Facts on Glass Recycling for Kids

Glass Bottles and Jars

• Teach kids about the durability of glass. Manufacturers can recycle glass bottles and jars an infinite number of times, as the glass itself never loses its strength. To demonstrate the concept, tell children about messages in a bottle that were found at sea. For example, a 2009 news story from Naples, Florida, highlights how eighth-grade students placed messages in glass bottles and set them out to sea. The bottles were found on the United Kingdom's Chesil Beach four years later. With real life examples such as this, children get documented cases proving the durable nature of glass.

Recycling Glass

• Teach kids about how recycling glass can save on the resources that it takes to make it. Create a visual aid, such as a large scale drawing of piles that compare each amount of material as described on The Chevron Cars website: Namely, that every 2,000 lbs. of recycled glass saves 1,330 lbs. of sand, 433 lbs. of soda ash, 433 lbs. of limestone and 151 lbs. of feldspar.

Recycling and Energy

• Discuss the benefits of glass recycling by talking about the energy that is saved from glass recycling. Give kids facts such as that a 100-watt light bulb could run for four hours with the energy saved through recycling one glass bottle. The energy from recycling one glass bottle could also light a compact fluorescent light bulb for 20 hours.

Create Your Own Recycling Center

• Combine facts about glass recycling with the actual practice by having kids create their own glass recycling center. According to the Recycling Revolution, Americans throw out enough glass bottles and jars every month to fill a skyscraper. Instruct kids to collect all of the glass bottles and jars around their home for a month. Make sure they wash all of the glass products. After the month is over, count how many glass items they have and weigh the pile to show kids how quickly glass can accumulate.