TerraCycle, upcycled design powerhouse and purveyor of worm poop plant food, helps usher in spring with two new products: A watering can made from granola bags and a plant caddy made from juice pouches.

El Descanso Elementary School student Katelyn Kienitz’s campaign to raise money for her school began when she ran out of pages in her math journal. “I needed a new math journal for school and (my teacher) didn’t have any extra notebooks,” said the 11-year-old fifth-grader. “My school is a very nice school, but we need more classroom supplies.”

I recently came across this article on environmental persuasion on CNN.com, and was inspired by the realism it represented. The article talks about the efficacy of subtle messages – or “nudges” – to encourage eco-friendly behavior. While some people may argue that they don’t want their thinking influenced by subtle messages from others, the fact that the messaging seems to have worked remains nonetheless (not to mention that people’s thinking every day is influenced by other subtle messages – think about TV commercials!) So if these “nudges’ an be used to influence our purchasing habits, can they not also be employed to help us make more responsible choices?

CLARK — Nicole Mailloux’s seventh grade writing students at Carl H. Kumpf Middle School in Clark are actively participating in a service learning project to utilize persuasive writing techniques in order to motivate other middle school students to take part in an international recycling program, Terracycle. This unit was designed to help students find practical, everyday uses for persuasive writing as well as to teach Kumpf students to be more conscious of waste and simple ways to “go green.”

OWATONNA — While changing diapers on a baby is a necessary duty, it is not fun. It is easy to understand why disposable diapers quickly topped reusable cloth diapers as the bottom-covering garment of choice for incontinent Americans once these handy items came on the market. Many people, including me during the years I regularly changed diapers, felt at least a slight pang of guilt as our garbage cans filled with the smelly items and as we plunked down more hard-earned cash for a box that emptied all too quickly. In actuality, while Americans dispose of millions of diapers annually, dirty diapers comprise only about one and one-half percent of all materials buried in landfills. Still, it would be great if there was a more environmentally friendly alternative to getting rid of used disposable diapers.

TerraCycle, an award-winning company that specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle waste, wants to help small businesses achieve their green initiatives while giving back to the community. If your company signs up to a TerraCycle "Brigade" and begins collecting specific items such as Scotch tape dispensers, toner cartridges, pens, drink pouches, potato chip bags and more, TerraCycle will process those items and your company can earn money for the school or charity of your choice.

All-natural treat makes classroom parties sweet I hate to admit it, but I still have candies from last Valentine ’s Day. Having 3 children and 18 students, we were way overstocked after this especially sweet holiday. And then came Halloween and Christmas and that basket that usually has only a few pieces in it is overflowing now. I am not a big fan of candy and I certainly don’t feed it to my children. Eating candy is a special treat in our house and it is hard to control the little sugar loving minds when they know it is around (so as far as I know they are unaware of the location of that basket). I also have a son who is highly allergic to dairy, soy, and nuts – pretty much three ingredients that are in most common candies. You know, the feeling of grabbing a piece of candy out of your child’s hand to possibly save his life … hmm, not a good one. Needless to say, I am very happy to find a healthy and safe alternative to the Valentine sugar rush that will please all three of my children and their little Valentines. Angie’s Kettle Corn Valentine’s Snack Packs are a sweetheart of an all-natural treat, packaged in portable and convenient packs for classmate and friend treat exchange.

As both packaging professionals and consumers, we live lives dominated by packaging and its science. When we pick up a product at the grocery store or order something new online, we think about what the item itself is packaged in, how it was or will be sent to its destination, and what will happen to it after we use it. What are the possibilities? What are the limitations? 2012 brings an entire new year of searching for packaging solutions and creating new options for consumers and the eco-minded. Because we’re both producers and users of packaging, we see both sides of the problem: the science and the facts, and the problems consumers face in choosing a product with eco-friendly packaging, and employing the solutions available for that packaging. For 2012, I have four packaging resolutions for TerraCycle and five packaging resolutions for myself-something to think about as we head into the New Year. TerraCycle Resolutions 1. Work on the packaging of our own products, and solutions for the products themselves. As we evaluate and change our own habits and science, we can improve our processes and packaging along with the recycling solutions available to the consumer. 2. Help support the compostable packaging movement. In order for consumers to appreciate compostable packaging and compost it correctly, they need to understand how the packaging can be eco-friendly and learn to overlook the potentially noisy side effects. 3. Develop a TerraCycle composting solution for our partners. Some people aren’t interested in composting, even if their product packaging is compostable. Hopefully, the movement will grow, and we can support it by offering composting solutions for our partners in addition to our traditional TerraCycle processes. 4. Brainstorm new products to be made from the packaging we collect. The possibilities are endless, and we’re always excited about new ideas.

TerraCycle, based in Trenton, NJ, is a for-profit company that upcycles and recycles traditionally non-recyclable waste – into creative consumer products. Even in a city like Cambridge that has a very progressive recycling program (yay for recycling coffee cups and pizza boxes!), there are so many products that are not recycled – and that could be diverted from landfills with TerraCycle’s programs.  Like candy wrappers, chip bags, corks, cookie packaging, and the list goes on….

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.