If you're like most parents, right now is a bittersweet time. Sure, the kids are back in class, but with it comes a barrage of fundraisers. Just about every school - public or private - needs more money. And I'm not against it by any means. However, when the boxes of chocolate bars or the order forms for gift wrap arrive in the book bags, it's difficult to suppress a groan. On more than one occasion, I've told my husband I wish they'd just send us a bill for our portion and cut out the middle man. My girlish figure really doesn't need any candy, and I have enough wrapping paper to take care of Santa's Village. But we do it for our children. This year I'm chairing the fundraising committee for my younger son's school. My goal is to incorporate projects that teach as well as bring in money. I mentioned one a few weeks ago, Box Tops for Education, that's run by General Mills. But in my quest, I've found another I must share. The company is called TerraCycle, and its aim is to make eco-friendly, affordable consumer products from waste.

When I broke into a bag of peanut MnMs this morning, I noticed a familiar logo on the back of the package, Terracycle, and was reminded that I have not been sending much material their way lately nor have I plugged them enough on the blog. So... In case you haven't heard of them, Terracycle <http://www.terracycle.net/>  is a fantastic, award-winning small business which specializes in "up-cycling," that is, making consumer products from post-consumer materials. Founded by a few guys from Princeton and headquartered in New Jersey, the company that used to produce natural plant products (worm waste products) has diversified to collecting millions of waste units to be transformed into useful products - all while collecting a ton of money for charity. You've probably seen their logo on various back-to-school items on sale at major retailers like Target and Walmart or possibly recognize the name from the Terra-Team's reality show "Garbage Moguls" that premiered Earth Day of 2009 on National Geographic. All this even after the company founder, Tom Szaky, turned down a million dollar prize from the Carrot Capital Business Plan contest because he didn't like the direction Carrot Capital wanted to take the company. Love it. Donate, shop, and learn all about Terracycle here <http://www.terracycle.net/> .

Have you ever thought much about all the trash that goes into the land fills? All those individual wrappers. I mean people love the convenience of snack foods individually wrapped for easy grab. Or juice pouches instead of a cup or reusable bottle. You get the point.

If you happened to tune into the National Geographic Channel last evening between 8-11 pm, then you would have witnessed what many environmentally friendly individuals are calling the coolest, most innovative company to sprout up in a long time.  The company, Terracycle, is a recycling company with a twist.

If you happened to tune into the National Geographic Channel last evening between 8-11 pm, then you would have witnessed what many environmentally friendly individuals are calling the coolest, most innovative company to sprout up in a long time. The company, Terracycle, is a recycling company with a twist. TerraCycle, which was founded back in 2001 by a 19 year old Princeton University student named Tom Szaky works wonders with garbage. The company collects certain products such as potato chip bags, juice packs, gum packages, old cell phones, etc, and turns them into amazing products like recycling bins, coolers, fences, cork boards and more. They actually donate money to charity for people like you and I to send them certain pieces of trash. They even pay for the shipping and handling. Thus far they have collected an estimated 1.8 billion units of trash from over 10 million individuals, and have donated over $1.2 million to charities.

“Garbage Moguls” 8, 11 p.m. (NATGEO) This new docu-reality series follows an ingenious group of eco-capitalists at TerraCycle Inc., a green business that creates and sells products made from non-recyclable waste materials. In the opener, Pedigree challenges the TerraCycle crew to develop a line of pet products, with a strict two-week deadline.

Garbage Moguls 8/7c National Geographic This new docu-reality series follows an ingenious group of eco-capitalists at TerraCycle, Inc., a green business that creates and sells products made from non-recyclable waste materials. In the first episode of a three-hour marathon, Pedigree challenges the TerraCycle crew to develop a line of pet products. With a strict two-week deadline, the participants quickly get to work, collecting hundreds of old dog-food bags and using them to make a variety of products, from leashes and collars to dog toys and rain gear. The other episodes' tasks: create a garbage can from potato chip wrappers and make a suit jacket out of Target shopping bags.

National Geographic Channel's "Garbage Moguls" isn't your typical New Jersey-based reality series. Instead of peddling trashy behavior like "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" or even trashier outfits like Snooki and her gang, "Garbage Moguls" star and TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky deals with actually, literal garbage.

New Jersey-based TerraCycle has gained a well-earned reputation for turning garbage into great new products. On Saturday, August 21st, National Geographic will feature this amazingly innovative company in their new series, Garbage Moguls. The show will air three segments in which it follows the team of this innovative “repurposing” industry leader - “the coolest little start-up in American” (Inc. Magazine) - through their zany creative process to create products made completely out of trash.

CRAFT contributor Tiffany Threadgould has exciting news about Garbage Moguls, a new show about products made completely from trash. You may remember we posted about the pilot episode  , well now there are three more new episodes:

On Saturday August 21st, National Geographic will air three all-new episodes of Garbage Moguls, an inside look at the zany way TerraCycle develops products made completely out of trash. Led by Princeton University drop-out and worm poop connoisseur Tom Szaky, the show follows TerraCycle's team of young "eco-capitalists" as they brainstorm, argue over, go dumpster diving for, and eventually create new products that help solve America's waste problem.