We can't throw it away any more. There is no "away." The four magic
"R-words" for reducing solid waste are: Reduce, Repair, Reuse, Recycle.

It would also help if we lobbied for smarter packaging that is either biodegradable or recyclable.

"Our heritage of wastefulness is derived from an economy which now demands that the volume of waste be constantly increased in order that the economy itself be maintained." --Percy H. McGaughey, 29 June 1965, testimony, U.S. House Interstate and Foreign Commerce subcommittee. Take a geo-course in solid waste and be sure to read the cartoons!

The EPA provides dozens of documents about recycling, proper waste disposal, and pollution abatement.

Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response Information on cleaning up contaminated properties; preventing and preparing for chemical accidents and oil spills; and managing waste safely.

Wehner's Waste Links This web site discusses 3 possible solutions to solid waste. It also has links to games and other information about recycling.

Biopoint lists a gallery of teacher-created online learning activities: WebQuests, MiniQuests, and ProjectPages.

Where does it go? What happens to all the trash we generate in our household, and how does it affect our lives? Learn all about this with online quizzes, poems, cartoons, and more!

DNR Kids Web: Solid Waste and Recycling. Main page of the solid waste section of the DNR kidsweb. Lots of great Q & A to get kids thinking.

Kids Recycle! is a project of the GrassRoots Recycling Network.

Oregon has a long list of waste reduction programs.

The Biodiversity Project shares inspiring stories of everyday Americans working to make a difference for biodiversity. Did you know that Lake Tahoe, Nevada, planned its garbage collection with black bears in mind, or that Key West, Florida re-thought its approach to stormwater run-off in order to better protect the nearby coral reefs? See "Great Communities"

New York City back on the recycling track

Internet Consumer Recyclying Guide is for regular folks with regular household quantities of materials to recycle. The goal is to help make recycling so easy and automatic that it blends into the flow of everyday life.

Waste-to-Energy: Solutions for Solid Waste Problems for the 21st Century. Waste incineration provides an integrated answer to ridding our cities of mountains of waste, beefing up the energy supply, and optimizing use of property dedicated for landfills. www.p2pays.org/ref/09/08624.pdf

Waste to art: GreenWorks found five artists who place trash in a new context, and use their expanded imaginations to create works of art that range from simple earrings to elaborate homes.

Read a report on the World Summit on Sustainable Development (2002): http://www.usda.gov/sustainable/World%20Summit%20index.htm

MORE GREEN PROJECTS

"You may be interested in the pollution prevention efforts WMRC (Illinois Waste Management and Research Center, a Division of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources) is undertaking with manufacturing companies, especially metal finishing (electroplaters) and printed wiring board (PWB) sectors. We also have a 20 minute video on our work with the Metal Finishers."
Malcolm Boyle
Waste Management and Research Center (WMRC) /
IL Dept. of Natural Resources
1010 Jorie Blvd., Suite 12,
Oak Brook, IL 60523 website: www.wmrc.uiuc.edu
Voice: 630.472.5028 Fax: 630.472.5023 mboyle@wmrc.uiuc.ed