December 18, 2003

Green Star joined forces with BUY ALASKA (a program of the Alaska Small Business Development Center) and the Dimond Center to Trade Catalogs for Cash at the Great Catalog Roundup. The goal of the event was to promote local purchasing while reducing the amount of waste discarded in Anchorage.

In November, 880 Anchorage residents each brought five mail-order catalogs to the Dimond Center. In trade, they each received a $5 Dimond Center gift certificate. The one-day event collected two truckloads, approximately 1,500 pounds, of catalogs for recycling. While waiting to turn in their catalogs, residents also learned how to further reduce their waste generation by getting off junk mail lists and avoiding getting on many lists to begin with.

“Many people told us that they often get five mail order catalogs a day and were very excited to learn how to get off mailing lists, “said Stella Josephine of the BUY ALASKA program. She added, “When asked about their mail order experiences, most people revealed that while the ordering part seemed so easy, disappointments with the product, surprise shipping costs, and the inconvenience of mailing back returns often made them return to local retailers where they can touch the products, ask questions, and easily make returns.”

According to BUY ALASKA, Alaskans currently spend $7 billion dollars with businesses outside of Alaska each year. Every dollar spent outside Alaska is one dollar that does not go into the local economy. Through the Catalog Roundup, BUY ALASKA and the Dimond Center hope to bring shoppers back to Alaska and away from outside mail-order and on-line shopping. This is the season to shop locally, since retailers in Alaska count on making about 50% of their annual revenue during the holidays.

Green Star supplied recycling bins and volunteers for the event to recycle the catalogs collected. Green Star also provided information about ways to reduce the quantity of mail-order catalogs that come into our homes, as well as additional locations in Anchorage to recycle the catalogs residents may already have received. U.S. residents discard about eight million tons of magazines and catalogs each year.

“The event was a great success and we plan to do it again,” said Mary Fairbanks, Marketing Manager of the Dimond Center. The three organizations involved in the Roundup are planning to hold the event twice next year – once in the spring and again in the fall. So don’t throw away those catalogs!

For more information about reducing junk mail or other Green Star programs, contact Sean Skaling at (907) 278-7827 or email sean@greenstarinc.org. Visit Green Star’s web site at www.greenstarinc.org. For more information about BUY ALASKA or the Catalog Roundup, contact Stella Josephine at 274-7232, stella@buyalaska.com or visit www.buyalaska.com.


		NEWS RELEASE December 18, 2003 For Immediate Release GREAT CATALOG ROUNDUP A SUCCESS Green Star joined forces with BUY ALASKA (a program of the Alaska Small Business Development Center) and the Dimond Center to Trade Catalogs for Cash at the Great Catalog Roundup. The goal of the event was to promote local purchasing while reducing the amount of waste discarded in Anchorage. In November, 880 Anchorage residents each brought five mail-order catalogs to the Dimond Center. In trade, they each received a $5 Dimond Center gift certificate. The one-day event collected two truckloads, approximately 1,500 pounds, of catalogs for recycling. While waiting to turn in their catalogs, residents also learned how to further reduce their waste generation by getting off junk mail lists and avoiding getting on many lists to begin with. “Many people told us that they often get five mail order catalogs a day and were very excited to learn how to get off mailing lists, “said Stella Josephine of the BUY ALASKA program. She added, “When asked about their mail order experiences, most people revealed that while the ordering part seemed so easy, disappointments with the product, surprise shipping costs, and the inconvenience of mailing back returns often made them return to local retailers where they can touch the products, ask questions, and easily make returns.” According to BUY ALASKA, Alaskans currently spend $7 billion dollars with businesses outside of Alaska each year. Every dollar spent outside Alaska is one dollar that does not go into the local economy. Through the Catalog Roundup, BUY ALASKA and the Dimond Center hope to bring shoppers back to Alaska and away from outside mail-order and on-line shopping. This is the season to shop locally, since retailers in Alaska count on making about 50% of their annual revenue during the holidays. Green Star supplied recycling bins and volunteers for the event to recycle the catalogs collected. Green Star also provided information about ways to reduce the quantity of mail-order catalogs that come into our homes, as well as additional locations in Anchorage to recycle the catalogs residents may already have received. U.S. residents discard about eight million tons of magazines and catalogs each year. “The event was a great success and we plan to do it again,” said Mary Fairbanks, Marketing Manager of the Dimond Center. The three organizations involved in the Roundup are planning to hold the event twice next year – once in the spring and again in the fall. So don’t throw away those catalogs! For more information about reducing junk mail or other Green Star programs, contact Sean Skaling at (907) 278-7827 or email sean@greenstarinc.org. Visit Green Star’s web site at www.greenstarinc.org. For more information about BUY ALASKA or the Catalog Roundup, contact Stella Josephine at 274-7232, stella@buyalaska.com or visit www.buyalaska.com. ###