Project: Common Experience: Plastics (Math & Physics)

Common Experience 2019:

Impact of Plastics

 

Discussion questions for Math & Physics Department Meeting:

 

1. Earlier today, you heard from five professors, all with different perspectives on plastics. What was the most surprising thing you learned about plastics from these presentations, either positive or negative?

 

2. Can you see any connections or possible applications of this topic to your field of study?
   1. Or: How do you see your field of study contributing positively or negatively to the plastics issues discussed so far?

 

 

3. How could you collaborate with your peers from other majors at the university to help solve the plastic problem?

 

4. Approximately how many plastic bags do you think Americans use in the course of a year?

 

5. Approximately how many plastic bags do Connecticut residents use in a year?

 

 

6. What percentage of American plastic bag use are CT residents responsible for?

 

7. How many bags does the average CT resident use? (What information do you need to answer this?)

 

 

8. Original estimates indicate a revenue of $55 million over the course of two years. How is this revenue planned to be used?

 

 

9. At 10 cents per bag, can you estimate how many bags a local Stop n Shop might sell in one day? (What other information might you need to be able to answer this?)
10. Does the supermarket save money on not providing the plastic bags for free? Explain.

 

11. Pick a state that you think is doing really well in curbing use of plastics. Explain why you think they are doing well.

 

12. What else can we do to curb our use of plastics in Connecticut?

 

13. The issue of excessive plastic is a huge problem, but what is one thing you could do this week to make a positive impact?