1. Which option would save the most natural resources while providing water for a person?
A. reusing plastic water bottles several times and always recycling them
B. drinking bottled water that comes from 100% natural sources
C. using a reusable water bottle and drinking filtered tap water
D. using disposable plastic containers once each
2. Why is it a problem that plastics are not biodegradable, when other materials like metals are also not biodegradable?
A. Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored.
B. Metals can be broken down by corrosion.
C. Metals can at least be recycled and used more than once.
D. Plastics are more of a problem because they float in water, but metals sink.
1. To determine which option would save the most natural resources while providing water for a person, we need to consider the environmental impact and resource consumption of each choice.
A. Reusing plastic water bottles several times and always recycling them: This option involves reusing plastic water bottles multiple times and ensuring they are recycled. While reusing and recycling plastic bottles is better than single-use bottles, it still requires energy and resources for manufacturing and recycling. However, it does help save some resources compared to options that involve single-use bottles.
B. Drinking bottled water that comes from 100% natural sources: This option does not directly address resource conservation as it focuses on the source of the bottled water rather than the container. While it may have minimal impact on natural resources depending on the sourcing practices, it does not actively promote resource conservation.
C. Using a reusable water bottle and drinking filtered tap water: This option involves using a reusable water bottle and consuming filtered tap water. It significantly reduces the demand for single-use containers, such as plastic bottles, thereby conserving natural resources. Filtered tap water also eliminates the need for bottling, transportation, and disposal of single-use bottles.
D. Using disposable plastic containers once each: This option involves using disposable plastic containers once and then discarding them. This choice contributes to the overconsumption of resources and generation of plastic waste, making it the least sustainable option.
Based on the considerations above, option C, using a reusable water bottle and drinking filtered tap water, would save the most natural resources while providing water for a person.
2. It is a problem that plastics are not biodegradable, even though metals are also not biodegradable, due to several factors:
A. Plastics have been chemically altered from natural resources and cannot be restored: Plastics are derived from petroleum or natural gas, and through chemical processes, they are transformed into the synthetic polymers that make up plastic products. Once plastics are used and discarded, they cannot be easily reversed or restored to their original natural state. This inability to be biodegraded contributes to their persistence in the environment.
B. Metals can be broken down by corrosion: While metals are not biodegradable, they can undergo natural processes like corrosion, rusting, or weathering, which gradually break them down into their elemental components. These processes occur over an extended period and often require specific environmental conditions. However, plastics do not undergo similar corrosion processes, leading to their long-lasting presence in the environment.
C. Metals can at least be recycled and used more than once: Unlike plastics, which are often downcycled or end up as waste, metals have a high potential for recycling. They can be collected, melted, and reused in various applications, reducing the need for virgin metals. This recycling potential helps mitigate the environmental impact of metal usage.
D. Plastics are more of a problem because they float in water, but metals sink: While both plastics and metals have negative impacts on the environment, plastics are particularly problematic in aquatic environments. Most plastics are buoyant, making them prone to floating in water bodies like oceans, lakes, and rivers. This characteristic increases the chances of ingestion by marine organisms, entanglement, and the overall pollution of water ecosystems. Metals, on the other hand, tend to sink in water and accumulate in sediments, affecting bottom-dwelling organisms but not spreading as widely in aquatic ecosystems as plastics.
In conclusion, while both plastics and metals are not biodegradable, plastics pose additional challenges due to their irreversible alteration from natural resources, limited recycling capabilities, and their floating nature in water, which exacerbates their environmental impact compared to metals.