You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2514 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 350 Fifth Avenue, 65th Floor, New York, N.Y. 10118-0110 Recycling: An American Success Story (NAPSA)—Recycling is one of the greatest environmental success stories, according to the National Solid Wastes Management Association (NSWMA) in Washington, D.C. Since 1980, the amount of solid waste that Americans recycle has jumped from around 10 percent to more than 33 percent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that Americans recycled 63 million tons of waste in 2007 alone. In more than 8,600 communities, Americans can take advantage of curbside recycling, where recyclables are placed in special bins and picked up by the local garbage collector. America’s solid waste industry pioneered “singlestream recycling,” where everything—metal cans, glass and plastic bottles, newspaper and cardboard—goes into one bin to make the collection process as easy as possible. As a result, more Americans now recycle household and workplace trash. Keeping recyclables out of the waste stream accomplishes far more than saving space in your local landfill. Using recycled materials saves manufacturers money, resulting in lower prices for many consumer products. Recycling also conserves natural resources, saves tons of energy and reduces emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change. Just think: Making new glassware from recycled materials takes 30 percent less energy than starting from new materials. Recycled paper products require 40 percent less energy than paper made from fresh lumber. And manufacturing plastic or aluminum products from recycled material adds up to enormous energy savings—a 75 percent reduction for plastic and up to 95 percent for aluminum cans. Recycling conserves resources, saves energy, reduces emissions and keeps costs down. Experts estimate that recycling 7 million tons of metal results in fewer greenhouse emissions, equivalent to taking 5 million cars off the road for a year. Recycling is a critical part of protecting our environment for future generations, and America’s solid waste companies are major partners in helping communities increase the amount they recycle. The industry continues to develop technology to make recycling easier. For example, it is building recycling facilities that use the latest automated scanning technology to make the sorting of materials faster and more efficient. “Household recycling is so much more convenient today, and brings so many benefits, it’s no wonder recycling rates are on the rise,” says NSWMA president Bruce Parker. For more information about boosting your own recycling rate, visit www.environmentalists everyday.org/recycling. Classics Go Manga (NAPSA)—When the classics meet the highly popular form of graphic storytelling known as manga, the result is an engaging new form of reading enjoyment. From its origins in Japan, manga has swept America and attracted many younger readers. Now, a talented author and a gifted professional artist are using the genre to offer a fresh look at classic fiction. Adam Sexton, who has taught fiction writing and literature at New York University, and graphic artists Yali Lin and Hyeondo Park have created manga versions of two classic American novels, Mark Twain’s “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” and “The Scarlet Letter” by Nathaniel Hawthorne. “Huckleberry Finn,” a manga natural, embodies the great American journey toward civilization. Huck and Jim’s travels on the great Mississippi River and the scheming con men whom they outsmart are a great recipe for an action-packed manga. “The Scarlet Letter” is also a manga natural, filled with scheming villainous characters and plottwisting machinations. An essay at the beginning of each book ties the novel and manga together. The rest of the book is taken up with the manga itself. “The Manga Edition” series is published by Wiley Publishing, Inc. For more information, visit www.wiley.com. Giving The Gift Of A Charitable Donation (NAPSA)—More and more, couples now vow to start their lives together by making a difference in the lives of others. Saying “I do” to a wedding that benefits a charity is easier than you might imagine—and especially timely, as many charities need extra help during a time of economic downturn. By the time many couples get married, they often don’t need an extra toaster but would really appreciate a donation to the charity of their choice. Giving is a great way to start your life together and coming up with a list can provoke some meaningful conversations about values. Here are five heartwarming ideas you may want to consider: 1. Feed the hungry. If you have unopened food and beverages left over from your wedding, donate them to a nearby food bank or soup kitchen. 2. Share your flowers. After the wedding, drop off your flowers at a hospital or nursing home so others can enjoy them. 3. Buy wedding essentials from companies that donate to charities you support. 4. Donate your bridesmaid dresses to an organization that supplies prom dresses to girls who can’t afford them. 5. Register your wedding. Ask your guests to donate to a charity they identify with you. You can even suggest a Web site through which they can donate—a One of the most meaningful wedding gifts is a donation to the favorite charities of the bride and the groom. sort of customizable wedding charity registry. One site that offers a wedding registry service features charity gift cards guests can order. The site lets brides host a personalized Web page—there are a number of themes from which to choose— which can be used to send information, e-mail invitations and updates. The charity gift cards also make great wedding favors. Learn More For more information, visit www.ccgiftcards.org.