Thought you were fast, a good shot, quick on a sled? Think again—its plastics that help you perform and stay safe when you’re playing outdoors. With excitement for the Winter Games mounting, we thought we’d look back on that time we went out to the Olympic Center in Park City Utah with ret...
Article Archives

Too cold out? Too hot out? Regardless, “out” is the best place to keep that weather. It belongs outdoors, not indoors. How do you keep it there? That’s where the “building envelope” comes in. Imagine an open envelope. (For you younger folks out there, an envelope is something used to mail...

7 things you might not know are made with plastics We all know bicycle helmets are made with shock absorbing plastics to help protect our noggin. But we also trust plastics with our lives in some perhaps more surprising ways. No plastics in “bullet-proof” glass and vests, right? Um… Quick...

Analysis: Plastics-to-Fuel Gets High Marks Previously published in Plastics Engineering and posted with permission from the Society of Plastics Engineers. Plastics recycling has grown year-over-year in the United States for decades, along with recycling overall. But… the majority of our...

Notice that I wear glasses? I have since middle school when my parents bought me the nerdiest pair they could find. Being the proud geek, I asked them something they couldn’t really answer: why are they called glasses? I mean, there wasn’t anything “glass” about them. Plastic frames,...

The National Safety Council (NSC) encourages Americans each June to participate in National Safety Month, which is devoted to reducing preventable injuries and deaths. Beyond the obvious pain and suffering caused by accidents, many people don’t connect these personal misfortunes with the immense...

Previously published in Plastics Engineering and posted with permission from the Society of Plastics Engineers. Over the past few decades, our cars and trucks have transformed into technological marvels, becoming safer, cooler, and more exciting to drive, while improving fuel efficiency and...

Previously published in Plastics Engineering and posted with permission from the Society of Plastics Engineers. A recent article in USA Today asked: are today’s newest planes going to end jet lag? The article’s author, the founder of Airfarewatchdog.com, asked that question after long flights...

Ever stop and look around during a doctor or hospital visit? There are dozens of medical instruments and hygienic tools made possible by plastics. From exam gloves to sterile syringes to IV tubes, plastics are ubiquitous in the medical field because they help protect us, guard against contamination,...

The promise of rooftop solar energy is enticing: harnessing the sun’s rays to supply unlimited residential energy. Maybe even to produce excess energy for electric vehicles. The benefits touted by residential solar advocates are many: cheaper energy, increased home value, reduced reliance on...