WASHINGTON (WUSA) -- We all know that recycling our paper, plastic, and glass is important for the enviornment. But what if I told you that you that recycling certain items could earn you some cold hard cash? Investopedia gives us three things that you can recycle for cash back or a tax deduction: 1. Gift Cards.  We all have received that gift card for a holiday gift or birthday present that we feel like we will never use. If you have one of these lying around the house, Gift Card Rescue is a service that will take your unused gift card and send you a check for it. If you have a gift card that you have used up or it's outdated gift card, Gift Card Recycler will take those and give you points for the number of cards you send in. 2. Cooking Oil.  It may seem odd, but there are several recycling centers, bio-diesel firms, and individuals that will pay you for your used cooking oil. Prices range from 33 cents to 66 cents a gallon. 3. Trash. TerraCycle is a company that will pay you for your garbage. A program that works best with schools of non-profit organizations, TerraCycle will donate money to your cause for every piece of trash you send the organization, and they will even pay for shipping. We're talking candy wrappers, juice boxes, ink jet containers, old cameras -- that kind of thing.

I don’t believe in formal performance reviews. I think they create an environment where employers risk not confronting unsatisfactory performance when it happens — or acknowledging great work when it is delivered.     At TerraCycle, our approach has been to build a culture where feedback is given often and evenly to all 110 employees. We do this through a weekly reporting process (a topic I blogged about a few months ago) that requires every department to submit a detailed biweekly report to the whole company (every employee). In other words, everyone in the company sees the same reports that I do. Then, as chief executive, I write detailed responses to the reports that are also sent to all employees. This process allows everyone to be evaluated, frequently and without prejudice, in full view of their co-workers. I greatly prefer this approach to a more formal, once-a-year sit-down. Someone who isn’t performing well needs to know about it in real time, and someone who is doing great deserves immediate recognition.

TerraCycle creates national recycling systems for previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle waste. Anyone can sign up for these programs, called the Brigades, and send them waste. Then, the collected waste is turned into different products and materials available at major retailers. Terracycle encourages teams from the 21 countries where their Brigades operate in to beat their personal and national records during the 2012 Summer Olympic Games. For every country which accomplishes the goal, all the participants who sent waste during the games will receive TerraCycle points. Also, all the shipments will be counted towards the global goal of collecting 4 million pieces of waste. For more information about Terracycle and the Recycling Games, please visit http://www.terracycle.com

Painting the outside of a house can be a real chore – a hot, sticky, messy chore. But it’s not so bad when you have hundreds of people to help. Our friends at TerraCycle are hosting the 8^th annual Jersey Fresh Jam this weekend at their “house.” Hundreds of aerosol artists will descend upon the Trenton, NJ property to show off their skills with a spray can. TerraCycle gives them free reign to paint their art (tastefully, of course!), which will remain on the outside walls of TerraCycle’s headquarters until next summer. This one-day event offers the Trenton area’s urban artists a constructive outlet to express themselves while showcasing the more positive side to graffiti art. As this kind of event is becoming more common, often legal graffiti art is showcased in galleries across the country.   And have no fear: the artists use paint that is eco-friendly with low VOC levels. We wouldn’t expect anything less, guys and gals!   During the day, various local and regional emcees, bands and DJs will provide a soundtrack of sorts to the day, and the public is invited to see how these artists work (for free!). Malt-O-Meal is also providing breakfast for everyone that morning to keep them fueled and happy. And, there’s even an official after-party hosted by Jersey Fresh Jam. What’s not to love?

Editor’s Note: We asked our good friend Albe Zakes at TerraCycle, to share his ideas on gamification when it comes to living the eco-friendly lifestyle. Here are his thoughts. Playing games is an integral part of growing up. No matter the type of game, from the playground to living room, we learn valuable life lessons like how to follow rules, the importance of teamwork, and how to set and reach goals. Most importantly though, we play games because it’s fun and rewarding! Companies are now applying the enjoyment we get from playing games to non-game-like contexts – namely education and marketing – in the hopes that consumers will adopt new behaviors. This concept, dubbed “gamification” can be just what the green movement needs to motivate people to fully embrace a more sustainable life. What is Gamification? Companies use gamification to encourage a certain behavior by awarding points, achievement badges, virtual currency, real-life prizes or coupons or by showing progress bars and leader boards. The explosion of social networking and smart phones has made gamification a fundamental part of companies’ marketing strategies and is even used to motivate their own employees. Gamification could change the world by encouraging people to be the best they can: healthier, educated, and more sustainable. It’s so powerful because it can be applied to anything, but it is taking hold in the environmental and socially responsible movements.

Performance reviews are standard protocol in corporate America. The objective seems to be for the company to give formal and direct feedback to employees, who are assumed to understand that the reviews represent an opportunity to get a status check (like a report card) that can help them improve their performance and in the end further their careers.   I don’t believe in formal performance reviews. I think they create an environment where employers risk not confronting unsatisfactory performance when it happens — or acknowledging great work when it is delivered.   At TerraCycle, our approach has been to build a culture where feedback is given often and evenly to all 110 employees. We do this through a weekly reporting process (a topic I blogged about a few months ago) that requires every department to submit a detailed biweekly report to the whole company (every employee). In other words, everyone in the company sees the same reports that I do. Then, as chief executive, I write detailed responses to the reports that are also sent to all employees. This process allows everyone to be evaluated, frequently and without prejudice, in full view of their co-workers. I greatly prefer this approach to a more formal, once-a-year sit-down. Someone who isn’t performing well needs to know about it in real time, and someone who is doing great deserves immediate recognition.

A new initiative by LVC’s Sustainability Committee provides a unique way to upcycle products typically thrown away on campus. TerraCycle creates collection and solution programs for non-recyclable waste, and will be rolled out on campus in time for move in day. Residential Life area coordinator Michael Schoch is spearheading the TerraCycle effort on campus, along with his “green team” of resident assistants, building representatives, and Sustainability Committee members. “The TerraCycle project is another opportunity for LVC to continue to become as sustainable as possible, Schoch said. “It is the team’s hope that we can reduce waste on campus by educating our community about new items that can be upcycled instead of being thrown into general waste. In turn, by simply changing behavior, we will be able to collect points/money and send them off to charities.” Schoch has prior experience with a successful TerraCycle program. During his graduate studies at Millersville University he worked closely with a professor to implement upcyling within a residence hall on campus. “It is my hope to include and encourage the LVC campus community to get involved and contribute to a more sustainable society.”

By closing the loop between waste and raw material, Tom Szaky turned a dorm room project into a profitable and transformative business model. TerraCycle now churns out recycled products as varied as backpacks and dog bowls. Tom hatched the idea for TerraCycle while using worms to compost organic waste as a Princeton freshman. In “the pursuit of opportunity,” he left Princeton and formed TerraCycle, producer of the world’s first product made from waste (“worm poop”) and packaged in waste (used plastic bottles.) Despite numerous awards for TerraCycle’s business model, Tom suffered obstacles. There were “times when my team and I were totally out of money,” Tom says. “I had only one small sale to a local garden center in Princeton, and I was ready to give up, sell back the equipment, recoup as much of my losses as possible, and move on with my life.” But a well-timed invitation as a radio guest initiated an investment from a listener. They were “back in business.”

Experience Green has partnered with TerraCycle to offer recycling for old laptops, cellphones and No. 6 plastic cups. The program collects previously nonrecyclable or hard to recycle waste and turns it into products such as tote bags, picture frames, notebooks, place mats and pots. Experience Green receives points for every item it sends to TerraCycle. TerraCycle then makes a cash donation back to the nonprofit organization.   Items are being accepted on Hilton Head Island at Burke's Pharmacy, Jiva Yoga Center and All About Pets. Experience Green will provide collection boxes and arrange for item pickup at other interested local businesses.   Details: 843-882-7616, www.experiencegreen.org, info@experiencegreen.org

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Center for the Performing Arts has taken candy wrapper collecting to a new level. As part of a “green” initiative aimed at diverting waste from landfills while providing clean drinking water to people in developing countries, employees of the performing arts center hoped to collect 600 wrappers during the 2011-12 season, but the center has greatly exceeded its goal, collecting 6,420 wrappers.   A TerraCycle program called the Candy Wrapper Brigade awards points for each wrapper collected. The points can then be redeemed for various charitable causes. The original goal would have provided clean water for one year to four people. Collecting more than 6,000 wrappers, however, means that clean water will be made available to 43 people.   “The Center for the Performing Arts Green Team is happy to have so greatly exceeded our original goal,” said Shannon Bishop, a member of the committee that organized the collection. “In doing so, we have not only diverted thousands of wrappers from ending up in our local landfill, but we have also provided clean water to families in developing countries where access to a clean water supply is extremely limited.”