Plastic Pollution: OWU and Beyond

1. Plastic Pollution: OWU and Beyond Becca Sufrin GEOG 360

2. Our relationship with plastic is deeply embedded within our lifestyles.

3. The OWU Statistics

4. 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

5. Production of the Plastic Bottle The Life Cycle of a Water Bottle =

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

7. 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.”

8. Gyres

9. 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

10. What are we (OWU) doing about it?

11. Saved Bottles: • HamWil– averages around 1250 per month • Other stations – range from 400 – 800 depending on location Cost: • $80 filter replacement after approximately 3,000 gallons used

12. PLASTICIZED – PART 2