Speaking & Listening II
Chelsea Huang
Professor Michael Cheng
Outline of My Informative Speech
October 21, 2010
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General Purpose: to inform
Specific Purpose Statement: To inform my audience about the process of
plastic recycling.
Central Idea: People use lots of plastic products everyday. After using, most
of us also know that we should “recycle” them. However, fewer people really
have the knowledge about the process of disposing the plastic items after we
recycle them. This speech will offer an introduction of this process.
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Organizational Pattern: Chronological
Visual Aid: PowerPoint and real objects
I. Introduction
A. We all know clearly what we will get when…
a. When we buy our breakfast: a plastic bag wrapping the sandwich, a cup of
drink with a plastic cover and a straw……obviously made from plastic, and
after all, a classical plastic bag with red streaks holding all the stuffs inside.
(with real objects as visual effect)
b. When we are thirsty or simply want to drink something good: we get a
plastic cup of 500c.c., a plastic cover also and even a double-sized straw as
well! (with real objects as visual effect)
c. Or, sometimes, you just want to have some fun with this game of
“GACHA.” Whether you get something you like or not, you always get this
small “egg”……made of plastic, of course. (with power point as visual
effect)
B. Plastic is everywhere in our lives.
C. We take advantages of its convenience.
D. However, the disposition of plastics after usage has always been a problem.
E. We all know that we should “recycle” them. But does anyone know what
happens after we recycle them?
Transition: Well, now, we’re going to figure out the life of plastics starting from the
recycle bin. I will talk about this topic from the collection and classification, the
disposition to the re-production.
II. Body
A. At the very beginning, the plastic products are divided into seven groups
according to the “plastic identification code”.
a. reason of separating plastics
b. how to classify
i. by quality
ii. by color
c. example of different types of plastics
i. different bottles
-- soft drink bottle: type 1
-- juice bottle: type 3
ii. disposable take-away containers: type 6
Transition: After being separated by group, plastics are then transported to recycle
factory.
B. In the recycle factory, the plastics go through a process of disposition.
1. First, they are all crashed into little pieces.
2. Second, the workers put the pieces into water and get rid of some
impurities.
3. At last, the pieces are all dried up and become usable materials.
Transition: The pieces are then transported to the final stops.
B. The final stops are different kinds of factories.
1. Because of different qualities between each kind of plastic pieces, the
pieces have to say good-bye to each other and be transported to different
factories.
a. PET (type 1) to wig, zipper and textile factory
b. PE (type 2 and 4) to plastic factory again
c. PVC (type 3) to artificial leather factory
2. After going through the factories, the plastics are given new looks.
a. PET pieces to bags, wigs and zippers
b. PE pieces to plastic boxes and plastic garbage cans
c. PVC pieces to artificial leather
3. The recycled plastics now have new lives. Are these new products
profitable?
a. the profit of these products in Taiwan, according to Environmental
Protection Administration, Executive Yuan, R.O.C.
b. the profit of these products in America, according to Container
Recycling Institute
Transition: This is all about how recycled plastics get their new lives.
III. Conclusion
A. After we get to know how the plastics can become new products through
recycling, I am sure that everyone is willing to recycle plastics now. It seems
not so possible that we can live totally without plastics today, but we can at
least try our best to recycle them.
B. However, there is a disappointing fact that these new plastic products are not
recyclable.
C. After we know all about the process and also its limit, we should think about
the outcome whenever we stand in front of the refrigerator in the convenience
store and consider whether to buy a bottle of drink or not!
Reference: “Plastic Recycling.” Wikipedia. 18 October 2010.
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_recycling>.
“回收處理流程.” Environmental Protection Administration, Executive Yuan,
R.O.C. n.d. <http://recycle.epa.gov.tw/Recycle/index2.aspx >
“Plastic Facts and Statistics.” Container Recycling Institute. n.d. 2003-2010.
<http://www.container-recycling.org/>