What to do with eclipse glasses now that event is over

The rare solar eclipse that captivated the country has come and gone.

There will be other eclipses in the near future, but not as rare as the one on Monday.

Now, instead of people rushing to buy glasses, they are now wondering what to do with them now that the next total solar eclipse won’t occur until 2044.

Unless you want to hang on to them for two decades, the best advice is to not throw them away.

• Your AMAZING eclipse photos shared on Click2Pins
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There is still good use for them even with the eclipse over with, as explained in this article on KSAT in San Antonio written by Rebecca Salinas.

Glasses that are damaged should not be used again, but if your glasses are punctured, scratched or torn, you can remove the lenses and recycle the cardboard or paper frames.

If your glasses are safe for future use, consider donating them to organizations that send pairs to students and educators in other countries.

One organization, Astronomers Without Borders, collects used glasses and sends them to people who may not otherwise be able to safely view eclipses.

See below for more information on ways to donate your eclipse glasses.

• Astronomers Without Borders: The nonprofit organization sends used solar eclipse glasses to educators and students who may not otherwise have a safe way to view an eclipse directly. The organization said during the 2017 eclipse, millions of glasses were donated and a few hundred thousand were deemed usable. Those were then sent to people in South America, Asia, Africa and South America. The organization is asking watch party organizers to join its recycling program by becoming a collection and vetting hub. For more information, click here.
• Eclipse Glasses USA: The company’s give-back program collects used but undamaged glasses to send to schools in Latin America. The glasses can be shipped to Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC, PO Box 50571, Provo, UT 84605 by Aug. 1. Click here for more information.
• Warby Parker: If you are near a Warby Parker location and your glasses are still in usable condition, meaning they are not bent or scratched, you can drop them off at any store until April 30. The eyeglasses retailer said it will send the pairs to Astronomers Without Borders.