A few weeks ago, we asked Bag The Box fans what they’d like to ask TerraCycle CEO Tom Szaky in a no-holds-barred Q&A. “Trash-talk” ensued! Here are Tom’s answers to your trashy questions: When I started TerraCycle ten years ago, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. On an entrepreneurial level, I did have some idea, but on an eco-level, it was not so. As I became more involved in upcycling and recycling, I learned more about trash than I ever realized I would! TerraCycle now processes trash from Logitech electronics to Mars candy wrappers and donates an incredible amount of money to charity every year thanks to our collection Brigade participants. Since we have lots of programs, and lots to recycle, people have lots of questions. The Malt-O-Meal and TerraCycle social networks teamed together to ask you all for your questions, and we did our best to choose some good ones.

With the wide variety of individual-size packaging for food products, creating a portable lunch that will please youngsters’ tastebuds is easier than ever. However, it also causes more waste, which leads to fuller wastebaskets, and eventually, fuller landfills. That’s where the program TerraCycle comes in. The company, headquartered in New Jersey, collects difficult-to-recycle food packaging and turns it into extra money for schools. Three area schools currently are participating in this program: Bad Axe Elementary, Owendale-Gagetown Area Schools and Our Lady of Lake Huron Catholic School in Harbor Beach.

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.

The school works with an East Coast company whose goal is to eliminate waste by not only recycling but upcycling, the process of re-using items close to their original purpose. Students and staff of a Burr Ridge school are stepping up their efforts to be green by focusing on difficult-to-recycle products that, until now, ended up in the school's garbage cans. Trinity Lutheran School sends drink pouches, potato chip bags and cookie wrappers to TerraCycle in New Jersey, which recycles trash typically not recycled. The company has about 45 brigades worldwide of individuals and groups such as Trinity that collect and send garbage.

Summer is the season for outdoor parties and picnics, and it’s important to take care of the outdoors as you are enjoying it. Instead of filling up your trash can with empty food wrappers and plastic cups after guests leave, you can reuse the packaging yourself or send the waste to TerraCycle, where you can earn money for your favorite charity and keep things out of the local landfill at the same time. There are already some Brigade teams in the area, including Bentley School. TerraCycle, an innovative upcycling and recycling company, partners with brands such as Frito-Lay, Nabisco, Kraft Cheese, Solo, and Scott to reduce the amount of waste being thrown away. Some of the wrappers can also be used for do-it-yourself projects. An easy, crafty summer project is the do-it-yourself chip bowl, which can be made from a Frito-Lay chip bag, and then used for your next party! Or, you can turn your used Solo cups into herb planters for the porch or kitchen. For those who’d prefer to send their waste back to TerraCycle, they’ll earn two cents per item for a charity of their choice.

About TerraCycle: "TerraCycle focuses on using non-virgin materials to make only upcycled and recycled products in order to reduce the carbon footprint on our earth. Not only do our products instill an environmentally friendly mentality in consumers, but they are durable, effective and useful. Many of our products are perfect for families and kids, including a cooler made from recycled chip bags, our cooler made from Capri Sun juice pouches and our portable mini-speakers. In addition, we offer safe, all-natural and biodegradable fertilizers as well as recycled planters and gardening kits. As opposed to just offering products, we also DIY upcycling projects that kids and parents can do together, including candy wrapper barrettes, chip bag bowls, and planters made from Solo cups. Planning a trip to Six Flags this summer? Check this out:

Recycle Today For anyone having a barbeque today, there is now a new way to recycle Non-recyclable trash. Send it for free to TerraCycle to be recycled. TerraCycle collects difficult-to-recycle food packaging such as Frito-Lay chip bags, Kraft Singles cheese packaging, Scott paper towel and napkin wrapping, and Solo plastic cups. Anyone can send in their used products and packaging to be upcycled and recycled. or every piece of packaging that TerraCycle receives, participants are awarded with two points, which can be put toward buying a specific charity gift or converted to money and donated to a charity of the participant’s choice. There are Brigade teams in your area, including Plymouth River School. To sign up, visit, www.terracycle.net.

Company encourages residents to send in weekend party trash. With 4th of July right around the corner, local resident are gearing up for a long weekend of barbecues and pool parties. But one company wants you to keep recycling in mind before throwing out the trash. TerraCycle, an up-cycling and recycling company, has teamed up with brands like Frito-Lay, Nabisco, Kraft Cheese, Solo and Scott to cutback on non-recyclable party trash just being dumped in the garbage. The company wants local residents to send their difficult to recycle food packaging like chip bags, paper towels and solo plastic cups to them instead.

Tom Szaky was just a Princeton freshman when he discovered a treasure in an unlikely place: behind the university dining hall. The short version of the story is that Szaky discovered that the organic waste produced in the dining hall could be naturally composted by worms and turned into fertilizer. When Szaky started packaging this fertilizer in used soda bottles, he began producing the first product made entirely from waste. As a result of this discovery, Szaky began a school program that teaches younger generations to change their habits and rethink the way they view waste. Instead of immediately throwing something aside – they should think, “What can I do with this? Can I make something out of this?” Forget about having reusable items sit in a landfill; you can get creative and sew juice pouches together to make a pencil case or iron shopping bags to make a tote.