What an experience! I loved knowing how many of us paused our daily lives to stare up at the sky and watch the moon move across the sun, all at the same time. And I love hearing your eclipse stories, so please keep sharing them!
Now that the eclipse is over (and the next one is going to be barely visible because it's a partial eclipse that will happen around sunrise in 2025), have you wondered what to do with your glasses?
The paper can be recycled, but the lenses need to go to the landfill.
OR
You can donate your glasses to children in different parts of the world in viewing areas of the next solar eclipses!
Astronomers Without Borders and Eclipse Glasses USA are two organizations collecting used eclipse glasses to be distributed to students in different parts of the world. You can send your glasses to either organization (inspect them for damage first - damaged glasses can't be reused. If you would use them yourself or give them to your children, they're likely safe for reuse).
To make it easier for you to donate (and to save all the extra envelopes), we're collecting used glasses here at the shop. Drop them off anytime during our regular open hours through the end of April, or if you come by when we're not open, you'll see a bag on our door where you can drop them off.
We'll send them all together to Eclipse Glasses USA
UPDATE: As of mid April, they are putting a hold on collecting glasses. This is because so many of us across the country saved our glasses to be reused! They've actually run out of storage space. This is amazing! They've requested that collectors (such as us) hold onto the glasses until further notice. We will still be sending them and they will still be reused, as soon as they have capacity to receive more. Until then, if you meant to drop off your glasses and thought you ran out of time, bring them by! We'll be collecting until further notice.