"The Milestone Program is meant to inspire individuals and organizations to collect more waste while receiving prizes for their achievements," said Tom Szaky, CEO of TerraCycle. "It is rewarding to see the students and administration get so involved in making this work. It's an incredible achievement to have kept so many pouches out of the waste stream."

An estimated 195 million pounds of cigarette butts are improperly discarded in the United States annually, which is equal to the weight of about 33,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. In an ongoing effort to eliminate left over tobacco products, a non-profit organization developed a program to recycle the waste. “It is TerraCycle’s goal to eliminate the idea of waste,” said Emma Swanson, a TerraCycle public relations associate. “Cigarette filters (and other related tobacco waste) are the number one item recovered during the annual Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Day, with more than 52 million cigarette filters collected from beaches in the past 25 years.” TerraCycle is an international upcycling and recycling company that collects difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products. The company works with more than 100 major brands in the U.S. and 22 countries worldwide to collect used materials otherwise destined for landfills. In 2012, TerraCycle created the Cigarette Waste Brigade to encourage people who smoke to recycle their tobacco waste instead of discarding it through trash or litter. Since the launch of the Brigade, cigarette recycle canisters can be found at more than 5,100 locations in the U.S. At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, I Corps is among the first Army units to utilize this conservation method. "Most of the trash collected during police calls are cigarette butts,” said Master Sgt. Michael Lindsay, senior operations noncommissioned officer, HHB. Lindsay was referred to the program by Shelia Martin, Recycling Outreach Coordinator with the JBLM Public Works Environmental Division. “I asked him if he would be willing to follow the parameters of the program and he agreed,” Martin said. “There are so many different items that can be recycled and not recycled based of the market and industry and we are always trying to reduce our refuse bill and increase our diversion numbers.” As of Aug. 4, Soldiers can now utilize any of the six medium sized gray plastic canisters and large green receptacles located in the Battalion area. The plastics recovered from the filters are melted down into pellets for use in industrial products, such as shipping pallets. Prior to the filters being melted, the cigarette waste must be collected and shipped to TerraCycle. The company provides each organization or representative with free, pre-paid shipping labels for the waste to be sent to their warehouses. Littered cigarette filters, with the assistance of human and natural forces, rarely stay in the place they first touched the ground. “Contrary to popular belief, cigarette butts are not biodegradable and do not break down quickly,” said Swanson. “A study from San Diego State University states one cigarette butt can contaminate one liter of water and create threats to important parts of aquatic food chain. They’re made from cellulose acetate which never loses its toxicity and can poison essential links in the aquatic echelon.” The environmental hazard of cigarette filters was another contributing factor for HHB to sign up for the Cigarette Waste Brigade. “The filters not only affect the aquatic system, small animals and birds may mistake them for food and potentially choke on them or get sick,” Lindsay said. “Recycling cigarette waste not only keeps the environment and wildlife safer, but also reduces the amount of trash in the dump.” Lindsay estimated the Soldiers in HHB who will be using the program will help keep roughly 15 to 20 pounds of waste from being deposited into the dump each month. For each pound we recycle of cigarette waste, the unit receives a credit from TerraCycle to donate to any school or charity, said Lindsay. TerraCycle also donates money to the Keep America Beautiful program. From the start of the program through the end of June 2014, TerraCycle has donated more than $15,000 said Swanson. Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. They work with governors, mayors and other local government and community leaders including state recycling organizations to help create communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound. “The Cigarette Waste Brigade is one of our most successful programs,” she added. “Our Brigade members have collected more than 14 million units of cigarette waste and the number of people collecting has steadily increased since the program’s inception.” Martin said if the program achieves the desired effect, it may be implemented into JBLM’s waste management program. “TerraCycle is excited that Joint Base Lewis-McChord is now a collector for the Cigarette Waste Brigade,” said Swanson. “The Brigade is now open in Canada, Europe and Japan and is also in the process of signing up stadiums, cities and more military bases.”

An estimated 195 million pounds of cigarette butts are improperly discarded in the United States annually, which is equal to the weight of about 33,000 High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicles. In an ongoing effort to eliminate left over tobacco products, a non-profit organization developed a program to recycle the waste. “It is TerraCycle’s goal to eliminate the idea of waste,” said Emma Swanson, a TerraCycle public relations associate. “Cigarette filters (and other related tobacco waste) are the number one item recovered during the annual Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup Day, with more than 52 million cigarette filters collected from beaches in the past 25 years.” TerraCycle is an international upcycling and recycling company that collects difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products. The company works with more than 100 major brands in the U.S. and 22 countries worldwide to collect used materials otherwise destined for landfills. In 2012, TerraCycle created the Cigarette Waste Brigade to encourage people who smoke to recycle their tobacco waste instead of discarding it through trash or litter. Since the launch of the Brigade, cigarette recycle canisters can be found at more than 5,100 locations in the U.S. At Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., the Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, I Corps is among the first Army units to utilize this conservation method. "Most of the trash collected during police calls are cigarette butts,” said Master Sgt. Michael Lindsay, senior operations noncommissioned officer, HHB. Lindsay was referred to the program by Shelia Martin, Recycling Outreach Coordinator with the JBLM Public Works Environmental Division. “I asked him if he would be willing to follow the parameters of the program and he agreed,” Martin said. “There are so many different items that can be recycled and not recycled based of the market and industry and we are always trying to reduce our refuse bill and increase our diversion numbers.” As of Aug. 4, Soldiers can now utilize any of the six medium sized gray plastic canisters and large green receptacles located in the Battalion area. The plastics recovered from the filters are melted down into pellets for use in industrial products, such as shipping pallets. Prior to the filters being melted, the cigarette waste must be collected and shipped to TerraCycle. The company provides each organization or representative with free, pre-paid shipping labels for the waste to be sent to their warehouses. Littered cigarette filters, with the assistance of human and natural forces, rarely stay in the place they first touched the ground. “Contrary to popular belief, cigarette butts are not biodegradable and do not break down quickly,” said Swanson. “A study from San Diego State University states one cigarette butt can contaminate one liter of water and create threats to important parts of aquatic food chain. They’re made from cellulose acetate which never loses its toxicity and can poison essential links in the aquatic echelon.” The environmental hazard of cigarette filters was another contributing factor for HHB to sign up for the Cigarette Waste Brigade. “The filters not only affect the aquatic system, small animals and birds may mistake them for food and potentially choke on them or get sick,” Lindsay said. “Recycling cigarette waste not only keeps the environment and wildlife safer, but also reduces the amount of trash in the dump.” Lindsay estimated the Soldiers in HHB who will be using the program will help keep roughly 15 to 20 pounds of waste from being deposited into the dump each month. For each pound we recycle of cigarette waste, the unit receives a credit from TerraCycle to donate to any school or charity, said Lindsay. TerraCycle also donates money to the Keep America Beautiful program. From the start of the program through the end of June 2014, TerraCycle has donated more than $15,000 said Swanson. Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. They work with governors, mayors and other local government and community leaders including state recycling organizations to help create communities that are socially connected, environmentally healthy and economically sound. “The Cigarette Waste Brigade is one of our most successful programs,” she added. “Our Brigade members have collected more than 14 million units of cigarette waste and the number of people collecting has steadily increased since the program’s inception.” Martin said if the program achieves the desired effect, it may be implemented into JBLM’s waste management program. “TerraCycle is excited that Joint Base Lewis-McChord is now a collector for the Cigarette Waste Brigade,” said Swanson. “The Brigade is now open in Canada, Europe and Japan and is also in the process of signing up stadiums, cities and more military bases.”

Read more: http://www.dvidshub.net/news/139092/cigarette-butler-cleans-up-jblm#.U-p4w2Ntz5O#ixzz3ADCo5XnW

Can’t you remember the smell of a new box of crayons or the sound of a new pencil being sharpened? Back to school shopping is in full gear and Close to Home wanted to share some cool back to school products we were recently introduced to. We were provided samples of all the products listed in this post but all the opinions are 100% our own. We will be sharing Back to School Must haves from snacks to accessories and hope you find some interesting new items to get you excited for back to school season. 1. Back to school for college students requires some new bedding.  Not all dorm rooms are well air conditioned, how about a stylish cooling pillow or pillowcase to help kids (and their moms!) get a better night’s sleep? Comfort Revolution’s Hydraluxe Cooling Gel Pillow comes in two patterns and a variety of fun colors:  The pillow was recently featured on Good Morning America’s Deals & Steals segment. The Dr. Oz Show recommended it as one of the 12 healthiest gifts of the year. And The Doctors also recently featured the pillow as a tool for getting a better night’s sleep. 2. We go thru a lot of juice pouches for our lunches and why not help save the enviornment and consider  TerraCycle®.  They offers supplies that allow students to express their personalities while also care for the environment. TerraCycle, a recycling and upcycling company, uses traditionally non-recyclable items to create a variety of cool, eco-friendly school supplies. 3.I am afraid to even say the word but back to school also means back to Lice season. The “superlice” epidemic continues to spread as lice are becoming increasingly resistant to pesticide-based treatments. Vamousse is an all-natural, pesticide-free, 100% safe and proven effective solution that is giving parents some much-needed peace of mind.  They have prevention as well as treatment solutions that will kill 100% of the lice in 15 mins. 1. For quick pick me ups or snack time for both moms and kids, grab a bunch of Taste of Nature Bars to satisfy hunger.  Taste of Nature snack bars are 100% organic, gluten-free, DELICIOUS snack bars that are brand new the U.S. Market and a tasty alternative to healthy snacks.  They are chewing and very satisfying. 2. For a quick but healthy meal during the hectic back to school season be sure to check out the new line of Blake’s All Natural Foods available at Target.  Blake’s unveiled a brand new line of all natural meals showcasing flavors unique to the freezer aisle. This new line includes dishes like Tater Topped Hot Dish, Meatloaf Dinner Casserole, Chicken & Dumplings, Chicken Dinner Casserole, Chicken Noodle Casserole, and Tuna Noodle Casserole. For another snack option have you tried Simply Sprouted Way Better Snacks? They have a variety of flavored Tortilla chips we tasted.    I think they tasted as good or better than any other commercial tortilla chip and at least you are not eating totally empty calories:) These chips are also Certified Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Certified 100% Whole Grain, Kosher, Vegan, an excellent Source of Whole Grains, Low Sodium, and a Good Source of Fiber. Also, they contain no trans fats, artificial colors, flavors or preservatives .  Sounds pretty good for a snack food! 1. Send the kids off to school with these Lunch Buddies in their lunch boxes. Designed by parents for parents, Lunchbox Buddies™ contains a collection of silly notes to include a child’s lunchbox, each with an original cartoon and a fun message. 2. Just because they started school does not mean they don’t have time for extra reading, especially when they are learning a little at the same time with the new TIME for Kids books.    TIME For Kids X–Why-Z Animals (June 10, $14.95, Ages 4 to 6) answers all the questions inquisitive young minds might ask about animals. The second TIME For Kids’ X–Why-Z title in the highly successful new series, X-Why-Z Animals provides more than 200 facts in 96 full-color pages with stunning photos and images.     TIME For Kids Robots (June 17, $16.95, Ages 8 and up) will take kids around the world, across the universe, and straight into the future of the world of robots! 3. My kids favorite each year is the Ripley’s Believe it or Not Books.  Reality Shock is no different than the previous year additions, filled with great pictures and stories which challenges each kids to Believe it Or NOT!!