In This Issue:

• CARE Named one of “25 Environmental Champions for 2005”
• CARE Sets Annual Conference Date
• CARE to Host 2nd Annual Entrepreneur Meeting
• CARE Opens Dialog with StarNet
• Green Building Pages a Comprehensive Resource
• Daily Grist Publication Has New Focus
• Did You Know…?
• Letters …

Dear CARE Supporters

What a summer it has been. Since our whirlwind conference at Callaway Gardens last May, the action has been non-stop. The interest in recycling of old carpet continues to mount with several new entrepreneur contacts and ideas being identified. A very exciting meeting was held with StarNet (a commercial carpet marking co-op) to jointly work on the development of a national recycling program with CARE. StarNet is also one of our newest members!

Many of you may be aware of the Shaw Industries announcement on purchase of the Honeywell Fibers Division. This acquisition includes the 50% ownership stake Honeywell holds in Evergreen Nylon Recycling. You may recall ENR was the 50/50 joint venture between Honeywell and DSM for the depolymerization of nylon 6. The facility was shut down in August 2001. The good news is that Shaw has intentions of reopening the facility. Timing has not been announced but we are all very hopeful it will be soon since this provides a badly needed outlet for nylon 6.

I am pleased to share with you that CARE was selected as one of the “25 Environmental Champions for 2005” in a recent survey conducted by Interiors & Sources magazine. CARE was nominated as a champion in recognition of the work it has done to prevent carpet from overburdening our landfills. All 25 Environmental Champions will be featured in a special Fall 2005 issue of Interiors & Sources magazine. Be sure to check it out!

It looks like 2005 is shaping up to be another very good step forward for our mission. I forecast a diversion rate of over 150 million pounds this year. I would like to thank all of you have worked so hard to further the efforts of CARE. It is truly a team effort. As one of our entrepreneur’s likes to tell me, “success is when preparation meets opportunity.” I believe we are on a collision course.

Best regards for a great fall,

Robert Peoples, Executive Director, Carpet America Recovery Effort

CARE Named one of “25 Environmental Champions for 2005”

The Carpet America Recovery Effort has been selected as one of the “25 Environmental Champions for 2005″ in a recent survey conducted by Interiors & Sources magazine. CARE was nominated as a champion in recognition of the work it has done to prevent carpet from overburdening our landfills.

All 25 Environmental Champions will be featured in a special Fall 2005 issue of Interiors & Sources.

“This is an exciting acknowledgment of all that CARE has been able to accomplish and is an honor for everyone involved in the organization. The fact that we reported over 120 million pounds of landfill diversion of old carpet in 2004 starting from almost nothing in 2002 speaks to much of what we have accomplished. We are now climbing a classical S- Curve (see the spring Newsletter for more on this subject) for growth based on the development of a new and exciting array of products which contain post consumer carpet content. Our members are committed to building on the solid foundation of environmental stewardship for which the carpet industry is recognized as a national leader. This is a reflection of the dedication and professionalism of the people and companies in CARE,” said Bob Peoples, executive director of CARE.

CARE Sets Annual Conference Date

Mark your calendar! The 2006 CARE Annual Meeting will once again be held at Callaway Gardens outside of Atlanta, GA. The meeting dates will be May 1-4. Full details for registration will be posted after the first of the year but go ahead and SAVE THE DATE – you won’t want to miss this one.

CARE to Host 2nd Annual Entrepreneur Meeting

CARE will be hosting the 2nd annual entrepreneur’s meetings on October 25th in Orlando, Florida. Back by popular request of the front line entrepreneur’s, this meeting is dedicated exclusively to non-carpet initiatives for the reuse and recycle of old carpet. The meeting will focus on issues, barriers, collaboration and how CARE can help.

CARE Opens Dialog with StarNet

CARE and StarNet facilitated their first official meeting to kick off a collaboration on the development of a nationwide carpet recycle program for the marketing co-op network. StarNet has 135 independent dealer members focused on the high end commercial sector and service is a big part of their mission. We all recognize that sustainability is a surging wave that is moving fully into mainstream implementation. Within the next year or two we expect to see impacts in the residential sector as well.

Green Building Pages a Comprehensive Resource

A comprehensive website called Green Building Pages is up and running and includes a sustainable building materials database and design tool for the environmentally and socially responsible designer, builder and client. With comprehensive up-to-date product information in over 58 “green” or sustainable credit categories, including LEED Credits, the free Green Building Pages is the most comprehensive resource guide available for selecting green, sustainable building materials. Three layers of information provide users easy access to the level of information desired. The Green Products database helps locate, research and compare green building products based on comprehensive, current and transparent information.

Daily Grist Publication Has New Focus

The Daily Grist, an online publication many of you may receive, has launched a new business section that will examine commerce through a green lens. To kick things off, there’s Full Disclosure, a new monthly column by sustainable-biz gurus John Elkington and Mark Lee. This month they have a look at China, which as you may have heard is growing its economy very big, very fast, very dirtily. We will try to use this publication to help get our word out as well!

DID YOU KNOW…?

Factoids – Helping the Environment Through Shopping

Factoids – Helping the Environment Through Shopping
A recent survey by USA Today reports that:

35% of the American population would pay more for Environmentally Friendly Products
34% are not sure (many don’t know what a green or EFP is)
22% would not pay any more – Source- Simmons Market Research 50,084 respondents
Baby Boomers Most willing to buy Environmentally Friendly Products:

18-24 years old ……………………………………………….11%
25-34 years old………………………………………………..17%
35-44 years old………………………………………………..19%
45-54 years old………………………………………………..20%
55-64 years old………………………………………………..14%
65 to senile…………………………………………………..18%

Between the lines – 70% of consumers in their years of most discretionary income will buy EFP. Is this a market opportunity or What? Source: Simmons Market Research of 19,425 respondents.

80% of the forests that once covered the earth are now gone. Over the next 20 years the average supply of fresh water per person is expected to drop by one third while demand is growing at an unsustainable rate. Enough carpet is sent to landfills each year in the United States that, if converted into energy, it could power more than 100,000 homes for a full year!

Do you have an interesting story or factoid about recycling carpet? Send it to CARE by email and if we use it we will send you a CARE mug to proudly display.

Letters…

Richard D. Kruse and Kasey Kruse write:

We were encouraged by many sources to become associated with the CARE organization. After meeting with Bob Peoples and other CARE members, we feel we have already benefited in contacts of suppliers as well as in the volume of carpet we have received to be recycled. We greatly appreciate the efforts that CARE has put forward for us in discussing business strategy and connecting us with the appropriate people. We are looking forward to being an active member of CARE in the future.

Adrienne Block writes:

Dear Bob, Thank you so much for getting back to me! I actually found a solution to my carpet issue here in the Pittsburgh area, and I wanted to let you know so that you can pass the info along if anyone ever asks about it again – or this might be an alternative in other areas of the country as well. First, I contacted Habitat for Humanity, thinking they might have some use for it. They then referred me on to an organization called Construction Junction, who literally came to pick up the carpets 20 minutes later! They also took the used carpet pads. Thanks again for your help!

We would like your feedback on this newsletter, ideas, concerns, or questions. We’ll include them in future newsletters.

Thanks!