Children’s chores often include taking out the trash, (hopefully) taking out the recycling, and washing the dishes. After their chores, they usually get rewarded with free time to play. Given these habits, it’s not surprising children often view recycling as a chore. It’s grouped with taking out the trash and dishes, which aren’t very fun tasks. Now, given TerraCycle’s recycling programs that reach out to kids and schools, our goal is to make recycling fun. A great way to change your child’s view of recycling is to avoid making it a punishment or something they must do to avoid getting in trouble. Also, making any lesson hands on or even (gasp!) fun will make kids more engaged. TerraCycle is trying to do just that for recycling.

REESE - Just by eating lunch, students at St. Elizabeth Area Catholic School are fundraising for their school. The students separate their Capri Sun pouches from the rest of their waste and send the popular juice containers to TerraCycle of Trenton, N.J., which in return gives the school 2 cents for every juice pouch recycled.

Here's a ugly stat: Containers and packaging created roughly 71.6 million tons of waste in the United States in 2009, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. That's why Garnier is sponsoring the Personal Care and Beauty Brigade with recycling pioneer TerraCycle. Mail your used beauty loot (bottles, compacts, lipsticks, and so on) to TerraCycle, and the item will be recycled into stuff like cutting boards and bike racks. For each item sent, you'll be awarded points for either a charity gift or cash for the charity or school of your choice. Joining is free and all shipping costs are paid. Visit terracycle.net for details.

Recyclebank, TerraCycle and Sharp Electronics Corp. were among the 10 winners of awards presented by New Jersey’s Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Students from across the state were also honored for writing poems about recycling. Students wrote about ways their families recycle, why they think recycling is important, and encouraging everyone to recycle to preserve resources and protect the environment. Awards were presented during the 31st New Jersey Recycling Symposium and Awards Luncheon. This annual event is co-sponsored by DEP and the Association of New Jersey Recyclers.

Tom Szaky Terracycle At a Glance * Age: 29 * Headquarters: Trenton, N.J. * 2010 revenues: $13 million * www.terracycle.net Profile When Tom Szaky was a freshman at Princeton he hit upon the idea of using worm poop as an organic fertilizer. He borrowed money from family and friends and spent all his savings on a $20,000 "worm gin"—which can hold hundreds of thousands of the invertebrates—and dropped out of college. With a $2,000 angel investment from venture capitalist Suman Sinha, Szaky started packaging the fertilizer in used soda bottles and selling it out of his car to local gardening centers. In 2004 he convinced a buyer for Home Depot to take a flier on his fertilizer, which is also now available in Target and Wal-Mart. In addition to the ­fertilizer, Terracycle collects trash and turns it into bright, fun products, like messenger bags made out of used Capri Sun packages and trippy "urban art trash cans." The company donates 2 cents to charity for each waste item it ­recycles, raising $3.2 million so far.

Mark Fritzler, 8th grade, left, and Zack Parman, 7th grade, right, count the recycled Capri Sun juice concentrate drink during her lunch hour at St. Elizabeth School in Reese. Students are encouraged to recycle their Capri Sun drink containers after use for a school recycling program. REESE — Just by eating lunch, students at St. Elizabeth Area Catholic School are fundraising for their school. The students separate their Capri Sun pouches from the rest of their waste and send the popular juice boxes to TerraCycle, who in return give the school $0.02 for every juice pouch recycled. St. Elizabeth is among 40,000 organizations participating in the TerraCycle program. After two weeks of lunches, St. Elizabeth collected about 270 juice pouches, said Gabriela Marguery, school principal. They have participated in the program for eighteen months. While the $5.40 collected does not seem like much raised over two weeks, Marguery said, but the amount adds up. “With $5, there’s something we can do,” she said. “It helps pay for a field trip. The important thing for them is you’re recycling and helping the school.” The school has even incorporated recycling into their curriculum, with a “Take Care of God’s Creation” unit. Luke Holtz, son of Nicki and Todd Holtz of Reese said he brings a juice pouch nearly every day for the school’s fundraiser. “(Recycling) is fun, you can help pick up at your house,” he said. Alyssa Brow, the daughter of Todd and Cheryl Brow of Buena Vista Township said she recycles her juice pouches at school, and her food and canned goods at home “so it doesn’t make the world dirty.” The recycling program at St. Elizabeth Area Catholic School doubles as a fundraiser. The students separate their Capri Sun juice pouches from the rest of their refuse and each pouch generates 2 cents for the school. The day this was filmed, the school earned $5.40 from the 270 pouches over a two-week period. Zack Parman, son of Kathy and Stan Parman of Bridgeport Township, a 7th grader at the school helps count the recycled packages every two weeks. He said he doesn’t mind helping out because fundraising ultimately helps the school, paying for field trips, balls and lighting in the gymnasium. “We partner with these companies, these brands, to provide a solution for their packaging at the end of its life,” said Lauren Taylor, director, U.S. public relations for TerraCycle. The company partners with many companies like Kraft Foods, Frito Lay, Revolution Foods, Bare Naked, Colgate, Elmers and Logitech. They recycle and “upcycle” the discarded packaging. Recycling turns the product into something new and unrecognizable from its original form, but upcycling creates something recognizable from a product’s original form, like a Capri Sun purse or pencil case, or a backpack made out of chip bags. “We have a lot of schools that participate, but anyone can get involved,” Taylor said. “Offices, community groups, anybody can get involved to make a difference.”

In the famous story Rumpelstiltskin, the king's daughter spun straw into gold. Today, the TerraCycle company helps schools turn trash into treasure! TerraCycle was founded in 2006, and their goal is to divert trash from landfills, and turn it into new products. They also donate money to schools who participate. In Littleton Public Schools, Carl Sandburg Elementary turns trash into treasure every day. Principal Marj McDonald is doing wonders to save the earth and raise money for the school. "We are going to buy awesome new playground equipment to give our students more options for staying active and healthy," she explained. Since spring of 2008, Sandburg has been collecting items that include juice pouches, candy wrappers, oral care items, yogurt cups, chip bags, energy bar wrappers, and much more! TerraCycle donates $.02 for each item received. "Our big TerraCycle goal is to raise $20,000 for new playground equipment. Due to great efforts by students, parents, and staff last year, we are over halfway there. My hope is that we can reach the $20,000 mark by May 2012."

Are you looking for a great earth-friendly gift for your friends and family? Well a backpack made out of juice pouches, or a wallet made out of candy wrappers would be perfect for this holiday season. Lucky for you, TerraCycle makes those kind of products. TerraCycle is a company that diverts trash from landfills and creates new products out of it. Terra means earth, so TerraCycle is earth-cycling. TerraCyclewas founded in 2006 by Tom Szaky, 29. It all started in college when Tom and his friends started feeding the leftovers from their cafeteria to worms, and selling liquid worm poop in used bottles at hardware stores. Since then, they have grown to become "one of the fastest growing eco-friendly manufacturers in the world." In only three years, more than 20 million people are helping to collect trash in more than 70 thousand worldwide locations. In 2006, Inc. Magazine named TerraCycle "The Coolest Little Start-Up in America!"

The game is part of Sojo Studio’s mission to effect positive change in the real world using gaming, according to the statement released. The idea of using gaming for positive change isn't a new one. Zynga has donated millions of dollars through Zynga.org, and Trash Tycoon allows users to exchange points they earn in the game to impact real-world green initiatives, and by performing tasks in the real world, to earn points in the game.

What is one business idea that you’re willing to give away to our readers? I’m fascinated by waste. TerraCycle is one of those innovative companies that has figured out a way to reuse waste and turn it into a profitable business by changing the way people think about and handle their trash. ecopop spent months trying to figure out how to make products out of shredded office paper. An industrial designer and I played around with various eco-epoxies and pulp molds to make everything from paperweights and bookends to garden gnomes and decorative plates. We ended up pulling the plug after our 90-day proof of concept phase, but I still think there’s a viable business idea there for anyone who wants to develop this idea or invent products made from waste.