Back when I was in college, I had a brilliant chemistry professor who worked on many different projects for Dow and other companies. He had quite a few “modern miracles” under his belt. He eventually left the world of invention to teach, and enlighten us students to some of the environmental repercussions of many of the products that he helped invent.
One of these products, and probably the biggest regret he had, is styrofoam, or polystyrene as it is actually called (styrofoam is a brand name). My professor told us that they were originally trying to create paper cups that would have an extended shelf life on grocery store shelves, as a way of reducing costs and waste. Unfortunately, the team did their job a little too well, creating a product that can last for hundreds and hundreds of years, or at least the components of these products can last for thousands.
Styrofoam is starting to clog the oceans and fill the landfills at an alarming rate. It is a product that you definitely want to avoid as much as possible. If manufacturers stopped making styrofoam, this would be a good thing.
Still, sometimes you just can’t avoid the stuff, especially when it comes hidden in packaging. So what can you do with it?
Save your styrofoam to use for packaging. It is already been made, so use it up as much as you can. When sending a package, place a note asking the recipient to reuse the styrofoam again and to send the same note.
An enterprising student in Australia has come up with a machine that compacts the styrofoam (it is 98 percent air anyway), so that it will take up less space in landfills. While we aren’t as advanced in the United States, there are organizations that will recycle styrofoam for you. Search locally on the Earth911 website.
Check with local craft stores and craft clubs. Often the styrofoam can be used for craft projects. By donating your styrofoam, you will be reducing the need for new styrofoam to be manufactured.
You can read more blog posts by Mary Ann Romans here!
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