| PLASTICS AND YOU |
Whether you are aware of it or not, plastics is a very important part of your life. The versatility of plastics allows it to be used in everything from automobile parts to doll parts, from soft drink bottles to the refrigerators they are stored in. Plastics is everywhere. from the car in which you drive to work, to the television you watch when you get back home, plastics help make your life easier and better. So how did plastics become the material of choice for so many varied applications?
The simple answer is that Plastics is the material that can provide you with what you want and need. Plastics have the unique capability to be manufactured to meet very specific functional needs of consumers. So maybe there's another question that's relevant: What do I want? Regardless of how you answer this question, plastics can probably satisfy your needs.
If a product is made of plastic, there's a reason. And chances are the reason has everything to do with helping you- the consumer, get what you want: Health, Safety. Performance. Value. Plastics help make these things possible.
Going Shopping ..
Just consider the changes we've seen in the supermarkets in recent years. Plastic wrap helps keep fruits and vegetables fresh while protecting it from the poking and prodding fingers of your fellow shoppers. Plastic bottles mean you can actually lift an economy-size bottle of water. And should you accidentally drop that bottle, it just doesn't break. All in all, plastics help make your life easier, healthier and safer. At Home ... Plastics help make phones and computers which are really portable. They help make major appliances - such as refrigerators or music systems - resist corrosion, last longer and operate more efficiently.
Packaging ....
Modern packaging -- such as heat-sealed plastic pouches and wraps -- helps keep food fresh and free of contamination. That means the resources that went into producing the food aren't wasted. It's the same thing once you get the food home -- plastic wraps and resealable containers keep your leftovers protected. In fact, packaging experts have estimated that each kg of plastic packaging can reduce food waste by up to 1.7 kg. Plastics can also help you bring home more products with less packaging. For example, just 1 kg of plastic can deliver 28kg - roughly 28 litres - of a liquid such as juice, soda or water. You'd need 1.4 kg of aluminum to bring home the same amount, 3.6 kg of steel or 12.2 kg of glass. Not only do plastic bags require less total energy to produce than paper bags, they conserve fuel in shipping. Plastics make packaging more efficient, which ultimately conserves resources. Without plastics, 400% more material by weight and 200% more material; by volume would be needed to make packaging, while the volume of packaging would more than double. Doing more with less helps conserve resources in another way. It helps save energy. In fact, plastics can play a significant role in energy conservation. Just look at the decision you're asked to make at the supermarket check-out: "Paper or plastic?" Not only do plastic bags require less total energy to produce than paper bags, they conserve fuel in shipping. It takes seven trucks to carry the same number of paper bags as fits in one truckload of plastic bags.
Constructing A House ...
Plastics can also help to conserve energy in your home. Vinyl siding and windows help cut energy consumption and lower your heating and cooling bills. The same principles apply to appliances such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Plastic parts and insulation have helped to improve their energy efficiency by 30 to 50 percent since the early 1970s. Again, this energy savings helps reduce your electric and cooling bills. And appliances run more quietly than earlier designs that used other materials.
|
| Can we think of our life without plastics!!! |