We Are Glassroots
We founded Glass Half Full in 2020 to pursue our goal of recycling New Orleans' glass. After collecting over 600,000 pounds of glass during our first year of operations, we were determined to magnify our impact beyond what could be achieved as a low-profit, social enterprise. In 2021, we founded Glassroots, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, to expand access to recycling through educational opportunities and to partner directly with communities to ensure our services benefit people and the environments they live in.
Recycling takes a village and that’s why we engage the local community at every step. We are a glassroots movement to not only divert waste from landfills but educate and empower recyclers around the country. When individuals unite, there is no stopping us!
—
Franziska Trautmann
Executive Director
Outreach & Accessibility
Through strategic partnerships with local organizations, businesses, and individuals, Glassroots will be able to reach a broad and diverse audience. We plan to partner with our community for mass clean-up days as well as glass recycling drop-off hubs. Glassroots is particularly interested in working with underserved neighborhoods and those impacted by a history of environmental injustice.
Our Belief
Recycling should never be an activity limited to those who can pay for it or those who have better access to it. We strive to make recycling an accessible, inclusive, and transparent process that leaves you feeling good about what you are doing!
Our Goal
Our goal is to radically expand the accessibility of glass recycling across all corners of Louisiana. Currently, we have four drop-off spots in and around New Orleans. We hope to ultimately provide glass recycling drop-off options in every neighborhood in New Orleans and expand to other parts of the state in order to increase the accessibility of recycling.
Inclusivity and Transparency
You should never have to wonder who is allowed to recycle and what even happens when you drop your recyclables off. We aim to show every step of the recycling process, from the second you drop your bottle off to where the sand or cullet created ends up! We also strive to include people in our programs who are traditionally excluded from sustainability initiatives and those most impacted by environmental racism.
Education
At Glassroots, we strive to educate and empower individuals on the importance of recycling. In order to accomplish this, we plan to:
Work with schools and organizations to create experiences that support recycling.
Create graphic designs and interactive content to educate social media users.
Launch a service for schools to provide glass recycling drop-off for their students and families.
