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