The Truth about "Biodegradable" Plastics: Under controlled composting conditions, do various "biodegradable" or "compostable" plastic bags actually decompose at a significantly different rate than traditional polyethylene or paper bags, as measured by mass loss and visual degradation over time? Hypothesis: If biodegradable and compostable plastic bags experience greater mass loss than traditional polyethylene bags, and if this difference is statistically significant over a set composting period, then these bags decompose more effectively. Materials: Pieces of three bag types: compostable plastic, regular plastic, paper Compost bin or bucket of active compost Small mesh bags or tea strainers (to hold pieces) Scale, scissors, labels/markers, camera/phone Procedure: Step 1) Cut samples Cut 3-5 samesize pieces from each bag type (for example, 10 cm 10 cm). Label each piece. Step 2) Weigh Dry the pieces for a few hours (or overnight) and weigh each one. Record the starting mass. Step 3) Bury in compost Put each piece in a mesh bag/strainer. Bury all samples at the same depth (about 10-15 cm) in the compost. Keep the compost moist like a wrungout sponge. Step 4) Check on a schedule Take out one set every 2 weeks (e.g., weeks 2, 4, 6, 8). Gently brush off compost, dry the piece, and weigh again. Take a photo and give a quick visual score: 0=no change, 5=mostly gone. Step 5) Record and compare Calculate percent mass lost: [(start now)/start] 100