Upon entering the business we were greeted by several large stained glass creations for which Blenko is known. There were the expected religious themed pieces, but there were others commemorating the Titanic, the Red Baron, and the Hindenburg Zeppelin.
We were also reminded that glass is one of the first materials to be recycled. As we entered the production area, we passed piles of colored glass in pieces. This is cullet glass or glass to be remelted and turned into finished product.
1. Why isn't more glass recycled more than it currently is?
2. Why is it cheaper to recycle glass than to produce new from raw materials.
3. Why is glass not used as a packaging material as much as plastic?
Temperatures required to melt glass can be as high as 2,000 degrees Celsius. These temperatures require a great deal of energy and so, producing glass can be a very expensive process. The melting point of glass is lower than the melting points of the raw materials that form glass. This means that it is more economical to recycle used glass than to produce new glass.
Excellent progression of photos. Having the experience of blowing glass and creating blown glass objects will provide you with depth to bring back to your students.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing.