This fall, shoppers in Raley’s Supermarkets floral departments will see something other than the traditional black pots in which flowers are traditionally sold. Clearwater Nursery and TerraCycle will offer annuals in upcycled margarine tubs in all Raley’s, Nob Hill and Bel Air stores. The upcycled pots are a more eco-friendly option as they eliminate the need to use virgin plastic. The plants were shipped to stores in late August. TerraCycle collected the I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter!, Brummel and Brown, Shedd’s Spread Country Crock and Imperial tubs through its Brigade program. With support from its partners, such as Unilever, TerraCycle pays all postage and awards two points per unit of packaging which can be put toward charity gifts or converted to money for a charity of the collector’s choice.

A Tang, marca da Kraft Foods, está recrutando seus consumidores, fundamentados no público infantil, para quebrar um recorde mundial e entrar no Guinness World Records.

A intenção da marca é criar a maior escultura de material reciclável do planeta, que terá forma de um robô e atingirá cerca de 15 metros de altura.

Throughout Trash Tycoon, a friendly guide named Tara pops up with tips on how to get more points through "upcycling," turning refuse into useful products. It's an education in wasting less and making more, which just happens to be the business model of TerraCycle , the for-profit company behind Trash Tycoon. When it comes to waste (and worms), Terracycle is an industry leader, in a good way. The spunky fertilizer company has been making a business of refuse for 10 years. They started out turning trash into plant food and have since expanded into making all kinds of products .

Green cleaning leader, and TerraCycle partner, Method, provides a great example of this being a successful model. Though slightly more expensive than a standard cleaner, their high quality and small price premium have made them a massive mainstream success at Target and other major retailers. Now, by introducing a refill pack (which can be recycled for free through a new TerraCycle Brigade) they have driven their cost down while also reducing their packaging weight. They've managed a nifty trifecta: They've made their high-quality product cheaper, reduced their packaging costs, and given shoppers a way to feel good about their green purchases.

Green cleaning leader, and TerraCycle partner, Method, provides a great example of this being a successful model. Though slightly more expensive than a standard cleaner, their high quality and small price premium have made them a massive mainstream success at Target and other major retailers. Now, by introducing a refill pack (which can be recycled for free through a new TerraCycle Brigade) they have driven their cost down while also reducing their packaging weight. They've managed a nifty trifecta: They've made their high-quality product cheaper, reduced their packaging costs, and given shoppers a way to feel good about their green purchases.

When the warranty expires right before your appliance or electronic device does, you might just have to get rid of it. How does a person deal with departed devices and otherwise good garbage? Try these green options: 1. It’s reincarnation for stuff. Field Park School (Western Springs) participates in this mail-in Terracycle program. You send them recyclables and they turn them into new stuff. Ziploc bags, juice pouches and chip bags are among the edible receptacles they turn into collectibles.

Have you ever wondered what upstream and downstream recycling means? If so, you’re not alone. I often get asked this question and I thought I would answer it. Upstream recycling can be summed up in one term- “design for environment” or DfE. An upstream product is manufactured with a keen eye on environmental sustainability. For instance, a manufacturer will create packaging that weighs less by using fewer materials for a product’s packaging. A DfE manufacturer will also consider using eco-friendly materials or a single material in the packaging & product design, coding and labeling when different materials are used, and allow ease of product material dis-assembly. DfE products may cost less to recycle and have a sustainable impact on our environment. A fantastic example of DfE is the Micro-USB charger. The Micro-USB will be the common charging interface for mobile phones. The Micro USB-based plug will enable all mobile phones to power up using the same charger regardless of make and model. For more information please see my recent blog “One-Charger Fits All Revolution”. For upstream recycling, the responsibility is on the manufacturer. Downstream recycling can be summed up in one term- “giving products a second life”. Downstream recycling or down-recycling is when a non-recyclable product is re-purposed into material for a new product of sometimes lesser quality. This can include varying grades of plastic, paper products, and other materials. An outstanding example of a company built upon down-cycling is TerraCycle. TerraCycle turns non-recyclable products into recycled products. Through their international waste collection programs, they turn the collected waste into new products, such as fertilizer, backpacks and park benches. For downstream recycling, the responsibility is on the consumer. Please share your comments and experiences with upstream and downstream recycling. We would love to hear your story.

A apresentação do robô é o ponto alto da plataforma de sustentabilidade criada por Tang há dois anos, com o objetivo de envolver as crianças em temas ligados à reciclagem. Hoje as Brigadas Tang são o maior programa de reciclagem criado em parceria com a empresa americana de reaproveitamento de resíduos TerraCycle na América Latina, envolvendo mais de 170 mil pessoas no país. A construção do robô e todas as atividades das Brigadas estão à disposição no site do Esquadrão Verde Tang (www.esquadraoverdetang.com.br).