It is great to know that WVB cares about local produce so why not be part of recycling process. Surely they do purchase glass bottles from a manufacturer, so why not buying back the bottles from customers or charging less for the ale when they provide empty bottles?
I have found that Coca-Cola's new bottle design axed carbon emission by 2,200 tones, by making the bottle 20%lighter and slightly shorter; and 37% of their glass is recyclable. They also encourage their consumers to recycle cans and bottles and they have set up Recycle Zones around UK.
Similarly Fetzer Vineyards (in California, but also they have an European wine line) company is a true pioneer in implementing sustainable practices mostly by making the glass thinner and removing the 'punt'—that inward protrusion of glass at the base of most wine bottles. They're also starting to use labels made from 100 percent recycled paper and printed with soy ink. According to Fetzer: "... the new bottles use 16 percent (more than 2,100 tons) less glass, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions throughout the supply chain by 14 percent, or 3,000 tons of CO2—equivalent to planting 70,000 trees and growing them for ten year." (http://planetgreen.discovery.com/food-health/fetzer-vineyards-redesigned-bottles.html)
I know that there is no comparassion with WVB but the point is that to act globally we need to act locally first. And we as designers are playing a big part in it!
...and on a happy notes and thinking of coming Christmas, carrying lighter bottles of beer or wine home would be an advantage :)
