Alumni of the Cool Choices program continue to take daily sustainable actions that improve what they do at work, at home, and in the community. This month, we spotlight Michelle, a member of our Connected alumni community, that has impressed us with her awesome green decision to improve her recycling efforts through TerraCycle recycling programs.
What green activities have you been up to since taking part in the Cool Choices program?
With TerraCycle, I’ve been able to donate over $1,000 to the Columbia County Humane Society – just by recycling!
What a great idea, Michelle! Keep reading to learn more about the TerraCycle recycling program, and how you can start making donations to your favorite charity!
What is TerraCycle?
TerraCycle is a recycling company that makes it easier to recycle hard-to-recycle products like juice boxes, candy wrappers, and toothpaste tubes that can’t be recycled in most traditional recycling facilities. By recycling via TerraCycle, you earn points which go towards charitable donations to organizations that you choose! How COOL is that!?!
How TerraCycle Works
There are several ways to get started using TerraCycle recycling programs:
Free Brand Sponsored Recycling Programs
TerraCycle offers a variety of free recycling programs that are funded by conscientious companies, organizations and brands, such as Earth’s Best, Bausch + Lomb, and Colgate. These sponsored programs are then offered free to the public as a way to recycle packaging waste from their products.
Purchase a Zero Waste Recycling Box
TerraCycle offers three ZeroWaste boxes for purchase. Each box purchased allows you to recycle recycle difficult-to-recycle waste such as alkaline batteries, baby food pouches, automotive parts, and more. To get started, first decide what type of waste item you would like to recycle. Then start collecting these items in the purchased Zero Waste recycling box. Once your box is full, ship it off to the TerraCycle recycling facilities or drop it off at your nearest public drop-off location.
Of course, the best way to reduce waste is to not produce it in the first place. Here is a list of some simple ways to reduce waste in your everyday life.
Tips for Reducing Waste
2. Purchase reusable products vs one-time use products
Purchasing reusable water bottles, mugs, and grocery bags is a great way to start reducing waste in your day-to-day life. by using a reusable version of these products, uou’ll save both the energy and the materials required to produce one-time use versions.
2. Buy in bulk
Many grocery stores have a bulk section stocked with grains, pasta, nuts, dried fruit, soup mixes, and trail mix—some even offer flours and spices! Buying in bulk reduces the amount of packaging required compared to conventional products, which also makes buying in bulk less expensive! Another benefit is that you can get as much or as little of a product as you want. This means you can try out small amounts of new foods and if you like it, go back for more!
3. Compost
Rather than tossing fruit and veggie scraps, coffee grounds, and egg shells (among other items) into the trash, try composting them instead. When these products get thrown away, their nutrients go to waste. Composting puts these organic waste products to use by breaking them down into an excellent soil fertilizer. Check out our recent blog article and learn how to build a DIY compost bin.
4. Opt out of mailing lists
Opting out of mailing lists lets you avoid pesky junk mail and save paper. You can take your address off of public mailing lists through programs like this one or contact the businesses and organizations as you get their promotional mail until the only mail you receive is the mail you want. Learn more about going paperless and stopping junk mail in our previous blog article.
5. Start paying attention to what you throw away
Just being more aware of what you throw away can help you reduce waste. Look for patterns in what you toss out. Do you regularly throw away the same things? Maybe there’s a reusable alternative. If not, can you find a way to repurpose that item? When you start being more mindful about your own waste, it can help influence others around you to also aim for a more waste-free lifestyle.
Michelle took part in the Cool Choices online sustainability game in 2015 a municipal game in Madison, WI. Remember, you can make a difference too! Contact us to share how you live sustainably!
Comments are closed.
