Plastic Pollution in Business and Retails (April 2025 work session)
Mihir Chandreshbhai Patel (Robotics), Zahra Bagheri (Electrical Engineering), Zikang Chen (Biological Sciences), Van Tien Vu (Psychology)
What's the Problem?
Plastic pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems today, and businesses play a big role in it. From product packaging to shopping bags, single-use plastics are everywhere in retail stores. Many people don’t realize how much waste is created just by everyday shopping. And often, small local businesses don’t have the tools or knowledge to switch to better options. That’s why we want to raise awareness and encourage change. If businesses and customers both become more aware, we can create real impact. Our goal is to support local shops in becoming more sustainable, starting with education and accountability.
Many local businesses use large amounts of plastic without realizing its long-term environmental impact. There’s little awareness or support to help them switch to better alternatives. This lack of transparency keeps both owners and customers in the dark and slows progress toward more sustainable retail practices.
But First...
We started by talking about how much plastic waste we see in stores. During brainstorming, we came up with ideas like eco-impact labels, charging extra for plastic bags, and creating policies for stores to use recyclable bags. The idea of a Plastic Impact Report Card stood out because it combines awareness, accountability, and real solutions all in one and it’s something we could realistically create and test as students.
Who is impacted?
Local businesses, retailers, and consumers
Defining a better solution to the problem
Our team created the Plastic Impact Report Card — a student-made score system to show how much plastic a business uses and suggest simple ways to improve. This solution brings attention to plastic use, supports small businesses in changing habits, and gives customers a chance to make informed choices that help the planet.
The Prototype
