Challenge #37: Recycle glass

Recycle glass bottles and jars.

“There is no such thing as ‘away’. When we throw anything away it must go somewhere.”

-Annie Leonard

Hey, there!

We hope you’re all doing great. We’ve come a long way, it’s our 37th challenge this week, which means we are starting the second half of our one-year challenge. If you’ve completed all of the previous 36 challenges you’re on a good way to becoming a good earthling. For those of you who have missed any of the previous challenges, we invite you to check them out.

There’ve been a couple of challenges where we pointed out the importance of recycling. However, we’ve promised that we’ll take baby steps. Therefore, we’d like you to pay some extra attention to glass recycling this week. Make sure all of the glass packagings you’ll be using this week, ends up in the separate trash can.

Like usually, we’ll take a closer look at some fact regarding a current challenge.

Facts about glass recycling

Below are some facts about glass recycling. It’s amazing how much can we do just by placing a certain type of waste in the right kind of trash bin. But first, let’s define an expression regarding glass recycling, that is often used: cullet – the industry term for furnace-ready recycling glass (material which is free of contaminants such as metals, ceramics, stones, or gravel, etc.).

• It can take millions of years for non-recycled glass to decompose.
• Not all glass is the same: glass containers for food and beverages should not be mixed with other types of glass (windows, ovenware, crystal, etc.) since it can cause production problems – luckily we only deal with glass containers most of the time.
• Glass is 100 percent recyclable and can be recycled over and over again without losing quality or purity. 
• Recycled glass reduces air pollution by 20% and water pollution by 50%.
• Average glass bottle weight has been reduced by 40 % over the past 30 years.
• Since a law requiring all alcohol beverage permit holders to recycle their beverage containers has been passed, the number of recovered glass bottles have doubled.
• By recycling a ton of glass we save over a ton of natural resources.
• For every six tons of recycled glass used in the manufacturing process, there is one ton of carbon dioxide less released into the air.
• By recycling just one glass bottle we save enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours.

We hope those facts will give you some additional energy to start/keep on recycling all of the glass containers you’ll encounter in your everyday life.

There are also some other ways you can reduce glass waste …

Ways to use glass containers

• You can use a glass jar as a place to keep your pens and pencils.
• You can decorate your home by putting tea light candles into glass jars.
• Old glass bottles can be used as vases.
• You can store your cereals in glass jars.

Those are just some basic ideas how to use glass containers. You can buy glass colors and get super creative. Not only will you not produce waste but you’ll also save some money and end up with some original object in your home.

Recycle, recycle, and recycle

We can’t stress the importance of recycling enough. If we want to save this beautiful planet of ours, that is to keep it appropriate for us to live on, it this something every earthling should do. Not just most of the time, we must recycle all the time!

Don’t forget that having the right kind of recycling bin at home makes recycling a lot easier.

“We recycle everything in my house. I’m not into any particular organizations, but I’m doing my part and that makes me feel okay.”

-Mark Paul Gosselaar

Take-home points:

• Recycle glass jars and bottles.

• Glass is 100% recyclable.

• Don’t mix broken glass window with glass containers.

• Get creative and make use of glass containers.

• Recycling is easier with the right kind of trash bins.

Have the best possible week.

With love and care,

Good Earthlings