Our goal is to create a type of glass that would do away with the current problems glass causes.
Glass has been a useful tool for all of mankind for around 5,000 years. (History of Glass n.d) Over time scientist have discovered ways to improve it for our advantage. The production of glass is somewhat similar to when it was first discovered.
The ancient technique of glassblowing is still used to this day, altered for the benefit of course. Now, instead of being blown by hand, we use compressed air to form to bubble, known as blow and blow technique. (Trinity Valley School n.d) The glob of liquid glass is put onto a mold and blown into using pipes and air, the glass is then moved to the bottom of the mold to for the defined curves of the desired shape.
(Britt Glass n.d) It is then transferred to the final mold and it’s surface is reheated. Methods of heating and reheating are used to perfect the glass in quality, imperfections, and shape. We can now add different colorings and more intricate designs.
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Glass can also be made by a technique called press and blow. Press and blow is the alternate popular method of forming glass. A metal tool called a plunger, separate from the plunger we have in our restrooms, is used to make a depression in the gob of glass in the container. It is then turned inside out and compressed air corrects it into the final shape. Glass is used by regular people for their everyday needs and also by scientists conducting experiments and discovering new ways of life. Glass is recyclable and made so that its quality will not be lessened with use. However, everyday glass which is not as durable or strong as special glasses, can be broken and left as litter. Glass as we know it is not environmentally safe, it cannot be used in the wild, underground, or around animals or plants because it is harmful and stunts growth of plants.
This does not mean that it is not used in these ways. Often times glass is used to store nuclear waste that cannot be destroyed, it is contained in glass and buried underground. This is careless behavior for the glass is not safe for the insects or the soil.
Many times we see glass littered and in debris, broken glass pieces are hazardous for animals. They might ingest a shard of glass and cause fatal injuries and possibly death. Glass and general glass production have come a long way since their first appearance in history and may it continue to develop and contribute to our benefit. To conclude, glass should not be used in the environment as of now because the materials used to produce it are not safe for the soil or organisms around it. It should be fixed as to where the materials that are used to make it are one hundred percent environmentally safe.
Glass has been used by mankind for around 5000 years now. Remains of glass dating back to 3100 BC have been found in Egypt, and it is said that glass was first made there, but eventually spread toward the Mediterranean area. (History of Glass, n.d.
) The original method of glass production was the use of sand, plant ash, and lime to create flat slabs of glass or use them as a coating for stones. It wasn’t until 1500 BC that glass vessels were constructed by covering a solid core of earth and sand with hot glass. Glass vessels were considered extremely valuable and were owned only by royalty, and their means of construction were closely guarded. Glass making was a strenuous and lengthy process, for the melting furnaces used were not sufficient in making abundant quantities of glass. But in the 1st century BC, the Syrians invented the blowpipe, revolutionizing glass making and setting the foundation for modern glass blowing. (British Glass, 2013) With this invention, the production of glass flourished and spread to many countries. Following this, new methods and techniques were discovered, and people started using glass for many more things.
Figure 2:Modern Glass blowing more primitive designs differ As production increased, the price decreased and regular civilians could now access glass as well. During the Middle Ages, Italy became the center of glassmaking due to trade with the Middle East. These uses of glass spread during the Renaissance, and many artists used it throughout Europe.
