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The Convenience Factor: Why Plastic Water Bottles Matter

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The Convenience Factor: Why Plastic Water Bottles Matter

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An age-appropriate article discussing how plastic water bottles help in emergencies and provide safe drinking water in areas where tap water isn't safe.

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Plastic has been all over the news lately because of the ways it can damage our planet - but how much do you REALLY know about it?
Plastic is in so much stuff that it's almost impossible to picture our lives without it! The chairs you sit on, the jumper you're wearing, your smart phone, toys and pens are all made up of this material. Not to mention car parts, bike bits, bank notes, washing machines and even windows. So where did the material come from?

Plastic history

The first synthetic plastic was made in 1907, when a Belgian named Leo Baekeland invented Bakelite in a lab in New York. Known as 'The Material of 1,000 Uses', it was eventually transformed into phones, radios, jewellery, chess sets and more!

Many chemists continued Leo's work, and soon other types of plastics with different properties were developed, such as cellophane in 1912 and nylon in 1935.

It's everywhere!

Today there are more than 50 kinds of plastic and in the past 100 years its invention has changed the world as we know it.

Lightweight, strong and easy to create, it has been used in endless ways. And because it's so cheap to make and buy, it has replaced other more expensive natural materials, such as wood, metals, silks and animal skin. But there IS a downside to this super useful material...

Plastic problems

Unfortunately, some of plastic's best properties - its durability and long-lasting life - are the things that cause problems in the environment. Many plastics, such as water bottles and packaging, are designed to be used just once. Unless they're recycled, they remain on our planet, clogging up landfills, and making their way to the ocean where they can harm sealife.

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True or False?

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You'd be surprised just how many products contain types of plastic!

Lycra, tights, teabags, sellotape, super glue, nappies, acrylic paint, glasses and glitter are just some of the products that contain forms of plastic. Who knew?!

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Nat Geo Kids: Hi Thomas! First up, can you explain what your job is?
Sure! I work as a scientist for a company called Covestro. We make plastics for many different uses and industries. I research alternative materials to produce plastics with, which will be better for the environment.
Why is plastic used to make so many different things?
Because it can be put into any shape quite easily and it lasts for a long time.
Is plastic dangerous to make?
Making plastics is quite similar to some of the chemistry experiments you may do in school - but it requires more complex chemical reactions and extra safety measures. We also put on safety googles, and wear lab coats and gloves just in case something goes wrong.
How is plastic made?
It might help to think of it like baking! When you make plastics you use different ingredients in different forms. By mixing everything together in the right combination and heating to the right temperature for the correct duration, you transform the ingredients into a new material. But instead of eggs and flour we use crude oil as our main ingredient. And we end up with plastic instead of cake!
What's been the most important discovery in your work?
Crude oil is one of the main ingredients needed to make plastic. But it's also a fossil resource, which means there's a limited amount of it on our planet. Happily, for one key component in plastic, called aniline, we discovered a way to create it from biomass (materials such as corn, straw and wood) instead of oil. And that really is amazing!
How will that improve things?
Using more renewable sources for raw materials is much better for the environment. With the new process, the chemical reactions can now take place under milder conditions which also means we can reduce harmful CO₂ emissions.
How can plastic harm the planet?
It causes harm if it's thrown away and ends up in nature. We all need todo our bit to avoid throwaway plastics (such as straws or drinks bottles) and help save our planet.
In what ways can it benefit the planet?
Plastic is an almost magic material which makes modern life possible - and better. For example, when used for house insulation, it keeps people´s homes warm, while cutting the energy they need to heat it.
What's it like working in a lab?
It can be a lot of fun, because you don't just work by yourself. At Covestro, there's a great team of more than 16,000 scientists and colleagues from around the world. Every day, we have different challenges so it never gets boring.
Would you recommend having a career in chemistry?
Working in chemistry is fascinating as you get to understand how our world is built and connected. And by knowing that, you have the opportunity to try to improve everyone's day-to-day life.
What qualities does a scientist need?
It's important to have a curious mind, ask lots of questions and want to understand how things work.
Sounds like Nat Geo Kids readers!
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Sometimes we don't realise how much plastic we actually get through each week. A useful activity to try with your family or school is to collect all the plastic your house or class discards in one week. Then at the end of the week lay it all out and count it! Take pictures too. Ask yourself these questions:
- Is it more than you thought, or less? - What did you throw away the most? - Are there any items you could reduce or reuse? - Can you make an action plan?
A couple of weeks after starting your action plan, repeat the experiment. Have you managed to reduce your single-plastic use? Was it difficult? What else could you try?

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Plastic has been all over the news lately because of the ways it can damage our planet - but how much do you REALLY know about it? Plastic is in so much stuff that it's almost impossible to picture our lives without it!

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Plastic Bottles: A Life-Saving Innovation

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Plastic Bottles: A Life-Saving Innovation

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Explores how plastic water bottles have helped during natural disasters and their role in providing clean water access globally.

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Would Banning Plastic Bottles Help or Hurt the Planet? | Above the Noise | PBS LearningMedia

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Plastic bottles are everywhere! About 70% of the plastic water bottles bought in the U.S. are not recycled, and end up in the oceans. It seems obvious that using fewer plastic water bottles would be a good thing for our environment, but sometimes the alternatives can have negative consequences.

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Safety First: Understanding Water Bottle Materials

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Safety First: Understanding Water Bottle Materials

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Discusses how plastic bottles keep water safe from contamination and maintain water quality during transportation and storage.

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Best Non-Toxic Water Bottles for Kids: Safe Hydration for School in 2024

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Discover the safest non-toxic water bottles for your school-aged kids. Learn about stainless steel and glass options, and find the perfect bottle for healthy hydration.

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The Environmental Impact of Single-Use Plastics

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The Environmental Impact of Single-Use Plastics

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An informative piece about how plastic bottles affect our oceans, wildlife, and landfills, written at a level suitable for upper elementary students.

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Draft page for "Kid's Corner" content as a part of the Watershed Academy Microsite conversion (February 2022)

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Explores the benefits of switching to reusable water bottles, including cost savings and environmental protection.

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When you toss a plastic bottle into a recycling bin, it probably doesn’t get recycled. According to the World Economic Forum, only 14% of plastic packaging is collected for recycling. One reason is that not all plastic can be recycled.…

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A kid-friendly exploration of what happens to plastic bottles that end up in our oceans and their impact on marine life.

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National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

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Compares the cost of bottled water versus tap water, helping students understand the financial impact of their choices.

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Read the debate as a class or in small groups.

Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including:

Facts and statistics (F/S)

Quotes from experts (Q)

Stories or examples (EX)

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Water Bottles: Handy or Harmful? | Persuasive Writing | Scholastic Storyworks Magazine

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Read the debate as a class or in small groups. Have students read the debate a second time. Prompt them to mark the types of support the author presents to back up each side, including: Facts and statistics (F/S) Quotes from experts (Q) Stories or examples (EX)

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An examination of the safety standards for bottled and tap water, helping students make informed decisions.

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At Tiny Teeth Pediatric Dentistry, Dr. Healy created this informative blog to assist with educating the community about various topics of pediatric dentistry.

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Discusses the potential health impacts of chemicals in plastic bottles and safe usage practices.

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Some plastic bottles, cups, containers, toys and pacifiers, are made with the chemicals bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates.

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Be Part of the Solution: Reducing Plastic Waste

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Be Part of the Solution: Reducing Plastic Waste

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Provides practical tips and alternatives to single-use plastic bottles that students can implement in their daily lives.

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Young People's Trust for the Environment

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Top tips to reduce your plastic waste - National Geographic Kids

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Discover top tips to help reduce plastic pollution. What simple things can you do reduce your plastic waste? Find out here and help protect the environmnet!

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Water Bottle Innovation: New Materials for a Cleaner Future

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Water Bottle Innovation: New Materials for a Cleaner Future

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Explores new environmentally friendly materials being developed to replace traditional plastic bottles.

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Making Smart Choices: Your Water Bottle Guide

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Making Smart Choices: Your Water Bottle Guide

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A comprehensive guide helping students understand different types of water bottles and make environmentally conscious decisions.

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How Does The Water Cycle Work?

The water cycle is a natural process that describes how water moves and changes states of matter between liquid, vapor (gas), and solid (ice) on Earth. The water cycle is important because it is how water gets to all the plants, animals and even us!! The steps of the water cycle are:

Evaporation

The water cycle works when the sun heats up a body of water and some of the water evaporates into the air. This might be water from lakes, streams, oceans, rivers, run off etc. The liquid water goes up into the air in the form of steam or vapor (water vapor).

Condensation

When this vapor hits cooler air it changes back to its liquid form and creates clouds. This part of the water cycle is called condensation.

Related Activity: Rain Cloud In A Jar

Precipitation

When so much of the water vapor has condensed and the clouds are heavy, the liquid falls back down to the earth in the form of precipitation. Precipitation can be in the form of rain, hail, sleet or snow.

Runoff

After precipitation, water can flow over the land, forming streams and rivers. This is called runoff. Picture raindrops flowing down the street or through a garden into a stream.

Related Activity: Stormwater Runoff Demonstration

Collection

The water from runoff collects in oceans, lakes, and rivers, starting the cycle again. It's like a giant water reservoir that holds all the water until the sun warms it up and turns it into vapor, starting the process over.

Transpiration

Another way water returns to the atmosphere is through transpiration. Plants absorb water from the soil through their roots and release it into the air as water vapor through tiny openings in their leaves.

Related Activity: How Plants Breathe

Repeat

The water cycle is a continuous process. Water from the Earth's surface evaporates, forms clouds, falls back as precipitation, and repeats the cycle over and over again.

Of course with this water cycle bottle, you can not see each stage completely, but it is a great hands-on project to go along with talking about the water cycle with your kids. It provides a simple visual for kids to see the changes!

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Water Cycle In A Bottle - Little Bins for Little Hands

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Explore the water cycle for kids with this easy water cycle in a bottle activity. A simple way to introduce evaporation, condensation.