This year, Izzit wanted to get in on the fun and help green up St. Patrick’s Day — and every other day of the year as well! — by bringing to your attention three very cool recycled glass beer mugs for everyone to enjoy their green beers in this year.

The Green Glass Company’s Copenhagen Tumblers

All right, Izzit knows that Copenhagen is not in Ireland, but these tumblers are just so cool that we had to lead off with  them. They also happen to be green in every sense of the word, from the way they are made to their actual color.

The Green Glass Company, which makes these tumblers, traces its start back to 1992 in South Africa, and from humble origins they’ve grown into the largest maker of reclaimed glassware on the planet. They have been able to achieve this spectacular growth because they remain true to their recycling heritage and their core business principals “to push beyond the average, strive to make a difference, thrive on creativity.”

While these recycled beer glasses may be green, it is quite clear that the Green Glass Company is thriving and making a big environmental difference. A set of four tumblers prices out at $32.50.

But what to put into those tumblers? The Izzit team thinks that a light ale or refreshing golden, pilsner style beer like the Kenzinger from the Philadelphia Brewing Company would make a great match for these green beauties. (Read our full post on organic beers here.)

BottleHood Tumblers

What a concept, making beer glasses out of used beer bottles! The folks at BottleHood have taken this concept to a new artistic level, producing what Izzit thinks are some of the coolest and funkiest beer drinking motifs he has yet to come across.

Based in San Diego, BottleHood was founded as a way to create jobs in their “hood” and to help the environment. What they have created is glassware products that are unique and that have the quality of something brought to life by a local artisan.

BottleHood’s recycled glassware is crafted from bottles — primarily wine, beer, liquor and soda — that come from restaurants, bars, homes and events in the community. These are then re-purposed into the type of truly innovative tumblers you see here. BottleHood also makes other great products from recycled material such as juice glasses, vases, pendant beads and some Murano-like light fixtures.

Izzit’s favorite glasses are the ones bearing the Dead Guy Ale image (great glass, great ale!), the Left Coast Asylum (great name, great graphics!), and, because Izzit is a little righteous when it comes to his pint, the Stone Sublimely Self Righteous glasses. BottleHood tumblers are available on their own cool site or through Amazon.com. They run from $15 to $30.

For a twist on a classic Irish stout beer to fill those tumblers, Izzit would recommend you try Full Sail Brewing Company’s Black Gold Imperial Stout.

Turning Discarded Windshields Into Pilsner Glasses

Windshields and beer should never be spoken in the same sentence unless we are talking about this unusual product. In this case, Uncommon Goods has found a company in Columbia that is turning unwanted glass from automobile windshields into some of the best looking Pilsner Glasses Izzit has come across.

Sold as a set of two for the price of $24, these glasses are heavy, sturdy and strong. Each recycled glass is handcrafted and because of that, each one will differ slightly in texture (the definition of unique!). The slightly greenish-blue hue goes well with St. Patrick’s Day. (It happens to be a leftover from the tint originally added to lesson the glare of the sun while driving.)

For these Pilsner Glasses, Izzit recommends the Simcoe Spring Ale from our friends at Peak Organic Ale in Portsmouth, Maine. The piny, fruity hops of this cold-conditioned ale really pop in this type of glass.

So there you have Izzit’s take on some hip companies that are doing some wonderful things with recycled glassware. Have a responsible pint and impress your friends with these one-of-a-kind products. Now Izzit, about that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow . . .

Image credits: BottleHood, Green Glass Company, Uncommon Goods.

This week I delved into the plethora of products made of recycled glass, and I was seriously impressed by what I found. Glass is a material that can be recycled infinitely. It is comprised of silica, the main component of sand, and I have learned that one application for recycled glass material is that it is being tested as a material to “replenish” beaches that have been worn down by erosion.  I guess that is the ultimate back to nature approach. Glass is a stable, non-toxic material that can be used in a multitude of forms. It has great insulating properties and can be used to create amazing art forms. There are a lot of uses for recycled glass throughout the home and garden, I have selected a few to discuss below.

Recycled glass first becomes “cullet,” or crushed glass. When making new products from cullet, 40 percent less energy is consumed in place of making glass from new products, because it melts at a lower temperature than virgin ingredients. ~ Earth 911

In some cases, the glass doesn’t need be melted to find another use. These cool countertops (and floors!) were made by mixing crushed glass into an eco-friendly resin. So instead of trucking in rare marble from across the globe, there is a funky use for all of those broken mirrors. A few companies that manufacture these countertops, wall panels and floors are EnviroGLAS, Vetrazzo and Curava. I love the variety of colors and the ability to mix and match between the aggregate composition and the resin (or concrete) color, it definitely lends itself to some creative home decorating solutions!

If you are looking for a departure from the ordinary in your landscaping pursuits, there are several companies that offer tumbled glass as a weed-prevention (mulch alternative) material. It is available in a large variety of colors and can also be used in other applications such as Koi ponds.  There is even a product, GrowStone, that will improve the performance of your potted plants. GrowStone is a eco-friendly alternative to perlite and pumice (both strip-mined materials) that is made from 99% recycled bottles.

For every six tons of recycled container glass used, a ton of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, is reduced. A relative 10% increase in cullet reduces particulates by 8%, nitrogen oxide by 4%, and sulfur oxides by 10%. ~ Glass Packaging Institute

Glass is widely used for its insulation properties, and there are a number of companies and associations that are trying to utilize as much recycled  glass as possible. Insulation takes many forms, from the traditional batting we are familiar with to tiny glass beads that can be added to construction materials to increase their powers of insulation.  Most standard home insulation has about 30%  of recycled fiberglass content, and manufacturers are looking to increase that percentage.

This is just the tip of the iceberg on the possible applications of post-consumer glass. As there are so many recycled glass products available, be sure to ask retailers and manufacturers about the recycled content in glass goods. As consumers we have a powerful voice in advocating for sustainability through our buying practices. I’m sure I’ll be blogging on this topic  again as there are so many cool products made from recycled glass!