Make a Pencil Holder

What is the most commonly used material when making things? Think about everything you use from the moment you wake up until you go to bed—like toothbrushes, food containers, pencil cases, mechanical pencils. The most common material in these daily items is probably plastic. The first plastic was invented while people were trying to find a cheaper material for billiard balls. At that time, billiard balls were made of elephant ivory, which was very expensive. Then, a plastic called celluloid was developed, making it possible to produce affordable billiard balls. Later, thanks to the work of many scientists, different types of plastic were invented—like vinyl, nylon, polyethylene, polyurethane, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate)—which we use a lot today. When plastic bags were first invented to replace paper bags, people thought plastic was an eco-friendly material because it would help save trees. But is that really true?

① is lightweight and easy to shape into many forms. It can be transparent or made in a variety of colors. It doesn’t conduct electricity or heat well, is strong and hard to break, and is cheaper than many other materials, so it’s used all around us. But because of its so inexpensive, people often throw it away instead of recycling it. Since plastic doesn’t decompose, it remains in the ground or gets washed into the ocean, eventually forming floating garbage islands. Sea animals and birds often mistake floating plastic and vinyl for food, or get entangled in it, causing them pain and even death. Tiny broken pieces of plastic are called ② .

These microplastics are so small that they build up in ocean creatures like plankton and fish—and then also build up in the bodies of people who eat them. Microplastics can harm the brain and release harmful chemicals that disrupt how the body works. That’s why, starting now, we all need to use less plastic and choose safer to help protect all life on Earth.