Have you ever seen a necklace made with glass gems? They're beautiful and can look great as part of any outfit. But do you know what they're made of? Glass gems are often used as an alternative to plastic gems or balloons—but is this eco-friendly option actually green enough for your needs?
Glass gems are often used as an alternative to plastic gems or balloons. Glass gems can be used at weddings, birthday parties and as decorations for a baby's nursery. Glass gem jewelry is also available in a variety of colors and designs.
Glass gemstones are made from recycled glass that has been melted down and formed into beads, marbles or other shapes. Glass gems do not contain any petroleum products so they are considered eco-friendly because they don't contribute to air pollution or water pollution like some plastics do (1).
Because of their composition, glass gems are recyclable. Glass gems are made from recycled glass and have a secondary life as decorative mulch or as an ingredient in asphalt. When you're ready to toss out your empty glass gem container, take it to your local recycling center. Most recycling centers accept these containers for recycling because they're made from 100% recycled content!
Glass gems can be reused for many different occasions. They can be used as decoration on a cake or gift box, as Christmas tree decorations, or even to decorate a window. With glass gems being so versatile and eco-friendly, you can't go wrong!
So when you look at the colored gems in the store, it's important to understand that they're not really "colored" at all. Instead of using dyes or pigments to add color to glass, most manufacturers use a process called "frit." Frit is a mixture of glass particles and a binder (usually silica) which can be melted together at high temperatures. Because frit is made from recycled glass, it's an environmentally-friendly way to create your own gemstones!
Glass gems are relatively inexpensive, durable, and easy to clean. They're also reusable—so you can use them again and again for many different occasions.
While plastic gems are generally cheaper than their glass counterparts, they're much less durable and can be more difficult to clean. Plastic gems are also non-recyclable or biodegradable (although some plastics do eventually break down into smaller pieces).
Glass gems are better for the environment than some other alternatives.
Compared to gemstones, glass is a greener material in many ways. First of all, it’s not mined like gemstones and there are no chemicals involved in its production. As a result, it doesn’t pollute the ground water or cause toxic waste runoff problems. Glass gems also don’t require any fossil fuels in their manufacturing process—a fact that sets them apart from synthetic gemstones such as cubic zirconia, which is made with nickel and chromium oxides mined from nickel ore deposits around the world. And because they're made from recycled glass (usually bottles), they can help reduce landfill waste by upcycling materials that would otherwise be thrown away after being used once already (such as bottles).
Glass gems have less impact on the environment than some other common decorations used at weddings too! For instance: balloons may seem like fun party favors but they aren't great for our planet either since they take so long to decompose after being discarded; plus they're often filled with helium gas which is derived from natural gas reserves which deplete rapidly over time when released into our atmosphere through coal-powered energy plants (which also releases carbon dioxide into Earth's atmosphere). This means that if everything else were equal between these two types of decorations then choosing "eco-friendly" ones would still be better since this eliminates two sources of climate change pollution right off the bat!
So no matter what type of decoration you use for your special day consider going green whenever possible—even if just by switching out those plastic flowers with real ones."
Overall, glass gems are a great way to add a little something special to your ceremony without adding much weight. They’re reusable and recyclable, so you can be sure that they won’t end up in landfills. Plus, they come in a wide range of colors and sizes—you can even order custom ones! So if you’re looking for an eco-friendly alternative to plastic or paper decorations for your big day (or any other event), consider adding some glass gems into the mix.