According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans generate over 250 million tons of trash annually, or 4 to 5 pounds per person per day. Only about 25% to 30% of it is recycled; the rest is incinerated or buried in landfills, where it can often end up polluting the environment and leaching into the soil and groundwater supply.   It’s a reality that TerraCycle finds unacceptable.   Founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky, then a student at Princeton University, Trenton-based TerraCycle is a social enterprise on a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. “We pick up where municipal recyclers leave off and recycle the things they don’t, including coffee pods, cigarette butts, chip and snack wrappers, clothing, shoes, contact lenses and much more,” said TerraCycle North American Public Relations Manager Sue Kauffman. “We collect over 150 waste streams and are adding more every day.”   Different towns have their own rules for recycling, often driven by economics. “If recyclers can sell the processed waste at a profit, they’ll recycle it – if not, they’ll either incinerate it or divert it to a landfill,” she said. “Thanks to over 200 million individuals actively recycling through TerraCycle, we’ve recycled over 7.7 billion pieces of waste, diverted millions of pounds of valuable resources from landfills all over the world, and donated nearly $45 million to charity to-date.”   A Range Of Recycling Solutions   Recycling 97% of the waste it receives and composting the remainder, TerraCycle promotes the opportunity for consumers to “reuse, upcycle, and recycle” in a variety of creative ways:  

• Free Recycling Programs – Sponsored by corporate partners such as Arm & Hammer, Colgate, Gerber, Gillette, Herbal Essences, Solo, Swiffer and other well-known brands, TerraCycle’s free recycling programs enable consumers to recycle specific branded products or entire categories of products at no cost. “Simply go to our website, pick a recycling program, register and ship the targeted waste stream to us using the free shipping labels provided online; based on the weight of the shipments, recyclers earn ‘TerraCycle points’ that can be converted to cash and donated to schools, charities and nonprofits of their choice,” said Kauffman, who noted that points can yield big dividends. “Through the ‘Free Recycle Playground Challenge’ that Colgate runs in conjunction with ShopRite each year, for instance, the school that collects the most oral care waste will win a new playground constructed from the recycled plastic they sent in and valued at $50,000,” she said. In addition to being free and easy, “it’s exciting to see schools starting their own Green Teams, learning about sustainability and participating in our recycling opportunities to earn more points.” Among new items recently added to their recyclable list are the packaging associated with L.O.L. Surprise! dolls and products by Reckitt Benckiser (makers of such brands as Mucinex, Enfamil and MegaRed). “In addition, in association with Gillette, we recently added disposable razors to our list, which represents the first time that there’s been an outlet to recycle disposable razors, blade cartridges and plastic packaging in the U.S.,” Kauffman said.

 

• Zero Waste Boxes – Through this program, consumers can purchase everything from a pouch to a pallet to reuse difficult-to-recycle waste that can’t be recycled through one of TerraCycle’s free programs or through regular municipal recycling. Boxes are specific to a variety of different product categories, from alkaline batteries and light bulbs to printer cartridges, paint brushes, plastic bags, shoes, vitamin bottles and dozens more options. “Once consumers send their waste in to be recycled, it will be weighed, processed, shredded, melted into pellets and ultimately sold to companies who use it to make other things,” Kauffman said.

 

• Loop – Launched in January 2019, Loop is a groundbreaking e-commerce platform that’s reminiscent of the milkman of yesteryear. Through the exclusive program, consumers can receive the products they use every day in durable, reusable containers that were designed for Loop by partners such as Proctor & Gamble, Unilever, Nestle, PepsiCo, Coca Cola and others. When finished, consumers return the packaging for cleaning and refill, completing a no-waste loop. “While TerraCycle recycles plastic and other items to make the Earth a cleaner place, our new Loop program strives to not create waste in the first place,” Kauffman explained. “Response to this program has been so strong that we’ve already expanded it to other states beyond New York and New Jersey.”

  Offering Creative Circular Solutions   Headquartered in a refurbished facility where contents are made largely from recycled items – “my desk is an old door and office partitions are crafted from old soda bottles,” Kauffman said – TerraCycle has tapped into a growing need and is helping to make sustainability a mainstream movement. Following heightened media attention concerning the magnitude of America’s waste, as well as China’s 2018 decision to restrict imports of the megatons of trash they’d been processing/recycling for us for decades, “American consumers are definitely paying more attention to this issue than ever before,” Kauffman said. “The best way to elicit change is by voting with your dollars and buying from companies with a strong sustainable process. In the case of the companies that have partnered with TerraCycle, we’re able to work together to offer creative and efficient circular solutions to waste that don’t include the landfill.”       Nearly 20 years since its founding, TerraCycle now operates in 21 countries, has won more than 200 awards for sustainability, and was named No. 10 in Fortune’s Change the World list, out of 52 companies. For Kauffman and her 300 colleagues, working at TerraCycle is a labor of love. “We’re all extremely passionate here, creativity is so high, and new ideas are blossoming every day,” she said.   “It’s wonderful to celebrate Earth Day in April and we celebrate it for the entire month,” Kauffman concluded, “but the way we see it at TerraCycle, Earth Day should be every day.”   TerraCycle is located at 1 TerraCycle Way in Trenton and can be reached at (866) 967-6766 or by visiting www.terracycle.com.

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.

The way we do things is changing so quickly in this crazy world in which we live. As we navigate the ins and outs of our new normal, I want everyone to remember to keep recycling. To do our part in making the world a better place to live, Nyquist Elementary School is part of the TerraCycle, Plant Green and ColorCycle programs. We are trying to save the planet one brigade at a time. We are slowly getting people to recycle the unique items that can be reused and kept out of the landfills.   TerraCycle is a program that not only recycles those hard to recycle items but also offers fundraising opportunities. While the school has bins in place at their facility, Emily Miller felt a need to make them more accessible to the community to help raise awareness on the importance of recycling. You will find bins for Eos products at Spire Credit Union, Colgate oral care (accepting all brands of toothpaste tubes, floss containers and packaging) at the Isle Dentist office, personal care beauty products (accepting lipstick tubes, mascara tubes, pump tops from lotion bottles, shampoo bottles, etc.) at JJ’s Shear Beauty. Isle Hardware Hank has a bin for Febreze products such as air freshener cartridges, plugins, packaging, and Febreze one trigger spray bottles. On your next stop to Thompson’s Lake Country Drug, be sure to bring your disposable razors to be recycled. They will accept all brands, packaging and disposable razor heads. The following items can be recycled at the school. GoGo Squeez pouches and caps, Contacts blister packs and contacts, Arm & Hammer and Oxiclean Laundry soap pouches, L.O.L. Surprize Packaging, accessories and products, #6 Rigid plastic cups (Solo) and not Solo, Popsockets, Swiffer refills, and Bunch O Balloons packaging, balloons, stem, etc.   The ColorCycle program accepts all brands, sizes and types of markers. You may drop your old, dried up markers in the bin at City Hall.   Plant Green offers recycling for ink cartridges. Those items may be dropped off at First National Bank.   For more information on what products can be recycled, please visit the bin locations. Each bin contains an information sheet on what they accept. I will also add information to my webpage on the district website. I want to thank Emily Miller and the area businesses for partnering with Nyquist Elementary on this project and helping to keep our Earth clean and beautiful. I encourage you to start collecting these highly used items and drop them off on your next trip to town. As one person, you may feel that you cannot make an impact, but as a community, we can start to change the world. Now, imagine if everyone in every community participated. Imagine the impact that would make on our environment. I hope you will get out and help save our planet. Afterall, Earth is for everyone.   Guest columnist Melisa Maxwell is the dean of students at Isle Public Schools.

FROM SOLO CUPS TO SWING SETS, THESE ARE ALL RECYCLABLE ITEMS. When most people think about recycling, they picture empty cardboard boxes and plastic water bottles. But there are so many other old items hanging around your house that you can also recycle. Many companies will even pay you to bring these recyclable items in, simply because they are hard to come by and, well, there is no Planet B. Keep reading to learn about some of the surprising things that are actually recyclable and next time, think twice before you simply toss something in the trash.        

FROM SOLO CUPS TO SWING SETS, THESE ARE ALL RECYCLABLE ITEMS. When most people think about recycling, they picture empty cardboard boxes and plastic water bottles. But there are so many other old items hanging around your house that you can also recycle. Many companies will even pay you to bring these recyclable items in, simply because they are hard to come by and, well, there is no Planet B. Keep reading to learn about some of the surprising things that are actually recyclable and next time, think twice before you simply toss something in the trash.  

These zero-wasters have ditched the trash can almost entirely. Pick and choose from their tips for going zero waste to shrink your own waste (plus any eco-guilt).   These days, knowing how to recycle isn’t enough. Zero waste is the sustainability method of the moment, and it’s not just a passing fad: Living with less is one way of preserving the environment and already-dwindling resources, and going zero waste is actually almost (dare we say it) easy.   There’s a lot of garbage out there. The United States sent 137.7 million tons of trash to landfills in 2015, according to the Environmental Protection Agency—and a recent report found we’re on track to run out of space in landfills within the next two decades. China is importing fewer of the recyclable plastics we’ve been sending there. And far too many items don’t make it to landfills or recycling plants in the first place: Think of all the litter along our roads and the sad stories about sea turtles with straws in their nostrils and whales with bags in their bellies.   In some ways, this problem is bigger than any one person. To make a real dent, we’d need our legislators to support more plastic bans, regulate wasteful industries, and be more aggressive about protecting the planet beyond the waste problem. Still, our actions do make a difference. The more consumers and voters start caring about waste reduction in their day-to-day lives, experts say, the more businesses and governments will make it a priority.   “The best thing we can do, environmentally speaking, is not produce waste in the first place,” says Jenna Jambeck, PhD, professor of environmental engineering at the University of Georgia and a National Geographic fellow specializing in solid waste. “I’ve been totally convinced by my research that, taken collectively, small choices make a difference. These choices, even if we aren’t perfect, add up to significant positive impacts over time.”   These choices include everything from utilizing zero waste disposal options to adopting a zero waste lifestyle—making decisions large and small that move the needle in the right direction, even a little. You’ll see the impact in your life too: less clutter, money saved, new peace of mind. You don’t have to take every step experts suggest here—do what works for you, and you just might find life is better with less garbage in it.   Start with these tips for going zero waste, straight from practiced zero-wasters—including the mind behind Zero Waste Home—and you’ll be off to a great start. You may even find yourself surprised by how easy using less can be.  

Use what you already have.

  “I don’t encourage anyone to go out and buy things, like a pretty stainless-steel water bottle or organic-cotton shopping bag, in order to go zero-waste,” says Tippi Thole, founder of the zero-waste website Tiny Trash Can. “We should be buying less, not more! If I have a plastic item in good working condition, I use it as long as I can.” Manufacturing reusable tote bags and water bottles tends to use a lot more resources and energy than manufacturing the disposable versions, so don’t churn through them.  

Refuse first.

  People are constantly trying to give you single-use stuff: a flyer on the street, a sample in the store, a bag of stickers and knickknacks at a birthday party. “No matter how much you reduce, reuse, and recycle, you’re still the target of many items,” says Bea Johnson, author of Zero Waste Home ($11; amazon.com), who says her family of four creates only a pint of garbage per year. “Say no on the spot to stop it from becoming your trash problem down the line.”  

Rearrange the trash.

  Moving the kitchen trash can somewhere inconvenient, like the garage, forces everyone in the house to consider whether items could be composted or recycled instead. “Just by rearranging the bins and shocking everyone out of the habit of tossing something into the can, we halved the amount of garbage we produced,” says Larkin Gayl, who shares zero-waste tips on Instagram at @unfetteredhome.  

Pack reusable necessities.

  Think about the single-use items you pick up most in the outside world (coffee cups? utensils? to-go boxes? straws?) and stash a reusable version in your bag or car so you always have it with you. “We even carry a growler in our car for beer emergencies!” says zero-waster Sarah Schade, an art and design student in Traverse City, Michigan. When you come home, remember to wash your reusables and put them back so they’re ready to go the next day.  

Borrow before buying.

  You borrow books—why not borrow a weed whacker, stand mixer, or circle saw too? Borrowing things like tools and kitchen gadgets saves you from shelling out for something you’ll only use a few times a year. Plus, Lepeltier adds, “connecting with neighbors when you borrow something makes in-life connections and creates community.” Searchmyturn.com and buynothingproject.org/find-a-group, or write a post on Nextdoor. You can also rent tools from many hardware stores and Home Depot locations.  

Do a trash audit.

  It might sound icky, but poke through your garbage can to find your household’s worst waste offenders. (Or just make a note—and ask those you live with to do the same—of what you toss in a typical week.) “Pick the thing that shows up most in the garbage and find a swap for it,” says Gayl. For example, she noticed a ton of granola bar wrappers in her trash and started making batches of grab-and-go snacks instead.  

Don’t feel like you have to make everything yourself.

  “I’ve experimented with sourdough and making kombucha, but I’m not running a Whole Foods at my home,” says Chloé Lepeltier, who blogs about her low-impact lifestyle on the site Conscious By Chloé. The idea is to find habits you can sustain, so only DIY if you enjoy it.  

Green your period.

  If you’re up for it, Schade endorses switching to a reusable menstrual cup. Made out of silicone, it typically lasts a year, replacing the 240 or so tampons you might use during that time. (It also keeps packaging, applicators, and sometimes agrochemical-intensive cotton out of the trash.) Or consider period underwear like the ones from Thinx or Dear Kate—they may not eliminate your need for tampons entirely, but you’ll cut back in a big way.  

Raise tiny tree huggers.

  “Kids are often the best place to start in your waste-reduction journey because they tend to be more sensitive to the problem and don’t have the bad habits we adults do,” says Thole. Ask children to help cook (and therefore eat less food packaged in plastic); fill up at the bulk bins together; and talk about the materials that go into making a plastic toy—and the landfill the toy will end up in. But be warned: Soon enough, they may call out your eco-blunders.  

Invest in a TerraCycle bin.

  The company TerraCycle accepts many items that can’t always be recycled locally, like coffee capsules, toothpaste tubes, and potato chip bags. It partners with brands—including Arm & Hammer, Brita, Garnier, Honest Kids, even Solo cups—to offer free recycling of their products. Or you can buy a bin or pouch for a specific need. It’s pricey (pouches cost $42 and up), but that’s a deterrent to creating trash, says Gayl: “The cost to recycle motivates me to think before I purchase.”

Animal shelters and homeless shelters need certain items, but you must follow strict guidelines before donating in order to avoid imposing disposal costs on worthy organizations and taking their staffs’ time.   Specifically, some “used” items can be donated to homeless shelters, but only in new, unopened condition. For example, the free toothbrush and small tube of toothpaste you received from your dentist following a cleaning can be donated, but only if it is still sealed in packaging. Similarly, if you did not open the complimentary shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion and shower cap in your hotel room, donate those, too.   Used clothing is almost always better donated to a thrift store than a shelter; however, shelters generally can accept used, freshly cleaned sweatshirts, hoodies, and sweat pants. Similarly, donating used shoes imposes a burden on shelters, but one related item frequently discarded by everyone is desired by homeless shelters. Used, cleaned shoelaces can be donated to a homeless shelter.   Prior to delivering donations, call the Oxnard shelter directly at 805-247-0335. The shelter currently hosts over 100 people, has limited staff and organizes many activities, so they are not able to carefully screen donations or give tours.   Donations of used blankets and towels are welcomed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter. The shelter, in Camarillo, is collecting materials to meet the needs of the 500 animals being hosted. People can drop off items at the shelter: 600 Aviation Drive, Camarillo; 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Tuesday-Sunday.  The shelter is closed on Mondays, but people can also drop off items from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. on Mondays if they are unable to come during open hours, according to Jennifer Thaler, Supervising Animal Control Officer.   Other items seemingly unrecyclable and not reusable can be given a new life through mail-in recycling programs. One surprising reusable item is used mascara wands. The Appalachian Wildlife Refuge uses these to clean animals in distress. The tight bristles enable volunteers to remove oil, larvae, fly eggs, mites and mud from rescued wildlife. The brushes also work great for animal medical care and wound treatment, according to the organization’s website. The refuge asks donors to clean used mascara wands with liquid soap, place wands in a clean plastic bag and mail them to P.O. Box 1211, Skyland, NC, 28776.   TerraCycle provides sponsor-subsidized mail-in recycling programs for products ranging from Burt’s Bees “lip care products” to Solo cups. Additionally, TerraCycle has many non-sponsored programs. For example, for $102, you can purchase a small shipping box (11 in. x11 in. x20 in.) and a postage-paid return shipping label to send TerraCycle your used chewing gum. According to Brian Hanck, a TerraCycle spokesman, “Chewing gum is made from polymers, which are synthetic plastics . . . The . . . gum is sanitized and blended, then converted into plastic pellets. These specific plastic pellets are usually used in creating new products made of rubber or plastic.”   Among other items, the company also has mail-in recycling programs for coffee capsules, pens, plastic gloves, detergent booster pouches, ready-made pasta bags, contact lenses and the blister packs containing the lenses.   Locally, the Surfrider Foundation participates in TerraCycle’s mail-in program for recycling cigarette butts, the most common form of litter. Through its “Hold On To Your Butt” campaign, the city and Surfrider have purchased and installed 103 metal containers in areas where cigarette butt litter was common, despite a city ordinance banning smoking in public areas. Volunteers empty approximately 4,000 butts per month from these receptacles; combined with the butts they collect from beach cleanup events, they have sent over 270,000 butts to TerraCycle in a little over two years, according to Juli Marciel, Surfrider’s coordinator for the program. A bench made from cigarette butts is on the Ventura promenade next to the pier.   For more information, visit www.terracycle.com/en-US/. Additional items needed by the Ventura County Animal Shelter can be found at www.vcas.us/amazonwishlist. Additional items needed by the Oxnard Homeless Shelter include a large coffee pot, microwave oven and heavy-duty three-prong extension cords. Before delivering, call 805-247-0335.  

An online “unveiling” recently of a Ventura beach bench made from recycled cigarette butts quickly generated more than 153 social media shares and dozens of comments on the Ventura Parks and Recreation Division Facebook page. Plenty of web surfers took the obvious opportunity to crack punny jokes. Most were along the line of the official name given to the cigarette butt collection and recycling program organized by the nonprofit Surfrider Foundation, “Hold on to Your Butt.” The city and the nonprofit have purchased and installed 103 metal containers in areas where cigarette butt litter was common, despite a city ordinance banning smoking in public areas. Volunteers empty approximately 4,000 butts per month from these receptacles. Combined with the butts they collect from beach cleanup events, they have collected more than 270,000 butts in a little over two years, according to Juli Marciel, Surfrider’s coordinator for the program. Volunteers put these collected butts into boxes with postage-paid labels supplied by Terracycle, a company recycling a wide variety of products. Recycling by mail is too expensive to be viable for nearly any material, but in the case of cigarettes, the program is made possible through sponsorship by a product manufacturer. In fact, the sponsorship funds are sufficient not just to pay for the free mailers, but also to donate a dollar per pound of collected cigarettes to Keep America Beautiful, a nonprofit focused on litter prevention and cleanup. Surfrider also obtains sponsorships noted on these containers, helping fund the cost of the containers. Some who comment on the sponsored recycling program see corporate responsibility, and others see “green washing” focused on improving perceptions of a product through the misleading appearance of eco-friendliness. Lars Davenport, environmental specialist with the city of Ventura, points out a major benefit of the containers and the bench. “Cigarette butts tend to be disposed wherever a cigarette is finished,” he said, noting the crucial role of convenience in preventing litter, “and some people seem to think their cigarette litter is not significant” because some of it is biodegradable. A bench made from butts drives home a message about the ubiquity of butts and their plastic content. MORE: Try using Ventura County's sunshine to get your clothes dry Indeed, Brian Hanck, a spokesperson for Terracycle, noted in an email, “We can put about 20% ... cellulose acetate (plastic from cigarette butts) … into a bench, and the benches are about 80 pounds, so we would estimate that 15,000 cigarette butts go into one park bench.” Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter, according to the Keep America Beautiful website, which notes that putting them in planters and disposing of them in waterways is also litter; butts often wash out and end up on shores. Terracycle also provides sponsor-subsidized mail-in recycling programs for other products, ranging from Burt’s Bees lip care products to Solo cups. Additionally, Terracycle has many non-sponsored programs, some of which seem designed to attract sponsors. For example, for $102, you can purchase a small shipping box (11 inches by 11 inches by 20 inches) and a postage-paid return shipping label to send Terracycle your used chewing gum. According to Brian Hanck, the Terracycle spokesman: “Chewing gum is made from polymers which are synthetic plastics that do not biodegrade. The … gum is sanitized and blended, then converted into plastic pellets. These specific plastic pellets are usually used in creating new products made of rubber or plastic.” Among other items, the company also has mail-in recycling programs for coffee capsules, pens, plastic gloves, detergent booster pouches, ready-made pasta bags, contact lenses and the blister packs containing the lenses. Terracycle previously had sponsor funding for a program to recycle mixed plastics from beach clean-ups, but its website indicates the program is no longer “accepting new partners” for that program.

If you’re a part of a student group at your school, you may have to fundraise for your organization. But how do you go about raising the money? Asking people for donations can be totally intimidating and awkward. Luckily, there are plenty of creative ways to raise the funds you need sans begging, and Her Campus has listed seven of the best. Hello, major cash!

1. Organize a food sale

There are many things you can sell besides the standard cake and cookies! For instance, you may have seen student groups selling bubble tea, tacos or cupcakes around campus. Cherisse Liptzin, a senior at UCLA, is a member of Gamma Rho Lambda. Every year on Valentine’s Day, her organization puts on an unusual fundraiser: a vagina-shaped chocolate lollipop sale. Cherisse explains that these lollipops make a statement against the taboo around sex. “The money that we raise in this fundraiser goes back to our sorority and will go toward putting on future events on campus,” she says. Like Cherisse, use your creativity to decide what to sell—the sky is the limit! If you’re not feeling that adventurous, it’s okay to go traditional! Malavika Chugh, a sophomore at UCLA, has helped with multiple bake sales, and recently sold funfetti cupcakes, chocolate brownies, cinnamon rolls and pumpkin bread for the Partner's in Health FACE AIDS program, an organization that fundraises for HIV services in Rwanda. “The way we do this fundraiser is donation-based,” she says. “So people typically end up paying $1 to $2 for each item, and some generous students even give around $5.” At their last bake sale, Face AIDS at UCLA made a profit of $150 in just four hours! Not only are bake sales always popular, but they can be super fun, too. Browse Pinterest and Her Campus for amazing recipes and get cooking!

2. Sell your used clothes

The members of your organization probably have plenty of clothes sitting untouched in the back of their closets. Thankfully, there are countless ways to sell your used clothing, and your fundraiser is the perfect occasion to do a little spring cleaning. Get everyone to gather their old clothes and choose the selling method that works best for you.

Sell them online

Many websites make it surprisingly easy to sell your clothes in bulk. thredUP and Twice are great sites for selling your clothing. Send the clothes your club has gathered to the company of your choice and let them do the work for you! Unfortunately, these sites sometimes only accept high-end brands, but if you and your friends have some of these items to sell, then this is the method for you!

Sell them to a store

Once you’ve gathered a good amount of clothes, do a Google search for thrift shops that buy clothes in your area. For instance, Clothes Mentor has stores in many states. These stores will most likely not accept everything you bring, but you could still make a decent amount of money. Branded items as well as seasonal, unique and trendy pieces are usually preferred.

Host a “garage sale” on campus

Alternatively, you could make an event out of selling your old clothes. Pick a date and make sure to get the appropriate permission from campus officials. Then, set up shop on campus or at your sorority house. Display the clothes you’re selling on racks, put up signs reading “charity clothing sale” and practice your business skills with customers (FYI, this is perfect for you marketing majors)!

3. Go canning

A fun and efficient way to raise funds is by “canning, or standing outside busy stores with cans for money,” says Connie Chan, a senior at Carnegie Mellon University. Connie has used this method when fundraising for breast cancer research with her sorority, Alpha Kappa Delta Phi. Not only is canning super easy to set up, but you can “make hundreds in a matter of hours,” Connie says. All you need are some group members, an empty can for each person and some colorful posters to describe your cause. Stand outside pharmacies and grocery stores, but be sure to get permission from the stores beforehand. “Yell out slogans to nobody in particular to make it less awkward,” Connie suggests. Otherwise, you can talk to people who walk by and ask them if they’d be interested in donating to your cause. Make sure to give them some background information so they know where their money is going. Then, “when people donate, we sometimes do a cute little chant, which usually makes them laugh,” Connie adds. If you feel up to it, think of some fun chants with the members of your organization, and have the most outgoing member sing them to generous donators! You’ll be rolling in dough by the end of the day.

Related: The 7 Best Ways to Fundraise for Your Sorority

4. Recycle

Are you an avid recycler? If so, this fundraising method is the one for you—otherwise, this could be your incentive to start saving the planet! There is more to recycling than just separating your waste into different bins. In fact, you can actually make money from recycling! This can add up quickly if you get your friends and other members of your organization to help you collect the following recyclables:

Ink cartridges

Recycle Place collects ink cartridges (both ink-jet and laser) and pays you up to $4.50 for each. Once you register your organization online, the company helps you with the collecting process by providing you with brochures and guidelines. Once you have collected at least eight to 10 laser or 30 inkjet cartridges, you send them to the company, which will later send money to your group or organization.

Soda cans and bottles

In some states, you can sell your empty aluminum cans and plastic bottles for five to 15 cents each. Search online for recycling centers near you, and make sure to check their individual websites for exact guidelines.

Cosmetics, snack bags, Solo cups and more

Ashley Offenback, a senior and a member of an honors club at Penn State Berks, fundraises for her club through TerraCycle. This website lets you send your waste through different programs, one for each type of recyclables. Some programs are run by specific brands, calling for recyclables such as Tide laundry bottles and plastic Solo cups. Once you’ve collected a certain amount of waste (there is a minimum weight requirement), you register for a free TerraCycle account and download a shipping label. Then, you place your waste in a box and send it to the company free of charge. When they receive your recyclables, you are awarded TerraCycle points, which can be redeemed for a donation to your organization. You will receive $0.02 for each piece of waste, which can really add up if you make a collective effort to assemble items to send the company. You can also set up a Facebook event explaining why you’re collecting specific products and place collection bins for them in different areas around campus. Make sure to get permission from your school first, though!

5. Organize a restaurant fundraiser

Lucy Conroy, a junior at Loyola Marymount University and a sister of Delta Gamma, always seeks help from local eateries such as Pinkberry when fundraising for her sorority’s annual philanthropy, a synchronized swimming event. “Most places, if you ask them, are willing to… give some of the profits to your organization for people who come in and say a secret word or show a flyer saying they support your organization,” Lucy says. “It's great PR for the company because it attracts customers if they know that some of their money will be donated to an organization or if there is a small discount.” Which restaurants should you reach out to? This depends on the management of restaurants in your area, which you should definitely look into! “We used Yogolicious, which is a chain, but I know other student organizations who have used local restaurants and had luck with them as well,” Lucy says. Try multiple restaurants, especially ones you know have hosted fundraisers in the past, and one of them is bound to help you. Be sure to look professional and ask to speak to a manager. Explain your cause and watch the money roll in!

6. Use crowdfunding sites

Crowdfunding websites are typically used to raise funds for business start-ups, however, some websites, such as GoFundMe, allow you to start fundraisers for all sorts of reasons, including weddings and travel! All you need to do is set up a personal donation account for your group and share the link with your friends and family. You can also create a Facebook event to solicit donations and explain your cause.

7. Market your skills and talents

Offer to clean people's rooms, take out their trash or tutor them for a small fee. Use your imagination! Devyani Rana, a sophomore at UCLA, is participating in her school’s annual Dance Marathon, which raises money to fight pediatric AIDS. In order to reach the minimum requirement of $250, Devyani decided to sell her photography, graphic design and web design skills. “The idea came to me when a friend of mine jokingly said that my designs are good enough to get paid for,” Devyani says. “I do work with different organizations on campus, which requires me to design extensively, and having substantial experience with all three aspects just makes it easier.” She has “already designed a logo for a student organization on campus and helped design a term scheduling chart for another group.” Is there something you and other members of your organization are particularly good at? There are probably many people out there willing to pay for your talents! Use your best judgment to fix a price, or ask your friends how much they would be willing to pay for what you are offering. Devyani is charging $20 per hour of photography, and $20 per graphic design. She left the fee for web design negotiable. Like Devyani, you can set up a Facebook event to get the word out. Add a description of what exactly you can offer and your asking price, then let word of mouth do its magic. “Recently, I did headshots for somebody who heard about my fundraising efforts through a friend of mine,” Devyani says. “My friends did go out of their way to show support, so sometimes they would ask me to do a fun photo shoot just so they could donate to my fundraiser.” If you use one or more of these methods, you’ll find that fundraising for your organization is not as scary as it seems. In fact, people are usually much more willing to help than you know, especially if their donations are going toward the support of a good cause. As long as all of the members of your club are committed, you’ll not only easily reach your fundraising goal, but you’ll also have fun doing it. Now get out there and make some money!

One of the reasons, I started this whole living off beach trash saga, was to demonstrate how much stuff, we throw away, how little people know or care about plastic pollution, our beaches and zero waste... Technically, you could pick up 95% of the beach trash and recycle it. The Terracycle Beach Clean Up Program recycles most of the beach trash seen.