April 10, 2024
THOMAS CORDY/THE PALM BEACH POST; USA TODAY NETWORK
Those with eclipse glasses can donate them to countries that will experience an eclipse in the near future.
While Monday's cloudy skies might have made solar eclipse glasses seem useless, environmentalists are urging you not to let them go to waste.
Organizations are encouraging people to keep, recycle or donate their glasses, and here are a few places in the Philly area that will happily take them off your hands.
Good Buy Supply at 1737 East Passyunk Avenue in South Philly will accept glasses until the end of April and send them to Eclipse Glasses USA, which will ship them to students in Chile and Argentina who will experience an annular solar eclipse on Oct. 2.
If you can't make it to Good Buy Supply, you can ship your glasses directly to Eclipse Glasses USA at P.O. Box 50571, Provo, Utah, 84605.
Astronomers Without Borders is partnering with businesses, governments and other organizations to send glasses to educators and students around the world. A growing list of collection partners includes Koshland Integrated Natural Sciences Center at Haverford College.
The nonprofit has also teamed up with Warby Parker, which will take eclipse glasses until April 30. There are retail locations on 1523 Walnut Street in Philly, Suburban Square in Ardmore and Cherry Hill Mall in New Jersey.
Residents should also check with their local governments. Newtown Township in Delaware County has a collection box in its Township Building lobby until April 28, when the glasses will go to a recycling facility.
Should you choose to recycle your glasses instead, cut out and discard the lenses, as they are not recyclable like the cardboard.
Otherwise, you can always just hold onto your glasses for the next eclipse. As long as they are free of any damage, scratches or punctures — eclipse glasses don't expire. But unless you plan to travel to another country, it'll be a long wait as the next total solar eclipse in the United States will be in 2044.
