Schools, community groups challenged to join recycling fundraisers nationwide

Schools and other groups are being challenged to start collecting used soda bottles, yogurt containers, energy bar wrappers and used drink pouches as part of a nationwide program. The programs allow schools to fundraise while teaching their students about recycling and the environment. Anyone can sign up for this free and easy program and start earning donations for a school or local nonprofit.

TerraCycle has teamed with Honest Tea and Stonyfield Farm to create two programs called the Drink Pouch Brigade and the Yogurt Brigade. These programs allow schools, houses of worship and other community groups to collect previously non-recyclable or hard-to-recycle items in return for cash.

Schools, churches and other community groups can sign up for free, pay no shipping costs and earn 2 cents for each used drink pouch they collect in the Drink Pouch Brigade. In the Yogurt Brigade, schools and other groups can earn 2 cents for every 6-ounce yogurt container and 5 cents for every 32-ounce clean yogurt container they return. The Bottle Brigade pays 5 cents for every 20-ounce soda bottle, and the newest program, the Wrapper Brigade, pays 2 cents for every energy bar or granola bar wrapper returned.

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Fruit drink pouches are a staple in American school cafeterias. According to the Container Recycling Institute, over 5 billion drink pouches are produced every year. Because the material used to make these pouches is nonrecyclable, virtually every one is currently sent to a landfill.

Similarly, more then 10 billion yogurt containers are consumed each year in America. In the case of Stonyfield Farm, its yogurt cups are made from polypropylene plastic no. 5. A study by the Center for Sustainable Systems determined this was the most environmentally preferred choice of plastic available for Stonyfield Farm yogurt because it allows the cups to use a minimal amount of plastic. However, since many recycling centers are not equipped to handle no. 5 cups, Stonyfield Farm teamed up with TerraCycle to save these from the landfills.

There are already over 400 Yogurt Brigade and 700 Drink Pouch Brigade locations involved in the program.

"The environmental mantra is 'reduce-reuse-recycle,'" said Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm CEO. "We've reduced by using No. 5, and this project offers an opportunity to reuse some of our yogurt cups."

The programs are open to any school, community group or charity. Go to www.terracycle.net/brigades to sign up.