Suggested Activities Benefits Tips Additional Resources

Suggested Activities for National Pollution Prevention Week

• Hold a pollution prevention business fair
• Set up mentorship programs
• Hold facility tours of "clean shops"
• Host a workshop on pollution prevention for regulatory compliance and cost savings
• Provide a focus on "green" office purchasing
• Recognize employees who have demonstrated commitment to pollution prevention
• Distribute promotional materials on your current activities
• Host a brown bag lunch or breakfast seminar on P2
• Provide on-site prevention audits or technical assistance to others
• Tell other businesses about your P2 activities
• Evaluate existing waste practices and P2 options
• Conduct in-house training on P2
• Hold a "Convert a Paper Document to Electronic Format Day"
• Hold a "Reuse Inter-office Envelopes Day"
• Distribute industry-specific P2 fact sheets
• Organize a contest to reward employees for developing P2 ideas
• Visit local schools and educate kids on P2 concepts they can do at home
• Carpool to work
• If you do not have a recycling program, start one
• Bring your lunch to work or walk to the nearest eatery instead of driving
• Use reusable containers, cups, and flatware for meals
• Coordinate a hazardous waste collection
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• Provide assistance to teachers on P2 curricula
• Look for ways to reduce your wastewaters
• Hold a "Bike-To-Work" day
• Distribute payroll stuffers announcing events such as ride shares

• Produce, promote, and distribute a resource list for regulatory assistance and pollution prevention
• Organize a Pollution Prevention Week speakers bureau
• Hold a breakfast spotlighting various P2 accomplishments
• Educate the public through fairs or at shopping malls
• Have a "Clean-Up Day" for local areas
• Provide an article for newsletters or local newspapers focusing on a particular pollution prevention practice
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• Distribute pre-addressed postcards requesting removal from junk mailing lists
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• Circulate P2 Week promotional materials, such as posters
• Convene an in-house training on pollution prevention in your organization
• Host an open house at your organization
• Use electronic messages to notify staff in your organization about Pollution Prevention Week
• Use both sides of a piece of paper
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• Organize a "Make Up Your Own Pollution Prevention Idea Day"
• Participate in Pollution Prevention Week September 18-25, 2000. Contact your local public agencies to find out about what activities are planned

Your business or program enhances its image as it promotes the following benefits of waste reduction:

• Decreases or eliminates the generation of pollutants and wastes
• Reduces health and safety risks to workers and the general public
• Enhances community and employee health
• Reduces emissions to air and water resources and improves the ambient environment
• Establishes proactive environmental management

• Saves money by reducing the quantity of materials and resources used
• Extends the useful life of disposal facilities
• Can reduce waste collection costs
• Reduces worker and environmental liability
• Reduces energy costs through energy efficiency and conservation
• Supports operational efficiency and lowers production costs
• Eliminates unnecessary environmental remediation
• Improves employee morale, teamwork and productivity
• Slows consumption of valuable nonrenewable resources
• Encourages the development of new technologies
• Serves as a tool for achieving sustainable economic development

• Promotes environmental regulatory compliance
• Assists wastewater treatment plants in reducing toxins and maintaining regulatory compliance
• Supports environmental management planning and protection of natural resources
• Leads to public-private partnerships and enhanced communications
• Promotes voluntary compliance and improves relations with the regulated community

• Various awards are available for those organizations that show accomplishments in the area of Pollution Prevention. For example, the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable annually holds a Most Valuable Pollution Prevention Awards (MVP2) ceremony to honor the most innovative and successful P2 programs in the country.

• Identify the key stakeholders and get their input and cooperation
• Hold regular planning meetings
• Plan activities that are well-suited for your agency, industry, or community
• Contact others who have held successful P2 activities. Have a clear vision of how you want your activity to turn out
• Determine the target audience of your activity
• Focus on a specific message, information, or assistance
• Co-promote and co-produce activities with other organizations and individuals
• Widely promote your activities

Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance web site: http://www.moea.state.mn.us/ or call 651-296-3417 or toll-free 800-657-3843.

National Association of Counties web site: http://www.naco.org

National Pollution Prevention Roundtable (contact Michele Russo) at (202) 466-P2P2 or by e-mail at michelerusso@compuserve.com. for more information on P2 Week, the MVP2 Awards program or for a copy of any of the P2 Week Posters