Green Alternatives in Norfolk has partnered with TerraCycle in a recycling program that will pay you for certain trash items, including 6-ounce and 32-ounce yogurt containers, energy bar wrappers, Starbucks coffee bags, Unilever spread containers, drink pouches, cookie wrappers, candy wrappers, and Kashi packaging. TerraCycle will pay roughly 2 to 5 cents per item collected. You can call 622-1444 for more information or visit greenalternativesstore.com.

9. Companies learn to close the loop. Starbucks announced it’s made considerable progress toward turning used coffee cups into new cups, and five Walmart stores began testing a collection system for 28 types of trash (candy wrappers, yogurt tubs, pens, coffee bags) that TerraCycle can convert into tote bags, plant pots, backpacks and portable speakers. Hasbro is increasing the recycled content of its packaging and paper materials to 75 percent this year, and Pepsi-owned Naked Juice is converting all of its bottles to 100 percent post-consumer content.

For those not familiar with "Terracycle", it is one of many organizations that work to create useful items out of waste products. "Terracycle", in conjunction with both consumers and people from within the food and beverage industry, collects empty and discarded items like foil cheese packets, foil beverage pouches, potato chip bags, gum wrappers, beverage bottles and other items. "Terracycle" then converts those items into a wide array of new items like insulated coolers, garbage cans, fences, plant food, household cleaners, photo frames, jewel cases, clothing and fashion accessories. Part of the proceeds from the sale of those items is in turn donated to area schools and non-profit groups.

In 2010 proof of the ever burgeoning green movement can be found throughout the stories that made it into the headlines of mainstream media. For instance, there were several stories of various young ladies creating prom dresses out of used gum wrappers and foil beverage pouches. In addition, more and more items made from recycled materials such as t-shirts made from ground up soda bottles began showing up in retail stores. This increase in repurposing materials has caused food and beverage manufacturers like Kraft Foods to stand up and take notice. Proof in point is the company's recent decision to add foil cheese packets to their pre-existing "Terracycle Collection Program."

This increase in repurposing materials has caused food and beverage manufacturers like Kraft Foods to stand up and take notice. Proof in point is the company's recent decision to add foil cheese packets to their pre-existing "Terracycle Collection Program." In Packaging Everything Old is New Again For those not familiar with "Terracycle", it is one of many organizations that work to create useful items out of waste products. "Terracycle", in conjunction with both consumers and people from within the food and beverage industry, collects empty and discarded items like foil cheese packets, foil beverage pouches, potato chip bags, gum wrappers, beverage bottles and other items. "Terracycle" then converts those items into a wide array of new items like insulated coolers, garbage cans, fences, plant food, household cleaners, photo frames, jewel cases, clothing and fashion accessories. Part of the proceeds from the sale of those items is in turn donated to area schools and non-profit groups.

Here’s another way you can help support Seeds of Hope and help out the environment at the same time.  Terracycle is a company promoting Upcycling. Basically, they convert waste materials into new products.  The different products they collect, including kids drink pouches, plastic wrapping of paper towels and toilet/tissue paper, even pens, markers and highlighters that no longer work can be found in the flyers below. Most of them will accept any brand and any size, but there are three that are brand-specific: Elmer’s glue, Starbucks coffee bags, and Kashi products packaging.

Nine years later, Szaky, now 28, runs one of the fastest-growing eco-friendly manufacturers in the world. TerraCycle Inc. runs collection programs for what are commonly thought of as nonrecyclable waste materials, saving thousands of tons of waste from landfills and making things like picture frames from old bicycle chains, backpacks from cookie wrappers, and tote and messenger bags from drink pouches.

The items will be recycled by Terra Cycle when goals are reached and the program is aiming at collecting more than 500 items from each category each month. Following is the list of items which can be dropped off: Mars or Wrigley brand candy bar wrappers; energy bar wrappers; drink pouches; Nabisco cookie wrappers; Kashi brand wrappers or boxes; toasted chip bags; Bear Naked brand wrappers; wine bottle corks; Aveeno product tubes; Scotch tape dispensers and cores; Frito Lay chip bags; Malt-O-Meal cereal bags or boxes; Elmer's glue; Huggie's brand diaper or pull-up bag packaging; Scott's brand packaging; Neosporin brand packaging; lunchable kits; spread (butter) containers; gum wrappers; cell phones; Colgate brand packaging; yogurt cups; writing instruments; Starbucks coffee bags; plastic bottle lids; and used gift cards

It seems easy, at first, to hate Tom Szaky, who gives the keynote address at Columbia’s fourth annual Green is Good for Business conference on Tuesday, Sept. 14. At 27, Szaky is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar company that he started in his Princeton dorm room. Last Friday, he was driving up the West Coast to a Dave Matthews Band show, having just met with one of his company’s big clients: Starbucks. Other clients include Kraft Foods, Home Depot and Frito-Lay. But the goal of TerraCycle, his nine-year-old company, is so jaw dropping — and so freakishly noble — that scorn and jealousy dissipate quickly.

The biggest recycling challenge for the world's largest coffee shop chain is convincing mills to accept more paper coffee cups, which most places put in landfill and a handful -- including Seattle and Bellingham-- recycle or compost. Starbucks' goal is to have all the communities where it owns shops communities be able to recycle coffee cups by 2015 -- a very big deal for a company that goes through 3 billion paper cups (and 1 billion plastic ones) a year.