Kickstart: Artificial? Yes. Intelligence? Not so much.

Artificial intelligence has been in the news a lot lately with social media-grabbing headlines about how systems like ChatGPT can replace humans.

And while I do know of journalists who use it to generate emails — and even headlines — please rest assured that Plastics News has no intention of doing that. And even if we did, I certainly hope our readers would recognize the difference between what our experienced journalists turn out and the mishmash that can result from AI.

Here, for instance, are samples of what happened when Erin Sloan, our audience engagement editor, did a test just to see what headlines AI would create from our March 22 coverage of President Joe Biden's administration and its intent to vastly increase the use of bio-based plastics in the U.S.

And while there were some reasonable options — "Biden administration aims to replace 90% of fossil-fuel plastic with bio-based alternatives" — their "outlandish" examples were, well, outlandish. Consider these alternatives:

• Biden administration to eliminate plastic use entirely and replace with eco-friendly bubble wrap.

• White House unveils plan to turn ocean plastic into robot warriors.

• US aims to create bio-based plastics that can time travel and save the dinosaurs.

So … I'm feeling pretty good about my job security.

With the extra attention going toward plastics related to sustainability — from the White House pledge to boost bio-based plastics to corporate announcements of plans to become carbon neutral — one question that often goes unanswered is: What if they don't meet those goals?

And sure, there are some public policy requirements that could lead to extra payments for missed targets, but is that a real incentive for executives to embrace sustainability?

Perhaps hitting their paycheck will make a difference.

W.W. Grainger Inc., which sells industrial equipment and supplies, said in a proxy statement that it will raise or lower executives' bonuses by up to 10 percent based on how they meet environmental, social and governance goals, John Pletz from our sister paper Crain's Chicago Business writes.

"Over the last several years, we developed a process for tracking our metrics, identifying trends, then using that data to establish targets," Grainger says in a proxy statement.

If Grainger's concept yields results, don't be surprised if other companies adopt it along with ESG proposals.

Wisconsin injection molder Bemis Manufacturing Co. has long been a leading maker of toilet seats in the U.S. Now it's putting that expertise into a cause to raise awareness of colorectal cancer in young people and prompt lawmakers to fund research into it.

Bemis provided 100 toilet seats for a display in Washington, D.C., by Springfield, Mo.-based Fight Colorectal Cancer (Fight CRC) asking lawmakers to allocate more funds for research and prevention.

Studies say that by 2030, colorectal cancer will be the leading cause of cancer deaths for those age 20-49.

PN's Catherine Kavanaugh has more on the project.