Plastic Consumption Project:

The Difference Between The Difference Between Plastic Water Bottle Usage Plastic Water Bottle Usage

and Plastic Gallon Jug and Plastic Gallon Jug Usage in Pierce’s Usage in Pierce’s

HouseholdHousehold

The Question:

How much plastic (in²) would a family of four save by switching from plastic water bottles (16.9 fl. oz.) to plastic gallon jugs in five weeks? 

MethodologyPLASTIC WATER BOTTLES:

How many plastic water bottles are in the pack?

• Look at the pack for the total amount of bottles;

How many are consumed in five weeks?

• Count up the number of plastic water bottles for five weeks;

How much plastic (in²) goes into making them?

• Figure out the amount of plastic and times it by the number of bottles in the pack;

What is the total cost for them?• Calculate the cost for the pack

times five weeks;What is the difference between

plastic/cost compared with plastic gallon jugs?

• Calculate and determine their differences;

PLASTIC GALLON JUGS:

How many plastic gallon jugs are consumed in five weeks?

• Count up the number of plastic gallon jugs for five weeks;

How much plastic (in²) goes into making them?

• Figure out the amount of plastic and times it by the number of jugs used in 5 weeks;

What is the total cost for them?• Calculate the total costs of

jugs;What is the difference between

plastic/cost compared with plastic water bottles?

• Calculate and determine their differences;

Assumptions:

1.1. Correlation between plastic and Correlation between plastic and water:water:

• If more water used, then more If more water used, then more plastic is used;plastic is used;

2.2. Correlation between water/plastic Correlation between water/plastic usage and price:usage and price:

• If more water/plastic used, the If more water/plastic used, the higher the cost;higher the cost;

Data Collection

Timeline: • 10 weeks (25 days)

Recording:• Total number of plastic water bottles &

plastic gallon jugs usage in their respective weeks;

• Total number of plastic (in²) usage for both types of bottles;

• The sum/difference of their plastic usage;• The sum/difference of their overall cost;

Data Collection Errors

1.1. NegligenceNegligence– Forgot to count all water bottles/jugs for the Forgot to count all water bottles/jugs for the

week;week;– Consequently, total number of water bottles/jugs Consequently, total number of water bottles/jugs

is approximate;is approximate;2.2. Unaccountable Water Bottles/Jugs:Unaccountable Water Bottles/Jugs:

– Water bottles/jugs that people have brought in Water bottles/jugs that people have brought in from the outside;from the outside;

– Consequently, overestimation, therefore, Consequently, overestimation, therefore, imprecise resultsimprecise results

3.3. Water bottles/jugs left over from previous weeks Water bottles/jugs left over from previous weeks that are ignorantly recounted;that are ignorantly recounted;

4.4. Measurements of water bottles/jugs are fairly closeMeasurements of water bottles/jugs are fairly close– Consequently, in inexact plastic usage;Consequently, in inexact plastic usage;

Data of Plastic/Water Usage

Usage:

Week1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Total:

32 31 33 35 34 165

Average weekly use (bottles):Average monthly use

(bottles): Average yearly use (bottles):

33 132 1716

Average weekly use (jugs):Average monthly use

(jugs): Average yearly use (jugs):  

1.03125 4.125 53.625

Excel Spreadsheet Analysis used to Calculate Data:

Data Analysis Data Comparison:

What is the Difference in Plastic Consumption?

  Weekly: Monthly: Yearly:

Bottles (in²): ≈ 2,399.53 ≈ 9,598.11

≈ 124,775.47

Jugs (in²): ≈ 1,401.11

≈ 5,604.46 ≈ 72,857.96

Difference (in²): ≈ 998.41 ≈ 3,993.65 ≈ 51,917.51

What is the Difference in Price?

  Weekly: Monthly: Yearly:

Bottles: $ 5.75 $ 23.02 $ 299.23

Jugs: $ 7.50 $ 30.00 $ 390.00

Difference: $ 1.75 $ 6.98 $ 90.77

The data means:

1. Yearly, a household of four can reduce roughly more than half of plastic usage by substituting packs of 32 water bottles for plastic water jugs.

2. A household of four saves ≈$100 yearly if it buys packs of 32 water bottles rather than plastic water gallons.

If the priority for a household is to reduce plastic, then it should substitute packs for jugs. However, if the priority is to reduce cost, then the household should substitute jugs for packs.

Summing Up

• The data confirms my first assumption that if more water is used, the more plastic is used. Thus, more plastic is used in a pack of 32 plastic water bottles than 1 plastic gallon jug in one week.

• Contrary to my second assumption—that you pay more for more water/plastic usage—the data illustrates that buying a pack of 32 plastic water bottles for one week is cheaper than buying 1 plastic gallon jug.

Alternative Solutions to the Reduction of Plastic

• Drink less bottled water (thus reducing plastic usage)

• Buy gallons instead of packs (thus reducing plastic to the minimum for the time being)

• Buy water filters/purifiers (thus taking plastic out of the problem)

• Refill water bottles (thus holding plastic temporarily at a bay)

• Drink tap water (thus solves plastic usage altogether)

Online Resources

• http://www.emagazine.com/view/?1125

• http://www.paradigm-grp.com/about/blog/blog_09230801.aspx

• http://www.fredmeyer.com/healthy_living/Pages/earth_day.aspx

• http://www.container-recycling.org/media/newsarticles/plastic/2006/5-WMW-DownDrain.htm

• http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230/

A Question for Further Study

Plastic containers are going to stay because

they are cheap, light, durable, and portable.

Yet, the material harms the environment.Besides plastic, is there any other materialout there that is both highly expedient andenvironmentally acceptable?