SPOTLIGHT: Bottle Underground

Philadelphia, PA

Glass - arguably the most popular recyclable. Its reusable quality is common knowledge, it's easy to clean, and it's in every household. What isn't common knowledge, however, is how much glass actually ends up in the landfill. Just in Philadelphia alone, around 50,000-70,000 tons of glass end up in the landfill every year. To put that into perspective, 50,000 tons equates to three and a half times the weight of the Brooklyn Bridge. That's only one city in one year!

That's where Bottle Underground comes in. Established in 2020, Bottle Underground was born from the team at Remark Glass, a glass blowing business with the mission to repurpose recycled glass into beautiful art, lighting, and dining-ware. Danielle Ruttenberg and the Remark Glass team knew that more could be done to divert glass away from the common waste stream by collecting and cleaning glass themselves.

Partnering with local businesses and residents, Bottle Underground has developed its own glass-pickup program via electric bike in the city and a bottle reuse program for local businesses to purchase clean, unlabeled glass for their packaging needs. Glass that isn't reused through this packaging program will either be sent to Remark Glass to be turned into beautiful pieces found here, or sent to Philadelphia based, OLIN Labs, to aid in their award-winning "Circular Soil Initiative" to find a recycled soil replacement from a blend of ground glass sand and food waste compost.

Since the non-profit's debut three years ago, Bottle Underground has only continued to grow and has already diverted 95 tons of glass away from landfills (not to mention the 139 tons diverted from Remark Glass). A supporter of not only the environment, but of the people as well, a workforce program has been set into place to provide paid internships and jobs to local, justice-impacted Philadelphians who struggle with barriers to work. For corporations looking for a give-back project, Bottle Underground also hosts corporate groups to help out and learn more about the glass recycling process.

Let's just say, Bottle Underground is Philadelphian super-hero, making a huge impact on waste diversion and the community. It's certainly a business that I am proud to have as SUSTI's first Spotlight. One can only hope that Bottle Underground will be a leading example for other businesses throughout the country to focus on sustainable business practices.

For anyone looking to make a change towards more sustainable habits and business practices, here is Danielle's advice: Number one is baby steps - start in ways that feel attainable. If you regularly purchase something in a plastic jar, try the same product in a glass jar. Think about what happens to this glass jar when you’re done. Think about your vendors and purchases and if you are partnering with like-minded businesses.

So, if you are ever in Philadelphia, be sure to check out Remark Glass, or volunteer with Bottle Underground for some community service. Every bit of help makes a difference.

How to Support:

1. Give Glass: Are you a Philadelphia resident or small business with a whole lot of glass to give? Sign up for glass collection at your very own doorstep, right here! You will know that your glass is going to get much greater use through Bottle Underground - it may even be the glass used to make that sleek barware you found at Remark Glass.

2. Volunteer: Volunteering is a great way to develop new skills, make new friends, and most importantly, make a difference. Bottle Underground makes volunteering easy by signing up here.

3. Support: There are lots of ways to support the cause. You can donate to Bottle Underground directly here. You can also support Remark Glass and the small businesses that purchase reusable glass packaging from Bottle Underground, such as Poppa's Custard Company, Vellum Street Soap Company, or Stems Brooklyn Florist.

"People can save the world by the way they think and by the way they behave and what they hold to be important."

- Cyndi Lauper