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The logo above reflects this website's mission: It prioritizes waste reduction, and also recognizes the value of recycling and reusing.

"Reduction," to date, has not received much attention, and this hardly makes sense. Waste created:

uses natural resources,
creates air and water pollution, and
requires landfills or recycling centers to manage it at the end of its intended use.

Waste not created saves natural resources and reduces pollution.

An example? Since 1970, manufacturers have redesigned pop cans to reduce their aluminum content by about 33%. Have you noticed? Probably not, because it hasn't impacted your quality of life. The use of canvas bags at the store instead of paper or plastic is another example. Though it takes mental training to remember to use canvas, this practice might actually improve quality of life—no drawers-full of bags that eventually get pitched or recycled during spring cleanup.

Waste reduction shifts the emphasis from cleaning up pollution to avoiding it.

That's not always possible, but if we think outside of the box, who knows what can be accomplished? As Bill Stigliani, the director of the University of Northern Iowa's Center for Energy and Environmental Education says:

100 years ago . . . we dared to dream big, impossible dreams about the future and then shocked ourselves by actually achieving those dreams. Consider that within a period of 65 years, from 1904 to 1969, we went from transport by horse and buggy to landing a man on the moon!

Would it be possible within the next 30 years to reduce waste in America by 50%, and have a better quality of life than we currently have? Is this a more difficult challenge than going from horse-and-buggy to moon-buggy in 65 years?

Studies repeatedly show that quality of life is boosted through good relationships, leisure time to pursue interests, financial security, and other non-material factors. This website is devoted to helping educators teach their students about waste issues, and how those students can dream big and help create an healthier planet and ever-brighter future.

As Margaret Mead said: A small group of thoughtful people could change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.

Check out this website's
• New, by-topic, Links format—now easier to use and find what you want
• Powerpoint presentation by Brian Tormey of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources about the challenges and changes Iowa must face in solid waste management
• Inspiring quotes

Website Mission
This website's mission is to provide formal and nonformal educators with resources, lesson plans and a forum for information exchange to facilitate education about waste primarily in K-12 classrooms. Click here for information about the Center for Energy and Environmental Education.

Website mission: Provide formal and nonformal educators with resources, lessons plans, and a forum for information exchange to facilitate education about waste in K-12 classrooms. Webmaster: Susan Salterberg, Center for Energy and Environmental Education, University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0293; salterberg@uni.edu Last Updated: January 5, 2005; Copyright 2005 University of Northern Iowa. All Rights Reserved. http://www.uni.edu/ceee/wastereduction

Thanks to the Iowa Waste Reduction Center at the University of Northern Iowa and especially to their director, John Konefes, and to their webmaster, Jason Ebensberger, for assistance with this website. This website was prepared with the support of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources Contract Number 04-G550-24. However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of IDNR. Funding support was also provided by the Resource Enhancement and Protection Conservation Education Program (REAP CEP): Invest in Iowa , our outdoors, our heritage, our people. REAP is supported by the state of Iowa, providing funding to public and private partners for natural and cultural resource projects, including water quality, wildlife habitat, soil conservation, parks, trails, historic preservation and more.