In the ongoing tug-of-war between my growing environmental enthusiasm and E’s impressive indifference, recycling is one thing we both do without argument. Putting an empty milk jug into the recycling bin takes the same effort as tossing it in the trash, and because Connecticut charges a deposit on soda cans, we’re disciplined about returning them to the grocery store for the refund. I feel good about our habits, even if a stubborn peanut butter jar occasionally ends up in the trash—it’s really hard to clean completely.
Like many towns, our local curbside program accepts only certain materials. That’s why I was so excited when TerraCycle contacted me about their program. TerraCycle is a growing company that collects items typically considered non-recyclable and transforms them into useful, well-designed products.
Founded in 2001 by Tom Szaky, TerraCycle began as an effort to build an eco-capitalist company focused on waste. After early business plan successes, Szaky left Princeton to pursue the idea full time. Over the years, TerraCycle’s recycled products have earned social and environmental recognition and are sold through major retailers. The company runs collection programs and creates new products made from materials that would otherwise become trash.
So what does TerraCycle actually do? They collect a wide range of hard-to-recycle items—everything from drink pouches and plastic diaper packaging to corks and adhesive tape—and turn that material into usable goods. Their recent partnerships include programs with Huggies and Sprout, but they run many other brigades as well. Each brigade collects a specific type of waste; TerraCycle covers shipping costs and donates money to charity for each item received—over a million dollars donated so far.
At the moment, you can’t join an already-established brigade directly, so I’m trying to recruit a local school or childcare center to start a collection site with us. If you’re part of a local school or childcare program and are interested, please get in touch.
If collecting isn’t practical, you can still support the effort by buying products made from recycled materials. TerraCycle turns collected items into backpacks, lunch boxes and other everyday goods—shopping with impact.
With the back-to-school season in mind, TerraCycle’s product line includes fun, practical items designed for students and families.
It’s like Lisa Frank for the eco-friendly era—rainbows included!
To celebrate the program, TerraCycle generously offered a giveaway for one reader. The prize includes a large tote bag made from juice pouches, a lunch box, and a pencil case—practical and eco-friendly items perfect for school or everyday use.
To enter, leave a comment on this post describing how you and your family recycle or participate in programs like TerraCycle.
For an extra entry, share the giveaway on Twitter and then leave a second comment here letting me know you did. Mentioning TerraCycle and the blog in your tweet helps spread the word about creative recycling.
The giveaway has already closed; the winner was selected at random and will be contacted by email. Please note past eligibility was limited to U.S. residents.
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Disclosure: These are my personal opinions. I received no compensation for this post; I shared the program because I think it’s a great way to reduce waste and support creative recycling.