Get trashy - As a parent you probably go through lots of food for your kids that comes in difficult- or impossible-to-recycle packaging, as far as you know. There's a company called TerraCycle that makes products like umbrellas to backpacks, gardening products to recycling bins from recycled trash <
http://www.terracycle.net/> . TerraCycle works directly with the public, enlisting their help in the form of "brigades," - self-organized groups of people, typically schools - that collect packaging <
http://www.terracycle.net/> . The newest collected product is Malt-O-Meal <
http://www.maltomeal.com> , the cereal company that long ago decided to "Bag the Box," skipping the paper box that is typical of cereals; that alone already reducing the packaging by 75 percent.
"Considering that St. Teresa is a small, private school, the students' efforts are impressive. They recycled more than 18,000 items that would have otherwise added to waste piling up in landfills," she said.
A breakdown reveals the students recycled 17,873 drink pouches, 2,678 chip bags and 565 cookie wrappers.
For their efforts, they earned the school $357 from TerraCycle, which awards "
cash for trash" and gives the items new purpose as backpacks, lunch boxes, trash cans, toys and more.
Teenager Alex Copado and two young friends foster the reuse of drink pouches.
En México, TerraCycle en colaboración con Tang, ha iniciado un programa de recolección de sobres de bebidas en polvo. Tang y TerraCycle se han asociado para evitar que los empaques vacíos de esta bebida lleguen a los basureros. Este programa pagará a escuelas y a organizaciones no lucrativas en todo el país por recolectar sobres vacíos de bebida en polvo que transformaremos en nuevos productos. Estos productos ecológicos, innovadores y económicos, tales como, bolsas de mano, bolsas para útiles escolares y carteras estarán disponibles en tiendas muy pronto.
Una de las compañías más grandes de alimentos y bebidas en el mundo se asocia con la firma de reutilización de empaques para lanzar una campaña de reciclaje apoyando a las comunidades de México.
La compañia se llama Terracycle y constituye una innovadora iniciativa para evitar la geenreracion de basura, mediante la formación de brigadas de recolección que pueden ser individuos o instituciones no lucrativas, una vez recolectados, estos materiales se convierten en productos utiles y de divertidos diseños.
Teachers at Lostant Elementary School used to see a lot of used Capri Sun drink pouches get thrown away. Now the school earns two cents for every one of those pouches they collect and return to a company called TerraCycle, which makes affordable, eco-friendly products from packaging waste.
The school uses the program not only as a fundraising opportunity but as a way to educate and inspire students.
Aveeno lotion tubes can now be upcycled through Terracycle and is launghing a Road to Healthy Skin Tour. I'm going share most of the press release in a minute with you but I wanted to note, that when my kids get dry skin (especially in wintertime) or have an allergic reaction, they usually go into the tub with the Aveeno soothing oatmeal bath. I love that Aveeno is a huge brand looking to encourage and help people recycle- and upcycle!! I know so many families who swear by Aveeno for babies, kids and adults (and dogs. I do have a friend who uses Aveeno baby wash on her dog because she loves the smell) and I think this partnership between Aveeno and Terracycle is going to make them all love it a little bit more.
Fortunately, going green doesn't have to be difficult, time-consuming or expensive. In fact, a smart and savvy parent can go green and save green at the same time. Here are a few easy ways you can change the world for the better, and even have fun while you're at it:
* Get trashy - As a parent you probably go through lots of food for your kids that comes in difficult- or impossible-to-recycle packaging, as far as you know. There's a company called TerraCycle that makes products like umbrellas to backpacks, gardening products to recycling bins from recycled trash <
http://www.terracycle.net/> . TerraCycle works directly with the public, enlisting their help in the form of "brigades," - self-organized groups of people, typically schools - that collect packaging <
http://www.terracycle.net/> . The newest collected product is Malt-O-Meal <
http://www.maltomeal.com> , the cereal company that long ago decided to "Bag the Box," skipping the paper box that is typical of cereals, that alone already reducing the packaging by 75 percent.
