Zu den ökologischen Erfolgen und den größeren Teilprojekten der Uniklinik gehören die Sensibilisierung der Mitarbeiter und Patienten durch Kommunikation und Kampagnen, die Veranstaltung von Umwelttagen. Das Klinikum senkte überdies seinen Papierverbrauch, verbesserte die Infrastruktur für Radfahrer und sparte Energie in öffentlichen Bereichen ein. Die Spenden-Aktion "Stifte sammeln für unsere Kinder", bei der alte funktionsuntüchtige Stifte gesammelt und recycelt werden, kommt der Umwelt und den jüngsten Patienten zu Gute. Über einen Erlös von zwei bis drei Cent pro gesammeltem Stift wurden beispielsweise im Jahr 2014 Theaterhandpuppen für die Kinder in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie des Uniklinikums finanziert.

A program through New Jersey recycling company TerraCycle also allows the school to collect bags of used Capri Sun pouches and turn them in for cash. They netted about $100 last year. Some students are in a hurry to get to recess and try to bypass the recycling or compost by stuffing all of their waste into a plastic bag and dropping it in the trash bin. “There's a little bit of dumpster-diving involved,” Stamatiou said, reaching one gloved hand in to fish a juice box out of the compost bin. “But they do really well. The little kids actually do better than the older kids.”

Known as the Cigarette Waste Brigade, TerraCycle’s effort to make recycling cigarettes easier for smokers is a first-of-its-kind program according to Albe Zakes, VP of communications at the company, who told Fusion that “before TerraCycle cigarettes weren’t recyclable.” Since kicking off in New Orleans, the Cigarette Waste Brigade can now be found in cities nationwide, as well as internationally in Australia, the U.K., France, and Brazil. To date in the United States, TerraCycle has set up over 7,000 cigarette recycling bins and more than 38 million butts having been collected.

Dixon Elementary is a participant in the Capri Sun Milestone Contest and is in the running to win a playground by collecting and recycling used drink pouches. The contest is hosted by Capri Sun and TerraCycle. The school has collected 111,373 units to date and hopes to be the first to reach the 200,000 mark to win the playground made from recycled materials.

With Halloween just weeks away, it's not too early to start working on decorations! Discover how to turn used soda cans into votive-candles with "design junkies" TerraCycle at this installment of Etsy Craft Night.

The TerraCycle design team is headed to the Brooklyn Etsy Labs to lead the October session of Etsy Craft Night. This Thursday, October 1, attendees of the free DIY event will learn to make candle luminaries out of upcycled soda cans. These spooky decorations are a cute and eco-friendly addition to your stoop or windowsill for Halloween.