Garbage Golf (Humanities)
For the Humanities portion of this project, my class wrote two major pieces: our Annotated Bibliographies, and our Solution Letters about a waste product that we researched. For the Annotated Bibliography, we researched a specific waste topic (the problem, solution, and making of it), found at least eight pages of written articles about it, annotated the articles, and wrote about the articles. The Solution Letter was a letter written to a company who uses our waste topic, urging them to use a more eco-friendly version of it. We also wrote many reflections about the beginning of the project, end of the project, field trip to the Miramar Landfill, and trash analysis for home and school. My group's waste product was plastic utensils.
Project Introduction
Before the project, my understanding of the garbage industry was very slim: Products are used, trash is thrown in the trash bin, taken away by the garbage man, and thrown into a landfill. The concept of landfills was always a bit annoying to me, as it’s essentially just dumping our trash in a hole. I hadn’t realized the extent of their pollution until this project, though. When I realized what we were doing for this project, I was very happy because I thought I would be able to learn about what really happens to trash, and I did. Learning that we would be able to write letters to a company about a waste problem was great too. I really thought it would be great to actually write and send a letter that might make a difference.
Trash Analysis Reflection
In my home trash analysis, something that struck me was the amount of paper towels and napkins we use as a family. I knew my family was relatively good about recycling recyclable items, but I guess it didn’t occur to them that napkins are paper, and therefore recyclable. Something I was wondering when looking at my data for this activity was: Are items (like paper plates, napkins, etc.) recyclable if they have food/non-recyclable gunk on them? I was also wondering if my family is really recycling everything we can, and how to make that happen if it isn’t already.
In the school trash analysis, something I noticed was the amount of recyclable items in the trash can. There were big pieces of paper, cardboard, paper plates, etc. I also found a few (eight) plastic utensils, which is my group’s item that we are researching. It was the second most thrown away item that my group saw. After doing the school trash analysis, I am wondering how our school can limit the amount of trash that we produce. I feel like the project that we are doing, especially generating ideas on how to fix the problems with trash, are really going to help soften the blow from this issue. When we go on our field trip to the landfill, I plan to ask the Waste Management representative if plastic utensils are recyclable, and if they aren’t, what kinds are?
Miramar Landfill Reflection
My favorite photo that I took at the Miramar Landfill was one that was supposed to symbolize hope of recycling more than we do now. The picture is of one of the metal recycling bins (bins to recycle metal) outside of the landfill. The barren background of the desert really helped in showing the dead landscape of the landfill. During the field trip, I realized that, for one, more than half of the garbage in the landfill was easily recyclable. The landfill workers can’t go through it either, because it is a health hazard. All of the recyclables just end up being buried. Also, the degrading garbage produces methane, which helps power the nearby marine base. This field trip will help the project because it opened my eyes to not only all of the issues of landfills, but also the pluses.
Personal Reflection
Some changes that I’d like to make in my household based on what we learned in the project are buying products with less packaging and not using as many non-recyclable products. Waste relates very directly to consumption because almost every product in stores (and not in stores) has at least some packaging on it, which is almost always thrown away. Knowing the effect that all of the packaging has on the environment is making me think more about what I buy, and what I throw away. When it comes to trash and waste, I’m still wondering what kinds of plastics are actually recyclable, and if the recycling symbol is missing/not included in some products. Something that I fear in relation to trash and waste is that, in the future, people will be even worse about recycling, and buying recyclable products.
Before the project, my understanding of the garbage industry was very slim: Products are used, trash is thrown in the trash bin, taken away by the garbage man, and thrown into a landfill. The concept of landfills was always a bit annoying to me, as it’s essentially just dumping our trash in a hole. I hadn’t realized the extent of their pollution until this project, though. When I realized what we were doing for this project, I was very happy because I thought I would be able to learn about what really happens to trash, and I did. Learning that we would be able to write letters to a company about a waste problem was great too. I really thought it would be great to actually write and send a letter that might make a difference.
Trash Analysis Reflection
In my home trash analysis, something that struck me was the amount of paper towels and napkins we use as a family. I knew my family was relatively good about recycling recyclable items, but I guess it didn’t occur to them that napkins are paper, and therefore recyclable. Something I was wondering when looking at my data for this activity was: Are items (like paper plates, napkins, etc.) recyclable if they have food/non-recyclable gunk on them? I was also wondering if my family is really recycling everything we can, and how to make that happen if it isn’t already.
In the school trash analysis, something I noticed was the amount of recyclable items in the trash can. There were big pieces of paper, cardboard, paper plates, etc. I also found a few (eight) plastic utensils, which is my group’s item that we are researching. It was the second most thrown away item that my group saw. After doing the school trash analysis, I am wondering how our school can limit the amount of trash that we produce. I feel like the project that we are doing, especially generating ideas on how to fix the problems with trash, are really going to help soften the blow from this issue. When we go on our field trip to the landfill, I plan to ask the Waste Management representative if plastic utensils are recyclable, and if they aren’t, what kinds are?
Miramar Landfill Reflection
My favorite photo that I took at the Miramar Landfill was one that was supposed to symbolize hope of recycling more than we do now. The picture is of one of the metal recycling bins (bins to recycle metal) outside of the landfill. The barren background of the desert really helped in showing the dead landscape of the landfill. During the field trip, I realized that, for one, more than half of the garbage in the landfill was easily recyclable. The landfill workers can’t go through it either, because it is a health hazard. All of the recyclables just end up being buried. Also, the degrading garbage produces methane, which helps power the nearby marine base. This field trip will help the project because it opened my eyes to not only all of the issues of landfills, but also the pluses.
Personal Reflection
Some changes that I’d like to make in my household based on what we learned in the project are buying products with less packaging and not using as many non-recyclable products. Waste relates very directly to consumption because almost every product in stores (and not in stores) has at least some packaging on it, which is almost always thrown away. Knowing the effect that all of the packaging has on the environment is making me think more about what I buy, and what I throw away. When it comes to trash and waste, I’m still wondering what kinds of plastics are actually recyclable, and if the recycling symbol is missing/not included in some products. Something that I fear in relation to trash and waste is that, in the future, people will be even worse about recycling, and buying recyclable products.
Annotated Bibliography
Bernier, A. (2011, Fall). A Life Cycle Analysis: A Plastic Fork. Sustainability. Retrived October 23, 2013, from https://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/sustainability/a-life-cycle-analysis-a-plastic-fork
This article talks about the life cycle of the plastic utensil, from the gathering of the materials to the disposal. It also goes into the history, and environmental impact from these utensils. This article will help me further understand the way plastic utensils are made, used, and disposed of. It was very helpful, as it went into great detail about the materials and impact that those materials have on the environment. This article will affect the project because it made me much more aware of exactly what is put into a plastic utensil, and how mining for one resource can affect so much more than it seems. Just mining for the oil necessary to create these utensils can be devastating to entire ecosystems.
Spork. madehow.com. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Spork.html#b
This article is also about the life cycle of a plastic utensil, however, this article goes into more details about the production, and history of utensils (plastic or otherwise). The article will help my paper because it talked more about the production of my product. The article will affect the project because, with it, I will know a lot more about the production process of plastic utensils. I also know a lot more about the history of cutlery, though I probably won’t use that as much in the project. Overall, however, this was a very helpful source, if nothing else, confirm the production process details in the previous source.
Disposable Lunch Facts-Items Carried in Work and School Lunches. reuseit.com. Retrieved November 4th, 2013, from http://www.reuseit.com/facts-and-myths/disposable-lunch-facts-items-carried-in-work-and-school-lunches.htm
Although this website article is trying to get you to buy their reusable product, it was very interesting. It first talked about the problem with plastics, then a bit about the impact on the environment, then lastly some possible solutions to the problem. The problem and impact sections were very much like the problem and impact of the previous two sources, just more general in the actual item. The solution, however, was new (although it was also not specific to plastic utensils). The gist of it was that, “The solution is to embrace a cultural shift away from use-and-toss mentality.” The article also gave a few more specific examples of solutions, like not using plastic water bottles, or using reusable shopping bags. The article was overall sort of helpful. It didn’t introduce very much information that the previous sources hadn’t said, but it put a good solution into words, and gave a few examples of that solution.
Bernier, A. (2011, Fall). A Life Cycle Analysis: A Plastic Fork. Sustainability. Retrived October 23, 2013, from https://sites.google.com/a/pvlearners.net/sustainability/a-life-cycle-analysis-a-plastic-fork
This article talks about the life cycle of the plastic utensil, from the gathering of the materials to the disposal. It also goes into the history, and environmental impact from these utensils. This article will help me further understand the way plastic utensils are made, used, and disposed of. It was very helpful, as it went into great detail about the materials and impact that those materials have on the environment. This article will affect the project because it made me much more aware of exactly what is put into a plastic utensil, and how mining for one resource can affect so much more than it seems. Just mining for the oil necessary to create these utensils can be devastating to entire ecosystems.
Spork. madehow.com. Retrieved October 23, 2013, from http://www.madehow.com/Volume-7/Spork.html#b
This article is also about the life cycle of a plastic utensil, however, this article goes into more details about the production, and history of utensils (plastic or otherwise). The article will help my paper because it talked more about the production of my product. The article will affect the project because, with it, I will know a lot more about the production process of plastic utensils. I also know a lot more about the history of cutlery, though I probably won’t use that as much in the project. Overall, however, this was a very helpful source, if nothing else, confirm the production process details in the previous source.
Disposable Lunch Facts-Items Carried in Work and School Lunches. reuseit.com. Retrieved November 4th, 2013, from http://www.reuseit.com/facts-and-myths/disposable-lunch-facts-items-carried-in-work-and-school-lunches.htm
Although this website article is trying to get you to buy their reusable product, it was very interesting. It first talked about the problem with plastics, then a bit about the impact on the environment, then lastly some possible solutions to the problem. The problem and impact sections were very much like the problem and impact of the previous two sources, just more general in the actual item. The solution, however, was new (although it was also not specific to plastic utensils). The gist of it was that, “The solution is to embrace a cultural shift away from use-and-toss mentality.” The article also gave a few more specific examples of solutions, like not using plastic water bottles, or using reusable shopping bags. The article was overall sort of helpful. It didn’t introduce very much information that the previous sources hadn’t said, but it put a good solution into words, and gave a few examples of that solution.
Kirsten E. Zornado
1420 West San Marcos Boulevard San Marcos, CA 92078
1420 West San Marcos Boulevard San Marcos, CA 92078
Keri Martinez
Owner, FroYo Love
3480 Marron Rd.
Oceanside, CA 92056
Greetings Ms. Martinez,
Hello, my name is Kirsten Zornado, and I’m not only a 9th grader at High Tech High North County, I’m also a buyer of your product. I am writing to you to give you an idea of the problems introduced by plastic utensils, and plastic in general. Worldcentric.org claims that in our country alone, an estimate of 40 billion plastic utensils are used per year. At 0.184 oz. per spoon, that’s roughly 460,000,000 pounds of preventable toxins in our landfills. This number is staggering on its own, but is even worse knowing the terrible effects these utensils can have on the environment. What’s worse, they can’t even be recycled! For these reasons, I ask that you replace all of the spoons in your restaurants to compostable ones.
Because of the mix of plastics, most plastic utensils are not accepted at recycling plants. Biodegradable utensils can be taken to any composting plant to be reused. They degrade much faster than their plastic counterpart and don’t use the world’s most valuable non-renewable resource: petroleum. Normal plastic utensils can take up to 100 years to degrade, and they let out noxious greenhouse gases like methane all the while. Even mining for the materials necessary to make these utensils is terrible for the environment. Mining for the petroleum oil, used to make plastic, has caused things like the BP oil spill of 2010, and killed hundreds of thousands of sea creatures.
You are in a position to make a difference by giving out biodegradable utensils rather than plastic ones. Below I have included two websites that you can order biodegradable cutlery from. Although they may be more expensive, they are so much better for our environment, and give you and your company an opportunity to gain money. You can advertise your business as being an eco-friendly company, gaining more possible customers who support being green.
http://www.mrtakeoutbags.com/product/biodegradable-cutlery-flatware/cpla-003-bulk.html
http://www.biodegradablestore.com/7_inch_spoon-plant_starch_cutlery.html
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and please, consider my request with an open mind. If you have any questions, you can contact me by e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Kirsten E. Zornado
9th grade
High Tech High North County
Owner, FroYo Love
3480 Marron Rd.
Oceanside, CA 92056
Greetings Ms. Martinez,
Hello, my name is Kirsten Zornado, and I’m not only a 9th grader at High Tech High North County, I’m also a buyer of your product. I am writing to you to give you an idea of the problems introduced by plastic utensils, and plastic in general. Worldcentric.org claims that in our country alone, an estimate of 40 billion plastic utensils are used per year. At 0.184 oz. per spoon, that’s roughly 460,000,000 pounds of preventable toxins in our landfills. This number is staggering on its own, but is even worse knowing the terrible effects these utensils can have on the environment. What’s worse, they can’t even be recycled! For these reasons, I ask that you replace all of the spoons in your restaurants to compostable ones.
Because of the mix of plastics, most plastic utensils are not accepted at recycling plants. Biodegradable utensils can be taken to any composting plant to be reused. They degrade much faster than their plastic counterpart and don’t use the world’s most valuable non-renewable resource: petroleum. Normal plastic utensils can take up to 100 years to degrade, and they let out noxious greenhouse gases like methane all the while. Even mining for the materials necessary to make these utensils is terrible for the environment. Mining for the petroleum oil, used to make plastic, has caused things like the BP oil spill of 2010, and killed hundreds of thousands of sea creatures.
You are in a position to make a difference by giving out biodegradable utensils rather than plastic ones. Below I have included two websites that you can order biodegradable cutlery from. Although they may be more expensive, they are so much better for our environment, and give you and your company an opportunity to gain money. You can advertise your business as being an eco-friendly company, gaining more possible customers who support being green.
http://www.mrtakeoutbags.com/product/biodegradable-cutlery-flatware/cpla-003-bulk.html
http://www.biodegradablestore.com/7_inch_spoon-plant_starch_cutlery.html
Thank you for taking the time to read my letter, and please, consider my request with an open mind. If you have any questions, you can contact me by e-mail at [email protected].
Sincerely,
Kirsten E. Zornado
9th grade
High Tech High North County