Hunting for the next Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) doesn’t necessarily mean you’re searching for the next big consumer tech explosion. “The next Amazon” largely means finding the next high-growth stock of the future. And the earlier you invest in these companies, the bigger the gains. Few options can beat privately traded firms in this regard, but private investing has historically held a high barrier to entry.       Does your net worth exceed $1 million (not including your primary residence)? Do you make more than $200,000 per year ($300,000 if you file taxes jointly with your spouse)? If you do, congratulations! You’re an accredited investor and can invest in private businesses.   If not, don’t fret. You can still invest in privately traded companies through equity crowdfunding … but, boy, if there were ever an area of the market that felt as if it were pioneered by the likes of Saul Goodman, it’s regulation crowdfunding.   That’s because regulation crowdfunding stipulates that firms raise no more than $1.07 million … per year. This severely hampers the quality of offerings, as few startups worth investing in need such small amounts of cash. Regulation A+ offerings, though, can raise substantially more. So when looking through offerings, I stuck to swiping through companies in the latter category … and I stumbled on an anomaly in TerraCycle.   Now I’m sure many of you have heard of this company in passing before, but what caught my eye was the amount it’s raised ($12 million) and the revenue it already brings in ($20 million in 2018).   By the end of its funding round, TerraCycle hopes to raise $25 million. Just what is this company that I’ve never heard of and how is it that it’s already profitable. And why does it continue to attract so much cash from everyday people?  

What Is TerraCyle?

  TerraCycle’s main concept is “recycle everything.” With that, you can tell it’s not your ordinary recycling business. TerraCycle springboards off of the sustainability trend, making #RecycleEverything a creed to live by, and not simply a corporate motto.   The firm wants to eliminate the idea of waste, which it does by recycling things that were previously un-recyclable. It can recycle waste such as your red wine-stained corks, crooked cigarette butts, dirty diapers and even your acid-leaking batteries.   By this measure alone, TerraCyle’s claim is a godsend if it actually does what it says.   Per-capita solid waste generation has grown tremendously in the decades since 1960, until it trended sideways nearing the early aughts. In the 1960s, the average individual produced 2.68 pounds of waste per day. But by the 1990s, a person could expect to create 4.57 pounds of trash each day.     Household waste consists of (typically) paper and other paper-made materials, such as packaging (think of all those Amazon packages you discard each week). Sure, paper is recyclable, but tell that to the landfills that play host to 17.6 million tons of paper in a year. With that kind of waste, it’s no surprise the global waste management market is expected to increase 60% by 2025.   Its mission to erase waste and transform previously land-filled goods into new materials is a value proposition both consumers and corporations can get behind. But TerraCycle still has to do the legwork of winning over consumers with its promise of sustainability.  

What Does TerraCycle Do?

  TerraCycle works by offering free recycling programs across the globe and in partnership with many large companies. Some of its partner brands include Arm & Hammer, Barilla, Bausch + Lomb, Brita, Colgate and Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS). Here’s how it works:   Customers simply search for a recycling program that match their lifestyle, and those of their community members, and sign up. Say you sign up for its Brita recycling program (free of charge). You can start collecting Brita filters, pitchers, bottles and more in your home, school or office. Some brands even provide reward points for participating.   Once you’ve collected at least 5 pounds (the amount necessary to keep down greenhouse gas emissions), you ship your package to TerraCycle. The company then separates the products by composition and makes new recycled products out of them.   TerraCycle’s unique methods yield some fantastic results. Through upcycling, the company has sewn juice pouches together to create book bags. It’s even able to make casual shoes out of used chip bags. When it comes to good ol’ fashioned recycling, the company claims to recycle more than 97% of the waste that comes through its doors. Through programs like its cigarette waste program, TerraCycle is able to collect tobacco from used cigarettes for future composting.   Further, the company’s Zero Waste Box platform skips the landfill and the incinerator to free communities of their single-use lifestyles. Through this program, participants can recycle pretty much anything with TerraCycle’s highly specific Waste Boxes. These are great for businesses, who can even house their Zero Waste platform inside a “permanent collection unit” right on their property.   It’s hard to believe this company started by selling a sustainable fertilizer made from worm poop.  

TerraCycle Loop

  Loop is the part of TerraCycle’s business that excites me the most. With Loop, consumers pay a small, refundable deposit for a Loop tote. This tote is chock-full of whatever brands’ items the consumer chooses, featuring things like Tide laundry detergent, Pantene shampoos, Gillette razors, Febreze and more, all made from sustainable materials.   Once you’ve finished using your items, simply leave the tote outside your door and schedule a free pickup. TerraCycle will clean, refill and return your desired products back to you in the same Loop tote. Talk about service.   The big challenge TerraCycle’s Loop faces is in getting people to buy into its vision for a sustainable future. Single-use materials are ingrained in society, and the worldwide history of plastic production and use shows the trend.   In the 1950s, plastic production worldwide was just 2 billion metric tons. By 2017, it soared 315% to 8.3 billion metric tons. And by 2050, it’s projected to hit 34 billion metric tons.   The amount of plastic waste, however, will fall out of step with production as wasted plastics are projected to rise from 6.3 billion metric tons in 2015 to 12 billion metric tons in 2050. The ratio of produced plastics to wasted plastics being far, far less in 2050 than presently.   But does this mean TerraCycle is a good investment?  

Is TerraCycle ‘The Next Amazon’?

  The world is changing its tune on climate risks, which portends good things for TerraCycle’s stock offering on StartEngine. A 2019 study found that 19% of respondents are “passionately” attempting to limit their use of one-time plastics and convince others. Another 32% are actively changing their daily plastic habits. Only 16% are unsure of, or don’t care about, single-use plastics.   While climate risk awareness isn’t growing at the pace most would like, it is growing. The 2020 election will be a huge determiner of whether that growth picks up in a meaningful way or stalls. President Donald Trump’s perspective on climate change is non-existent, but a President Bernie Sanders would do wonders for institutional policies on climate change.   Still, it’s not unusual to see other sustainability-first companies rocket into the headlines. Take Beyond Meat (NASDAQ:BYND) and its plant-based meat. BYND shares have popped some 50% in the past year, and that’s in spite of a steep drop from the late-July high.   Consumers are making it known that they want their companies to be more climate-minded, and now even investors aren’t afraid to vote with their wallets. In our InvestorPlace Q&A, Legal & General’s chief executive Nigel Wilson talked about L&G’s Climate Impact Pledge. This initiative aims to set more companies on a sustainable path by divesting from stocks whose leaders have not met L&G’s base guidelines for sustainability. Even companies like McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) and Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) have made climate-friendly bids to rid their restaurants of plastic straws and cups.   For TerraCycle to become the next great stock to invest in, it has to become the sustainable waste management company. Right now, it certainly has no peer.   John Kilhefner is the managing editor of InvestorPlace.com. As of this writing, Kilhefner did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned companies. If you have questions about the site or suggestions about our content, email us at editor@investorplace.com. Want to pitch us an article? Send your ideas and tips to investorplacestories@gmail.com, and if we like it, you’ll hear back from us!  

Amid increasing concerns about the public health risks associated with e-cigarettes and the rising problems with teen nicotine addiction from vaping, a new report suggests that the electronic devices are also leading to serious environmental concerns.   Vaping exposes users to toxic chemicals and extremely high nicotine delivery rates. Furthermore, e-cigarettes have been at the heart of the recent vaping lung illness outbreak, which lead to more than 2,800 reported injuries nationwide, including nearly 70 deaths.   In addition to the widespread health implications, e-cigarettes are now drawing concerns from environmental activists, as there is increasing evidence that they are contributing to electronic waste issues and fires at recycling facilities.   Not only can the nicotine residue and e-liquid cause environmental concerns in the nation’s oceans and water systems; but the lithium ion batteries can pose fire risks in recycling and waste facilities, according to a recent ABC News Report.   The Ocean Conservancy, an organization which conducts beach clean ups and runs the Trash Free Seas Program, recently reported that more and more e-cigarette products are appearing on the country’s beaches. While the primary type of trash is cigarette butts, the organization is cleaning up more and more vapes and other e-cigarette products.   The organization warned there may be a huge shift in an increase in e-cigarette trash in the coming years. However, e-cigarettes are relatively new products, so there is a lack of data on their likely environmental impact.   Currently, about 6.7 million adults indicate they regularly use e-cigarettes and more than 5 million high school students said they vape. In fact, vaping has become the most popular form of tobacco use among teens in the U.S. and more teens vape when candy-like flavors are used.   E-cigarettes are made of plastic, but they break down into smaller plastics which persist in the environment, experts say. An increase in the number of users has resulted in increases of plastic in the environment from vaping products, environmentalists warn.   Environmentalists are also concerned over the nicotine residue, liquid, and flavoring in vapes that can leach into the water supply and environment.   Furthermore, e-cigarettes are powered by lithium ion batteries, which experts say should be disposed of in a specific way to prevent environmental damage and to prevent fire risks at recycling and waste disposal centers.   E-cigarette manufacturers do not include recycling or waste information for vape products, and the recycling company Terra Cycle said a recycling program launched for e-cigarettes has not been successful. The devices and products simply are not designed with recycling and the environment in mind.   Beginning in May 2020, manufacturers will be required to submit the environmental impact information as part any the application to sell e-cigarettes made to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.   In addition, the National Stewardship Action Council is working on a bill in California to increase e-cigarette recycling rates by including recycling redemption values. Vaping manufacturer giant JUUL has also said it is increasing recycling and take back programs on vape products.  

JUUL Lawsuits

  JUUL already faces criminal investigations, federal regulatory crackdowns and lawsuits over its promotion of its JUUL vaping products.   In addition to designing JUUL to look like a USB thumb drive, the manufacturer also marketed and sold JUUL pods in various candy-like flavors, which has resulted in a large number of teens and prior non-smokers starting to vape, and developing addictions to the high levels of nicotine contained in the pods.   In September 2019, the FDA issued a warning letter to JUUL, indicating there was evidence it told school-aged children that its products were safer than cigarettes, which has not been proven.   A growing number of JUUL lawsuits and class action claims have been filed nationwide. Given similar questions of fact and law raised in complaints brought throughout the federal court system, the JUUL litigation has been centralized before U.S. District Judge William H. Orrick III in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, which is where JUUL Labs, Inc.’s San Francisco headquarters are located.   As JUUL addiction lawyers continue to review and file claims in the coming months, the litigation is expected to continue to grow, and is likely to encompass tens of thousands of complaints.

CAMDEN, N.J. -- Employees at Subaru of America can eat today's lunch at a table crafted from yesterday's trash. It might not happen overnight, but the environmental efforts at the nationwide headquarters have resulted in several benches and picnic tables completely made from recycled plastic. It's the result of a partnership with TerraCycle, a Trenton business that aims to eliminate the concept of waste. They take a creative approach by converting otherwise non-recyclable goods into art, such as a sturdy park bench. Since 2017, the duo has diverted over 3 million pieces of waste. That amounts to about 24,000 pounds of trash that would have otherwise been dumped in a landfill. The effort is spearheaded by Subaru's Love Promise initiative, which aims to promote positive change for the earth, caring, learning, and pets. Special recycling boxes are dotted around the Camden complex that encourage employees to recycle wrappers, cups, and more. These boxes are shipped to TerraCycle, where the magic happens. Subaru retailers across the country encourage customers to drop off qualified recyclable goods to contribute to the creation of benches and tables for the community. These amenities are donated to parks, schools, and more. For example, the public can recreate on recycled tables at Dudley Grange Park in Camden. Adjacent to Subaru's recycled picnic pavilion is their community garden, where employees grow produce to donate to local food banks. Anyone interested in learning more about how to create sustainable art from their own waste can reach out to Subaru or TerraCycle.  

Blush Lane, an organic market with five locations in Calgary and Edmonton and an organic orchard in Keremeos, B.C., seeks to improve the land that feeds us. They put the planet first by promoting sustainable agriculture, ethical practices, and environmentally conscious actions. Sustainability is at the heart of everything they do, but there are three main themes that stand out: packaging, community, and food waste.   Taking responsibility for packaging   It’s no secret that plastic is polluting Earth’s ecosystems and harming wildlife. Between 4.8 and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enter the ocean each year, according to figures published in the journal Science in 2015. That’s the equivalent of between 27 thousand and 70 thousand blue whales’ worth of plastic.   But plastic has come to be an essential part of our food industry. It keeps food fresh for longer, it doesn’t take up a lot of room, and it’s lightweight—which reduces the costs and greenhouse gases associated with shipping.   Blush Lane recognizes both the benefits and drawbacks of plastic, and their approach to packaging is nothing short of radical. They believe that, as a retailer, they’re responsible for the packaging they put into the world. That’s why they launched the Takeback program, a packaging recycling program designed to reduce waste and inspire other retailers to also take responsibility for their packaging.   Stand-up pouches from Blush Lane’s sister brand, Be Fresh, can now be returned in-store to be recycled properly with Terracycle. When you bring in five Be Fresh pouches, you’ll receive $5 off the next Be Fresh pink pouch product. Since starting this program, Blush Lane has recycled thousands of bags.   Blush Lane was also an early adopter of a bring-your-own-container bulk program. They have always had a bulk section, but in January of 2019 they installed scales in each store so people could bring and weigh their own containers—it was a simple solution with a huge impact. Bags are still available for people who forget their containers, but Blush Lane noted that their customers really value the opportunity to cut back on waste.   Nurturing community   Blush Lane looks at sustainability from a social perspective as well as an environmental one. They strive to give back to people in their area and to build a sense of community among local organizations—they do so by hosting event in their stores and by participating in social initiatives.   One of their more popular initiatives is the No Woman Without campaign that takes place in February. Shoppers can bring menstrual care products to any Blush Lane location, where they’ll be donated to women in crisis. The stores also offer discounts on some products that you can purchase to be donated. Last year, Blush Lane helped collect more than 10,000 units!   Tackling food waste   Food waste is a major problem in Canada—63% of the food waste thrown away by Canadians could have been eaten. Blush Lane has three major ways of dealing with food waste: avoiding surpluses wherever possible, diverting excess food to those in need, and returning any inevitable waste back to the soil.   Blush Lane uses a “just in time” system for food ordering. They order perishable food from SPUD.ca, their supplier, on an as-needed basis so that excess food is mitigated before it even gets into the store.   They also deal with food waste at a store level. When food gets close to its expiry date, Blush Lane partners with local aid organizations that donate it to people that are food insecure. If there are items that cannot be picked up, they are bundled together and highly discounted for staff to purchase and take home.   When extra food can’t be avoided, sold, or donated, a local organic waste hauler turns it into organic compost that can then be sold. Some of Blush Lane’s warehouses also send food scraps back to farmers, where they can be used to feed livestock. These measures recycle the nutrients in food waste and help create a more circular economy.   Healthy food, healthy life   It stands to reason that our food providers should care for the environment that nourishes us—and Blush Lane goes above and beyond to make a positive impact on people and planet. We’re proud to have them as part of the bullfrogpowered community, and we’re thrilled that they’ve avoided 2,423 tonnes of CO₂ since 2014 by choosing green energy.

      Glen Rock, NJ – Members of the Glen Rock Environmental Commission and the Glen Rock Green Team recently attended a private tour of TerraCycle in Trenton, a company that specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle materials.   GREC Commissioner Dr. Candace Lynch hopes to bring the first “Zero Waste Box Program” to the recycling facility in town this spring. The box, funded by a BCUA grant, will be specifically to recycle plastic bottle caps. Currently, residents can recycle bottle caps that are 2” in diameter or larger. This program will cover every sized cap.   The tour included a glimpse into projects past, present, and future.   “Their mission was so inspiring - “the idea of zero waste," council member Teresa Gilbreath said.   Glen Rock members of GREC and Green Team also got a chance to learn about the “Loop” program, based on moving away from single-use packaging by introducing reusable, refillable containers.   To learn more about the Glen Rock Environmental Commission and the Green Team you can email grec@glenrocknj.net. Both have monthly meetings at Borough Hall throughout the year.

While traditional cigarettes have been alarming environmental and health activists for many years, e-cigarettes and vapes are part of a new category of concern.  E-cigarettes and their adjacent pods are environmental and electronic waste.   Because they are made of plastic, these items break down into smaller plastics and pollute the environment. Nick Mallos, senior director of the Trash Free Seas program at Ocean Conservancy, told ABC News that alongside cigarette trash on beaches, e-cigarette products are also starting to show, “Our hypothesis would be that — as we see this shift to e-cigarettes and cartridges that in the coming years — we unfortunately expect to see more and more of these products on the beaches, unless some intervention is made.”   Because e-cigarettes are still new, limited data exists compared to other tobacco products. Scientists are worried about the nicotine residue, liquid and flavoring in the devices, as well as the devices themselves. Battery-powered e-cigarettes are also a problem because they pose fire risks at waste and recycling facilities. But a significant number of adults still use the products, which means an excess of plastic in the environment. 6.7 million adults said they used electronic tobacco products in 2017. Five million high school students said they had used them, too.   Manufacturers do not include recycling or waste information for e-cigarettes and recycling company TerraCycle said that a recycling program targeting the products has been less than successful.   Heidi Sanborn, executive director of the National Stewardship Action Council, has been working on a bill in Calfornia to increase recycling rates of e-cigarettes. A spokesperson for popular e-cigarette Juul said the company is increasing their recycling and takeback programs and tells customers to dispose of cartridges properly.   According to Sanborn, ” That has to get back up to the front end. We’ve got to turn the spigot off. They need to be designing things that are more durable, repairable and reusable. And then, if you can’t do any of those things anymore, there has to be a plan for end of life. We can’t continue to do make, waste, dispose, make waste, dispose. There’s only one planet.”   There are products you may be using or habits you may have that contribute to plastic pollution. Learn more about how the use of Teabags, Cotton Swabs, Laundry, Contact Lenses, Glitter and Sheet Maskspollute our oceans so you can make more informed decisions going forward. There are also numerous simple actions and switches that can help cut plastic out of our lives including, making your own cosmetics, shampoo, toothpaste, soap, household cleaners, using mason jars, reusable bags/bottles/straws, and avoiding microbeads!   For more Animal, Earth, Life, Vegan Food, Health, and Recipe content published daily, subscribe to the One Green Planet Newsletter! Also, don’t forget to download the Food Monster App on iTunes — with over 15,000 delicious recipes it is the largest meatless, vegan and allergy-friendly recipe resource to help reduce your environmental footprint, save animals and get healthy!   Lastly, being publicly-funded gives us a greater chance to continue providing you with high quality content. Please consider supporting us by donating!  

Did you know that the global cosmetics industry produces 120 billion units of packaging every year? These 120 billion units contribute to the loss of 18 million acres of forest every single year, according to research conducted by Zero Waste Week and published on the Stylist. Yep, I was devastated to learn this, too. As a beauty editor who tests and receives tons of products on a weekly basis, I’m often left feeling disheartened by how much plastic and waste is used in the packaging. That’s why whenever I hit pan on my favorite bronzer or finish my clarifying shampoo, I make it a point to recycle the leftovers in the appropriate bins — or at least what I thought were the appropriate bins. As it turns out, recycling cosmetic packaging correctly involves more research and information than I thought.

 

To find out how to recycle my beauty products the right way,  I reached out to Alex Payne, a publicist for TerraCycle —- a recycling program that offers a sustainable solution for those hard-to-recycle items. Read on for his top tips.

 

Tip #1: Get Informed

“In general, plastic pollution is a main driver of the negative environmental consequences that result from not recycling otherwise recyclable products,” says Payne. While it may be easier to throw away your empty lipstick bullet in any old trash bag, not disposing of it the right way can have a lasting, negative impact on the planet.

 

Tip #2: Learn About Your City’s Recycling Regulations

Did you know that recycling restrictions vary by city? Generally, items made from glass, aluminum and basic #1 and #2 plastic (things like single-use water bottles and milk jugs) are accepted by most local programs. Unfortunately, Payne explains that many modern forms of beauty packaging contain complex materials that cannot be separated or processed by most municipal recycling centers. “A simple way to check your beauty product’s recyclability is to look up your town’s accepted waste via the database offered by Call2Recycle,” he says.

 

Tip #3: Dispose of the Excess Product — but NOT Down the Sink

This is the *most* important tip when it comes to recycling your beauty products. “Even if a product is technically recyclable through your curbside program, any leftover product can make the original product unrecyclable due to contamination,” says Payne. What’s worse is that if any other recyclables encounter the leftover residue, they, too, can become contaminated and therefore non-recyclable as well. So before recycling any beauty products, be sure to throw away any residual product in the garbage. Emptying products in the sink can be problematic if they contain ingredients like microbeads that can contribute to the ocean’s plastic pollution crisis if they come in contact with waterways, explains Payne.

 

Tip #4: Find Programs That Recycle the “Unrecyclable” Products

If you find that your products can’t be recycled through your municipal program, try finding a cosmetic recycling program that will do the work for you. For example, TerraCycle and Garnier have partnered to create a free recycling program for all brands of skin care, hair care and cosmetic packaging. You can recycle your products by joining the program, downloading a free shipping label and sending in your products where they will be melted down, pelletized and shaped into hard plastic to be used in things like shipping pallets and park benches. If your product cannot be recycled through your municipal program and is not accepted by any of TerraCycle’s free programs, Payne says you can also purchase one of TerraCycle’s zero-waste boxes, specifically the Beauty Products and Packaging Box, which allows you to recycle almost every kind of waste. Everything that is collected from these boxes get sorted and processed into raw materials that can be reused instead of being sent to landfill or incinerated.

 

Tip #5: Be Mindful When Buying Beauty Products

Another easy tip is to simply buy products that already come in sustainable packaging. Thankfully, there are more and more brands offering eco-friendly options to choose from. One of our favorites is Seed Phytonutrients, which even uses shower-friendly paper bottles that result in 60% less plastic than a traditional bottle. Oh, and the pumps from those bottles can be recycled for free via TerraCycle.

The Student Voice, the third-grade leadership club at the Whitehouse School in Whitehouse Station, in partnership with the Readington Township Environmental Commission, is participating in an environmentally-minded program called the Trex Challenge.

The Trex Co. began a competition over a decade ago to encourage communities to recycle plastic film wrapping and bags. Student Voice and the commission have set a goal of collecting 500 pounds of polyethylene plastic by the summer to keep it from winding up in landfills, as it is not currently recycled by the county.

Student Voice advisers Lori Yukniewicz and Valerie Zanardi were “very pleased” with the commission’s enthusiasm to collaborate with the third graders. “The commission actually stopped their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, to give a round of applause when we listed all the environmental programs Whitehouse School students and staff participate in on a daily basis,” Zanardi said.

Whitehouse School has earned U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School designation, and is a multi-year recipient of the N.J. Sustainable Schools highest award. To aid these green missions, Student Voice members collect food from the lunchroom and place it in a three-year compost bin. The third-grade leadership club also solicits shampoo bottles and beauty packaging for a TerraCycle program, as well as printer cartridges for yet another recycling venture.

Teacher Melissa Truempy coordinates with the Rutgers Master Gardeners to facilitate a Seeds to Salad experience in one of the two sensory gardens found at the elementary school. Each grade level is responsible for some aspect of the growing cycle: germinating seeds, planting sprouts, weeding, and watering with collected rainwater. All students then participate in a school-wide harvest.

For this latest challenge, Student Voice members will gather and weigh the plastic collected at the school and then deliver it to a designated drop-off point. The polyethylene will be recycled into composite products such as Trex decking. The commission will handle materials collected at the municipal building. Neil Hendrickson, chairman of the Environmental Commission commented, “The world is going to need leaders with a strong environmental ethic, and the students at Whitehouse School, through programs like these, will be among those able to guide us toward a sustainable future.”

Students encourage the whole community to help with the challenge. Residents are encouraged to bring plastic film to the bin outside the municipal building at 509 Route 523, Whitehouse Station. The following plastic is salvageable: grocery and retail bags, zipped baggies, case overwraps, bread bags, bubble wrap, newspaper sleeves, and dry cleaning bags. All plastic must be empty and dry.

If Readington Township is able to deliver 500 pounds of polyethylene by summer, Whitehouse School will earn a Trex bench for its sensory garden.

Waterloo North Hydro (WNH), a local electricity distribution company, has teamed up with TerraCycle  to recycle traditionally unrecyclable coffee bags through the Zero Waste Box program.   Sustainability and environmental stewardship are core values of  WNH and its employees. The organization’s commitment to the environment has helped make it a leader in sustainability and its employees play a key role in promoting environmental awareness both at the office and in the communities WNH serves.   As part of its commitment to the environment, WNH employees have collected coffee bag waste from the office for responsible disposal through a local resource. Recently, when the local disposal option became nonviable, WNH’s Green Team identified TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box program as a convenient way to continue diverting coffee bag waste from the landfill.   By placing the Coffee Bags Zero Waste Box in the employee lunch room, WNH encourages employees to recycle coffee bags used in the office and to bring in their coffee waste from home.   Like most plastic packaging, these conventionally unrecyclable coffee bags would have otherwise been landfilled, incinerated, or contributed to the pollution of marine habitats. The collected packaging will now be recycled into a variety of new products, including park benches, bike racks, shipping pallets and recycling bins.   TerraCycle, the world’s leader in the collection and repurposing of complex waste streams, created the Zero Waste Box program to provide solutions for difficult-to-recycle waste that cannot be recycled through TerraCycle’s brand-sponsored, national recycling programs or via standard municipal recycling.   WNH hopes TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box will help encourage employees to be mindful of their waste production inside and outside of the office.   "TerraCycle offers us another option to do the right thing as a business to be a responsible member of the community in Waterloo,” says Will Stratford, WNH’s Manager of HSE and Sustainability. “If you would try to reduce your impact on the environment at home, why not do it at work too?"     More information regarding Waterloo North Hydro can be found by visiting their website, www.wnhydro.com.   All collected materials from the Zero Waste Box program are sent to TerraCycle for recycling, where they undergo a series of treatments before getting turned into new items. For more information on TerraCycle, please visit www.TerraCycle.ca.   TerraCycle offers Zero Waste Boxes for nearly every category of waste. By purchasing Zero Waste Boxes, companies and consumers save trash from landfills and help reach TerraCycle’s goal of creating a waste-free world.   About Waterloo North Hydro Waterloo North Hydro Inc. is regulated and licensed by the Ontario Energy Board to provide all regulated electricity distribution services to more than 57,000 business and residential customers in the City of Waterloo, Township of Wellesley and the Township of Woolwich. It is jointly owned by the City of Waterloo and the Townships of Wellesley and Woolwich.   About TerraCycle TerraCycle is an innovative waste management company with a mission to eliminate the idea of waste. Operating nationally across 21 countries, TerraCycle partners with leading consumer product companies, retailers and cities to recycle products and packages, from dirty diapers to cigarette butts, that would otherwise end up being landfilled or incinerated. In addition, TerraCycle works with leading consumer product companies to integrate hard to recycle waste streams, such as ocean plastic, into their products and packaging. Its new division, Loop, is the first shopping system that gives consumers a way to shop for their favorite brands in durable, reusable packaging. TerraCycle also sells Zero Waste Boxes that are purchased by end users to recycle items in offices, homes, factories and public facilities. TerraCycle has won over 200 awards for sustainability and has donated over $44 million to schools and charities since its founding more than 15 years ago and was named #10 in Fortune magazine’s list of 52 companies Changing the World. To learn more about TerraCycle or get involved in its recycling programs, please visit www.TerraCycle.ca.

The Student Voice, the third-grade leadership club at the Whitehouse School in Whitehouse Station, in partnership with the Readington Township Environmental Commission, is participating in an environmentally-minded program called the Trex Challenge.  

The Trex Co. began a competition over a decade ago to encourage communities to recycle plastic film wrapping and bags. Student Voice and the commission have set a goal of collecting 500 pounds of polyethylene plastic by the summer to keep it from winding up in landfills, as it is not currently recycled by the county.

  Student Voice advisers Lori Yukniewicz and Valerie Zanardi were “very pleased” with the commission’s enthusiasm to collaborate with the third graders. “The commission actually stopped their meeting on Tuesday, Jan. 28, to give a round of applause when we listed all the environmental programs Whitehouse School students and staff participate in on a daily basis,” Zanardi said.  

Whitehouse School has earned U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School designation, and is a multi-year recipient of the N.J. Sustainable Schools highest award. To aid these green missions, Student Voice members collect food from the lunchroom and place it in a three-year compost bin. The third-grade leadership club also solicits shampoo bottles and beauty packaging for a TerraCycle program, as well as printer cartridges for yet another recycling venture.

 

Teacher Melissa Truempy coordinates with the Rutgers Master Gardeners to facilitate a Seeds to Salad experience in one of the two sensory gardens found at the elementary school. Each grade level is responsible for some aspect of the growing cycle: germinating seeds, planting sprouts, weeding, and watering with collected rainwater. All students then participate in a school-wide harvest.

  For this latest challenge, Student Voice members will gather and weigh the plastic collected at the school and then deliver it to a designated drop-off point. The polyethylene will be recycled into composite products such as Trex decking. The commission will handle materials collected at the municipal building. Neil Hendrickson, chairman of the Environmental Commission commented, “The world is going to need leaders with a strong environmental ethic, and the students at Whitehouse School, through programs like these, will be among those able to guide us toward a sustainable future.”  

Students encourage the whole community to help with the challenge. Residents are encouraged to bring plastic film to the bin outside the municipal building at 509 Route 523, Whitehouse Station. The following plastic is salvageable: grocery and retail bags, zipped baggies, case overwraps, bread bags, bubble wrap, newspaper sleeves, and dry cleaning bags. All plastic must be empty and dry.

 

If Readington Township is able to deliver 500 pounds of polyethylene by summer, Whitehouse School will earn a Trex bench for its sensory garden.