NEWS - 12/5/03

Media Advisory
Contact: Marianne Martin, 303-492-8307

'Eco-Elves' invade UMC, residence halls armed with green holiday tips

WHO: CU Environmental Center and CU Recycling staff and volunteers
WHAT: Costumed elves to distribute information on having a "green" and waste-free holiday season
WHERE: University Memorial Center, food court area
WHEN: Monday, Dec. 8 through Friday, December 12 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

CU Environmental Center and Recycling staff will be donning their elf suits for the annual distribution of recycling literature in the UMC next week with hopes of reaching out to the student body with tips on minimizing waste this holiday season.

Americans throw away 25 percent more trash - an additional 5 million tons - between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Considering that Coloradoans already produce 60 percent more garbage per person per day than the national average, there is plenty of opportunity for us to reduce, reuse and recycle over the next few weeks!

Some tips the Eco-Elves will suggest include buying recycled-content greeting cards, wrapping presents in cloth or decorating them with plain paper, reusing shopping bags, giving gift certificates, and using last year’s cards as gift tags.

“The Eco-Elves are a fun way to attract attention to the amount of waste we produce during the holiday season. From using non-disposable plates and cups at holiday parties to properly disposing of Christmas trees, each action makes a difference and raises the awareness of our friends and family,” explains Marianne Martin, Assistant Director of the CU Environmental Center.

For more information and for specific information on when and where to find the Eco-Elves, contact the CU Environmental Center at 303-492-8308 or ecenter@colorado.edu.

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