I received the following comment from LCM in response to Wednesday’s post. It had gone into moderation, because it had links in it, so it wasn’t published before most of the readers and moved on. So I have decided to share it here today so everyone has a chance to read it. Â So without further adieu here it is.
Hi everyone! I encourage all of you to visit TerraCycle.com. For the past year, I have been involved with a group of volunteers who collect, sort, and ship “trash†to TerraCycle. We are then awarded points which are converted into cash rebates which are donated to our designated charity. Corporations sponsor the various product brigades and provide pre-paid shipping labels for shipments so it costs nothing but time to participate. All sorts of items…cereal bags and cereal box liners, Brita pitchers and filters, drink pouches like Capri Sun, cosmetics containers, used toothbrushes, empty toothpaste tubes, floss containers, #6 rigid plastic cups, and many, many more items are accepted by Terracycle and kept out of landfills.
From their site, “Founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky, then a 20-year-old Princeton University freshman, TerraCycle, Inc. began producing organic fertilizer by packaging liquified “worm poop†in used soda bottles. Since the inauspicious start, TerraCycle has become one of the fastest-growing green companies in the world.
“More than just a recycling company, TerraCycle strives to be a driving force behind increasing environmental awareness and action. Our goal is to be a trusted resource for families, schools, communities, and even corporations to find tips, stats, facts, tactics, and news to help them live a greener, cleaner lifestyle. Together, we are Eliminating the Idea of Waste®.
Today, TerraCycle is a highly-awarded, international upcycling and recycling company that collects difficult-to-recycle packaging and products and repurposes the material into affordable, innovative products. TerraCycle is widely considered the world’s leader in the collection and reuse of non-recyclable, post-consumer waste.
TerraCycle works with more than 100 major brands in the U.S. and 22 countries overseas to collect used packaging and products that would otherwise be destined for landfills. It repurposes that waste into new, innovative materials and products that are available online and through major retailers.â€
For our version of TerraCycle, area residents drop off their TerraCycle donations at a couple of locations. Volunteers meet once a month to sort, pack, and ship. In the last few months, our small county has earned $1400 for Feed My Starving Children. Since each FMSC meal costs just $.22, we have provided MANY meals from TRASH! Individuals and groups can donate their rebates to the charity they choose. If you don’t want to be part of a group collecting TerraCycle, you can always donate your trash to a group in your area. TerraCycle is located in many countries and is always expanding.”
Today’s Mini Mission
Declutter something for grooming.
LCM says
Hi again Colleen and Readers! I forgot to mention that individuals may also join TerraCycle. Even if you don’t care about earning points and rebates for charity, you can still send materials for qualifying brigades using the pre-paid shipping labels and keep those materials out of landfills. Being a part of TerraCycle is super simple and rewarding on so many levels!
Jan Cooper says
Hi, Colleen,
I have been following Teracycle on Facebook for some time as I too hate waste. Some of the links have excellent tips such as using up left-over food ( even discarded vegetable peelings though mine end up in the garden compost). We have local collection points for coffee refill packaging, biscuit wrappers and many others. It’s a way we must all think about moving and charities are the beneficiaries. Thank you for giving them an airing.
Jo H. says
Thanks LCM for mentioning TerraCycle – this was new information for me and very interesting. I discovered that our local office supplies store is part of a chain that will take used writing implements of any kind (markers, pens, mechanical pencils – any and all labels), so I’m going to start there – with ours and with those from the office where I work. And I’m going to look further to see what else I can do.
Denise van says
Hi Colleen, I just wanted to know if we have TerraCycle here in Australia and if in Sydney. If the answer is yes then how do we get in touch with them please.
Colleen Madsen says
http://www.terracycle.com.au/en-AU/