leadership dot #2080: outside

If I asked you whether you could recycle instrument strings, contact lenses, Solo cups, pasta packets, energy bar wrappers, cigarette waste, Flonase dispensers, Brita filters or GoGo Squeeze packets my guess is that you would say no. But you can!

Thanks to programs coordinated by TerraCycle, these items and many more are able to stay out of the landfills. TerraCycle is “an innovative recycling company that has become a global leader in hard-to-recycle waste.” They have multiple opportunities for consumers to recycle branded products without cost to them, just by signing up.

Take two lessons from this company:

First, just because your municipality doesn’t recycle something doesn’t mean that it isn’t recyclable. If you frequently use products in one of TerraCycle’s programs, it would be of great benefit to participate in their recycling plan.

Secondly, think of the implications for your organization. There are boutiques and specialists in many industries, but I suspect few have chosen hard-to-recycle consumer products as their niche. How can you think differently about an area in which to focus your efforts? You need not compete with the “big guys” and go head-to-head in common markets.

Think outside the landfill at home and for your organization!