eclipse glasses.

psst: pass 'em on.

I derive an absurd amount of pleasure from taking something that’s no longer of use to me and passing it along to someone else. (Ditto the reverse.)

As the magic of this week’s eclipse lingers in our hearts and souls, and hopefully not too much, our retinas, many of us might have a pair or three of eclipse glasses also hanging around. If the filters of the glasses aren’t scratched or punctured or otherwise compromised, the glasses can be used indefinitely. Saving them for the next total eclipse is a viable option if you plan to keep track of them for the next 20 years or so, but you can also pass them along to other folks gearing up for celestial events happening much sooner.

Astronomers Without Borders maintains a big list of partnering organizations and businesses collecting eclipse glasses for future use, among them more than 240 Warby Parker Stores across the country. (Drop off by 4/30 and WB will send your glasses off for you.)

If you have a few extra dollars to contribute, AWB is also raising funds to continue their work (they collected 2 million eclipse glasses after the 2017 eclipse in North America!); especially in advance of the total eclipse happening in Northern Africa and Middle East in 2027.

Here in Brooklyn, Big Reuse is collecting glasses in preparation to send them to Latin America by August 1, in time for the summer 2024 eclipse.

And you can also send glasses directly yourself, attn:

Eclipse Glasses USA, LLC
PO BOX 50571
Provo, UT 84605

More of all this, please!