In 1949, Rochester chemist Emanuel Goldberg developed the first plastic pipette holder. With this product he started the Nalge Company, the foundation for NALGENE Outdoor Products.

Plastic has become very important in the past 50 years. We use it every day, in every part of our lives. We're woken up by plastic alarm clocks, and brush our teeth with plastic toothbrushes. We take last night's leftovers out of the fridge and microwave them in their plastic containers. We give our babies nourishing milk -- in plastic bottles. We jump into our cars made partly of plastic and drive to the office, where plastic surrounds us: computer casings, keyboards, pens, radios, telephones.

So it has a million uses. But plastic is also great because of its effects on our environment. Surprised? Read on.

What Do I Know About Plastics and the Environment?
What Makes Up Our Solid Waste?
How Does Plastic Minimize Waste in the First Place?
How Can I Personally Reduce Solid Waste?