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    - 2005 "Wonders of Plastics" Winning Essay


Plastic: Perfection in an otherwise chaotic lifestyle
Essay Winner—Julia Katherine Smith


Plastics are used everywhere in today's market. Without them, we would have nothing. They seem like the perfect material; they can be recycled and come in any and every kind of color wanted. Plastics can bend, fold, and form to any shape the heart can desire, which is more than can be said for many other products. They make up our lives and will forever be used. If there has ever been one invention that has been truly perfect, it is the invention of plastic; the first man-made plastic having been made by Alexander Parkes. It was unveiled in 1862 at the Great International Exhibition in London. Since then, it has become an everyday use in our lives.

Plastics make up the packaging of all kinds of food. They protect the food from contamination because plastic can be used to create a safety seal. Many refuse to buy food and/or medications without that seal, which would mean that so much would go to waste. In fact, there have been studies that showed that each pound of packaging that is made from plastic can reduce the amount of food waste by 1.7 pounds! Producing plastic bags also requires less energy than producing paper bags and shipping those plastic bags requires fewer loads than shipping paper. That means that companies can save money on producing and shipping, which means that they can charge less on a product to make the same amount of profit. Plastics contain the product itself, but it can also be used to regulate the temperature of the products. Metal gets so hot when left near heat or out in the sun, but plastics make for the perfect container when the situations are the same. Go to any sporting event and look at the tons of water bottles - they are made of plastic! It's no wonder, as the plastic can keep that refreshing drink cool and more enjoyable. Plastics are perfect when it comes to packaging.

All forms of plastic are used when it comes to the art of crafts. Hot melting glue is even a type of plastic that is known as thermoplastic. When that glue heats up, it flows easily into the designated and then hardens when it cools down. There are other types of glues that are made from plastics, like epoxy, resorcinol, and urea formaldehyde. Beads are used in so many different crafts and jewelry, which means that people are essentially wearing plastic for fashion. To go along with the jewelry, people wear plastic as clothing. That's right; many types of cloth are made from synthetic fabrics. Plastic fibers make up those fabrics, having been spun so finely that they can be made into yam. That yam is then used for knitting, crocheting, weaving - anything an artist desires!

Plastic can be found in any room in the home. The kitchen of any family is usually full of plastic, whether it is found in appliances, cookware, or the aprons worn while is actually a dry powder that is sprayed on and then backed in an oven. The temperature must be high, as the particles are made to melt together. That type of coating is also used on irons, on which it also works well because other particles rarely stick. That makes clean up a breeze - and no one wants to spend their time cooped up cleaning their appliances. The point of appliances, which are usually made of plastics themselves, is to make work easier and go by more quickly. Plastics make work in the kitchen easier than baking a pie, unless plastics are used in making that pie!

Toys and entertainment of all kinds usually consist of one type of plastic or another. Silly Putty® is even a type of plastic that was invented by James Wright. He mixed silicone oil and boric acid together; he found that the compound acted just like rubber. The name Silly Putty® came around in 1949, and at that time it sold faster than any toy in history. Sales were over six million dollars for that year alone. To think, over six million dollars on one type of plastic, and in just one year! Televisions, radios, computers, cars, every one of them is made up of plastic. We use and enjoy it every single day, but rarely do we take the time to appreciate it.

Key roles were played by plastic in World War II. Polyethylene, a type of plastic actually invented in 1933, was used as coating for an underwater cable. It was then used as radar insulation because it was light and thin. Its size made it a perfect substitute for the "traditional insulating materials" because the latter weighed too much to be used for placing radar on airplanes. Statistics showed that in 1940, using polyethylene reduced the weight of radars to 600 pounds. That reduction made it possible for the Allies' aircraft to detect German bombers. No situation was too difficult; even it was nightfall or thunderstorms.

Plastics are everywhere, whether we notice them or not. They make up the containers that hold our food, water, medications, etc. They are the fibers in the clothes we wear - and can be molded into the matching jewelry needed to complete the "perfect" ensemble. Plastics make up the bags we use for transporting goods - which are mostly likely made from some kind of plastics themselves. They are used to make the glues that hold our lives together, figuratively and literally. We live in a world that is dependent on plastics, no question. Since 1976, plastic has become the most used material in the world. In fact, during this century it has even been voted one of the top 100 news events. Plastic and perfection are two words that can go together hand in hand.

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