As a proud New Orleans native, I’ve heard for years how the city and surrounding areas are losing football fields of land to the Gulf of Mexico at rapid rates. I’ve always loved environmental science and marine biology, but I knew I wanted to express that love through fashion. At almost thirty years old, it’s heartbreaking to see so much talk about sustainability in my hometown but not much being done, then, I met Fran. Franziska Trautmann was on the other end of a Zoom class of mine for The Idea Village, and hearing her passion for eradicating coastal erosion was inspiring. I couldn’t wait to work with her. Fran is the co-founder of Glass Half Full, a grassroots company that turns recycled glass into sand and gravel that fights coastal erosion as we are living in a sand shortage. New Orleans is known for a party and has so much waste that can be repurposed for something better and Glass Half Full is really changing the game. If you live in New Orleans or surrounding areas, you can drop off your glass bottles or schedule a pickup through the company. This is HUGE because New Orleans (as well as many other cities across the country) does not offer a recycling program, and some even charge extra for the service, which, for some, in this economy, isn’t feasible, though many people want to help.

With Glass Half Full, it doesn’t stop at just glass. With this company, you can recycle your Christmas trees, and all of your glass bottles. Glass Half Full emphasizes the Mardi Gras season as a great time to prioritize city clean-up efforts. The success of Mardi Gras has traditionally been measured by how much waste and trash has been created. Seeing all that Glass Half Full is doing to truly change the narrative in the southern regions for the better. The truth is that sustainability is sexy. SUPER SEXY! When building and expanding A+P, my goal has always been to use this brand as a platform and our bikinis as a vessel to promote change for a better planet and a better world not only for us but also for the generations to come.

Be sure to support Glass Half Full and schedule a pickup from your home or business, volunteer with the GHF’s hardworking team, or confirm drop-off hours, as the process is super quick and easy!