No Title

[Name of the Writer]

[Name of the Institution]

Question Number 1

Part 1

While munching on fruits: Peels and seeds of the fruit. Food leftovers.

While snacking: shopping bags, Wrappers of chocolates, sweets, etc

There are various types of waste which I intentionally and unintentionally produce in my life, such that liquid, solid, organic or recycle waste. The residue is generated out of the eatables or drinks majorly, whereas the working mode creates the waste which is not able to recover. The following is the mind-map of the waste which I produce in my daily routine:

Waste

While walking: Water disposal, juice, beverages, tea, etc

While working: Solid rubbish, e.g., papers, chewing gums, etc

Part 2

The mind-map as mentioned above is according to the activities I do when creating waste. I thought of it as a clear description of the ways I make waste and the type of garbage I produce. This will help me in reducing or cutting off the means of waste production. The questions which arose in my mind were that what is the dominant form of rubbish type I create? And also, how is this even manageable when all the waste I produced is due to my eating habit. I also thought of devising ways through which it could be minimized.

Question Number 2

Part 1

The waste which I typically produce more is the plastic shopping bags and wrappers out of which I usually take out the eatable things and groceries. The alternative for this plastic or plastic bags is the kits made up of various biodegradable material like calico, recycle PET, jute, cotton, and hemp.

The lifecycle of plastic depends on the material it is made of, such that it is made up of natural gas and oil when treated in a cracking process which turns them into hydrocarbon monomers. When these monomers are processed with other monomers, they chemically bond making the polymers (Alam, Billah & Yajie, 2018). For instance, polyethylene, polystyrene, and polypropylene are common polymers. There are two types of plastics; thermosets and thermoplastics. The latter is efficiently processed to recycle, whereas the thermosets are not able to reuse due to their non-melting characteristic. The degradable or thermoplastic plastic is recovered in the furnaces.

The lifecycle of jute (as an alternative to plastic) is that it is produced by the fiber of ribbon and stem of the jute plants (Das, 2017). The process of retting gives the fiber; this process bundles the stem of jute together and then put it in the slow running water. It is made of entirely natural processes, i.e., it needs farming and cultivation space with an abundance of water.

Part 2

The alternative to plastic bags is jute bags, because of the reason that jute is very sustainable. Whereas, the plastic bags are having a shorter period of life as they lose their strength and shine very early, after one use. Jute is durable and stronger, and it also retains its durability and outlook for quite a long period than plastic bags. Creation of plastic sacks includes petrochemical items, for example, polypropylene and polyethylene, and their short life expectancy overburdens the earth and exhausts natural assets. Jute packs, as an option, are biodegradable, due to their property of being robust, breathable, robust, reusable, and resistant to temperature. Jute is a feasible choice; it is widespread and requires just unobtrusive water and cultivating space for development. Jute packs serve various utilizations for conveying needs routinely, for example keeping textbooks, snacks, groceries, and pottery and bulky items. They are easily customizable, according to the wish or demand of style, size, color, and even awareness messages.

References

Alam, O., Billah, M., & Yajie, D. (2018). Characteristics of plastic bags and their potential environmental hazards. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 132, 121-129.

Das, S. (2017). Mechanical properties of waste paper/jute fabric reinforced polyester resin matrix hybrid composites. Carbohydrate Polymers, 172, 60-67.