European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Drive to shrink cd packaging picks up support a. A a. J a a. A. A. A a a a a a Roger Catlin Hartford Conn courant. R ecord merchandisers Are pledging to Inch away from the environmentally criticized cardboard packaging of compact discs. But Only an Inch in each direction. The Board of directors of the National association of record merchandisers voted earlier this year to endorse new packaging for compact discs that will be.5-by-l 1 inches compared with the current a Long boxes that measure 6-by-12 inches. More important the new cardboard package wont be thrown away. Instead it can be folded to the size of the conventional plastic cd cases the so called jewel Box format which the new boxes will eventually replace. Pam Horovitz executive vice president of the merchandisers association said she Hopes the new agreement will satisfy both retailers and environmentally minded Consumers. A statement by the association urges record labels to a strive for minimum amount of discarded material and a maximum amount of retained material in their packages and Calls for implementation before the end of 1991. The Lon boxes became an embarrassment to performers who made socially conscious recordings and who appeared at environmental rallies and then had their music encased in a superfluous Bulky throwaway package twice As big As the product inside. They wanted them stocked the Way they Are everywhere else in the world a simply in their plastic jewel Box Case with shrink cardboard packaging dwarfs a compact disc and its permanent plastic Case. A amps Dove Dirisio wrap around them. But . Retailers say that the oversize Long boxes prevent easy shoplifting provide greater surface space for luring the potential customer and a Best of ally fit easily into Racks built for the 12-by-12-Inch Vinyl record albums that cd have virtually replaced since in most a music stores. Installing new Racks for the smaller cases could Cost each store an estimated $5,0 h to $20,000, Horovitz said. When some major artists got on the a ban the boxy bandwagon last year they won contract agreements that said their new albums  be in Lon boxes. But Many . Retailers walked at carrying then new releases refusing to Stock them. A a. A. A. A a a a a. / As a result Peter Gabriel s greatest hits album a shaking the tree a released in a redesigned Box failed to break the top 50 six weeks alter its release although his last album hit no. 2. Other artists faced similar setbacks. Strangely enough Horovitz said most of acc tons to the Lon boxes have come from perform Quot ers a who urged customers to leave the stores my protest a and not from the buyers Quot in All honesty a she said a Consumers Haven t been particularly vocal on this one. We re reacting to feedback from  a feedback How has All the Snow this Winter affected you spec. Todd Lane 6th my co Munster Germany in be been Here three years and this year the Snow is the most Ever. I like to ice skate but Haven t had the Chance yet. Debbie Jacobson a teachers aide at Mainz elementary Germany it really Hasni to affected me. In a from Chicago so it did no to bother me to drive in it. A f w v spec. Barry Pierce 547th eng in Darmstadt Germany i think its great a even though my ski trip to Garmisch was cancelled by my commander. I m going to try again. A Martina Abel military family member living in Kirchheim Blanden Germany it Hasni to affected me much. Our cars Are driving Well. We weren to cutoff from the Post. 2 a spec. Dale Lunden a co 11th signal in Kaiserslautern Germany its wonderful. In a from Minnesota so i think All the Snow is great. C compiled by stars and stripes staff March 10, 1991 sunday