{Posted by Jeff Gustafson, Campus Progress Action Grantee and SustainUS delegate to Pland}
Of the many symbols of American culture, perhaps none is as iconic or sacred as the National Mall. The Mall is hallowed ground, the monumental core of the capital city. Stretching from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall is truly the "people's park." This is where millions of Americans have come to rally, protest, and recreate; where powerful words were uttered that changed the nation's course forever; where the past and future collide and the "stage of our democracy" is set. Today, over 25-million people visit the National Mall every year - more than any other National Park.
Walking from museum to museum or monument to monument, it's easy to overlook one the most ubiquitous elements of the National Mall experience: trashcans.
Of the many symbols of American culture, perhaps none is as iconic or sacred as the National Mall. The Mall is hallowed ground, the monumental core of the capital city. Stretching from the Capitol Building to the Lincoln Memorial, the National Mall is truly the "people's park." This is where millions of Americans have come to rally, protest, and recreate; where powerful words were uttered that changed the nation's course forever; where the past and future collide and the "stage of our democracy" is set. Today, over 25-million people visit the National Mall every year - more than any other National Park.
Walking from museum to museum or monument to monument, it's easy to overlook one the most ubiquitous elements of the National Mall experience: trashcans. Read More »
I saw this article on Utne's site about recycling your clothing. It seems like a good idea.
Even accounting for the environmental impact of shipping to the recycling plant, [one clothing recycling outlet] reports a 76 percent decrease in energy use and a 71 percent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions compared to using virgin materials.
The article has more details about specific ways to recycle, but there seems to be a void to fill here. Many of the clothing companies recycle only their own clothing, or only one type of clothing (like jeans). Meanwhile, when I clean out my closet I end up with a mix of dresses, pants, shoes, shirts, and various, um, underitems. While it seems that Goodwill, when it partnered with Banana Republic, worked to recycle items, most of the time you're left with an assortment of goods. Maybe there should be a nonprofit that specializes in collecting all used clothing items and finding ways to recycle them. Meanwhile, I'll go back to cleaning out my closet and drop a bunch of stuff off at Goodwill.
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