Trash for treasures

While checking on my energy bar brigade stats, I've noticed that Terracycle has added several more collection brigades to their efforts. Many of the brigades require that the collection effort be sponsored by an Elementary, Middle or High School with a valid Federal Tax ID number, but some of them have collection requirements beyond my personal ability.

For example, the drink pouch brigade can be lead by an individual, but they require 500 pouches per shipment. If I thought I had a year to collect that many I could probably do it, but having been "deactivated" from the cookie wrapper brigade for not sending in enough shipments leads me to believe that is not the case.

I only collect energy bar wrappers and last year I sent in 8 shipments containing on average 250 wrappers each, but I have serious help. My brother and father both collect wrappers for me at their offices and I have a few friends that faithfully collect for me as well. On top of that I'm a pretty devoted consumer of energy bars myself.

Along with my own brigade collection, I drop off recyclables at the Durham Museum of Life & Science where they accept items for several Terracycle brigades.

I know it's just a drop in a HUGE bucket, but I truly feel that every little piece of trash reused contributes to a far less trashy planet. Brigade collection participation costs nothing but your time and effort - which for me amounts to maybe 20 minutes every three months.

Be green!