How a College Student Founded NOLA’s First Glass Recycling Plant

Recycling glass turned this young founder into a TikTok star. Franziska Trautmann was at the end of her college career when her frustration at her city’s (New Orleans, Louisiana) lack of a recycling program for glass boiled over. But rather than just stewing on it, she jumped into action and created the solution that she wanted to see. With the help of her friends, Franziska set out to change her city for the better with her company, Glass Half Full.

Today, Glass Half Full is a company that collects glass in New Orleans and converts it to beach-like sand and glass cullet which is then used for disaster relief, eco-construction, new glass products, and so many other things. Glass Half Full reimagines recycling — and they collect all this glass for free with the help of volunteers too. Franziska Trautmann and Glass Half Full are making the world a better place one glass collection at a time.


Guest: Franziska Trautmann, Founder and Co-Director of Glass Half Full
Visit Glass Half Full and make a donation to support their work
You can also follow Glass Half Full on Instagram at @glasshalffull.nola and TikTok at @glasshalffullnola and Franziska herself on Instagram at @franzeeska.


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