Session reflects on the benefits of glass

ART, history and sustainability combined at the Archie Graham Centre last week.

By Staff Writer

Participant Deb Jones enjoys the session with her grandchildren (from left) Milla, Willa and Liv. Picture courtesy Warrnambool City Council.

The Art of Glass session on Thursday included a presentation on the history of glass and why it’s such a valuable resource, before attendees decorated their own glass jars to take home.

Deb Jones attended with her grandchildren Willa, Liv and Milla, and said that she remembered a time when glass was frequently re-used.

“My parents used to get it once a fortnight… there’d be a dozen bottles of soft drink turn up,” she said.

“Then we would put the bottles out again a fortnight later.

“Orange juice was another thing. My dad Bill used to work for Sungold Dairies so when he first started it was all in glass bottles and he used to drop the bottles off; not so much to the houses, he did more of the business area.

“I’m old enough to remember it all… and now we’re going back that way again hopefully.”

She said that while the prospect of decorating a jar is what attracted her grandchildren initially, they enjoyed the presentation on the history of glass, and learnt a lot.

“They didn’t seem to get fidgety. I think it was great… and very well presented,” she said.

The event was coordinated by Warrnambool City Council’s Green Team, with Waste Management Support Officer January Arnold presenting a history on glass from pre-civilisation up until the advent of plastic.

“We covered naturally-occurring glass like obsidian and fossilised lightning that have been prized for thousands of years, the invention of human-made glass in Mesopotamia 4000 years ago, all the way up to the rise of plastic and how it has overtaken glass in its use,” she said.

Warrnambool City Council circular economy officer Will Sloan said that for people living in 2025, glass still had a lot to offer.

“While plastic is cheap and convenient, it’s not always the best option for the environment,” he said.

“One of the benefits of glass over plastic is that glass can be re-used over and over again. While plastic can be re-used, it’s more limited.

“And while recycling is good, re-using is better!”

After the presentation, attendees were invited to create an artwork on a glass jar while having conversations around different glass uses that people have had over the years.

If you’d like to learn more about recycling in Warrnambool, council is conducting the Warrnambool Rubbish and Recycling Survey.

Presented as a quiz, it will bring participants up to speed with the latest recycling information, while the results will help council to tailor its education efforts.

To take the quiz, visit www.yoursaywarrnambool.com.au by January 30.