Clearing out old flip-flops to make room for new ones this summer? Don't throw them out. Old Navy wants them. Until May 21, all Old Navy stores around the country — including in Omaha, Papillion, Lincoln, Kearney, Neb., and Sioux City, Iowa — are collecting used flip-flops in any condition. They will be given to TerraCycle and turned into playground equipment to establish four public playgrounds nationwide. The Flip Flop Replay effort kicked off on Earth Day.

Through May 21, Old Navy shoppers can deposit used flip flops in collection bins inside any Old Navy store. TerraCycle will recycle the flip flops into playgrounds. For more information, log on to www.terracycle.net.

Clearing out old flip-flops to make room for new ones this summer? Don't throw them out. Old Navy wants them. Until May 21, all Old Navy stores around the country — including in Omaha, Papillion, Lincoln, Kearney, Neb., and Sioux City, Iowa — are collecting used flip-flops in any condition. They will be given to TerraCycle and turned into playground equipment to establish four public playgrounds nationwide. The Flip Flop Replay effort kicked off on Earth Day.

In an effort to further reduce waste, TerraCycle, Inc. and Old Navy are partnering in a month-long drive to collect used flip flops and recycle them into four public playgrounds around the country. The community is encouraged to participate by stopping by an Old Navy store to deposit used flip flops in designated collection bins.

At Bartlett’s Liberty Elementary School, recycling isn’t just a passing fad. It’s a way of life. During lunch, students dispose of their leftover food before sorting their packaging into various bins for cookie wrappers, drink pouches, potato chip bags and other items. If they forget, the lunchroom staff reminds them. This has been the culture at Liberty since art teacher Heather Lass started the TerraCycle program at the school. TerraCycle accepts hard-to-recycle objects like used glue sticks and mp3 players and recycles them into products such as clipboards and tote bags that they sell online or through national retailers. Large recyclers, like schools, can open an account on TerraCycle’s website and track their progress, earning 2 cents for every item they send in. So far, students at Liberty have collected more than 20,000 items, earning more than $500 for the school.

The collected  box tops and Capri Sun pouches -- which will be sent to a program called TerraCycle -- translate into more than $130, which will be matched with Durham Arts Council grant funding to bring in artists to speak to and perform for the students.

Most municipalities don’t collect all kinds of plastics. Most people don’t take the effort to sort trash or clean out bottles before tossing them to the curb. Compostable packaging is “too noisy” or “doesn’t feel right”. Most single-use packaging is non-recyclable. Products lose shelf-life and consumer safety by switching to a different type of packaging. Brands face numerous challenges in strengthening the eco-friendly features of their products especially the packaging, and consumers often have no options for recycling or reusing the product or its packaging. Research to create eco-friendly packaging, implementation of more responsible packaging, and the packaging itself is often more expensive than the alternative.  This cost drives up the price and drives away customers regardless of the social or environmental benefits. For brands that want to stay competitive while also becoming more responsible, these problems must be solved.

Terra Cycle- Vinyl record clocks and circuit board coasters and picture frames are funky decorations that could spice up an office or fit in well in a man’s hangout in the basement. TerraCycle’s upcycled gifts are affordable and eco-friendly, teaching us to care for the environment and be cognizant of what we do with waste instead of just sending it to the landfill. Great ideas for dad!

We thought Dropps Laundry Detergent was just about perfect: The biodegradable pouches are a less wasteful alternative to plastic detergent bottles, and the phosphate- and chlorine-free formula is healthier for people and the environment. Still, we never knew what to do with the non-recyclable packaging--until now. Upcycling company, Terracycle, has formed the Dropps Laundry Detergent Pouch Brigade to collect used Dropps packaging and turn it into bags, toys, office supplies, and more, making Dropps the first zero-waste laundry detergent. Learn more at terracycle.net.

TerraCycle offers collection programs that regularly collect waste from more than 14 million people in 11 countries and convert it into more than 1500 new products and materials. Many of the collection programs are free and focus on waste that is not recyclable via traditional methods. The items are then sold at a variety of retailers, including Walmart and Whole Foods Market. The program was founded in 2011 and aims to eliminate the entire concept of ''waste'' by proving that everything we throw away is actually reusable. Tom Szaky began TerraCycle when he was just a 20-year old college freshman attending Princeton University and started by producing organic fertilizer that was packaged in used soda pop bottles.