Plastic Pollution: OWU and Beyond

Plastic Pollution: OWU and Beyond

Becca SufrinGEOG 360

Our relationship with plastic is deeply embedded within our lifestyles.

The OWU Statistics

1,900

1,600

1,800

Total Water Bottle Sales Per Month: Approximately 5,300

Marketplace (HamWill)Tompson StoreOther (The Bakery, Library Café, Bishop Café, Science Center, etc)

The OWU Statistics• HamWil

– 2 out of 9– 0 out of 2

• Beeghly Library– 1 out of 7– 3 out of 6– 1 out of 1

• Senior Housing– 4 out of 12– 5 out of 14– 6 out of 13

Production of the Plastic BottleThe Life Cycle of a Water Bottle

=

Reliance and dependence on wasteful lifestyles is perhaps the most difficult pattern to break.

What we don’t see we don’t care about.

“In the first decade of this century (2000 – 2010) we produced more plastic than all other plastic in

history up to the year 2000.”

Gyres

Nurdles“As microplastics and other trash

collect on the surface of the ocean, they block sunlight from

reaching plankton and algae below. Algae and plankton are

the most common autotrophs in the marine food web.

Autotrophs are organisms that can produce their own nutrients

from oxygen, carbon, and sunlight. If algae and plankton

communities are threatened, the entire food web may change.”

PLASTICIZED – PART 1

What are we (OWU) doing about it?

Saved Bottles:• HamWil – averages around 1250 per month

• Other stations – range from 400 – 800 depending on locationCost:

• $80 filter replacement after approximately 3,000 gallons used

PLASTICIZED – PART 2