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Inform (environmental organization)
Encyclopedia
Inform, Inc. is a non-profit environmental organization
based in New York City
. Founded in 1973, Inform has published more than 100 reports covering chemical hazard
prevention, solid waste prevention, extended producer responsibility
, and sustainable transportation. Inform uses media, such as video, to educate the public about the environmental effects of various consumer products.
During 1976-1978, Inform investigated the land sales industry. The investigation led to proposed consumer amendments in the Federal Interstate Land Sales Reform Act.
In 1986, recommendations made by David Sarokin and Warren Muir, researchers at Inform, resulted in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's creation of the Toxics Release Inventory
.
Chemical research done by Inform on the benefits of waste prevention helped lead to the federal 1990 Pollution Prevention
Act.
Dow Chemical Company
named Joanna Underwood to serve as part of its seven-member Corporate Environmental Advisory Council in the early nineties. By creating this council, Dow aimed to allow environmental advocates to examine its business practices.
In 1995, Inform published a Toxics Watch report, which revealed that a significant portion of the toxic waste released into the environment originates from consumer products instead of chemical manufacturing plants.
In 2000, Inform's Bus Futures report concluded that investment in natural gas buses is crucial in the development of cleaner buses and air.
Between 2004 and 2005, Inform had assisted more than 77 institutions in the Northeastern United States
prevent more than 56,000 pounds of toxic chemicals from reaching the waste stream.
On January 17, 2008, Inform released The Secret Life of Cell Phones online. This video details the implications of disposed unrecycled cell phones and the benefits of recycling old cell phones. The video has reached an audience of over 25,000 people in 87 countries and has been discussed on over 50 blogs.
In August 2009, Inform released The Secret Life of Paper. The video has won the "Rethinking Resources Award" at the Ninth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival. Future videos in the series will deal with beef, antibacterial soap
s, jeans
, and plastic bags.
Environmental organization
An environmental organization is an organization that seeks to protect, analyze or monitor the environment against misuse or degradation or lobby for these goals....
based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. Founded in 1973, Inform has published more than 100 reports covering chemical hazard
Chemical hazard
A chemical hazard arises from contamination of an area with harmful or potentially harmful chemicals. Possible sources of chemical hazards include the burning of fossils, materials and chemicals used in construction and industry, pollution of the environment and water supply, chemical spillages,...
prevention, solid waste prevention, extended producer responsibility
Extended producer responsibility
Extended producer responsibility is a strategy designed to promote the integration of environmental costs associated with goods throughout their life cycles into the market price of the products.- Definition :...
, and sustainable transportation. Inform uses media, such as video, to educate the public about the environmental effects of various consumer products.
History
Inform was founded in 1973 by Joanna Underwood in order to document the environmental impact of business practices and identify practical options for change. Inform's research has been cited as providing "the intellectual underpinning for other advocacy groups".During 1976-1978, Inform investigated the land sales industry. The investigation led to proposed consumer amendments in the Federal Interstate Land Sales Reform Act.
In 1986, recommendations made by David Sarokin and Warren Muir, researchers at Inform, resulted in the United States Environmental Protection Agency's creation of the Toxics Release Inventory
Toxics Release Inventory
The Toxics Release Inventory is a publicly available database containing information on toxic chemical releases and other waste management activities in the United States.-Summary of requirements:...
.
Chemical research done by Inform on the benefits of waste prevention helped lead to the federal 1990 Pollution Prevention
Pollution prevention
Pollution prevention ' describes activities that reduce the amount of pollution generated by a process, whether it is consumer consumption, driving, or industrial production...
Act.
Dow Chemical Company
Dow Chemical Company
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan, United States. As of 2007, it is the second largest chemical manufacturer in the world by revenue and as of February 2009, the third-largest chemical company in the world by market capitalization .Dow...
named Joanna Underwood to serve as part of its seven-member Corporate Environmental Advisory Council in the early nineties. By creating this council, Dow aimed to allow environmental advocates to examine its business practices.
In 1995, Inform published a Toxics Watch report, which revealed that a significant portion of the toxic waste released into the environment originates from consumer products instead of chemical manufacturing plants.
In 2000, Inform's Bus Futures report concluded that investment in natural gas buses is crucial in the development of cleaner buses and air.
Between 2004 and 2005, Inform had assisted more than 77 institutions in the Northeastern United States
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
prevent more than 56,000 pounds of toxic chemicals from reaching the waste stream.
The Secret Life Series
Part of Inform's Media Project, The Secret Life Series consists of several videos examining the environmental impacts of everyday items. The goal of this series is to increase awareness about the ways that production and consumption affect the environment and public health.On January 17, 2008, Inform released The Secret Life of Cell Phones online. This video details the implications of disposed unrecycled cell phones and the benefits of recycling old cell phones. The video has reached an audience of over 25,000 people in 87 countries and has been discussed on over 50 blogs.
In August 2009, Inform released The Secret Life of Paper. The video has won the "Rethinking Resources Award" at the Ninth Annual Media That Matters Film Festival. Future videos in the series will deal with beef, antibacterial soap
Antibacterial soap
Antibacterial soap is any cleaning product to which active antibacterial ingredients have been added. These chemicals kill bacteria and microbes, but are no more effective at deactivating viruses than any other kind of soap or detergent, and they also kill nonpathogenic bacteria.-Ingredients:Most...
s, jeans
Jeans
Jeans are trousers made from denim. Some of the earliest American blue jeans were made by Jacob Davis, Calvin Rogers, and Levi Strauss in 1873. Starting in the 1950s, jeans, originally designed for cowboys, became popular among teenagers. Historic brands include Levi's, Lee, and Wrangler...
, and plastic bags.
Awards
Inform has received awards for its research on the environment:- 1976: National Energy FoundationNational Energy FoundationThe National Energy Foundation is an independent British charity, established to encourage the more sustainable use and generation of energy.- Aims :...
Award - 1987: US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award
- 1992: US EPA Administrator’s Award, given because of Inform's national leadership in pollution prevention
- 1992: US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award
- 1993: Federal Fleet Conversion Task Force, received for Inform's staff service on its working group, which was established by an executive order made by President Bill ClintonBill ClintonWilliam Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
- 1994: Consolidated Edison of New York’s Enlightened Energy Award, given for Inform's energy conservation efforts
- 1994: City Club of New York’s Earth DayEarth DayEarth Day is a day that is intended to inspire awareness and appreciation for the Earth's natural environment. The name and concept of Earth Day was allegedly pioneered by John McConnell in 1969 at a UNESCO Conference in San Francisco. The first Proclamation of Earth Day was by San Francisco, the...
Award, given for Inform's leadership in finding solutions to the city’s municipal solid waste problem - 1997: American Society for Public AdministrationAmerican Society for Public AdministrationThe American Society for Public Administration is a membership association in the United States sponsoring conferences and providing professional services primarily to those who study the implementation of government policy, public administration, and, to a lesser degree, programs of civil society...
, New York Metropolitan Chapter’s Excellence in Public Service-Outstanding Organization Award - 2009 The Rethinking Resources Award at the Ninth Annual Media that Matters Film Festival
See also
- SustainabilitySustainabilitySustainability is the capacity to endure. For humans, sustainability is the long-term maintenance of well being, which has environmental, economic, and social dimensions, and encompasses the concept of union, an interdependent relationship and mutual responsible position with all living and non...
- BiodiversityBiodiversityBiodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
- Global warmingGlobal warmingGlobal warming refers to the rising average temperature of Earth's atmosphere and oceans and its projected continuation. In the last 100 years, Earth's average surface temperature increased by about with about two thirds of the increase occurring over just the last three decades...
- RecyclingRecyclingRecycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
- EcologyEcologyEcology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
- Earth ScienceEarth scienceEarth science is an all-embracing term for the sciences related to the planet Earth. It is arguably a special case in planetary science, the Earth being the only known life-bearing planet. There are both reductionist and holistic approaches to Earth sciences...
- Natural environmentNatural environmentThe natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
- The New York Foundation