Wine Cork Recycling

(April, 2012) Ever wonder what to do with all those used corks from your wine bottles?  Whether you drink red or white, wine cork recycling is green!  A cork may seem like nothing to just casually toss in the trash, but with an estimated 13 billion natural wine corks sold in the world each year, it seems an incredible waste not to find purposeful reclamation for this abundance of natural material.

Starting on Earth Day, April 22, 2012, Fresh Starts of Flossmoor is pleased to announce it will offer a designated drop box for recycling wine corks.  Fresh Starts will collect the corks from their wine bar and invites everyone to drop off their own corks during business hours.  Only natural corks will be accepted (no plastic corks or screw tops please).  On a regular basis corks will be donated to Irons Oaks Environmental Learning Center for use in their programming and to Corkologie of Melrose Park that creates a variety of post-consumer products.

In addition to preserving wine and allowing it to age properly natural cork is one of the world’s most sustainable products.  It’s biodegradable, recyclable and promotes the stewardship of vast cork oak forests in the Mediterranean Basin which spreads out over 6.6 million acres.  The trees are not harmed or cut down but merely harvested by hand for a portion of their bark every 9-12 years over a 250-year lifespan.  When this process is undertaken the tree doesn’t suffer and will generate new cork.  These trees are valuable CO2 sinks as well helping to offset all of the carbon produced by automobiles. 

A common misconception is that people should recycle cork stoppers because there is a “shortage” of cork. This is incorrect. In fact, there is enough cork in the regulated Mediterranean cork forest to last for another 100 years without needing to grow another tree!  We are simply diverting waste from landfill sites as there are so many other uses for this wonderful natural product.

Robert Burt, Fresh Starts Sommelier states, “This initiative will enable our patrons to help sustain cork forests, a critically important resource for the health of our planet, and to do so with near effortless local community action!”  Program organizers hope to expand the program to include all liquor shops, bars, restaurants, and country clubs throughout the greater Southland region.  For additional information or to sign up your establishment please contact program volunteer Jennifer Molski by phone at 312-804-0496 or e-mail jennifermolski@gmail.com

Since moving to the present location in 1986, Fresh Starts has evolved from a gourmet food store and carry out to an award winning full service restaurant and catering service. Nestled in historic Old Flossmoor, Illinois, Fresh Starts has a quaint, European Cafe atmosphere. The small, intimate restaurant seats up to 60 people for gourmet lunch, or an exquisite dinner. Bring your corks, savor a delicious meal and reward yourself with a wonderful glass of wine!  Visit www.freshstartsrestaurant.com