Globally, glass waste accounts for 130 million tons, of which only 21% is recycled. The production, disposal, transportation, and recycling of glass products contribute to high energy consumption, leading to an increasing carbon footprint and the depletion of raw materials.
People come across waste glass but are unaware of its creative potential. To address this, I established Glass Yard, to harness the power of Eco-Social design while considering waste glass as a resource for building sustainable ecology and culture.
Glass Yard conducts glass upcycling workshops to facilitate creative professionals and environmental advocates in creating products from waste glass.
The Tool Kits created by Glass Yard make all the materials easily accessible to the participants, motivating them to pursue upcycling.
It runs capacity-building programs to train local waste collectors, ‘kabadi walas’, in glass bottle upcycling. This empowers them to offer glass upcycling services while collecting waste, creating economic opportunities and improving their livelihoods while providing customers with a way to upcycle glass.
Also designed an innovative portable ‘Glass Yard’s Tapping Tool’ to assist in cutting glass bottles while splitting open a score. It significantly reduces breakage, time, effort and cost while offering an energy-efficient alternative.
It’s the first Glass Makerspace in Delhi, and a system of Portable studios to conduct upcycling workshops at various locations.
Furthermore, Glass Yard is in the process of setting up a Small-Scale Glass Upcycling Socio- Eco Enterprise within the Material Recovery Facilities of NGOs, aiming to create unique souvenirs from locally collected waste glass bottles.
Glass Yard aims to contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It generates value, extends the life of glass, promotes environmental consciousness and develops a sustainable culture. Additionally, the brand seeks to provide individuals with a sense of achievement and psychological satisfaction by creating from waste glass.
