Speaking of environmental education, turns out a lot of schoolkids are already learning about recycling - by doing it in their classrooms. TerraCycle, a New Jersey company that converts waste into eco-friendly products, reports that it has recruited 46,000 "Drink Pouch Brigades" across the US, nearly 30,000 of them schools (60 in Baltimore), to divert the non-recyclable plastic juice containers from landfills and incinerators. So far, TerraCycle says, it's paid out $1.3 million in all for 64 million pouches, funds that schools badly need these days to cover supplies and activities taxpayers don't pay for.

Of all the reusable bags I've amassed over the years -- and not a duplicate among them -- the one that seems to be the favorite of grocery store baggers is the TerraCycle sack made from Capri Sun drink pouches. It's my favorite, too. It's incredibly study, ooze-proof and pretty snappy looking to boot. Apparently, I have schools throughout Philadelphia and well beyond to thank. Today, TerraCycle and Capri Sun announced that  their Drink Pouch Brigade -- schools and organizations that participate in a free fundraiser that pays two cents for every drink pouch collected  -- has broken the 50 million mark.  TerraCycle and Capri Sun pay two cents for every pouch collected, so that means $1 million has been returned to the groups just for stuff that would otherwise be garbage.

Terracycle Brigades This is a really neat program which collects trash items like cereal bags, candy bars and drink pouches, and creates useful products with them.  The school gets 2 cents for each item.  Klem North Elementary School reports in its September newsletter that the school collected 2000 Capri Sun pouches last year, kept them out of the landfill and netted $40 for their school.

The project partners the school with a company called TerraCycle, which pays the school 2 cents for commonly-disposed wrappers for candy bars, potato chips and other items. TerraCycle then turns the garbage into accessories such as backpacks and purse, according to fifth grade teacher Diane Roethler. “These aren’t things that can go in curbside recycling,” Roethler said. “This company has found a specific use for these items and a specific product that they can make from it.” Roethler hopes to use the money earned through the TerraCycle program to raise extra money for the school to purchase supplies. During the three weeks she collected material during the last school year, Roethler collected 2,200 items for more than $44. She expects to earn even more this year now that the parents and students are more familiar with the program.

National Geographic Channel's "Garbage Moguls" isn't your typical New Jersey-based reality series. Instead of peddling trashy behavior like "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" or even trashier outfits like Snooki and her gang, "Garbage Moguls" star and TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky deals with actually, literal garbage.