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May9
A "Garbage Mogul" Turns Trash Into Gold!
Filed under: Featured, Recycling, Sustainability, green living; Tagged as: daily basis, fruits and vegetables, home depot, liquid plant, office depot, office max, princeton university students, science channel, soda bottles, tom szaky, two princeton university, utter amazement, vermicompost, walmart, worm bins, worm castings, worm compost, worm farm, worm poop, worm tea34 CommentsWell, here it is Saturday again. I don’t know if you agree but, most Saturday evenings, there is just nothing on TV. At least, that is what I thought last weekend, when I convinced my husband to watch “The Garbage Moguls,” on the science channel. So, here I was watching this program, mouth hanging open in utter amazement, thinking UNBELIEVABLE!
If you didn’t know, this week has been National Compost week. Most people that are into gardening, know that worm castings (vermicompost) is like black gold for your garden. I know this to be true, by working at a local worm farm, where developmentally disabled adults maintain the worm bins. They chop after market fruits and vegetables, feed the worms, and then dry, sift and bag the castings. You then, can make your own worm tea (liquified worm poop) from the bagged product (castings).
In 2001, two Princeton University students, Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer, set out to turn the concept of worm compost, into a real-life commercially viable “green” business. Thus, TerraCycle was born.
The TerraCycle Story, is a story of Eco-Capitalism at its finest. The flagship product, TerraCycle Plant Food™, is 100% organic certified, liquid plant food, made from worm waste (poop). It is then, packaged in reused soda bottles, the sprayers are other companies leftovers, and the boxes that they use for shipping, would have been trashed for printing mistakes. To date, this company has kept at least 100 million tons of plastic bottles, juice pouches, and other types of packaging out of landfills.
Today, TerraCycle can be credited for not only turning something as simple as worm poop, into a household name, but for leading the way in how we look at many environmental issues. They look at new and innovative ways to take the waste that people and companies generate on a daily basis, and turn garbage, that would otherwise wind up in our landfills, into 100% profitable and usable products.
TerraCycle has teamed up with such companies as Office Max, Office Depot, WalMart and Home Depot, to name a few of their clients, to bring you new (from recycled material) and unique products. The company collects all kinds of waste products, such as discarded electronics, soda bottles, drink pouches, cookie wrappers, and yes, worm poop (their flagship product) and turns it into household cleaners, office supplies, backpacks and other usefully unique products.
This young and unique company, has not only successfully turned trash into gold, but they have given new meaning to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. They truly are working toward a better tomorrow for the entire planet!
34 Responses to “A "Garbage Mogul" Turns Trash Into Gold!”
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I love that you put (poop) in parenthesis! Very cool product.
corrins last blog post..Mother. There is no other.
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Hi Corrin,
Ha Ha
I thought you’d like that. You’re too funny!!! Thanks for stopping by! -
TerraCycle sounds like it has a great story- cool product.
You are right, Saturday night TV is not good….I wish I would have run across this! -
Hi Maureen,
Yes, like I said I was totally amazed at how he is making pure profit, and doing it in such a great way!
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Wow! It is so cool that they not only thought up the idea but were able to make such an impact with it.
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Great how they are using old bottles and recycling them instead of using new ones good for the environment and it shows clever initiative as well.
Mkcoys last blog post..£100 cash back offer at Alliance & Leicester for opening a Premier Current Account
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How inspiring is this!!!!
I’m puttin on my biodegradable thinking cap right now.
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i’ve never heard of that product before! and yes, saturday night tv is awful!
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Hi Karen,
Yes, they really are making a huge difference!
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Hi McCoy,
Yes, it gives a new meaning to recycling. The truly have eco-capitalism down to a science!
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LadyGrace May 12th, 2009 at 6:26 am
Yeah I wish Australia was more like America in that way. I dont think many places are willing to take such risks. Thats amazing how he started out!
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@ spygrrl,
A few like minded people can make a huge difference and impact on how we view environmental issues!
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@ cady,
This was a bright spot for Saturday night TV!
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Saturday nights are boring and you found something interesting.
IM Product Nichess last blog post..FREE Webmasters Resource Kit
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good article and the results are envious.
Solo Ad Explosions last blog post..The Keys to Budget-Based Lead Generation
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I remember seeing this particular show and the success of their product continues to this day.
Lindas last blog post..A Green Friendly Innovative Dwelling
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I love reading about success stories especially involving recycling. I’ll have to check out garbage moguls.
Lynns last blog post..Houston, we have Bread!
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What an interesting product!! I usually end up watching 48 Hours on Saturday nights…
Sadies last blog post..I Need a Vacation Already!
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@ IM Product Niches,
I sure did. It kept me glued to it!
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@ Solo Ad Explosion,
Thanks for the nice comment. TerraCycle is doing great things!
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Hi Linda,
I love the story and the inspiration behind it !
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Hi Lynn,
I love the fact that everything is recycled from waste and turned into pure profit. What a great benefit to the environment.
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Hi Sadie,
I enjoy 48 hours as well, but this was on like at 7 or 8 PM PST. There really was nothing else worth watching at that hour. So, I was glad we found this. The viewing was very worthwhile!
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It’s amazing what people can come up (or down) with. Sorry, I couldn’t resist it.
Love the possibilities and the mind work!
ConnieFoggless last blog post..Wordless Wednesday – In The Disney Trees
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Hi Connie,
Yes, I agree with you! I love the impact this company is making with their great ideas!
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We make our own worm poop…. The vegies love it! This is a great company. I have read about them previously!
Christina thecoffeeladys last blog post..News from the Homestead!
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Hi Christina,
Kudos to you for making your own worm poop. It does do wonderful things for all plants !
I love TerraCycle’s all from waste marketing! We can all learn a lot from their marketing strategy and more! -
I love the story .
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Hi mani,
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you enjoyed the read!
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@Lady Grace,
I think you are right. The company looked into starting up in Canada, and that is what they were told. So, that’s why they are in the U.S. Thanks for commenting
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Hi, I have already seen it somethere…
Robor -
@ Robor,
Yes, perhaps you saw it on the science channel, or one of the magazine shows!
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Vermicomposting can be a very viable free market business. The soil in this country is so depleted for a variety of reasons that farmers would love to add large amounts of vermicompost to their soil without having to do all the work.
Mike the Gardeners last blog post..Six Vegetable Gardening Questions you Need Answered
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@ Mike the Gardener,
That is very true. This company invites you to contact them with your thoughts and ideas. You have a good one. Click on the links in the post. At least one of them, if not all, mentions how to contact them. I hope you do !
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