Everyone has the urge to panic when they first see a chip in their windscreen, thinking they will have to get the whole thing replaced. However, these days, scratches and dents can easily be repaired instead, which not only keeps costs down for the driver, but also has a big impact on the environment. 

The problem of glass waste is getting worse, despite it being 100 per cent recyclable. In the US, for instance, ten million metric tons are thrown away in the bin, resulting in only one-third being recycled. 

While Europe has a much higher 90 per cent recyclable rate for glass, it takes a lot of energy to reuse glass. Therefore, the nine million windshields that are replaced on the continent every year, which amounts to 225 million pounds, uses up a lot of environmental resources.

This includes carbon dioxide output during the transportation of glass, and the energy used in glass manufacturing and recycling. 

It takes 15.2 million BTUs of energy to create one ton of glass, which itself produces 385 pounds of mining waste and 28 pounds of air pollutants. 

Therefore, it is not surprising to hear that the most eco-friendly thing to do when it comes to windshield chips is repair them rather than replace them. 

This would reduce a huge amount of windscreens having to be removed, transported, and recycled, lowering the impact on climate change. 

As a result, Brits can do their bit to stop the world temperature increasing, storms becoming more severe, droughts occurring more frequently, ocean levels rising, lots of animal species being lost, food shortages, poverty and displacement for many communities, and a rise in health risks.