Plastic Pens are a Friend to the Mind but an Enemy to the Environment

Jyoti Godani[1], Lini Thomas[2]

Abstract

The major objective of this study is to raise consumer awareness about the fact that the plastic we use brings toxins to landfills and water bodies. The number of plastic pens introduced to the market each year in the nation ranges from 1,600 to 2,400 million and 91% of the plastic waste produced by these pens is not recycled. We still use a staggering number of disposable pens despite switching to technology and going paperless in recent years. The throwaway culture of modern society has ensured that we no longer have an emotional connection to a pen or pencil. For generations, pen was a symbol of learning, but now it is just another piece of plastic trash. This study uses a quantitative approach to learn about consumers' willingness to accept eco-friendly pens as a legitimate substitute for plastic pens. This study emphasizes the Pen Drive effort, a campaign to discourage the use of plastic pens, as well as ways to recycle used pens through Terra Cycle and educate people about using eco-friendly pens.

Keywords : Plastic pens, Eco-friendly pens, Pen-drive movement, Sustainability, Consumers

Introduction

Have you ever wondered what happened to the hundreds of pens you've bought over the years? One of the most frequent incidents we all share is probably losing a pen. Without a doubt, writing is one of the most effective modes of communication. But, as much as we value writing as an effective mode of communication, we cannot ignore the tool used to make writing a reality.

Pens have played an important role in our mode of communication for many years. Many people prefer them because of their long-lasting ability and durability. However, this preference may be a starting point to a larger environmental issue. To avoid this, we must consider whether these pens have any environmental impact and what possible solutions exist. We lose more ballpoint pens than we use! We throw them away instead of buying new refills. Do we even realize that the millions of small writing instruments sold each day are made of plastic and contribute to environmental degradation? These pens are a huge waste of plastic and other non-biodegradable materials. Recycling plastic pens is also difficult because, unlike plastic bottles or bags, pens contain metal components and residual ink.

What materials are pens made of?

Pens are made from a variety of materials, including plastic, metal (such as tungsten for the ballpoint), and rubber. The plastic is typically Polypropylene Co-Polymer (PPC)—it is lightweight and thus ideal for pens. However, it has environmental consequences. For one thing, it is not biodegradable, and if it ends up in a landfill, it will not naturally degrade into its constituent parts. Instead, it will gradually disintegrate into smaller and smaller pieces, having a devastating impact on soils, animals, and plants.

Pen Drive

They say that a pen is mightier than a sword. And now, a Kerala-based artist has turned the pen into a weapon of choice in the fight against the plastic menace. The concept is so simple that you almost wonder, "How has no one thought of this before?" The "Pen Drive," the main objective of the initiative, is a fight against the use of ballpoint pens.

When we talk about plastic pollution in India, we immediately think of plastic bags and bottles. We are aware of those things, but we often overlook the actual monsters: ballpoint pens and plastic pens. These pens cannot be recycled because it is difficult to separate the metal nib and ink from them. As a result, these pens end up in our water sources and landfills, polluting our water and soil, according to San Francisco artist Lakshmi Menon.

The campaign's main goal is to replace ball pens with ink pens. The ambitious drive is now one of Kerala largest plastic waste management efforts, with the goal of raising awareness about the problem that plastic pens pose and why it is critical to cultivate the habit of using ink pens and reusable pens. According to estimates, school students in Kerala alone throw away more than 1.5 crore pens per month. The Pen Drive campaign aims to address both throwaway culture and plastic pollution at the same time.

Following Pen Drive, Mission Ball Pen launched an initiative in Kozhikode to encourage people not to throw away used ball pens.

Harishankar S. Nair and Shabab Karunyam of Lissah College, Kaithappoyil, and Government Arts and Science College, Meenchanda, are the creators of the Mission Ball Pen. This movement is about more than just collecting pens; it is also about raising awareness about the three R's (reduce, reuse, and recycle) in schools and colleges.

Volunteers from Mission Ball Pen visit campuses to collect ball pens collected by students and deliver them to Green Worms, a waste management organization based in Kozhikode.

Attempt to recycle them. The news of the movement quickly spread through word of mouth and social media, and the duo soon began receiving calls from campuses in other districts in support of the campaign. SAVE is known for several environment- friendly campaigns such as 'Back to ink pens'. However, student complaints that the paper they used was not 'ink pen-friendly' caused SAVE to reconsider and focus on other ways to reduce the tendency to throw away pens.SAVE intends to roll out Mission Ball Pen on approximately 1,400 campuses in the Kozhikode district. On October 9, 2017, Deputy Director of Education E.K. Suresh Kumar officially launched the programme.

Similarly, more missions took place in KANNUR: In a green initiative aimed at addressing the plastic menace, a non-governmental organization (NGO) has launched a new drive, 'Pen Friend,' in Kasaragod district, to collect used plastic pens for recycling.

Initiative to combat plastic waste under the Haritha Keralam Mission.

Sendhwa Forest Division, MP

Mission Life' was chosen as the theme for 2022, with inspiration drawn from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's global initiative, "Lifestyle for the Environment (Life)," which was launched on World Environment Day. Started by the MP Forest Department and the MP Eco Tourism Development Board, the theme for this year's Anubhuti camp was "Mission Life," with the main focus being on developing a more environmentally friendly lifestyle. In keeping with the theme and focus, the forest department, led by Mr. Sharma, launched plantable, eco-friendly pens that, when

decomposed, will grow into plants. The pens were distributed to all children and members who attended this month's first Anubhuti camp. There will be nine more camps where 1000–1500 pens will be distributed. The initiative will not only aid in the reduction of plastic waste, but it will also aid in the fight against malnutrition in certain areas of the region, such as the Nimar area, by growing nutritious vegetable and fruit-growing plants.

What Can You Do With Old Pens?

1. Encourage the Arts

Costas Schuler, aka The Pen Guy, will take your unwanted pens and use them in his next project. He has collected over 10,000 old pens, which he welds together to make furniture, murals, and other works of art.

2. Deliver your pens to Terracycle

Terra Cycle can handle all of your pen recycling requirements! By purchasing a Zero Waste Box, you can send your dried-out or extra pens to their centre. Bic has also partnered with their site specifically for product disposal.Terracycle, a recycling company, says it will sort, shred, and melt pens into plastic pellets that will be used in products such as garden beds, park benches, and playgrounds.

3. Re-purposing Pens

Recycling is great, but finding new uses for your old pens is even better. Repurpose them into something new. There are numerous enjoyable projects to try, so pull out your craft supplies and get creative! Chandeliers or lamp shades, stick dolls, toy tents, styluses, and flowers can all be made from old pens.

Are environmentally friendly pens available?

Cardboard pens are gaining popularity as an environmentally friendly alternative to plastic pens. They not only reduce the need for plastic, but they are also much easier to maintain.When you've finished with them, throw them away. In some areas, the cardboard portion will be recyclable along with the rest of your household cardboard at the curb. In most cases, the cardboard portion of the pen is only the barrel; the nib is still metal, and the ink is usually contained in a plastic tube.

A long-lasting product for writing down your ideas. It is made of bamboo wood, which reduces plastic consumption by 90% while also improving your luxury stationery collection.

a pen designed by Lakshmi Menon that is made of recycled paper and has seeds embedded within the layers. The pens can be thrown away after use, while the seeds germinate and grow into plants. When a pen is finished, it can simply be planted in the ground. The seed will sprout from the pen's bottom. These pens achieve paper up-cycling, plastic waste reduction, and tree planting all in one shot. Furthermore, they contribute to women's empowerment and inclusivity because Lakshmi employs women and paralyzed people from underprivileged backgrounds to make these pens.

Alternative to pen refills

Mitsubishi Pencil has developed the world's first pen refill made of paper. New refills for Jetstream multicolored pens contain less plastic but more ink than earlier ones. Mitsubishi Pencil has taken another step toward removing plastic from pen refills. It took about three years to develop its paper-based design with Nippon Paper Industries and Showa Marutsutsu, an Osaka-area company that specializes in paper tubes. The tip is metal, but the chamber is made of four layers of paper. Using paper increases ink capacity by approximately 60%. The new design uses approximately 88% less plastic than traditional refills.

Mitsubishi Pencil has not set a release date for the paper-based refills but hopes to have a product available in a year or two. Pen refills with a larger capacity are not new, but they could only be used with a specific type of pen, according to Mitsubishi Pencil, which sees a growing consumer awareness of the environmental impact of what they buy.

Literature Review

( Padhy et al., 2013) As consumers become more environmentally conscious and concerned, environmentalism has become a worldwide phenomenon. To address consumer concerns and respond to environmental challenges, businesses frequently modify their own thoughts and behaviors. Green consumerism has also aided in orienting business firms towards environmental concerns and ushering in corporate environmentalism. This paper introduces the concept of "green marketing," green ideas and products, corporate and consumer behaviour attitudes, and some green marketing problems.

(Shin (Martin) et al., 2014)The goal of this eco-friendly office supplies project is to examine and determine whether eco-friendly advertised office supplies are truly environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable. The team conducted a 50-sample-sized survey to get a general idea of how UBC students perceive sustainability in office supplies. The most reliable environmentally sustainable office supplies are made by Staedtler, but their products are more expensive. The team recommends Zebra's $1.45 Z-Grip Eco pen because it only differs by 20 cents from their regular pen and they explicitly provide information about eco-friendly products on their website.

(Yulianto et al., 2019)The purpose of this research is to determine the best design of coconut shell pens. Product design stages include need identification, problem analysis, project planning, product concept planning, product design, document preparation in the form of designed product images, and product manufacturing specifications. Following product evaluation, the highest score is obtained, and the design result is a pen with a circle-shaped aluminium body, dimensions of 8 x 125 mm, an ink tube with gel, a removable front cover, an end cover that can be rotated, and a coconut shell grip.

Statement of research problem

The study was conducted to learn about consumer awareness of eco-friendly pens as well as their preference over normal plastic pens.

Research Methodology

Objectives of the study

1. To study customers' perceptions about eco-friendly pens in India.

2. To study customer awareness of eco-friendly pens in the Indian market.

3. To study the factors influencing customers while purchasing eco-friendly pens.

4. To study the factors restricting customers from purchasing eco-friendly pens.

Research design

The research shows how to raise consumer awareness about environmentally friendly pens.The following facts have the potential to improve eco-friendly pens to meet the needs of consumers. To conduct this research, a descriptive research methodology was used.

Sampling method

The sampling method used in this study is the convenience sampling method, which uses a fixed sample size of respondents.

Method of data collection

The primary data process was approached in the survey to create a questionnaire without being biased. The questionnaire carries 10 questions that help deliver the most accurate responses.

Data Analysis and Interpretation

The sample size is 110, out of which 47% are college students,28% are school students and 25% are working class .

Have you ever used an eco-friendly pens?

What do you do with your plastic pens after using them?

Are eco friendly costlier than normal pens?

Preference of eco friendly pens over plastic pens if they are of the same amount ?

Preference of eco friendly pens over plastic pens if they are of higher price but safer to the environment ?

Hypothesis Testing

Test 1 : Relationships between using of eco friendly pens and category

H0: There is no difference in category on the choice of using eco friendly pens.

H1:There is significance difference in category on the choice of using eco friendly pens.

	Yes	No	Total
School students	10	21	31
College students	14	38	52
Working class	11	16	27
Total	35	75	110

	Yes	No	Total
School students	10	21	31
College students	17	35	52
Working class	9	18	27
Total	35	75	110