2. Plastic Consumption Project: The Difference Between Plastic Water Bottle Usage and Plastic Gallon Jug Usage in Pierce’s Household

3. 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?

4. Methodology PLASTIC 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;

5. Assumptions: 1.Correlation between plastic and water: If more water used, then more plastic is used;If more water used, then more plastic is used; 2.Correlation between water/plastic usage and price: If more water/plastic used, the higher the cost;If more water/plastic used, the higher the cost;

6. 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;

7. Data Collection Errors 1.Negligence –Forgot to count all water bottles/jugs for the week; –Consequently, total number of water bottles/jugs is approximate; 2.Unaccountable Water Bottles/Jugs: –Water bottles/jugs that people have brought in from the outside; –Consequently, overestimation, therefore, imprecise results 3.Water bottles/jugs left over from previous weeks that are ignorantly recounted; 4.Measurements of water bottles/jugs are fairly close –Consequently, in inexact plastic usage;

8. Data of Plastic/Water Usage Usage: Week1Week 2Week 3Week 4Week 5Total: 3231333534165 Average weekly use (bottles): Average monthly use (bottles):Average yearly use (bottles): 331321716 Average weekly use (jugs): Average monthly use (jugs):Average yearly use (jugs): 1.031254.12553.625 Excel Spreadsheet Analysis used to Calculate Data:

9. Data Analysis Data Comparison: What is the Difference in Plastic Consumption? Weekly:Monthly:Yearly: Bottles (in ² ): ≈ 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.

10. 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.

11. 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)

12. Online Resources http://www.emagazine.com/view/?1125 http://www.paradigm- grp.com/about/blog/blog_09230801.aspxhttp://www.paradigm- grp.com/about/blog/blog_09230801.aspx http://www.fredmeyer.com/healthy_living/Pages/earth _day.aspxhttp://www.fredmeyer.com/healthy_living/Pages/earth _day.aspx http://www.container- recycling.org/media/newsarticles/plastic/2006/5- WMW-DownDrain.htmhttp://www.container- recycling.org/media/newsarticles/plastic/2006/5- WMW-DownDrain.htm http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/5279230/

13. 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 material out there that is both highly expedient and environmentally acceptable?