♻️ Ditch Plastic, Sip with Class – Why Plastic No Longer Belongs in Our Lives
- i64278
- Jun 17
- 3 min read
From your takeout container to your toothbrush, plastic is everywhere. But this convenience comes with serious consequences—for our health, our planet, and future generations.
At The Recycle Challenge, we’re inviting YOU to make a change: ditch plastic and sip, store, and style with glass instead. Whether it’s repurposed jars, elegant drinkware, or DIY décor, glass is the safer, smarter, and more sustainable choice.
🧪 A Brief History of Plastic
The invention of plastic was once seen as a marvel. The first fully synthetic plastic, Bakelite, was created in 1907 by Leo Hendrik Baekeland, earning him the title “Father of Plastics.” Bakelite was made by combining phenol and formaldehyde—marking the beginning of man-made polymers with no natural equivalents.
But before Bakelite, inventors were already experimenting with materials that mimicked plastic.
Alexander Parkes developed Parkesine in the 1860s from cellulose, derived from plant matter.
John Wesley Hyatt improved on this idea with celluloid, used in early film, combs, and buttons.
While these early materials were modifications of natural substances, Bakelite was the first plastic wholly synthetic and mass-produced—a breakthrough that also opened the door to today’s global plastic pollution crisis.
🛑 Why Plastic No Longer Makes Sense
1. It’s forever. Most plastic doesn’t biodegrade—it breaks down into microplastics, which infiltrate soil, water, food, and even human bodies.
2. It harms life. Plastic waste kills over a million marine animals each year. It disrupts entire ecosystems and causes suffering on land and sea.
3. It leaches toxins. Plastics often contain harmful chemicals like BPA, phthalates, and styrene, which are known to disrupt hormones and increase cancer risk.
4. Microwaving plastic? That’s a hard no. When heated, plastic can release toxic chemicals directly into your food. Even "microwave-safe" plastic can degrade over time, leaching BPA and other harmful substances linked to reproductive disorders, neurological damage, and immune system suppression. Always transfer food to glass or ceramic before heating.
5. It’s fueling the climate crisis. Plastic production relies on fossil fuels. Every stage—from extraction to manufacturing to disposal—pumps greenhouse gases into our atmosphere.
💡 Why Glass Is the Better Way Forward
Non-toxic and safe, even when heated
Infinitely recyclable without losing quality
Elegant and reusable for food, drink, and home storage
Perfect for upcycling into vases, lanterns, terrariums, and more
Glass doesn’t poison your body or the planet—it protects them.
🎨 Join Us: Crafty Thursdays
Got jars, bottles, or old glassware? Bring them to Crafty Thursdays, our community workshop where we reimagine waste as wonder.
We'll teach you how to:
Turn glass bottles into lanterns and vases
Paint and decorate jars for kitchen or bath storage
Safely cut and upcycle glass into home décor
🗓️ First & Third Thursdays 📍 Locations across the Lower 9th Ward, St. Claude & more 💡 Free and family-friendly – just bring your glass!
♻️ Still Letting Go of Plastic?
Transitioning is a journey. Until you’re fully plastic-free, here are local New Orleans spots where you can properly dispose of accepted plastics:
The Green Project – 2831 Marais St
Wednesday’s to Saturday’s 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Glass Half Full - 3935 Louisa Street
Monday: 9 am - 5:30 pm
Wednesday: 9 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday: 9 am - 4 pm
Recycling Drop-Off Center 2829 Elysian Fields Ave
2nd & 4th Saturdays: 8 am - 12 pm
🌍 Let's Glass It Up & Leave Plastic Behind
From its promising beginnings in science labs to its current role as an environmental villain, plastic has had its time. Now, we’re choosing a better legacy—one built with health, creativity, and care.
Let’s return to materials that honor both people and the planet. Choose glass. Choose reuse. Choose a cleaner future.
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