News and Events

WASTE IS BIG CLIMATE PROBLEM, NEW REPORT FINDS - A zero waste approach revealed as a top climate protection strategy: Winston-Salem, NC June 5 – Today the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League joined with environmental groups across the United States to release the new report, Stop Trashing the Climate. This timely report, on United Nations World Environment Day and with North Carolina in the midst of a major early June heat wave, points the way for North Carolina to move forward to reduce waste and simultaneously to cut the state’s greenhouse gas emissions. BREDL Press Release and link to Report

October 25, 2006: Boone, NC Town Council passes Resolution creating a Zero Waste Plan in order to eliminate waste and pollution in the manufacture, use, storage and recycling of materials.. Read October 23, 2006 Watauga Democrat article | View Resolution passed by Boone on October 19, 2006.

Feb. 16, 2006: A recent article in Purchasing Magazine reports on packaging PVC clamshells. In the Feb. 16 article "The battle rages over use of PVC clamshells", Microsoft attorney, Joan Krajewski, "estimates its replacement of PVC packaging with corrugated cardboard and recyclable plastic packaging will remove more than 800,000 lbs from landfills annually."
Jay Watts, senior manager of the Microsoft package engineering management team, says "as part of the project, we were able to eliminate clamshells altogether-not just the PVC but the clamshell itself-from 60-70% of our packaging, so no substitution was needed at all." Those clamshells made of plastic still in use now are made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), he says, "and 25% of that resin is recycled material."
The entire article may be viewed at: Purchasing Magazine - http://www.purchasing.com/article/CA6305337.html

Feb. 14, 2006: The San Francisco Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on February 14, 2006 to pass a resolution that supports statewide legislation and local initiatives requiring manufacturers to take responsibility for collecting and recycling their products at the end of their useful life. View the San Francisco EPR Resolution.

Feb. 11, 2006: Jasmine ShoShanna, with help from Marjory Holder, writes about a Zero Waste dinner held in Boone, NC as well as her personal experience of minimizing waste at home.

Sept. 09, 2005: BREDL letter to New York City's Mayor Bloomberg endorsing the New York City Zero Waste Campaign and urging his support.

April 28, 2004: Added model for Resolution for Zero Waste. This resolution can be adapted and passed by local communities.

August 17, 2001 - Roanoke, Va sees savings with new recycling collection service

March 2, 2000 - BREDL's comments on Roanoke, VA's recycling and hazardous waste programs

April 8, 1999 - BREDL Press Release - Anson County Citizens Against Chemical Toxins in Underground Storage (CACTUS) and the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League (BREDL) join a new national coalition asking Congress to end federal taxpayer subsidies that waste natural resources, damage the environment, hurt local recycling businesses and discourage recycling.

Sept. 22, 1998 - Town of Carrboro, NC Resolution Supporting the Creation of a Zero Waste Plan | Town of Carrboro, NC Resolution Relating to Management of Waste From Manufactured Products and Packaging (Posted April 10, 2001)