From packing peanuts to disposable coffee cups, each year the US alone produces some two billion pounds of Styrofoam — none of which can be recycled. Frustrated by this waste of resources and landfill space, Ashton Cofer and his science fair teammates developed a heating treatment to break down used Styrofoam into something useful. Check out their original design, which won both the FIRST LEGO League Global Innovation Award and the Scientific American Innovator Award from Google Science Fair.
Infographic about Styrofoam
It might keep your coffee hot without burning your hand, but plastic foam – more commonly known as Styrofoam – is one of the most harmful materials around when it comes to the environment. This petroleum-based plastic has gained a lot of negative attention in recent years, prompting bans in many cities such as New York City and Washington D.C. But some cities are still on the Styrofoam bandwagon. Check out the following infographic to see why it’s time to ditch the stuff.
Ashton Cofer recommends
Check out these resources on recycling, curated by Ashton Cofer.
Make Garbage Great: The Terracycle Family Guide to a Zero-Waste Lifestyle
This is a great book by an eco-entrepreneur who inspired me to think of ways to address the growing trash problem by making waste into something useful.
