In Mike Nichols’ Oscar-winning 1967 film The Graduate, young Benjamin Braddock was given one word of advice regarding his business future: “Plastics!”.
Now, nearly sixty years later, that advice has come back to haunt us all. The world is awash in plastic waste. Microplastic particles pollute our food, our water, even our blood. It is estimated that ten million tons of plastic ends up in the ocean every year. And the problem is getting worse. Plastic production is expected to triple by 2060, according to the Global Plastics Outlook Database.
While we may feel we’re doing our part by putting plastics in our recycling bins, the sad truth is that only about ten per cent ever gets recycled. While worldwide action is needed to mitigate the crisis, Saratoga Rotarians Nancy Shih and Phil Young decided to act locally.
In April of 2025, the two kick-started a collection drive with the goal of collecting one thousand pounds of plastic waste over one year. By January, 2026, they announced that their lofty goal had been met in less than nine months.
“We were overwhelmed by the support we received,” said Young. “From the very first day, our Rotary Club members were enthusiastically stuffing our collection boxes to the brim”.
Rather than ending up in a landfill or worse, the plastic will be converted into durable outdoor decking and furniture by NextTrex, which will build a bench which the Rotary club will donate to the citizens of Saratoga. The bench, complete with plaque explaining the bench’s origin, will be installed near the Saratoga Community Center.
Service Above Self
Saratoga, CA 95070
United States