What Really Happens to the Plastic You Throw Away

B2 – Upper Intermediate

The plastic bottle. By the time you read this, you would have probably gone through hundreds of these ubiquitous yet nondescript items. Where did they come from? Where are they headed?

Watch this informative video and find out the fate of three such bottles.

Discussion Questions:

1. According to the narrator, how is plastic made?
2. Explain what happens to each of the three plastic bottles in the story. Which scenario does the video state is the best outcome?
3. In your city, what usually happens to discarded plastic bottles? How do you feel about this after watching the video?
4. Enumerate all the plastic items you can see from where you’re sitting or standing at the moment. How many are there in total? What is your reaction to this tally?
5. What concrete steps can we take to ensure less plastic harms the global ecosystem?