A few weeks ago, my friend and fellow blogger, Rachel invited some friends to check out the first stop in Garnier’s Greener Tour. I’m so glad I was able to attend the event, that the event was in my neck of the woods, and that I got this new moisturizer (more on that in a minute)! We don’t normally have big brands visit our little city (and definitely don’t have them in the little off-shoot of the little city where I live), so when Rachel invited me to the event, I was super excited. The first stop on this summer’s Garnier Greener Tour was Corpus Christi.

The multi-city tour is designed to inform men and women about the recyclability of cosmetic packaging, encourage them to think differently about waste, and teach simple ways to have a positive impact on the environment. The tour bus will feature:

• TerraCycle collection bins to encourage people to recycle empty personal care and beauty items
• TerraCycle representative on site to educate on recycling and upcycling
• Garnier samples and other goodies
• Garnier styling stations
• Interactive bottle toss game

I already use Garnier products for my hair including the shampoo, conditioner, and styling product; but, I wasn’t familiar with the skin-care products. One of the items I got at the event was this amazing moisturizer called Moisture Rescue. Y’all, I love this stuff! I am not a big fan of moisturizer at night because I don’t like the heavy feeling, but this gel is so light-weight and soaks right in to your skin! And a little goes a long way. Moisture Rescue will be in my cabinet from now on.

Got some empty bottles of foundation, sunscreen, body lotion, lip gloss or other beauty products lying around? Don't toss 'em. Take them to the Garnier Greener Tour bus, where they can be recycled into handbags, playground equipment and other cool stuff. Beauty brand Garnier, in partnership with TerraCycle, is making stops at local Walmart stores to promote the Garnier Greener Tour, a campaign to raise awareness about the recyclability of cosmetic packaging. Visitors are encouraged to drop off empty hair care, skin care or cosmetic packaging for recycling. When you do, you'll receive free Garnier samples and get to try new products. Anyone who brings a product for recycling will be eligible for a mini style makeover at the on-site Garnier styling station. Look for the Garnier glass tour bus today in the parking lot of the Walmart at 11110 Causeway Blvd., Brandon; Sunday at the Walmart at 23106 U.S. Highway 19 N., Clearwater; and Monday at the Walmart at 8001 U.S. Highway 19 N., Pinellas Park. For more information, visit the TerraCycle page at www.garnierusa.com/green.

Megabrand Garnier, in partnership with upcycling pioneer TerraCycle, is hitting the road for the Garnier Greener Tour. The fully loaded, glass tour bus will be making stops at multiple Walmart stores in Florida, offering beauty-lovers exciting ways to help protect the environment.  Shoppers can drop off empty hair care, skin care or cosmetic packaging to be recycled, receive free Garnier samples and try out new products. Those who bring at least one piece of beauty packaging waste to be recycled will be eligible for a mini-style at the on-site Garnier styling station. The multi-city tour is designed to inform men and women about the recyclability of cosmetic packaging, encourage them to think differently about waste, and teach simple ways to have a positive impact on the environment. The tour bus will feature:

• TerraCycle collection bins to encourage people to recycle empty personal care and beauty items
• TerraCycle representative on site to educate on recycling and upcycling
• Garnier samples and other goodies
• Garnier styling stations
• Interactive bottle toss game

Through Garnier's sponsorship of the Beauty Brigade®, any individual or group can collect and send hair care, skin care and cosmetic packaging to TerraCycle for free. For every unit of waste collected, Garnier will contribute two cents to the charity of the collector's choice.  Now, all kinds of beauty waste that would otherwise end up in a landfill can now be recycled or reused. For more information, visit the TerraCycle page here www.garnierusa.com/green. Millions of pieces of waste are expected to be collected during the tour, reducing the amount of waste sent to landfills.  In addition, the tour will recruit new Beauty Brigade members and educate communities to help make a difference.

FARMINGTON — The plastic No. 6 Solo cup that holds an icy cold beverage this summer can become a 10-cent donation to the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area. Through a special summer promotion by TerraCycle's UpCycle recycling program, the local United Way gets donations for each cup. It has already received $62.60 for its first shipment of 626 Solo cups, Lisa Laflin, executive director, said. Normally the cups might bring a cent or two but through August, they are worth 10 cents, she said. When Sarah Martin visited the United Way looking for ways to give back to the community, conversations led to ways to support the organization, Laflin said. Martin is also a member of the Sustainable Coalition at the University of Maine at Farmington. After talking with Laflin and meeting with the coalition, Martin volunteered to organize the recycling program and named the United Way as the beneficiary, Laflin said.

If we know our readers, we know one thing. You all LOVE free stuff. And we would be jerks if we didn't tell you how to get it. Garnier, the maker of the popular Fructis line of hair care products among others, has embarked on a bus tour called the Beauty Brigade. The brand is partnering with TerraCycle, a pioneer in the practice of "upcycling." What now? Upcycling is when you take something old and turn it into something better. In this case, Garnier wants you to donate your old beauty containers -- shampoo bottles, makeup cases, lip gloss tubes, whatever -- to be turned into new things. When you bring your empties to the bus parked outside select Tampa Bay Walmart locations, you can get FREE SAMPLES of Garnier products and try new products. If you bring at least one empty container, you'll be eligible for a mini-makeover on the bus.

Beauty and style expert Holly Crawford recycles a used Garnier product into the TerraCycle and Garnier recycling bin outside The Garnier Greener Tour Bus on Saturday June 16, 2012 in Houston. (Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/Invision for Garnier/AP Images)

Join us today at the Housing Office at 2:00 p.m. as we learn about the Terracycle program and we create our fun drop off boxes!

Yesterday my son threw away a ketchup bottle and a toothpaste tube. The ketchup bottle had another serving it it, about 1 1/2 Tablespoons. I grabbed it and turned it upside down on the counter and used the rest last night. I took the toothpaste tube and showed him how much product was being thrown away. Americans throw away 1 BILLION toothpaste tubes a year, along with shampoo, conditioner, and lotion bottles. On average, they leave 10% of the product in them. Not only does this waste the earths resources, it wastes your money!

The Garnier Greener Tour, in partnership with TerraCycle, is making stops all over the country to raise awareness about the recyclability of cosmetic packaging, encourage people to think differently about waste, and teach simple ways to have a positive impact on the environment. And yes, it’s actually coming to Corpus Christi. We shall pause for a moment of silence in honor of the sheer awesomeness of this fact. pause On Sunday, June 10th from 2pm to 4 pm – the Garnier Get Greener Tour Bus is going to be at the Calallen Walmart at 3829 US Highway 77. There will be a couple of stylists to do hair, Terracycle bins for recycling used cosmetics containers, refreshments, even games and activities, and for those lucky ones who RSVP’d to the local evite FB blast — special Garnier Goody Bags!