Chances are you have a few empties lying around this après-holiday season. If you already recycle your bottles regularly, that's terrific! If you’re not quite there yet—if you’re still throwing wine bottles and empty jam jars into the landfill trash, or if you’re not sure where to begin—please read on.

What’s not to love about glass? It’s not petroleum-derived, it doesn’t leach unwanted and potentially harmful chemicals into your food, and, unlike plastic and paper, it can be recycled infinitely. A glass containing your beverage today could be the glass containing your spaghetti sauce tomorrow. While only a quarter of glass containers are recycled each year, nearly 90% of what’s collected is remade into new containers, according to the EPA.

Recycling glass significantly reduces resource demands and avoids both landfill costs and expansion. For every ton of glass that is recycled, over a ton of natural resources are saved. Recycling glass even saves energy—recycling just one bottle saves enough to run your computer for 30 minutes (that’s 400 watt hours)!

Recycled glass can be turned back into glass bottles or used for other items, including jewelry, fiberglass insulation, kitchen counters, and even to stem beach erosion.

If you live in a state where glass beverage containers have a redemption value, recycling glass can even be a source of extra cash. Enlist your kids to collect and recycle glass bottles as a way of earning spending money.