Dr. Plastic

Here's a timeline of Dr. Plastic's life

• 1907 Hallelujah! Plastic is born. Dear Leo Hendrik Baekeland, your "Bakelite" sure caught on fast. Who knew we could love synthetic material so much?
• 1930s Plastic began to get a bit of an ego. Suddenly it's everywhere. "Move over traditional materials, there's a new kid in town!" said Plastic.
• 1940s-1950s The Golden Age of Plastic. Post-World War II, it's all glamour and glitz for our plastic pal. No more rationing! Plastic bottles start popping up at all the best household cleaner parties.
• 1960s It's the Swinging Sixties and plastic gets groovy, baby! Skincare joins the party - moisturizers, cleansers, toners now come in vibrant plastic packaging. Plastic was more popular than bell-bottom jeans.
• 1970s Uh oh, plastic, your glittering reputation is starting to get a bit tarnished. Littering becomes a global issue. Not so cool now, huh?
• 1980s-1990s It's the MTV era, but no music video for Plastic's story. Recycling starts to combat plastic waste but struggles to keep pace. Plastic does a walk of shame every garbage day.
• 2000s Rise of the "throwaway" culture. More plastic waste, more problems. Plastic’s PR nightmare begins. Those sturdy detergent bottles and shampoo tubes just refuse to leave the landfill party!
• 2010s We're mad as heck, and we're not going to take it anymore! Movements to ban single-use plastics start gaining traction. Plastic starts getting the cold shoulder.
• 2020s Ah, hope on the horizon. Eco-friendly alternatives to traditional plastic begin to pop up. Is this the start of Plastic's redemption arc?
• 2030s Drumroll, please! The "Cure for Plastic" is discovered. Science creates a new breed of plastic that can dissolve in a landfill quicker than you can say "biodegradable".
• 2040s The fall of the House of Plastic. Eco-friendly alternatives take the crown. Traditional plastic containers are replaced in all industries, including skincare and cleaning products.

"Farewell, old plastic, your reign has been...interesting, to say the least. You've hung around long enough, but now, it's time for the new generation. We won't forget you. How could we? You're probably still in our landfills."

-- A future historian on her podcast, "Plastic: Rise, Reign, and Ruin"