Taking The Lid Off America's Trash Cans: GLAD Uncovers Country's Waste Habits With Photojournalist Peter Menzel

OAKLAND, Calif., April 8, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On average, Americans send about half of their waste to landfill. Focused on spreading awareness about this eye-opening issue, The Glad Products Company sponsored award-winning photojournalist Peter Menzel and writer Faith D'Aluisio's newest photo series, a project called "Waste in Focus," that takes a real life, moment-in-time look at what eight families around the country are recycling, composting and sending to landfill in a recent week.  

The families, each with four members, live in San Francisco, Atlanta, Phoenix and New York City, and are of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Working with a precise set of instructions, but asked not to change their usual waste management habits, each of the eight families saved one week's worth of household trash and recycling. D'Aluisio and Menzel then sorted, weighed, cataloged and cleaned the waste, as well as participated in a consultation with regional waste managers to ensure accuracy in item placement for the resulting portraits. With consistency in each photo – recycling on one side and landfill trash on the other – the team independently developed data and stories to accompany each photo.

"After more than 40 years as a photojournalist, I'm extremely conscious of the story that the images I capture are telling and this project was no different," said Peter Menzel, photojournalist and co-author, with Faith D'Aluisio, of the award winning book – Hungry Planet: What the World Eats. "Faith and I have wanted to visually tell a story about waste in our consumer society for many years and we were intrigued when GLAD came to us with an offer to sponsor this public service campaign. This is a great way to start a conversation about trash literacy, and how the U.S. can better handle its waste."

GLAD will formally unveil the eight "Waste in Focus" photos on Thursday, April 10, partnering with the New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY) at a press conference in Times Square. A supporter of the city's curbside collection of organic materials, which aims to reduce the 11,000 tons of waste New Yorkers produce every day, GLAD joins city officials to announce the broad expansion of the program to more than 100,000 new homes and discuss how local municipalities influence the amount of waste diverted to recycling and compost. GLAD is providing 32,000 coupons to residents of New York City that are part of the expanded program. The photo exhibit will also be on display at New York's Union Square on Earth Day.

"As a category leader, GLAD has a long history of making innovative products that help consumers waste less and help lessen the company's own environmental impact, as well as spreading awareness of waste reduction," said Scott Lazarczyk, marketing director, The Glad Products Company. "In support of the Environmental Protection Agency's goal to divert 80 percent of waste from landfills by 2020, GLAD is sponsoring this photographic series as one of many ways to help educate consumers about the importance of reaching this goal."

Helping to Provide a Solution
The Glad Products Company recognizes the role its products play in helping consumers waste less and is on a mission to do its part to help consumers learn more about waste reduction. The following tips are a good place to start:

1. Most composting involves waiting for organic materials to aerobically decompose, but coffee grounds and eggshells can be sprinkled in your garden immediately.
2. Some fruits, like apples and tomatoes give off natural gases that speed up spoilage of other produce. Store them separately and keep vegetables apart from fruits to reduce food waste.
3. Some fruits and veggies like bananas and potatoes aren't fridge-friendly. Keep these in a dry, cool place instead.
4. In addition to newspaper, most communities accept corrugated cardboard and tissue boxes. Some even accept catalogues and phone books.
5. Salsa and peanut butter jars are two examples of reusable containers for food storage. And when it's time to replace them, they're recyclable.

Visit WasteinFocus.com to view all eight photos and family stories. Developed in partnership with Keep America Beautiful, the nation's leading nonprofit that builds and sustains vibrant communities, the site encourages you to take a quiz to determine what type of waste manager you are and offers tips to help reduce waste at home.

The Glad Products Company The Glad Products Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Clorox Company. The Clorox Company is a leading multinational manufacturer and marketer of consumer and professional products with approximately 8,400 employees and fiscal year 2013 revenues of $5.6 billion. Clorox markets some of the most trusted and recognized brand names, including its namesake bleach and cleaning products, Clorox Healthcare™, HealthLink®, Aplicare® and Dispatch® products, Green Works® naturally derived products, Pine-Sol® cleaners, Poett® home care products, Fresh Step® cat litter, Glad® bags, wraps and containers, Kingsford® charcoal, Hidden Valley® and KC Masterpiece® dressings and sauces, Brita® water-filtration products, and Burt's Bees® and gud® natural personal care products. Nearly 90 percent of the company's brands hold the No. 1 or No. 2 market share positions in their categories. Clorox's commitment to corporate responsibility includes making a positive difference in its communities. In fiscal year 2013, The Clorox Company Foundation awarded $4.1 million in cash grants, and Clorox made product donations valued at nearly $10 million. For more information, visit www.TheCloroxCompany.com.

CONTACT: Nicolette Harrod, Current PR; (310) 854-8223; [email protected]

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140408/CG00352

SOURCE The Glad Products Company