Drink beer the green way: From an old windshield
Now that it's all hip to be green, you may look at your hybrid car with its properly inflated tires and Love Earth bummer sticker and think "what else can I do to help the environment?" Turns out the answer is to drink beer out of recycled windshields turned into pint glasses. These glasses from Uncommon Goods are handmade in Colombia from old car windshields. The green tint that once protected your eyes from glare now protects your beer from harmful rays. 
Not a beer drinker? They also sell recycled windshield wine glasses. And of course, you'll want to protect your sustainable-wood coffee table with drink coasters made from recycled road signs. Then you can sit back and relax in your one-of-a-kind Speed Chair made from recycled speed limit signs. [Source: Uncommon Goods]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Franz 11:53AM (5/08/2008)
lol. I think car guys will like these just because of the fact that they're made from old car windshields. I wouldn't go out of my way, but if I ever saw 'em I'd probably get a couple. :)
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Luis 1:57PM (5/08/2008)
I like them, but 70 dollars for some coasters?! I think I'll go road sign-hunting and make my own...
bill jackman 11:58AM (5/08/2008)
...Then I can enjoy the recycled food that comes up in my throat for a second taste.... Isn't glass already a recyclable material anyway? Does it matter whether I buy regular glass? Are we running out of beach sand because of the rising oceans? Enough with the greenwashing already, people! Jeeesh.
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J.S. 1:03PM (5/08/2008)
The whole "green" thing is taken way over the top sometimes isn't it? I've acquired a bunch of cool pint glasses from second-hand places. That's more green than using more energy to recycle glass but I guess it's not as "cool".
I'm all for not wasting but I sickens me when I people do something because "it's the cool thing to do". Nothing wrong with the people who makes these items, I think it's pretty neat, but how many times to have you seen somebody do something "green" and they try and brag about, when it's just logical anyway, like "hey I'm being green 'cause I walked instead of driving to get the newspaper at the end of my driveway"
speedball3 2:22PM (5/08/2008)
I don't think it's as much of a "running out of sand" idea, but more of a "not taking up space in a junk yard" idea. Granted, it's probably not that big of an impact, but still a novel idea.
I'd be curious to see whether the recycled windshield glass is stronger than normal glass. Aren't windshields shatter proof or something? It'd be interesting to get a small crack on the cup and watch the crack expand around the cup after you stick it in the dishwasher or something. Just remember to replace it when the crack goes all the way around!! =)
Yar 11:54AM (5/08/2008)
Mmm, window tint...
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sk 11:59AM (5/08/2008)
Does it come with dead bugs and bird droppings embedded?
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Big Rocket 12:16PM (5/08/2008)
If you are really that desperate to be green, then just drink the beer right out of the bottle or can.
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BLS 12:26PM (5/08/2008)
Or better yet get a keg (reuseable) and drink straight from the tap.
RJP 12:33PM (5/08/2008)
Keg stands for everyone!
Guenther 1:31PM (5/08/2008)
Perhaps I shall take the BUS to the brewery this afternoon and drink there.
Allan 12:32PM (5/08/2008)
I thought those coasters were damn cool... until I saw how much $.
$70 for a set of 4. WTF?!
I'll tell them where they can stick them at that price.
http://www.uncommongoods.com/item/item.jsp?source=family&itemId=14056
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RJP 12:35PM (5/08/2008)
From the look of it, they are just signs that are cut into squares and then stamped with an indentation... you could make these yourself for the cost of time stealing a road sign and a sledgehammer to add the indentation.
Bill 3:30PM (5/08/2008)
There are roofing materials that look like slate that are made from recycled automotive plastics. Apparently these are the best kind to use because they are made to withstand heat.
Anything that saves resources and diverts stuff from landfills is a good idea. Cars already have a pretty good rate of being recycled, and most steel in this country gets reused anyway.
Architect Samual Mockbee (R.I.P.) and the students of the Rural Studio at Auburn University made a chapel at Mason's Bend community center (Alabama) made from windshields and windows from GM C-bodies of the 70's and early 80's.
http://www.cadc.auburn.edu/soa/rural-studio/projects_glasschapel.htm
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BowserUSC 10:52PM (5/08/2008)
The question is, will the glass fit in my car's cup holder.
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BrokenMonkey 11:48AM (5/09/2008)
What exactly is a bummer sticker? Does that mean that loving the earth is a bummer?
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sfautoglass 2:23PM (5/31/2009)
I own a glass shop and this is a great way of recycling Windshields. Any recommendations on where to or how to recycle Windshields?
http://www.sfcityglass.com
http://www.415autoglass.com
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