Revolution in a Bottle: How Terracycle Is Eliminating the Idea of Waste

by Tom Szaky

The amazing story of what Inc. magazine called “the coolest little startup in America.”  Tom Szaky dropped out of Princeton a decade ago to found TerraCycle, a company that makes the nonrecyclable recyclable. TerraCycle is now at the forefront of the eco-capitalist movement, partnering with more than 35 million people in twenty countries in the collection of waste and transforming that waste into useful products. Creating trash cans from chip bags and plastic benches from cigarette butts, TerraCycle has redefined recycling. Revolution in a Bottle is a rollicking tale of entrepreneurial adventure and an essential guide to creating a company that’s good for people, good for profits, and good for the planet. Since Revolution in a Bottle was first published in 2009, TerraCycle has grown dramatically from a small company offering worm poop in a soda bottle to a pioneer of recycling worldwide. This completely revised and expanded edition continues the story of this incredible company.

Genres: Nonfiction, Environment, Business, Memoir, Ecology

224 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2009

About the author

Tom Szaky is the CEO and founder of TerraCycle, a company that makes consumer products from waste.

Szaky's parents are medical doctors, and Szaky himself is an only child. At age four, Szaky left his home in Hungary after the Chernobyl disaster. In 1987, Szaky immigrated to Canada, where he grew up in Toronto. Szaky attended high school at Upper Canada College. He attended college at Princeton University, majoring in psychology and economics. He dropped out during his sophomore year to focus on TerraCycle.

Early on in his career, Tom started three small 'dot.com' companies. These were Werehome.com, piority.com, and studentmarks.com. In 2006, Tom was named the "#1 CEO under thirty" by Inc. magazine in its July 2006 issue for his work in TerraCycle.

Reviews

[Adelina]

I really enjoyed this book. It's been sitting in my to read pile forever, more as a filler book. I thought it was a neat idea, see how TerraCycle started, but I wasn't all that interested in reading it to be honest. Then I picked it up during an "I need something to read, but don't have a ton of time" moment. Well, quickly I fell in love. Tom writes with humor - and when talking about worm poop, I think that's key - and also from a good heart.

For me this book came at a great time, as I have gone back to school for marketing. There were lessons I learned from Tom's story, that I believe will help me as I pursue a degree and future in the marketing world. This is the type of business I want to be a part of!

[Angela]

This book started out VERY entertaining, but then got to be just a book about the company. Still a good book that was worth reading. I enjoyed the story of Terra-Cycle and the trials it went through to become the biggest eco-company out there. There were many times it seemed the fates were just on their side -- just when it was getting dark, someone or something would step in and save the day. It made me appreciate the company even more.

[C135cass]

It was an easy read, although a little weird/ gross to read about worm poop. Definitely a good insight into how his business came into existence but definitely not a business guide/ educational resource by any means. He can attribute a lot of his success to luck and perseverance. I'd recommend for those into environmentalism.

[Louise]

Disclaimer: I worked at TerraCycle for 4 years and received a free copy from them. My opinions are my own.

Before there was multinational recycling programmes with iconic household names for the typically non-recyclable (pens, contact lenses and snack packets etc), there was upcycled fashion accesories. And before that, worm poop.

Now THAT sounds like quite the journey - and it was. Tom's recounting of the decisions and leaps of faith that got TerraCycle to the global stage is enchanting. Starting at Tom's college cafeteria and a tangle with the police, I found it charming, inspiring and funny.

This book let's the soul of TerraCycle shine through - the underdog and pioneers of the world of waste. The tenacity, patience, problem solving and strong stomachs of some very cool people!

A very enjoyable read if you're looking for something short and inspiring.

[Kelsey]

The second half of this books was more helpful than the first half. I appreciated learning about how TerraCycle's business model works and how they don't spend any money on advertisements. The first half seemed to describe a very patriarchal system, which I found unsettling.

[FMLDNR]

really loved this book.

[Sergio Posadas]

Very entertaining first part of the book. Helpful second part, to be able to learn about the business model of TerraCycle is a very cool inside about the company.

[Liz]

Recommended by CGT (and MS)

Read the Full Review

$0.01 Used on Amazon <—awesome

There is a disclaimer to be made here. I didn’t really have high hopes for this book. My roommate plopped it on my lap 3 days ago and said, “Try this. It’s pretty good, and my boyfriend and I read it each in a day, so its fast.”

Perhaps she didn’t want to oversell it. If so, she did a remarkable job. I only started it because I was bored and couldn’t motivate myself to go to the gym. What shocked me when I did start reading it, is how drawn I was to Founder Tom Szaky’s (A.K.A Captain Planet)story. Throughout his tale, he brings everyone to his side with his green (and brown…lots of brown) ideas and enthusiasm. That same charisma seems to enrapture everyone that comes across his story.

Which makes it more impressive that the wares he got everyone excited about was bottled liquid worm poop. And when they outgrew their own success there, they moved on to making those messenger bags made of Capri-suns that you see everywhere these days. And they did it all with the slimmest room for error, on the smallest startup capital, and with the resounding conviction that not only could they start a business that did well by the environment, but one that – by taking advantage of traditional economics and being as green as possible – Could make huge profits.

Terracycle was the brainchild of Tom Szaky, the child of Hungarian immigrants to Canada, a committed entrepreneur and environmentalist, he dropped out of Princeton to found Terracycle in 2001 which sold worm poop as an all-natural fertilizer. What he knew about the topic couldn’t have filled a thimble, and honestly, shovelling the cast-offs of Princeton’s dining hall sounds disgusting. But with a group of volunteers, legions of interns, prize money from business plan competitions and angel investors like Martin Stein and Suman Sinha, Terracycle limped along until it took off in 2005 with the business of Home Depot and Wal-Mart Canada. Terracycle moved to Trenton (and benefitted from the rock bottom real estate prices in the disputed territory of the Bloods and the Crips) and without a doubt he and his team worked harder than one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. in 2007 they began upcycling – making things like skittles wrappers into laptop cases. Since their founding, they’ve been a media darling, with Tom gracing the cover of Inc. Magazine, the New York Times and Canadian TV stations.

Most importantly, they’ve been proving that sustainable companies – Terracycle has literally ZERO carbon footprint – can be as much, if not more profitable than traditionally sourced companies. Terracycle gets paid to take trash and recyclables off other people’s hands and their products are made from this waste. Their sourcing costs are negative, the incredible marketing attention is positive, and the margins are very, very wide. It should come as no surprise that Terracycle is a $15 million dollar company. Think that’s small? It has tripled its growth in just 3 years, up from $4 million in 2008 through 2012…and during the financial crisis no less.

Still not convinced it’s worth the read? When everything hinges on a single 15 minute meeting with the Walmart Canada buyer who isn’t exactly thrilled to see them, they get creative. Here is a quick excerpt:

When we walked in, we didn’t say anything, just put the [biggest, juiciest tomatoes we could find] on the table and sat down. The buyer looked us over and finally asked, “So what are the tomatoes for?” He wasn’t allowed to accept gifts from vendors, which a poster in the meeting room clearly reminded everyone.

Robin said, “We wanted you to see what an amazing job our plant food can do on vegetables. Aren’t those the most beautiful tomatoes you’ve ever seen?” The buyer looked non-committal. ”And the other reason is that, if you don’t like what we have to offer you this morning, you can throw the tomatoes at us.”

That broke the ice. Thirty minutes later, he was still fascinated with us. He loved the whole idea of a product that was made of waste and was packaged in waste and especially that it wasn’t at a premium price.

- Szaky, “Revolution in a Bottle” p. 84-85

I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good story, is interested in entrepreneurship, or the upcycling/recycling movement. Even if you don’t give a worm’s shit about the company, it is hilarious and tells a great story. It’s got some heroes and some villains, angels and miracles, an incredible overdose of enthusiasm and lots and lots of “trash”. You can buy it used from $0.01 on Amazon, which I recommend or even better...borrow it from a friend. The story is about recycling, after all.

[Ryan D]

Though at times the book can read like one long pat on the back the author is giving himself, there are some interesting anecdotes and stories about waste and how it is processed in our society.

[Camille McCarthy]

So amazing! I can't believe I will get to meet these people soon. This book was not only informative about the company, it was also inspiring, funny, and well-written. I learned so much about compost and waste, and it made me even more excited to work in this field. It goes to show that if you have a great idea and you are willing to give everything you have to make it work, the rest of the universe may very well arrange itself to meet your needs. It is also amazing how the business model manages to help communities come together as well as solving a problem and pushing the business forward. It's also so interesting how the business changed so much over time from its original conception. I also loved that Szaky has obviously read "Cradle to Cradle" and it has influenced him.
This book goes very well with "the Toaster Project," "Cradle to Cradle" and "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story" although I would say it brings all these topics together into a more cohesive and practical approach - the other books are more idea-oriented while "Revolution in a Bottle" shows how people have actually used those ideas and put them into practice and have made money out of it.
Totally recommended to anyone interested in eco-capitalism.

[Nicole]

Very quick read that tells the actually pretty fascinating story of how a Princeton undergrad started the company Terracyle, an innovator in taking literally garbage and making it into something folks not only want but would be willing fork over cash. He started by converting Princeton's cafeteria food waste and having it degraded by worms on a conveyor belt of sorts, leaving behind a nutrient rich fertilizer which could be sold. The various bumps in the road faced by Szaky and his small core of friends who believed in his vision as this company had its unassuming beginnings is detailed, with a bit of humor while maintaining transparency. Terracycle has since broadened its base to taking other forms of trash or waste and finding useful and desired products for which they can be transformed and has become a global enterprise. An interesting story which has a great underlying message of how thinking outside the box can help address the wastefulness which faces our throwaway society.

[Hani Eskander]

A very inspiring story - "Waste is simply any commodity that we are willing to pay to get rid of. It is the only commodity in the world that has true negative value. Waste exits partly because of economics, because in many cases it is cheaper to throw out something than to reuse it or properly recycle it, and companies have yet to be required to maintain responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products"

[Jacki]

I first learned of TerraCycle while working on Human Resources, a television show that shed a light on the company and serious issues facing our planet in a comedic way... kind of like The Office, but real and with much higher stakes. Going into this book knowing a bit about the history of the company didn’t take away from it being an enjoyable read. I still learned a lot and was inspired by Tom not only as an environmentalist, but as an entrepreneur.

[Lisa]

This book gives hope to anyone concerned with our wasteful culture. It's not a difficult read, but conveys the excitement (terror?) of starting a business very well in ordinary prose. It's amazing what determination, imagination and a couple of good friends can do. I kept shaking my head in wonder at how young he was and is, to have accomplished this.

[Colleen]

This wasn't a literary work of art, but it was still a great book. Kudos to the author for his vision for TerraCycle. The human race would be in a much better position if we all adopted the philosophy that is discussed in the book......that there is really no such thing as trash and everything can be made into something else.

[Dan]

very interesting and innovative company and business model. I believe upcycling, like recycling, continues to enable companies to produce millions of tons of throw-away packaging, but still, you have to hand it to the guy. I have never heard of Terracycle or its products, but that is probably because I have been living abroad for almost 26 years...and the guy is Hungarian!

[Ralph]

How the greenest business in the world was built on worm poop. Take waste and turn it into something useful. From old wine barrels and circuit boards to snack and drink wrappers, Szaky converts them all into new products.

[Hokies23]

If nothing less, this book will have you thinking a bit more about the waste that you go through. Well, if you give a damn anyway. Enjoyed the run down of the development of the company and how the major theme of re-use mostly was born from necessity.

[Bonnie]

The writing was quite repetitive and rudimentary, but Szaky is clearly enthusiastic about telling his tale which helps move it along. Definitely an interesting story and fun to learn about the company my sister is working for. Also got me thinking critically about my personal waste stream.

[Tyler Fugazzie]

This is a great startup story. Szaky is a very intelligent man and an entrepreneurial hero. TerraCycle is one of the most interesting companies around. It's one of the very few companies to figure out a win-win-win situation that helps the environment, consumers, and businesses alike.

[Lisa]

Inspiring book about ecocapitalism, which I'm really into at the moment.

[Christine]

Love this book. It shows how a guy reuse the bottles for his worm poop business. Great idea on forming brigdes where any organizations can earn money by sending him empty plastic pop bottles.

[Hamza]

Inspiring story about Upcycling/Recycling

[Feri]

It was a good book for once to understand how Terracycle works.

[Jeramey]

Tom is a much better speaker than this book turned out.