Beer: Glass or Bottle?

should you

in cans or bottles? Buy Beer

Is it more environmentally friendly to buy your beer in aluminum cans or glass bottles?

Virgin glass is made by combining sand, soda ash, and limestone in a blast furnace at temperatures of over 1500ºC. Bottles can also be made with up to 100 percent recycled glass. In practice, about 40% recycled glass. Aluminum is the third most abundant element (after oxygen and silicon) and is refined from the ore bauxite through a very energy intensive refining and smelting process that also creates a number of greenhouse gasses including the extremely potent perfluorocarbons (PFCs). Aluminum is by far the most energy demanding material. The figures for each are improved when recycling is taken into account. All are highly recyclable and energy savings of 93% are possible for recycled aluminum and 57% for glass over virgin product. Despite the savings through recycling, aluminum production is still the least energy efficient although a can is much lighter than a bottle therefore reducing transportation costs. So in summary a close call, glass wins by a narrow margin.

Learn Astrology...

Meeting Every 1st Wednesday of the Month 6:00-7:30pm GALA Center, located at 1060 Palm St., San Luis Obispo Newcomers Welcomed! sloastrologers@aol.com