A Plan for Reducing Plastic Bottle Consumption at Allegheny College
Project Author
Issue Date
2023-04
Authors
Heutsche, Hannah
Loading...
Embargo
First Reader
Pallant, Eric T.
Additional Readers
Hatcher, Kurt
Boulton, Kelly
Boulton, Kelly
Keywords
Plastic Waste , Sustainability , Consumption , Single-Use
Distribution
Abstract
Single-use PET plastic bottles are the most commonly used beverage packaging material with the United States consuming over 644 bottles per person and half a trillion being produced annually world-wide. Despite that, less than 5% of bottles get repurposed or recycled with the rest being incinerated, going to landfills, or landing in the ocean. With college campuses being home to some of the top consumers of single-use bottles, they also have the unique structure of an isolated community that is able to tackle this issue. Through bottle bans, social comparison theory, refill stations, and source removal, decreasing our consumption is entirely possible. Using Allegheny College as a case study location, this research provides a step by step guide for decreasing single-use consumption by approximately 50%. Using data from other universities, this guide analyzes methods from other trials, financial considerations, perceived public opinions, and predicted barriers. In action, the research here should provide a clear-cut answer for how to decrease single-use consumption and serve as an adaptable layout for other colleges and universities around the world.
Description
Chair
Major
Environmental Science
Department
Environmental Science / Studies
Recorder
License
Citation
Version
Honors
Environmental Science and Sustainability, 2023