With its innovative Upcycle Program, TerraCycle encourages consumers to “be a part of their eco-revolution!” Started by a Princeton student in 2001, it is the company’s endeavor to minimize what most toss as trash. In order to reduce waste in landfills, TerraCycle establishes turn-key operations that make it easier for schools and non-profit organizations to save, collect and donate non-recyclables, and to earn cash from the donations for fund drives.

People of Avon Helping Hands used to see a lot of used Capri Sun drink Pouches get thrown away. Now the organization earns two cents for every one of those pouches they collect and return to a company called TerraCycle.

This is like the ultimate way to be green… having NO trash. I like to think we’re pretty green – we recycle, we compost, we barely have any trash. But we do have trash. Look at this way: in nature, there is no trash. What is waste from one, becomes food or shelter for another. Everything is used. Why can’t we do that? That’s where TerraCycle comes in! They take what cannot be recycled and they “upcycle” it to make products you can use. TerraCycle is fairly new, but is quickly spreading around the world. They pay schools, daycares, families, anybody! 2 cents to send in waste that would otherwise sit in a landfill. How do you get involved and help save the earth?

  The Ecology Club at Elizabeth Seton High School in Bladensburg has found a creative way to get rid of trash like candy wrappers and old juice drink pouches. The students have partnered with a company called TerraCycle, which pays two cents for each piece of refuse collected and turns the garbage into products like backpacks, coolers and even fences. In less than a year, students have collected more than 3,200 pieces of refuse, raising money to help pay for new recycling containers for the school.

"We'd see kids throwing out their Capri Sun pouches after every class party," recalls Blacow Elementary Booster Club President, Emily Swanson. "It was such a shame to see so much waste." It did not stop with just Capri Sun pouches; paper and food waste desecrated the school with waste. Collecting ideas on solutions to the problem, the school now earns money from students' litter. Blacow Elementary recently joined with a nationwide "Brigade" program operated by TerraCycle, a recycling company. TerraCycle accepts waste materials and recycles them to form new products. The company pays about two cents for each acceptable wrapper or bag collected. For example, for an empty Lays chips bag, the school receives two cents. Brigades are basic areas that collect and pay for the donated items. Officially founded in the fall of 2001 by college student Tom Szaky, TerraCycle has grown to create various products ranging from Capri-Sun rectangular lunch boxes to a circuit board clipboard. This merchandise is sold to leading corporations such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Home Depot. Instead of going into a landfill and increasing carbon emissions, waste is turned into something useful.

TerraCycle makes eco-friendly products from typically non-recyclable items i.e those awesome CapriSun drink pouches.  So fun to drink from but not so fun to throw away.  (As a wise person once told me…there is no away.  Unless that’s what they’re calling garbage dumps now. ) TerraCycle helps run free collection programs for non-profits & schools (no cost for shipping the trash to TC).  A few things they collect are…. drink pouches, energy bar wrappers, yogurt cups, cookie wrappers, and chip bags.  They pay 2-cents for each piece of trash so volume is a must for any significant fundraiser.  A few things they make are….tote bags, backpacks, lunch boxes and kites.

Well, obviously, Home Grown Families LOVES green!  We love green products, green ideas, green caring, green based in the US, and new green innovative products!  So, again, obviously, we LOVE TerraCycle <http://www.terracycle.net/> !  Have you heard of TerraCycle <http://www.terracycle.net/> , yet?  Chances are, you have seen their green products <http://www.terracycle.net/products>  whether you realized it or not.  I was at Wal-Mart a few months ago and noticed Capri Sun lunch boxes <http://www.terracycle.net/products/195-Capri-Sun-Rectangular-Lunch-Box>  but I didn't know about TerraCycle <http://www.terracycle.net/> , yet.  I went back to check them out and sure enough it was a TerraCycle <http://www.terracycle.net/>  product.

Mesa's Johnson Elementary School, 3807 E. Pueblo Ave., is collecting non-recyclable packaging (like Capri Sun Drink Pouches and used beauty product packaging) as part of a national Beauty Brigade program by Terracycle. The company will pay schools, families and communities to collect the waste, which is then repurposed to make eco-friendly products. Johnson students are also collecting candy wrappers, glue bottles and more, close to 750 pieces of trash so far.

Well, obviously, Home Grown Families LOVES green!  We love green products, green ideas, green caring, green based in the US, and new green innovative products!  So, again, obviously, we LOVETerraCycle!  Have you heard of TerraCycle, yet?  Chances are, you have seen their green products whether you realized it or not.  I was at Wal-Mart a few months ago and noticed Capri Sun lunch boxes but I didn't know about TerraCycle, yet.  I went back to check them out and sure enough it was a TerraCycle product.

Teachers at Lounsberry Hollow Middle School used to see a lot of used Capri Sun drink pouches get thrown away. Now the school earns two cents for every one of those pouches they collect and return to a company called TerraCycle, which makes affordable, eco-friendly products from packaging waste. The schools use the program not only as a fundraising opportunity but as a way to educate and inspire their students.