Business
This anonymous article published in Fortune magazine in 1936 discusses the rapid emergence of plastics and speculates on how these materials will impact industry long term. The author offers advice to engineers that still apply to today's industries. Ultimately engineers and designers should ask whether using plastics creates
Business
One possible design conjecture for the business-oriented problem space would be an ethical and scientific training program dubbed "PolyMatrix." The program would consist of a designed kit of items with a twofold goal: educate the team about the chemical and physical properties of different plastics, while also providing
Science & Tech
For businesses, one of the critical barriers to recycling efforts is the cost of cleaning and sorting the many different plastic objects in circulation. That's what "PolyToken" aims to address; imagine a fun middle school program that incentivizes plastic collection through friendly competition. Each month, one
Arts & Lifestyle
Is it possible for culture to view plastic waste positively? What would it take? There is an underdiscussed piece to sustainability that impacts these questions; it is the act of "throwing away" waste that ought to be transformed with PolyCradle. This system of products acts as beautiful 3D
Special Interest
Curbing the problem of plastic waste involves more than just recycling. At a more fundamental level, the culture of consumerism must be challenged. Drawing on practices from antiquity, PolyForm fosters personal connection to plastics by encouraging artistry and craft. Similar to Crayola mold machines and 3D printer pens, PolyForm liquifies
Business
The Lego company is one of the largest manufacturers of ABS plastic products in the world. The company's early history reveals a bold record of taking risks in pursuit of innovation. From its earliest years, the brand sought out new technologies that would transform both its products and
Science & Tech
Much like the asphalt industry, the plastic industry is also being pressured to reduce its environmental footprint. NecoTECH’s RAP programs mirror some ways that plastic manufacturers have already been able to mitigate and reuse plastic material into an economically viable cycle. The asphalt industry is under increasing pressure to
Arts & Lifestyle
In 1966 Robert Venturi published a commentary meant to guide architecture professionals. In it, he laments at the growing trend loss of complexity and culture in architecture in exchange for minimalism and the clean machine aesthetic. He argues for an embrace not just of the motifs of historic western architecture,
CDME - Site visit Point of Contact: Lili Hurst September 2nd, 2025 Facilitators: Everyone Writer: Jessica Our team visited CDME, the Center for Design and Manufacturing Excellence, to see how a local Laboratory Coordinator is trying to tackle the PLA waste issue. Lili Hurst has reached out to many schools
Numbers
The first round of survey data was collected between September 17th through the 25th and there were 24 total participants. Our analysis focusses on 18 participants who answered every question on their form. The sample size was near 1,000, and was sent through the Neighborhood design center's
Opinion
The subject of plastic pollution raises a broad spectrum of questions. Based on emerging data from microplastics research, the temptation is to frame plastics as an existential threat to us all. While some groups lobby for total or near total bans on plastic production, it is not entirely helpful to
Business
This article from Earthday.org provides a number of concerning statistics about the plastic industry and recycling initiatives. While these observations make for an accurate diagnosis, the article errs in its prescription. Plastic consumption has quadrupled in the past 30 years, and is expected to triple in the next 30.