Sustainability: Creating Art Through Recycled Glass

Sarah Delia | March 20, 2014

 ========= Old Image Removed =========Array
(
    [_wp_attached_file] => Array
        (
            [0] => 2014/03/dragonfly.jpg
        )

    [_wp_attachment_metadata] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:5:{s:5:"width";i:350;s:6:"height";i:262;s:4:"file";s:21:"2014/03/dragonfly.jpg";s:5:"sizes";a:4:{s:6:"medium";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"dragonfly-336x252.jpg";s:5:"width";i:336;s:6:"height";i:252;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"dragonfly-140x140.jpg";s:5:"width";i:140;s:6:"height";i:140;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:19:"dragonfly-80x80.jpg";s:5:"width";i:80;s:6:"height";i:80;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:4:{s:4:"file";s:21:"dragonfly-125x125.jpg";s:5:"width";i:125;s:6:"height";i:125;s:9:"mime-type";s:10:"image/jpeg";}}s:10:"image_meta";a:12:{s:8:"aperture";s:1:"0";s:6:"credit";s:0:"";s:6:"camera";s:0:"";s:7:"caption";s:0:"";s:17:"created_timestamp";s:1:"0";s:9:"copyright";s:0:"";s:12:"focal_length";s:1:"0";s:3:"iso";s:1:"0";s:13:"shutter_speed";s:1:"0";s:5:"title";s:0:"";s:11:"orientation";s:1:"0";s:8:"keywords";a:0:{}}}
        )

    [_imagify_optimization_level] => Array
        (
            [0] => 1
        )

    [_imagify_data] => Array
        (
            [0] => a:2:{s:5:"stats";a:3:{s:13:"original_size";i:70919;s:14:"optimized_size";i:34072;s:7:"percent";d:51.960000000000001;}s:5:"sizes";a:6:{s:4:"full";a:5:{s:7:"success";b:1;s:8:"file_url";s:49:"https://news.wbhm.org/media/2014/03/dragonfly.jpg";s:13:"original_size";i:70919;s:14:"optimized_size";i:34072;s:7:"percent";d:51.960000000000001;}s:9:"thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:6:"medium";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:9:"wbhm-icon";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:20:"wbhm-featured-square";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}s:14:"post-thumbnail";a:2:{s:7:"success";b:0;s:5:"error";s:77:"WELL DONE. This image is already compressed, no further compression required.";}}}
        )

    [_imagify_status] => Array
        (
            [0] => success
        )

)
1677069648 
1395273600

Sustainability: Creating Art Through Recycled Glass

Recycling glass in Birmingham can be tricky. It can’t be put on the curbside like most recyclables. One of residents’ few options is to take it to a Downtown Recycling Center where two 30-yard containers wait to be filled with the unwanted material. The glass that’s dropped off doesn’t stay in Birmingham for long. It’s shipped to Tennessee and Georgia to make fiberglass, bottles, and cement. But two Birmingham artists are trying to reuse the glass and keep it in the state. Each week Pamela Hamby and Jeff Wells visit the recycling center looking for materials they can use in their artwork. WBHM’s Sarah Delia has their story as we continue our series on sustainability:

A windchime created from recycled glass. Photo courtesy of Pamela Hamby.

Drinking glasses and soap dispensers made from recycled bottles. Photo by Sarah Delia.

Jeff creates the metal structure and Pamela adds the glass wings. Photo courtesy of Pamela Hamby.