James Sheppard, Olivia Teter and Jeff Gustafson
Vetrazzo
vetrazzo.com

How do you eco?

Vetrazzo produces a distinctive countertop surface made from 100% recycled glass in a cement binder. We take last night’s Chardonnay, Perrier and Heineken bottles after they’ve been thrown in the bin and transform them into lovely works of art that are durable alternatives to granite and other quarried stone.

Why did you go eco?

We have the opportunity to create a sustainable product from local waste glass that can be used instead of petroleum-based resins like Quartz surfaces or natural resources like marble and granite. And because Vetrazzo makes a stunning and beautiful statement, often at the heart of the home, it sparks discussion about the value of recycling.

What’s your favorite eco tip?

Naturally it’s recycling and buying recycled. They go hand in hand.

Recycling creates six times as many jobs as landfilling. The energy saved recycling a single bottle is enough to watch TV for 3 hours. Vetrazzo is made directly from crushed recycled glass, without melting it, so it is a particularly energy-saving recycling process. And when you buy products with recycled content you are building and supporting the market for those products and closing the recycling loop.

EcoLinks

• Ed Begley Jr. shows off his Vetrazzo countertop on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
• Vetrazzo on ABC 7 News