Coast to Coast Events Round Up Supporters—and Glass Bottles and Jars for Recycling
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GPI’s 2009 Recycle Glass Week proved a clear success, with glass container manufacturers, including Anchor Glass, O-I, Rocky Mountain Bottle Company, and Saint-Gobain Containers, collecting glass bottles for recycling through events at their plants and in local communities. In all, over 50 educational activities and public events in 22 states were held during the week, building awareness for glass bottle recycling across the U.S.
Saint-Gobain Containers employees visited over 20 schools across the country and spoke to over 1,500 students. They provided promotional items from their educational program at local festivals, events, and businesses to reach an additional 3,000 children. Saint-Gobain Containers has a goal to reach over 10,000 students during the school year with their glass recycling awareness initiative.
Below are a few highlights from the week. A complete wrap-up of 2009 Recycle Glass Week events will be available on the GPI web site and in the October issue of Inside Glass Packaging.
New York City
In New York City, thousands attended Madison Square Park’s daytime concert series on September 19th and 26th, which had three TOMRA reverse vending machines for collecting glass and other containers as part of Recycle Glass Week. Over 500 park visitors received a “Little Bottle” sticker after recycling, and a few lucky winners received t-shirts and iPod shuffles.
Headlining musician Natalia Zuckerman wore her “Little Bottle” sticker on stage, and a park representative gave a shout-out to GPI, TOMRA, and Voss Water for sponsoring the collection event. All deposit refund monies are being donated to the Madison Square Park Conservancy.
At the Today Show, “Choose Glass. Recycle Glass.” and Recycle Glass Week banners received air time in the outdoor broadcast area—right behind Matt, Meredith, and Al. See the Today Show photo gallery. Little Bottle also made his way around famed New York City locations spreading fun, “Little Bottle” stickers, and a message to recycle glass bottles and jars. See more photos of New York City events
Indianapolis, IN
In Indianapolis, IN, GPI hosted a glass recycling tour as part of Recycle Glass Week, showcasing ten bars and restaurants that are diverting as much as ten tons a month of glass bottles for recycling. Representatives from the Indiana Recycling Coalition, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, and SustainIndy, a city agency, learned how Green Broad Ripple, a local community group organized the program.
They also saw first hand how it produces a cleaner feedstock for glass container manufacturers, compared to single-steam collection, when they toured the local Strategic Materials, Inc., cullet processing facility. SMI provides a roll-off container that is picked up twice a week to support the program. The City of Indianapolis also plans to add “glass-only” containers at two drop-off sites for residents, allowing for higher-quality glass container recycling. More on the bar/restaurant program
Winchester, IN
The Anchor Glass plant in Winchester, IN, collected one ton of recycled glass bottles through a drop-off program to raise money for the local food pantry. Anchor gave the pantry a donation equal to double the standard reimbursement rate for recycled glass during Recycle Glass Week.
Jacksonville, FL
Anchor Glass in Jacksonville, FL, collected 6.4 tons for the week at their manufacturing plant. And they still haven’t tallied what was collected at the local Cliff’s Bar and Grill.
Perrysburg, OH
To support Recycle Glass Week, O-I employees at the North American Headquarters in Perrysburg, OH, set a goal to collect one ton of glass. But employees stepped up and more than doubled their goal, collecting over 5,000 pounds for the week. O-I hopes that employees will maintain this pace in their collection efforts at the O-I campus.
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GPI Recognizes Seven “Friends of Glass” for Recycling Achievements
Honorees include Earth911.com, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., and the City of Ft. Collins, Colorado
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“At Sierra Nevada, maintaining a clean and high quality stream of cullet helps to increase the amount of recycled content we are able to maintain. We are honored to be recognized as a Friend of Glass…”
—Cory Ross, Packaging Manager, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
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As part of Recycle Glass Week, GPI recognized seven “Friends of Glass” in five categories, presenting them with an award (photo below) made from 100% recycled glass bottles.
The 2009 “Friends of Glass” honorees include Earth911.com (website); the Hyatt Regency Atlanta (hospitality industry); the City of Ft. Collins, Colorado Natural Resource Department (community); Representative Jay Inslee (legislator); and “Best Friends of Glass,” including Sierra Nevada Brewing Company; McIlhenny Company, makers of TABASCO® Brand Products; and Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.
“The glass container industry thanks our 2009 ‘Friends of Glass’ for their work on behalf of glass container recycling and encourages other communities and organizations to follow their lead,” says Joseph Cattaneo, GPI president. Find out more on what these “Friends of Glass” are doing to boost glass bottle recycling
PACKAGING TRENDS
2009 Clear Choice Awards Winners Announced
Glass containers continue to provide a premium image in a ‘green’ package
 GPI named the winners of its 20th Annual Clear Choice Awards through a virtual event on its website during Recycle Glass Week. The day winners were announced over 300 people viewed the Clear Choice Awards video announcement.
Twelve consumer product goods companies were recognized for their achievements in expanding the frontiers of glass packaging design. “It was incredibly refreshing and exciting to find so many extraordinary examples of creativity displayed by the powerful submissions entered in this year's Glass Packaging Institutes Clear Choice Awards,” said Chris Lyons, Group Publisher, ST Media, Design Group, and 2009 Clear Choice Awards judge.
Beyond an overall package design winner, categories included alcoholic beverage, non-alcoholic beverage, food, and cosmetics. Submissions were judged on innovation, package design, and shelf impact. Download photos of winning products. And see the winning package designs in person at Worldwide Food Expo and PACK Expo.
“Glass is an endlessly fascinating packaging sector and each year the Glass Packaging Institute's Clear Choice awards succeeds in recognizing and celebrating new and appealing container inventiveness,” said Ben Miyares, Vice President, Industry Relations, Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Institute, and 2009 Clear Choice Awards judge. Get the news release
LEGISLATION
GPI Hosts Rep. Inslee at Congressional Fly-In
Two dozen glass container industry representatives arrived in Washington, DC on Tuesday, September 22nd in support of Recycle Glass Week. They met with over 30 Congressional offices to brief their elected officials about the importance of the glass container manufacturing industry, the energy and environmental benefits of glass bottle recycling and GPI’s goal of using 50% recycled content in the manufacture of new glass containers by 2013. The glass container industry operates 50 glass container manufacturing plants in the U.S. as well as 74 facilities that process or “recycle” glass.
 Congressman Jay Inslee (WA–1st) was also presented with a “Friends of Glass” award (see photo at right). Representatives Jay Inslee and Mike Doyle (PA-14th) authored an important amendment to the climate change bill (H.R. 2454), passed earlier this year by the House of Representatives.
Their amendment provides for the distribution of allowances and grants significant time to the glass container and other energy intensive, trade exposed industries to address international and other competitive concerns. If certain conditions in the legislation are met, allowances granted to qualifying industries may be phased out by 2025.
GLASS RECYCLING
New Survey Finds 8 out of 10 U.S. Households Recycle
Survey kicks off Nationwide Events for Recycle Glass Week, Starting September 21st
 Nearly 94% of Americans know recycling is good for the environment and nearly 60% identify glass as part of sustaining a healthy lifestyle, according to a recent survey commissioned by the Glass Packaging Institute and Dr. Doyle Yoon, Professor at Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of Oklahoma.
Of those households that recycle, 82% recycle glass bottles. When consumers were asked which containers are most “environmentally friendly,” 22% said glass bottles and jars, while 27% answered paper containers. Fewer chose plastic bottles (8%) or bag-in-box containers (9.5%).
The survey results are being released as part of Recycle Glass Week. The survey has a margin of error of +/- 3.7%. Get all the results
1000 WORDS
Utah State University Student Wins National Glass Recycling YouTube Video Competition
Video Creates Awareness for Benefits of Glass Container Recycling
Tyler Larson, a senior in broadcast journalism at Utah State University, is the winner of GPI’s second-annual Recycle Glass Week university student YouTube video competition.
“Tyler’s video, ‘One Choice,’ reaffirms the message that ‘every bottle counts,’” said Joseph Cattaneo, GPI president. The winning video launched for Recycle Glass Week. Watch it now.
“Overall, I hope my video will help make people more conscience of the choices they make—simple choices that can make such a large impact on the environment around us,” said Larson. “Glass recycling is a great example of what we all can do.” More on Tyler and his video
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Brands choose glass for premium product introductions. 
The GPI’s Standard Edition X FLEXO Color Guide for printing inks on corrugated is now available for purchase on the