She found out the offer came from TerraCycle's Drink Pouch Brigade, a free fundraising program for schools and nonprofit groups that pays 2 cents for every Capri Sun pouch collected. So far, TerraCycle has collected 50 million drink pouches through its program, and paid out $1 million. "Our goal is for people to look at waste in a whole new way," said TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky. "The $1 million that Capri Sun has helped us give out is a powerful sign of the enthusiasm that communities across the country have for the goals of this program."

One man's garbage is another man's treasure. While the concept is as old as the hills, it's taken on a new, greener meaning this decade. And it even has a new name: upcycling. "Upcycling is finding value in the material as it exists now, retaining that value or increasing it by turning it into a new creation," explained Stacey Cusack, 26, public relations manager for a company born from the upcycle theory called Terracycle, Inc. based in Trenton, N.J. The term "upcycle" is attributed to William McDonough, one of the co-authors of the book "Cradle to Cradle," published in 2002. "Our founder, Tom Szaky considers (McDonough) his mentor," Cusack said. Szaky, according to Cusack, dropped out of Princeton University almost 10 years ago at age 19 to start what would become Terracycle, a global upcycling company that converts trash (snack bags, cookie wrappers, and drink pouches) into a variety of products, such as Frito Lay messenger bags, Skittle kites and Capri Sun totes.

“Eliminate the idea of waste” and “Outsmart waste”. This is the tagline and mission statement of TerraCycle. Although I’m a sucker for a great tagline you don’t need one to have something awesome to offer. For proof, Trails.com provides it. This is a nature edition of Free Resource Friday and I’ll dive into each website to explain how something so simple can be so freakin’ useful.

TerraCycle takes used drink pouches and sews them into amazing products.

TerraCycle and Capri Sun have reached a major milestone in the Drink Pouch Brigade and an area school is being named America's Best Brigade for helping them do it.  They've just reached the 50 millionth pouch collected mark, which means that $1 million has been paid to schools adn non-profits across the country just for sending us this waste. TerraCycle uses this waste as raw material to make affordable, eco-friendly products.  Del Rey Elementary School in King City is among the Top 100 Collecting Schools out of about 30,000 nationwide that participate in TerraCycle's Drink Pouch Brigade, a free fundraising program that pays $.02 per unit of waste collected.

What is upcycling?  According to a very cool company, TerraCycle, upcycling is defined as using every aspect of waste as value.  Every year billions of drink pouches and candy wrappers and of in dumpsters and landfills across America.  Check out these items below and see upcycling in action.  See the volunteering section at highschoogle to learn more about how you can be part of TerraCycle’s Brigade movement, by starting a club at your school.

This fun lunch box is made from waste drink pouch material.  Send your kids to school in style with this attractive lunch box from Green Ostrich.

In 2010 proof of the ever burgeoning green movement can be found throughout the stories that made it into the headlines of mainstream media. For instance, there were several stories of various young ladies creating prom dresses out of used gum wrappers and foil beverage pouches. In addition, more and more items made from recycled materials such as t-shirts made from ground up soda bottles began showing up in retail stores. This increase in repurposing materials has caused food and beverage manufacturers like Kraft Foods to stand up and take notice. Proof in point is the company's recent decision to add foil cheese packets to their pre-existing "Terracycle Collection Program."

I asked her,"Are those Capri Sun pouches? Did you make that?" She started laughing and telling me how she found this company called TerraCycle that takes recycling to a whole new level. They do what they "upcycle" things like Capri Sun pouches, Frito-Lay potato chip bags, M&M wrappers, and a ton of other things you and I throw out every day and turns them into things like the bag A'Driane has. I was sold, especially after I saw their website. They sell everything you can think of, but what I really think is cool is that not only do they have stuff you can give your kids to use like pencil cases, kites, colored pencils, etc, but their products aren't expensive at all. They even have what they call "Brigades"-which are basically recycling programs that pay you to send them your trash. Capri Sun pouches, yogurt lids, toothbrushes, candy wrappers, you name it, you, your buisness, or kid's school can collect these items and get paid for collecting it while helping reduce waste-pretty incredible.

Members of the Norwell Cub Scouts 66 use to see a lot of Capri Sun drink pouches get thrown away. Once they signed up to recycle them through a company called TerraCycle, the school began earning 2 cents for every one of the pouches and became part of a nationwide effort that has just reached a milestone of keeping 50 million pouches out of landfills. In addition, TerraCycle, which makes affordable, eco-friendly products from packaging waste, and Capri Sun have paid $1 million to schools and nonprofits in return for the recycled drink pouches.10-11-18-- NorwellMariner