In the movie “Back to the Future,” the protagonists fuel their “car” with trash. If our cars could burn trash, what fraction of our transportation fuel needs could be supplied? (Thanks to Prof. Hyde's “Physics on the Back of an Envelope” class at Old Dominion University for the question.)
We consume and presumably recycle many cans of soda, juice, and beer on a typical commercial airplane flight. How many flights would it take to collect enough soda cans to build a new airplane?
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