Hi! Our names are Jaeden, Esteban, and Christian, and we make up the team EcoLogic. We are all freshmen at Penn State Berks, and for our Fall 2025 EACAP project, we worked with WhatSUP Berks to tackle the issue of plastic pollution.

Research

Our group conducted research on the topic of plastic pollution, examining its causes, environmental impacts, and global significance. We explored how plastic production and use have increased rapidly since the mid-20th century, leading to millions of tons of plastic waste entering landfills and natural ecosystems each year. Plastic pollution has become a major environmental issue, especially in oceans, where plastics harm marine life, disrupt food chains, and break down into microplastics that persist in the environment. Our research highlighted key challenges associated with plastic pollution, including overreliance on single-use plastics, limited recycling effectiveness, and the difficulty of removing plastic once it enters the environment. By analyzing these issues, we gained a deeper understanding of how plastic pollution affects both local communities and the global ecosystem. We used our research to create a narrated presentation to help educate others about the problem and potential solutions, which you can view here.

 

Service

Along with researching about plastic pollution, our team worked with the organization WhatSUP berks, to help push a ban for single use plastic bags in the Berks County. If you would like to learn more, feel free to watch our short informational video about our collaboration with this organization.

 

Conclusion

We as a team have learned a lot, and have gained a lot of valuable experience throughout the semester. We have helped make a change and spread awareness in our community, and I am happy to say that I am proud of the work that we have done as a team.