A new calculator designed by a Ph.D. student in Krakow, Poland can help people figure out how they measure up in terms of their volume of plastic use, reports John Schwartz, a science writer for the New York Times newspaper.
Hanna Pamula designed a free plastic footprint calculator for Omni Calculator, a Polish start-up.
Pamula said that she designed the calculator “to raise awareness of the plastic pollution and our individual impact,” reports Schwartz, whose coverage focuses on climate change.
“When I first took the test a few weeks ago, before exchanging emails with Ms. Pamula, the program told me I go through about 40 pounds of plastic a year. ‘Not Bad!’ the program stated, though it seemed awfully bad to me,” Schwartz writes.
“That much? Still, the program provided an upbeat message. It encouraged me to carry on, try to reduce more and become a ‘low-plastic hero’,” he says.
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