Greening the Great White Way began in earnest in 2008, when a few dedicated theatre professionals saw ways in which Broadway could set the stage for more sustainable productions, without losing any razzle-dazzle. TheBroadway Green Alliance has created a wide array of eco-initiatives, motivating professionals and audience members alike to adopt a greener ethos. The storied lights of Broadway are beautiful, but the environmental impact of incandescent bulbs was anything but. The BGA accomplished the Herculean feat of bringing theatre owners to the same page and making all marquee lights energy-efficient LED bulbs – all 100,000+ of them, saving over 700 tons of carbon a year. The shows are still hot, the planet a bit less so. When it was observed that the binders used for scripts and light cues were thrown out after every show, the BGA created the Binder Initiative, offering a place where binders could be donated after use and recycled into another show. The initiative is an incredible success, saving mountains of binders from landfill. The BGA is working to bring Off-Broadway and other local theatres, for whom costs are an even bigger concern, into the program. Soon, there will be binders that have been in more shows than some of the busiest actors in town. Those busy actors often wear body mics, and the need for fully-charged batteries is mandatory. The BGA has convinced most of the productions to opt for rechargeable batteries, thus keeping thousands of tons of toxic waste out of the system and saving money for more important investments. One of the BGA’s greatest successes has been in tapping individuals’ green passions, whether they are ardent environmentalists or just want to lessen waste. Many shows now have a “Green Captain” – one person, whether in cast or crew – who acts as advisor, point person, and liaison, helping to green the shows and the people who make them happen. At that great green musical Wicked, the Green Captain is actress Nova Bergeron. On the road, Nova discovered many theatres had no recycling facilities, so she gathered cans & bottles and recycled them herself. Since she joined the Broadway company, just a few of her accomplishments include: switching everyone to recycled-paper tissues, swapping paper for fabric towels, gathering #5 plastics to recycle at Whole Foods, and collecting corks and makeup containers to recycle at TerraCycle (with her help, the BGA has kept over 18,000 corks out of landfills!). ‘Wicked’ also green-lit welcome tote bags with stainless steel water bottles for all new company members, which Nova presents. She is currently creating a labeling and storage system for reusable flatware so that the company can stop buying – and throwing out – plastic utensils. Over at the new play Peter and the Starcatcher, currently up for 9 Tony Awards, co-star Adam Chanler-Berat assumes Green Captain duties. Busy as he is, he felt this was too important a responsibility to pass up and hopes to inspire others as well. Already, he’s got many cast and crew members to use reusable water bottles and they fill from the tap, as opposed to plastic jugs. Next, he plans to install recycling bins in every dressing room, put up signs reminding everyone to turn off lights, and join Nova in the cork collection. It’s easy to be environmentally inspired at Peter, because innovative set designer Donyale Werle made much of the set from reused materials or items she found dumpster-diving. The Tony-nominated set is one of the most exciting in town, proving that you don’t need to make an impact on the earth when you are making one on stage. The BGA is constantly developing new projects and greater outreach. Everyone is welcome to join and help Broadway scale higher, greener heights.

Teachers and administrators at Collinsville School are taking advantage of grant opportunities, and students there are seeing the benefits. Three recent grants have allowed students to further a recycling program, get a pet in the classroom and give other students the chance to learn hands-on Alabama history. Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation recently awarded a $4,000 Toolbox for Education grant to Collinsville School to build an enclosed pavilion to house the Collinsville School Terracycle recycling area. Collinsville is one of more than 585 schools or parent organizations to be awarded a Lowe’s Toolbox for Education grant for parent-initiated school improvement projects benefiting K-12 public education across the U.S. during the 2010-11 school year. The Collinsville Terracycle Project needed a weather-resistant structure to house collected items for recycling. Currently, recycling bins are located outside in the open. Rainwater often fills the bins during stormy weather. Wind creates a problem when it blows the lids off the bins and the contents are spread throughout the campus. The pavilion will provide a cleaner more sanitary environment for collecting recyclable products. The project is scheduled to be completed this summer. “Lowe’s is committed to recognizing and supporting efforts that enrich the lives of our neighbors and customers,” said Marshall Croom, chairman of Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation. “By supporting schools like Collinsville, we know we are contributing to a cause that’s important to our customers and employees and helping build stronger communities.” Another grant received recently at Collinsville School was from the Pets in the Classroom program. Collinsville fourth-grade teacher Lorilyn Owen received the $150 grant to buy a leopard gecko for her classroom. “This addition has allowed us to learn about desert environments and reptiles,” Owen said. “We also discussed voting and utilized tally marks when choosing the name. We calculated how long it would take Rio to eat 500 mealworms. We are learning new things every day. Owen said the Collinsville fourth-grade classes also visited Sequoyah Caverns on Thursday thanks to a Target Field Trip Grant. Owen said the three classes received $700 from Target Stores to fund the trip, along with lunch at Stevi B’s in Fort Payne. “The staff at Stevi B’s greeted all 66 students with a smile and were outstanding with our group,” Owen said. Owen said the trip to Sequoyah Caverns near Sylvania follows the fourth-grade Alabama history course of study requirements.

No one likes tests, but last week kids at Montclair’s Charles H. Bullock School were treated with healthy snacks from Clif Bar during NJASK testing.  “Yum!”, “Delicious!”, and “Really good!” were several ways Charles H. Bullock School (CHB) students described their treats, which were donated by Clif Bar, one of the only private, sustainable and organic energy bar companies. “Since intense concentration requires a significant energy expenditure, refueling with foods containing high quality ingredients is key,” states Christine Langton, CHB’s school nurse.  “All of Clif Bar’s products have organic ingredients and are free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, and high fructose corn syrup, making them an excellent snack choice.”

After launching the Method Refill Brigade® in 2011, Method, the leading innovator in premium, environmentally-conscious household and personal care products, and upcycling/recycling pioneer TerraCycle, Inc. have now expanded the program to accept pumps, triggers, refill pouches and almost any cleaner product packaging, regardless of brand. Schools, offices, families or individuals can collect traditionally non-recyclable cleaner packaging and send it to TerraCycle to earn money for charity gifts and donations through the newly dubbed Cleaner Packaging Brigade. The collected packaging will be turned into trash cans, coolers and other home goods.

After launching the Method Refill Brigade in 2011, Method, an innovator in environmentally-conscious household and personal care products, and upcycling/recycling pioneer TerraCycle, Inc. have now expanded the program to accept pumps, triggers, refill pouches and almost any cleaner product packaging, regardless of brand. Schools, offices, families or individuals can collect traditionally non-recyclable cleaner packaging and send it to TerraCycle to earn money for charity through the newly dubbed Cleaner Packaging Brigade. The collected packaging will be turned into trash cans, coolers and other home goods. "Packaging sustainability is a core priority built into the design of every Method product," says Adam Lowry, Method co-founder and chief greenskeeper. "In addition to the recyclable packaging we make from recycled materials, we want every part of a cleaning bottle to be used again, including parts that aren't accepted by most recycling systems, like triggers and pumps. Our goal with this Brigade is to ultimately collect more triggers and pumps than we actually manufacture, which would substantially improve the packaging footprint of not only Method, but our competitors as well." Lowry says he believes that by expanding Method's partnership with Terracycle to accept packaging from all cleaning product companies, they can work to reduce landfill waste and replace the use of virgin materials while saving energy and carbon emissions.

Have you ever walked into a small gift-type store and seen those recycled clutch purses made out of candybar wrappers and the like? I always thought they were the bees knees, and would love to have one of my own, except I'm a guy. My sister doesn't use clutch purses (I think...), so I can't get her one either. However, yesterday my life took a turn in a different direction. I found this website called "TerraCycle." You can send in your pre-sorted wast to them (via pre-paid shipping label) and they turn it in to awesome stuff via recycling or upcycling. Very neat. Feel free to click this link to see some of their awesome stuff.

By Jan Schroder I’m rather demanding of my beach tote. It has to be large enough to hold a towel, book and sunscreen, have smaller pockets to stash my phone and of course be cute enough to make a fashion statement on the beach or poolside. Here are our picks for some winners this season. Act fast to score this limited-edition Kate Spade bag sold exclusively at Shutters on the Beach and online at ShuttersBeachStyle.com for $198. Only 100 of these blue-and-green print beauties are available. The animal-themed canvas bags from Bungalow360 come with three interior pockets and a color-coordinated polka dot lining. Check out the site’s full line of other bags and accessories starting at just $5. $36 at www.bungalow360.com Durable and lightweight, these totes from TerraCycle are made from reclaimed fabric discarded in the manufacture of tents. The front has a zippered pocket to keep small items safe. $48 at uncommongoods.com

Every time you send your old flip-flops to TerraCycle, you’ve done a green deed for Mother Nature by diverting waste from our landfills. To show our gratitude, for every shipment of 25 pairs of flip-flops received (about 18 pounds), you will receive exclusive coupons from Old Navy to distribute to the participants who helped you collect. It’s totally free to participate in a TerraCycle Brigade. There are no signup or participation fees, and the shipping is covered by the program. Once you’ve joined the Flip-Flop Brigade, follow the steps below to earn your Old Navy coupons: Collect 25 pairs of flip-flops (all brands are accepted) and fill up a box or bag. Remember to always reuse a shipping box or bag and use eco-friendly padding as needed. To receive your Old Navy coupons, you must ship at least 18 lbs, or at least 25 pairs of flip-flops. Download a pre-paid shipping label from terracycle.com. Just visit your TerraCycle account online, and click “SHIP US YOUR WASTE”. You can print it out yourself or request a label from TerraCycle. Ship the box to TerraCycle by affixing the pre-paid postage label and dropping it off at a UPS location. For more detailed information please check out the Flip-Flop Brigade FAQ. It will take approximately 7 to 10 business days from the date your shipment is received for TerraCycle to process your package. Once processing is complete, you will receive your Old Navy coupons through postal mail. Download our helpful TerraCycle "Collect, Store and Ship Guide" for tips and tricks that will make the collection process simple and mess-free. Old Navy is proud of their partnership with TerraCycle and is committed to reducing waste and thinking green. Flip-Flop Brigade accepted waste: Rubber flip-flops (any brand) If you would like to send in other types of shoes, please check out the Paired Shoe Brigade.

A lot of schools in Southwest Virginia are are teaching recycling but Huddleston Elementary is taking it to a whole new level. The Bedford County school is small with 220 students but those students are recycling and trying to save the planet on a much bigger scale. They're taking part in a nationwide program called TerraCycle Brigades. TerraCycle turns what they recycle, or "upcycle" into tote bags, lunch boxes or watering cans. And they don't just collect your typical water bottles or boxes. "We moved to chip bags and cookie wrappers and writing utensils and glue sticks because those are products that I thought we're going to have," said teacher Amy Mallow. "Our kids ever day at lunch have capri suns and chips and cookies, that's easy for us and as a school, glue products, the glue packaging and writing utensils." Part of what makes Huddleston Elementary so successful is this is really a community effort as well. They tell everyone they encounter. Teachers say they don't mind asking for or bringing trash in from events to recycle. Kids also take the message home so they can do more recycling. "At my house now we get to recycle those kinds of things when we're done with our stuff at our house I can bring it here and recycle it," said 5th grader Hannah Nichols. They've recycled more than 64,000 pieces of waste, according to TerraCycle. For all their effort, Huddleston Elementary earned almost $1300.

I’m rather demanding of my beach tote. It has to be large enough to hold a towel, book and sunscreen, have smaller pockets to stash my phone and of course be cute enough to make a fashion statement on the beach or poolside. Here are our picks for some winners this season. Act fast to score this limited-edition Kate Spade bag sold exclusively at Shutters on the Beach and online at ShuttersBeachStyle.com for $198. Only 100 of these blue-and-green print beauties are available. The animal-themed canvas bags from Bungalow360 come with three interior pockets and a color-coordinated polka dot lining. Check out the site’s full line of other bags and accessories starting at just $5. $36 at www.bungalow360.com Durable and lightweight, these totes from TerraCycle are made from reclaimed fabric discarded in the manufacture of tents. The front has a zippered pocket to keep small items safe. $48 at uncommongoods.com