This school in Souris was the first Manitoba school to join TerraCycle's Brigades and has been tops in collecting drink pouches this year.

Q: Although I'm no luddite, I prefer to communicate the old fashioned way: pen and paper. Sure, I have an e-mail account (not AOL, thank you very much) and all that jazz, but when it comes to penning missives, making lists and other things that could be done on a PC, I enjoy utilizing the ancient art of writing by hand. I've long been using recycled content paper products - from fancy stationery to my daily journal to Post-it Notes - but never really thought about greening one rather important thing: my pens. I've amassed quite the collection of plastic pens of the ballpoint variety - nothing too fancy - and subsequently chuck a lot in the trash when the ink runs out. Are there any environmental stats about pen waste? And what are pen manufacturers doing to provide alternatives to landfill-clogging writing instruments?

Q: Although I’m no luddite, I prefer to communicate the old fashioned way: pen and paper. Sure, I have an e-mail account (not AOL, thank you very much) and all that jazz, but when it comes to penning missives, making lists and other things that could be done on a PC, I enjoy utilizing the ancient art of writing by hand. I’ve long been using recycled content paper products — from fancy stationery to my daily journal to Post-it Notes — but never really thought about greening one rather important thing: my pens. I’ve amassed quite the collection of plastic pens of the ballpoint variety — nothing too fancy — and subsequently chuck a lot in the trash when the ink runs out. Are there any environmental stats about pen waste? And what are pen manufacturers doing to provide alternatives to landfill-clogging writing instruments?

Have you heard about TerraCycle?  It's a really cool concept for those items that you throw in the trash that can't be recycled.  TerraCycle upCYCLEs it.  They turn it into eco-friendly products that are reasonably priced. The backpack featured is only $12.99.

I just came back from the Terracycle Green Up Shop and boy am I inspired.

Conveninently located next to the Port Authority on 41st Street & 8th Avenue, it is an awesome display of  eco friendly items to be used at home, in class, on the go or even the runway.

Yes darlings, there is an entire dress made from m&m candy wrappers that is fabulous, and tons of other clothing items made from bamboo and salvaged fabric.

I am super inspired to keep making my bags and branching out into other items.Maybe next year you will see “smartalecky” in the Green Up Shop!

Next time you purchase a box of Capri Sun drinks, a tube of Colgate toothpaste, a Clif bar etc.. consider hanging on to your trash and sending it to Terracycle! TerraCycle takes a wide range of different non-recyclable waste materials and then makes affordable, eco-friendly products. Terracycle is hoping to eliminate the idea of waste by finding innovative, unique uses for materials others deem garbage. With over 50 products available at major retailers like Walmart, Target, The Home Depot, OfficeMax, Petco and Whole Foods Market, TerraCycle is one of the fastest growing eco-friendly manufacturers in the world. Consider what happens when your kids finish drinking a Capri Sun…they toss the empty juice box in the trash which eventually ends up in a dumpster or landfill. Instead of adding the drink pouch to a pile of other pouches at the landfill, TerraCycle converts the used drink pouches into unique fashion bags, tote bags, pencil cases, and other items for kids and adults (check out the adorable Skittles bag below made from recycled Skittles wrappers)!

There was a time when the Port Authority Bus Terminal in Manhattan was little more than place to catch a bus. Things are changing, however, for the terminal—once listed as one of the 10 ugliest buildings in the world—and TerraCycle's new store in Blank SL8 is part of that change. In addition to a full range of TerraCycle products, the store will feature items from RESTORE Clothing, RePlayGround, and many others. One percent of all sales will be donate to Riverkeeper, the leading clean water advocate for New York. TerraCycle will also use the space to collect 30 different non-recyclable waste-streams—transforming it into the largest upcycling center in the world. Consumers who bring waste to the store will receive a discount on the products they purchase