Danone has launched a scheme that allows schools and charities to receive 2p for every Danone yogurt pot that they collect. The returned pots will be made into items such as plant pots and rubbish bins.

Other green initiatives in the school include recycling paper and upcycling drink pouches. The pouches are collected and shipped to a company called Terracycle that converts them to tote bags, pencil cases, lunch boxes and book bags. More than 3,500 pouches have been collected since the program started during summer camp in July.  “We’re a Juice Pouch Brigade,” said Jarrell. The school gets 2 cents for every juice pouch sent in. Money collected is put back into green programs for the school. “More importantly, our students are learning how to recycle and making an impact on the environment.”

The club is leading efforts to reduce waste in the Washington School lunch room by encouraging their fellow students to recycle items like their milk cartons, and they are collecting items like juice pouches for Terracycle, a company that repurposes packaging to make items such as folders and binders. This winter, the club is participating in the big shoe sort at SWANCC (Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County).

  Feb. 15. Tom Szaky. Founder TerraCycle Inc. “Redesigning the Throw-Away Culture.” TerraCycle upcycles trash into consumer products sold at the world’s largest retailers. Good-bye juice pouch; hello book bag! Szaky is an inspirational, award-winning sustainable entrepreneur whose company is redirecting our throw-away culture, with over 14 million people, collecting over 4 billion formerly non-recyclable items, in 11 countries. These recycling “Brigades” have earned over $2 million for their schools and non-profits. Star of National Geographic Channel’s “Garbage Moguls,” Szaky left Princeton in his freshman year to pursue his dream of this grassroots, collaborative business model. www.terracycle.net.

During the past two months, several Floral Street School students with the help of the eco-friendly organization the Dumpster Divers, collected over 2,000 empty juice box pouches and snack bags, which will be sent to the eco-friendly company Terracycle.  Terracycle collects various types of trash and creates new products, such as coolers and backpacks, to be sold in major stores across the country, such as Walmart, Target and Home Depot.

Students at Alain L. Locke Elementary have been collecting items to recycle through TerraCycle’s campaign to “outsmart waste.”  Ms. Adebiyi’s class won the most recent competition by bringing in over 2,000 items!  Her class celebrated by having a day without school uniforms.

As of July 2010, Brigade participants can earn a 5x donation credit on their first shipment. That means the first 25 pieces in a large shipment you send in will be credited at $0.10 each. The rest will be credited at the standard rate.  Visit TerraCycle’s website to learn more or to sign up for a Brigade.

TerraCycle and Capri Sun have reached a major milestone in the Drink Pouch Brigade and an area school is being named America's Best Brigade for helping them do it.  They've just reached the 50 millionth pouch collected mark, which means that $1 million has been paid to schools adn non-profits across the country just for sending us this waste. TerraCycle uses this waste as raw material to make affordable, eco-friendly products.  Del Rey Elementary School in King City is among the Top 100 Collecting Schools out of about 30,000 nationwide that participate in TerraCycle's Drink Pouch Brigade, a free fundraising program that pays $.02 per unit of waste collected.

TerraCycle’s Brigades are an excellent fundraising vehicle for schools and organizations. For every piece of waste collected for a Brigade, TerraCycle donates $0.02 to the school or charity of your choice. As of July 2010, Brigade participants can earn a 5x donation credit on their first shipment. That means the first 25 pieces in a large shipment you send in will be credited at $0.10 each. The rest will be credited at the standard rate.  Visit TerraCycle’s website to learn more or to sign up for a Brigade.

Do you know about TerraCycle? Frito Lay is asking large institutions to recycle their snack bags to TerraCycle. They will even pay for the shipping and donate 2 cents per bag to a school or non profit institution! For more information, please go to: www.fritolay.com