Backyard Safety

According to the Home Safety Council (HSC), many home injury risks can be found in the backyard; however, only 3% of participants in the 2008 survey ranked backyard injury among their top home concerns. Over 80% reported having a backyard, but 40% have not taken any steps to prevent injuries in the area outside their home. The most common injury risks identified by the HSC occur around outdoor cooking grills, playground equipment, and swimming pools.

Vehicle Theft Trends

The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) reports that the 1995 Honda Civic was the most popular stolen vehicle in the U.S. in 2007. Data from the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), used for the NICB “Hot Wheels 2008” report, confirms that older models have remained the focus of thieves over the past several years because these provide the best market for stolen vehicle parts. The good news is that the NICB also indicates that motor vehicle theft is headed for an 8.9% decrease from 2006.

Paper Recycling

According to the American Forest & Paper Association (AF&P), 87% of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, had access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs in 2007. The 2007 AF&P Community Survey suggests that communities with existing recycling options are adding paper and paperboard categories to their programs, which will be an important factor in helping to achieve the industry’s goal of recovering 60% of the paper consumed in the U.S. by 2012.