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Flip flops now being 'upcycled' at Old Navy

CARBONDALE - Going green can be as easy as slipping off an old pair of flip flops and popping them into a collection bin. Thanks to a promotion by TerraCycle, an international upcycling and recycling company, and clothing giant Old Navy, used flip flops can be recycled and turned into playground equipment.

Flip flops now being 'upcycled' at Old Navy

CARBONDALE - Going green can be as easy as slipping off an old pair of flip flops and popping them into a collection bin. Thanks to a promotion by TerraCycle, an international upcycling and recycling company, and clothing giant Old Navy, used flip flops can be recycled and turned into playground equipment. The promotion is an example of upcycling, or converting previously hard-to-recycle materials into new materials or products. The nationwide program began Friday and will continue through May 21 at any Old Navy store, including the Carbondale location. Old Navy shoppers can deposit their used flip flops in colorful collection bins found inside the stores. TerraCycle will then recycle the flip-flops into playgrounds, which will be donated to communities around the country. By bringing in these hard-to-recycle products to their local stores, consumers help keep waste out of their community landfills, according to a TerraCycle release.

Recycling brings money to Bain

With funding in short supply across Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, folks are looking everywhere for extra money. Bain Elementary School Art Teacher Carrie Vizzini has found a creative way to earn a little extra money for her school. Through the TerraCycle program, available to any nonprofit, she's turning school trash into cash. Since Vizzini pioneered the program at Bain in August of 2009, the school has received almost $2,500 from empty juice pouches, cookie and chip bags, plastic sandwich bags, energy bar wrappers, empty pens and markers, and other items. She got the idea after buying a carton of juice pouches for her four-year-old daughter, Mia. "I saw the TerraCycle website on the side of the carton and I looked it up online. When I thought about all the recyclable items that our students throw away everyday, I knew it would be a great idea. We could keep all that trash out of the landfill and earn money for our school," said Vizzini.