Federal Government Celebrates National Pollution Prevention Week

President Bush kicked off National Pollution Prevention Week, September 16 to 20, 2002, with a proclamation:

I send greetings to those celebrating National Pollution Prevention Week.

Americans have a responsibility to ensure that our land is protected, our air is clean, our water is pure, and our parks are accessible. To fulfill this responsibility, government, businesses, community organizations, and individuals must cooperate to be good stewards of our natural resources.

During National Pollution Prevention Week, our Nation celebrates the work of public and private organizations to safeguard our land, air, and water. I commend the important efforts of the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable to reduce waste and promote the efficient use of materials and resources. By preventing pollution, we make our communities more livable, our businesses more competitive, and our world a cleaner place for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.

Laura joins me in sending our best wishes.

(A copy of the letter can be viewed on the National Pollution Prevention Roundtable's website.)

John Howard, the Federal Environmental Executive, also issued a statement:

We've made tremendous progress and learned a great deal in the last 20 years about pollution prevention. P2 Week in September 2002 gives us the opportunity to adopt those valuable lessons learned, better integrate pollution prevention into all that we do, and promote sustainable environmental stewardship throughout the federal government.

In addition, EPA launched its Resource Conservation Challenge at the National Recycling Congress on September 9, 2002. The initiative seeks to urge Americans to take renewed responsibility for their individual impact on the environment, boosting the national recycling rate from 30 percent to at least 35 percent and curbing by 50 percent the generation of 30 harmful chemicals normally found in hazardous waste. For more information on this initiative, P2 Week, and other great P2 work going on around the country, check out EPA's website.