Internships

World Centric currently has the following internship positions open:

Sustainability Intern

The purpose of the sustainability intern position is to help educate readers about environmental and social issues facing the world at varying levels of detail, and actions one can take to minimize impact. We envision that the information gathered by the sustainability intern will be a resource or portal for sustainability topics that is accurate, well referenced and makes connections when appropriate of seemingly disparate topics. At the same time, we aim to make this guide accessible to a wide audience using appropriate language and through the extended use of visuals.

The current topic is THE MANUFACTURING AND RECYCLING OF PLASTICS

All writing should be well referenced using a mixture of peer reviewed articles, government reports and magazine/newspaper articles. The intent of the report is to research the field with enough depth so that an interested reader would have a good background into the topic and have the important references identified. Both the report and the executive summary are intended for the web and should be structured and presented to make the information easily accessible and to keep the reader’s interest. Graphics, images and tables and other visuals would be very helpful. The executive summary will inform the reader through shorter statements and key visuals the essential message of the report.

Interns will be expected to meet with a World Centric once per week or biweekly to update them on progress and so that a meaningful dialogue can help guide the research and writing. Any writing from an intern that appears on the World Centric website will be credited to the intern should they approve.

Please follow the outline below in writing the report.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF PLASTICS

  • Manufacturing process
  • What plastics are made of
  • Environmental impact
  • Energy output

TYPES OF PLASTIC (Resin Identification Codes - Create a spreadsheet with the following columns)

  • Resin code
  • Name/Type of plastic
  • Properties
  • Uses/Applications
  • Suitability for recycling
  • Toxicity levels/output per type of plastic (before, during and after the manufacturing process)

PRODUCTS MADE FROM PLASTIC

  • Examples of products made from plastic
  • Toxicity levels/output and the effects on the body
  • Toxicity levels/output and the effects on the environment

RECYCLING PROCESS

  • Recycling process
  • Requirements for recycling (types of plastics to be recycled, condition of plastic to be recycled, examples of laws that recycling plants must follow)
  • Types of reprocessing
  • Environmental impact
  • Energy output

END RESULT OF NON-RECYCLABLE PLASTICS

  • Landfill types
  • Toxicity levels/output of plastics in landfills and the environment
  • Why plastics do not biodegrade
  • Photodegradation and the results on plastics (including timelines)
  • Photodegradation of plastics and the result on the environment

SPECIFIC QUESTIONS TO ANSWER/POINTS TO PONDER:

  • What percentage/amount of plastic waste is recycled annually?
  • What is current consumer awareness of recycling and recycling process? Are most consumers aware of identification codes and what is and is not recyclable? How are consumers educated on the process?
  • What happens to plastics that are sent to a recycling facility but cannot be recycled?
  • What are the consequences of sending plastic (that can or cannot be recycled) overseas to other countries?
  • What are the laws surrounding recycling and disposing of plastics (both domestic and international)? How are recycling plants regulated (both domestically and internationally)?

Please send an email using our Contact Us page and select Volunteer/Internships/Jobs from the drop down menu to respond to this listing for more information. Please specify Sustainability Internship in the subject line.