Hey, New Orleans: instead of filling up your trash can with empty food wrappers and plastic Hurricane cups after guests leave, you can reuse the packaging yourself or send the detritus to TerraCycle. In so doing, earn some summer cash for your favorite charity and also keep trash out of landfills. A win-win. TerraCycle, a recycling and so-called upcycling company -- meaning they not only help melt old cans but also turn formerly useless products into useable stuff -- partners with brands such as Frito-Lay and Nabisco to reduce the amount of waste being tossed out. The company's goal is to eliminate "the idea of waste" by creating collection and solution systems for anything that ends up in a landfill. According to TerraCycle intern David Smith, the company has inspired New Orleans school kids to go truly green: "TerraCycle, in partnership with brands such as Lunchables and Kraft, will be working to keep waste out of the lunch room. As school is revving up and lesson plans are being laid out, TerraCycle will be working with schools in New Orleans and elsewhere to set up brigade programs and collect all the waste possible, while at the same time giving financial rewards for the hard work of these kids. In turn, they are learning about how their efforts impact the environment." Continue reading on Examiner.com Turn old Hurricane cups and Frito bags into upcycled products - New Orleans Green Living | Examiner.com http://www.examiner.com/green-living-in-new-orleans/turn-old-hurricane-cups-and-frito-bags-into-upcycled-products#ixzz1TyRql9PY

Ever wonder about how much waste comes from the packaging that covers many of the items you bring home from the grocery store? If we recycle so many items, why is it that we do not recycle these other plastics and packaging materials? Terracycle is a company that caters to local communities, including the South Bend and surrounding areas. They take non-recyclable trash, and turn it into something that can be used again. Packaging that may not seem to be recyclable can be. Terracycle has partnered with Frito-Lay, Kraft Cheese, Solo, and Scott to reduce the amount of waste being thrown away. With the weather being warmer, many are having outdoor picnics and many of the food items people bring to such events are just thrown away, destined for our already overflowing landfills. Terracycle offers a way to get rid of your waste responsibly.

This is a clip of a show on NBC Philadelphia, the 10! Show, which featured our M&Ms speakers and new cooler w/ recyclable liner and aired this morning! Click on the link above to watch – our mention starts at about 4:25.