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NASCAR, Plastics, and Your Daily Commute

NASCAR drivers rely on some of the world’s most innovative, high-performance vehicles to maneuver around the racetrack at speeds of up to 200 miles per hour. While the fast-paced action can be thrilling, real precautions must be taken to protect the driver, crew, and spectators in the event of a collision. It may be surprising…

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Plastics at Work Behind the Wheel

This week our Plastics Make It Possible® Team traveled to the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) 2012 in Detroit to see how plastics are being used in incredibly innovative ways to help make cars safer and more fuel efficient.  The team was also amazed to see how plastics are helping to enable beautiful, sleek…

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Plastics Make it Possible Visits The 2012 Detroit Auto Show

Plastics Make it Possible® attended the 2012 Detroit Auto Show where new vehicles made their debuts, covetted industry awards were distributed, and the innovative use of plastic in vehicles was celebrated. Check out some of the innovative ways plastic is used in today and tomorrow’s vehicles to help make them more durable, aesthetically pleasing, and…

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New, High-Tech Airplanes Feature State-of-the-Art Plastic Composites

The launch of Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner passenger plane marks another step forward in aviation technology, the latest in a century-long history of dramatic advancements . Over the last half-century, many of these advancements have resulted from innovations in plastics technology—and today plastics are helping create state-of-the-art airplanes that offer unparalleled durability, comfort, and fuel-efficiency.…

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3 Fall Travel Adventures For Your Family

Pssst. Here’s a travel secret. Going places in the off-season is the absolute best. Skip long lines, high prices, crowded attractions, and sweaty weather by planning your family vacation for this fall! Here are three excellent options to consider for autumn adventures: 1. Disney is always a great bet – whether you choose the Land…

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I’d make you a parfait if I could

This past year, our little family of four has volunteered with over 40 non-profit organizations in over 20 states. Our very first project was with The Giving Tree in our hometown of Tucson, AZ. We served a special dessert to the homeless at a weekly gathering called Project F.E.E.D. – yogurt parfaits! We packed 2…

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How to Drive Longish Distances With Preschoolers

When we first decided to travel the country in an RV, I worried about the amount of time we would need to spend in the car. Our then one-and-a-half-year-old wasn’t a huge fan of her car seat and we hadn’t done many long road trips. The girls surprised us by being Super Travelers. For the…

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6 Favorite Packing Products for Traveling Families

Our family hasn’t lived in a house in almost a year. We’ve been sailing on boats, visiting monuments, exploring Amish country, and hiking through the wonders of national parks. All with our 2-year-old and 4-year-old in tow! Needless to say, we know a thing or two about traveling with little ones. Without further ado, I…

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Back in the West

It was a huge sigh of relief to enter the west coast. After traveling almost 19,000 miles around the country, I admit: this is home. The rebellious west with her mountains and trees, her flip-flops and cowboy hats, her dry summer nights and expansive skies. We’re currently parked in Camano Island, Washington and we hope to…

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A READER ASKS: EATING ON-THE-ROAD

Sarah asked, “Have your eating/meal planning habits changed much now that you are living on the road?“ Yes. A bit. We still eat in more than we eat out. We still prefer simple, nutritious meals – not made with cans or boxes. We still eat fruit like nobody’s business. That being said, we don’t always…

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HOME SWEET RV

When we originally decided to travel the country for a year an RV, we had a choice to make. In the end, we decided on a 36foot 2001 Cameo by Carriage 5th wheel. It’s relatively spacious, has a pretty decent amount of counter space in the kitchen, PLUS it has a washer & dryer [cue…

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Taking Time to Enjoy the Ride: Paradise Picnic with Plastics

The best part about a family road trip is being able to appreciate the journey- not just the destination. That’s why I love to pack a delicious picnic to enjoy along the way. Not only do we avoid unhealthy fast-food joints, but it is also a perfect way to let everyone stretch and enjoy some…

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Road Trip: 10 Tricks for Packing Light

Whenever I go on a trip, I pack everything I’ll need in a tote bag and my trusty Titan Weekender, which features a durable plastic exterior shell to help keep all contents safe and sound.  Yes, I own the one in hot pink.  I do the same for each member of the family. Whether you…

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Enter The Road Trip Sweepstakes

Planning a road trip this fall? As more people are hitting the road, plastics are helping to make those trips more fun! Plastics Make it Possible® travel correspondent and blogger Stephanie Sheaffer of Metropolitan Mama has been travelling across the country with her family and decided to take plastics along for the ride. She’s learned…

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Road Trip Essentials Made Possible by Plastics

Did you know that plastics in your car means less gas gasoline is needed on your summer road trip?  Or that plastics can help make your family safer and easier to feed on the go? As the summer season kicks into high gear, families are packing bags and hitting the road for the family road…

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New York International Auto Show: Barbara Terry Blog Post Q&A

Barbara Terry is an automotive expert, off-road racer, columnist for the Houston Chronicle, and author of “How Athletes Roll.” Barbara recently moderated a panel at the New York International Auto Show titled “Perspectives on Innovation in the Automotive Industry,” a discussion presented by Plastics Make it Possible®. We asked Barbara some questions about her experience…

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Design Your Dream Car Contest!

Thank you to everyone who entered the Plastics Make it Possible® Design Your Dream Car Contest! Want to try your hand at designing your ride? Check out our Plastics in Motion application and save your creation to the online gallery to share with family and friends! Full Rules and Regulations

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Plastic innovations take center stage at the North American International Auto Show

At the 2011 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan, the major automakers unveiled an array of new products, features, and designs, many made possible by plastics. The Plastics Make it Possible® team covered all the major announcements to identify some exciting and innovative trends from this year’s show. Technology: Most major manufacturers…

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Plastics in Motion: Plastics help make today’s cars possible

Innovation is the name of the game in the automotive industry as car companies constantly strive to improve fuel efficiency, performance, safety, and style.  And plastics help make this possible. Versatile, strong, and lightweight, plastics make up 50 percent of the volume of new cars but account for only 10-12 percent of the weight, so…

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Recycling on the Road

Road trip? Plastics Make it PossibleSM has compiled a list of tips to help everyone recycle plastics away from home—at concerts, sporting events, festivals, beaches, camp sites … Plan it for the planet: Do some quick research (heard of Google?) on the venue to find out what plastics and other recycling is available on site.…

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Plastic Seat Belts Evolve to Help Save Lives

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that plastic fiber seat belts saved 15,147 lives in 2007 in the U.S. alone, making them one of the most important safety features in our cars and trucks. Compared to unbelted vehicle occupants, NHTSA estimates that today’s seat belts reduce fatalities by 45 percent and serious injury…

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Plastics Help Protect You and Your Loved Ones on the Road

From your windshield to your bumpers, plastics provide safety benefits in ways you may not see In the face of an annual average of more than 6 million auto crashes on U.S. roads, it’s good to know that many plastic vehicle components – both seen and unseen – contribute greatly to reducing the potential for…

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Getting There on Plastic Bridges and Roads

Who knew that recycled plastics from automobile bumpers and milk jugs could make a bridge strong enough to support a 70-ton tank? Constructed from more than one million recycled milk jugs (170,000 pounds in total) and scrap plastic from automotive bumpers, the 17 foot, fiberglass-reinforced bridge was installed in the autumn of 2008 near Fort…

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Driving Innovation – How Plastics are Making Vehicles More Fuel Efficient

Written by Mary Fraser, BASF, ACC, Plastics Division Automotive Team and originally published on October 1st, 2009 in Gas 2.0. Photo Credit:BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Despite all of the challenges facing the automotive industry today, this is a time of great innovation. Electric vehicles are just months away from entering the U.S. market and evolving engine…

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Self-Healing Plastics Could One Day Repair Planes in Flight

Engineers at Bristol University in the U.K. have created plastic technologies that could one-day lead to the development of airplanes that can literally fix themselves while they are still in the air. Interestingly, the British engineers were inspired by human biology; their plastic technology emulates the healing process in living organisms. The self-healing plastics have…

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