TerraCycle collecting items at Office Depot and Old Navy. If you are doing some spring cleaning, don’t toss those old flip flops or used pens into the trash can—they can be recycled by TerraCycle and kept out of the community landfills. According to a TerraCycle press release, shoppers still have time Saturday (April 23) to bring 10 used pens, markers or mechanical pencils to Office Depot at 569 Ritchie Highway and receive a coupon towards new Sanford products (maker of Sharpie, Expo, PaperMate). Next door at Old Navy in Severna Park, shoppers can deposit their used flip flops into collection bins inside the Old Navy store through May 21.

It takes a lot of flip-flops to build a playground. That's one of those sentences I never expected to write, along the lines of, "It takes a lot of goldfish to fly an airplane." But yes, your standard informal footwear can be recycled into plastic lumber — and if you're sole inclined, you can do your part at any Old Navy store. Through May 21, just dump 'em in the handy bin, and a company from Trenton, N.J., will take it from there. TerraCycle Inc., a humble ecological empire built around a product called worm poop, will use them to create four playgrounds that it will donate to as-yet-unselected lucky locations across the country.

Cinco de Mayo is right around the cornor, Monroe! The Mexican holiday is all about feasting on spicy and tangy dishes as well as dancing to vibrant melodies. This is the perfect opportunity to prepare and enjoy some new meals that are loaded with spicy flavor. Spice up your menu and try the following meal ideas that a good friend of mine from Mission Foods has shared with me for celebrating Cinco de Mayo:

To commemorate Earth Day this weekend, Old Navy and Office Depot location in Pasadena have partnered with TerraCycle The Old Navy and Office Depot locations in the Pasadena area have teamed up with my company, TerraCycle to provide local consumers a chance to recycle starting Friday and lasting through May 21. Shopper can drop of their used pens and flip-flops to Pasadena Office Depot and Old Navy locations which will then be recycled by TerraCycle into playgrounds to be donated to communities around the U.S. Between April 17-23, ten used pens, markers or mechanical pencils to Office Depot will earn shoppers a coupon towards new Sanford products (Sharpie, Expo, PaperMate). Used writing instruments will be sent to TerraCycle will recycle the used writing utensils into new office products like trash cans and desk organizers.

Old Navy stores, including its location at the Laurel Mall near Hazleton, are celebrating Earth Day with the kickoff of "The Flip-Flop Replay" campaign on Friday.

Old Navy Public Relations Manager Stacey Cusack said shoppers can deposit their used flip flops in the colorful collection bins found inside any Old Navy store. TerraCycle, a Trenton, New Jersey-based company that provides free waste collection, will then recycle the flip-flops into playgrounds which will be donated to communities around the country.

For example, Solo Cup recently launched a new recycling program for its Solo Squared Cups.  Solo has a manufacturing facility in Twin Falls, with 100 people on payroll. Solo joined forces with one of the fastest-growing companies in the world: TerraCycle.  Founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky, then a 20-year-old Princeton University freshman, TerraCycle began by producing organic fertilizer, packaging liquid worm poop in used soda bottles. It has engaged over 14 million people to collect waste in 11 countries. Some of those recycled goods are then turned into other products.

  Today, April 22, is Earth Day! And if you’re wondering how you can contribute to our planet’s conservation, gather your junk and take it to Old Navy or Office Depot. Until tomorrow, people can take their unwanted pens, markers and mechanical pencils of any brand to Office Depot. TerraCycle, a recycling company, will then use them to make office supplies like organizers and trash cans. Meanwhile, until May 21, people can take their unwanted flip-flops to Old Navy. TerraCycle will mix, melt and extrude the footwear into plastic boards. The boards then will be used as structural pieces in playgrounds which will be donated to communities across the country.

Hill's students, who are part of an elective "Go Green" classroom also broadcasted newscasts and gave presentations about ways to help keep the environment healthy - an ongoing theme in many corners of the Dexter school district. "All of our schools recycle and celebrate Earth Day every day," Hill said. "My classes have been recycling for years. This year we added plastic containers and Capri Sun containers. We belong to the TerraCycle program." Hill's students have also conducted clean-up efforts at various district school grounds removing and recycling plastic, paper, cardboard and aluminum cans wherever they could be found. The students have also installed bins to recycle fruit and vegetable refuse and collected 400 coats, mittens and hats for families in need.

Visit a New Jersey school as they talk about their recycling efforts and all the packaging they send to TerraCycle.