went nuts about TerraCycle after learning about them for the first time on Garbage Moguls. After a little research, I decided they were worth writing about. To initiate my series of Extraordinary Business Savvy Folks, I began with Tom Szaky and his crew. To recap, this Princeton guy was making worm poo. He needed something to contain all those worm poo. He collected soda bottles. Worm poo turned into insta-gold. He went into garage business with his friend selling worm poo. After that, they evolved into upcycling and recycling garbage into sellable goods. Sounds awesome, right? Try telling that to someone with a straight face! Now, he started off so small and so simple. He wanted TerraCycle to be the Walmart of garbage. Today, generating millions of dollars in revenue, I believe he succeeded.

Speaking of environmental education, turns out a lot of schoolkids are already learning about recycling - by doing it in their classrooms. TerraCycle, a New Jersey company that converts waste into eco-friendly products, reports that it has recruited 46,000 "Drink Pouch Brigades" across the US, nearly 30,000 of them schools (60 in Baltimore), to divert the non-recyclable plastic juice containers from landfills and incinerators. So far, TerraCycle says, it's paid out $1.3 million in all for 64 million pouches, funds that schools badly need these days to cover supplies and activities taxpayers don't pay for.

Of all the reusable bags I've amassed over the years -- and not a duplicate among them -- the one that seems to be the favorite of grocery store baggers is the TerraCycle sack made from Capri Sun drink pouches. It's my favorite, too. It's incredibly study, ooze-proof and pretty snappy looking to boot. Apparently, I have schools throughout Philadelphia and well beyond to thank. Today, TerraCycle and Capri Sun announced that  their Drink Pouch Brigade -- schools and organizations that participate in a free fundraiser that pays two cents for every drink pouch collected  -- has broken the 50 million mark.  TerraCycle and Capri Sun pay two cents for every pouch collected, so that means $1 million has been returned to the groups just for stuff that would otherwise be garbage.

DRINK POUCH BRIGADE SPONSORSHIP HITS $1 MILLION MARK FOR SCHOOLS 50 Million Drink Pouches Redeemed Through TerraCycle Fund Local School Programs Nationwide A million dollars can go a long way in cash-strapped schools and nonprofits.  And, when all that’s required is to save items from landfills, it almost sounds too good to be true.  True it is. Schools and nonprofits across the country have now earned $1 million through the TerraCycle Drink Pouch Brigade program.

A million dollars can go a long way in cash-strapped schools and nonprofits.  And, when all that’s required is to save items from landfills, it almost sounds too good to be true.  True it is. Schools and nonprofits across the country have now earned $1 million through the TerraCycle Drink Pouch Brigade program. The Capri Sun beverage brand was one of the earliest supporters of TerraCycle, a company that collects would-be trash and turns it into useful items.  The collection program, called the Drink Pouch Brigade, takes place mostly in schools, where children choose to deposit used pouches in special receptacles rather than throw them away.  In participating schools, each used drink pouch collected and sent to TerraCycle earns two cents, with the funds going toward needed educational programs and resources.

DRINK POUCH BRIGADE SPONSORSHIP HITS $1 MILLION MARK FOR SCHOOLS 50 Million Drink Pouches Redeemed Through TerraCycle Fund Local School Programs Nationwide

There's an old saying that goes, "One man's trash is another man's treasure." Nobody has proved that more true than Tom Szaky. Szaky went from being a political refugee to a Princeton college student to the head of a rapidly growing company called TerraCycle, an "upcycling" company that turns garbage into new products. And he's only 27 years old. His company is at the forefront of turning trash into treasure, of making people more environmentally aware, and of using recycling as a way of helping society. His latest project is called The Brigades, a collaboration with major companies to get people to recycle and help raise money for worthwhile causes such as public schools and non-profit organizations.

TerraCycle's program benefiting nonprofits and schools The company collects what is typically nonrecyclable waste, such as candy and snack wrappers, pens, coffee bags and toothpaste tubes, from consumers, as well as recyclable items such as cell phones, plastic containers and more. It uses the trash to make new products sold at major retailers including Target, Wal-Mart and Home Depot. Consumers who make the effort to get their trash to TerraCycle earn monetary rewards that go to nonprofits of their choice. Some manufacturers, such as skin care products maker Aveeno, even encourage consumers to send their brands' empty product containers to TerraCycle for repurposing.

Terracycle Brigades This is a really neat program which collects trash items like cereal bags, candy bars and drink pouches, and creates useful products with them.  The school gets 2 cents for each item.  Klem North Elementary School reports in its September newsletter that the school collected 2000 Capri Sun pouches last year, kept them out of the landfill and netted $40 for their school.

A big hug and 'high five' goes to TerraCycle. They have paid out $1 million dollars through their innovative program which turns trash into useful items like bags and ... fences. I've always been a huge fan of TerraCyle and have named myself the (officially unofficial) president of the TerraCycle fan club. (Dear TerraCycle, I really hope that's ok. You're the best!) TerraCycle is one of those super-dooper organizations that helps make this world a better place. The entire TerraCycle business model works around taking trash, recycling it and turning it into a new product.