Born again pens and paper challenge

High schools and universities are invited to join a recycling campaign and contest being run by Officeworks and innovative recycling experts TerraCycle. The campaign promotes a Zero-Waste Box system in which everyday waste items such as stationery, pens and markers are repurposed into ingenious objects.

Nespresso has partnered with Terracycle in a zero waste initiative to recycle their 100% recyclable coffee pods. From these collection points, the pods are taken to a Southern NSW recycling plant and completely recycled – used grounds composted and aluminium melted down to make new products. So awesome!!!

City-dwellers are embracing the trend of zero waste living to live more sustainably. Living a completely rubbish-free life is difficult but some are managing to reduce their waste so dramatically that two years worth of rubbish can fit into a mason jar.

IF YOU think living your life without producing any rubbish is impossible, just ask the growing number of city-dwellers embracing the trend. Living a completely rubbish-free life is difficult but some are managing to reduce their waste so dramatically that two years worth of rubbish can fit into a mason jar.

Filling your recycling bin isn't enough: each Aussie home produces over one tonne of waste annually, and 70 percent of it still ends up in landfill. We are the second highest producers of waste per person in the world behind the United States. The question is what more can we do? Here’s how to shrink your waste and become an eco warrior.

Though what many of us don't know is that Nespresso pods are recyclable. Sure, it's not as easy as chucking them in the designated council bin, but there's collection points all over the country. Nespresso has capsule collection points in all of its Australian stores, but now you'll also find them in a whole bunch (pardon the pun) of florists across the country.

Looking for a fun DIY craft you can do with your little ones? Try out these 3 easy ways to upcycle your Whole Kids packaging with just a few materials.

In 2013 Nespresso partnered with Terracycle to establish a growing network of recycling points at selected florists throughout the country. The North Rocks Greenery is one of the recycling points.

Recycling has even become a worldwide business with TerraCycle, a company that recycles hard-to-recycle items, launching in Australia in 2014. It started in the US in 2001 and is now in 21 countries. “The TerraCycle philosophy is to eliminate the idea of waste,” TerraCycle communications manager Ausseela Thanaphongsakom said. In Australia it allows people to recycle yoghurt pouches, used mail satchels and other dental products for free. While the company has only just established itself in Australia, in other countries it even offers recycling of things like chewing gum. “I think (the companies) perceive, rightly so, that consumers would appreciate and are demanding such programs,” TerraCycle founder and chief executive officer Tom Szaky told news.com.au. Pretty much everything is recyclable, Mr Szaky explained, but the problem is making it into a product that people wanted to buy. This is because most products, especially plastics, can only be “downcycled”. A plastic toothbrush can’t be recycled into a new plastic toothbrush, for example. This is in contrast to metal, which can be recycled endlessly, and paper, which can be recycled seven times. Most plastics are recycled into things like park benches and garden materials. Part of TerraCycle’s business is creating a market for these recycled products. Mr Szaky said he thought Australians had less opportunity to recycle things, compared with other countries, because of a lack of infrastructure. This applied even to more profitable materials such as glass and paper. But he acknowledged that the ideal situation was not to consume. “That’s the fundamental answer, don’t buy this stuff to begin with. But if you chose to buy, as many do, the best thing is to buy things that you can reuse.” TERRACYCLE RECYCLING PROGRAM Items that can be recycled for free include: Colgate Oral Care Brigade: used toothbrushes, toothpaste tubes, floss containers and outer packaging Nescafé Dolce Gusto Capsules Brigade: only Nescafé Dolce Gusto are accepted. Whole Kids Snack and Pouch Brigade: snack wrappers and yoghurt pouches. Australia Post Mailing Satchel Brigade: Mailing post satchels. Natures Organics Cleaner Packaging Brigade: nozzles, triggers, on cleaning, beauty and laundry products, beauty wipe packaging Nespresso Capsules Brigade: only Nespresso capsules are accepted and can be dropped off at participating florists and garden centres. Loccitane Recycling Program: Its products can be dropped at participating stores. For more information on the free recycling program go to: www.terracycle.com.au/en-AU/brigades You can also purchase zero waste boxes to recycle other items: www.terracycle.com.au/en-AU/zero_waste_boxes

It's easy to make the change in your own world, but change is also needed at a community level. This means we need to work together to create the change we want for our town. I've come up with a wish list of things I believe the community of Ballarat needs so we can move towards 'No Waste'.