A Problem Worth Solving
Leslie Near recognized that Nashville's hospitality and construction industries were sending enormous amounts of glass to landfills, where it would sit unchanged for a million years. Glass is infinitely recyclable, yet the infrastructure to recover it barely existed locally.
Waste Interception + Inclusive Employment
Glass Continuum was founded on two pillars: divert glass from the waste stream and create jobs for people who face systemic barriers to employment (LGBTQIA+ individuals, racial minorities, immigrants, and people with ADA needs).
Products, Partners, and Community
The operation grew to produce sustainable sand, cullet for manufacturers, and custom-colored glass aggregates for artists and landscapers. Nashville's creative community became a key partner, turning recycled glass into art installations, gardens, and more.
900+ Subscribers and Counting
With a growing subscriber community and partners across Nashville's hospitality and construction sectors, Glass Continuum continues to build a circular economy, one crushed bottle at a time.