Description Students will sign up for the free version of canva at the Canva.com website. The goal ...
Description Students will sign up for the free version of canva at the Canva.com website. The goal of this project is to make a trifold pamphlet that will inform others about your environmental issue. Once you sign up for canva, search for "trifold pamphlet" in the search bar. This will provide a handful of pamplet designs that are already organized into a trifold. You may need to adjust some of these pamphlets by adding text and will also have to add relevant pictures. Use your outline to fill the pamphlet with information on your topic and promote possible solutions. First make sure that your selected pamphlet is two pages. In the 6 columns include the following (any order that looks good to you is fine): 1. Title page: Title, your name, class, relevant photo 2. Introduction + Background Information 3. How has the problem emerged + Major Impacts 4. Environment Pillar of Sustainabilit 5. Economics + Social Pillar of Sustainability 6. Solutions/Conclusions/Future Projections Include 2-3 small photos throughout the pamphlet. You may put your references on a separate document or additional page if you need more room to fit them. Once you are finished download the pamphlet as a pdf and submit.https://holyfamily.instructure.com/courses/27592/files/4572883?wrap=1 UNFORMATTED ATTACHMENT PREVIEW Alexis Ryan Topic: One Use Plastics 3/10/25 I. Introduction A. One use plastics are man-made substances that do not occur naturally on our planet. Because of their unnatural form, the Earth itself is ill-equipped to break down this abnormality and return these substances back into the earth. Therefore, plastic persists on our planet and causes disruptions to ecosystems thus making plastic a convenience device that is proving to have compounding negative effects to our planet. What’s your topic? Why is it important and why should it be addressed? 1. ? source: (Stuart, 2019), (Woldemar, 2019) B. Plastic was first created by chemist Leo Baekeland in 1907. However, it was the 1970’s when plastic use exploded. Traditional glass and paper packaging started rapidly being replaced by plastic for its durability and cost effectiveness. Thus the convenient, throw away culture was born. Provide relevant background information 1. ? source: (Rhodes, 2018), (EPA, 2024) C. Single use plastics were born out of convenience. Humanities' need for packaging, storing, and transporting items in light-weight containers made living easier for people. However, once we have the plastic, we don’t manage its waste well. Approximately, “8.4% of waste plastics are successfully recycled, 75.8% are landfilled, and 15.8% are incinerated” (Chea et al. 2023). How has this problem emerged? 1. ? source:(Chea et al. 2023), (Woldemar, 2019) D. One-use-plastics pollute our planet's land and waterways as well as being a direct detriment to human health as well as other organisms. Plastics “physically break into smaller particles in marine environments, whereby they enter into food chains” (Stuart, 2019). Those “tiny pieces of plastic have been found in tap and bottled water, in salt, beer and honey, in oysters, clams, mussels, crabs, lobsters, and even inside us”. What are some of the major impacts associated with this issue? 1. ? source:(United Nations 2022), (Stuart, 2019) E. Plastic pollution is a GLOBAL problem. An “estimate that of the 8.3 billion tons (Bt)of plastics produced from 1950 to 2015, 5.7 Bt were waste, 4.9 Bt of which were discarded into landfills or the natural environment, such as oceans and waterways ”. (Stuart, 2019). Over the past 20 years the manufacturing of plastic has doubled. Currently, the world is not dealing with the overproduction of plastic. Although international conversations are starting with countries, there is a desperate need for firm policies to end the overuse of plastic world wide. What is the current status? 1. ? source: (Stuart, 2019), (EPA, 2024) II. Pillar of Sustainability - Environment A. Although plastics have impacted land and freshwater ecosystems, marine ecosystems have been hit the hardest. What ecosystem is most affected by your issue? 1. ? source: (NOAA, 2023), (Woldemar, 2019) B. Plastic is littering marine coastlines worldwide and marine life is being harmed as they are entangled in plastic and unfortunately consume it as well. “Kuhn and van Franeker found that over 700 species, including seabirds, fish, turtles, and marine mammals, have been confirmed to eat plastic.” (NOAA, 2023). How/Why is the ecosystem affected? 1. ? source: (NOAA, 2023), (Woldemar, 2019) III. Pillar of Sustainability - Economics A. The state of New Jersey has passed a law that states “ retail stores, grocery stores and food service businesses may not provide or sell single-use plastic carryout bags and polystyrene foam food service products.” (NJDEP, 2022). Additionally, The United Nations is currently writing a global treaty for the world to curb its plastic usage and production. Are there any regulations in place affecting your issue? 1. ? source: (United Nations, 2022) , (NJDEP, 2022), (Rhodes, 2018) B. “Plastics have the advantage of a high strength-to-weight ratio, allowing minimal material usage (and low cost) in packaging design” (Andrady & Neal, 2019) . This “minimal material usage” also leads to lower transportation costs. Ultimately, the consumer pays less for the product as compared to products shipped in glass or other heavier options. How are economics and money tied to your issue? 1. ? source: (Andrady & Neal, 2019), (Rhodes, 2018) C. Plastics make life easier by providing inexpensive ways of packaging products. “Plastics support the long supply chains of the modern food system by preserving food, extending transportation time and shelf life, and enabling the mass production and long-range distribution of foodstuffs” (Yates & ela., 2025). Thus providing an ease to living conditions everywhere. How does your issue affect human standards of living, poverty, etc? 1. ? source: (Yates & ela., 2025), (Andrady & Neal, 2019) IV. Pillar of Sustainability - Social/Human A. Humans demand a convenient and easy life. Plastics answer the call. Human demand for plastic products drives the massive manufacturing output of one-use-plastics. Yet, at the same time, the aftermath of plastics pollute the environment that we live in. How do humans cause or are influenced by your issue? 1. ? source: (Rhodes, 2018), (Stuart 2019) B. Although plastics are seen as a convenience, a way of life for humans, we need to be aware of the harm that plastics are really doing to us. According to the United Nations “exposure to plastics can harm human health, potentially affecting fertility, hormonal, metabolic and neurological activity” (United Nations 2022). How does your issue affect human health, happiness, or education? 1. ? source: (United Nations 2022), (Yates & ela., 2025) C. Poorer countries feel the impact of plastic pollution more than other countries. “Developed economies with regulations that encourage it have recycling rates around 30%. On the other hand, developing economies with a minimal industrial base have recycling rates close to 0%. (Woldemar, 2019) Are there any environmental justice issues related to your topic? (for example access to clean water, loss of land, etc) 1. ? source: (Woldemar, 2019), (EPA, 2024) V. Potential Solutions A. Environment: “Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose” (United Nations, 2021). That’s way too long to have plastic pollution cluttering the planet. A possible solution would be to perfect the production of biodegradable plastics that would break down within months instead of years. Economics: To keep containers inexpensive so prices don’t rise for the consumer. I would employ more recycling. Allow the consumer to turn in the container their product came in for a reimbursement. This would keep costs down for the consumer. Additionally, society needs to perfect recycling. Most “consumers do not know what can and can't be recycled, so they throw everything away or miscategorize recyclable materials.” (Huun, 2022). This leads to increased expenses at the recycling plant. Social/Human: Society needs to change their mindset about convenience items. If we raise the new generations from the beginning, that items are to be reused, not thrown away, the future generations will just see reusing items as a normal process. The EPA has proposed a plan to “Develop and make available a set of common recycling messages on nationally-significant issues (e.g. plastic film/bags), and increase awareness on how to recycle correctly”. (EPA, 2025) Propose a solution that would improve each of the pillars (so three solutions) 1. ? source: (United Nations, 2021), (Huun, 2022), (EPA, 2025) VI. Conclusion A. Perfecting recycling would be the best solution to our one use plastic problem. The EPA has committed to developing “a holistic, modern and adaptable national recycling infrastructure that embraces innovation and is resilient to changes in material streams” (EPA, 2025) Our local recycling service, Waste Management, has said on their website that they are also investing in their infrastructure at their recycling plant in an effort to better the efficiency of their equipment. Improving upon current recycling methods will make a positive impact on our planet’s future. Identify which solution is the most feasible and explain why 1. ? source: (EPA, 2025), (Woldemar, 2019) B. Humanity will rise to the occasion and improve upon their abuse of one-use plastics. I believe future generations will become more conscious of the misuse of plastics and work to improve upon its presence on our planet. Many agencies like the EPA, United Nations, and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are using their effort to improve recycling education, increase processing efficiency, improve markets, and create global collaboration to end one-use-plastic pollution. (EPA, 2025) Make a projection about your issue and how it will change or stay the same into the future. 1. ? source: (United Nations, 2022), (EPA, 2025) Resource List: 1. Stuart, B. (2019, June). Understanding plastics pollution: The role of economic development and technological research. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119306505?via%3Dihub #aep-article-footnote-id7 (Peer Reviewed) This is an important resource because it focuses on the economics of manufacturing plastic. Additionally it is peer reviewed reassuring me that the information is approved by other scholars in the field. 2. NOAA. (2023, February, 07). Why is Marine Debris a Problem? https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion This article gave me information on how marine ecosystems are affected by one-useplastics. 3. Yates, J., ela. (2025, March, 06). Plastics matter in the food system. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11885153/ I can apply this article to how plastics influence human standards of living. 4. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (2022, May, 4). https://dep.nj.gov/get-pastplastic/#:~:text=Get%20Past%3A%20Single%2Duse%20Carryout,single%2Duse%20pla stic%20carryout%20bags. This site talks about the regulations that the state of New Jersey has in place regarding one-use-plastics. 5. Huun K. (2022, February, 04). Challenges in recycling. https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2022/02/04/challenges-recycling This article may offer solutions as to how to improve recycling of plastics. 6. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. (2024, November, 11). Plastics: Material Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plasticsmaterial-specific-data 7. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. (14, February, 2025). National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/national-strategy-prevent-plasticpollution 8. Chea J. et al. (5, January, 2023). A generic scenario analysis of end-of-life plastic management: Chemical additives. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125005/#ABS1 9. Andrady A., Neal M.(2019, July, 27). Applications and societal benefits of plastics. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2873019/#s8 10. Woldemar, A. (2019). Plastics recycling worldwide: current overview and desirable changes. https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/5102 11. Rhodes, C. (2018, September, 01). Plastic Pollution and Potential Solutions. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10365157/ 12. United Nations. (2021, June). In Images: Plastic is Forever. https://www.un.org/en/exhibits/exhibit/in-images-plasticforever#:~:text=Plastic%20waste%20can%20take%20anywhere,in%20the%20la st%2013%20years. 13. United Nations. (2022, March, 02). Historic Day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/historic-day-campaign-beat-plasticpollution-nations-commit-develop Pics for Pamphlet Fig.1. Rise in plastic waste, 1960-2018. Graph from Plastics material specific data. EPA. 21, Nov 2024. Fig 2. Choose reusables: our children’s fight, The United States of America Photo by: Jacqueline Elbing-Omania. United Nations. June, 2021. Fig 3. Sea Turtle entangled in ghost net. Photo by: Francis Perez. Ocean Champions. 22, March 2018. Fig 4. Neighborhood plastic. Photo by Alexis Ryan. 26, March 2025. Fig 5. Plastic waste at the beach in Panama. Photo by Luis Acosta. 23, April, 2024. Fig 6. One week of plastic trash. Photo by Carolina Gazal. CNN Underscored. 21, April, 2025 Alexis Ryan Topic: One Use Plastics Resource List: 1. Stuart, B. (2019, June). Understanding plastics pollution: The role of economic development and technological research. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749119306505?via%3Dihub #aep-article-footnote-id7 (Peer Reviewed) This is an important resource because it focuses on the economics of manufacturing plastic. Additionally it is peer reviewed reassuring me that the information is approved by other scholars in the field. 2. NOAA. (2023, February, 07). Why is Marine Debris a Problem? https://marinedebris.noaa.gov/why-marine-debris-problem/ingestion This article gave me information on how marine ecosystems are affected by one-useplastics. 3. Yates, J., ela. (2025, March, 06). Plastics matter in the food system. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11885153/ I can apply this article to how plastics influence human standards of living. 4. New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. (2022, May, 4). https://dep.nj.gov/get-pastplastic/#:~:text=Get%20Past%3A%20Single%2Duse%20Carryout,single%2Duse%20pla stic%20carryout%20bags. This site talks about the regulations that the state of New Jersey has in place regarding one-use-plastics. 5. Huun K. (2022, February, 04). Challenges in recycling. https://www.colorado.edu/ecenter/2022/02/04/challenges-recycling This article may offer solutions as to how to improve recycling of plastics. 6. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. (2024, November, 11). Plastics: Material Specific Data. https://www.epa.gov/facts-and-figures-about-materials-waste-and-recycling/plasticsmaterial-specific-data 7. EPA. Environmental Protection Agency. (14, February, 2025). National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution. https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/national-strategy-prevent-plasticpollution 8. Chea J. et al. (5, January, 2023). A generic scenario analysis of end-of-life plastic management: Chemical additives. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10125005/#ABS1 9. Andrady A., Neal M.(2019, July, 27). Applications and societal benefits of plastics. National Library of Medicine. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2873019/#s8 10. Woldemar, A. (2019). Plastics recycling worldwide: current overview and desirable changes. https://journals.openedition.org/factsreports/5102 11. Rhodes, C. (2018, September, 01). Plastic Pollution and Potential Solutions. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10365157/ 12. United Nations. (2021, June). In Images: Plastic is Forever. https://www.un.org/en/exhibits/exhibit/in-images-plastic- forever#:~:text=Plastic%20waste%20can%20take%20anywhere,in%20the%20la st%2013%20years. 13. United Nations. (2022, March, 02). Historic Day in the campaign to beat plastic pollution: Nations commit to develop a legally binding agreement. https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/historic-day-campaign-beat-plasticpollution-nations-commit-develop Purchase answer to see full attachment User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.
