Impact of Glass on Society
It has shown that different materials have impacted and changed society, both positively and negatively. Everyday materials allow for the creation of different technologies that enhance life and make it more efficient. Glass is a material that allows for the development of many different technologies. Glass impacts many important aspects of life and serves many purposes. Glass is used for protection, visual enhancement and stimulation, and it serves other practical purposes as well. Windows, Eye glasses, mirrors, cameras, lightbulbs, certain bottles, and computer screens are all made from glass. Glass is a hard, transparent substance made by fusing sand with soda, lime, and some other ingredients and cooling them rapidly.
Before glass was manufactured, people used naturally occurring glass, such as volcanic glass obsidian and this was used to produce weapons, ornaments, and money. Syria was one of the original centers of glassmaking. It is believed that the earliest glass object was created around 3500BC in Egypt and Eastern Mesopotamia. Glass is used in many everyday objects. This material is 100% recyclable and can be recycled endlessly without loss in quality or purity. It is made from readily-available domestic materials, such as sand, soda, and limestone. Recycled glass can be substituted for up to 95% of raw materials. This is environmentally beneficial and it benefits manufacturers. Manufacturers benefit from recycling because it reduces emissions and consumption of raw materials. This also extends the life of plant equipment, such as furnaces, and saves energy. Recycled glass is always used to make more glass products which benefits the environment. Over a ton of natural resources are saved for every ton of glass recycled. Glass is a material used in making many technologies and this is extremely beneficial to the environment. In 2013. 34% of all glass containers were recycled and this is equivalent to taking 210,000 cars off the road each year. Glass is not scarce and the breakdown of this material helps make more glass products which is not harmful for the environment.
Windows allow light in and serve as a transparent barrier from outside conditions. Glass is a good material for this product for many reasons. It serves as a protective barrier but it does not completely close a space off. This is important because light and darkness affect mood. Also, when light passes through a window it allows for natural warmth in a space. Glass is strong enough to keep out wind, dust, rain and other natural disturbances. Glass is translucent and this is important for people to see outside of a structure without actually having to leave the building.
Glass is a significant material used in lightbulbs. Glass is the best material suited to make this technology because it’s transparent so it allows light to pass through the bulb. This is important because if it was not transparent then it would not be able to light areas. Light allows people to see in the darkness and safely dwell in their homes at night.
Glass serves many functional purposes such as providing buildings with light, but it is also used for creative purposes.
Without glass, we would not have mirrors and driving would be less safe.
Glass is used to make computer screens, cell phone screens, and television screens.
Glass is used to correct vision.
