We seem to have a lot of things at our house that we aren’t really using anymore.  Lots of old video games, sports equipment, just stuff.  Probably because we moved six years ago and I never unpacked some things – and now that we’ve moved again I’m just “rediscovering” all the things  I obviously haven’t missed!!!  My problem is I usually am not sure what to do with things we are finished with – most of it is in good shape – we just don’t use it anymore.   If you’re curious, there are some places that take things you may not think are a perfect fit for the Goodwill.  And remember – besides making you feel great when you donate – your donations are tax deductible as charitable contributions on your tax forms!  So you’re saving money by being generous.  Here are a few examples: Office Supplies – got a million pens laying around?  Printer Cartridges? Scotch tape containers?  TerraCycle will collect your old office supplies and turn them into like-new products such as park benches, flowerpots and plastic lumber.  You send it in free – and your goods get credit that you can donate to the charity of your choice.

TerraCycling began as a process that turns worn waste products and packages into reused containers using fertilizer, worms, and compostation. In 2007, TerraCycle changed their business plan slightly. They began producing pouches, bags, and accessories made from up-cycled drink pouches and candy wrappers. Larger items that were non-recyclable were also up-cycled and used to create flowerpots, plastic lumber, pavers, benches, and garbage pails. The goal of TerraCycle is to eliminate the idea of waste by creating collection and solution systems for anything that would normally be sent to a landfill. Right now, the company makes affordable, eco-friendly products from a wide range of different non-recyclable waste matters. A TerrraCycling program was established in Berlin in 2010 as an effort to promote the preservation of Maryland’s natural resources. TerraCycle is a company that makes affordable, eco-friendly products from an assortment of different non-recyclable waste matters - turning something useless into something userfull. The company runs a free national collection program that pays non-profit organizations, like Grow Berlin Green, for their waste. Grow Berlin Green is a campaign set to establish the town of Berlin, MD as a model community for participatory environmental protection, conservation, and smart growth policy and practice. Grow Berlin Green educates and engages citizens, schools, businesses, and public officials to achieve measureable impacts on a range of priority issues including: increasing conservation efforts, improving natural resources management, reducing waste, and increasing recycling efforts. “Currently, there are two bins set up at Burbage Park on Williams Street with the other recycling containers,” said Kathy Winte, a leader of the local TerraCycling initiative, “People can deposit their TerraCycle wrappers and then it will be sorted and sent in.” “With this program, closer to 800 pounds of non-recyclable materials have been kept out of the landfill,” continued Winte. TerraCycling applies two different applications to these items. The first is post-consumer, where they process it into paving stones, plastic coolers, flower pots, trash bins, etc. The second is pre-consumer, where they obtain the rolls of packing material from corporations and they make tote bags, pencil cases, notebook covers, and so forth. “We have also partnered with the local schools and some salons, Robin Walters and Headlines. The money that Grow Berlin Green receives gets turned around and goes right back towards sustainable practices,” said Winte. The goal of the campaign is dedicated to encouraging local communities to protect our eco-systems, conserve area resources, and build our towns by using safe and smart practices. The bins are located in the John Howard Burbage Park next to the electric company facility. A list of items, shown below, can be made into up-cycled items when treated properly. The following items can be placed inside the TerraCycling bins for collection: -Drink pouches -Yogurt cups -Lunchable lunch kits -Candy wrappers -Cookie wrappers -Plastic wrappers -Diaper wrappers -Personal product wrappers -Energy bar wrappers -Chip bags -Toasted chip bags -Kashi packaging -Toothpaste tubes -Toothbrushes -Aveeno tubes -Scotch tape dispensers -Corks -Spread containers For more information about TerraCycling or recycling efforts in Berlin, visit the Grow Berlin Green website. Visit the TerraCycle website to learn more about trash that can be TerraCycled.

TerraCycle has recognized Heritage K-8 Charter School in Escondido as one of the top 15 participants in one of its national recycling programs. The school is a top collector in Terracycle's Oral Care Brigade, which collects non-recyclable waste such as toothpaste tubes and toothbrushes that would otherwise go to a landfill. The items are collected and returned to TerraCycle, which makes them into affordable eco-friendly products.

With the wide variety of individual-size packaging for food products, creating a portable lunch that will please youngsters’ tastebuds is easier than ever. However, it also causes more waste, which leads to fuller wastebaskets, and eventually, fuller landfills. That’s where the program TerraCycle comes in. The company, headquartered in New Jersey, collects difficult-to-recycle food packaging and turns it into extra money for schools. Three area schools currently are participating in this program: Bad Axe Elementary, Owendale-Gagetown Area Schools and Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic School in Harbor Beach.

Boughton said a major contributor to the Co-op’s recent growth is their recent partnership with New Jersey based recycler, TerraCycle. TerraCycle’s purpose is to eliminate the idea of waste. With more than 14 million people collecting waste in 11 countries, the company has diverted billions of pieces of waste that are either upcycled or recycled into at least 1,500 products available at major retailers.