FUN FACTS

• From 1990 through 1999 Californians have kept 140 million tons of waste out of landfills. It takes nearly three full years for California to landfill that amount of garbage. That is almost one ton diverted every two seconds from the start of 1990 to the end of 1999. That is one ton diverted for every mile from here to the Sun!
• To carry that load, a space shuttle full of trash would need to have taken off every 35 seconds from the beginning of 1990 through the end of 1999.
• If carried in garbage trucks lined up bumper to bumper, the 140 million tons of waste would circle the Earth at the equator 4 complete times.
• Every ton of paper diverted saved 7,000 gallons of water, 17 trees, and 4,100 KW hours of energy (U.S. EPA). Every ton of glass diverted saved more than a ton of natural resources and approximately 30 percent of the energy (The Recyclers Handbook).
• Junk mail is a nuisance to nearly every household and business, not to mention, the environment. Each year, more than 4 million tons (62 billion pieces) of junk mail is produced. To produce this mail, 100 million trees and 28 billion gallons of water are used. It is estimated that the average household receives 100 pounds of junk mail a year, nearly 1.5 trees worth.

To remove your name from junk mail lists, send a postcard with your name (list all the ways it appears on your junk mail) and your address to:

WASTE PREVENTION TIPS FOR HOME AND OFFICE

Don't be left out, join in the recycling and waste prevention fun! Just place your used paper in the recycling box next to your desk or in the common areas, and practice a few of the waste prevention tips below:

• Make double-sided copies whenever possible (at the copy machine and from your printer);
• Reuse the back-side of outdated documents for draft reports and/or scratch paper;
• Route memos and magazines with routing lists;
• Reduce unwanted junk mail being sent to work or home with one simple postcard;
• Reduce fax cover page with post-it fax cover stickers; and,
• Reuse envelopes by placing a label over the prior pre-printed address.
• Buy items made from recycled content materials (such as . educe fax cover page with post-it fax cover stickers; and,
• Reuse envelopes by placing a label over the prior pre-printed address.
• Buy products with little or no packaging and buying the largest size I can use. (This not only saves on the amount of materials folks throw in their trash or recycling cans, but also saves money!)
• Buy reusable, quality products such as non-disposable cameras, reusable or electric razors, and reusable dishes, mugs and utensils. (This may cost more up front, but can save that same household up to $1,000 a year.)
• Bring your own mug when I get coffee. Paper cups waste money and landfill space. Plus, bringing your own cup to local coffee houses can save you an average of $36.00 a year.
• Take only what I need (i.e.: refusing a give-a-way I don't need, a bag, a flyer or brochure).
• Think about not wasting electricity or water whenever possible.
• Use rechargeable batteries. ($200 annual savings by just using them in a cassette player used two hours a day.)
• Save gas by using public transportation or carpooling (888) 817-1717 to work.
• Compost backyard trimmings as well as my fruit & vegetable scraps.
• Reduce the amount of junk mail you get by writing to: Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P.O. Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY, 11735-9608.

SPECIAL PROGRAMS

Electronic waste:

Electronic waste consisting of discarded computers, TVs, cellular phones and other electronic equipment and gadgets, is an enormous problem in California. Rapid advances in technology have created the potential for mountains of e-waste. The environmental impact of electronics disposal affects not only the volume of our landfills but also poses a significant hazardous waste problem. The State of California has banned televisions and computer monitors from landfills because of the large amounts of lead and other hazardous contents in the glass of the cathode ray tube (CRT), or visual display of the monitor. Many programs are now in place for reusing and recycling used electronics. Items less than 5 years old can often be donated for reuse. Please call the RecycleWorks hotline at 1-888-442-2666 for donation information. To find out where to recycle e-waste in San Mateo County, please see San Mateo CountyÍs
E-Waste Recycling Guide.

Have a No Waste Lunch at Home or at School:

Did you know that if you use a disposable lunch, you will make between 4-8 ounces of garbage everyday?
To save natural resources:

• Carry your lunch in a lunch box, a reusable bag or a brown bag made from recycled paper.
• Reuse cottage cheese containers or reusable plastic containers for sandwiches and snacks.
• Use a cloth napkin.
• Put your fruit juice or other liquids in a thermos or reusable container.
• Bring utensils that you can wash and reuse.
• If you must use a disposable plastic bag wash it out and keep reusing it.
• If you purchase your snacks in a large container and bring your snack in a reusable container you are reducing your waste by only disposing of one package instead of all the individual packages.
• Pack fresh fruit since it doesn't require any additional packaging.
• Aluminum foil can be reused and then recycled at most buyback centers in our county. Check: Where to Recycle under metals: aluminum foil.
• Set up a vermicomposting bin to feed the worms your food waste-everything except meat, cheese and dairy products.

Other web sites with information about recycling include:

Earth 911 - (800) Clean-Up - www.earth911.org/