Finding solutions for the world’s plastic problem is an uphill battle. Manufacturers and consumers alike are now accustomed to products and packaging made lighter, less costly and more convenient by plastic, the iterations of which have only grown more complex. As it stands, we are manufacturing approximately 300 million tons of plastics across the world every year, and this number continues to grow.

Hillcrest Elementary School in the Somerset section of Franklin is competing to win a playground made from recycled oral care waste through the fourth annual Recycled Playground Challenge, courtesy of Colgate-Palmolive, ShopRite and recycling pioneer TerraCycle.Hillcrest Elementary School will earn one Playground Credit ...

Hillcrest Elementary School in the Somerset section of Franklin is competing to win a playground made from recycled oral care waste through the fourth annual Recycled Playground Challenge, courtesy of Colgate-Palmolive, ShopRite and recycling pioneer TerraCycle.

WILMINGTON –  Cigarette smoking is a declining trend in the U.S., but cigarette butts remain a litter problem here and across the globe. The countywide Keep New Hanover Beautiful organization, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful Inc., recently partnered with city officials on a cigarette butt recycling program aimed at diverting some of this waste from local waterways and streets and the landfill.

To do better by our oceans, we must shift our gaze. World Oceans Day is June 8, an important time for environmental action, observation, and celebration. Coinciding with this year’s UN Ocean Conference, World Oceans Day is day for policymakers, activists and conscious consumers to take part in actions and discussions that can carry us forward. See if you can get involved with some or all of the initiatives, events and activities scheduled around World Oceans Day, and get your family, friends and community to join you. Attend the inaugural World Oceans Festival Kicking off the UN Ocean Conference June 4...

WILMINGTON -- According to keep America beautiful, cigarette butts are the most littered item worldwide. That's why the City of Wilmington says it's partnered with Keep New Hanover Beautiful to recycle cigarette butts. The city has installed 110 new cigarette-butt- disposal canisters. The city collects the discarded butts, and Keep New Hanover Beautiful  volunteers mail them to Terracycle, a free waste-collection and recycling facility.  

For the over-stretched parent who doesn’t have time to puree plums or soak grains overnight, portable plastic packs jammed with organic and healthful ingredients are a godsend. On-the-go moms can just twist off the cap and hand a pouch of blueberry flax and oat to a hungry baby to suck on by himself. No spoon or spoon skills required. While these packs are pricey ― a 4-ounce pouch can cost north of $2  ― families are willing to fork over the funds for the convenience factor. But this convenience comes with another price: Most of these plastic pouches can’t be recycled and are destined for landfills ― or worse, the oceans. The demand is growing even though reasonably priced alternatives are available that can be used over and over again. The problem...

HOLLAND, MI (WHTC) - Three Ottawa County schools are competing to win a new playground. In the third annual Recycled Playground Challenge courtesy of Colgate-Palmolive, Meijer and TerraCycle, the playgrounds will be made from recycled oral care waste. This year’s Recycled Playground Challenge launched April 23 in schools throughout Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky and Wisconsin that participate in the Colgate Oral Care Recycling Program.

ShopRite and Colgate-Palmolive are staging their fourth annual "Colgate & ShopRite Recycled Playground Challenge," this year offering more secondary prizes than ever before. The contest will award a $50,000 playground made entirely of recycled oral care waste to the Northeastern school that earns the most "playground credits" from March 16 through June 30. Schools earn credits by getting their students and other constituents to vote on a promotional page within recycling company TerraCycle's website or by submitting oral care waste to the recycler (using free-shipping labels downloaded from terracycle.com).

This summer, Coors Brewing says it is continuing its rich tradition in sustainability by introducing EveryOneCan, a summer-long program that underscores the commitment we all can make to sustainability. Since pioneering the recyclable aluminum can, Coors Brewing, with corporate headquarters in Chicago, says it has been a leader in sustainable brewing practices.