Learning   Portfolio

            This Monday I observed some of the effects my school, USFSM, has on the environment it exists in. I discovered that there are many positive environmental strategies that the school applies, but there are still plenty of ways it can improve. Along the way, I found many problems the school faced, from extensive water usage, improper draining, waste, and even a lack of green energy. To narrow down my research, I decided to focus on the first thing that caught my eye on my journey. I began at the Jonathan’s Café because I was hungry, and I figured a café setting would generate a lot of waste that might get disposed of improperly. I was correct in assuming this, because I found a major issue having to do with waste and recycling. The cups used for fountain drinks were hefty Styrofoam cups, which, if not recycled, can be a major hazard to the environment. I decided to investigate this problem further, and see how my school can improve on these issue.

 

            The Styrofoam cups used in the café were a major concern to me because of how obvious the problem was and the fact that it could be so easy to fix. Styrofoam that is thrown away instead of recycled can be a major threat to the environment. Styrofoam that piles up in landfills “takes 500 years to break down.” (Ginty) It was difficult to see the café so cluttered with Styrofoam cups, as they are very harmful to nature. I took a detour during my exploration to stop at Selby auditorium for free pizza and sodas provided by Sarasota County, and to my surprise I did not find a cooler full of canned sodas or even Styrofoam cups. There were four two-liter bottles of soda and a couple stacks of recycled, biodegradable single-use cups. These cups didn’t even include fancy printing for labeling. Instead they had a simple stamp that very simply illustrated that the cup would disintegrate easily in water. As I thought more about it, I realized that these cups should not be very expensive, and they are designed to be used once and then disposed of. I figure most people that pick up a fountain drink at Jonathan’s Café don’t plan on using that cup for more than a few hours and will eventually throw it away when they are done. Replacing Styrofoam cups with bio-degradable single-use cups would be a cost-effective way to reduce plastic pollutants, and it would not require most people to change any of their usual habits.

 

            Creating biodegradable products that can simply decompose over a short period of time would make it much easier for consumers to leave less waste in their environment and still live the lifestyles they enjoy. One company, called Ampac, has taken great initiative in this field and has created a form of packaging for dry products that harnesses the power of decomposition. “Packaging components for the BioFlex Pack are made from strictly biodegradable materials including the adhesive.” (Fully Biodegradeable) These packages can almost completely decompose within 70 days of being thrown away. Plus, the ink and adhesive on the packages are also biodegradable. “Inks used in the material are biodegradable allowing customers to take full advantage of Ampac's 10 color flexographic capabilities for optimal shelf appeal.” (Fully Biodegradeable) Companies that use this packaging for their products are able to customize the package with their own logo and information. The greatest part about this product is that it is just as simple for the consumer to use as other, non-environmentally friendly products. Consumers are not required to change their daily habits to make a positive impact on their environment.

 

            Biodegradable products are produced using the underlying science of biodegradation. This science is very important to understand that a product can truly be considered biodegradable. Many products that claim they are “biodegradable” actually leave behind small plastic pieces, which can be very costly to composters. “When these products are accepted into composting facilities, sewage treatment facilities, or used in agriculture, they can leave behind significant amounts of non-biodegradable fragments (plastic).” (The Science) Understanding the science of biodegradation and how it works gives a better knowledge of whether a product truly is compostable. The degradability of products is determined by ASTM International, which conducts tests on biodegradability. “Known for their high technical quality and market relevancy, ASTM International standards have an important role in the information infrastructure that guides design, manufacturing and trade in the global economy.” (The Science) The tests the ASTM uses have set standards that ensure a product is truly biodegradable.