A decade to save the planet. That’s the current call to arms. Targets are set, governments vow to do their bit and on a societal level we are encouraged to do ours by choosing to forego all things plastic. The question is whether this is the right decision or are we inadvertently at risk of doing more harm than good? Are there other factors in play needing equal consideration? The book will follow the story of plastic, and to an extent rubber (known collectively as polymers), and all with an eye to the overarching theme of the environment. It will ask some challenging questions but also sets out to inform. It begins by building a picture. Just what exactly is a plastic, how did it gain such a dominant role in our lives? Are recent denouncements fully justified? By better understanding plastics, a clearer opinion can be formed of their usefulness and their potential to alleviate serious environmental concerns.