Ireland exports one and a half million tons of non-hazardous waste every year. Later this month the Department of the Environment will hold a one day forum to encourage business entrepreneurs to ‘upcycle’, to turn that waste into new products that people want.

Speaking at that seminar will be a 28 year old American, Tom Szaky who dropped out of Princeton university to set up Terracycle which is now one of the fastest growing companies in America. I’ll be talking to tom in a few minutes time.

We’re just beginning to talk about the smart green economy in Ireland but Valerie Cox has been to look at a company in Castlebellingham in Co Louth which has taken ‘upcycling’ on board.

Egads, almost three years ago now, I wrote about a New Jersey company (woo-hoo, go Jersey!) called Terracycle that uses discarded stuff of all sorts — discarded technology accessories, empty juice packs and so on — to create stuff like flower pots and tote bags (like the ones pictured below).

The financial crisis has resulted in a wave of business creativity and innovation. Many businesses have turned to implementing new green technology solutions as a way of reducing costs. Many big corporations suffer from a lack of innovation due to their size. Like the proverbial captain of an oil tanker trying to change direction, they can take ages to respond. It’s not just a question of developing new products, it’s also a matter of marketing and making them commercially viable. Read more:http://www.poder360.com/article_detail.php?id_article=4073#ixzz17RehZLoc

While many think of changing their habits on Earth Day, we bet you’re probably in the know and are taking green strides all month. It is Earth Month, after all! To make it easier for you to incorporate more fashionable green choices into your lifestyle, TerraCycle is hosting The Greenup! – a pop-up shop that opened on March 27th in New York City and will continue to be open until the end of April.

This month, in honor of Earth Day, Wal-Mart is selling garbage next to the garbage already on the shelves. The only difference is that these new products have been reincarnated into useful items thanks to theupcycling company TerraCycle. Until April 29, these kites, pots, and bags made from waste are being sold right next to the products they come from. For example, this Oreo-branded backpack is on sale next to boxes of real Oreos:

TerraCycle collects waste which is normally non-recyclable, such as candy wrappers, chip bags, and juice pouches, and makes hundreds of eco-friendly products with them. This year, almost 60 of the company’s products will be sold in evert Walmart store across the US for the month of April, exposing millions of customers to these unique items, and perhaps sparking some conversations about the life cycle of products and packaging.

TerraCycle has NEW products available at all US Walmart stores for the month of April (and only the month of april) in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day . While some of us may or may not like big box stores Walmart is trying to join the eco-friendly world by providing products that are better for all of us. Yippee.

A couple months ago, I setup a TerraCycle Juice Pouch Brigade at our church to collect and upcycle juice pouches.  This is a real win-win idea as it provides money for non-profit organizations and diverts reusable materials from the landfill.  It is also a great project to involve the kids since they are the biggest consumer of juice pouch beverages like Capri Sun.

Starting April 5th, and for a limited time only during April, nearly 60 TerraCycle products will be available in every Walmart across the country in honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. This will include lots of brand new items, which you can look at right now by reading this blog post.

Green Up Shop Featuring over 200 items made from recycled or waste items from TerraCycle and 6 other New York and Brooklyn-based designers. A range of clothing, furniture, jewelry, home decor, fitness and other items will be available from some of New York's best up-and-coming designers and companies. Port Authority Bus Terminal | 8th Avenue and 41st Street NYC 3/27 - 5/9