TerraCycle Inc. founder and CEO Tom Szaky will be the featured speaker at the next monthly general meeting of theWesternMonmouth Chamber of Commerce. The event, which also includes a luncheon and networking opportunities, will be held at the Knob Hill Golf Club, Manalapan, on Feb. 13 beginning at 11:30 a.m.
TerraCycle is a Trenton-based company founded in 2001. According to its Internet Web site, www.terracycle.net, TerraCycle was named one of the 100 most innovative companies by “Red Herring” magazine and was awarded the Environmental Stewardship Award by Home Depot Canada in 2005. Szaky’s mission, as stated in his online biography, “is not to merely save the environment,” but “to prove that you can make a lot of money while saving the environment.”
The company’s flagship product, Terra- Cycle Plant Food, is an all natural, all organic, “goof proof” liquid plant food made from waste (worm poop) and packaged in waste (reused soda bottles). The company encourages community participation in its recycling efforts by providing charitable donations to, or on behalf of, nonprofit groups which collect containers such as soda bottles, yogurt containers, drink pouches and energy bar wrappers.
The company uses the items collected to package or manufacture its products. TerraCycle products can be found locally in stores such as Home Depot, Target, and Wal-Mart.
The chamber welcomes members and nonmembers to attend the Feb. 13 presentation. The cost of the luncheon and program is $35 for members and $40 for nonmembers. To register, contact the chamber at (732) 462-3030.
The Western Monmouth Chamber of Commerce is a not-for-profit organization that represents the voice of business on a regional level and includes the communities of Allentown, Colts Neck, Englishtown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Holmdel, Howell, Manalapan, Marlboro, Millstone Township, Roosevelt and Upper Freehold Township.