Glass Half Full is reimagining the recycling game not only in New Orleans but in the Gulf South region. The organization was founded in 2020 by Tulane University students Max Steitz and Franziska Trautmann, who saw a need for ways to better process glass in the Crescent City. What started as a small but mighty volunteer-led effort has quickly developed into a full-scale organization that is on track to have recycled more than 15 million pounds of glass by the end of this summer. This pulverized glass then becomes beach-like sand and gravel, creating a stream of usable material to aid in erosion control, from rebuilding wetlands to reinforcing shorelines. Glass Half Full is a perfect example of one man’s trash becoming another man’s treasure or, in this case, a way to strengthen communities and rethink sustainability. Be sure to follow its latest projects on Instagram at @glasshalffull.co.
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