Life Cycle Analysis of a Plastic Bottle

               Americans alone used 50 billion plastic bottles last year; every consumer either passively accepting or blissfully ignorant of the fact that the first step in the life cycle of a bottle is drilling and extracting oil from the earth. The nonrenewable natural resource is shipped to refineries where it is processed into tiny plastic pellets. This is known as the material production phase. The majority of plastic bottles are made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic. The plastic pellets are purchased by bottle manufacturers who melt and mold the pellets into bottle shapes. Plastic labels are printed and attached in the manufacturing plant. The bottles are filled with treated spring or local tap water, concluding the product manufacturing phase. The bottles are then shipped to retailers and distributors.

               The next stage in the life cycle analysis is product use, beginning when the plastic bottles are purchased from retailers. The contents are consumed and the bottle is then disposed of, leading into the final phase. In the US, only 23% of the plastic bottles purchased by consumers are recycled. The remaining majority now sit in landfills and dumps across the country. The recycled plastics return to the material production phase and are turned into things like carpet and fleece; thus, the cycle continues.

The above chart depicts material discoveries dating back to 100,000 BC. It is, however, crucial to add some cultural background to the chart in order to better understand the impact of these findings. Around 10,000 BC the Mesopotamian civilization arose and through it's history discovered and invented many new technologies, allowing for further advancement throughout the ages. Papyrus was used as paper by the ancient Egyptians as early as 3000 BC, allowing for written history to start to take shape. In 332 BC Alexander the great conquered Egypt and eventually established the great library of Alexandria, using many of the same resources discovered prior to his take over, including papyrus. Centuries later, the lightbulb was invented (1879). This allowed buildings to provide light after sundown without major fire hazards. This was a huge push for the technology snowball, and from then on it was a race downhill. The industrial revolution followed soon after, giving rise to booming businesses and industry tycoons which only expedited the inflow of new technology and discovery. Just over 100 years after the invention of the lightbulb, personal computers were made available by Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple. The chart clearly demonstrates the exponential growth process of technology and leaves the viewer in wonder of the next great achievement.

The Amazon rainforest is one of the most ecologically diverse areas on the planet. It is the largest rainforest, covering over 1.2 billion acres, and has been encroached on from all different sides for various reasons. Agriculture, an abundance of valuable hardwoods, roadwork, and mining are just a few of the various reasons these incredible ecosystems are being invaded and plundered. If the deforestation continues at the same rate it's going now, we will lose the Amazon rainforest all together in about 40 years. Protecting these areas should be high priority and without a much more impactful effort, we may very well see the end of rainforest habitats.