RECYCLAGE - Un jeune PDG hongrois a lancé au Canada un programme de recyclage de mégots de cigarette au sein de son entreprise TerraCycle. Une expérience qu'il s'apprête à exporter dans plusieurs pays européens, dont la France...

Un jeune PDG hongrois a lancé au Canada un programme de recyclage de mégots de cigarette au sein de son entreprise TerraCycle. Une expérience qu’il s’apprête à exporter dans plusieurs pays européens, dont la France.

As many of you have heard, E-Club has set-up new recycling centers in the cafeteria in an attempt to help our school become a waste free environment. Many of the materials that students and faculty can recycle are the same, but these stations make everything more centralized. Hard plastics, such as utensils and yogurt containers, can be recycled, as well as cans and glass. The recycling centers also have appropriate bins for granola bar wrappers, candy wrappers, juice pouches, chip bags, and Ziploc bags.

Deciding how to distribute raises can be tricky, writes Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle. His company has created a committee to tackle the problem, but many employees still think they should be earning more money. The employees who have seen significant increases in their salaries "are those who not only did great work but took on significantly more responsibility and as such performed a function that was worth more to the organization," he writes.

April Segura of Lincoln, Nebraska was chosen as the winner in the nation-wide Less in Landfills Sweepstakes, sponsored by Tom's of Maine and TerraCycle. Her prize comes in the form of a $1,000 donation to Nebraska Friends of Midwives.   April won this sweepstakes by doing something good for the planet. She participates in the Tom's of Maine Natural Care Brigade, which allows her to keep traditionally non-recyclable deodorant tubes, toothpaste, mouthwash and floss packaging out of local landfills. Instead of throwing them away, April collects and sends these items to TerraCycle to be recycled. In addition to the $1,000 sweepstakes prize, April earns money for Nebraska Friends of Midwives with each piece of waste returned.   The Less in Landfills Sweepstakes was a way to celebrate the launch of the Tom's of Maine Natural Care Brigade, which is one of TerraCycle's newest recycling options. Each shipment of waste during the contest window counted as an entry into the sweepstakes. April also participates in several other Brigade programs in which members of the community can get involved with. The more waste collected, the more money the organization can earn. For more info on the collection efforts there, please visit http://www.nebraskamidwives.org/fundraising.html.

It's a fact of life that we, as social beings, look for common ground when building relationships. Companies are no exception to this rule. Often, people seek out brands and companies that reflect their values. For instance, whether a company is charitable or not will influences its ability to attract a consumer that values this trait. With this I ask, do consumers really care about and value sustainable packaging? While some may be quick to answer "Yes", it should not be forgotten that there are far more personal factors that consumers may care about other than the packaging of a product. Of course those familiar with my business know I am "all-in" that people do care about sustainable packaging.

"It is so ironic that people don't use bins made from recycled material for their recycling," says environmental columnist Kristin Arrigo, author of Seasonal Home Repair Checklist: Eco-Alternatives for Maintaining Your Home. Choose plastic bins wisely. A receptacle Eco-innovator TerraCycle upcycles non-recyclable products and converts them into new products — a receptacle made from 100 percent recycled plastic is the perfect bin for your eco efforts.

Simplifying package design can directly benefit your business by reducing production costs and increasing branding opportunities. You can streamline clumsy designs by reducing materials, or you can promote closed-loop packaging by reusing recycled/recyclable materials like companies such as TerraCycle and Method home products. There is a wealth of opportunities to profit from smart, sustainable package design. Just remember: transparency, clarity, and accessibility can help make sustainable business profitable! Note: Tom Szaky (CEO of TerraCycle) will present a webinar on April 17, 2013 entitled: "Turning waste into Massive Equity". Free registration to this i2live webinar on www.i2live.net

Celebrity chef Tyler Florence started SPROUT, whose organic offerings are inspired by recipes that his own kids liked. Ingrid Kellaghan, the founder of Chicago's Cambridge Nanny Group and an expert in childcare issues like mealtime fussiness, says, "Infants go gaga over the Apples pouch. It's so lusciously simple and nutrient-rich." Most of Sprout's products are roasted or baked, she adds, "so you get this amazing flavor that's bright and vivid, with the ideal texture for babies." Sprout's lightweight pouches are made without BPA—and when they're empty, you can ship them (for free) to TerraCycle, a company that makes them into new things and pays the charity of your choice for your plastic donation. The Sweet Potatoes, Pumpkin, Apples, and Blueberries flavor byELLA'S KITCHEN is a best seller. Many experts recommend it, including Elena Mauer, deputy editor of TheBump.com, a website for new parents. "Pouches are fantastic to toss in the diaper bag," she says, "and Ella's are just organic fruit or veggies—nothing added." Pouches require only a tenth of the cargo space that glass jars do and take less energy and fewer materials to produce. Like Sprout, Ella's partners with TerraCycle to keep its containers from ending up in landfills. "We work closely with our suppliers to create a sustainable supply chain and have launched a farm-trips program to let inner-city kids experience nature and learn about fresh, healthy food," says founder Paul Lindley (Ella's dad).