What would the world be like if plastic had never been invented?
This got me to thinking about the history of plastic. So I looked it up. This is what I found.
The first time plastic was revealed was in 1862 by a man named Alexander Parkes. He called it Parkesine. It was made from organic cellulose. It was suppose to do anything natural rubber could but cost less. This first attempt to mass produce was poor because he tried to reduce production costs. Just think of that, a factory trying to cut cost to make more profit. Now I know where that started.
In 1869 celluloid was introduced. It was made from cotton fiber and the plant material camphor. Originally it was to be a cheaper substitute for ivory billiard balls. It was also used for combs and small bowls for a dressing table. Sounds like it was only intended for the richer kind of people.
In 1907 The first completely synthetic man made plastic called Bakelite was made. It was made from coal tar that got hard fast and took the shape of it's container.
In 1908 cellophane was invented and later patented in 1912. It was used by Whiteman's Candy company to wrap it's sweets in their sampler. It took off after DuPont made it moisture proof in 1927.
In 1920 Polyvinyl chloride or PVC is developed to replace the increasing cost of natural rubber. About 75% is used in construction material. Some are concerned about it's use in medical tubing, cosmetics and other things. Because it's often made with Phthalates which has been shown to cause hormone changes in rodents.
In 1933 the everything plastic, Polyethylene it introduced. It's cheap, flexible, durable, chemically resistant. Soda bottles, milk jugs, plastic bags and food storage things are made from this.
Dow chemical first discovered Polyvinlidene chloride. Saran wrap. They were going to spray it on fighter planes to protect against salty sea spray. In 1953 they introduced it as the wrap we know and use today.
In 1938 a DuPont chemist called Roy Plunkett discovered Teflon. It was discovered by pumping Freon gas into a cylinder and left in cold storage overnight.
In 1939 Nylon is revealed by DuPont labs as nylon stockings at New York's world fair. During the 1940's these cheaper synthetic Polymers such as nylon, acrylic neoprene and polyethylene began to take the place of natural materials like animal hair in toothbrushes.
In 1948 Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene or ABS is patented starting commercial markets in 1954. it's used in piping, musical instruments, golf club heads, car parts and some toys like Legos
and some tattoo inks to make brighter colors.
In 1951 Polyester fabric called Dacron was marketed by BuPont for use in clothes, bottles, film, tape, canoes and a high quality finish on wood products like guitars.
In 1953 Lexon is patented by General Electric. It's a Poly carbonate used for windows in buses and trains, space helmets, football helmets, traffic lights housing, car head lights, lap top housing, CD's, DVD's and cell phones.
In 1954 Styrofoam was introduced by Dow Chemical. Made from Petrolem it's used for packaging, as building material, electronic appliances, toys and other household things.
In 1965 Kevlar, a spun fiber from liquid crystalline solutions. It's light weight, flexible and five times as strong ounce for ounce as steel.. It's used for military and police protection products.
In 1979 the first form of synthetic clothing trademark Polar fleece. Fleece is more lightweight then other Polyester fabrics and doesn't hold moisture.
Today they are always trying to think of new kinds of plastic. But environmentalists against plastic are trying to get their message out there about many that are not biodegradable and contain chemicals with unknown health effects.
Well that's the history of plastic. It's hard to believe it's been around that long. But you really have to think about the effects it has had on people and the planet in not good ways.
So that's my ponder for now.
Maybe now that I finally have it out of my head I can ponder about something else.
One more thing before I go. I finished another project.
This one has a home already. I made it for a co-worker who had brought me some rocks back from England. His son Tiernan picked them out for me so I decided to say thank you and give him this castle. He enjoys it very much.
If it were not for plastic I would not be able to do these things.
Well that is it this time.
So just think about what your world would be like if there was no plastic.
Till next time.
Keep on pondering the pondering possibilities.
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