Terra Cycle

            When creators Tom Szaky and Jon Beyer were trying to create a method of growing their “special plant” in their college apartment they came up with the idea of TerraCycle. After realizing the potential of using earth worms to fertilize their plant, they came up with a concept of creating organic plant grower. It wasn’t until after three years, they received the funding and support needed to execute the concept of TerraCycle. The company promotes the green concept: TerraCycle uses all recycled parts, ranging from recycled plastic bottles to unused boxes from other companies. This simple idea of recycling and re-using wasted materials would not have been created if it weren’t for Tom Szaky.

            A Canadian college student attending Princeton, Tom dropped out of an Ivy League school to chase his dreams. Trying to find his funding through business model competitions, Tom only found fractions of what he actually needed. After finding his fame by winning a one million dollar business model competition, Tom rejected the prize because he wanted full possession over his idea. He altered his idea and realized that he had to find all of his materials for a cheap and convenient price. TerraCycle opened joint programs with elementary and middle schools around the country to collect their plastic bottles. Only having to pay five cents for every bottle bought, they could sell their organic plant grow for a larger cost.

            TerraCycle has created a revolutionary idea of taking recyclables and reusing it for their own product. Using plastic bottles from elementary and middle schools, deadly plastic bottles would not find their way to the landfills quite yet. TerraCycle would also use other companies rejected parts for their product as well. By utilizing spray bottle tops and thrown away card board boxes, TerraCycle simply had to create the liquid growing agent inside all of their premade products. TerraCyle is an innovative company that took a direct strike at the recycling problem in America and turned it into their leading green concept that helps the environment.