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