighting Illegal Dumping and Littering
PA CleanWays, Greensburg, Pennsylvania 10
Defending the Planet One Beat at a Time
Rock the Earth, Denver, Colorado 11
Resources 12
glossary n
r Contacts listed in this document are current as of the printing date. Note that
phone numbers and Web site addresses can change frequently
-------
Raucous Revelry and
Recycling
Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-
Game Recycling Volunteer Effort
State College, Pennsylvania
The Penn State Beaver Stadium Post-Game Recycling
Volunteer Effort (PGRVE) strives to promote environ-
mental sustainability through recycling and height-
ened awareness of recycling, while also encouraging the
Pennsylvania State University students to become
engaged in public service through environmental
activism.The first program of its kind in the United
States, PGRVE is a collaborative initiative between
students and the university's Office of the Physical
Plant.
After each Penn State home football game, typi-
cally 50 to 75 students volunteer to collect thousands of pounds of recyclable plas-
tic materials that otherwise would be discarded with regular trash collection. When
the other Nittany Lion fans are at home recapping the game's highlights, these Penn
State students re-enter the then-empty stadium, walking through the stands collect-
ing recyclables left behind by the roughly 110,000 fans that attend each game.
Often, this effort is further coordinated with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Nittany Lion
fans, additional Penn State students, and other volunteer groups who walk in pairs
through the parking lots and lines, collecting recyclable material from tailgaters and
fans entering the stadium.
Materials collected through the PGRVE are recycled and the annual profits are
donated to the Centre County United Way In its 10-year history PGRVE has collected
nearly 300 tons of recyclables that would have otherwise required disposal.
Throughout the years, the program has shared its unique stadium recycling
approach and plan with many other colleges and universities, including: the Air
Force Academy the Ohio State University
University of Connecticut, University of
Michigan, University of Pittsburgh, University
of Tennessee, and University of Virginia, as
well as with the National Football League's
Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans.
f
Contact:
Al Matyasovsky
119 Physical Plant Buildin
University Park, PA 16802
Phone: (814) 863-4719
E-mail: aem3@psu.edu
Web Site: www.psu.edu
-------
Living and Breathing Recycling
atASU
Arizona State University Recycling
Tempe, Arizona
By receiving college credits or community
service hours (and maybe even getting a
volunteer T-shirt) Arizona State University
(ASU) Recycling volunteers gain even more than
the satisfaction of participating in the campus
recycling and beautification activities.
ASU recycles practically everything under the
sun—white ledger and colored ledger paper
(pastel, dark, neon), computer paper, newspapers
(including inserts) catalogs (glue back and sta-
pled), magazines (glue back and stapled), fax paper, envelopes (with or without
windows), file folders,bound books,phone books, chip board,batteries,printer car-
tridges, cell phones, and even shoes.
Recycling volunteers can choose to participate in a wide variety of activities
such as posting flyers around campus, giving presentations, answering questions at
information tables, or volunteering to help with Earth Day and America Recycles
Day events. One of the specific activities that volunteers engage in is putting signs
on various recycling bins to educate the ASU community about what may and may
not go into the bins.Volunteers routinely make rounds of the bins, replacing signs,
and distributing educational information.
The recycling program not only has general student volunteers, but also has
Recycling Ambassadors who share their recycling knowledge with students in their
resident halls through presentations, brochures, games, and/or informational
posters.To become a Recycling Ambassador,
students attend a one-hour training class at
the ASU Recycling Facility Recycling
Ambassadors are also responsible for moni-
toring the outdoor recycling collection con-
tainers and acting as liaisons between the
hall and ASU Recycling.
Contact:
ASU doesn't stop there. Arizona State
University: Clean & Beautiful, an initiative
sponsored by Arizona State University
Recycling, also provides volunteer opportuni-
ties.Volunteers clean up areas around the
campus that need attention, gathering trash,
leaves, or other debris and recycle them,
whenever possible.
Kerry Suson
Arizona State University
Recycling Program
2325 E. Rio Salado Parkway
Tempe, AZ 85281
Phone: (480) 965-7639
E-mail: recycle-q@asu.edu
kerrysuson@asu.edu
Veb Site: http://recycle.asu.edu
2
-------
Kids of All Ages Get Their
Recycling Kicks
Solid Waste Agency of Northern
Cook County
Glenuiew, Illinois
Volunteers from a county agency, a
major athletic company and local
high schools are working together to
make recycling happen.The Solid Waste
Agency of Northern Cook County (SWANCC)
serves 23 towns in Northern Cook County
Illinois, and Nike, Inc. offer high school stu-
dents the opportunity to recycle athletic
shoes through the company's Reuse-A-Shoe
program. SWANCC's program has been oper-
ating for the past six years, three years as a
pilot program and three years as a partici-
pant in the national Reuse-A-Shoe program
promoted by the National Recycling
Coalition.
Each spring, SWANCC solicits student
volunteers to assist during a three-day shoe
collection drive.Throughout the years, volun-
teers from 15 high schools have earned
between one and four hours of community
service credit to help with this project and
have collected approximately 37,500 pairs of
athletic shoes for Nike's program.The shoes are
the high school volunteers. Hundreds of "gently
charity
Contact:
Mary S.Allen
Solid Waste Agency of Northern
Cook County
2700 Patriot Blvd. Suite 110
Glenview,IL 60026
Phone: (847) 724-9205
E-mail: mary@swancc.org
Web Site: www.swancc.org
Nike, Inc.
1 Bowerman Drive
Beaverton, OR 97005
Phone: (800) 806-6453
Web Site: www.nikereuseashoe.com
sorted and boxed for shipment by
used" shoes have been donated to
On average, Nike processes between 1 million and 2 million pairs of athletic
shoes each year through the Reuse-A-Shoe Program to create a material known as
"Nike Grind." Nike Grind is composed of shoes from post-consumer collections, Nike
shoes with material or workmanship flaws (defectives), and materials from the man-
ufacturing of Nike footwear. Since its inception in 1993, Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe pro-
gram has recycled more than 16 million pairs of shoes. In addition, Nike has worked
in concert with its community affairs initiative (NikeGo) to donate more than 170
basketball courts, tennis courts, tracks, fields, and playground surfaces made from
recycled content to communities around the world.
-------
SWANCC's close relationship with area schools and other entities has made it
possible to educate students and adults about the importance of reducing, reusing,
recycling, and buying recycled. Nike's 'Air to Earth" shoebox—containing a video
and a sliced shoe with samples of
Nike Grind and sport surfaces—
helps students understand the impor-
tance of closing the loop in a
product's life cycle.
-------
Receptive Rural Recycling
Peny County Recycling
Perry County, Pennsylvania
It all started back in the mid-1980s when the sixth grade class at Greenwood
Elementary School implemented Millerstown, Pennsylvania's first recycling pro-
gram as a way of earning extra money in this rural area. One Saturday each
month, the school collected glass, tin, and aluminum in 55-gallon drums.When the
drums were full, a local farmer would put the drums on a truck and haul them to a
recycler. Unfortunately, after accounting for the transportation costs, not enough
profit was realized and eventually the program was discontinued.
In February 1990, Greenwood Township,Tuscarora Township, and Millerstown
Borough implemented a communitywide program within Perry County by collect-
ing recyclables in the parking lot of Greenwood Elementary School. Perry County
staff bagged the recyclables in large woven plastic salt bags obtained from a local
plant. On a rotating basis, each municipality had the responsibility of hauling the
materials to the recycler.The profits earned from selling the recyclables helped
defray some trucking fees and employee salaries. Although never profitable, the pro-
gram reduced the amount of waste headed to the landfill.
In the mid-1990s, the Penn State
Cooperative Extension helped Perry County
Recycling receive a grant from the
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental
Protection.Through the grant, Perry County
purchased large roll-off bins, which are dis-
tributed to individual drop-off sites.
Collections at the county's individual
drop-off sites occur once a month, and the
county picks up the extra costs to move the
bins.Volunteers, including interested commu-
nity members, school groups, church groups,
scouts, and Lions' Club members, operate the
drop-off sites. Originally, Perry County only
collected clear glass, bi-metal cans, and aluminum, but recycling has now expanded
to collect brown, green, and clear glass; cardboard; newspapers; aluminum; bi-metal
cans; and recyclable plastics.
Contact:
Brenda Benner
201 Turkey Ridge Road
Millerstown, PA 17062
Phone:(717)589-3724
E-mail: bkb@pa.net
Web Site: www.perryco.or
.org
-------
A History of Excellence
Seattle University's Recycling Program
Seattle, Washington
Waste reduction and recycling on Seattle University's campus began in
1988, with small-scale ventures by individual offices and student groups
that collected aluminum cans to raise party funds and do something
good for the environment. As the cost of solid waste disposal increased, the
university began to realize that institutionalizing recycling efforts could be both
environmentally and economically advantageous.
In 1993, the university recognized the need for a special unit within Facility
Operations that specifically dealt with campuswide environmental issues.The
Environmental Services Office (ESO) was established, and the positions of
Environmental Safety Technician and Environmental Coordinator were created.
Some of the many responsibilities of the new office included establishing a com-
prehensive solid waste management
plan, assisting in the development of
purchasing policies and guidelines that
support waste reduction strategies and
techniques, and producing a compre-
Contact:
hensive campus educational program
about waste reduction and recycling.
hone: (206) 296-6290
E-mail: dierkst@seatttleu.edu
Web Site: www.seattleu.edu
SP
Tyler Dierks
Seattle University
901 12thAve
eattle,WA98122
As with many large institutions, the
opportunities to reduce waste or reuse
materials at colleges and universities are
practically limitless.They can be found
almost anywhere on campus where
waste materials are generated, including
offices, classrooms, libraries, mailrooms,
campus stores, student unions, food serv-
ice areas, dormitories, and at special events. Because these opportunities were recog-
nized early on, Seattle University's waste reduction and recycling program has been
a success.
During the first two years of the program—1988 and 1989—data from a cam-
puswide waste audit showed that the recycling rate was between 31 and 37 per-
cent. With increased educational efforts aimed at staff and students, along with
greater accessibility to recycling containers, the recycling rate has risen to 62 per-
cent. In 2003, the university recycled 745 tons of materials and saved $57,000
through recycling, composting, and diversion. Not limited to standard recyclables
such as mixed paper, cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, and steel and aluminum
cans, the university also collects fluorescent tubes, batteries, computers, scrap
-------
metals, ink cartridges, books, pal-
lets, and noncompostable scrap
wood. It also conducts surplus sales
and recycles construction and
demolition debris.
The university also operates an
organics recycling program that
includes composting pre-consumer
food scraps and coffee grounds at
its onsite composting facility
Landscaping debris is sent off cam-
pus to be composted. In addition,
campus staff practices grasscycling
(allowing mowed grass clippings to
break down naturally in the lawns
and feed the soil),and using coarse woodchip mulch from local tree services in
planting beds.
-------
Floridians Help Protect the
Environment
Solid Waste Authority of Palm Beach
County
Palm Beach County, Florida
Contact:
Linda Moreno
Volunteer Coordinator
Solid Waste Authority of PBC
7501 North Jog Road
West Palm Beach, FL 33412
Phone: (561) 640-4000 ext.4327
E-mail: Lmoreno@swa.org
Web Site: www.swa.org
Community volunteers play a vital
role in disseminating informa-
tion, educating residents, and pro-
moting the Solid Waste Authority (SWA)
of Palm Beach County's environmental
efforts.These volunteers are a valuable
asset to SWAs programs because of their
dedication to the environment and will-
ingness to promote SWA messages.
Implemented in 1994, the SWA volun-
teer program assists SWA in reducing
annual solid waste generation in Palm
Beach County. SWA volunteers support
the community's environmental initiatives
in numerous ways:
Neighborto-Neighbor—This community-based program, available to all Palm
Beach County residents, promotes the three Rs of solid waste management
(reduce, reuse, and recycle) at the grassroots level. Volunteers are proactive
in their communities by educating their families, friends, neighbors, and
coworkers about waste prevention and recycling.
Green Team—Volunteers assist SWA staff with special events held through-
out the county These events are designed to educate residents about the
authority's waste prevention and recycling programs.
Litter Matters: Adopt-A-Spot—Adopt-A-Spot involves the adoption of specific
areas by individuals or organizations for litter abatement and beautification.
When these spots are officially adopted, the adopter assumes responsibility
for ensuring the specific area is kept litter free. Although collecting litter and
debris is the main objective, mowing, edging, and other forms of mainte-
nance and beautification can also be part of the effort.
Office Support—Volunteers assist SWA staff with various administrative
duties. Volunteers assist the Recycling and Customer Information Services
Departments by answering telephone calls, filing, data entry and sending
out mailings.
-------
Volunteers Instill an
Environmental Ethic
Columbia Public Works
Columbia, Missouri
Contact:
Christine Gardener, Program Assistant
Grissum Building
PO. Box 6015
Columbia, MO 65205
Phone: (573) 874-6271
E-mail: cmgarden@GoColumbiaMO.com
Web Site: www.gocolumbiamo.com
With a mission statement that
emphasizes utilizing the
unique talents, skills, and
knowledge of volunteers to extend
waste reduction and environmental
cleanup programs, the Columbia Public
Works' volunteer program is an integral
part of the community.Volunteers are
involved in numerous activities, ranging
from assisting at household hazardous
waste collections to teaching compost
workshops, distributing compost bins,
researching and writing informational
publications, and helping to promote
events such as Earth Day and "A Day With Wildlife."Volunteers even get the opportu-
nity to wear a costume at schools and events and work on campaigns such as the
Use Less Stuff holiday campaign.
One of the most popular events is the Recyclabration. Held in the children's
area at the Columbia Festival of the Arts, it has become an attraction for all ages.
Volunteers collect materials for use in making artistic creations and set up tables at
which participants can work. In fall 2005, hundreds of people crammed the tables
making envelopes from old calendars, flowers out of plastic six-pack plastic rings,
and art from CDs and phone wires. The opportunity is used to promote waste
reduction, reuse, and recycling, to educate people about the importance of proper
recycling and the location of recycling collection sites for special materials, and to
answer questions. Attendees enjoy being given the opportunity to use their creativi-
ty and because the materials are all things that would otherwise be thrown away
they feel uninhibited about using them.
Volunteers are also helping shape the future of recycling in the county by edu-
cating children about recycling. Columbia Public Works is combating a "contamina-
tion" problem at the city's material recovery facility meaning residents are mixing
non-recyclables with recyclables which "contaminates" the materials and slows
down the sorting and recovery process.
Volunteers help instill children with the knowl-
edge to make them good recyclers from a
young age. Several schools have shown interest
in this effort and promote activities and class-
es so that every student can learn how to
properly collect recyclables.
9
-------
Fighting Illegal Dumping and
Littering
PA CleanWays
Greensburg, Pennsylvania
Every county in Pennsylvania is plagued with numerous illegal dump sites.To
help combat this problem, PA CleanWays, a statewide nonprofit organization,
fights illegal dumping and littering through a comprehensive approach that
includes facilitating community cleanups, addressing problem disposal items, offer-
ing education, beautification, and adoption opportunities.The organization, which
has a network of grassroots chapters and affiliates throughout the state, also pro-
vides technical assistance to individuals, groups, organizations, and companies
interested in safely cleaning up illegal dump sites and keeping them clean.
PA CleanWays solicits volun-
teers interested in making a dif-
ference through participating in
or organizing a cleanup. PA
CleanWays has found that many
of the common items in illegal
dumps include tires (found in
more than 90 percent of
Pennsylvania's illegal dumps),
household products (e.g., clean-
ing supplies, diapers, paints, oil),
and various toxic items.
Unfortunately household garbage
can contain chemicals and other
liquids that can eventually seep
into and pollute the groundwater. Other
ances, furniture, vehicles and auto parts,
Furthermore, one of the more surprising
such as yard clippings.
Contact:
Karen McCalpin
PA CleanWays
105 West Fourth Street
Greensburg, PA 15601-2981
Phone:(724)836-4121
E-mail: kmccalpin@pacleanways.org
Web Site: www.pacleanways.org
items improperly dumped include appli-
and construction and remodeling debris.
items found are compostable materials
Illegal dumping is an ongoing problem; cleanups
alone won't solve it. Monitoring dump locations,
increasing successful prosecutions, addressing prob-
lem disposal items, increasing affordable and conven-
ient recycling or disposal opportunities, and
providing public education are also needed.
\
10
-------
Defending the Planet
One Beat at a Time
Rock the Earth
Denver, Colorado
Contact:
Marc A. Ross
Rock the Earth
1536WynkoopSt.
Suite #8200
Denver, CO 80202
Phone: (303) 454-3304
E-mail: marcr@rocktheearth.net
Web Site: www.RockTheEarth.ort
Rock the Earth,founded in 2002 by
environmental attorney Marc
Ross, is dedicated to bringing
about positive and beneficial environ-
mental changes through active litigation
and negotiation on behalf of members of
the music industry their fans, and the
general public.The organization also
focuses its efforts on reducing the eco-
logical footprint of music tours through
the use of recycling, biodiesel fuel for
tour buses and trucks, organic clothing
for merchandise, and wind power credits
to offset tour emissions.The organization
consists of a 25-person volunteer staff of
environmental attorneys, technical consultants, public relations professionals, mar-
keting and media relations experts, and a fundraising team.
The organization strives to become the primary voice of the music indus-
try as it pertains to current environmental initiatives by 1) bringing togeth-
er members of the music industry their fans, and the environmental
community in order to publicize environmental issues of mutual
concern, and 2) providing specialized, experienced, passionate,
and pragmatic environmental, legal, and technical assistance
to individuals and communities affected by past, current,
or proposed activities that threaten the environment,
natural resources, and/or human health.
11
-------
Resources
l-80&-Volunteer.Org
Points of Light Foundation
1400 I Street, NW
Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 729-8000
E-mail: 1800support@1800volunteer.org
Web Site: www. 1 -800-volunteer. org
1-800-Volunteer.org connects you to volun-
teer opportunities in your community
helps you track your volunteer service,
and sends you automatic e-mail notifica-
tions—enabling you to respond when
you're needed most.You can also conduct
a search for volunteer opportunities based
on issue and zip code.
America Recycles Day
Web Site: www.americarecyclesday.org
America Recycles Day is a national grass-
roots campaign dedicated to increasing
the purchase of recycled-content products
and recycling throughout America.
Action Without Borders
360 West 31st Street, Suite 1510
New York, NY 10001
Phone:(212)843-3973
Fax:(212)564-3377
Web Site: www.idealist.org
This organization maintains an Internet
database, Idealist, which currently boasts
the most detailed community of nonprofit
and volunteering resources on the Web.
Information is provided by 20,000 organi-
zations in 140 countries.Volunteers can
search for opportunities based on a vari-
ety of criteria, including their area of inter-
est, geographic location, or the duration of
time they are available.
12
Citizens' Environmental Coalition
33 Central Avenue
Albany, NY 12210
Phone:(518)462-5527
Fax:(518)465-8349
Web Site: www.cectoxic.org
The Citizens' Environmental Coalition is a
statewide environmental organization that
aims to eliminate pollution in
the state of New York.
Volunteers work to
empower, educate, and
assist others who are
concerned about envi-
ronmental problems and
to eliminate solid waste
and create healthier com-
munities.
Cornell Composting
Web Site: http://cwmi.css.cornell.edu/
composting.html
This Web site offers a comprehensive list-
ing of composting resources as well as
examples and case studies from Cornell's
Waste Management Institute.
Corporation for National & Community
Service
1201 New York Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20525
Phone: (202) 606-5000
E-mail: info@cns.gov
Web Site: www.cns.gov
National service partnerships offer oppor-
tunities for businesses, foundations, non-
profits, educational institutions, local and
state governments, and others to extend
their reach and further their effect on
communities. The Corporation for
-------
National Service currently has three main
service initiatives—Learn and Serve
America, AmeriCorps, and the National
Senior Service Corps—as well as partner-
ships with other national organizations.
Earth 911
Web Site: www.earthQl 1 .org
This site can help you locate local envi-
ronmental information and recycling cen-
ters for all types of recyclables based on
ZIP code.
Earth Force
1908 Mount Vernon Avenue
Second Floor
Alexandria.VA 22301
Phone: (800) 23-FORCE (233-6723)
Fax: (703) 299-9485
E-mail: earthforce@earthforce. org
Web Site: www.earthforce.org
Earth Force engages young people as
active citizens to improve the environment
and their communities now and in the
future. Earth Force offers training and sup-
porting educators in programs that enable
young people to lead community action
projects focused on creating sustainable
solutions to local environment issues in
the community
Eco-Cycle
Phone: (303) 444.6634 (Boulder, CO)
E-mail: recycle@ecocycle.org
Web Site: www.ecocycle.org
Eco-Cycle believes in indi-
vidual and community
action to transform soci-
ety's throwaway ethic into
environmentally friendly
stewardship. Its mission is
to provide publicly
accountable recycling;
offer conservation and
education services; and
identify, explore, and
demonstrate the emerging
frontiers of sustainable
resource management.
Environmental Alliance for Senior
Involvement (EASI)
PO. Box 250
Catlett.VA 20119-0250
Phone: (540) 788-3274
Fax: (540) 788-9301
Web Site: www.easi.org
EASI's mission is to build, promote, and uti-
lize the environmental ethic, expertise, and
commitment of older adults to expand cit-
izen involvement in protecting and caring
for the environment. In addition to provid-
ing information on senior environmental
programs, EASI publishes a quarterly
newsletter as well as a resource guide to
national projects.
Hands On Network (formerly City Cares)
600 Means Street, Suite 110
Atlanta, GA 30318
Phone: (404) 979-2900
Fax: (404) 979-2901
Web Site: www.citycares.org
Hands On Network is a national civic
movement bringing people together to
tackle tough community problems.
Keep America Beautiful (KAB)
1010 Washington Boulevard
Stamford, CT 06901
Phone: (203) 323-8987
Fax: (203) 325-9199
E-mail: info@kab.org
Web Site: www.kab.org
KAB is a nonprofit organization whose
network of local,state, and international
affiliate programs educates individuals
about litter prevention and ways to
reduce, reuse, recycle, and properly man-
age waste materials. Their programs focus
on enabling local volunteers to acquire
the skills, tools, and resources to work
together in building quality communities.
Through partnerships and strategic
alliances with citizens, businesses, and
government, KAB's programs motivate mil-
lions of volunteers annually to clean up,
beautify and improve their neighbor-
hoods, thereby creating healthier, safer, and
more livable community environments.
13
-------
National Wildlife Federation (NWF)
Campus Ecology Program
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston.VA 20190-5362
Phone: (703) 438-6000
Web Site: www.nwf.org/campusecology
Since its founding in 1989,NWF's Campus
Ecology Program has become a corner-
stone conservation initiative in higher edu-
cation. The program works to transform
the nation's college campuses into living
models of an ecologically sustainable
society to train a new generation of envi-
ronmental leaders, and to ensure a strong
future for America's environmental move-
ment. Its primary goal is to reduce
the need to reinvent the wheel
of environmental action from
campus to campus by com-
municating to campus
organizers what other envi-
ronmental leaders have
already learned. NWF's
Web site features a year-
book of successful programs
and activities.
Network for Good
8615 Westwood Center Dr.
Suite 1A
Vienna.VA 22182
Phone: (866) 650-4636
Fax:(703)265-6811
Web Site: www.networkforgood.org
Network for Good is a nonprofit organiza-
tion that connects individuals with their
favorite charities—making online dona-
tions, exploring volunteer opportunities,
and learning more about the causes that
matter most.
Points of Light Foundation
1400 I Street, NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 729-8000
Fax: (202) 729-8100
Web Site: www.pointsoflight.org
The Points of Light Foundation's mission is
to engage more people more effectively in
volunteer community service to help solve
serious social problems.The Foundation,
among other things, assists employers in
developing workplace volunteer programs
and helps develop youth service leaders
and youth service programs.
Seattle Works
312 First Avenue, N.
Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98109
Phone: (206) 324-0808
Fax:(206)324-0817
E-mail: info@seattleworks.org
Web Site: www.seattleworks.org
Seattle Works was founded in 1989 by a
group of young adults who saw the need
to involve their peers in community serv-
ice.The organization has since developed
several innovative volunteer programs that
mobilize people to get involved in their
community. Seattle Works operates on the
premise that people in their 20s and 30s
want to give back to their communities,
but often just don't know how or where to
do it most effectively
Student Conservation Association (SCA)
689 River Road
Charlestown, NH 03603-0550
Phone:(603)543-1700
Fax:(603)543-1828
Web Site: www.sca-inc.org
SCA is America's largest and oldest
provider of national and community con-
servation service opportunities, outdoor
education, and career training for youth.
SCA volunteers and interns annually per-
form more than 1 million hours of conser-
vation service in national parks, forests,
refuges, and urban areas in all 50 states.
14
-------
Recyder's World
Web Site: www.recycle.net
This site is a worldwide trading center for
information related to secondary or recy-
clable commodities, byproducts, and used
and surplus items or materials.The site
also offers a calendar of events, a listing of
associations, and a publications list.
The Compost Resource Page
Web Site: www.oldgrowth.org/compost
This site offers a detailed overview of com-
posting and a list of additional resources
on home composting and vermicompost-
ing.as well as composting toilets.
The Freecycle Network™
PO. Box 294
Tucson, AZ 85702
E-mail: info@freecycle.org
Web Site: www.freecycle.org
Freecycle aims to build a worldwide gift-
ing movement that reduces waste, saves
precious resources, and eases the burden
on landfills while enabling members to
benefit from the strength of a larger com-
munity Membership is free. Individuals in
a given community give and receive
unwanted items as a way to reuse and
recycle.
The Master Composter Site
Web Site: www.mastercomposter.com
Visitors to this site can learn everything
they might ever want to know about mak-
ing and using compost. The information is
geared toward home composters and
includes directions on how to build a
compost pile and contact information for
local composting programs.
. ,-
The Heart of America Foundation
401 F Street, NW
Suite 325
Washington, DC 2002
Phone: (202) 347-6278
Fax: (202) 347-8599
Web Site: www.heartofamerica.org
The Heart of America Foundation is a
national humanitarian network that cele-
brates, honors, and empowers both young
people and adults. One
of its initiatives, Heart
Corps, is a college
scholarship program
that rewards students
with financial credits
for their future educa-
tion based on time vol-
unteered for
community service.
Heart Corps gives stu-
dents an opportunity to
nourish their self-esteem, improve their
neighborhoods, and earn financial credits
toward their education through serving
their communities.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Office of Solid Waste (OSW)
Web Site: www.epa.gov/osw
OSW provides detailed information on
how to reduce, reuse, and recycle as well
as on composting and source reduction.
The site also provides an extensive list of
links to relevant sites.
The U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency's Environmentally Preferable
Purchasing Program (EPP)
Web Site: www.epa.gov/epp
EPP is a nationwide program that encour-
ages and assists executive agencies in the
purchasing of environmentally preferable
products and services.This site includes
tools to implement EPP.successful stories
and events, and an EPP discussion sec-
tion.
15
-------
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Volunteer Clearinghouse
Phone: (800) 865-8337
Web Site: www.orn.usace.armymil/
volunteer
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Volunteer Clearinghouse is a nationwide,
toll-free hotline for individuals who want
to volunteer their time with the Corps. By
calling the hotline, a potential volunteer
can express interest in any Corps project
nation wide. The Clearinghouse gives the
individual a point of contact for the area
they have requested, as well as written
information about the area's volunteer
opportunities.
VolunteerMatch
385 Grove Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
Phone:(415)241-6872
Fax:(415)241-6869
Web Site: www.volunteermatch.org
VolunteerMatch, a service of the nonprofit
group ImpactOnline, uses the Internet to
help individuals nationwide find volunteer
opportunities.VolunteerMatch's online
database allows volunteers to search thou-
sands of onetime and ongoing opportuni-
ties by ZIP code, category and date.
Youth Serve America (YSA)
1101 15th Street NW
Suite 200
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: (202) 296-2992
Web Site: www.servenet.org
YSA is a resource center and an alliance
of more than 200 organizations committed
to increasing the quantity and quality of
opportunities for young Americans to
serve locally, nationally, or globally YSAs
mission is to strengthen the effectiveness,
sustainability and scale of the youth serv-
ice movement.YSA believes a strong youth
service movement will create healthy
communities and foster citizenship, knowl-
edge, and personal development of young
people.
16
-------
Glossary
Biodegrade: To decompose under natural conditions—the breakdown of a com-
pound to simpler chemicals by microorganisms.
Compost: A crumbly, earthy sweet-smelling mixture of decomposing organic matter
(e.g..leaves,food scraps) that is often used to improve the texture,water-retaining
capacity and aeration of soil.
Grasscycling: Source reduction activity in which grass clippings are left on the
lawn after mowing.The practice consists of mowing grass so it is never more than
two to three inches tall. The grass clippings are left where they fall and allowed to
decompose, returning nutrients to the lawn.
Household hazardous waste (HHW): Small quantities of unused or leftover haz-
ardous products used in the home that become waste. Paints, pesticides, and some
cleaners are examples of household hazardous waste. Caution must be taken when
handling, storing, or disposing of these products.
Landfill: An engineered disposal site where solid wastes are deposited, compacted
to the smallest practical volume, and covered by soil or other material applied at
the end of each operating day Hazardous wastes are taken to special disposal sites
selected and designed to minimize the chance of releasing hazardous substances
into the environment.
Municipal solid waste: Wastes such as durable goods, disposable goods, containers
and packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes
from households, certain commercial establishments (e.g., businesses or restau-
rants), institutions (e.g..schools or hospitals), and some industrial sources. It does
not include nonhazardous industrial wastes, sewage, agricultural waste, hazardous
waste, or construction and demolition waste. Also known
as garbage, trash, refuse, or debris.
Recyclable: Material that still has useful physical or
chemical properties after serving its original purpose and
can be reused or remanufactured to make new products.
Plastic, paper, glass,steel and aluminum cans, and used
oil are examples of recyclable materials.
17
-------
Recycling: Collecting,sorting, processing, and converting materials that would have
been thrown away into raw materials used to make the same or new products.
Refurbish: To repair, clean, and make useful again. Some electronic manufacturing
companies and other businesses take back used equipment, refurbish it,
and sell it again.
Source reduction: Any change in the design, manufacture, pur-
chase, or use of materials or products (including packaging) to
reduce their amount or toxicity before they become municipal
solid waste. Source reduction also refers to the reuse of products
or materials.
Trash: Items that are discarded because they no longer work and
are uneconomical or impossible to reuse, repair, or recycle.
-------
Notes
-------
CD
Q.
-a
a>
0
DC
E
'c
8
c
o
-a
0
O
_0
0
D)
g-
0
c
O
'o
2
Q.
C73
O
CD
o
Q
1
8
CO
8 g
0 -EE
.£ D-
CO i_
e 5
O CL
§
DC
1
0
DC
>.<
-
------- |