TerraCycle, Inc. is an international upcycling and recycling company that takes difficult to recycle packaging and turns it into affordable, eco-friendly products. Founded in 2001, TerraCycle is the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable post-consumer waste.
TerraCycle works with over 30 major brands in the U.S. (and in a growing number of other countries) to collect used packaging and products (chip bags, candy wrappers, juice pouches, pens, toothbrushes, etc.) that would otherwise be destined for landfills.
Link to video
http://www.trentonian.com/video/?va_id=3000394&pl_id=21472&ref=synd
One Simple Ask is dedicated to exploring the theory and practice of ethical consumerism. Over the past few months, our team has come across some outstanding companies that are truly walking the “green” marketing talk that permeates our consumer culture. One such company is TerraCycle, a small business headquartered in Trenton, New Jersey, that specializes in producing products from pre- and post-consumer materials that people send to the company. Over the years, TerraCycle has produced over 1,500 different products available at major retailers, including Walmart and Whole Foods Market. Below is a discussion I had with Megan Yarnall, the Senior Publicist at TerraCycle.
What inspired the creation of Terracycle?
TerraCycle’s creation was inspired by a blooming plant fertilized by worm poop and a business contest. Tom Szaky, the CEO of TerraCycle, visited a friend from home during a college break and discovered how well his friend’s plant was growing after being fertilized with worm poop. Tom happened to be entering a business plan contest at that time, and he realized that if he could figure out a viable way to produce and package worm poop in a bottle, worm poop fertilizer could be the basis for his business.
Last month my fascination with how values and purpose can drive corporate culture, products and brand took me to Trenton, New Jersey to visit a company called Terracycle [www.terracycle.net ]. Terracycle, it turns out, is an incredible example of how staying true to your values and purpose can translate into a robust business.
Terracycle has pioneered a business model that is not only helping solve our garbage crisis; it's also fueled their exponential growth over the last several years. Now with revenues of $20 million a year, they are rapidly creating a new asset class—garbage.
Making costumes and treat bags can help save money and the environment during the Halloween season. A great way to make costumes with upcycled or recycled materials eliminates the expense of purchasing new items and the chance or running into someone with the same costume.
TerraCycle, a recycling and upcycling company, has a do-it-yourself costume and candy bag that can be created easily using items from around the house. The PDFs for the project can be found on the following links...
Otsego Baptist Academy is one of nine area elementary schools bringing green into the fall and winter by participating in programs from TerraCycle, a recycling and upcycling company.
TerraCycle offers eco-friendly, upcycled and recycled lunchboxes as well as a way to earn money by collecting nonrecyclable food packaging for cookies, chips and juice pouches.
In addition, TerraCycle offers lunchboxes made from the wrappers that students have collected, showing students the recycling and upcycling processes in action. Olivet’s expandable cooler, sold at Walmart, has a removable hardliner made from recycled chip bags, while the Capri Sun lunchboxes are crafted from the juice pouches.
