Interesting Company: TerraCycle
One of the more interesting companies to emerge in the green movement is TerraCycle. The idea is to take trash, and turn it into practical, usable products.
Right now TerraCycle is growing its business, expecting $15 million in sales for 2008, and partnering with some big names (like Kraft). Here is what Fast Company reports from an interview with Tom Szaky, the founder of TerraCycle:
That’s precisely right. You create a monopoly on waste. What’s ironic is that if you really look at it, waste is a very valuable resource. It’s a great raw material with very good economics because it’s so cheap.
It’s true that there are many interesting resources out there. And waste is not the only cheap resource that can be tapped in order to create products and services. Consider these resources (that are a little more natural):
- Sun
- Wind
- Tides
While these energy sources might be free, the processes used to collect them in a way to translate it into something usable are expensive. This is somewhat true with TerraCycle. The garbage used as raw materials is cheap, but it does cost something to turn it into products like handbags, re-usable shopping bags and even clothes. The goal of TerraCycle is to create a system that makes green living less expensive.
Green investing movement
There is a movement right now to get into green investing. Companies like Southern California Edison are starting huge renewable energy projects, and individual investors are starting to look for ways to become involved in environmentally friendly investing. And, with the price of oil remaining above $100 a barrel, there is renewed interest in improving technologies centered around renewable fuel sources for cars (or at least efforts to improve gas mileage).
Disclaimer: I am not an investment professional. Nothing in this piece or on this Web site should be construed as investment advice. Before making investment decisions, do your own research and/or consult with an investment professional. All investment comes with the risk of loss. You are responsible for your own investment decisions and any loss that may result from your decisions.
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green investing, investments, environmentally friendly investing
