Karen Neder wants your squeezed-out toothpaste tubes, your used-up glue sticks, and your old water filters. By pick-up, drive-by or drop off, she’ll take it all. The magic in Neder’s alchemy is TerraCycle, a company that collects, reuses, upcycles and recycles hard-to-recycle waste. Founded in 2001, the company's website says it operates in more than 20 countries to recycle billions of pieces of waste through various means.

It's that time of year again -- back to school. Kids may not be happy, but moms are most likely thrilled to get organized, prepared and back into a routine.

The end-of-year holiday season is off in full swing, and the first date up is Thanksgiving. Whether you are hosting the main event, having mini-celebrations at work or school, or simply want to get in the spirit by decking out your home with festive flair, Thanksgiving is a great time to give thanks to the planet. Give careful consideration to what you buy and why, what you ‘need,’ the options for disposing of the packaging or product when you are done with it, and what you can reuse. In our enthusiasm to decorate, entertain and gift, household waste jumps 25%  during the holidays. Using reusable dishware over disposable cutlery, planning a meal of sustainably and locally sourced food, composting, and using nature’s holiday decorations make a huge impact on the health of the environment. These five decorative DIYs are proof that going green for Thanksgiving can make for stunning, unexpected presentations that charm and delight.

1. Malt-O-Meal Origami Flower Bouquet

A table of loved ones and friends is made brighter with a lively centerpiece. Fresh flowers, while lovely, can be a bit pricey and take a real toll on the land, water and climate and only last a short time. Make a switch from the usual arrangements and go with this handmade version. A sure conversation starter, a vase or bowl of these intricate blooms adds color and interest without breaking the bank. Best part? You can bring them out for other special occasions, or to brighten someone’s day. Click HERE for Malt-O-Meal Origami Flower Bouquet DIY Instructions

2. DIY Acorn Eggs

This fall may have left you with an abundance of  acorns (which also look great as décor in glass containers), but these cute “faux acorns” made from last season’s Easter eggs not only carry some extra kitsch, but also may be a little safer to have around little ones. We like the cool metallic golds and silvers used here, but feel free to modify the colors to match the theme of your party or the scheme of your home. Click HERE for Acorn Eggs DIY Instructions

3. Falling Leaves Garland

Glitter-phobes beware! This glam take on an autumnal garland loves the light and catches the eye. We’d swap out the artificial leaves from the craft store with real ones that have fallen from our trees for a true tribute to the Fall foliage; pick them early and dry between the pages of a book for perfectly flat, sturdy leaves that will lay nice and straight when strung. Click HERE for Falling Leaves Garland DIY Instructions

4. Ella’s Kitchen Placemat

Who said the “Kid’s Table” gets left out? Dapper dining need not be saved for the adults. Placemats pull the table setting together, and these colorful, durable placemats are kid-proof, spill-proof, and can be an opportunity to get little hands involved in your holiday preparations. All you need for these simple placemats are Ella’s baby food pouches and colorful tape. Prepare several sets for a matching spread for all of your tables, or sweet DIY gifts for friends. Click HERE for Ella’s Kitchen Placemat DIY Instructions

5. Wine Box Wine Charms

Keeping everyone’s drinking vessels straight in a day full of dining, hors’ oeuvres and dessert can be daunting. It can also be a bit more stylish with these fitting wine charms made out of a wine box. Highly customizable, dainty and adorable, you can decorate them with glitter, paint, stickers or googly eyes. Better yet – have a wine & design party with family and friends to dazzle up your drinky duds; repeat every year, and you’ll have quite a collection. Click HERE for Wine Box Wine Charms DIY Instructions

Each morning is the beginning of a new day and another chance to make the world a better place. Think your actions don't make a difference? Think again! Taking small, mindful actions for positive improvement can have a great impact on your community and inspire others to do the same. There are so many opportunities to do good for the planet, and many of them are right under your nose. Here are three ways you can do your part to make the world a better place...all before 10 a.m. * Concentrate on your morning routine. So much of what we do in the morning can be condensed to consume less and do much more. Try to reduce your water usage by shortening your shower time and don't let it run while you brush your teeth. Make your own coffee and lunch to cut down on food packaging waste. Carpool to put fewer vehicles on the road and get to know your co-workers. * Engage in "mindful" acts of kindness. Make it a point to hold the door open for a stranger, compliment your co-worker's outfit or new hairstyle, or buy a snack for the person behind you in line. To be kind is an act of solidarity, and doing good for others will inspire members of your community to do the same. Kindness is the currency of change: spend wisely and often. * Learn about new ways to recycle. Did you know that Malt-O-Meal cereal bags can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company? To begin with, Malt-O-Meal bagged cereal creates 75 percent less packaging waste than boxed cereal with a bag inside. Through the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill and raise money for charity at the same time!

Each morning is the beginning of a new day and another chance to make the world a better place. Think your actions don't make a difference? Think again! Taking small, mindful actions for positive improvement can have a great impact on your community and inspire others to do the same. There are so many opportunities to do good for the planet, and many of them are right under your nose. Here are three ways you can do your part to make the world a better place...all before 10 a.m. * Concentrate on your morning routine. So much of what we do in the morning can be condensed to consume less and do much more. Try to reduce your water usage by shortening your shower time and don't let it run while you brush your teeth. Make your own coffee and lunch to cut down on food packaging waste. Carpool to put fewer vehicles on the road and get to know your co-workers. * Engage in "mindful" acts of kindness. Make it a point to hold the door open for a stranger, compliment your co-worker's outfit or new hairstyle, or buy a snack for the person behind you in line. To be kind is an act of solidarity, and doing good for others will inspire members of your community to do the same. Kindness is the currency of change: spend wisely and often. * Learn about new ways to recycle. Did you know that Malt-O-Meal cereal bags can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company? To begin with, Malt-O-Meal bagged cereal creates 75 percent less packaging waste than boxed cereal with a bag inside. Through the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill and raise money for charity at the same time! For more information, please visit www.terracycle.com.

Learn about new ways to recycle. Did you know that Malt-O-Meal cereal bags can be recycled through a free program in partnership with TerraCycle, a New Jersey-based recycling company? To begin with, Malt-O-Meal bagged cereal creates 75 percent less packaging waste than boxed cereal with a bag inside. Through the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Recycling Program, you can ensure that none of it ends up in the landfill and raise money for charity at the same time! For more information, please visit www.terracycle.com.

Calling breakfast the most important meal of the day is no exaggeration. In addition to nutrition, a growing number of consumers are finding that there are other aspects of breakfast that are important. For them, making the most of breakfast includes watching how they spend their money and not wasting anything they buy. To help, here are some tips on how to get the most out of your breakfast—and your money.

Cedar Forest Elementary School in Spotsylvania County is one of five winning organizations in the country that helped collect and recycle more than 2.5 million Elmer’s glue sticks and glue bottles as part of a nationwide recycling contest. In the Elmer’s Classroom Cleanup Challenge, students and teachers sent their empty glue sticks and glue bottles to TerraCycle through the Elmer’s Glue Crew Brigade. “They were able to help the environment and earn money for the charity of their choice,” Emma Swanson of TerraCycle noted in an email. According to a press release from TerraCycle, teachers and students at Cedar Forest took part in the program at the end of the last school year. The idea was to ensure that less classroom waste made its way into the landfill.

The Los Alamos Cooperative Market is the top state collector of cereal bags in the MOM Brands Cereal Bag Brigade^®, a free, national recycling program created by a partnership between MOM Brands^® and TerraCycle^®. By collecting waste from its MOM Brands^® cereal packaging, the market has helped to divert 9,523 units of cereal bag waste from landfills. The market invites shoppers to drop off items, which are sorted by volunteers from the community. Each year the Los Alamos Co-op allows members to vote for the non-profit organization to which they will send the money raised through TerraCycle. During February 2013 and February 2014, funds were split and donated to Pajarito Enviornmental Education Center and Friends of the Shelter. After they sign up to join a recycling Brigade, organizations earn points for every unit of waste they collect and send to TerraCycle. The points can be redeemed for charitable gifts or a cash donation to the non-profit or school of the collector’s choice. TerraCycle recycles the traditionally non-recyclable cereal bag waste into new products and materials. “We’re so thrilled (the) that Los Alamos Co-op Market has decided to pair with us to make such a positive impact on our environment,” TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky said. “We commend them for their success so far, and can’t wait to see what they continue to collect.” The Los Alamos Co+op was incorporated as a cooperative association in February 2007 with a mission that included promoting awareness about food, nutrition, health and cooperative values like fair trade and sustainability. Individuals, schools or organizations interested in recycling with TerraCycle can learn more about the brigades and sign up free at www.terracycle.com. About TerraCycle TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling and recycling company that takes difficult-to recycle-packaging and turns it into affordable, innovative products. Founded in 2001, TerraCycle is the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste, working with more than 40 major brands globally to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills. TerraCycle repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers. The waste is collected through TerraCycle’s Brigade programs, which are free fundraisers that pay for every piece of waste collected and returned. For information on how to join a TerraCycle Brigade and on purchasing TerraCycle products, visit www.terracycle.com.

This season, students can reduce waste by collecting one of the most ubiquitous tailgate accessories – red Solo cups – and sending them recycling pioneer TerraCycle.