Commonly thought of as a healthy snack or milk alternative, soybeans have now found their way into the production of plastic, and, since the plant is decomposable, seem to be the perfect substitute.

But not only does junior Sarah Kinney point out the flaws of this legume-made material, she aims to improvise off of it to solve the exponentially growing problem of waste. By using this compound as a base, Kinney, along with two high schoolers and a college student, attempts to reengineer its chemical formula to create the ideal eco-friendly plastic.

“We’re trying to find a way to either dispose of plastic in a more eco-friendly way or to create a more eco-friendly plastic,” Kinney said. “There are problems with the ones they have currently. They have to be recycled in a completely different container because the ink of the soy contaminates everything else. That’s a hassle.”

Kinney recognizes the reluctance many people exhibit toward “wasting” their time recycling. On the contrary, recycling is a part of Kinney’s everyday life, and she hopes to major in chemical engineering as a way of giving back to the planet.

“My family recycles everything. I just found out recently that at Jack in the Box, one of the containers for their smoothies is recyclable,” Kinney said. “I think it’s cool that fast food chains are getting involved, or are at least trying to help.”

Once the quartet does discover a method, possibly near the end of 2014, Kinney plans to popularize their ideas by advertising to reputable companies, such as Walmart. Informing the public is the key to making the greatest impact possible.

“I don’t want to harm our planet any more, and I don’t think that others don’t care about saving it. I think they are uninformed and don’t have the time.” Kinney said. “But it’s their earth, too. I’m sure they would want their grandchildren to grow up in a healthy environment.”