Goods and services evolve to meet the needs of the modern consumer, and music is no exception. Initially experience-based, as it has been for hundreds and thousands of years, music eventually became something people wanted to own, and prevailing demands called for audio content and playing formats that were lighter, smaller, portable and more user-friendly. From the invention of the phonograph (or wax cylinder), to the vinyl LP, to the 8-track cassette tape, to compact discs and digital files played on iPods that got smaller and smaller (and eventually, too, became unnecessary), music as an audio format evolved to satisfy demands of convenience and access. For similar reasons, packaging designers and manufacturers are increasingly taking up the practice of “lightweighting” in order to create packages that are more convenient and accessible to consumers. Done by either replacing packaging material with a lighter weight alternative (such as a flexible plastic pouch versus a glass bottle) or cutting down the amount of packaging material used, lightweighting, literally, makes for a lighter package that people find more portable and affordable. However, music is an auditory experience, and unlike music, product packaging doesn’t simply shrink down to digital iterations that only differ in interface and pricing models—lightweighting will often shrink down packaging into single-use items that are unrecyclable, difficult to capture, highly polluted and designed without end-of-life solutions. Take one of the most extreme examples of lightweighted packaging: the sachet. Used today to package things like powdered drinks, shampoo samples and condiment packets, these small, singl-use, plastic pouch-like items are very inexpensive to make. But these items fall outside the scope of recyclability due to their small size, and are prone to end up in oceans and waterways. Lightweighted packaging configurations are often marketed to consumers as being more affordable, more convenient and making less of an environmental impact by taking up less volume, and companies cite the practice as reducing a company’s carbon footprint, as well as costs, throughout the supply chain. But a package that is in itself less costly to ship, lighter in weight and volume, and conserves natural resources does not translate into a reduced environmental impact. By and large, the opposite is true. In many cases, a lightweighted package is multi-compositional in nature and not recyclable in the current waste management infrastructure. Further, the waste created by the various fitments that give lightweighted items high functionality (such as straws, caps and spoons) are also not recyclable through curbside collections due to their small size. At this this time, the biggest problem with lightweighted packaging is that producers and manufacturers of these items have not designed end-of-life solutions into their packaging innovations, despite an insufficient waste management infrastructure. Where Boomboxes and Discmans and turntables today suggest inefficiency or antiquity, traditional glass and metal product packaging configurations are more favorable than their modern lightweighted counterparts in terms of cutting out structural waste and retaining value. These heavier, quality items can be reused, recycled and captured for the worth of their materials, kept at high utility and used in lieu of new material sourcing. We can do well to look to the past to create more sustainable product and packaging designs for the modern consumer. Today, music as a product format has been dematerialized for convenience and access, and in the process, the paradigm for its ownership has changed; the plastic of vinyl records and compact discs and cassette is no longer necessary, and the emotional, social and functional benefits remain. Finding a way to change the paradigm of ownership for products in the food, beverage and household industries might change the way consumers view the purchase of these goods, which, like music, will always be in demand.

What to do with toys once they are unwanted or broken? Tom’s of Maine and TerraCycle say they have an option. It’s pretty obvious what to do with cans, glass containers and even plastic bottles once they’re empty. But for other products, such as plastic toys, recycling can pose a tricky question. After all, the types of plastics that are accepted into waste management streams vary by municipality. But natural personal care company Tom’s of Maine, in a partnership with TerraCycle, says it has a solution. As part of the brand’s Less Waste Challenge, consumers can collect and box broken or unwanted toys and send them to TerraCycle. The process is simple. Customers click a link to print a free shipping label, and then send the goods to TerraCycle. Both companies infer that any toys will be accepted, including plush toys such as stuffed animals. In the meantime, TerraCycle is trying to boost the recycling of toys, including electronic gadgets, by selling boxes that are designed to encourage and scale their recycling. Neither company has disclosed how the toys they collect will be recycled or upcycled. Tom’s of Maine has promoted the recycling of toys before. Two years ago, the company tried to raise awareness of the fact that billions of toys are purchased annually, and cited statistics suggesting that over half of them are tossed away when no longer wanted. The company also partnered with TerraCycle on the initiative, which similarly allowed customers to mail in their old toys for recycling. There is one caveat: Both companies suggest that customers not ship the box until at least 10 pounds of toys are tucked inside. But unlike other recycling campaigns — such as TerraCycle’s recent partnership with Garnier, which also called for a high volume of waste in one package — accumulating 10 pounds of toys should not be too steep of a challenge for the typical household. As the global economy recovers, the sales of toys have surged. One trade association reported that the American toy industry alone surpassed over $20 billion in sales last year. But the wide use of plastics in these toys, many of which have a short life, highlights concerns that far too many of them end up in municipal dumps. Reports from publications including the Guardian, which suggest that recycled toxic electronic waste has come back as children’s toys, further indicate that the industry can do far more to become more responsible and sustainable. This toy challenge is part of a Tom’s of Maine initiative to educate consumers about the amount of waste their households send to landfill. Last year, the company accelerated its waste diversion awareness efforts by urging customers to reduce the amount of waste tey throw away by one pound a week. The maker of natural toothpaste and deodorant says such behavior changes have prevented the disposal of over 226,000 pounds – or promises from approximately 4,300 customers.

4) Offer continued support and encouragement   Morale boosting can come in lots of different forms. Buffer, a startup that builds social media tools, uses inventive names to set a positive tone for its customer support team, calling its agents “Happiness Heroes.” Team members at TerraCycle are issued NERF blasters and are encouraged to engage in office-wide stress releasing NERF shootouts a few times a day to break up their routine and have fun.

Colgate es una de las marcas que más ha avanzado en el tema de responsabilidad social empresarial, prueba de ello es su programa ‘Make every drop of water count’ que trata sobre la correcta utilización del agua. Algunos de sus objetivos son promocionar la conservación del agua entre sus consumidores y asociarse con organizaciones para llevar agua de calidad a zonas vulnerables del mundo. En México, los productos elaborados por Colgate-Palmolive son donados y repartidos a más de mil instituciones y al DIF Nacional se le entrega un donativo de crema dental y cepillo de dientes. Colgate está comprometida con el medio ambiente y realiza diversas acciones en pro de su sostenibilidad. A través de la brigada de cuidado bucal, en alianza con TerraCycle, ha reciclado alrededor de 718 mil 197 desechos. En el programa participan cientos de ciudadanos recolectan cepillos de dientes, tubos de crema dental, cajas de cartón de los tubos de crema dental y empaques de cepillos de dientes, para después enviarlos a TerraCycle. Tras esto, cada recolector recibe puntos por sus envíos que puede canjear por dinero para donarse a diversas escuelas, asociaciones civiles y fundaciones. Con la brigada de Colgate se ha logrado donar alrededor de 190 mil pesos. Además del programa de reciclaje con TerraCycle, Colgate reciclaje la mayoría de los residuos sólidos generados en sus diversas plantas, como cartón, papel, plásticos y diversos metales.

¡Dala una segunda vida a lo que consideras basura!

What began as a watershed victory for environmental activism has grown into a month-long observation of global proportions: April 22nd’s Earth Day has expanded into the April-long Earth Month. Since Earth Day’s origin in 1970, the month of April has continued to be an important time for environmental action, observation, and celebration. The campaigns and initiatives slated for this April have the chance to make long-lasting and considerable impacts, galvanizing activists and conscious consumers into action. See if you can get involved with some or all of the initiatives, events and activities scheduled this Earth Month, and get your family, friends and community to join you.

March For Science

A variety of collaborative international conservation and environmental efforts occur throughout Earth Month each year, using April as a time to heighten public awareness of environmental issues and the need to create realistic, actionable solutions. This year, in the wake of the U.S. presidential election and increased global political activism, there are more opportunities than ever for people to have their voice heard, the old-fashioned way. In over 300 cities across the world and in Washington, D.C., The March for Science is a series of rallies and marches set to be held on Earth Day, April 22 to celebrate science and safeguard the scientific community. Inspired by the 2017 Women's March of January 21, 2017, The March for Science is an international, non-partisan event for scientists, science enthusiasts, and concerned citizens in favor of scientific evidence-based policymaking. You can find a satellite march near you here.

Tom’s of Maine Less Waste Challenge

Manufacturers and major brands are increasingly stepping in to invest in the next generation of environmentalists. This coming Earth Month, we are working with our sponsorship partner and natural care brand Tom’s of Maine to help support their second Less Waste Challenge, which last year saw thousands of individuals and families pledge to reduce a collective 130,000 pounds of waste from their everyday lives. Toys are a waste stream that children understand, adding an element of engagement that brings complex waste management issues to their level. This year, Tom’s of Maine will not only continue to share expert tips and waste-reduction strategies on their program landing page and social media platforms, but run a toy recycling program through TerraCycle during the campaign. Consumers will be able to download a free shipping label directly from the program landing page to solve for old toys. Make the pledge here.

D’Addario Recycle and Restring Events

Did you know that musical instrument strings are not recycled through municipal recycling programs? It is estimated that more than 1.5 million lbs. of instrument string metal could be put into landfill every year. This April, musicians nationwide are invited to attend a free recycle and restring event at their local music supply store.  Sponsored by D’Addario, the instrument manufacturers, musicians can bring any old instrument strings for recycling and get their electric or acoustic guitars restrung with D’Addario NYXL or Nickel Bronze Acoustic strings. Old strings collected during the event will be recycled through Playback, D’Addario’s free, national recycling program powered by TerraCycle. Find your nearest recycle and restring event here.

Rider has been ranked in the Princeton Review’s top most sustainable schools in the country and one of the greenest universities in the world by the UI GreenMetric World University Ranking. But what has Rider done to get where it is today? The university has implemented a number of programs that have quickly moved us up in the ranks. One of those programs occurs in every dorm and has a high percentage of Rider’s residential students participating: the amazing Terracycle health and beauty brigade. Terracycle started as a local company based out of Trenton and now operates globally. The health and beauty brigade, in particular, collects difficult-to-recycle plastics that are commonly found in the packaging of beauty and personal care products and either upcycles or recycles them into new products. Shampoo bottles, for instance, are a perfect example of what Terracycle likes to reuse and recycle. When asked what she thinks of the Terracycle health and beauty brigade, Resident Advisor Talauria Wright says, “I love the health and beauty brigade, it’s super easy. Hill Hall always does a fantastic job recycling. The green bucket is always full of stuff.” With these materials, Terracycle takes the shredded and melted down plastics and either makes amazing new packaging for companies like Garnier, Febreze and Colgate or creates outdoor furniture, garden supplies and tote bags. Rider has sent over 27,300 items to Terracycle through the health and beauty brigade so far. Not only does Rider benefit from the health and beauty brigade, but also from Terracycle’s cigarette waste recycling program. Terracycle upcycles cigarette waste into fertilizer and packing peanuts. Rider has sent a whopping total of 24,000 butts to Terracycle so far. Thanks to the cigarette waste recycling program, the university safely disposes of the toxic materials commonly found in cigarettes. Rider is gearing up to begin a new brigade, the writing utensil brigade, thanks to senior Eco Rep Ambria Dell’Oro. With the writing utensil brigade, students will have a safe and sustainable way to dispose of their used writing utensils. It is estimated that over 2 billion mechanical pencils are sold in the United States alone. Terracycle has begun a program to safely recycle all the different writing utensils students use that typically end up in the garbage at the end of their useful life. When asked why she thought Terracycle’s writing utensil brigade would be a good fit for Rider, Ambria Dell’Oro said,“ If you really think about it, not all that much plastic goes into making a pen or mechanical pencil, but 2 billion pens and mechanical pencils in the trash equals a lot of plastic that will never biodegrade. I wanted to start this program at Rider to ensure that students knew about this unknown problem and to make sure students had a way to dispose of these writing products sustainably.” Thanks to Terracycle, Rider is able to properly dispose of difficult-to-recycle materials. Students and faculty alike can rest easy knowing that they have the opportunity to make a difference.

米国でリサイクルが困難とされる廃棄物を2001年から回収し、あらゆる方法で再利用を行っているTerraCycle(テラサイクル)は、P&Gなどの大企業をパートナーにリサイクルを進めている。今後は日本を拠点にオーストラリア、ニュージーランド、韓国、中国とアジアとオセアニア地域へ事業を拡大するという。来日した創業者のトム・ザッキーCEOと、テラサイクルジャパン合同会社のエリック・カワバタ アジア・リージョナル・マネージャーに話を聞いた。

Raglan Coconut Yoghurt has teamed up with TerraCycle to make its yoghurt pouches nationally recyclable in New Zealand. This coincides with the brands launch of its new ‘Little Yoghi’ range.