Ever wonder what happened to all the unwanted protective eyewear from the solar eclipse in April? Through a partnership with Astronomers Without Borders, the University of Rochester Sustainability Office donated nearly 5,000 pairs of glasses to reduce waste and help others enjoy future celestial experiences.
Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) believes that gazing at the stars brings people together. Under the banner “One People, One Sky,” they connect individuals from diverse backgrounds through astronomy, fostering collaboration and shared experiences. Through projects and online programs, they enable those in developing countries to share the wonders of the night sky with others. Guided by values of community, diversity, and empowerment, AWB strives to inspire a network of astronomy enthusiasts and educators, enrich lives, and broaden perspectives around the globe.
On the day of the eclipse, the Sustainability Office worked with Horticulture and Grounds to set up recycling stations to collect eclipse glasses from observers who did not wish to keep them as memorabilia. The stations included special instructions explaining that while the lenses of the glasses could not be recycled, the arms of the glasses could be.
The glasses recycling initiative was a well-directed effort to reduce the amount of waste generated from this historic event, and the Sustainability Office took it a step further. In striving to follow the R5 program and Rochester zero-waste hierarchy (Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle/Compost before Landfill), the office searched for ways to repurpose the glasses. After hearing about Astronomers without Borders, the Sustainability Office decided to coordinate a mail-in program so University members could donate their glasses for reuse instead of disposing of them. A total of 4,896 pairs of glasses were collected, weighing over 40 pounds.
Phil Piedmont, the Sustainability Office’s waste minimization specialist, greatly enjoyed the day of the eclipse as well as the outcome of the mail-in program. “Although I only saw clouds that day, the brief moment when day turned to night was unforgettable,” he says. “I’m happy to pass these glasses on to someone [so they can] enjoy the full experience, especially those who may not have had these glasses otherwise.”
Since 2008, AWB has been dedicated to ensuring safe solar viewing experiences during annular and total solar eclipses by distributing solar glasses worldwide. With the support of members, partners, and national coordinators across the world, AWB has delivered glasses to those without access to safe viewing methods. Travelers from the U.S. have volunteered their luggage space to transport these glasses, distributing them to local educators and organizers at public viewing events. This initiative promotes safe eclipse viewing and fosters a sense of global community.
Written by Luisa Luna-Gastelum (‘25) and Carmen Marshall (‘25)
