Plastics Challenge

Clinton Heckner

Section 308

T.A.: Tiffany Grade

· Plastics That I Could Avoid

o Computer

§ It is easy not to use a computer for one day. An easy substitute is just to take notes in a notebook. However, to avoid using a computer for more than one day would be hard. E-mails would begin to pile up. Just not using my computer for one day I had 21 emails that I had to go through the next day

o Toothbrush

§ Instead of using a toothbrush I chewed gum today. I could not do this for more than one day in a row, it would be too disgusting

o Cell phone

§ My cell phone was easy to avoid for one day. I had a few new texts and voice mails the next day. Similar to my computer, it would be near impossible to communicate without my cell phone or computer and it was for today

o Transportation

§ I walked between classes which I usually do, but I occasionally take the bus or ride my moped. Both have plastic components to them

o Television

§ I did not watch tv. I am used to watching the news in the morning so this would be an major inconvenience after a while

o Ipod

§ I could not use my ipod today. I enjoy listening to my ipod while walking between classes so this would also be an inconvenience over the long term

o Alarm Clock

§ I had my roommate wake me up. This wouldn’t be practical in the long term because on most days, our schedules differ

· Plastics Too Hard To Avoid

o UW Card

§ I live in housing, so I used my plastic UW card to purchase my food

o Plastic ware

§ I ate housing food so I used a plastic tray and cup

o Shoes

§ My shoestrings have plastic on the tips and I had to wear my shoes

o Blinds

§ The blinds in my room are made of plastic. Instead I could get blinds made from cloth

o Light Switch

§ To turn on the light in my room I had to use the light switch

o Clothes

§ I hang my clothes on plastic hangars. This could be avoided if I had all metal hangars

o Folders/Binders

§ I keep my schoolwork in folders and binders so this couldn’t be avoided unless I maybe got a leather bound binder or paper folders

o Shower Curtain

§ My shower curtain is made out of plastic so I could not avoid this

o Shampoo

§ My shampoo comes in plastic bottles. As far as I know, all shampoo comes in plastic bottles, so this would be hard to avoid

o Pencils/Pens

§ My pencils and pens are made out plastic and I had to use these to take notes. I suppose I could get a wooden pencil, but then many pencil sharpeners have plastic

· Conclusions

o Some plastics may be easy to avoid for a day or too, but in the long run, it would prove difficult to communicate and perform normal daily functions. We live in an economy of plastics, without them, it is very hard to sustain a normal American life.