Response+2+-+Terracycle

WEEK 2 "Terracycle" Responses
 * 1. Define “upcycling”. **

Upcycling is putting value on waste and its possibilities. A waste’s potential can be found in its material and its shape and utilizing both aspects of it to create a new product, instead of deconstructing it to its basic properties to be put into something. Upcycled products will have a much smaller carbon footptint than those made from new materials.


 * 2. Define “downcycling”. **

Downcycling is reusing a product and reclaiming its material to make a new product that is of lesser value in quality and effieciency. It is similar to upcycling, but the new product will be unable to be used into making the original product to its manufacturing process.


 * 3. Why is Terracycle one of the largest growing sustainable businesses in the world? **

Terracycle is one of the largest growing sustainable businesses in the world because they do not extract new materials or resrouces from the Earth. Non-recyclables would be sent to a landfill or an incinerator to release carbon emissions but through Terracycle, these materials would be repurposed. This eliminates negative effects of filling up landfills and fewer emissions that would otherwise be used to extract and process new virgin materials.


 * 4. Who started this business, and why have they been so successful? **

Tom Szaky founded Terracycle in 2001 by producing fertilizer and sold in used soda bottles. Since then, major retailers have been selling Terracycle Worm Poop Plant Food fertilizers as well as other products. By teaming up with consumer-packaged goods, consumers can collect non-recycling packaging while getting paid which attracted more participants. They have then expanded to more countries with a larger range of products.


 * 5. Describe their business model. **

Terracycle aims to eliminate the idea of waste by creating systems for waste that are usually hard to recycle throughout a country. They prompt individuals to start collecting their waste in Brigade programs (selecting what type of packaging to collect) and sending it to a Terracycle facility which will then be manufactured into new products to be sold in major retailers. Using major corporate sponsorship, Terracycle uses incentives to award their participants.


 * 6. Find another business online which also has a sustainable business model. Copy the link to their website, and write a paragraph description as to why their model is so successful. **

PCL Constructors is a construction company based in Edmonton. They recycle more than 80% of their construction waste materials and covert them to road bedding, high barriers and plant mulch. This reduces the amount of construction waste in landfills and by using recycled materials, they can also reduce costs for themselves that would otherwise be invested in new material transportation and manufacturing.

PCL has also built more than 100 LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design)-certified projects. This means that the buildings they construct integrate sustainability strategies within their designs, such as water efficiency, energy efficiency, and materials selection to ultimately reduce their carbon footprint.

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