environmental science 19

Did you know that Americans throw out 694 plastic bottles per second? That’s 60 million per day! Furthermore, some parts of the Pacific Ocean contain six parts of plastic to one part plankton.

For this week’s class discussion, respond the following:

• Over the course of one day, make a list of all plastic that you use (such as the plastic container that your butter is in). This list should have at least 10 items on it.
• Using the chart below, document each item’s resin code.
• Explain what happens to trash long-term (do they sit in a landfill, in the ocean, etc.).
• What products are not biodegradable or which items produce the most toxins?
• Do you currently recycle in your home? If so, why or why not?
• How are wildlife affected by the plastic items you use?
• Plastic shopping bags and water bottles are filling up our landfills and polluting our planet. Give at least one alternative to each (one for the bag and one for the bottle) that could be used.