| When a person thinks of cork, they may think of a | | | | Many places, such as Europe and Australia, have |
| variety of things. Some people may think of the | | | | programs set up for wine cork recycling. Dropping |
| material used for bulletin boards, while some may | | | | wine corks off in designated areas, the wine corks |
| think of material used for coasters. Others, | | | | are granulated and turned into products such as pin |
| thoroughly confused, may simply think of cork as the | | | | boards, tile, engine gaskets, hockey balls, safety |
| other white meat. Chances are, however, when most | | | | mats, and boat decks. Recently, wine cork has even |
| people think of cork, they think of wine. Part of each | | | | been used in rocket technology. |
| others' lives, the two are nearly inseparable, especially | | | | Because wine cork is one of the easier materials to |
| without a wine opener. | | | | recycle, there seems little reason to not recycle it. |
| What is Cork? | | | | However, the US does not routinely engage in wine |
| It would be easy to define a cork with a simple, | | | | cork recycling, leaving some environmentalists to |
| unrefined answer. We could say that cork is a | | | | wonder why. |
| lightweight, inert substance providing blockage of | | | | This wonderment, not limited to individuals, has been |
| liquids and leave it at that. But, because cork is an | | | | adopted by a few US based companies. One of |
| elemental part of wine, it is bestowed with certain | | | | these companies, Yemm and Hart, a firm specializing |
| elegance and sophistication. For this reason, wine cork | | | | in the recycling of products, is conducting an |
| deserves a more grandiose introduction: Cork hails | | | | experiment asking for wine corks that they can |
| from the bark of the Cork Oak tree, Quercus Suber. | | | | recycle. Theorizing that cork is a valuable resource |
| Produced extensively in Portugal, cork enjoys being | | | | that should not go to waste, Yemm and Hart plan to |
| fire resistant, providing insulation, and the company of | | | | begin manufacturing tack boards, coasters, plaques, |
| fine alcohol. | | | | and floor tiles all made from wine cork. |
| Since cork is very elastic and impermeable, it makes | | | | What Are Creative Ways to Recycle Wine Cork? |
| a great bottle stopper; for cork, just like for many of | | | | If the concept of wine cork recycling catches on, |
| us, wine was destiny. Its adaptability, additionally, | | | | recycling wine cork in the US may someday be as |
| makes it an easy material to compress without | | | | simple as recycling newspapers or soda cans. In the |
| change to the original shape. It was these qualities | | | | meantime, however, those who live in America can |
| that intrigued Dom Perignon, a French Benedictine | | | | recycle their wine corks through a few creative |
| monk, to use cork in a bottle of champagne, thus | | | | means. |
| influencing the world of wine from that moment on. | | | | While some people have donated wine corks to |
| How Do Wine Corks Affect the Environment? | | | | children's museums, for use in displays and dioramas, |
| Wine corks are environmentally friendly, like a | | | | others have made wreaths and decorative pieces |
| material that is always willing to lend a helping hand or | | | | out of old wine corks. Some people wire together |
| an encouraging word to the ecosystem. This makes | | | | wine corks and make hot pads while others suggest |
| wine corks stand out from other forms of packaging, | | | | gluing sliced wine corks to the bottom of vases and |
| forms that often hinder their surroundings rather than | | | | knickknacks, as a means to keep these items from |
| help them. | | | | scratching tables and shelves. People have even |
| Wine corks are biodegradable, natural, and renewable. | | | | found old wine corks useful as door stops, knife |
| They also don't go to waste, with each aspect of a | | | | scrubbers, and pin cushions. |
| wine cork having the potential to become something | | | | Just as wine should never go to waste, neither |
| else. Even cork dust can be used for fuel and cork | | | | should wine corks. A highly useable material, there are |
| residue can be used to make other cork products. | | | | several ways wine corks can be recycled, even if it's |
| Cork forests, where cork oak trees reside, are | | | | not routinely done on a national level. With all the |
| important to the balance of the ecosystems with | | | | kinds of packaging that can destroy the Earth, cork |
| several species, including endangered species, calling | | | | is an exception. A special material, cork is able to |
| these forests home. | | | | protect wine and the world by putting a stop to |
| What is Wine Cork Recycling? | | | | wastefulness. |