Using glass around the home this Earth Day

Happy Earth Day! Today (22 April) we are exploring the ways you can recycle and reuse glass around your home. There are loads of small changes you can make to live a more sustainable lifestyle and incorporate glass around your home. Here are a few of our tips.

Glass containers make a great storage solution. Clean out and reuse your old pasta jars, these are ideal for storing pasta or dried pulses in. Glass is perfect for storing food and drink in as it won’t spoil the taste because glass is chemically inactive meaning it will not react with the food.

Not only is glass practical it is also looks amazing as home décor. There are many ways you can use your old glass containers around the home. Place the jar or container in hot soapy water and leave, the label should come straight off. You might need to scrub a little to get any extra glue off. You can then use this jar for decoration, here are some examples:

A vase for flowers. If you wanted you could also paint on the jar for added decoration and personalisation, a fun activity for the whole family.
Place some battery powered fairy lights inside for some soft subtle lighting.
Use as fun storage for your collectables. Why not store your finds from outside, like shells or pinecones from walks. These are fun and personal ways of bringing your memories into the home.

Use zero waste shops. More and more zero waste shops are popping up across the country, allowing you to buy an assortment of food and produce without creating any waste. You can take your own glass containers from home and often also buy new glass containers at the shop if you do not have any at home. (We have left some links to online zero waste shops at the bottom of the article.)

Most importantly RECYCLE YOUR GLASS! If you have an abundance of glass that is not being used, recycle it. It is important to know that not all glass can be recycled together and you should check your local authorities’ recycling guidelines to see what can and can’t be recycled alongside your bottles and jars. Glass is 100% recyclable and a truly circular product. Using recycled glass to produce new glass limits the amount of new raw materials used, helping us save on natural resources, reducing the amount of waste at the landfills and reducing energy emissions, which helps us live a more sustainable life and helping the earth.

Our favourite zero waste shops: