A Teacher's Guide to Reducing, Reusing, and Recycling
Activities and Resources for Teaching K-6
United States
Environmental Protection Agency
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. (5305W)
Washington, DC 20460
EPA530-R-00-008
November 2000
www.epa.gov/osw
It-It' *?>•
•\
•**4iwfcip
consumer fiber.
-------
Special Thanks
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Solid Waste would like to thank all of the
teachers and students who contributed their thoughts and ideas to the development of this resource
in 1 998 and 1 999. Focus groups with teachers and students were held in Kansas City, Kansas;
Alexandria, Virginia; Atlanta, Georgia; and Chattanooga, Tennessee.
We would like to extend special thanks to a group of educators who served as a review panel for this
resource during its development. Teachers in kindergarten through sixth grade, as well as curriculum spe-
cialists, participated in an Internet-based evaluation group. From May 1 999 through July 2000, they
electronically reviewed materials under development. The following individuals participated on this panel:
Linda M. Bates
Milton Elementary Schools
Milton, NH
Ernest T. Boyd
Prairie Elementary School
Elk Grove Unified School District
Elk Grove, CA
Amy Cabaniss
Managing Director
EHS Education, LLC
Niantic, CT
August O. Curley
Historically Black Colleges &
Universities/Minority Institutions
Environmental Technology Consortium
Sclark Atlanta University
Atlanta, GA
James L Elder
Founding President, The School for Field Studies
CEO, EarthGate.net, Manchester, MA
Monica Ellis
Sunnyside Elementary School
Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township
Indianapolis, IN
Eric Ferguson
Kristin L. Gonia-Larkin
Dr. Joe E. Heimlich
Associate Professor, School of Natural Resources
The Ohio State University
Leader, Environmental Science, OSU Extension
Columbus, OH
William Hoffman
Solid Waste Management Department
City of Albuquerque, NM
John Lagnese
Tenney Middle School
Methuen, MA
Patricia McGranahan
Sherry Middlemis-Brown
Wanda Owens
Teacher of the Functional Mentally Handicapped
Hopkins Elementary School
Somerset Independent School System
Somerset, KY
Jeri Pollock
Pepperdine University
Malibu, CA
Peter Schmidt
Lisa Siegman
Harold Siskind
Town Creek Elementary School
St. Mary's County Public Schools
Lexington Park, MD
Cheryl Stance
Sherry Weinberg
Technology Coordinator
Smyser Accelerated School
Chicago, IL
We regret that school affiliations for several teachers were not available at the time of this printing.
Disclaimer: Publication of this document by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does
not constitute an endorsement of any specific consumer product.
-------
to tfPA'$ $olid "Wa$te Resource for
^
Teacher^ and RId$ in, drade$ R-6f
About This Resource
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
designed this solid waste resource as a flexible
tool for teachers of kindergarten through sixth
grade. Its multidisciplinary focus includes math,
science, art, social studies, language arts, and
health. Lessons encourage students to utilize
skills ranging from reading and writing to prob-
lem-solving and analytical thinking.
Teachers can use this resource as one of many
tools in the development of their lesson plans,
incorporating a range of its suggested activities
and subjects into different educational units
throughout the school year. Activities and con-
cepts can be incorporated into existing
curricula, or teachers can create special week-
long units on the environment and solid waste
or use the activities to commemorate Earth Day.
The Quesf for Less provides hands-on lessons
and activities/ enrichment ideas, journal writing
assignments/ and other educational tools relat-
ed to preventing and reducing trash. Each
chapter includes one or more fact sheets pro-
viding background information on each topic.
In addition/ each chapter includes an index
showing the grade ranges/ subject areas/ and
skills used for each activity to help teachers
select the appropriate activities.
Each activity provides the suggested duration,
materials needed, and other helpful information
for teachers. A glossary of terms and a glossary
of skills can be found at the end of the
resource. Covered sequentially, this resource
introduces the idea of natural resources as a
source for many products that become solid
waste; explains the life cycle of products and the
quantity and type of waste they produce; and
Goals of This Resource
• To stimulate young people to think critically
about their own actions and the results of
their actions and to assess their own
resource conservation and waste preven-
tion values.
• To help young people understand the con-
nections among the use of natural resources,
use of products, waste disposal, and causes
and effects of environmental impacts.
• To help students understand the hierarchy of
preferred waste management options and
students' role in the different options (e.g.,
reduce, reuse, and recycle before disposal).
• To introduce and explain behaviors that con-
serve resources, reduce environmental
impacts, and enhance sustainability such as
source reduction, recycling, buying recycled,
buying with less packaging, and composting.
• To help protect children's health through
increased awareness and behavioral
changes related to the safe use, storage,
and disposal of household products con-
taining hazardous constituents, such as
cleaners, pesticides, and batteries.
• To make solid waste education interesting,
fun, and an integral part of environmental
education.
• To help students understand the concept of
personal responsibility toward the environ-
ment and to inspire them to make a
positive environmental impact in their
home, school, and community.
-------
reviews the common methods of managing solid
waste, including recycling, composting, landfill-
ing, incinerating, and preventing waste in the first
place. It also includes some information about
hazardous waste.
Why Should Kids Learn About
Garbage?
Despite the fact that individuals and communities
are recycling more than ever, each person in the
United States continues to generate about 4.5
pounds (EPA, 1 998) of municipal solid waste per
day! This statistic emphasizes the continuing need
to teach the next generation about reducing
waste and to energize schools and communities
to promote environmental awareness.
Because solid waste—or garbage—issues are
intimately connected with resource and energy
use, global climate change, air pollution, water
pollution, and other concerns, lessons and activi-
ties in The Quest for Less can be incorporated
into other environmental or ecological concepts.
What Is EPA's Office of Solid
Waste?
The mission of EPA's Office of Solid Waste
is to protect human health and the envi-
ronment by ensuring responsible national
management of hazardous and nonhaz-
ardous waste. Close interaction with states,
industry, environmental groups, tribes, and
the public enables EPA to promote safe
and effective waste management. Because
everyone contributes to the problems of
solid waste, everyone shares responsibility
for finding and implementing solutions.
In that spirit of cooperation, EPA reaches
out to educators with this resource,
enabling them to instill fundamental envi-
ronmental awareness and values in today's
youth and tomorrow's leaders.
Kids can learn the connection between recycling
an aluminum can and saving energy. They can
learn how their families' purchasing decisions
impact what manufacturers produce and sell.
And they can learn how the consumption of
material goods contributes to air and water pol-
lution. Recognizing that educators have a unique
opportunity to shape students' environmental
attitudes, EPA's Office of Solid Waste created this
resource to equip teachers with facts and ideas
for use in the classroom.
Sources
In developing this resource, EPA used the North
American Association for Environmental
Education's (NAAEE's) Guidelines for Excellence
in Environmental Education Materials as a guid-
ing principle. NAAEE's guidelines address
educational standards for fairness and accuracy,
depth, skills building, action orientation, instruc-
tional soundness, and usability. Information
about the organization can be obtained by con-
tacting NAAEE at RO. Box 400, Troy, Ohio
45373 or calling 937 676-2514.
Facts presented throughout this resource derive
from a variety of governmental, educational, and
trade association sources. While all have been
evaluated by EPA, they have not been independ-
ently verified and might become out of date over
time or with changes in the solid waste industry
or individual/community behaviors. Some facts
are specifically attributed to EPA's Environmental
Fact Sheet: Municipal Solid Waste Generation,
Recycling, and Disposal in the United States:
Facts and Figures for 1998, published April
2000 (document # EPA530-FOO-024).
This doucment updates and replaces OSW's
previous solid waste teacher's guide, Let's
Reduce and Recycle: Curriculum for Solid Waste
Awareness, August 1 990 (EPA530-SW-90-005).
Some activity ideas were based on existing solid
waste educational materials. These documents
can also serve as excellent sources of additional
activities for use in the classroom. EPA credits
The Quest for Less
-------
the following publications and provides informa-
tion that might be helpful when ordering
resources, when available:
Air, Land & Water Teachers' Manual, Illinois
Environmental Protection Agency, Office of
Public Information, 1021 North Grand Avenue,
East, RO. Box 19276, Springfield, Illinois
62794-9276. To order: Phone: 217 782-3397.
No cost.
A-Way With Waste, Fourth Edition, Washington
State Department of Ecology, Air Quality Program.
To order: Department of Ecology, Publications
Office, RO. Box 47600, Olympic, Washington
98504-7600. Phone: 360 407-7472.
. Publication # 97-200.
Closing the Loop: Integrated Waste
Management Activities For School and
Home, K-12, The Institute for Environmental
Education and the California Integrated Waste
Management Board, 1993. 18544 Haskins
Road, Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44023-1 823.
Phone: 21 6 543-7303. To order: Public
Education and Assistance Section, 8800 Cal
Center Drive, Mail State 5, Sacramento,
California 95826. Cost: $15.00.
"Luscious Layered Landfill" activity, Delaware
Solid Waste Authority. To order: 1 128 S.
Bradford Street, RO. Box 455, Dover, Delaware
19903-0455. Phone: 800 404-7080. No cost.
Environmental Education: Compendium for
Integrated Waste Management, California
Department of Education, California Integrated
Waste Management Board and California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, June
1993. To order: Hotline Coordinator/Public
Affairs Office, California Integrated Waste
Management Board, 8800 Cal Center Drive,
Sacramento, California 95826. . CIMWB Pub
#502-93-001. No cost.
Environmental Protection: Native American
Lands, Grades 1-12, Second Edition, The
Center for Indian Community Development,
Humboldt State University, Arcata, California
95521. To order: Phone: 707 826-3711.
Forever Green: A Recycling Education
Program for Grade 3, Fort Howard
Corporation, Green Bay, Wisconsin.
4th R Recycling Curriculum, San Francisco
Recycling Program, 1 145 Market Street, Suite
401, San Francisco, California 94103. To
order: Phone: 415 554-3400. Cost: $10.00.
4Rs Pro/ecf: A Solid Waste Management
Curriculum for Florida Schools, The Florida
Department of Education, July 1 990.
Here Today, Here Tomorrow (Revisited): A
Teacher's Guide to Solid Waste
Management, State of New Jersey Department
of Environmental Protection and Energy,
Information Resource Center, 432 E. State
Street, CN 409, Trenton, New Jersey 08625.
No longer available.
LifeLab Science Program Web site, Santa
Cruz, California, .
Mister Rogers: Activities for Young Children
About the Environment and Recycling, Family
Communications, Inc., 1990. To order: Keep
America Beautiful, Inc., 9 W Broad Street,
Stamford, Connecticut 06902. Phone: 203
323-8987.
Mystery of the Cast Off Caper: 4-H Solid
Waste Leader's Curriculum Guide, North
Carolina Cooperative Extension Service, 1992.
To order: Contact your local Extension Service
Center.
Nature's Recyclers Activity Guide, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, 1 991.
Bureaus and Solid Waste and Information and
Education, RO. Box 7921, Madison, Wisconsin
53707. To order: Phone: 608 267-0539 or
.
-------
A
Planet Patrol: An Environmental Unit on
Solid Waste Solutions for Grades 4-6, The
Procter & Gamble Company, One Procter &
Gamble Plaza, Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. To
order: Household Hazardous Waste School and
Youth Program, 130 Nickerson Street, Suite
100, Seattle, Washington 98109. Phone: 206
263-3082. . TD
779.P55.
Recycling Study Guide and K-3 Supplement
to the Recycling Study Guide, Wisconsin
Department of Natural Resources, 1 993, 1 990.
Bureaus and Solid Waste and Information and
Education, RO. Box 7921, Madison, Wisconsin
53707. To order: Phone: 608 267-0539 or
.
Rethinking Recycling: An Oregon Waste
Reduction Curriculum/Teacher Resource
Guide, Oregon Department of Environmental
Quality, 1993. To order: Department of
Environmental Quality's Solid Waste Policy and
Program Development Section, 811 SW Sixth
Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97204. 503 229-
5913, Phone: 800 452-4011 (in Oregon).
Cost: $6.00.
The No Waste Anthology: A Teacher's Guide
to Environmental Activities K-12, California
Environmental Protection Agency, Department of
Toxic Substances Control, 400 P Street, RO. Box
806, Sacramento, California 95812-0806. To
order: Household Hazardous Waste Program,
NH Department of Environmental Services, 6
Hazen Drive, RO. Box 95, Concord, New
Hampshire 03302-0095. Phone: 603 271-
2047. .
Trash Today, Treasure Tomorrow, University of
New Hampshire Cooperative Extension, 1990.
To order: Office of State Planning, 2-1/2
Beacon Street, Concord, New Hampshire
03301-4497. Phone: 603 271-1098. Cost:
$12.50.
EPA published A Resource Guide of Solid
Waste Educational Materials, January 1 998,
to help teachers locate a selection of curricula,
activity guides, videos, and Internet sites that
contain solid waste educational information. It is
available free of charge and can be ordered by
calling 800 424-9346. Request document num-
ber EPA530-B-97-004.
Vi*it tbe Rid*' Vage
EPA continually adds new Internet activities to the
Office of Solid Waste "Kids' Page." You'll find an
interactive alien expedition to Earth, a crossword
puzzle, a coloring book, a comic book, and other
games and activities. Check the site periodically for
new enrichments for your students.
www.epa.gov/osw/kids.htm
The Quest for Less
-------
Chapter 1: Natural Resources 3
Teacher Fact Sheet: Natural Resources 5
Nature Romp (Grades K-l) 11
An Ecosystem Escapade (Grades 1-3) 13
Dr. Seuss and Resource Use (Grades 2-3) 15
Sources of Resources (Grades 5-6) 17
How Many People Does It Take to Ruin an Ecosystem?
(Grades 5-6) 19
Chapter 2: Products 23
Teacher Fact Sheet: Products 25
A Matching Match (Grades K-l) 29
Tracing Trash Back to Its Roots (Grades 3-4) 31
Putting Products Under the Microscope (Grades 5-6) 35
Chapter 3: Waste 39
Teacher Fact Sheet: Solid Waste 41
Teacher Fact Sheet: Hazardous Waste 45
Beware of Mr. Yuk (Grades K-l) 49
Trash Art (Grades K-3) 53
Weigh Your Waste (Grades 4-6) 57
Trash Time Travelers (Grades 4-6) 61
(Hazardous) Waste Not (Grades 5-6) 65
UNIT 2 METHODS OF HANDLING WASTE: RECYCLING,
COMPOSTING, SOURCE REDUCING,
LANDFILLING, OR COMBUSTING 70
Chapter 1: Recycling 71
Teacher Fact Sheet: Recycling 73
Teacher Fact Sheet: Buying Recycled 79
Recycling Rangers (Grades K-2) 83
Follow That Bottle! (Grades K-2) 85
Take-Home Recycling Kit (Grades 2-3) 89
Making Glass From Scratch (Grades 2-3) 93
Handmade Recycled Paper Planters (Grades 2-6). . . .
95
-------
- >
Recycling...Sorting It All Out
(Grades 3-6) 97
Designing the Ultimate Can Crusher (Grades 4-6) 101
Let's Go Eco-Shopping! (Grades 4-6) 1 03
Chapter 2: Composting 107
Teacher Fact Sheet: Composting 1 09
Compost Critters (Grades K-l) 113
Compost Chefs (Grades 3-6) 117
Compost Crops (Grades 3-6) 123
Worms at Work (Grades 4-6) 127
Chapter 3: Source Reduction 131
Teacher Fact Sheet: Source Reduction 1 33
Discovering Nature's Packaging (Grades K-l) 137
Reuse: Not Just for the Birds (Grades K-4) 139
Source Reduction Roundup (Grades 3-6) 141
Ecological Picnic (Grades 3-4) 145
How Much Lunch Is Left Over? (Grades 5-6) 149
Chapter 4: Landfills And Combustion 153
Teacher Fact Sheet: Landfills 1 55
Teacher Fact Sheet: Combustion 1 59
Luscious Layered Landfill (Grades 1-4) 1 63
A Landfill Is No Dump! (Grades 3-6) 1 67
Energy Expedition (Grades 4-6) 171
The Dirty Disposal Debate (Grades 4-6) 1 77
The Trash Torch (Grades 5-6) 1 79
UNIT 3 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER: REVIEWING
THE SOLID WASTE OPTIONS 1 84
Chapter 1: Waste in Review 1 85
Teacher Fact Sheet: Waste in Review 1 87
Waste Race (Grades 2-3) 1 89
Drop, Swap, and Roll Board Game (Grades 4-6) 191
Trash Town (Grades 4-6) 1 93
Glossary of Terms 199
Glossary of Skills 207
VIII
The Quest for Less
-------
Where Products Come From, How They're
Made, and the Waste They Produce
In this unit, teachers and students will develop a foundation to under-
stand the importance of managing waste properly. Students will learn
where the products they use every day come from and how much and
what kind of waste these products create. They also will learn that waste
is not only created by throwing things away, but it also can be produced
by human activities such as mining raw materials from the ground and
manufacturing goods in factories. This part of the resource will help stu-
dents understand why it is important to prevent waste in the first place,
recycle, compost, and reuse—activities they will learn more about in the
next unit.
0)
w
i
V)
u
D
•o
E
0)
s.
D
O
I
O
D
O
tt* #
M , y ,;••"•• "T
, ' TOrytnto
*"'!«.<>£•<* -3 f ,-
m -.j • fr
**'<>^
-------
CHAPTER
y**^-^^**
«? <
Natural
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
An Ecosvstem
uss and Sources o
'ow Many
lie Does It
to Ruin an
/stem?
/
1 /
2
3
4
5
6
Math
Science J
Language Arts
Social Studies
Art /
Health
Communication y
Reading
Research
Computation
Observation/ ,
Classification V
Problem Solving
Motor Skills J
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
*See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Natural Resources
TeacKer fact $heet
What Are Natural Resources?
Natural resources are useful materials from the
Earth, such as coal, oil, natural gas, and trees.
People depend on natural resources for basic
survival and use them as raw materials to manu-
facture or create a range of modern conveniences.
Water and food provide humans with sustenance
and energy, for example, and fossil fuels generate
heat as well as energy for transportation and
industrial production. Many of the same natural
resources used by people are important to plants
and wildlife for survival as well.
Virgin Versus
Recovered
Resources
Resources used for the
first time are consid-
ered virgin resources,
and their extraction,
processing, and use
requires a great deal of
energy and can create
pollution. Resource
recovery is a practice that conserves natural
resources by extracting used materials (e.g.,
paper, glass, and metals) and energy from
municipal solid waste and reprocessing them for
reuse. For example, a company can create plas-
tic from oil, a virgin natural resource, or it can
use recovered plastic from recycling programs. If
a company uses recovered plastic, it is actually
saving materials that would otherwise become
waste, helping to prevent the depletion of natu-
ral resources, conserving energy, and preventing
pollution that would have been created in the
extraction and processing of oil from the ground.
In addition to the benefits already discussed,
using recovered resources reduces threats to
biodiversity. Natural resource extraction, along
with other human activities, increases the rate at
Key
• Natural resources are vital to all forms
of wildlife and the ecosystems in which
they live.
• Human beings use natural resources for
such modern conveniences as electricity,
transportation, and industrial produc-
tion, as well as basic survival.
• Rapid population growth, a higher stan-
dard of living, and technology all
contribute to increased use of natural
resources.
• Extracting, processing, and using natu-
ral resources can cause environmental
problems, such as the disruption or
destruction of ecosystems; a decrease
in biodiversity; and land, water, and air
pollution.
• Using renewable natural resources
impacts the environment less than using
nonrenewable resources because their
supply can be regenerated.
• Using recovered resources prevents
natural resources from being wasted.
• Using recovered rather than virgin
resources decreases greenhouse gas
buildup, which can result in global
climate change.
• Resource recovery and conservation,
as well as buying recycled products, are
emerging trends that reduce consump-
tion of natural resources.
which species of plants and animals are now
vanishing. Diminishing the Earth's biodiversity
has a substantial human cost because wild
species and natural ecosystems are important
resources. For example, some economists esti-
mate that the lost pharmaceutical value from
plant species extinctions in the United States
-------
Biodiversity
Biodiversity refers to the variety of organisms
that live on Earth. Supporting so many differe
organisms requires the conservation of the nc
to survive. Usma
natural resources can not only deplete the Eart
of the resources themselves, but by destroying
critical habitats, it can also drive some species
to extinction, ultimately reducint
alone is almost $12 bil-
lion. Reducing the land
disturbance and pollution
associated with virgin
materials extraction by
using recovered materi-
als, therefore, helps stop
the degradation of the
Earth's ecosystems.
Renewable Versus
Nonrenewable Resources
Some natural resources are nonrenewable and
some are renewable. Nonrenewable resources
are those that become depleted more quickly
than they naturally regenerate. One example
of a nonrenewable resource is mineral ore.
Once mined and used completely, it is gone
forever, for all practical purposes, because it
will take millions of years to regenerate.
Renewable resources can be replenished at
approximately the same rate at which they are
used (for example, sun and wind, which can
be used to provide energy).
Products Made From Natural
Resources
People use an abundance of resources to survive
in a continually developing world. Globally, how-
ever, some people live simpler lifestyles than
others and therefore use fewer resources. The fol-
lowing table lists some natural resources and the
products and services people produce from them.
Natural Resource Product/Service
Trees
Cotton plant
Oil/Petroleum
Gas
Coal
Iron ore
Bauxite ore
Gold
Copper
Manganese
Cobalt
Platinum
Chromium
Diamonds
Paper, furniture, fuel
Clothing
Plastic, fuel
Fuel
Fuel
Steel products (cans, bridges)
Aluminum products (cans, car
parts)
Jewelry, dental material
Wire, coins, electrical equipment
Steel, cast iron
Steel, jet engine parts, cutting tools
Air pollution control and telecom-
munications equipment, jewelry
Stainless steel, green glass, gems
(rubies and emeralds), leather
treatment
Jewelry, mechanical equipment
Renewable or Nonrenewable—or Both?
Some resources can be considered both renewable and nonrenewable. Trees are considered a
renewable resource because their supply can be replenished (e.g., more trees can be planted).
however, an entire forest of 400-year-old trees is cleared and a new-growth forest is planted, trv
supply of old-growth trees has not been replenished. It takes many generations for an old-
forest to mature, and so, old-growth trees are considered nonrenewable. Trees are a complex
resource because as a forest, their environmental and economic contributions often depend on
age. For example, clearing a forest of 200-year-old Redwoods, unlike clearing a forest of new-
growth pines, diminishes high levels of biodiversity only developed in old-growth forests.
The Quest for Less
-------
What Are the Benefits
of Natural Resources?
Renewable resources offer a
number of environmental and
economic benefits over nonre-
newable resources. One
obvious benefit is the infinite
supply of renewable
resources—they cannot be
depleted. Another benefit of
using renewable resources is
self-reliance. A country that can
provide its own renewable resource, such as
solar-powered electricity, need not rely on other
countries for an energy source. Additionally,
renewable resources offer communities relief
during periods of recovery from natural disas-
ters. When communities lose standard services
that require the use of natural resources (e.g.,
electric power or natural gas), renewable
resources, such as wind and solar energy sys-
tems, are used to provide these services until the
usual methods of achieving service can be
restored. Following the 1 992 Hurricane Andrew,
for example, a south-Miami subdivision contin-
ued to have working streetlights because they
were all photovoltaic (PV)-powered. The areas
became neighborhood gathering spots for a
community left without electricity following the
storm. In several cases, homes equipped with
PV systems were able to keep minimal services
running and became emergency shelters for sur-
rounding residents without power.
Greenhouse Gas: A gas that absorbs and retains heat from the
sun. Greenhouse gases include methane, ammonia, sulfur
dioxide, and certain chlorinated hydrocarbons. A buildup of
these gases traps warmth in the Earth's atmosphere, changing
e aloPal climate
Global Climate Change: Natural- or human-induced change in
the average global temperature of the atmosphere near the
Earth's surface.
What Are the
Challenges of Using
Natural Resources?
Extracting, processing, and
using natural resources cre-
ates air, water, and land
pollution, which can cause
global environmental prob-
lems. For example, carbon
dioxide, which is produced
from deforestation, and from burning coal, oil,
and natural gas, is a critical greenhouse gas.
Many scientists believe that the buildup of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere can cause
global climate change. Overtime, this condition
could pose serious dangers around the world,
prompting such disasters as flooding, drought,
and disease.
In addition, extracting and using resources can
disturb relationships within ecosystems. For
example, the effects of clearing an old-growth
forest for wood can destroy habitats used by
What Are Ecosystems?
Ecosystems are self-regulating communities of plants and animals that interact with one another and
with their nonliving environment. Examples of ecosystems include ponds, woodlots, and fields.
Organisms within an ecosystem are connected by energy. Individuals in a community feed on each
other, thus transferring energy along a food chain or food web. In a food chain, energy is trans-
ferred from one organism to another in a linear form. For example, the sun provides fuel for a fig
tree, which provides sustenance for wasps. The wasps are a food source for spiders, which are
eaten by birds. More complex food webs can be thought of as a network, involving energy transfers
amona several oraanisms.
-------
many animals, forcing them to
find homes elsewhere. If these
animals leave an ecosystem, fur-
ther disturbances can occur within
plant and animal populations that
depend on these species.
Additionally, with the absence of
tall trees in the forest, lower vege-
tation would lose shade provided
by the upper canopy, resulting in
increased exposure to sunlight
and decreased moisture. Changes
in an ecosystem's climatic condi-
tions will eventually change
vegetation type, which will alter
the kinds of animals that can exist
in that community. Overtime, if
enough ecosystems are affected,
an entire community type can
change (e.g., over-harvested fields
can turn into deserts).
Natural Resource Consumption Facts
The United States uses one
2 minutes.
Ions ot oil every
• Every American uses about 47,000 pounds of newly
mined materials each year.
• A television requires 35 different minerals, and more
than 30 minerals are needed to make a computer.
• Over the past 40 years, global consumption of wood
as industrial fuel rose by nearly 80 percent. North
America alone accounts for about 40 percent of both
production and consumption of wood as industrial
wood products.
• In 1998, each person in the United States threw away
an average of 4.46 pounds of waste each day.
(Sources: Natural Resources Defense Council, 1996; National
Mining Association, 2000; World Resources Institute, 2000; EPA,
Population growth, increas-
ing affluence, technological
change, and urbanization
are all responsible for rap-
idly rising resource
consumption all over the
world. The relationship
between the population
growth and increased
resource use varies
among developed and
undeveloped nations. For example, according to
the Department of Energy, residents of the
industrialized world comprise only 20 percent of
the world's population, yet consume 86 percent
of its iron and steel, and 76 percent of its
timber. Despite the inconsistent relationship
between resource use and developed and unde-
veloped nations, it is apparent that worldwide,
more people use more resources. With popula-
tion, technology, and lifestyle demands growing
exponentially, people are using increasing
amounts of many natural resources.
Innovative Technology Using
Recovered Materials
Plastic lumber was developed to utilize low-cost material;
such as plastic grocery bags and wood chips or sawdust.
Used as a wood alternative, plastic lumber offers several
advantages over using lumber; it is long lasting, requires
limited upkeep, and resists warping and decay. One
example of how using plastic lumber can conserve and
recover resources is a bridge at Ft. Leonard Wood,
Missouri. The construction of the plastic lumber bridge
utilized 1 3,000 pounds of mixed plastics that otherwise
would have gone to waste. This exercise in reuse trans-
lates into significant natural resource conservation.
Emerging Trends
Increasing demands for natural
resources have spurred new methods for
conserving existing resources. More and
more companies are developing new
and innovative technologies that use
recycled materials as raw materials in
the manufacture of products. Some steel
producers, for example, use minimills
and a manufacturing process that uses
virtually 100 percent recovered scrap
steel as the raw material.
The Quest for Less
-------
Recovery—In Action
• More than 65 percent of the steel produced in the United States is made from recovered steel.
• The average aluminum can contains an average of 50 percent post-consumer recycled contenl
• By 1 997, the paper industry relied on recovered paper for 45 percent of its feedstock.
• Using recovered aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy required to make the same
amount of aluminum from bauxite, its virgin source.
• Recycling and reuse of 2,000 pounds of paper saves 7,000 gallons of water and 380 gallons
(Sources: Steel Recycling Institute, 2000; Aluminum Association, 2000; American Forest and Paper Associat
2000; The Can Manufacturers Institute, 1 997; Weyerhaeuser Company, 1 999.)
How Can You Help?
An increasing number of individuals are also
practicing conservation methods by using less—
such as buying products with less packaging.
(See the Teacher Fact Sheets titled Recycling on
pg. 73 and Buying Recycled on page 79).
Certain lifestyle changes, such as composting
food scraps rather than buying fertilizer (see the
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Source Reduction on
pg. 133 and Composting on page 109), also
preserve natural resources. Other suggestions
for ways to practice conservation of natural
resources are as follows:
• Reduce waste by reusing paper grocery and
lunch bags or eliminate waste by using
cloth bags.
• Donate old toys, clothes, furniture, cars, and
other items to organizations such as the
Salvation Army rather than throwing them in
the garbage.
• Close the recycling loop by purchasing
recycled-content products and packaging.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on natural resources and solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste composting site:
• World Resources Institute:
• Natural Resources Defense Counci:
• United States Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory:
• United States Department of Energy's Center of Excellence for Sustainable Development:
To order the following document on municipal solid waste, call EPA toll-free at 800 424-9346 (TDD
800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site .
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
-------
Grades K-1
Nature Romp
0 Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To gain an appreciation of nature and the environment.
Activity Description J
Students will take a nature walk, make observations,
and collect natural objects for an art activity.
Materials Needed J
Bags (e.g., old lunch
or grocery bags)
Paint
Smocks
Crayons
Glue
Scissors
Pens or pencils
Construction paper
Large sheet of paper
Nature
Environment
Habitat
Duration )
2 hours
Skills Used ]
Communication
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Draw a chart on a large piece of
cardboard or poster board with headings that
describe several types of natural objects that
students could find outdoors. Headings might
include rocks, leaves, flowers, bugs, animals,
nuts (see below). Attach a sample of each of
these objects (e.g., for flower, it can be a
flower petal or seed). Discuss each of the
objects and tell students their mission will be
to find evidence of these items in the out-
doors. Examples of the types of evidence
students might bring back that would fit into
the category headings could include pebbles,
leaves or needles, seeds, acorns, feathers,
and twigs.
Step 2: Bring students outdoors into the
school yard, a field, a patch of woods, a gar-
den, or other natural area, no matter how
Rocks
Leaves
Flowers
Bags
Animals
Nats
11
-------
small. Distribute a bag to students, and tell them
they are on a scavenger hunt to find evidence of
the items discussed in class. Please ensure that
students only collect items that have fallen to the
ground or are dead; no live plants, flowers,
insects, or other organisms should be collected,
nor should bark be peeled off trees. Teachers
might have to work closely with students to help
them locate and identify appropriate items.
Step 3: While students are collecting objects,
ask them for their observations. You might want
to talk about their discoveries, focusing on col-
ors, senses, seasons, or animal lives (e.g.,
hibernation, food).
Step 4: Regroup in the classroom and help
students spread everything they've collected on
a table. Ask the students to categorize their
items into the headings on the chart you pre-
pared earlier. Compare the different colors,
sizes, and shapes of each of the items. Group
everyone's objects together and attach them to
the posterboard, or let students keep their own
pile and proceed to Step 5.
Step 5: Prepare for painting and gluing by
putting on smocks and gathering the art sup-
plies (e.g., paper or cardboard, glue, crayons,
paint, construction paper, and scissors). Ask stu-
dents to create artwork, using objects they
collected, that depicts the natural environment
they just explored. Students can glue natural
objects directly onto the paper, or they can cre-
ate a sculpture. Students could also create
cut-outs of animals or plants that they observed.
Step 6: Allow the artwork to dry and hang
posters around the classroom to bring a little of
the environment indoors!
Teachers: Please note that many federal and
state land management agencies prohibit or
discourage collecting living or non-living items
in a natural environment. Depending on your
situation, you might want to consider directing
students to draw or paint the live organisms
they find as a substitute for the real thing.
Assessment J
1. Ask students if they found anything outside
that they had never seen before. If so, can
they explain what it is?
2. Review some of the specific items found and
what their purpose is.
3. Ask students to share what they like best in
nature.
3.
Enrichment J
1. Schedule a day trip to a local nature center
where students can participate in further out-
door education.
2. Adopt a specific tree in your schoolyard and
observe how it changes through the seasons.
Have students draw the tree during different
seasons.
Participate in an environmental education
workshop and obtain copies of the conserva-
tion/environmental education activity guides
entitled Project WILD K-12, Project WILD
Aquatic Education, or Project Learning Tree.
Project WILD's state coordinators and their
facilitators conduct workshops (usually 6 hours
long) for educators within their state. The
activity guides are provided to those who
participate in the workshops. They include
numerous indoor and outdoor hands-on
activities related to the environment, with a
focus on wildlife. Other classroom materials
are available without participating in the work-
shops. For more information, and to find out
how to get information in your state, visit the
Web site .
You can also contact the Project WILD
National Office at 707 Conservation Lane,
Suite 305, Gaithersburg, MD 20878, Phone:
301 527-8900, Fax: 301 527-8912;
ore-mail: info@projectwild.org.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 1 -3
Ifccapade
To learn how animals and plants depend on each other
in ecosystems.
y Activity Description J
Students will role-play elements of a food web to illus-
trate the connections in ecosystems.
Materials Needed J
Paper or cardboard
Crayons or markers
Scissors and string
Hole-punch
science
Subjects Covered J
Food chain
Food web
Ecosystem
Duration J
1 hour
/) Skills Used ]
Communications
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: If possible, take the students out-
side into a natural environment, such as
woods (otherwise, ask them to use their
imaginations and conduct the lesson
indoors). Explain what an ecosystem is and
what types of ecosystems are in your area.
Ask them to identify different animals and
plants that they see when they go outside.
Discuss in a group what all animals and
plants have in common (i.e., that they need
to eat). Explain how some animals eat
plants, some plants eat animals (e.g., a
Venus Fly Trap), and some animals eat other
animals. Ask the students what they eat.
Step 2: Explain that animals and plants
rely on each other for food and for survival.
All of the plants and animals working
together, eating each other and being
eaten, is part of nature and can be
Sample Food Chain:
(in an Eastern U.S. deciduous wooded ecosystem)
Sample Food Web:
(in an Eastern deciduous wooded ecosystem)
phytoplankt
Arrows indicate the direction that energy is transferred.
-------
described as "food chains" or "food webs."
Show the students an example on the board
(see sidebar for examples of food chains and
food webs).
Step 3: Based on the animals and plants that
are named by the students, create a food web
on the board and have students help you
decide which animals and plants eat each other.
Step 4: Have each student pick one animal or
plant in the ecosystem described on the board.
Instruct each student to draw a picture on a
piece of paper or cardboard of their animal or
plant and write its name near the picture.
Step 5: Using a hole-punch and string, help
students create a placard to identify them as a
particular animal or plant.
Step 6: Facilitate an exercise with the stu-
dents in which they find the animal or plant that
they eat and link hands with that person. If the
food web is created properly, many people
should be holding hands.
Assessment J
1. As Step 6 is being conducted, ask students
to remember what eats what. If there is more
than one option, acknowledge students
when they say a correct answer, even if no
one in the class is role-playing that particular
plant or animal.
2. Ask students why animals eat other animals
or plants.
3. Ask students what would happen to the
plants and animals in the food web if one
plant or animal disappeared. Explore with
students reasons why an animal or plant
would disappear.
^ Enrichment J
1. Create illustrations and placards exemplify-
ing a chain of foods that the students eat.
Then link hands to create one or more
chains (for example, people eat hamburger,
which is made from cows, which eat grass).
2. Teach the students the words to "This Land Is
Your Land" and sing it as a class. Discuss
some of the lyrics that describe particular
ecosystems (e.g., redwood forests).
3. Tell students the different types of ecosystems
that exist in your geographic location, such as
streams, ponds, forests, deserts, and mead-
ows. Have each student pick one and draw a
picture of it, including animals and plants that
live in it. If possible, have students collect
items in nature, such as leaves, acorns,
bones, bark, to include in their artwork.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 2-3
Dr
and
jf
|j Objective
To learn about resources and the potential negative
impacts humans can have on the environment
through overconsumption.
Activity Description J
Students will listen to the teacher read The Lorax by Dr.
Seuss. The teacher will then show the class products
that exemplify reduced resource consumption.
" Materials Needed J
The Lorax by Dr. Seuss
tf $*
Key Vocabulary Words J
Natural resources
Pollution
Ecosystem
Consumption
Duration J
2 hours
Skills Used )
Reading
Problem solving
language
Activity J
Day 1:
Listening Exercise
Step 1: Introduce and discuss the concept
of natural resources and product consumption
with students (refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Natural Resources on page 5). Review
vocabulary words above. Note how humans
continue to consume more and more prod-
ucts, which takes a toll on the environment.
Explain that ecosystems are comprised of
many different interrelated components, such
as different plant and animal species. Add
that when one part of an ecosystem is dis-
turbed, it impacts the entire ecosystem.
Step 2: Take students to a quiet area out-
side where they can sit comfortably and listen
without distractions. Have students sit in a cir-
cle. Once settled, ask students to close their
eyes and take three long deep breaths to help
them relax.
Step 3: Once students are calm and atten-
tive, read The Lorax out loud. In this story, a
character called the "Once-ler" cuts down
"Truffula" trees for their valuable silk tufts and
uses them to make "thneeds." Due to increas-
ing thneeds sales, the Once-ler builds a
factory and invents an axe that can cut down
four trees at once. The Lorax, a wise creature
of the forest, recognizes the potential harm
this could have on the Truffula tree forest
ecosystem. He speaks up to defend the trees,
animals, air, and water that the Once-ler is
destroying in pursuit of more money and to
satisfy those who want thneeds. Eventually all
the Truffula trees are depleted, and the Once-
ler can no longer produce thneeds. The once
beautiful site is left contaminated with polluted
air and water.
15
-------
Journal Activity J
Remind students that the Lorax
spoke for the trees, "for the trees
have no tongues." Ask students to
choose one thing in the environ-
ment that is in jeopardy and
cannot speak for itself and
defend it Why is it in jeopardy?
Step 4: Discuss the story with the students.
Begin by asking them why the Once-ler is called
the "Once-ler." Evaluate why the Once-ler had to
use all the Truffula trees and ask the students to
speculate why he would not listen to the Lorax.
Ask the students if they can suggest a way for the
Once-ler to make thneeds without destroying the
ecosystem in which the Lorax lived.
Step 5: Have students suggest "thneeds" that
they often use (e.g., clothes, food, books).
Instruct students to go home that night and think
about how they can consume less resources
while still using their thneeds. One example is
buying used clothing instead of new clothing.
Instruct students to bring in their thneed for a
"show and tell" activity the following day.
"Show and Tell"
Step 1: Have students present their thneed
and explain their solution for consuming less
resources while using their thneed. If the student
cannot think of a solution, ask the class to con-
tribute its ideas.
Assessment J
1. Ask the students why the Once-ler cut down
the Truffula trees.
2. Ask the students why the Brown Bar-ba-loots
have to leave the forest after the Once-ler
starts his thneed production. Could some-
thing like this happen in real life? How?
3. Have students list three ways the Thneed fac-
tory caused problems for the Truffula Tree
forest and its residents.
4. Have students explain what the Lorax's mes-
sage "Unless" means (answers should
include the need for future generations to
protect and care for the Earth).
jy Enrichment J
Break students into groups of approximately
five students. Have students rewrite The Lorax
so that the Truffula tree forest and its inhabi-
tants are saved. Students can use this to
develop a script and act out their own story
in front of the class.
Instruct students to create a collage of their
needs and wants, labeling them "thneeds"
and "thwants," by cutting pictures out of
magazines. Once the collages are complete,
ask the students to tell the class about
opportunities to use less resources with the
thneeds and thwants.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 5-6
Source* of Resource*
Objective J
To identify natural resources as renewable or nonrenew-
able; to learn where resources come from; and to
understand how overconsumption of limited supplies
can be problematic.
f Activity Description J
Students will research resources, investigating their
sources and uses. They will present conclusions to the
class and identify on a map where the resource is most
often found.
Materials Needed J
Subjects Covered J
Natural resources
Renewable
Nonrenewable
Raw materials
Consumption
Wool sweater
Plastic milk jug
Metal can
Glass bottle
Plastic boot or raincoat
Fruit and/or vegetables
Wood object (chair,
ruler, etc.)
Cotton T-shirt
Paper
Dairy product (egg,
cheese, milk, etc.)
Leather (belt, shoe,
purse, etc.)
Pushpins
Paper (used to make
small labels/tags)
Scissors
Pens
World map
social
studies
Duration J
hour
Skills Used ]
Communication
Research
Observation/classification
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Display all of the materials from the
"Materials Needed" list above except for the
last five items. Discuss the concept of natural
resources with the students and ask them to
identify what each of the objects on display
are made from (refer to Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Natural Resources on page 5). List their
answers on the board. Use the list to define
and explain the key vocabulary words.
Valuable Natural Resources
Aluminum
Chromium
Coal
Cobalt
Corn
Diamonds
Fish
Fresh Water
Gold
Nickel
Oil
Petroleum
Platinum
Silver
Tin
Wheat
Wool
Zinc
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to list the kinds of
natural resources they use fre-
quently. Are they renewable or
nonrenewable? Ask students to
write about what they would do
if the world supply of the
resource ran out
Step 2: Have a brainstorming session with
students to identify well-known resources such as
those listed in the "Valuable Natural Resources"
sidebar. Try to come up with at least as many
resources as there are students in the class.
Write the list on the chalkboard.
Step 3: Have each student choose a natural
resource from the list.
Step 4: Instruct students to research their cho-
sen resource. They should use library and
Internet resources to investigate the dominant
sources and uses for their resource. Students
should also research consumption of their
resource and analyze whether their resource
might become depleted in the near future.
Step 5: Display a large map of the world in
the front of the classroom.
Step 6: Have students write the name of their
resource on several small pieces of paper.
Step 7: Have students present information
about their resource to the class, discussing their
research conclusions. Students should begin
their presentation by telling the class what their
resource is and where it is most typically found.
Students should pin the paper that labels their
resource on the map at the appropriate regions.
Additionally, students should discuss whether the
resource is renewable or nonrenewable and tell
the class some of the resource uses and any
associated consumption issues.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to identify the natural resources
used to make items, other than those previ-
ously studied. Have students think about their
house, family car, room, school, or other
familiar objects in their lives.
2. Test students' memory of where some of the
assigned resources come from. Take the pins
out of the map and have students place the
pins at the proper geographic locations as
you call out the resources.
3. Ask students to explain and discuss the impor-
tance of monitoring resource consumption.
Also, discuss why it is important to develop
and discover alternatives to certain resources.
^1 Enrichment J
Have students research, via the Internet or
the school library, information on our global
population and specific resource quantities.
Have them calculate and record figures to
determine the approximate future supply of
particular resources.
Have students pick their favorite resource
and identify ways to conserve it. With this
information, have students write and act out
a skit that exemplifies resource conservation
practices.
Conduct a geology lesson that incorporates
a discussion of the formation of some com-
mon natural resources (e.g., coal, petroleum,
diamonds). Ask students why all resources
are not located right in their backyards.
Discuss what this means in terms of resource
availability (e.g., how we get resources from
other countries).
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 5-6
ffaw Many1 People Dae$ it
•Take to Kuin an
l) Objective J
Subjects Covered J
To learn how animals and plants depend on each other
in ecosystems and how human activities can impact
ecosystems.
Food chain
Food web
Ecosystem
science
social
studies
Activity Description J
Students will role-play elements of a food web to illus-
trate the connections in ecosystems and will respond to
real-life scenarios that impact ecosystems.
Duration )
1 to 2 hours
I
w
•
•
•
INW Materials Needed
Red stickers •
Green stickers •
Black stickers
)
Cardboard
String
(Oy skills Used )
Communications
Motor skills
Activity J
Sample Food Web:
(in an Eastern U.S. deciduous wooded ecosystem)
Step 1: Discuss ecosystems with stu-
dents and identify the types of ecosystems
that exist in your geographical area.
Select an ecosystem to study (e.g., forest,
meadow, stream, pond).
Step 2: As an in-class exercise with
students, brainstorm some of the animals
and plants that make up that ecosystem.
Have a student write everything on the
board and have the class create links
between the items that plants and ani-
mals eat and those that eat them. The
result should be a complex food web
(see example in the side bar). Leave the
food web on the board until the next day.
Step 3: Assign each student to a partic-
ular plant or animal that exists in a
Arrows indicate the direction that energy is transferred.
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to describe a natu-
ral place that is special to them.
Have them write about what lives
there and why it is so magical. On
ask them to write a poem that is
in the shape of something in
nature.
specified ecosystem. Have them research (either
at the school library or on the Internet) what the
plant eats, what eats it, and any factors that are
necessary in its habitat for survival. Have students
tell the class what they found, in 5 minutes or
less, modifying the existing food web as you go.
Step 4: Have students create a placard to
identify themselves as a certain plant or animal.
All students should start off with a green sticker
on their placard, indicating that the population
of their plant or animal species is healthy.
Step 5: Facilitate an exercise in which each
person holds hands with the person wearing a
sign of the animal or plant that they eat. The
result should be a tangled web of students,
holding several people's hands.
Step 6: Now, introduce some human-created
scenarios that would affect this ecosystem (see
examples below). When an animal or plant is
affected, a red or black sticker must be placed
on the person's placard. For example, in a
meadow ecosystem, a scenario might be that a
farmer applies pesticides to the meadow, which
kills off the Monarch Butterflies. Whomever is
playing the role of the Monarch Butterfly would
put a black sticker over top of the green sticker
(and should be removed from the web).
Students should be asked to identify what other
species are affected by the disappearance of the
Monarchs in this ecosystem. Those that are
affected (that depend on the Monarch for food
or that serve as prey for the Monarch) should
place a red sticker over top of the green sticker,
indicating the species is in trouble.
Sample Scenarios of Human
Activities That Could Affect
Ecosystems:
• Pesticide-containing runoff makes its
way into a stream from which animals
drink.
• A household dumps used oil in the storm
drain, which empties out into a bay.
• An old-growth forest is clear-cut.
• Hazardous waste from a factory is
dumped into the river.
• Acid rain from factories kills off trees in
a forest 200 miles away.
Step 7: Introduce several detrimental scenar-
ios until the students decide that the ecosystem
is no longer viable and should be considered
destroyed.
The Quest for Less
-------
Assessment J
1. Have students define and describe a food web.
2. Ask students to describe the characteristics of
an ecosystem.
3. Ask students to explain how several elements
of an ecosystem can be harmed even if only
one element is initially affected.
Enrichment J
1. Repeat the exercise described in Step 6, but
this time use examples of recent human
actions and efforts to make a positive impact
on an ecosystem. For example, through the
work of biologists and naturalists, the fox is
reintroduced into an ecosystem and environ-
mental groups help Congress to pass and
enforce laws to protect its habitat.
2. Present the class with a scenario that pits
human activities against an ecosystem. Break
the class into groups and assign different
roles to the different groups. For example,
one group could represent a developer that
wants to fill in a wetland to build a shopping
mall. Another group could represent a group
of citizens of that community that want to
save the wetland. Another group could rep-
resent the new workers who could benefit
from jobs at the new mall. Students should
be instructed to think of all the reasons why
they would support or oppose the mall from
their perspective and have a mini-debate
about the issue.
3. Take the students on a field trip to a local
park, stream, pond, or wooded area, and
take an inventory of all the common birds
and plants that are observed in that ecosys-
tem. Students could learn how to use field
guides and identify the species observed.
4. Give the students a list of species that have
become extinct in the last 100 years and ask
them to research how they became extinct
(e.g., overharvesting, habitat destruction) and
present the information to the class, along
with a description of the species and/or a
photograph. This will help the class appreci-
ate the beauty of many of the extinct species
and gain an understanding of the human
activities that caused their demise.
-------
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
atching Match
Tracing Trash Back to Its Roots Putting Products Under the
rroscope
I
/
1 /
2
3
4
5
6
Math
Science
Language Arts
Social Studies y
Art J
Health
Communication
Reading
Research
Computation
Observation/ ,
Classification v
Problem Solving
Motor Skills J
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
/
*See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Products
How Are Products Made?
Everyone uses a variety of products each day—
from toothbrushes to notebooks to lunch boxes
to video games. Each of these products has an
effect on the environment in one way or another.
Sometimes merely using (or misusing) a product
can affect the health of people and the environ-
ment. Some products can affect the environment
through the way they are made or disposed of.
For example, products made from virgin natural
resources have different effects on the environ-
ment than those made from recovered resources.
By understanding a product's life cycle—the
development, use, and disposal of a product—
people can make better decisions about what
products to buy and how to use them wisely.
A product's life cycle generally includes design;
exploration, extraction, and processing of
resources (raw materials); manufacturing; distri-
bution and use; and retirement. If a product is
made from 100 percent recovered materials,
exploration and extraction of virgin materials is
not necessary. If a product is recycled, compost-
ed, or reused, people do not have to throw it
away. By altering the product life cycle in these
ways, people can save energy and resources,
and therefore, prevent waste and pollution.
The Product Life Cycle
The following sections describe each stage in
the product life cycle, as well as the challenges,
benefits, and emerging trends associated with
each step.
Design
Product design can involve research, testing,
and development. This includes development of
synthetic materials, such as plastics, which
derive from natural sources.
Some products are designed to be used only
once (disposable), while others are designed to
be used many times (durable). Engineering and
Key Point*
• Product life cycle includes design,
extraction of natural resources, manu-
facture, use, and disposal or recycling.
If a product is made with recovered
materials, raw materials do not have to
be extracted from the Earth. If a prod-
uct is recycled or reused, its life cycle
begins anew and has less effect on the
environment.
• The extraction of raw materials and
the manufacture and disposal of a
product can create pollution and waste
and can require a great deal of energy
resources.
• Durable products can be used many
times, while disposable products are
usually used only once.
• Product manufacturers are beginning to
make more products that have environ-
mentally preferable attributes.
material choices can determine whether a
product is durable, disposable, or recyclable.
Over the last few decades, as people's lives have
become more complicated and technology has
advanced, many consumers have come to desire
the convenience of disposable items over the
durability of reusable ones. Also, it is sometimes
easier to replace items rather than fix them. Thus,
more and more items end up as trash in landfills
or incinerators.
Products are often conceived and designed with
a focus simply on how they will be used and
with less concern about the other stages in their
life cycle. In the past decade, however, con-
sumers have begun to demand more
environmentally preferable products—products
that have fewer negative effects on human
health and the environment when compared to
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
-------
traditional products. Manufacturers have
responded by offering products that are made
from recycled-content materials, low in toxicity,
and highly energy-efficient. Other products have
been designed to conserve water, minimize air
pollution or, through a combination of factors,
have fewer negative impacts on the environment.
Exploration, Extraction, and Processing
Manufacturers must obtain the materials needed
to make their products. If a manufacturer uses
recovered materials, the company can obtain
them from recycling processors or other similar
sources. Virgin resources, however, must be mined
(for metals and minerals) or harvested (for wood
and other biobased materials) from the Earth.
Once they are extracted, they must be processed
for use in manufacturing.
The extraction of raw materials generates waste
and pollution and
requires a great deal of
energy. In many cases,
the natural resources
used in manufacturing
are nonrenewable. This
means that, eventually,
the natural resource will
be depleted. As more
and more communities
offer recycling programs
and people use them,
manufacturers may be able to use increased
recovered materials instead of virgin materials
to make products.
Manufacturing
Whether a product is made from virgin or recov-
ered materials, often the factories that
manufacture the product are specially designed
to use a consistent form of material. If a product
is made in a plant designed to process virgin
materials, changing to recycled feedstock might
not be easy. Changing the kinds of materials
used in manufacturing, such as using recycled
paper instead of virgin paper, can require
changes in technology and equipment and can
slow down the pace of production. In the past
decade, however, many manufacturing plants
have begun retooling and learning to use recov-
ered materials rather than virgin materials, and
thus, the variety of recycled-content products has
been growing. (See the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Recycling on page 73 for more information.)
Manufacturing products generates pollution and
usually requires a great deal of energy
resources. Using recovered materials can often
save energy and reduce pollution. The manufac-
turing process also generates waste, but at some
manufacturing plants, this waste can be reused.
Distribution and Use
People rely on various products to live in a
modern society. Most people pur-
chase and use some type of
manufactured product every day
because it is easier and more con-
venient than making the same
items from scratch (for example,
going to a store and buying a box
or bag of rice is much simpler, and
more practical, than trying to grow
rice in a paddy in the backyard).
After products are manufactured,
many must be packaged for trans-
portation and distribution. Often,
products are transported long dis-
tances across the nation or even
internationally before people can
purchase and use those items.
Products often require packaging to
The Quest for Less
-------
protect them from spoilage, damage, contamina-
tion, and tampering during transportation,
storage, and sale. Sometimes packaging is
necessary to inform consumers about product
benefits, proper use, and other information.
While some products might appear to have
excessive packaging, in many cases the packag-
ing serves several purposes, without which the
products might not be available as widely or as
frequently.
Packaging—when it is discarded—can create a
great deal of waste. In communities where com-
mon packaging materials are not recyclable, these
items must be thrown away, wasting precious
resources and potential recovered materials.
Product Retirement
After use, many items or packaging are dis-
posed of in landfills or incinerators. Others are
recovered for recycling. If products are disposed
of in landfills or incinerators, they can no longer
provide any benefit. Emissions to air and water
from these disposal methods can affect human
health and the environment.
Think Globally, Buy Locally
One way consumers can help eliminate the
need for excessive packaging is to buy product:
locally. This concept, known as bioregionalism,
works on the idea that if consumers buy prod-
ucts made within their own communities,
packaging that would otherwise be needed to
protect the products during transportation and
storage could be eliminated.
If products are recycled, composted, or reused,
they continue to serve a purpose, either as a
raw material or for the same use they were orig-
inally intended. Extending a product's life is a
way to save natural resources, prevent waste
reduce pollution, and conserve energy.
The more people recycle and buy recycled
products, the more incentive manufacturers will
have to make products with recovered content.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on designing and purchasing products with the
environment in mind:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste extended product responsibility site:
• U.S. EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Design for the Environment Program:
• U.S. EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, Environmentally Preferable Purchasing:
To order the following additional documents on municipal solid waste and product life cycle, call EPA
toll-free at 800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• WasteWise Update—Extended Product Responsibility (EPA530-N-98-007)
• Puzzled About Recycling's Value? Look Beyond the Bin (EPA530-K-97-008)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
-------
Grades K-1
Hatching Match,
-N
Objective J
To teach students that many products come from
natural resources such as animals and plants.
fl Activity Description J
Students will draw a line from a product to its natural
source and then color the pictures.
Materials Needed J
Subjects Covered J
Natural resources
Products
Duration
1 hour
Copies of the Matching Match worksheet for
each student
Crayons
Skills Used ]
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Discuss with students that every-
thing we use is made from a natural resource,
such as a plant or other resource that comes
from the Earth. Some products also come
from animals. Provide examples by talking
about what students are wearing or items in
the classroom and the sources of those items.
Step 2: Either individually or in groups,
have the students use the Matching Match
worksheets to match the different products
with their natural resource.
Step 3: Encourage the students to color the
pictures.
Assessment J
1. Ask the students to name other items that
are made from the same natural resources
that are listed on the worksheet.
2. Ask students to list other plants and ani-
mals that products are made from.
Enrichment J
Pick a product that is made in your local
community, such as paper, ice cream, or
wool sweaters, and take the students on a
field trip to see how it is made. Ideally, stu-
dents would see how a raw material is
converted into a product.
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
-------
Handout
Matching Match
Name:
leather
jacket
newspaper
wool sweater
30 Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 3-4
Tracing frewh, Back to It* Boot*
Objective J
To teach students to identify the various natural
resources used to produce common items that become
waste.
Activity Description J
Students will play "Trash Bingo" as a method to identify
what natural resources are used to make common
products.
Materials Needed J
Key Vocabulary Words J
Natural resources
Renewable resources
Nonrenewable resources
Copies of bingo card for each student (make copies
and then cut sheets so half the students get one version
of the bingo card and half get a different version).
social
studies
Duration ]
hour
Skills Used )
Communication
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Review and explain the vocabulary
words above. Explain that most products are
made from natural resources. (Refer to the
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Natural Resources
on page 5 and Products on page 25 for back-
ground information.)
Step 2: List five categories of natural
resources on the blackboard: animals, fossil
fuels, metals, plants/trees, and sand. Discuss
with students some examples of products that
are made from these natural resources.
Brainstorm a list of things that are made from
natural resources (mostly everything!) and
make another list on the blackboard. Make
sure there are at least five products for each
natural resource category. Encourage students
to think of food and beverage items and con-
Common Products
Aluminum can
Aluminum lawn chair
Apple core
Bicycle tire
Bologna sandwich
Book
Bread
Cereal box
Cotton shirt
Egg shells
Glass bottle of juice
Grocery bag
Hamburger
Leather jacket
Linen pants
Milk container
Mirror
Nylon pantyhose
Sandwich bag
Soda bottle
Window
Wool hat
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to write about
what natural resources mean to
them. Ask them to pick a natural
resource and describe why it is
special or important to them.
Or
Have students write about their
favorite toy or game. Have them
write a history of where it came
from, starting from when it was a
natural resource.
tainers, household product containers, and
household items (furniture, books, appliances).
See suggestions in box if the list is deficient.
Step 3: Explain the rules for bingo, and hand
out bingo cards.
Step 4: Select words from the students' prod-
uct list (or the list of suggestions) and call out
words one at a time. Instruct students to find the
category or categories that each item belongs in
on their bingo sheet and write the name of the
product. There may be more than one natural
resource for each product (for example, a pair of
tennis shoes might fill three categories: plant,
fossil fuel, and metal).
Step 5: The first student to fill the card wins.
Use the T-R-A-S-H letters as free spaces. Be sure
to check the student's bingo sheet to see if all
answers are correct!
Step 6: After the bingo game, have each stu-
dent circle the items that are made from
renewable resources.
Assessment J
1. What are natural resouces?
2. What's the difference between renewable
and nonrenewable natural resources?
) Enrichment J
Additional questions include asking students
what happens if we keep using more and
more natural resources? How can we stop
using so many natural resources? How can
we use more renewable resources and less
nonrenewable resources?
Play show and tell. Have students bring in
one of their favorite "things" and tell the
class where it came from, including the
resources used in producing it and how it
came to be in their house. Have them
describe what they will do with it when it is
broken, old, used up, or no longer needed.
Conduct a scavenger hunt. Make a list of
common items found inside or outside of the
classroom that are derived from animals,
plants, metals/minerals, fossil fuels, or sand.
Have students find 15 of 30 items and iden-
tify which category they belong in. Give the
students 15 minutes to look for the items,
then call them together and discuss their
answers.
The Quest for Less
-------
Student Handout
Name:
Plants/Trees
bssil Fuels
Plants/Trees
Metals
Animals
Fossil Fuels
Metals
Sand
Fossil Fuels
Sand
Plants/Trees
Plants/Trees
Metals
Fossil Fuels
Sand
Animals
'lants/Trees
i Fossil Fuels
Animals
Plants/Trees
Metals
Sand
Metals
Metals
Sand
Plants/Trees
Fossil Fuels
Metals
Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels
Fossil Fuels
Plants/Trees
Name:
The Quest for Less
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products
-------
Grades 5-6
Putting Product* TTnder
the
Objective J
To have students evaluate a product to determine its
resource use and overall impacts on the environment.
Activity Description J
Students select a product manufactured in their com-
munity and discuss the raw materials and resources
required to make the product.
Materials Needed J
Copies of Product Inspector worksheet for students.
Key Vocabulary Words J
Products
Manufacturing process
Raw materials
Resources
Ecosystems
Duration )
30 minutes
Skills Used
Communication
Observation/classification
Problem solving
language
arts
social
studies
Activity J
Step 1: Explain that everyone uses a variety
of products every day. Note that there is a
manufacturing process involved in creating a
new product and that any new product
requires raw materials. (Refer to the Teacher
Fact Sheets titled Natural Resources on page
5 and Products on page 25 for background
information.)
Step 2: Have students select a product that is
made in their community or state. Products
might include bicycles, batteries, pens, milk,
shoes, ships, plastic toys, glass bottles, or paper.
Step 3: Ask the students to draw a picture
of the product. Then ask them to label all of
the product's different parts and write both the
raw materials used to make each part as well
as the original resources used to make the
raw material on the Product Inspector work-
sheet. If a student draws a car, for example,
he or she would label the dashboard and note
that plastic is derived from petroleum.
Step 4: Discuss whether there are more raw
materials required to make the product than
expected. Ask where the raw materials come
from—your town, state, country, or another
nation. Discuss what happens to the environ-
ment when the raw materials are extracted
from the Earth or harvested. Does this process
produce pollutants or harm land or ecosys-
tems? Discuss ecosystems in your geographical
area that might be affected by the removal of
raw materials. How might people living in the
area be affected?
Unit I, Chapter 2, Products
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask the students to name some
products they could give up for a
day, a month, on longer. Ask them
to describe how giving up these
items would affect other people
and the environment
Step 5: Ask students to describe what hap-
pens to the product after they use it. Can it be
used up or will it wear out? Can the product or
its parts be reused or recycled in some way?
How? Will the product or its parts decompose if
buried in a landfill? What effects does disposing
of this product have on the environment? Who
pays for disposing of the product? Who is
responsible for disposing of it?
Assessment J
1. Ask students how products are created.
2. Ask students how this process impacts the
environment.
3. Have students explain what happens to prod-
ucts after we are finished with them.
4. Ask students if they think we really need all of
the products we use. Why or why not?
Enrichment J
1. Contact or visit the manufacturer with your
class to learn more about the process and
materials used to make the product.
2. Ask students to name the different products
they use during the course of a day (e.g.,
toothbrush, shoes). Make a list of these items
on the blackboard. Then, ask students to cate-
gorize the product as essential to survival,
necessary for living in today's society, or a lux-
ury. Ask students if they are surprised how few
products we really need and how many prod-
ucts are a luxury. Explain to students that all
products create waste and that they should
keep this in mind when they buy products.
3. Check books, articles, and magazines, or
write to agencies or organizations to learn
about the types of natural resources (e.g.,
wood, oil) that the United States obtains
from other countries. Research whether these
are renewable or nonrenewable resources.
Describe what might happen if we begin to
use up these resources. What can we do to
conserve these resources?
The Quest for Less
-------
ffandout
Product
Name:
Name of Product
Product Parts
Raw Materials Used
Original Resources
The Quest for Less
Unit 1, Chapter 2, Products 37
-------
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
Science
Language Arts
Social Studies
Art
Communication
Research
Computation
Observation/
Classification
Problem Solving
Motor Skills
/
y
V
''See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Solid Waste
What Is Solid Waste?
Young or old, everyone produces solid waste
(otherwise known as trash), whether it is old
newspapers, potato chip bags, shampoo bot-
tles, cut grass, food scraps from the dinner
table, old appliances, or even the kitchen sink.
Each person in the United States generates
about 4.5 pounds (EPA, 1 998) of solid waste
each day, which is often collected by a munici-
pality and is known as municipal solid waste.
This kind of waste primarily comes from peo-
ple's homes, but it also comes from some
factories, businesses, and schools.
As our population has grown, so has the num-
ber of products we use and the total amount of
solid waste we generate. Consequently, the
composition of garbage continues to change
with more plastics, more office paper, and less
glass filling up trash cans around the country.
The chart below illustrates the different compo-
nents of municipal solid waste.
How Do We Manage Solid Waste?
No single method can manage all our nation's
garbage. The U.S. Environmental Protection
Municipal Solid Waste Composition
Metals: 7.6%
Slass: 5.7%
1 2.5 million tons)
Vood: 5.4%
Plastics: 1 0.2%
(22.4 million tons)
V
Food Scraps: 1 0.0% .
(22.1 million tons)
Rubber, leather, and textiles:
7.0% (15.5 million tons)
Yard Trimminas: 12.6%
Key Point*
• Americans generate about f.5 pounds
of garbage per person each day, which
amounts to more than 220 million tons
per year.
• EPA advocates a solid waste hierarchy,
organizing waste management options
in order of preference: source reduc-
tion, recycling and composting, and
combustion and landf illing.
• Facing a variety of challenges-from rising
waste generation rates and costs to
closing disposal facilities-community lead-
ers and businesses are devising ways to
prevent waste and increase efficiency.
Agency (EPA) recommends the use of a "waste
management hierarchy," which ranks methods of
waste management in order of preference.
Although mentioned briefly here, each method is
explained in separate fact sheets. Please refer to
these other fact sheets for more information
regarding the benefits, challenges, trends, and
opportunities of each waste management system.
EPA's waste management hierarchy includes:
• Source Reduction. Source reduction, also
known as waste prevention, is the preferred
method of waste management because the
best way to manage garbage is to prevent it in
the first place. As the name implies, this
method prevents waste at the source by
decreasing consumption and reusing products.
It also includes using nonhazardous substitutes
to reduce the level of toxicity in the waste
stream. For example, using a durable cloth
lunch bag or reusing the same brown paper
bag instead of a new brown paper bag each
day prevents waste, or using baking soda to
clean kitchen and bathroom counters rather
than a chemical detergent prevents the dispos-
al of toxins.
-------
Household Hazardous Waste
Leftover household products that contain corrosive, toxic,
ignitable, or reactive ingredients are considered "household
hazardous waste." Examples of products that could become
household hazardous waste include certain cleaninr - •• J •'•
pesticides, motor oil, oi paints, adhesives, and batteries.
Unlike municipal solid waste, special care must be taken in
disposing of household hazardous waste to minimize the
impact on human health and the environment.
The best ways to reduce household hazardous waste are to use
up all of the products or share them with someone else until
they are used up, properly recycle them, or dispose of them
according to your community's solid waste regulations.
If you are unsure of what to do with these products, contc
your local environmental or solid waste agency.
• Recycling, including
Composting. If waste can-
not be prevented, the next
best way to reduce it is to
recycle or compost it.
Recycling refers to a series
of activities where discarded
materials are collected,
sorted, processed, convert-
ed into raw materials, and used to make new
products. Composting is the decomposition of
organic materials such as yard trimmings and
food scraps by microorganisms. The byprod-
uct of this process is compost—a soil-like
material rich in nitrogen and carbon that can
be used as a plant fertilizer supplement. Both
of these processes use waste as a raw materi-
al to create new and valuable products.
Disposal: Combustion and Landfills. Trash that
cannot be reduced, recycled, or composted
must be disposed of. Combustion is the burn-
ing of waste in specially designed facilities. It
reduces the bulk of waste and some facilities
provide the added benefit of energy recovery
("waste-to-energy" facilities). Source reduction
and recycling can remove items from the waste
stream that might be difficult to burn, cause
potentially harmful emissions, or make ash
management problematic. Landfills are also
major components of waste management. A
landfill is a large area of land or an
excavated site that receives waste.
Combustion facilities and landfills
are subject to environmental controls
that require them to be properly
maintained so there is no waste run-
off that might contaminate drinking
water supplies. The portion of waste
requiring combustion and land dis-
posal can be significantly reduced by
examining individual contributions to
garbage and by promoting the wise
use and reuse of resources.
What Are the Benefits
of Waste Management?
It might seem hard to believe now,
but people once dumped trash out
windows onto the streets, left it in local ravines
or quarries, or burned it in fields and open
dumps. In fact, throughout time, people have
made garbage "go away" in different ways,
regardless of environmental or aesthetic
impacts. As one can imagine, these activities
created serious sanitation problems for a com-
munity. Open dumps produced noxious odors,
attracted rodents and pests that spread disease,
and polluted drinking water supplies.
Federal, state, and local laws now control how
solid waste is managed and disposed of. These
regulations set standards for trash disposal. As a
result of regulations, many communities have
Solid Waste Facts
• Each year, Americans discard more than 8
million old or broken appliances such as
clothes dryers, refrigerators, and televisions.
• One third of all the garbage discarded by
Americans is packaging.
• The average home may have up to 1 00
pounds of household hazardous waste store
throughout the house.
• Americans generate 1.6 million tons of
household hazardous waste each year.
(Sources: Keep America Beautiful; Natural Resources
Defense Council, 1996; EPA)
The Quest for Less
-------
state-of-the-art landfills and combustion facili-
ties that minimize ground- and surface-water
contamination and air pollution. At the same
time, they provide a safe and convenient way to
remove trash from homes and neighborhoods.
Waste management can also create jobs and
provide an economic boost to some cities and
counties. Whether workers are collecting garbage,
constructing disposal facilities, managing recycling
programs, or developing new technologies, the
waste management industry employs hundreds of
thousands of people nationwide.
What Are the Challenges of Solid
Waste Management?
Despite the improvements that have been made
to solid waste landfills and combustion facilities
over the years, the general public still does not
want to live near a disposal facility. With varying
public opinion and the Not in My Backyard
(NIMBY) mentality, community leaders often find
it difficult to find new sites for waste manage-
ment facilities.
Balancing all of the management options in the
solid waste hierarchy can be a major challenge.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on municipal solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste site on municipal solid waste:
• U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste site on household hazardous waste:
To order the following additional documents on municipal solid waste, call EPA toll-free at 800 424-
9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States
• Sites for our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for Public Involvement (EPA530-SW-90-01 9)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
Many communities have invested resources in
source reduction and recycling in an effort to
reduce the amount of trash that must be land-
filled or combusted. Yet reducing waste
ultimately involves changing behaviors—
purchasing environmentally friendly products
when possible, and participating in recycling
and composting programs.
What Are Some Emerging
Trends?
Communities continue to seek ways to reduce
waste. One recent trend is to charge residents for
garbage collection services based on the amount
of trash they throw away, known as "Pay-As-You-
Throw" (PAYT). By paying for garbage services in
the same way as
electricity, water,
and other utilities,
residents have a
direct incentive to
reduce the amount
of trash they gener-
ate and to recycle
more.
-------
Hazardous Waste
Teacher Tact Sheet
What Is Hazardous Waste?
Many of the appliances, products, and materials
used in everyday life are manufactured using
processes that create hazardous waste. From the
paint on your walls, to the components of your
car, to the shingles on your house, it is likely that
when these products were made, some haz-
ardous waste was generated. Hazardous wastes
are substances that exhibit one or more of the
following characteristics:
• Toxiciiy—harmful or fatal when ingested or
absorbed.
• Ignitability—creates fire under certain condi-
tions or spontaneously combusts.
• Corrosivily—contains acids or bases that can
corrode metal.
• Reactivity—is unstable under "normal" condi-
tions and can cause explosions, toxic fumes, or
vapors when mixed with water.
Hazardous waste is created by a variety of
different industries, such as petroleum refining
and pesticide, chemical, ink, paint, and paper
manufacturing. It also is created by the activities
of certain smaller businesses found in many
communities, such as dry cleaners, vehicle
maintenance shops, vocational schools, and
photoprecessing stores. In addition, hazardous
waste is created when businesses or facilities
dispose of certain unused products.
Hazardous waste is an inevitable product of a
thriving industrial society. It is important to be
aware that the choices consumers make when
selecting products, services, and materials have
hidden environmental effects. Consumers also
should realize that the management of hazardous
waste is regulated by law and that facilities that
produce, transport, or dispose of it must follow
very specific rules to minimize environmental and
human health problems. The primary law that
Point*
Hazardous waste can be produced in
the manufacturing process of many
common products people use every day,
as well as many common services.
To protect human health and the envi-
ronment, hazardous waste is regulated
from the time it is produced to the time
it is disposed of.
governs the proper management of hazardous
waste is known as the Resource Conversation
and Recovery Act (RCRA).
How Do We Manage Hazardous
Waste?
The RCRA regulations cover all aspects of haz-
ardous waste—from the time it is generated at a
factory or plant until the time it is discarded.
This is known as "cradle to grave." This regula-
tory system includes many detailed rules that
require hazardous waste to be tracked as it
-------
"Hazardous Waste" Versus "Household Hazardous Waste"
"Hazardous waste" is regulated by EPA. Businesses, institutions, or other facilities (sometimes including
schools) that generate it must comply with certain rules regarding generation, management, trans-
portation, and disposal.
When individuals dispose of household products from their home that contain hazardous ingredients,
such as pesticides, cleaners, batteries, or used oil, they create what is known as household hazardous
waste. Individuals usually produce much less hazardous waste than businesses and other facilities,
and they are not regulated by EPA. Even so, many communities require or prefer that household haz-
ardous waste is handled separately from the regular garbage to prevent any potential risks to the
environment or human health.
When disposing of hoi.
zarous wase
from your home, remember the following:
Sharing leftover household products is a great way for people to use all of a product and avoid
dispose . If you cannot share or donate leftover products, check with your local environmental or
solid waste agency to see if your community has a facility that collects household hazardous
wastes year-round or offers opportunities for exchanging products with other residents.
If your community doesn't have a collection program for household hazardous waste, contact your
local environmental or solid waste agency to see if there are any designated days in your area for
collecting these materials. On such days, qualified professionals collect household hazardous
waste at a central location to ensure safe management and disposal.
If your community has neither a permanent collection site nor a special collection day, you might
be able to drop off certain products, such as batteries, paint, or automotive supplies, at local busi-
nesses for recycling or proper dispose . Call your local environmental or solid waste agency or
Chamber of Commerce for information.
Some communities allow disposal of household hazardous waste in trash as a last resort. Call
your local environmental or solid waste agency for instructions on proper disposal. Be sure to read
the product label for disposal directions to reduce the risk of products exploding, igniting, leaking,
mixing with other chemicals, or posing other hazards on the way to a disposal facility. Even empty
containers of household hazardous waste can pose hazards due to residue.
moves from place to place; one of the rules
requires the use of a tracking paper known as a
"manifest." This paper must travel with the waste
wherever it goes (e.g., wherever it is stored,
shipped, recycled, or disposed of).
Depending on how much waste a facility gener-
ates, it is regulated differently; bigger facilities
that produce a large amount of hazardous
waste each month have more rules than those
that produce a small amount of waste.
After a company or factory generates hazardous
waste, the waste must be packaged and labeled
in special containers, and it must be transported
by a regulated hazardous transportation compa-
ny in special packages with specific labels.
These trucks often can be identified on the high-
way by multicolored placards and symbols that
indicate the type of hazardous waste they carry.
The Department of Transportation is responsible
for regulating these trucks.
Hazardous waste is usually transported to a facil-
ity that treats, stores, and/or disposes of it. Most
hazardous waste must be specially treated with
certain processes to alter its hazardous composi-
tion before it can safely be recovered, reused, or
disposed of. Sometimes waste is stored tem-
porarily in a regulated unit. When the waste is
The Quest for Less
-------
ultimately disposed of, it is transported either to a
landfill or special combustion facility (see
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Landfills on page 155
and Combustion on page 159). Combustion
facilities must take special precautions to prevent
air pollution, and they must ensure that only
appropriate wastes are burned.
Sometimes hazardous waste is transported to
a facility that recycles hazardous waste.
Certain hazardous wastes can be recycled and
used again. For example, many solvents can
be recovered, some metals can be reclaimed,
and certain fuels can be re-blended.
Hazardous waste recycling is regulated under
RCRA to ensure the protection of human
health and the environment.
To keep track of all of the facilities that treat,
store, or dispose of hazardous waste and ensure
that they follow the rules, EPA and many states
have a permitting system. Each company must
obtain a permit, which tells companies what
they are allowed and not allowed to do.
Inspectors check these facilities regularly by
reviewing company records, observing operating
procedures, and sometimes collecting haz-
ardous waste samples. For further tracking
purposes, EPA also requires all companies that
generate hazardous waste to register and obtain
an EPA identification number.
What Are the Benefits of
Hazardous Waste Management?
Before RCRA took effect in 1 970, companies
could—and did—dispose of hazardous waste in
rivers, streams, and other inappropriate places.
By enforcing strict rules about the way waste is
handled, EPA and other agencies can better
control the effects of hazardous waste on the
environment and human health. These controls,
while not always perfect, allow the industrial
production on which we all depend to continue
in as safe a manner as possible.
In addition, EPA has made waste minimization
practices and pollution prevention activities key
requirements for companies that produce haz-
ardous waste. Any company that creates a
Hazardous Waste Facts
• In 1 997, companies produced nearly 40.7
• More than 20,000 large facilities generat-
ed hazardous waste in 1 997.
• Many hazardous wastes can be generated
in schools, such as solvents from cleaning
chemicals from chemistry labs, fluorescent
light bulbs, computer monitors, and chem
cal residues from woodshops.
(Source: EPA, 1 997, 2000)
certain amount of hazardous waste each
month must sign a statement indicating that it
has a program in place to reduce both the
amount and toxicity of its hazardous waste.
These companies also must indicate that they
have chosen a method of hazardous waste
treatment, storage, or disposal that minimizes
the present and future threat to human health
and the environment.
It can be difficult for individuals to identify com-
panies that have taken substantial measures to
minimize hazardous waste and prevent pollu-
tion, and thus, it is not always possible to lend
support for these activities by patronizing those
companies. When information of this sort is
available, however, consumer demand can
make a difference.
-------
8-1368
What Are the Challenges of
Hazardous Waste Management?
Just as people and communities generally do
not want municipal solid waste facilities in their
neighborhoods, they often do not want haz-
ardous waste facilities near their homes and
schools (the NIMBY mentality). When new haz-
ardous waste generation or treatment facilities
are sited near communities, the public can
become involved in the process, but it can be a
challenge for companies and communities to
achieve mutually acceptable solutions.
The RCRA regulations allow the public to have
an opportunity to participate in decisions about
hazardous waste management. Through public
meetings and other open forums, people can
express their concerns about a new facility.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on hazardous waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA Office of Solid Waste site on hazardous waste:
To order the following additional documents on hazardous waste, call EPA toll-free at 800 424-9346
(TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site .
• The RCRA Public Participation Manual (EPA530-R-96-007)
• HAZ-ED: Classroom Activities for Understanding Hazardous Waste (EPA540-K-95-005)
• RCRA Orientation Manual: 1998 Edition (EPA530-R-98-004)
• RCRA: Reducing Risk From Waste (EPA530-K-97-004)
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades K-1
Beware of Mr. Yukl
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students to recognize the "Mr. Yuk" symbol; to
help students understand that this symbol designates
hazardous household products that should not be han-
dled by children without adult supervision and without
reading labels properly.
Activity Description J
Students will identify Mr. Yuk stickers in the hidden
picture and color them in bright green to signify
hazard/poison.
Materials Needed J
Product
Poison
Danger
health
One copy of the Beware of Mr. Yuk worksheet per
student
One red or green crayon for each student
(Preferably from the fluorescent color box)
Duration J
30 minutes
Skills Used ]
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Put an enlarged picture of Mr. Yuk
on the blackboard and ask students if they've
seen it before. Elicit from students how they
would describe Mr. Yuk.
Step 2: Tell the students they will be given a
drawing of a house. In the picture are many
products commonly found in homes, and they
will have to find the ones with a Mr. Yuk face
on them. Explain that if they were to find a
real product in their real home with a Mr. Yuk
face on it, they should not touch it; they
should tell an adult about it. Ask them where
Mr. Yuk products are sometimes located in a
home (e.g., kitchen, bathroom, garage).
Step 3: Distribute crayons and worksheets
to students and ask them to color only the Mr.
Yuk stickers on the products they see. Students
can work individually or in groups.
Step 4: After coloring the Mr. Yuk stickers,
students can color the entire scene.
Mr. Yuk Stickers
Teachers who wish to promote the use of Mr.
Yuk stickers at home could consider sending a
note to parents indicating where stickers can
be obtained. Most local poison control centers
have Mr. Yuk stickers available.
-------
Assessment J
1. Collect the Beware of Mr. Yuk worksheets
and assess whether students correctly identi-
fied products labeled with Mr. Yuk.
2. Ask students what they would do if they
found a Mr. Yuk sticker in their homes.
3. Ask students why certain products get labeled
with Mr. Yuk stickers.
iy Enrichment J
1. Conduct a role-playing game by putting a
Mr. Yuk sticker on an empty product contain-
er and asking students to pretend they come
upon it in their homes. Have one or more
students pretend that they are parents and
are telling the "kids" about the Mr. Yuk stick-
er and its importance.
2. Ask students to draw places in their homes
where Mr. Yuk products might be found
(kitchen, bathroom, garage, etc.)
Mr. Yuk is reprinted with permission, Children's Hospital of
Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
The Quest for Less
-------
Beware of Mr. Yuk
51
-------
Grades K-3
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
social
studies
To encourage students to think about what kinds of
materials they throw away.
Waste
Product
Activity Description J
Students will create a trash mural from collected pieces
of home garbage and images of disposable items from
magazines.
j) Duration J
hour
Materials Needed J
One copy of Parents' Note for each student
One tarp or drop cloth
1 0 to 12 magazines (with lots of everyday product
advertisements)
"Clean" garbage (brought in by students)
Art supplies (enough for class):
— Three to four sheets of colored construction
paper per student
— Glue
— Tape
— Scissors
— Markers or crayons
— Glitter
Skills Used
Observation/classification
Motor skills
art
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and send students home
with the Parents' Note, which asks them to
help the students collect two pieces of "clean"
garbage for class the next day.
Step 2: Lead students in a discussion of
what garbage is and where it comes from.
Ask them if they know how to identify
garbage.
Step 3: Lay a tarp on the floor and have
the students sit in a circle around it. Ask them
to spread out their pieces of garbage on the
tarp. Go around the room and ask each stu-
dent to describe what kind of garbage they
brought in. Explore how students knew the
item was garbage and what its purpose was
before it became garbage. Encourage the
students to compare and contrast the shapes,
colors, and sizes of the garbage on the tarp.
Step 4: Divide the class into pairs and distrib-
ute a magazine and scissors to each pair
-------
(teachers should use their judgement about the
use of scissors for younger students). Tell the stu-
dents to look for pictures of objects or products
that are only used once and then thrown away.
Ask the students to cut out as many of these
objects as they can. Go around the room to dis-
cuss what pictures were chosen and why.
Step 5: Distribute the rest of the art supplies.
The art exercise for this activity can be conduct-
ed in many different ways; below are a few
age-specific suggestions:
For younger students:
• Instruct students to use their magazine pic-
tures and trash objects to make a collage by
gluing them onto the construction paper.
Help all of the students tape their construc-
tion paper up on the classroom wall to form
a colorful trash mural.
• Have students organize their trash in terms of
color or size. Help students decide where each
piece of garbage should go on the mural so
that alike items are grouped together.
For older students:
• Have students make a trash rainbow by
organizing the trash into rainbow colors.
Students could draw the outline of the rain-
bow on the paper first, then paste their trash
in the appropriate color band on the mural.
• Have students design a 3-D trash sculpture.
Ask them to think about the color and shape
of each trash item before gluing it onto the
sculpture.
• Have students organize the trash by the
purpose it had during its useful life. For
example: was it a product or packaging for
a product? A cleaning product, food prod-
uct, or hair product? Ask students to write
down category names on the mural and then
paste their trash in the appropriate spot.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to name three different items that
they or their family members often throw away.
2. Have the students guess how many pieces of
trash are on the class trash mural. Discuss
with students that the mural is just a small
amount of what gets thrown away every day
in the world.
3. Ask students what purpose the trash served
during its useful life. Ask them what it was
before it became trash.
^jy Enrichment J
1. Conduct a followup activity on what happens
to garbage after it's thrown in the trash can.
This resource offers the following activities:
Luscious Layered Landfill on page 163 (for
younger students) or A Landfill Is No Dump
on page 167 (for older students).
2. Take a field trip to a waste disposal site (a
landfill or incinerator) to find out where
waste goes. See the Teacher Fact Sheets
titled Landfills on pg. 155 and Combustion
on pg. 159 for background information.
3. For grades 2-3, enrich the activities by doing
the following:
• After students have brought in pieces of
trash, ask them to separate the items into the
following categories: paper, metal, food,
glass, plastic. Discuss whether these items
need to be thrown away or whether they can
be reused or recycled.
• Have students determine how much of each
category of trash items they have collected.
Draw a trash can on the chalkboard and
have students come up and use a different
color piece of chalk to make hash marks (in
the "trash can") for each type of trash item
collected.
The Quest for Less
-------
Parents' Note
Dear Parent,
Tomorrow we are undertaking an environmental education activity to
learn more about how much garbage we create and what we do with it. I
have asked each student to bring in two pieces of "clean" garbage for our
trash mural. In the interest of safety and sanitation, I would appreciate your
assistance in helping your child pick out two garbage items that are manage-
able in size and "clean" (no glass, jagged metal, food, or wet items). Good
examples of "clean" garbage include: a cereal box, empty soda can, paper, plastic
bag, wrapping, packaging, plastic juice bottle, etc.
Thanks for your help!
Parents' Note
Dear Parent,
Tomorrow we are undertaking an environmental education activity to
learn more about how much garbage we create and what we do with it. I
have asked each student to bring in two pieces of "clean" garbage for our
trash mural. In the interest of safety and sanitation, I would appreciate your
assistance in helping your child pick out two garbage items that are manage-
able in size and "clean" (no glass, jagged metal, food, or wet items). Good
examples of "clean" garbage include: a cereal box, empty soda can, paper, plastic
bag, wrapping, packaging, plastic juice bottle, etc.
Thanks for your help!
Parents' Note
Dear Parent,
Tomorrow we are undertaking an environmental education activity to
learn more about how much garbage we create and what we do with it. I
have asked each student to bring in two pieces of "clean" garbage for our
trash mural. In the interest of safety and sanitation, I would appreciate your
assistance in helping your child pick out two garbage items that are manage-
able in size and "clean" (no glass, jagged metal, food, or wet items). Good
examples of "clean" garbage include: a cereal box, empty soda can, paper, plastic
bag, wrapping, packaging, plastic juice bottle, etc.
Thanks for your help!
-------
Grades 4-6
Weigh. Your
Objective J
To increase students' awareness of the amount of waste
they generate and the implication of that waste.
Activity Description J
Students will collect, weigh, record, and analyze the
amount of trash they generate in the course of a week.
Materials Needed J
One trash bag per student
One twist tie garbage bag fastener for each student
One 3- by 5-inch note card per student
One plastic tarp
One set of gloves per student
One scale
One copy of My Trash Journal for each student
Clear tape
nath
Key Vocabulary Words J
Waste
Per capita
Duration J
1 to 2 hours, with period-
ic discussions over the
course of a week
Skills Used
Computation
Observation/classification
Problem solving
social
studies
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and distribute copies of
the My Trash Journal worksheet to each stu-
dent. Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Wastes for background information.
Step 2: Distribute one garbage bag, one
twist tie, and one note card to each student.
Tell students to take the trash bag to classes
for 1 week (5 days), using it to collect all of
the "dry" garbage they throw away at school.
Instruct students to include all of their used
containers, paper waste, and packaging, but
not to include food waste or any other type of
"wet" trash that might decompose or be
unsanitary. For safety reasons, instruct students
not to collect glass items either.
Step 3: Have the students put their names
on the note cards and tape them to the twist
ties (or use a hole-punch). Then have students
use the twist ties to close their garbage bags.
Explain that at the end of each day, students
will bring their garbage bags back to the
classroom and store them overnight in a des-
ignated spot (show them the location). The
name tags will allow them to pick out their
trash bag the next morning.
Step 4: At the end of the week, ask the stu-
dents to predict how much their individual piles
weigh. Ask them to predict how much the total
pile of garbage for the whole class would weigh.
Write some of these predictions on the board.
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students write a commer-
cial "jingle" asking people to
reduce the amount of waste
they generate.
Step 5: Bring in a tarp and spread it on the
floor. Have each student spread the contents of
his or her personal trash bag on the tarp. Have
the students put on gloves and sort their individ-
ual piles of garbage into as many categories as
possible: plastics, aluminum, paper, steel, and
mixed materials (those that fit into more than
one category). Have them record the contents of
their garbage piles using the My Trash Journal
worksheet.
Step 6: Have students weigh their individual
piles of garbage on a scale and record the
amounts on the chalkboard.
Step 7: Ask a student to total the weights of
each individual pile of garbage and put this
number on the chalkboard. Determine the aver-
age weight of trash generated per student per
day. Compare these weights to the students'
predictions.
Step 8: Write the national average of waste
generation on the board: 4.3 pounds per per-
son per day.
Ask the students to determine the following:
• How much waste did the class generate per
day on average? Is this higher or lower than
the national average?
• If each person in your community (popula-
tion ) throws away pounds (use the
students' average calculated above) of
garbage each day, how many total pounds
of garbage are thrown away each day in
your community?
• How many tons is this? (To help children grasp
the concept of a ton [2,000 pounds] you
might want to ask them how many tons some
familiar objects weigh, for example, an aver-
age 4-door compact car weighs about a ton.)
Assessment J
Ask the students why they think they generate
so much trash. Is it more or less than they
anticipated?
Ask the students if they were surprised at how
much trash they generated. Where does all
of this waste go every day? (See the Teacher
Fact Sheet titled Landfills on page 155 for
background information.) Why should we
care how much we throw away?
Ask students to look at their waste generation
charts and think of ways they could have
reduced the amount of garbage generated
this week. (Could any items have been recy-
cled or reused? What about using less in the
first place? For example, bringing a reusable
cloth lunch bag instead of a paper lunch bag
each day.) Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheets
titled Recycling on page 73, Source Reduction
on page 133, and Composting on page 109
for background information.
y Enrichment J
Have students identify the categories of
materials they generally throw away or recy-
cle. Make a list of common items on the
board (recyclable and nonrecyclable). Ask
students how much less waste they would
have generated if they recycled instead of
discarded all of the recyclable materials they
used this week.
Have a student contact your state or munici-
pal solid waste manager to find out about
your community's trash generation rate. How
does it compare to other communities in
your county or state? Discuss the results and
reasons behind them with your students.
Have students record the amount of waste
their families generate at home in 1 week (a
note to parents explaining the assignment
might help). Suggest students weigh each
bag of trash generated on a bathroom scale.
The Quest for Less
-------
Students should keep a log of these weights.
At the end of the week, have students com-
pare their data with classmates.
4. Either in class or as a homework assignment,
ask the students to create graphs and charts
of their data from class and home waste
generation. The graphs might include:
• A pie chart of the number of pounds
for each material measured for each
individual.
• After pairing up with a partner and com-
paring notes, a bar graph of the number
of pounds of each material for the two
students.
• A bar graph and/or pie chart showing the
amount of total materials collected that
were recyclable versus not recyclable in
your community.
Discuss with students which materials were
generated more than others and whether
more recyclable or nonrecyclable materials
were generated.
5. Take a field trip to a landfill or combustion
facility so students can see what happens to
their trash.
6. Partner with a local business to calculate how
much waste the company generates in a
given day by conducting an audit of the
paper waste (or other dry waste) generated.
7. Get permission for your class to sort through
the school dumpster on a given day (with
appropriate safety equipment such as gloves
and goggles) to weigh its amount and deter-
mine how much useful or recyclable material
is thrown out.
-------
Student
My Trash Journal
Name:
What Did 1 Throw Away?
Example:
1 soda bottle
Example:
5 lunch bags
^^^^^^^^^^~
What Material Category Does it
Belong In? (Paper, Glass,
Aluminum, Steel, Plastic)
Glass
Paper
I
My Ideas for Using Less, Reusing, or Recycling this Item ft
1 could recycle this in bins outside my school. I
1 could use a cloth lunch bag each day instead of using paper. 1
1
Total weight of my garbage for one week = [calculated in class] U
Weight of
recydables =
[calculated in class]
Weight of nonrecydables = N
[calculated in class]
Total weight of my garbage per day = [calculated in class]
Total weight of (lass garbage for one week = [calculated in class]
Average amount of waste generated per student per day in our (lass = [calculated in class]
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 4-6
fime 'Traveler^
Objective J
To teach students how lifestyles change overtime and
how these changes alter the production and manage-
ment of waste.
Activity Description J
Key Vocabulary Words J
Landfill
Recycle
Reuse
Combustion
(this list will vary for each
student's interview)
Students will interview adults, either at home or in the
community, to find out what people considered trash
years ago and how that trash was handled.
Duration J
Materials Needed J
One copy of the Rubbish Reporter worksheet per student
Brightly colored markers (one per student)
One ball of string or twine
One hole-punch
One roll of masking tape
2 hours over two class
periods
Skills Used ]
Communication
Research
language
arts
social
studies
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and distribute the Rubbish
Reporter worksheets to each student. Conduct
an introductory discussion touching on the fol-
lowing topics (refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Solid Waste on pg. 41 for background
information):
• Discuss what the common components of
our trash are today—list them on the board.
• Ask students to think about how this list
might differ from the trash list of a settler in
colonial times, a farmer during the Great
Depression, or a grandparent who lived
through World War II.
• Discuss how trash is disposed of today and
ask students how they think people of other
time periods disposed of trash.
Step 2: Inform students that they are now
"Rubbish Reporters." Their assignment is to
write a story about how different lifestyles in
different historical periods affected the genera-
tion and handling of trash.
Step 3: Have students take the Rubbish
Reporter worksheet home and use it to inter-
view at least two elderly family or community
members. Give students 2 or 3 days to com-
plete this assignment.
Step 4: Have students bring in their com-
pleted Rubbish Reporter worksheets and pick
one of their interviewees to focus on. As an in-
class assignment, have the students use their
completed worksheets to write a short para-
graph or "article" about what their interviewee
thought of "trash," how they disposed of trash,
and how those ideas and practices might dif-
fer from ours today. Instruct students to mark
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to pretend that they
are each of the following charac-
ters: a pilgrim living in the 1500s, a
professional (business person) living
in the city today, and a grizzly bean
living today in Yellowstone National
Park. Have students write about
what kinds of trash they generate
as each of these characters. Ask
them which character they think is
most wasteful and why.
Assessment J
1. Collect all of the students' Rubbish Reporter
worksheets and articles and evaluate them
for completeness, comprehension, and
content.
2. Ask students to offer an explanation of why
trash and its management differs for each
generation. Ask them to predict what trash
will be like in the future and what people will
do with trash 1 00 years from now.
3. Have students list four ways in which trash
management in the past differs from trash
management today.
(in the left-hand corner of the page) the year (or
years) that their interviewee remembered or
referred to during the interview.
Step 5: Go around the room and have each
student stand up and read his or her article out
loud to the class. Discuss the issues, such as
time period, geographical location, trash dispos-
al, and recycling, that are raised in each article.
Step 6: After discussing each article, have
the students determine its one aspect of trash
disposal or management that is most unique.
(For example, someone may have saved all
metal for recycling during WW II or burned
his/her own trash on a farm each day, etc.)
Have the student write this one aspect with a
colored marker at the top of his/her article.
Step 7: Collect all of the articles and spread
them out on the floor. Have the students help
you organize them in a time line according to
the years marked in the upper left-hand corner
of the pages.
Step 8: Using the hole-punch, put holes in
the tops of each article and connect them using
the string. Hang your "Trash Time line" some-
where in the classroom or school.
^jy Enrichment J
If there are one or two very interesting or
unique trash stories that students bring in,
ask those interviewees to come in and speak
to the class more extensively about their rec-
ollections. Have students prepare questions
in advance to ask the guest speaker.
Using the different time periods or locations
that surface during the students' interviews,
pick one or two for an in-depth history and
social studies lesson. Have students explore
the setting of the time period, learn about
the political and social events of that time,
and investigate how these might have affect-
ed trash and its disposal.
The Quest for Less
-------
Student Handout
The Rubbish Reporter
Name:
General Assignment: Ask your interviewee to pick a time in his/her past that is easy to recall in detail.
Ask the interviewee to remember what he/she considered trash at that time (what was thrown out), how
that trash was disposed of, where it was disposed of, and how all of these characteristics compare with
today's ideas about trash and methods for handling trash.
Rubbish Reporter's name:
ION THE
I AIR!
Interviewee's name:
What time period(s) does your interview cover?
What geographical location?
1. What time period are you going to talk about? How
old were you then? What was your occupation (if you
were old enough)?
2. What were the most important
political and social events during the
time period you are remembering?
0r*
3. What did you consider trash when you
were younger? What kinds of things did
you throw out?
4. How was your trash handled? Was it
picked up, sent to a landfill, burned?
Who provided this service?
4
-------
Student Handout
5. Did you reuse or repair items? What kinds of items
did you reuse? Did you recycle? What did you recy-
cle? What were recyclables made into or used for?
7. What were many of your products (such
as toys, food containers, or appliances) made
of during this time period? Did you have a lot of
plastic products? Glass? Metal? How were they
packaged?
6. Name some products that you
use today that were not available
to you then.
8. What was your attitude toward trash then?
Has it changed now?
Rubbish Reporter: Can you
think of any more questions
'to ask?
V
k«
9. Do you think we are more
wasteful as a society today?
-------
Grades 5-6
"Wa*te If at
0 Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To show students what could happen to ground water if
hazardous waste were not regulated.
y Activity Description J
Students will create an aquifer and demonstrate how
hazardous waste could seep into ground water.
Materials Needed J
Clear plastic cup for each student
What's Going on Underground diagram for each
student
Molding clay (enough for each student to have a
V2-inch by V2-inch square)
One-quart container filled with sand
Container of small pebbles (enough for a V-? cup
for each student)
Bucket of water and ladle
Red food coloring
Aquifer
Hazardous waste
Byproduct
Regulation
Ground water
Saturated zone
Porous
Water table
Surface water
Duration J
hour
Skills Used )
Reading
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Discuss with the class how ground
water is a major source of drinking water for
as much as half of the U.S. population.
Provide each student with the What's Going
on Underground diagram and discuss how
ground water forms, exists, and can be
extracted. Review the vocabulary words and
definitions provided on the diagram. Explain
that it would be very easy to contaminate
ground water if hazardous waste were simply
dumped on the ground and absorbed by the
soil. Define and discuss hazardous waste.
(Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Hazardous Waste on pg. 45 for background
information.)
Step 2: Place the containers of pebbles,
sand, and bucket of water with the ladle on a
table in the classroom where each student can
access them.
Step 3: Pass out a plastic cup to each stu-
dent. Ask the students to fill their cups half full
RCRA and Hazardous Waste
In 1976, Congress passed the Resource
Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA)
to protect human health and the envi-
ronment from the potential hazards of
waste disposal. RCRA establishes a reg-
ulatory system for managing hazardous
waste from generation until ultimate dis-
posal ("cradle to grave").
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to prepare questions
and answers representing an inter-
view with an animal tree, flower, on
other member of nature. Students
should think about how elements in
nature would "feel" about haz-
ardous waste contamination in the
environment Have them pretend they
are reporters trying to discover
how hazardous waste can affect
the natural environment
of small pebbles. In addition, give each student
a V2-inch by V2-inch piece of the molding clay.
Ask the students to dump the pebbles on their
desk and keep them there temporarily.
Step 4: Ask each student to go to the sand
container and scoop enough so that there is
about 1/4-inch on the bottom of their cups.
After they add the sand, ask them to ladle just
enough water into the cup so that it is absorbed
by the sand. Discuss how the water is still in the
cup, but that it is being stored in the "ground."
Step 5: Have each student flatten their clay in
the shape of the cup bottom and then place it
over the sand. Fasten the clay to one side of the
cup, but leave an opening on the other side.
Flatten clay
in shape of cup
1/4-inch
sand
Leave opening
on one side
of clay
Step 6: Ask each student to place their pile of
pebbles into the cup, on top of the clay. They
can place the pebbles so that they lay flat or
form hills and valleys.
Step 7: Ask the students to add a ladle full of
water to their "aquifers." Students that formed
hills and valleys with their pebbles will see that
they have surface water in addition to ground
water, depending on how much water they
added to their cups. Discuss how both surface
and ground water can be sources of drinking
water and that some parts of the ground are
more porous than others (e.g., water slips more
easily through the pebbles than the clay).
Ground Water Contamination
Ground water contamination can occur
when liquids (usually rainwater) move
through waste disposal sites, carrying pollu-
tants with them, and into the ground water.
RCRA regulations require ground water
monitoring, which detects early signs of
contaminants leaching from hazardous
waste facilities.
Step 8: Tell the students to imagine that there
is a factory that produces "widgets" near their
aquifer. In the course of producing widgets, the
factory produces a hazardous waste byproduct.
Ask students to imagine that hazardous waste
regulations do not exist and that the factory is
allowed to dump its hazardous waste on the
ground outside, which is also an aquifer.
Step 9: Pass the food coloring around the
room so that each student can add a few drops
to their aquifers. Explain that the food coloring
represents hazardous waste that is being
dumped illegally. Ask the students to watch the
path of the food coloring.
Step 10: Discuss how easy it is to pollute and
contaminate the ground water. Explain that this
is why the government has created very detailed
laws about how companies must deal with their
hazardous waste.
The Quest for Less
-------
Assessment J
1. Ask students to explain how activities above
the ground can affect the water under-
ground.
2. Have students tell you why hazardous waste
is regulated.
^^ Enrichment J
2. Using papier mache or modeling clay and
water-based paints, develop a relief map of
the community or region including all water-
ways. To physically show how hazardous
waste can travel through all waterways, put a
few drops of food coloring on one end of
the map. Tilt the structure, if necessary, and
watch the food coloring travel.
3. Elicit what would happen to our waterways if
they became contaminated by hazardous
waste. How would people and ecosystems
be affected?
Draw a map of your community or region
including all the waterways. Add a local
source of potential hazardous waste pollution
to the map and trace the path its waste would
take if it were not regulated. (See the sidebar
for a list of hazardous waste generators.)
Discuss how streams and creeks feed into
larger bodies of water and how pollution at a
small, local stream can result in pollution in
rivers, lakes, bays, and/or oceans. This activi-
ty can be used to teach or review the concept
of "bird's-eye" view, the different types of
maps, and the use of legends and symbols.
Local Hazardous Waste
Generators
Dry cleaners
Print shops
Vehicle maintenance shops
Photoprecessing stores
-------
VI
Surface Vater
Water body such as a stream,
river, lake, bay, or ocean.
The top of the
saturated zone.
Soil or rock that is
capable of yielding
enough water for
human use.
Saturated
diround "Water
Water that naturally flows
through and is retained in soil
and rock bodies beneath land.
Portion of the underground that
contains ground water.
0
ft.
•
t*
«*
m
a.
0
tf
I*
-------
2
Methods of
Handling "Waste
Recycling, Composting, Source Reducing,
Landfilling, or Combusting
In this unit, teachers and students will learn the basics of the common
solid waste management options used in the United States today. They
will learn how to prevent waste before it is even created (known as
source reduction), the mechanics and benefits of recycling and buying
recycled products, how to make and use compost, and the realities of
waste disposal through landfilling and combustion. By learning that trash
doesn't just "go away," students will gain an appreciation for how their
everyday actions and decisions affect the environment.
-------
CHAPTER
Recycling
71
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
Recycling Follow
Take- Making Handmade Recycling.,
Home Glass From Recycled Sortii
Recycling Scratch Paper All C
t Planters
Designing Let's Go
Eco-
Shopping!
/
/
Math
Science
Language Arts
Social Studies
y
Art
Health
Communication
y
Reading
Research
Computation
Observation/ *
Classification V
Problem Solving
Motor Skills
''See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Recycling
What Is Recycling?
Recycling is a series of activities that includes the
collection of items that would otherwise be consid-
ered waste, sorting and processing the recyclable
products into raw materials, and remanufacturing
the recycled raw materials into new products.
Consumers provide the last link in recycling by
purchasing products made from recycled content.
Recycling also can include composting of food
scraps, yard trimmings, and other organic materi-
als. (See the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Composting
on page 109 for more information.)
How Does Recycling Work?
Many people already recycle items like paper,
glass, and aluminum. While these efforts are a
vital part of the process, the true recycling path
continues long after recyclables are collected
from household bins or community drop-off
centers. Collecting, processing, manufacturing,
and purchasing recycled products creates a
closed circle or loop that ensures the overall
success and value of recycling.
"Key Itoint*
• The latest numbers show that the
recycling rate in the United States has
reached an all-time high-in 1997 the
country recycled 28 percent of its
municipal solid waste.
• Recycling includes collecting materials
and sorting and processing them into
recycled raw materials to be remanu-
factured into new products.
• Recycling can only be effective if people
buy recycled-content products.
• Recycling reduces the use of virgin
materials, reduces the pollution and
energy used in manufacturing and pro-
cessing, saves landfill space, and
creates jobs and revenue.
• New methods for the recycling and
reuse of certain items, such as computer
and electronic equipment, are being
developed to prevent waste and save
additional materials and energy.
Manufacturing
T~y
and C /^
Processing V"^
Purchasing
Recycled
Products
Collection
How and where recyclables can be collected
vary by community. Some communities collect
from residences, schools, and businesses; four
primary methods are used:
• Curbside collection programs are the most
common. Residents set recyclables, sometimes
sorted by type, on their curbs to be picked up
by municipal orcommerical haulers.
Drop-off centers are locations where resi-
dents can take their recyclables. These
centers are often sponsored by community
organizations.
Buy-back centers are
local facilities where
recycled-content
manufacturers buy
their products back
from consumers to
remanufacture the
used products into
new products.
-------
Deposit/refund programs require consumers
to pay a deposit on a purchased product.
The deposit can be redeemed when the con-
sumer brings the container back to the
business or company for recycling.
prices for the materials change and fluctuate
with the market. Each MRF has individual
requirements about what materials it will accept,
but most accept newspapers, aluminum cans,
steel food cans, glass containers, and certain
types of plastic bottles.
Processing
After collection, some
recyclables are
"processed" and pre-
pared for delivery to
manufacturing facili-
ties. Processing
usually includes mak-
ing sure the materials
Follow A Plastic Bottle Beyond
the Bin...
After a plastic soda bottle is collected in a
recycling bin, it is sorted and transported to a
materials recovery facility. There it is cleaned
and fed into a granulator that chops it into
uniform-sized pieces, called "flakes." A manu-
facturer then purchases the flakes and melts
them, squeezing the plastic into thin spaghetti-
like strands and chopping those strands into
small pieces called "pellets." These plastic pel
lets are further stretched and squeezed into
thin fibers that can be remanufactured into
items like clothing, bags, bins, carpet, plastic
lumber, hospital supplies, housewares, packac
ing, shipping supplies, toys, and more.
Consumers then complete the recycling loop
by purchasing and using these new recycled-
content products.
are sorted properly and that contaminants (i.e.,
nonrecyclables) are removed. Recyclables are
then usually sent to a materials recovery facility
(MRF, pronounced "murph") to be further sorted
and then processed into marketable commodi-
ties for remanufacturing. Recyclables are bought
and sold just like any other commodity, and
Manufacturing
Once cleaned and sorted, the recyclables move
to the next part of the recycling loop—manufac-
turing. More and more of today's products are
being manufactured with recycled content.
• Recycled cardboard and newspaper are used
to make new boxes, papers, and other prod-
ucts such as tissues, paper towels, toilet
paper, diapers, egg cartons, and napkins.
• Recycled plastic called PET, which is found in
soft drink, juice, and peanut butter contain-
ers, is used to make new products such as
carpets, fiberfill (insulating material in jackets
and sleeping bags), bottles and containers,
auto parts, and paint brushes. Another kind
of recycled plastic, HOPE, which is used in
milk, water, detergent, and motor oil contain-
ers, can be remanufactured into trash cans,
bathroom stalls, plastic lumber, toys, trash
bags, and hair combs. Numbers imprinted on
the plastic product indicate from which type
of plastic the product has been manufactured
and how it can be recycled. Not all commu-
nities recycle all types of plastic.
• Recycled glass is used again and again in
new glass containers as well as in glasphalt
(the roadway asphalt that shimmers in sun-
light), road filler, and fiberglass.
• Recycled aluminum beverage cans, one of
the most successful recyclables, are remade
into new cans in as little as 90 days after
they are collected. Recycled aluminum cans
also can be used in aluminum building
materials.
• All steel products manufactured in the United
States contain 25-30 percent or 100 percent
recycled steel, depending on the manufactur-
ing process used.
The Quest for Less
-------
Recycling in the United States Throughout History
Although in recent years the United States has witnessed a major increase in public participation in
recycling programs, industrial and commercial recycling has always made sense economically. In
fact, recycling played an important role in America's success in both world wars. See the time line
below for a brief glimpse of recycling throughout history.
Late 1800s to Early 1900s
• Before the days of mass production, the economic climate required people to routinely repair,
reuse, and recycle their material possessions.
• Scrap yards recycled old cars, car parts, and metal goods.
• The paper industry used old rags as its main source of fiber until the late 1 9th century.
• Retailers collected used cardboard boxes for recycling.
1914-1918 and 1939-1945 (WWI and WWII)
• Patriotism inspired nationwide scrap drives for paper, rubber, and other materials to help the
war effort.
• Many farms melted down and recycled iron or metal pieces of rusted machinery for warships,
vehicles, and other military machines.
• People even saved grease from meat they cooked, which was used to make munitions.
1960s
• Interest in recycling waned as America's peacetime economy soared. Rising incomes and wide-
spread, affordable, mass-produced goods created the "disposable" society.
1970s
• Environmental awareness rejuvenated the nation's interest in recycling.
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was established December 2, 1970.
• The first Earth Day was held in 1970, significantly increasing recycling awareness. In the years
following, 3,000 volunteer recycling centers opened and more than 100 curbside collection
programs were established.
• EPA and some state agencies developed guidelines, technical assistance, and targets for
local efforts.
1980s
• The national spotlight fell on monitoring trash due to increased awareness of pollution resulting
from poor waste management.
• Federal, state, and local governments became more and more involved in waste management.
• Waste management firms began to offer recycling programs in connection with proposals for
new incinerators or landfills.
1990s
• Industry expanded the range of products made from recycled materials instead of virgin raw
materials.
• National recycling rate reached double digits (28.2 percent in 1998).
2000s
• EPA has set a national recycling goal of 35 percent by 2005.
-------
Recycling Facts
By recycling 1 ton of paper, we save: 1 7 trees, 7,000 gallons
of water, 380 gallons of oil, 3 cubic yards of landfill s,
and enough energy to heat an average home for 6 months.
Manufacturers can make one extra-large T-shirt out of only five
recycled plastic soda bottles.
Americans throw away enough aluminum every 3 months to
rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.
When one ton of steel is recycled, 2,500 pounds of iron ore,
1,400 pounds of coal, and 1 20 pounds of limestone are
conserved.
Recycling aluminum cans saves 95 percent of the energy
reauired to make aluminum cans from scratch.
• The amount of aluminum recycled in 1 995 could have built 14
aircraft carriers.
(Sources: Weyerhaeuser Company, 1999; Steel Recycling Institute, 2000;
American Forest and Paper Association, 2000; R.W Beck, 1 997; The Can
Manufacturers Institute, 1 997; Anchorage Recycling Center, 2000; Recyclers'
Handbook by Earthworks Group, 1 997; EPA, 1 997)
1 59 for more information.) In
1 997, this country recycled 28
percent of its waste, a rate that
has almost doubled over the
past 15 years. Of that 28 per-
cent, here is the breakdown of
what the United States recycled
that year:
As individuals, businesses, and
governments in the United
States have increasingly
assumed responsibility for
wastes, recycling, reuse, and
composting have all undergone
a phenomenal surge in popu-
larity and success. Analysts
project that Americans will be
recycling and composting at
least 83 million tons—35 per-
cent of all municipal waste—by
2005.
Purchasing Recycled Products
The market for recycled materials is the final
part of the recycling loop. Recycled products
must be bought and used in order for the entire
recycling process to succeed.
Recycling and composting activities divert about
62 million tons of material from landfills and
incinerators. (See the Teacher Fact Sheets titled
Landfills on pg. 155 and Combustion on pg.
Materials Recycled in the
United States
Rubber and
Leather: 1.4%'
Textiles: 1.
Plastics: 1.9%'
Other: 7.6%
Metals: 9.9%
T^2
Source: EPA, 1 998
What Are the Benefits of
Recycling?
When each part of the recycling loop is com-
pleted, the process helps both the environment
and the economy. Recycling prevents materials
from being thrown away, reducing the need for
landfilling and incineration. In addition, the use
of recycled materials to manufacture new prod-
ucts prevents pollution caused by the
manufacturing of produces from virgin materi-
als. Also, using recycled materials for
manufacturing decreases emissions of green-
house gases that contribute to global climate
change. Since the use of recycled materials
reduces the need for raw material extraction
and processing, energy is saved and the Earth's
dwindling resources are conserved.
Recent studies indicate that recycling and
remanufacturing account for about one million
manufacturing jobs throughout the country and
generate more than $100 billion in revenue.
Many of the employment opportunities created
by recycling are in areas where jobs are most
needed.
The Quest for Less
-------
Recycling in Action
For recycling to work, everyone has to participate in each phase of the loop. From government and
industry, to organizations, small businesses, and people at home, all Americans can easily make recy-
cling a part of their daily routine. Below are some ways for individuals to get involved in recycling:
• Learn about and participate in a community recycling program. Know the collection schedule or
drop-off location as well as which items are acceptable. Get involved by volunteering with a
homeowner's association or community organization to educate neighbors about the recycling
program.
• Empty all fluids and remove all lids from bottles and cans when recycling and do not contami-
nate recycling containers with trash.
• Participate and encourage colleagues to recycle in the containers provided in your
school. Initiate a recycling program in your school if one does not exist.
• Make the effort to find recycling opportunities for items, such as plastic packaging, that are not
included in your local recycling program.
• Use recyclable products and encourage others to do the same.
What Are the Challenges of used in packaging, usually can not be included
Recycling? in curbside or drop-off recycling programs.
These items still end up in the trash because it is
Despite its success, the potential of recycling in not profitable to collect the tons needed for
this country is not yet fully realized. Some plas- remanufacture into new products.
tics, for example, such as bottles and
containers, are recyclable in almost any com- In addition, the costs of collecting, transporting,
munity, but others, such as plastic "peanuts" and processing recyclables can sometimes be
Is Your School Waste Wise?
Waste Wise is a voluntary EPA partnership program that helps businesses, governments, and institu-
tions reduce waste and save money. Since the program began in 1994, WasteWise partners have
reduced their municipal solid waste by more than 26 million tons! In 1998 alone, partners saved an
estimated $264 million. Partners include many large corporations, small and medium-sized busi-
nesses, hospitals, tribes, and state, local, and federal governments, as well as 87 schools, school
districts, colleges, and universities in more than 30 states.
The following are examples of the accomplishments of a few WasteWise partners in the education
field. Alden Central School of New York, which educates children from K-12, implemented a compre-
hensive waste reduction program in all campus buildings. Students and staff eliminated 450 pounds
of polystyrene cafeteria trays and dishes by switching to reusable products. They also composted 900
pounds of cafeteria food scraps and 1 50 pounds of yard trimmings for use as mulch on building
grounds. Sligo Adventist School of Maryland also implemented severe innovative waste prevention
activities including the reduction of more than 1 ton of drink boxes by switching to bulk juice dis-
pensers. Eastern Illinois University reduced the amount of computer paper used on campus by 1 0
percent and reused 1 3 tons of office supplies through an internal exchange among employees.
To find out how your school can join the WasteWise program, please call 800-EPA-WISE (372-
9473), e-mail at ww@cais.net, or visit the Web site at .
-------
higher than the cost of disposing of these mate-
rials as waste. The average cost to process a
ton of recyclables is $50, while the average
value of those recyclables on the market is only
$30. Processors often compensate for this dis-
crepancy by charging a set fee for each ton of
material they receive or by establishing ongoing
contracts with communities or haulers. Efforts to
better manage waste and recycling programs
are under development. Many communities
across the country implement financial incen-
tives to encourage people to recycle. Residents
are charged a fee based on the amount of solid
waste they throw away. The more a household
recycles, the less garbage it throw outs, and the
lower the collection fee it pays.
Finally, recycling facilities are not always a wel-
come addition to a community. As with other
waste management operations, recycling facili-
ties are often accompanied by increased traffic,
noise, and even pollution. Community leaders
proposing the location for a recycling facility
can encourage the NIMBY (Not in My Backyard)
sentiment.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on recycling and solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on recycling:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste WasteWise Program site:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on global climate change and recycling:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste, Kid's Page:
• U.S. EPA, Region 9 Office's Recycling Site for Kids:
• Nationa Recycling Coalition:
• Institute for Scrap Recycling Industries:
• American Plastics Counci :
• Steel Recycling Institute:
• Aluminum Association:
• Glass Packaging Institute:
• American Forest and Paper Association:
• Institute for Local Self-Reliance:
• Rechargeable Battery Recycling:
• Polystyrene Packaging Counci :
To order the following additional documents on municipal solid waste and recycling, call EPA toll-free
at 800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• Characterization of Municipal Solid Waste in the United States
• Planet Protectors Club Kit (EPA530-E-98-002)
• A Resource Guide of Solid Waste Educational Materials
(www.epa.gov/epaoswer/general/bibligr/educat.htm)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
The Quest for Less
-------
Buying Recycled
TWcher fact Sheet
What Is "Buying Recycled?"
"Buying recycled" means purchasing items that
are made from postconsumer recycled content—
in other words, materials that were used once
and then recycled into something else. This
process is also known as "closing the loop."
Consumers "close the loop" when they purchase
products made from recycled materials. After an
item has been collected for recycling, sorted
and processed, and remanufactured into a new
product, it still has one more critical step to
undergo: purchase and reuse. If no one buys
recycled-content products, the entire recycling
process is ineffective.
How Can People
"Close the Loop?"
Consumers hold the key to
making recycling work.
Many manufacturers are
already making the use of
recycled materials a part of
A Recycled Product Shopping List
More than 4,500 recycled-content products are already
available in stores, and their numbers are rapidly growing.
Some of the everyday products people regularly purchase
contain recycled-content. Here are some items that are
typically made with recycled materials:
Aluminum cans
.ereai boxes
Eaa cartons
per towels
Car bumpers
Trash bags
.ornic books
Newspapers
Ulass containers
Laundry detergen
bottles
Point*
Buying recycled-content products
encourages manufacturers to purchase
and use recycled materials.
Buying products with "postconsumer"
content closes the recycling loop.
Not all recyclable products can be
recycled in every community.
Buying recycled products saves energy,
conserves natural resources, creates
jobs, and reduces the amount of waste
sent to landfills and incinerators.
Today's recycled-content products
perform just as well, cost the same or
less, and are just as available as their
nonrecycled counterparts.
New products containing recycled
materials, from construction materials
to playground equipment to computers,
are constantly being developed.
their official company policy. By buy-
ing recycled-content products,
consumers can encourage this trend,
making each purchase count toward
"closing the loop." Purchasing recy-
cled-content goods ensures continued
availability of our natural resources for
the future.
The first step in buying recycled-con-
tent products is correctly identifying
them. As consumers demand more
environmentally sound products,
manufacturers are encouraged to
highlight these aspects of their mer-
chandise. While this trend is good,
shoppers should be aware of the vari-
ous uses of "recycled" terminology. To
help consumers decipher product
claims about recycled content, the
-------
Federal Trade Commission has issued guidelines
to ensure that products are properly and clearly
labeled. Here are some basic definitions:
• Recycled-content products are made from
materials that have been recovered or oth-
erwise diverted from the solid waste
stream, either during the manufacturing
process or after consumer use. Recycled-
content products also include products
made from used, reconditioned, and
remanufactured components.
• Postconsumer content indicates that materi-
als used to make a product were recovered
or otherwise diverted from the solid waste
stream after consumer use. If this term is not
noted, or if the package indicates a total
recycled content with a percentage of post-
consumer content (e.g., 100 percent
recycled, 10 percent postconsumer), the rest
of the material probably came from excess
material generated during normal manufac-
turing processes. These materials were not
used by a consumer or collected through a
local recycling program.
• Recyclable products can be collected, sepa-
rated, or otherwise recovered from the solid
waste stream for use in the form of raw
materials in the manufacture of a new prod-
uct. This includes products that can be
reused, reconditioned, or remanufactured.
These products do not necessarily contain
recycled materials and only benefit the envi-
ronment if people recycle them after use.
Not all communities collect all types of prod-
ucts for recycling, so it is really only
recyclable if your community accepts it.
• Products wrapped in recycled or recyclable
packaging do not necessarily contain recy-
cled content. They can be wrapped in
paper or plastic made from recycled materi-
als, which is a good start, but the most
environmentally preferable packaging is
none at all.
Consumers must remember to read further than
the recycling symbol or the vague language to
find specific and verifiable claims. When in
doubt about the recycled content of an item,
asking the store clerk will not only help to inform
the consumer, but also raise the store clerk's
awareness of shoppers' interest in
environmentally preferable products.
Buy-Recycled Facts
• Aluminum cans contain an average of 50 percent recy-
cled postconsumer content, while glass bottles contain
an average of 30 percent.
• How many recycled plastic soda bottles does it take to
make...?
1 XL T-shirt 5 bottles
1 Ski jacket filler 5 bottles
1 Sweater 27 bottles
1 Sleeping bag 35 bottles
• Manufacturers in the United States bought $5 billion
worth of recycled materials in 1995.
• One 6-foot-long plastic park bench can be made from
1,050 plastic milk jugs.
(Sources: Aluminum Association, 2000; Glass Packaging Institute;
Recyclers' Handbook by Earthworks Group, 1 997; Anchorage
Recycling Center, 2000; American Plastics Council, 1 999; National
Recycling Coalition)
What Are the Benefits of
Buying Recycled?
Important advantages to buying
recycled content products include:
• Waste and Pollution Prevention:
Manufacturing products with
recycled-content generally cre-
ates much less waste and
pollution, ranging from truck
emissions to raw material scraps.
• Resource and Energy
Conservation: Making a new
product from recycled-content
materials generally reduces the
amount of energy and virgin
materials needed to manufac-
ture the product.
The Quest for Less
-------
Economic Development: The Institute for
Local Self-Reliance in Washington, DC, esti-
mates that nine jobs are created for every
15,000 tons of solid waste recycled into a
new product. These jobs range from low-
skilled to high-skilled positions, including
materials sorters, dispatchers, truck drivers,
brokers, sales representatives, process engi-
neers, and chemists.
Money Savings: Products such as re-refined
motor oil, retreaded tires, and remanufac-
tured automotive batteries will often cost less
than their virgin material counterparts.
What Are the Challenges of
Buying Recycled?
Many people incorrectly assume that products
made from recycled content, or used material,
are inferior in quality to entirely new products.
The challenge is to correct that misconception
and convince businesses and consumers of the
reliability of recycled-content products.
According to the California Department of
Conservation and the California Integrated
Waste Management Board, in 1 996, 97 percent
of corporate purchasing agents reported that
they were pleased with the performance of their
recycled-content products. Though each prod-
uct's quality and reliability must be judged
individually, no evidence exists that recycled-
content products are inferior to their virgin
material counterparts. Initially, some recycled-
content products were less available and harder
to find than virgin products, but today, every
major national store chain and nearly all small
chains or independent retailers carry recycled-
content products at competitive prices.
What Are Some Emerging
Trends?
A wider variety of recycled-content products are
being produced every day. Some newly avail-
able items include electronic equipment, such as
computers and printers, made from recycled
parts; tape measures made from reconditioned
and recycled parts;
kitty litter made from
recycled drywall;
recycled-content plas-
tic office products;
and innovative cloth-
ing and accessories
made from recycled
tire inner tubes.
Buying
Recycled in
Action
Consumers hold the power in their wallets and
on their shopping lists. Whether buying items for
home, school, or work, consumers must think
about the environment and the future as they
consider products and brands. Below are activi-
ties that will help promote buying recycled:
• Buying recycled-content products personally
and encouraging the use of recycled prod-
ucts at school.
• Teaching children about "closing the recy-
cling loop" by organizing a tour of a local
facility that manufactures recycled-content
products, such as steel products.
• Organizing an exhibit of recycled-content
products.
• Asking local stores to stock more recycled-
content products.
• Looking for products that usually contain recy-
cled materials, such as steel, glass, aluminum,
egg cartons (paper), and cereal boxes.
• Purchasing remanufactured products and
equipment, like toner cartridges, office furniture,
auto parts, re-refined oil, or retreaded tires.
• Purchasing products that can be recycled in
local communities.
81
-------
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on buying recycled products and solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on buying recycled:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on recycling and buying recycled:
• King County, Washington:
• Green Seal:
• The American Plastics Council:
• The Officia Recycled Products Guide:
• The Global Recycling Network:
• The Environmental News Network's Marketplace:
• Pennsylvania Resource Council's Recycling and Solid Waste Center:
• Buy Recycled Business Alliance:
To order the following additional documents on buying recycled and so id waste, call EPA
toll-free at 800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
• The Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste (EPA530-K-96-003)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
EPA's WasteWise Program helpline (800 EPA-WISE) has additional resources available.
These resources include information on the following:
• State Buy-Recycled Contacts
• Buy Recycled Guidebook
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades K-2
Recycling Ranger?
jjj Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
social
studies
To help children recognize the similarities and differ-
ences among common recyclable items.
Activity Description J
Paper
Plastic
Glass
Metals
Students play a sorting game and put different recy-
clables into the appropriate bin.
Materials Needed J
Four recycling bins
Recyclable materials listed in the box below
Duration J
1 hour
Skills Used )
Communication
Observation/classification
Activity J
Step 1: Set up the four bins in the class-
room and label them "Paper," "Glass,"
"Plastic," and "Metals." Make a pile of all of
the recyclable items on the floor and ask the
students to gather around them in a circle.
Step 2: Explain to students that by the end of
the lesson they will become "Recycling Rangers"
and learn how to recycle different items. Discuss
with the students how different "garbage" items
can be recycled into new products. Note that it
is important to separate these items into differ-
ent categories before they are used to make
new products. Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Recycling on pg. 73 for background infor-
mation on the recycling process.
Step 3: Ask the students to look at the differ-
ent recyclable materials and discuss how they
are alike and how they are different. Ask them
Recyclable Materials
- Cardboard
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Plastic soda bottles
- Plastic milk containers
- Glass jars or bottles
- Aluminum cans
- Steel food cans
- Other materials recycled in your
community
Note: All materials should be cleaned and all
sharp lids or edges should be removed or taped
over to avoid injury.
-------
to compare the colors, textures, and weight of
the different objects. When handling the glass
bottles, take great care not to accidentally break
the containers. Also, note that some metal con-
tainers have sharp edges that can cause injury
to the children.
Step 4: Moving through the pile one item at
a time, ask the students to identify the material
that each item is made from. Then, choose a
student volunteer to place the item in the appro-
priate bin. For the older children, ask the
student volunteer to also name another product
that is made from that same material. If a stu-
dent, for example, is holding a glass jelly jar, he
or she could note that soda bottles are also
made of glass.
Step 5: After the lesson is concluded, encour-
age students to go home that night and share
what they learned with their parents.
Assessment J
Ask students to name some examples of
recyclable items.
Have students explain why it is important to
sort the different recyclable items.
Ask students what kinds of materials
recyclable items are made from.
^ Enrichment J
Select a few objects from the lesson, ensur-
ing a good mix of shapes and sizes. Ask the
children to trace outlines of the objects and
then color them in. Put the pictures up on
the classroom wall to create a recycling
art gallery.
Organize the class into teams of four chil-
dren and give each group a different
recyclable item. Ask the students to make a
new object from the recycled items such as a
crayon holder or paper plane.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades K-2
tfkat Settle/
" Objective
To show students the various steps involved in recycling.
Activity Description J
While coloring, students will follow the path of the
bottle in the Follow That Bottle! worksheet.
Materials Needed J
Copies of the Follow That Bottle! worksheet for
each member of the class
Crayons
Key Vocabulary Words J
Recycling
Processing
Manufacturing
Factory
Skills Used ]
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Using the storyline in the Follow That
Bottle! worksheet, discuss the life of a recycla-
ble item, such as a plastic bottle, after it is
placed in the recycling bin. Explain that items
such as bottles, cans, and newspapers can be
made into a new product—either the same
kind of product or a completely different prod-
uct—if they are recycled and not thrown away.
(Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Recycling
on pg. 73 for background information.)
Step 2: Read and then distribute the Follow
That Bottle! worksheet and instruct the students
to follow the bottle by coloring it with crayons
as it is used, recycled, remanufactured, and
made into a new product. As the students
color, ask them what they think is happening
in each section of the picture. Ask them, for
example, if anyone has been to a factory or if
they recycle at home.
Step 3: After talking about the life of the
bottle, students can color the rest of the story
boa rd.
Assessment J
Have students explain what happens to a
plastic bottle, or other recyclable, after it is
placed in a recycling bin.
Ask students to describe their own recycling
experiences. Do they use a bin?
y <^) Enrichment J
1. Instruct the students to draw a picture of
themselves as they recycle common products.
2. Have students sort and separate recyclables
from lunch for one week to get a sense of the
items that can be recycled in your community.
Prepare separate bins for each recyclable.
3. Ask students what happens to the plastic
bottle if it does not go in the recycling bin.
-------
Name:
When he is finished, he puts the
empty bottle in the recycling bin.
A truck comes to pick up the
recycled bottles.
The truck takes the recycled The bottles get separated by colon.
bottles to a factory.
The bottles are ground up
into little pieces.
The little plastic pieces are
melted...
...and made into pieces of thread.
The Quest for Less
-------
1=11=11=11=1
In another factory..
...the plastic thread is used to
make clothing.
7 V
Jackets, scarves, gloves, and
blankets can be made from
recycled soda bottles...
V
...and are sold in stones.
Billy's favorite jacket is made from the soda bottles he recycled!
-------
Grades 2-3
Recycling fCit
Suggestion for Teachers: You might want to find out what materials are collected for
recycling in your community before beginning this activity.
language
arts
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
art
To teach students the value of recycling and encourage
them to discuss recycling with their families.
| Activity Description J
Students will assemble a take-home recycling kit.
Materials Needed J
Recycling Facts handout for each member of
the class
Old magazines and newspapers
Used cardboard
Construction paper
Markers and/or paint
Glue
Scissors
Any other arts and crafts supplies available
Recycling
Processing
Duration )
2 hours
Skills Used ]
Communication
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Explain how recycling works and
the important role we all can play by recycling
items instead of throwing them away. (Refer to
the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Recycling on pg.
73 for more information.) Review the informa-
tion on the following Recycling Facts handouts
with the students, pointing out the economic
and environmental benefits of recycling.
Step 2: Have each student cut the old card-
board boxes into four 8 V2- by 11 -inch pieces
and glue different colored sheets of construc-
tion paper to each side of the cardboard.
Connect each piece of cardboard with tape to
form a placard that can stand on a table.
Instruct the students to label each cardboard
piece with one of the following recyclables:
aluminum, glass, plastic, and paper (see
examples below).
Step 3: Instruct the class to cut out or draw
the appropriate recyclable for each cardboard
placard using the magazines, newspapers,
PAPER
GLASS
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to interview their
family members about recycling
practices and views on recycling.
Ask students to write a short
article on their families' current
views and how their recycling kit
changed those views on practices.
markers, and paints. Ask students to write infor-
mation about recycling on each placard.
Optional recycling facts are included on the
attached handout and might assist students in
this task.
Step 4: When the students are finished deco-
rating their placards, ask them to take them
home and affix them where their family keeps its
recyclables or its trash to encourage families
that don't already recycle to start. Ask students
to share the information they learned about
recycling with their parents. Explain how the
placards serve as friendly reminders of the
importance and benefits of recycling.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to list the ways recycling helps
the environment and why these benefits are
important.
2. Ask students what role each of us can play in
recycling.
^ Enrichment J
1. If your community recycles, but the majority
of the class' families do not recycle at home,
have the students practice a "recycling pitch"
to their parents using their placards and
other facts about the benefits of recycling.
Also, students could develop a commercial
using their placards and draw a story board
of it or create a skit that is then videotaped.
2. Make signs for the classroom or school recy-
cling bin. Ask students to put cans, bottles,
or other items from their lunches in the recy-
cling bins in the classroom or school. When
the bins are full, take them to a collection
facility and use the money to buy treats for
the class.
3. Organize a tour of a recyclables processing
facility or a manufacturing plant that uses
recycled materials.
90
The Quest for Less
-------
Student Handout
Kecycling fact$
Paper
A used newspaper can be recycled and
remanufactured into a new newspaper in less
than 4 weeks.
• Americans recycled
60,000 tons of phone
books in 1995.
• By recycling or reusing
1 ton of paper, we save
1 7 trees, 7,000 gallons
of water, 380 gallons of
oil, 3 cubic yards of
landfill space, and
enough energy to heat
an average home for 6
months.
Americans recycled 47 million tons of paper
in
ummum
Recycling aluminum cans saves 95 percent
of the energy required to make aluminum
cans from scratch.
Since 1 972, Americans have earned $10 bil-
lion from recycling aluminum cans.
Every minute, an average of 127,093 alu-
minum beverage cans are recycled in the
United States.
The amount of aluminum recycled in 1 995
could have built 14 aircraft carriers
Vlafric
Using only five recycled plastic soda bottles,
manufacturers can make one extra-large T-shirt.
Milk jugs can be made into all different types
of plastic objects, from park benches to
boardwalks.
Recycled plastic soda bottles can be made
into "fleece" sweaters, long underwear, stuff-
ing for sleeping bags, and
other items.
If all the glass bottles
and jars recycled
were laid end-to-
end, they would
reach the moon
and make it more
than halfway back
to Earth.
Every day, Americans recycle 37 percent of
all glass jars and bottles.
Americans throw away enough glass bottles
and jars every 2 weeks to fill both of the
World Trade Center's 1,350-foot towers.
Every ton of new glass produced results in 27.<:
pounds of air pollution, but recycling glass
reduces that pollution by 14 to 20 percent.
Sources: National Recycling Coalition; EPA; Weyerhaeuser Company,! 999; American Forest and
Paper Association; American Plastics Council, 1994; Coca-Cola Co., 1995; Glass Packaging
Institute, 2000; Can Manufacturers Institute, 2000; EPA, 1 997.
91
-------
Grades 2-3
|) Objective J
Glow from $cratch.
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students about the processes and resources
used in the manufacture of glass and to introduce how
recycling glass is good for the environment.
Activity Description J
Students make a glass-like substance using sugar and
water.
Materials Needed J
cup sugar
/4 cup water
Hot plate and sauce pan or hot pot (to boil water)
8-inch square sheet of glass or a cookie sheet
Newspaper
Assorted glass objects
Glass
Heat
Energy
Natural resources
Reuse
Recycle
Resource
Minerals
Raw materials
^ Duration J
45 minutes
Skills Used
Communication
Reading
Observation/classification
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Discuss how glass is made (i.e., that
sand, soda and lime are heated together at
high temperatures), emphasizing the heat and
energy required during the manufacturing
process. Explain to students that glass contain-
ers can be remelted or "recycled" to make new
glass containers, saving valuable resources in
the process. (Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheets
titled Products on page 25 and Recycling on
page 73 for background on the manufacturing
process.) During the discussion, allow students
to touch a variety of different glass objects
(e.g., beverage container, jelly jar, vase). Ask
them to describe the colors, shapes, and tex-
tures of the different items.
Step 2: Begin the glassmaking exercise by
heating the water. Tell students you are going
to make "pretend" glass using sugar in place
of the actual raw material, sand. Let students
examine the sugar and describe it in terms of
its color, texture, and shape. Point out the sim-
ilarities between the sugar and sand. Have
students describe the water and how it
changes as the heat begins to make the water
boil (e.g., after the sugar has melted it will
look like a brown liquid). Point out the heat
energy involved in making the water boil as
well as the steam that is produced. Next, pour
the sugar into the boiling water. Tell students
to pretend the sugar is sand (minerals) from
the ground.
-------
Step 3: Stir the mixture vigorously over the
heat until the sugar is dissolved (about 5 min-
utes). Ask students to describe the changes in
the sugar and water. Tell them this is how glass
looks before it cools.
Step 4: Put several layers of newspaper under
a sheet of glass or a cookie sheet. (If you are
worried about handling glass, use a cookie
sheet—although students will not be able to see
through it.) Carefully pour the mixture onto the
sheet of glass and allow it to cool (about 15
minutes).
Step 5: Hold up the sheet of "glass" so stu-
dents can see through it. By allowing it to set
overnight, the "glass" will become frosted. The
next day, ask students to describe the changes
that occurred overnight and why (e.g., the water
evaporated leaving sugar crystals behind).
Step 6: As an optional exercise, illustrate
glass recycling by scraping the dried "glass"
back into the pan (pretending it is small pieces
of crushed, recycled glass), adding water, and
reboiling the mixture. More sugar will need to
be added to repeat the procedure. Ask students
which resources were replaced when the
crushed glass was used to make the new glass
(minerals, energy).
Enrichment J
Assessment J
1. Ask students what materials are used to
make virgin (nonrecycled) and recycled glass
bottles. Older students may illustrate the
process, labeling the natural resources used
to make glass and show which ones are
replaced when recycled glass is used as a
raw material.
2. Have students describe how recycling glass is
good for the environment.
Perform a molding glass exercise. For this
project, you will need one wide-mouth glass
jar per group of four to six students, and one
stiff straw or glass tubing, balloon, and rub-
ber band per student. To begin, divide the
class into small groups of four to six students
and give each group a wide-mouth jar. Next,
give each student a straw or glass tubing,
balloon, and rubber band. Assist students in
attaching the balloon to the straw with the
rubber band. Ask students to take turns put-
ting the balloon into the jar and blowing it
up until it takes the shape of the jar. Explain
that this process illustrates how glass is mold-
ed into a jar or other shape during the
manufacture of glass containers.
Bring samples of handmade glass to class
and show students the bubbles in the glass
formed by a person blowing air into the hot
glass mixture. Point out the irregularities that
identify the glass as handmade. Visit a glass
blower, if possible. These individuals often
participate in local crafts festivals or similar
events.
Ask students to look around their homes for
glass products that could be recycled to
make new glass. Ask students to make a list
of the items and bring the list to class. Have
students share their lists and then discuss
which items can and cannot be used for
recycling (for example, items not commonly
accepted for recycling are lightbulbs, mirrors,
windows, etc.).
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 2-6
Handmade "Recycled "Paper
"Planter?
Objective J
To show students how easy it can be to make products
from recycled items.
Activity Description J
Students will make planters from recycled paper.
Materials Needed J
Large stack of
newspapers
Scissors
Three to five 2-gallon
buckets
Water
Egg beaters
Magnifying glass
Plant seeds for each
student
Planting soil
Paper drinking cups
Key Vocabulary Words J
Recycle
Fibers
Decompose
Pulp
Virgin materials
Resources
Duration J
2-3 hours
Skills Used
Motor skills
Note: Try to reuse a cup-shaped container instead of using paper drinking cups. For example, you
could use reusable plastic drinking cups, plastic planter molds, or milk containers.
Activity J
Step 1: Introduce the concepts of recycling
and decomposition to the class. Explain that
making items from recyclables rather than virgin
materials benefits the environment by saving
natural resources. (Refer to the Teacher Fact
Sheets titled Recycling on page 73 and Natural
Resources on page 5 for background informa-
tion. The Composting fact sheet on page ] 09
contains information on decomposition.)
Step 2: Discuss with the class how paper is
made. Explain that most paper is made from
only trees, while other paper is made from a
combination of trees and old newspaper or
used office paper (in addition, a small per-
centage of paper is made from other fibrous
materials such as cotton, papyrus, or rags).
Discuss how when recycled paper is used to
make new paper, less trees need to be cut
down. Help students explore the environmen-
tal implications of this.
Step 2: Have each student cut up two full
pages of newspaper into V2- to 1 -inch square
pieces.
Step 3: Ask a few student volunteers to fill
the buckets 1/3 full with paper and the
remaining 2/3 with water (1 part paper to 2
parts water).
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to write a stony
about their seedling's journey
from its first days in the
planter to when it takes root
in the ground outdoors.
Step 4: Let the mixture sit overnight. By the
next day, the newspaper fibers will be soft and
ready to pulp.
Step 5: On the second day, have students
take turns pulping the fibers with the hand beat-
er until the paper and water look like mush.
Explain that the pulping process breaks down
the fibers into a form that can be bonded
together again to make recycled paper. Have
students look at the pulp with a magnifying
glass to see the loose wood fibers.
Step 6: Give each student a plastic cup-
shaped container. Instruct them to mold the pulp
to the inside of the cup, squeezing out as much
of the water as possible. The pulp should be
1 /A- to 1 /2-inch thick on the inside of the cup.
Step 7: Let the pulp dry completely over the
next 3 days.
Step 8: After the pulp has dried, take the
handmade recycled paper cup out of the drink-
ing cup.
Step 9: Give each student a seed and instruct
them to plant it in the cup using the planting
soil. Keep the planters in the classroom and
have the students care for the plants. Discuss
how much sunlight and water their plants need.
Step 1 0: Send the students home with their
planters when the seedlings have sprouted and
are ready to be planted in the ground. Instruct
the students to place the whole cup with the
plant in it into the ground.
Students in an urban setting could either plant
their seedlings in a local park or decorate their
planters and donate the seedlings to a local
nursing home. (Students also could give a pres-
entation on recycling to the elderly when they
drop off their planters.)
Step 111 Discuss how the planter will decom-
pose in the soil and the plant will take root in
the ground. Explain that they have just complet-
ed the recycling loop by sending the nutrients
from the paper cup back into the soil.
Assessment J
1. Ask students where paper comes from.
2. Ask students to explain how making paper
from used paper benefits the environment.
3. Ask students how and why the planter will
decompose in the ground.
^ Enrichment J
1. On the blackboard or as a handout, work
with the students to diagram and label all of
the steps that occur in making paper from
recycled materials versus making paper from
only virgin materials. Discuss the differences.
2. Instead of sending the students home with
the seedlings, start a garden at the school
and tend it regularly with the class.
3. Have students discuss what else they can do
to reduce the number of trees being cut
down to make paper.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 3-6
It 11 Cut
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To help students test and better understand the proper-
ties of different recyclable materials.
Activity Description J
Students rotate to different stations to evaluate recyclable
items and learn how to sort them into different categories.
Materials Needed J
Recyclable items listed below
Magnets
An aquarium tank or other large container filled
with water
Rocks or other items that vary in density
Balance scale
Scissors
Tablespoon of sand
Copies of the Sorting Statistics Worksheet
Calculators (optional)
Sorting
Recyclables
Magnetism
Density
Mass
Matter
Duration )
hour
Skills Used )
Communication
Research
Computation
Observation/classification
Activity J
Step 1: A day or two before the lesson, ask
students to bring in different recyclable items
from home or collect items left over from
lunch. See the box at right for the list of mate-
rials to request. Be sure to clean these items
before the lesson and remove any sharp
edges. Store these items in a utility closet or
some other storage room at the school until
you are ready to conduct the lesson.
Step 2: To begin the lesson, discuss how
waste is reduced by recycling. Explain how after
recyclebles are collected from businesses and
homes, they are sent to a facility where they are
sorted into different categories of materials.
Explain that it is important for recyclers to tell
Recyclable Items
Steel food cans
Aluminum soda cans
Plastic detergent bottles
Plastic milk jugs
Newspapers
Magazines
Notebook paper
Cardboard boxes
the difference between materials because they
end up being recycled into different products.
(Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Recycling
on page 73 for more information on this
process).
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students if they can think of
an innovative way to sort recy-
clables? Ask them to describe on
draw their invention.
Step 3: Organize three different stations
throughout the classroom.
Station One should include the steel and alu-
minum cans, a magnet, and an information
sheet about magnetism. This sheet should
explain that magnets are pieces of iron or steel
that can attract other metals.
Station Two should include the plastic items and a
large container (e.g., an aquarium) filled with
water, along with scissors and a few heavy and
light objects. You should prepare an information
sheet explaining that density refers to how compact
an object is. As an example, note that a bowling
ball is much more dense than a foam rubber ball
of the same size because the bowling ball is more
compact and made of heavier material.
Station Three should include the paper items
and a scale. An information sheet should
explain that mass refers to the amount of matter
in an object. You can weigh an object on a
scale to determine its mass.
Step 4: Once the stations are set up, hand
out worksheets, break the students up into
groups of three, and explain that students should
rotate from station to station in their groups and
fill out their worksheet as they go. Students can
discuss answers within their groups.
Step 5: At Station One, have students experi-
ment with the magnet and the different cans to
discover that some of the cans are attracted to
the magnet while others are not. At Station Two,
students should compare the density of various
plastic items. Students can compare the density
of other items with plastic, and can cut up plas-
tic into pieces to see how density is affected. At
Station Three, students can place various paper
items on the scale and record the different
weights.
Step 6: Discuss the questions from the work-
sheet. Students should understand that recycling
sorting facilities use magnets to separate the
steel cans from the rest of the collected recy-
clables. They should also understand that
density is important because it can be used to
identify and separate different items. Recycling
sorting facilities use sinking/floating exercises to
sort plastics from other materials, such as
crushed glass, since plastic containers float.
Students should also understand that sorting
facilities use scales to weigh the recyclable
materials they receive so they know how much
material is being recycled.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to explain magnetism. Ask them
why only some objects are attracted to magnets.
Which ones?
2. Ask students to explain density and how to
test for it.
3. Ask students what mass means. Have them
explain how to test something to determine
its mass.
4. Have students list some of the techniques
that sorting facilities use to separate different
recycle bles.
^ Enrichment J
1. Visit a local recycling materials recovery
facility to see firsthand how the different recy-
cle bles are sorted.
2. Ask students to draw their own recycling sort-
ing facility. Ask them to start with a pile of
recyclables at one end and show how the
different recyclables would be separated
(e.g., magnets, conveyor belts) as they move
through the facility. Ask them to decide
whether their diagram will only involve
machinery or whether it will involve people to
sort some of the items. Ask them to label
each of the different stations in the facility
and describe how each station works.
The Quest for Less
-------
Handout
Sorting Statistics
Name:
Station One
1. How many steel cans are at Station One? Use the magnet to find out. Now, multiply that number
by the number of students in your classroom. If you recycled 56 percent of these cans, approxi-
mately how many would that be? As a nation, we recycled 56 percent of our steel cans in 1 998.
2. How would magnets help workers at a recycling sorting facility?
3. Suppose you have 10 aluminum cans—5 containing recycled aluminum and 5 with no recycled con-
tent (made from bauxite, the primary ore). Next, suppose it takes 5 watts of energy to make a can
with recycled aluminum and 100 watts to make a can from bauxite. How much energy does it take to
make the 5 recycled-content cans? How about the 5 nonrecycled cans? Note that it takes 95 percent
less energy to make an aluminum can from recycled aluminum versus making one from scratch.
Calculate the aluminum can recycling rate for Anywhereville, USA, given the following information:
• 1,938 pounds of aluminum cans were recycled
• 3,370 pounds of aluminum cans were produced
• There are an average of 33.04 cans per pound
Number of cans recycled:
Number of cans produced:
Recycling rate:
-------
Student
Station Two
1m Does the size and shape of an object affect its density? Test a few different types
of plastic objects in the water and record your results. You can cut up some plastic
and try some other objects for comparison—record all results.
2. How is testing for density helpful to a recycling sorting facility?
3. Note that the following formula is used to determine the density of an item: density =
mass (grams)/volume (centimeters3). Now, assume a piece of garbage—a popcorn
bag—has a mass of 12 grams and a volume of 5 centimeters3. What is its density?
. Note that water has a density of 1.0 g/cm3. Items that have a density of less than 1 float in water,
while those that are more than 1 sink. Do plastic bottles have a density greater or less than 1 ?
Station Three
1m Describe the characteristics of the different types of paper. How are they similar? How are
they different? Consider color, texture, glossiness, thickness, etc.
2. Assuming you recycle 7 newspapers a week, 365 days a year, how many news-
papers do you recycle per year?
3. Using the scale at Station Three, weigh a newspaper to determine its mass.
Using your answer from question 2, what is the total mass (in pounds) of the
newspapers you recycle each year? In tons? (There are 2,205 pounds in a ton.
. Assuming that each ton of paper recycled saves 1 7 trees, how many trees have
you saved by recycling your newspaper each year?
-------
Grades 4-6
Designing the Ultimate
Can.
math
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
science
To help students understand simple machines and
manipulate materials and tools to build their own
machine.
Activity Description J
Students work in teams to design and construct a
machine to crush aluminum cans. Students then vote
for the best design.
Materials Needed J
Construction items listed in the box below
Hammer
Saw
Screwdriver
Pliers
Wire cutters
Ruler and/or measuring tape
Recycling
Recyclables
Compaction
u Duration J
Set-up/design: 1 hour
Construction: 1 to 2
hours
Skills Used )
Research
Computation
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Several days before the lesson, ask
students to bring in different construction items
from the list to the right. Be sure to store these
items in a safe place at the school where stu-
dents cannot access them and hurt themselves.
Also, note that this lesson will work best in a
shop room or similar area with plenty of open
space and room for students to work.
Step 2: To begin the lesson, introduce the
concept of simple machines—levers, pulleys,
etc. Next, explain how simple machines are used
in the recycling process. Recycling facilities use
machines, for example, to crush aluminum cans
Construction Items
Aluminum cans
Rope
Wire
Hinges
Screws
Nails
Wood scraps
Bricks
Blocks
Other construction items
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to describe the most
challenging pant of designing their
can crasher. Ask them how they
overcame this challenge.
to make them easier to store and ship since they
require less space when crushed (Refer to the
Teacher Fact Sheet titled Recycling on page 73
for more information on this process).
Step 3: Divide the class into small groups of
four or five students.
Step 4: Place a few aluminum cans on the
floor. Ask a volunteer to crush the cans with his
or her foot. Have students identify what is
involved in crushing a can. Ask them to describe
what happens to the can.
Step 5: Have students examine all of the con-
struction materials brought to class. Explain that
the job of each group is to use these materials
to design and construct a can crushing
machine. Each group should use at least one
"simple machine" in their construction.
Step 6: Tell students that they should begin the
project with a design phase. You may want to
spend several class periods on this stage. Ask
students to work together to draw a diagram for
how their can crusher would work. Have them
make a list of all of the items they will need for
their machine. Make sure these items are already
in the classroom or can be brought from home.
Ask students to write instructions for how they will
build their can crusher. Encourage them to take
measurements and be as detailed as possible.
Step 7: Review each group's designs carefully
to ensure they are reasonable given the materi-
als required and time frame of the assignment.
Ask each group to explain to you how their
machine will work.
Step 8: Conduct a safety lesson regarding the
appropriate use of the tools. Ask students to use
caution and remember that the tools are not toys.
Step 9: Underdose adult supervision (you
might need adult volunteers to help), ask stu-
dents to begin the construction phase. It may
take several class periods for students to com-
plete their can crushers. Have students follow
their directions carefully and encourage them to
ask questions throughout the process.
Step 1 0: Once all of the machines are con-
structed, tell students that it is time to test them.
Ask each group of students to demonstrate to
the class how their can crusher works. Allow
other students to ask questions.
) Assessment J
1. Ask students to explain why it is important for
recycling facilities to crush the aluminum cans.
2. Ask students why it is important to develop a
detailed design first rather than immediately
building a machine.
3. Have students explain why it is important to
test the machine.
4. Have students explain how the machine makes
crushing cans easier than doing it by hand.
After everyone has demonstrated their crushers,
have each student rank each project on a scale
of 1 to 1 0 for each of several categories, such
as: total cost of materials, ease of use, efficiency,
size, safety, effectiveness, time to construct, etc.
^ Enrichment J
1. Organize a recycling drive for aluminum cans
at your school. The can crusher contest can
be used to draw attention to the drive. The
can crushers designed by the students can be
used to help store the cans more easily
before they are taken to a recycling center.
2. Invite a local recycling coordinator or recy-
cling professional to your class to talk with
students about what he or she does. Ask the
visitor to bring in pictures of baled, crushed
recyclables as well as samples of recycled
products, if possible.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 4-6
Objective J
To teach students how to identify and evaluate environ-
mental attributes of products and assess their
environmental impacts.
Activity Description J
Research school supplies and determine which products
have the most positive environmental attributes.
Materials Needed J
Five products with environmental claims on labels
(such as a cereal box made with recycled content or
an aluminum can with a recyclable symbol)
Index cards or small pieces of cardboard
(approximately five)
Product Review Worksheet (one for each student)
language
arts
Key Vocabulary Words J
Postconsumer-
recovered material
content
Life cycle
Environmental attribute
social
studies
art
Duration J
2 hours
Skills Used
Communication
Research
Observation/classification
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Bring in five products with environ-
mental claims and examine them with the
class. List the attributes on the chalkboard and
discuss them (refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Buying Recycled on page 79). For exam-
ple, many paper products are manufactured
with environmental attributes such as those
listed in the "Environmental Attributes for
Paper" sidebar. Discuss product manufactur-
ing (refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Products on page 25) and its potential impact
the environment. Discuss how changing some
Environmental Attributes for
Paper
Preconsumer content
Postconsumer content
Recyclability of packaging
Recyclability of product
Reusability of item
of the practices involved in product manufac-
turing can increase or diminish a product's
environmental impact.
Step 2: Divide students into groups of
approximately five students.
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students pretend they are in
change of baying school supplies
for their school. Ask them what
kinds of environmental attributes
they would consider when pan-
chasing supplies.
Step 3: Assign each group one school supply
product that could possess environmental attrib-
utes (e.g., binders with recovered-content plastic
coating, paper clips with recovered plastic, and
pencils with recovered-content wood).
Step 4: Have each student in each group
visit a store individually and research his or her
assigned product. Give students copies of the
Product Review Worksheet and instruct them to
answer the questions while visiting the store.
Step 5: After visiting stores, have students
regroup to discuss the results. Each group
should pick one brand that they think represents
the most environmentally sound product. Let
students have their own group discussions and
then conduct a class discussion. Start the discus-
sion by writing each group product on the
chalkboard. Under each product, list the associ-
ated environmental attributes each group
discovered. Discuss each attribute, concentrat-
ing on what attributes are most important and
why. Have the students number the attributes in
order of importance, starting with number 1 as
the most important attribute.
Step 6: Have students break into their smaller
groups again to revisit their choice of the most
environmentally sound product. Have the stu-
dents use the environmental attribute
information on the board to answer the follow-
ing question: Do you think the product you
initially chose is still the most environmentally
sound product? If not, have them review their
product research again and choose the most
environmentally sound product.
Step 7: If possible, purchase each of the
products the groups decided are most environ-
mentally sound. This should end up involving
between five and seven products total.
Step 8: Take the new products with environ-
mental attributes and create a display either in
the classroom or elsewhere in the school. Let
students get creative with display ideas (e.g.,
place them on a cloth, include inflatable beach-
ball globes or other environmental symbols).
Place an index card or small piece of poster-
board next to each product explaining the
environmental attributes it contains. Also create
a title poster that explains the contents and pur-
pose of your display. Each student could sign
the title poster to show his or her participation in
the project.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to think about their shopping
habits. Before today's lesson, ask them if
they consider environmental attributes when
purchasing products. Ask them if they will in
the future. Have them list what kinds of
attributes they will pay the most attention to.
2. List a few environmental attributes on the
chalkboard and ask students to identify the
most important and explain its importance.
3. Ask students to suggest environmental attrib-
utes to consider when purchasing some
products other than those already researched
(e.g., beverages, paint, food items).
The Quest for Less
-------
^^ Enrichment J
Discuss product lifecycle stages: manufactur-
ing, use, and disposal (refer to the Teacher
Fact Sheet titled Products on page 25) with
students. Assign students to select one of the
products examined in this activity and draw a
colorful flow chart of the steps involved in
manufacturing, use, or disposal of the item.
Have students write and perform a
30-second advertising spot for a product
with environmental attributes. If equipment
is available, record each spot on videotape.
Discuss how and why each advertisement
was or was not effective.
Have students write and design a marketing
brochure that emphasizes a product's envi-
ronmental attributes. Instruct students to
develop the brochure targeting consumers.
The brochures should explain why a con-
sumer might purchase this item over a
competing company's product.
Pretend that students have been selected to
run a new company that evaluates marketing
claims on environmental attributes and rates
the environmental impact of different prod-
ucts. Have students suggest appropriate
names for the company and vote to choose
one. Break students into groups of approxi-
mately five students and give each group a
piece of paper and art supplies (crayons,
paint, markers, etc.). Instruct them to design
a symbol or logo to represent each environ-
mental attribute their company's products
possess. This symbol will be appear on prod-
uct packaging to advertise the company's
environmental awareness. Again, the class
can vote on its favorite symbol of an environ-
mental attribute.
When visiting stores, have students record
the cost of products with and without
environmental attributes. Have students eval-
uate their research and perform a cost
comparison.
Using the actual product, have students pres-
ent their product research to the class by
acting out a shopping experience in a skit.
Tell students to be creative in role-playing.
The group does not need to be one big fam-
ily on a shopping trip. They can role play
anyone—a store clerk, another customer, a
representative of the company that manufac-
tures the product, even the President of the
United States. Instruct students to discuss the
environmental attributes of products and
practice comparison shopping in the skits.
105
-------
Handout
Name:
Product Review Worksheet
1 . Are there any brands of
your product that advertise
environmental attribute claims? If
so, how many different brands are
available?
-88
2. Which brand offers more
environmental attributes?
N|
3. What attributes do you
think are the most important
and which products have those
attributes?
4. After reviewing all of the
brands, which one would you
purchase and why?
SCHOOL'
SUPPLY
\l
5. What are the costs of
the different brands?
-------
J
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
*See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Composting
What Is Composting?
Composting is the controlled thermophilic (130°-
150°F) decomposition of organic materials such
as leaves, grass, and food scraps by various
organisms. Composting can be divided into three
types: backyard, or home, composting; vermi-
composting; and heat-based composting.
Home composting is the natural degradation of
yard trimmings, food scraps, wood ashes, shred-
ded paper, coffee grounds, and other household
organic waste by naturally occurring microscopic
organisms. Vermicomposting is the natural
degradation of similar household organic waste
using naturally occurring microscopic organisms
and the digestive process of earthworms. Heat-
based composting is performed by municipal or
commercial facilities that increase the rate of
degradation using high temperatures.
Varying amounts of heat, water, air, and food
produce different qualities of compost as a final
product. Heat-based compost differs from com-
post produced at ambient temperatures (e.g., a
forest floor or home com-
posting) because high
temperatures destroy both
weed seeds and pathogens.
Composts produced by all
three systems are crumbly,
earthy-smelling, soil-like
materials with a variety of
beneficial organisms.
Key Point*
• Composting is the controlled decompo-
sition of organic materials.
• Composting helps divert a large portion
of America's organic trash from landfills
and combustion facilities.
• There are three methods of composting:
home or backyard composting, vermi-
composting, and heat-based
composting.
• Invertebrates and microorganisms in
compost are key to the breakdown of
the organic materials into a rich soil-like
product.
• Quality compost is the result of the prop-
er mixture of carbon and nitrogen
sources and adeqpate amounts of mois-
ture, oxygen, and time. Certain food items
should be avoided when home composting.
• Compost is a valuable product that can
be used as a soil amendment, mulch, or
even to decontaminate natural habitats,
storm water, and brownf ields.
• More than 75 percent of the waste
produced in the United States (including
paper) is compostable material.
Worms—A Composter's Best Friend
Vermicomposting is a method of composting using a specia kind of earthworm known as a red wig-
gler (Elsenia fef/'da), which eats its weight in organic matter each day. Vermicomposting is typically
done in a covered container with a bedding of dirt, newspaper, or leaves. Food scraps (without
added fats) can then be added as food for the worms. Over time, the food will be replaced with
worm droppings, a rich brown matter that is an excellent natural plant food. Vermicomposting
requires ess space than normal composting methods, and is therefore ideal for classrooms, apart-
ments, and those in high-density urban areas.
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
-------
Composting in Action
An easy way to understand all the factors that
go into composting is with a hands-on demon-
stration. A school can provide the perfect
medium for these demonstrations. Classes
could start a composting bin using food scraps
from the cafeteria and yard trimmings from
ground maintenance. Dependin
of the project, the compost could then be sold
to the community in addition to being used on
the school campus. Tour a local composting
facility, if composting cannot be done at
school. For more information on how to start a
school composting project, go to the Cornell
University composting Web site at
or use these suggested activities to get you
itart a compost pile or Dm in tne scnool or
as a class experiment.
Try using compost in place of chemical fer-
tilizers, pesticides, and fungicides. Use
compost made by the school or buy it from
municipalities or private companies.
The decomposition of organic materials in com-
posting involves both physical and chemical
processes. During decomposition, organic
materials are broken down through the activities
and appetites of bacteria, fungi, and various
invertebrates that will naturally appear in com-
post, such as mites, millipedes, beetles,
sowbugs, earwigs, earthworms, slugs, and
snails. These insects and microorganisms found
in decomposing matter need adequate moisture
and oxygen to degrade the organic materials in
the most efficient manner.
How Does Composting Work?
Compost contains both carbon and nitrogen
sources, which can be simplified as browns
(e.g., leaves, straw, woody materials) and
greens (e.g., grass and food scraps), respective-
ly. Adequate sources of carbon and nitrogen are
important for microorganism growth and energy.
The ideal ratio is 30 parts brown to 1 part
green. Odor and other problems can occur if
the ratio or any of the factors discussed below
are not right.
The browns and greens can be mixed together
to form compost in a backyard bin or in a
municipal compost facility. Whether the com-
posting is done on a small scale or large, the
composting process is the same. To encourage
decomposition throughout the pile, the compost
should be kept moist and turned periodically.
What Are the Benefits of
Composting?
As a method of handling the large amount of
organic waste created in the United States each
day, composting makes good environmental
sense. Instead of throwing organic materials
away, they can be turned into a useful resource.
In addition, many organic wastes are not ideally
suited for disposal in combustion facilities or
landfills. Food scraps and yard trimmings tend to
make inferior fuel for combustors because of their
high moisture content. Decomposition of organic
wastes in landfills can create methane, a green-
house gas that is environmentally harmful
because it destroys atmospheric ozone.
Because yard trimmings and food scraps make
up about 23 percent of the waste U.S. house-
holds generate (EPA, 1 998), backyard or home
composting can greatly reduce the amount of
11C
The Quest for Less
-------
waste that ends up in landfills or combustors. In
addition, compost is a valuable product that can
be used as a soil additive for backyard gardens
and farm lands or in highway beautification and
other landscape projects.
The benefits don't end there—composting also
makes good economic sense. Composting can
reduce a community's solid waste transporta-
tion, disposal, and processing costs. In many
communities, residents pay for each bag or can
of trash they put out for pickup. If a household
is composting, it will most likely put less in trash
cans and will pay a smaller trash bill.
Compost can improve the soil structure of home
gardens and farm lands alike by enhancing the
soil's capacity to hold moisture and nutrients.
This can reduce the need to purchase chemical
fertilizers. Adding compost to soil attracts earth-
worms, which aerate the soil and add additional
nutrients. When used as mulch, compost can
help prevent erosion by improving soil structure,
promoting vegetative growth, and slowing water
runoff. Applying compost to soils reduces the
likelihood of plant diseases. This is due to the
beneficial microorganisms present in compost,
which can kill pathogens in the soil. Compost
can also be used to decontaminate
natural habitats, storm water, and
brownfields.
In backyards and on the communi-
ty level, interest in composting has
increased rapidly over the past
several years. Yard trimmings pro-
grams constitute the large majority
of composting operations in the
United States. In these programs,
community members place their
yard trimmings in a separate bag
or container at the curb, which is
collected and taken to a municipal
composting facility. These facilities
create large amounts of compost,
which, in many cases, is sold back
to community members. People
can also purchase compost creat-
ed by private composting
companies.
What Are the Challenges
Associated With Composting?
Creating quality compost requires the right mix
of materials and attention to moisture, particle
size, and temperature. Too little moisture will
slow the decomposition, but too much can cre-
ate odor problems. To avoid attracting pests
and rodents, composters should monitor the
food scraps put in the compost pile. Meat
scraps, fats, and oils are difficult items to com-
post, attract pests, and should be kept away
from the compost pile.
While composting increases the rate of natural
organic decomposition, it still takes months for
compost to mature. If compost is used while it is
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
111
-------
still "cooking," the high temperatures could kill
the plant life on which it is spread. In addition,
using compost before it is ready can encourage
weed growth because the high temperatures of
the pile have not had a chance to kill any
potential weed seeds.
What Are Some Emerging Trends
in Composting?
A large amount of organic waste is created by
institutions, restaurants, and grocery stores—
perfect for compost. Across the country, many of
these businesses are participating in pilot proj-
ects to compost their food scraps and soiled
paper products. These businesses can not only
provide a valuable component of compost—
organic material—but also can reduce their
waste disposal costs significantly.
Compost is also being used as an innovative
technology to clean up land contaminated by
hazardous wastes, remove contaminants from
storm water, facilitate reforestation, and restore
wetlands and other natural habitats. Compost
has been used to restore soil that is contaminat-
ed with explosives, munitions wastes, petroleum,
fuel wastes, and lead and other metals. In addi-
tion, various biodegradable tableware and
dishes are being tested for compostability.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on composting and solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on composting:
• Cornell University composting site:
• U.S. Composting Counci Web site:
To order the following additional documents on municipal solid waste and composting, call EPA
toll-free at 800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• Environmental Focf Sheet—Yard Waste Composting (EPA530-SW-91 -009)
• Innovative Uses of Compost Erosion Control, Turf Remediation, and Landscaping
(EPA530-F-97-043)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM (EPA530-C-98-001)
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades K-1
Irittex?
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students that nature can "recycle" its own
resources.
ft Activity Description J
Students will search for and observe some of nature's
recyclers at work, learning what role each plant or ani-
mal plays in the recycling process.
Materials Needed J
An outdoor area, such as a yard, park, or garden,
that offers access to some of the following: rocks,
trees (dead and living), leaf litter, mushrooms
One or two teacher's aides or parents to help
facilitate the outdoor adventure (optional)
Several sheets of drawing paper and pencils or
crayons per student
One clear viewing container with holes
Decay
Mushroom
Millipede
Fungi
Lichen
Duration J
Outdoor expedition:
1 hour
In-class follow-up:
30 minutes
Skills Used )
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Science
Activity J
Step 1: Visit your chosen outdoor area prior
to the class trip in order to make sure it is suit-
able for viewing nature's recyclers. Scout out
four specific "stations" for the students to visit,
including a live tree, an old decomposing log,
a large rock (or board) in the soil, and a leaf-
covered patch of soil. To draw insects to a
specific spot, you might want to plant a log or
board in the soil several days in advance.
Step 2: Discuss recycling with the students
and explain the following concepts (refer to
the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Composting on
page 109 for background information):
• Why we recycle and why nature also needs
to recapture the value of its organic waste.
• What kinds of "trash" get "recycled" in
nature.
• Who recycles these materials. Discuss the
plants and animals, such as snails, slugs,
beetles, millipedes, earthworms, fungi, pill-
bugs, snowbugs, mushrooms, and lichen
that perform nature's recycling work.
Step 3: Divide the class into small groups of
three to four students. Explain that the students
are now adventurers on a mission to locate and
study nature's recyclers at work. Remind students
that it's very important to observe, but not touch
or disturb the recyclers or their habitat.
Step 4: Lead the students to your predeter-
mined outdoor area and stop at each of the
four stations. At each station, first lead a dis-
cussion (see below) and then give each group
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
-------
of students the chance to get up close and make
individual observations. A list of suggested topics
and discussion questions for each station follows:
Station #l-Live Tree
• Ask students what makes the tree grow.
Where are its roots? Where does it get its
food from?
• Will the tree live forever?
• Are its leaves falling to the ground?
Station #2-Dead, Decaying Log
• Ask students how this tree is different from
the live one.
• Have them touch and smell its bark. How is
it different than the live bark? Is it dry or
damp?
• Do the students see evidence of the wood
being eaten? By what?
• Have the students look in the crevices and
cracks for any of nature's recyclers at work. If
they see ants, spiders, millipedes, mush-
rooms, etc., ask them the following
questions:
— Is it a plant or animal?
— What's its name?
— How does it move? How many legs does
it have?
— What color is it?
— Why is it living under this dead log? What
does it eat?
— How many of these creatures are living
together?
• If it's possible (and safe), capture a few of
these recyclers in your clear container and let
the students view them up close. You may
want to impose an item limit to prevent too
much disruption for the critters. Students
could draw the recyclers they see in nature
or wait until they return to the classroom and
draw from memory. Make a point of return-
ing the creatures safely to their homes after
the viewing is over.
Station #3-Large Rock or Board
• Have the students watch as you carefully lift
the rock from its position. Ask students to
look at what's underneath it.
• What's it like under the rock? Is it dark and
moist?
• Can the students see any of nature's recy-
clers at work here? If they do see life, ask
them the same questions as above:
— Is it a plant or animal?
— What's its name?
— How does it move? How many legs does
it have?
— What color is it?
— Why is it living under this rock or board?
What does it eat?
— How many of these creatures are living
together?
Station #4-Leaf Litter and Soil
• Have the students use their hands to dig
through the leaves and into the soil.
• Ask them to compare these leaves to the
leaves still on the live tree. How are they dif-
ferent? Are these leaves older? Are they wet
or dry?
• Have the students look for evidence of
nature's recyclers; again, identify and discuss
any animals or plants that they find.
• Ask the students to feel and smell the soil.
How does it compare to the dead log they
visited earlier?
Step 5: Before returning to the classroom,
visit the live tree station again. Ask students to
think again about where this tree gets its food.
Discuss how the decaying log, busy creatures,
and moist, rich soil all play a role in keeping the
tree alive.
The Quest for Less
-------
Assessment J
1. Back in the classroom, pass out paper and
colored pencils or crayons to the students.
Have each student draw one of the recyclers
he or she saw outside. Ask each student to
verbally describe to the class how this crea-
ture moves, what it's called, and what
recycling role it plays in nature.
2. Ask the students how they are like nature's
recyclers. Do they recycle anything at home?
How does it get reused?
3. Have the students draw a tree in different
stages of its life, showing the tree 1) bud-
ding, 2) in full growth, 3) with leaves falling,
4) as a dead tree, having fallen as a log and
decaying back into the earth, and 5) as a
new tree growing from the soil.
^ Enrichment J
Engage students in a role-playing activity.
Have students pretend that they are different
recyclers (ants, millipedes, worms, mush-
rooms, spiders). Ask the students how these
animals or plants moved or behaved. Have
the students imitate this behavior.
Study nature's recyclers in the winter by col-
lecting some leaf litter, bringing it inside, and
warming it with a lamp. Dormant recyclers,
such as millipedes, ants, spiders, and worms
will come to life under the heat.
Conduct another nature walk, this time giv-
ing each student a recyclable paper bag.
Have them collect dead leaves, sticks, nuts,
or other teacher-approved items on their
walk. When students return to the classroom,
discuss what role these items have in nature
and in the natural cycle of life. Is the item
dead or alive, what is it called, is there any
evidence of nature's recyclers at work? Help
them glue or tape these items on a piece of
construction paper and display them. Have
the students perform leaf rubbings by placing
a leaf under a piece of paper and coloring
over it to reveal its shape and texture. Ask
the students to explore how each leaf is simi-
lar or different from others.
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
115
-------
Grades 3-6
Chef$
Objective
To teach students how composting can prevent food
scraps and yard trimmings from being thrown away and
how different components, such as air, moisture, and
nitrogen, affect composting.
Activity Description J
Students will create four compost bins that differ in their
amounts of air, moisture, and nitrogen. Students will
observe and record the differences these conditions
cause in the composting process.
Materials Needed J
Four thin, plastic buckets (5 gallons each) or other
plastic container (e.g., milk jug)
One hand drill or punch-type can opener
One copy of the Composf Chef worksheet per student
Grass clippings (shredded, if possible)
Vegetable and fruit peels
Weeds (shredded, if possible)
Hay (shredded, if possible)
Sawdust
Coffee grinds
Thermometer
Bloodmeal
One marker or pen
Tape
Four pieces of construction paper (3 by 5 inches each)
Garden trowel
Key Vocabulary Words J
Compost
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Decompose
Bedding
Organic
Duration J
Set-up: 1 hour
Follow-up: 15 minutes to
1 hour on an occasional
basis for up to 4 weeks
Skills Used
Computation
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and distribute one copy
of the Composf Chef worksheet to each stu-
dent. Introduce the following concepts (refer
to Teacher Fact Sheet titled Composting on
page 109 for background information):
Explain to the class what compost is and
how it is made.
Discuss why composting is important in
managing and reducing trash that is sent
to landfills.
Explain how composting works, and how
nitrogen, oxygen, and water all play a part
in the creation of compost.
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to pretend they are
gardeners. Ask them if they would
use compost to help their gardens
grow. Why on why not?
Step 2: Pick an appropriate project space.
This activity can either be conducted in an
indoor area of the classroom that has been
covered with a protective drop cloth or in a
designated area outside of the school. If you
choose to leave the compost buckets outside,
make sure the chosen area will not be disturbed
by recess or after-school activity. Use the hand
drill and carefully poke several holes in the sides
(near the bottom) of three of the buckets or
milk jugs.
Step 3: Have the students sit in a circle within
view of you and the compost buckets. Divide the
class into four groups and assign a group of
students to each bucket. Using the construction
paper and marker, label the buckets "one"
through "four."
Step 4: Work with each group of students to
set up the buckets. As each mixture is created,
discuss its ingredients and ask students to record
the "recipe" on their Composf Chef worksheets.
Following are directions for setting up each
bucket:
Bucket #1-Compost lacking nitrogen.
• Place mostly "brown" carbon-containing
materials in the bucket, such as dead leaves,
straw, and coffee grounds. On top, add a
few vegetable and fruit peels.
• Moisten, but do not soak, the mixture with
water.
Bucket #2-Compost lacking moisture.
• Place a mixture of "green" grass clippings
(make sure they are dry), bloodmeal, and
vegetable and fruit peels in the bucket.
• Place a few layers of "brown" dead leaves,
straw, and coffee grounds into the mixture.
• Do not add any water.
Bucket #3-Compost lacking air
circulation.
• Use the bucket without the holes.
• Place several layers of mostly high-nitrogen
grass clippings, bloodmeal, vegetable peels,
and fruit peels in the bucket.
• Moisten the mixture with water.
Bucket #4-"Perfect" Compost.
• Layer (in an alternating pattern) leaves, cof-
fee grounds, straw, and vegetable and fruit
peels, and a small amount of grass clippings
in the bucket.
• Moisten the mixture with water.
Step 5: Explain that, as compost chefs, the
students must monitor their creations. Give each
group written instructions on how to care for its
compost bucket over the next few weeks. For
example:
Bucket #1
• Use a garden trowel to stir your compost
mixture regularly: once every 3 days for the
first 2 weeks, then once per week.
• Add a dash of moisture to your compost mix-
ture with a sprinkle of water every other week.
The Quest for Less
-------
Bucket #2
• Use the garden trowel to stir your compost
mixture regularly: once every 3 days for the
first 2 weeks, then once per week.
• Keep your compost mixture dry.
Bucket #3
• Add a sprinkle of water to your compost mix-
ture every week.
• Make sure you don't stir your mixture.
Bucket #4
• Add a sprinkle of water to your compost mix-
ture every week.
• Use the garden trowel to stir your mixture
regularly: once every 3 days for the first 2
weeks, then once per week.
Step 6: At each interval of stirring or water-
ing, have all of the groups visit each compost
bucket and record their findings, including tem-
perature, appearance, and smell. Students can
use their Composf Chef worksheets for this task.
Step 7: After 4 weeks, have the students use
the trowels to dig into each compost pile and
examine it closely. Ask them to compare and
contrast the compost in each bucket. Ask stu-
dents which mixture decomposed the most.
Step 8: Use the finished compost from Bucket
#4 as soil for classroom plants or a garden.
Have students explore how compost aids new
vegetative growth.
^Assessment J
1. Ask students to list the most important ingre-
dients for a good compost pile (nitrogen,
water, and air circulation). Have them
explain what role each ingredient plays in
decomposition. Ask each group to name the
missing ingredient in its mixture (Group #4
won't have a missing ingredient).
2. Have the students explain how composting
reduces the amount of waste that we send to
landfills.
3. Ask students to think of places in nature
where composting might occur naturally.
Enrichment J
1. Collect and evaluate the data on each stu-
dent's Composf Chef worksheet. Have the
students create charts or graphs based on
the temperature data they collected. Which
pile had the highest mean temperature?
What does a high temperature mean in
terms of decomposition?
2. Explore composting as a natural cycle. Study
the nitrogen cycle and have students make
diagrams of its components. (The nitrogen
cycle is the continuous cyclic progression of
chemical reactions in which atmospheric
nitrogen is compounded, dissolved in rain,
deposited in soil, assimilated, and metabo-
lized.) Use composting as a lead-in to
discuss other natural cycles.
3. Start a schoolwide compost bin using the
appropriate wastes from school lunches.
Have students decide which wastes can be
added to the pile and have different classes
watch over and stir the pile each week. Have
each participating class start a small flower
garden plot, using the compost as a soil
amendment.
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
-------
Student Handout
Compost Chef
Name:
Week 1
Temperature:
Week 2 \Appea ranee:
Temperature: >vSmell:
Appearance:
Smell:
"Week 4
Temperature:
Appearance:
Smell:
emperature:
Smell:
Bucket #1
Temperature:
Appearance:
Week 2 ^^smeii
Temperature:
WeekS
Temperature:
Appearance:
Smell:
Appearance:
Smell:
Ingredients:
Week 4
Temperature:
Appearance:
Ingredients:
-------
Week 1
Temperature:
Week 2NsV/ivppearance:
Temperature: \ Smell:
Appearance:
Appearance:
Week 4
Temperature:
Appearance:
Smell:
Week 3
Temperature:
Ingredients
Temperature:
Appearance:
Week 3
Temperature:
Appearance:
Temperature:
Appearance:
Smell:
Week 4
emperature:
Appearance:
^^^
Ingredients:
O
O
O
O
-------
Grades 3-6
*Prerequisite:* This activity involves the use of previously made compost. Your students can use the compost they made
from completing one of the following activities: Compost Chefs or Worms at Work.
science
Ij Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students how composting can prevent food
scraps and yard trimmings from being thrown away and
to show them the usefulness of compost in gardening.
Decompose
Compost
Root
Nutrient
^ Activity Description J
math
Students will assess the effectiveness of compost as a
soil amendment by planting and comparing two garden
plots—one that relies just on dirt and one that relies on
their homemade compost.
Duration J
Setup: 1 hour
Follow-up each week:
1 5 minutes
Materials Needed J
*Compost* (See prerequisite above)
Two 4- by 4-foot garden plots in the schoolyard
Two packets of flower seeds (have your students
vote on the type and color)
Two seed packets of a vegetable that grows well
in your locale
One watering can
Two garden trowels
One copy of the Composf Crop worksheet per student
One tape measure or ruler
Skills Used )
Computation
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Locate and mark the two school-
yard garden plots you plan to use, making
sure they receive plenty of direct sunlight.
Secure permission for gardening from the
proper school authorities.
Step 2: Discuss composting with the stu-
dents and explain the following concepts (refer
to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Composting on
page 109 for background information):
• Recap how the students made the compost
and what materials they used.
• Discuss how this compost can now be used
in a garden.
• Explain why compost can be more effective
than just natural soil.
Step 3: Take the class outside to the garden
plots and divide the students into two groups.
Explain how the composting experiment will
work. Tell one group that they will only add
water to the soil to help their plants grow.
Give the other group a bucket of compost
and tell them to use the trowels to mix it into
their soil before watering it.
The Quest for Less
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to pretend they are
world-famous gardeners giving
an interview about the secrets
of their success. How do they
make their plants grow so well?
Step 4: Have each group plant flower seeds
and vegetable seeds according to packet
instructions in their respective plots.
Step 5: Ask the students to predict which plot
will grow better and faster. Have them record
their predictions and reasoning on their
Composf Crop worksheets.
Step 6: Break each of the two groups into
pairs of students and assign each pair a week
during which they are gardeners. During that
week, those students are responsible for visiting
their group's plot each day. They should water it
and use the tape measure or ruler to record any
changes in plant growth on their Composf Crop
worksheets. Create a gardener calendar for the
classroom to remind students when it's their turn
to watch over the plots.
Step 7: After 4 or 5 weeks, have the entire
class visit the garden plots again. Discuss which
plot's plants grew faster. Ask student volunteers to
gently dig up one plant from each plot. Have the
students examine and compare the root structures
of each plant. Have several students dig around
in the plots' soil, discuss the differences in texture
or moisture they find, and have them notice how
many earthworms or bugs they find.
Step 8: If the vegetables in the plot are ripe,
pick them and have a class snack from the
compost harvest.
Assessment J
^ Enrichment J
1. Have students list the benefits of composting,
both from the standpoint of preventing waste
and as a garden soil supplement.
1. Use the two garden plots as a lead-in to a
more in-depth science lesson on soil and
compost. Compare the relative amounts of
materials in different soil samples. Have stu-
dent volunteers collect a handful of soil from
each plot. For each sample, fill a liter (or
quart) jar about one-quarter full of soil, then
add water to about the three-quarter level.
Screw the lid on tightly and shake hard for
about a minute. Let the jars stand for several
minutes. The mixture will separate into lay-
ers, with the largest particles (gravel and
sand) settling on the bottom, and finer parti-
cles (clay and silt) settling above. Organic
matter—leaves, twigs, and any animal mat-
ter—will float on top of the water. Discuss
the differences between the soil and com-
post/soil plot samples. Explore the
components of your local soil and compost.
2. Have the students compile their measure-
ments and recordings from their Composf
Crop worksheets on the board. Depending
on the age group, ask all of the students to
make graphs charting the growth in each
plot. Ask them why plants in the compost
plot grew more quickly.
3. Discuss the root structures of the plants from
the different plots. Ask students if the plant
from the compost plot was more developed
in its root structure? Why?
4. Ask the students to think about the differ-
ences in the soil of the two plots. Did they
see more earthworms in the compost plot?
Why? Why would these creatures be attract-
ed by the compost? How did the presence of
earthworms affect the growth of the plants?
5. Start a schoolwide compost bin using the
appropriate wastes from school lunches.
Have students decide which wastes can be
added to the compost pile and have different
classes watch over and stir the pile each
week. Have each participating class start a
small flower garden plot, using the compost
as a soil amendment.
The Quest for Less
-------
Student Handout
Name:
Workheet
Plot#
Amount of
Water Added
Soil Status
(How It Looks
and Smells)
Presence of
Plant Growth?
Which Plants?
Measurement of
Plant Growth
(mm)
Thoughts or
Observations
Day 1
Plot#l
(just soil)
Plot #2
(compost and soil)
Day 2
Plot#l
(just soil)
Plot #2
(compost and soil)
Day 3
Plot#l
(just soil)
Plot #2
(compost and soil)
Day 4
Plot#l
(just soil)
Plot #2
(compost and soil)
Day 5
Plot#l
(just soil)
Plot #2
(compost and soil)
-------
Grades 4-6
Worm* at "Work
*
|J Objective
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students that food scraps and yard trimmings
can be made into compost instead of being thrown away.
Activity Description J
Students will create a compost bin using worms and
food scraps and monitor changes in the bin overtime.
Materials Needed J
Large plastic bin (about 8 to 1 6 inches deep) with
holes in the bottom for aeration
Tray for underneath the bin
Two bricks or other large sturdy objects
9 to 14 pounds of newspaper
One bag of potting soil
1 pound of red worms
Food scraps (such as bread, vegetables, fruits,
eggshells, grains, coffee grounds, tea bags) Do NOT
include meat, bones, mayonnaise, fish, peanut butter,
candy, or nonfood items
Tarp or drop cloth
Bucket or other carrying container
Household gloves (optional)
Copy of Verm/composf/ng Dafa Sheef for each student
Compost
Vermicomposting
Castings
Decompose
Bedding
Organic
Duration J
Setup: 1 hour
Follow-up: 15 minutes to
1 hour on an occasional
basis
Skills Used )
Computation
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Explain to the class what compost is
and how it is made (refer to the Teacher Fact
Sheet titled Composting on page 109). Discuss
the use of worms, the need for and use of
organic waste, and other vocabulary words.
During the course of this lesson, inform
students of good and bad foods to use in
composting, as well as the reason why it is bet-
ter to compost than to throw food scraps away.
Step 2: Place bin on top of two bricks and
put tray under bin.
Step 3: Have the students tear each sheet
of newspaper lengthwise into strips that are 1
to 3 inches wide and place half of the pile in
the bin.
Step 4: Have the students multiply the num-
ber of pounds of newspaper by 3 to determine
the total amount of water needed (a pint of
water weighs a pound, and a gallon of water
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students write a poem, such
as a limerick, that describes what
compost looks like and how it
feels when touched.
weighs 8 pounds). Then add half of the water to
the bin with newspapers.
Step 5: Sprinkle two handfuls of soil and the
rest of the newspaper and water. Have the stu-
dents mix the contents well and distribute evenly
in the bin.
Step 6: Gently place the worms on top of the
bedding, spreading them evenly. Keep the bin
uncovered so the students will see the worms
moving down into the bedding to avoid light.
Step 7: Use the attached data sheet to record
all activities surrounding the worm bin, including
the date the bin was set up, the number of
worms (or pounds of worms) added to the bin,
and the number of people contributing food
scraps (number of people in the class). For the
remainder of steps for this activity, have students
record the date and day food is added, includ-
ing the type of food and its weight, as well as
the amount of water added. The compost bin
should always remain moist.
Step 8: Use food scraps that you brought
from home or that you asked students to bring
from home or save from school lunch, and have
students add them to the bin. Food can be
added daily, weekly, or monthly. Do not over-
load the system; bury food relatively evenly
amongst the different "plots." On the data
sheet, instruct students to keep track of how
much food they are providing the worms and
where it is placed (see diagram on data sheet).
Step 9: Place a sheet of newspaper over the
top of the bin to prevent flies from circulating
near the area. Store the bin in a cool place out
of direct sunlight, and keep the lid tightly shut.
Step 10: Have students check the bin fre-
quently as they add food scraps to see the
changes that occur. After a period of 3 to 6
months, depending on the size of the container,
most of the food and bedding will be trans-
formed into worm castings, the nutrient-rich
waste materials that worms excrete.
Step 11: In order to harvest the compost, or
humus, for use (if you choose to), you must
change the bedding and temporarily remove the
worms. Spread out a tarp or drop cloth in an
open area and dump out the entire contents of
Step 11: How To Harvest Compost
Divide compost
materials into several
cone-shaped piles
(larger on the bottom).
Scoop off the
material from the
top of the piles.
Put the castings into a
container to carry out to
the garden.
The Quest for Less
-------
the bin. Have students help you divide the
materials into several cone-shaped piles (larger
on the bottom, so the worms will burrow into it
and avoid the light). Direct students to scoop off
the material from the tops of the piles, and put
the castings into a container to carry out to the
garden (see illustration on the previous page for
help). Repeat this procedure until most of the
compost is harvested.
Step 1 2: Have students put worms back in
the bin, along with any uncomposted food and
old bedding. Your class can start a new stock of
bedding and add in any additional worms to
begin the process again.
Step 1 3: Create a garden in which to use the
compost as a soil amendment, or use the com-
post on the schools' beds or lawn.
NOTE: Other critters may make their way into
the compost bin. Many are beneficial, including
mold, bacteria, sow bugs, beetle mites, white
worms, snails and slugs, flies, round worms, and
millipedes. You do NOT want the following in
your bin, however: flat worms, ground beetles,
centipedes, ants, and pseudo scorpions. If you
find any of these organisms, start over.
Enrichment J
Assessment J
1. Ask students to define and describe
decomposition.
2. Ask students why it is beneficial to compost
items instead of throwing them away.
Ask the students to make observations about the
worm bin each week. Do smaller pieces of food
tend to break down faster than larger ones?
What does the compost smell like? What organ-
isms do they notice? Are the worms multiplying?
1. Have students take the temperature of the
worm bin once a week to determine the vari-
ations that occur while food is composted.
Use a thermometer that can measure up to
1 70°F. Have the students create bar graphs
showing the increase or decrease in temper-
ature over time.
2. Let students use a pH paper to test the acidi-
ty of the worm bin once a week. Does the
pH change based on the foods that are
added? Have the students keep a record of
the foods that are added and the pH and
chart a graph showing the correlation. If the
soil is too acidic, the worms may try to leave
the bin. Try adding a little lime.
3. Give students gloves to gently examine the
critters inside the bin once a week. You might
also examine a sample of the soil under a
microscope (at the beginning of composting,
bacteria are present that help break down
the food; later larger organisms such as sow-
bugs and round worms play a larger role.)
Obtain an identification guide to inverte-
brates and insects and see how many you
can identify. Have students draw the different
kinds of critters and discuss the differences in
each (number of legs, body parts, function).
Unit 2, Chapter 2, Compost ing
Yfi
-------
Student Handout
Name:
Date bin was set up:
Number of worms (on pounds of worms) added to bin:
Number of people contributing food scraps on a regular basis:.
(If you run out of spaces, get an extra copy of this sheet from your teacher.)
On the back of this paper, draw the worm bin,
including its dimensions, and assign plots to cer-
tain sections so you can track decomposition of
food placed in each numbered area.
Harvest date:
Total days:
Total weight of food buried:
Example:
36"
Weight of uneaten food left over:
Average weight buried per day: _
Date
Dag
Weight
of food
added
Tgpe
of food
added
Amount
of water
added
Btiried
in site *
-------
J
CHAPTER
Reduction
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
Science
Language Arts
Social Studies
Art
Communication
Research
Computation
Problem Solving
Motor Skills
Observation/ ,
Classification V
''See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Source Reduction
What Is Source Reduction?
Americans crave convenience—but at what
cost? American households have more
discretionary income than most households
worldwide, spending more on products that cre-
ate more waste. Over the last 40 years, the
amount of waste each person creates has
almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.46 pounds per
day (that is 1,628 pounds per person per year!).
Though reusing, recycling, and composting are
all important methods of reducing the amount
of waste produced, the most effective way to
stop this trend is by preventing the production of
materials that could become waste.
Source reduction, also known as waste preven-
tion, is the practice of designing, manufacturing,
purchasing, or using materials (such as products
and packaging) in ways that reduce the amount
or toxicity of waste. Source reduction can help
reduce waste disposal and handling costs
because it avoids the costs of recycling, munici-
pal composting, landfilling, and combustion. It
also conserves natural resources and reduces
pollution.
Preventing waste before it is generated is a
common-sense way to save financial and natu-
ral resources, as well as reduce pollution. That
is why the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) encourages consumers, businesses, and
governments to make source reduction their first
priority in waste management practices. For
waste that cannot be prevented, recycling is the
next best choice. (See the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Recycling on page 73 for more informa-
tion on recycling.)
Waste is generated throughout the life cycle of
a product—from extracting raw materials, to
transporting materials, to processing and manu-
facturing goods, to using and disposing of
products. Manufacturers that reuse materials in
the production process or that use less material
to manufacture products can decrease waste
Key
• Source reduction, also known as waste
prevention, means reducing waste at
the source. It can take many different
forms, including reusing or donating
items, buying in bulk, reducing packaging,
redesigning products, and reducing
toxicity.
• Source reduction also is important in
manufacturing. Lightweighting of pack-
aging, reuse, and remanufacturing are
all becoming more popular business
trends. Purchasing products that incor-
porate these features supports source
reduction.
• Source reduction can save natural
resources, reduce pollution, reduce the
toxicity of our waste, and save money
for consumers and businesses alike.
• Incorporating source reduction into
daily practices can require some chal-
lenging but worthwhile lifestyle changes.
dramatically. Other ways that manufacturers
practice source reduction include:
• Reduce the amount of packaging in the
manufacture of items.
• Reduce the amount of toxic components in a
product or use smaller quantities of items
with high toxicity.
• Reuse parts in the manufacture of a product.
• Redesign products to make them more
modular. This allows broken or unusable
components to be replaced rather than
discarding the entire item.
In addition to reducing the amount of materials in
the solid waste stream, reducing waste toxicity by
-------
Source Reduction Facts
• Since 1 977, the weight of 2-liter plastic soft drink
bottles has been reduced from 68 to 51 grams each
That means that 250 million pounds of plastic per
year has been prevented from becoming part of the
waste stream.
When McDonald's reduced its napkin size by 1 inch
the company prevented 12 million pounds of paper
from being thrown away each year. In 1999,
McDonald's switched to lighter weight packaging fo
two of their sandwiches, conserving 3,200 tons of
boxboard containers.
State Farm Mutual Auto Insurance converted to elec
tronic cameras for their claims processing, saving
more than 50 tons of instant and 35mm film.
urce: EPA, 1996, 1999)
selecting nonhazardous or
less hazardous materials
for manufacturing is anoth-
er important component of
source reduction. Using
less hazardous alternatives
for certain items (e.g.,
cleaning products, pesti-
cides), sharing products
that contain hazardous
chemicals instead of throwing out leftovers, read-
ing label directions carefully, and using the
smallest amount of a chemical necessary are
some ways to reduce waste toxicity. (See the
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Solid Waste on page 41
and Hazardous Wasfe on page 45 for information
on safe household hazardous waste practices.)
Source reduction is a challenge requiring cre-
ativity and ingenuity, but devising ways to
prevent waste can be very satisfying and even
fun! There are many ways consumers can prac-
tice source reduction. Here are just a few
examples:
• Choose products that do not use excessive
packaging.
Buy remanufactured or used items.
Buy items in bulk rather than
multiple, smaller packages to
decrease the amount of packag-
ing waste created.
Maintain and repair durable
items.
Reuse bags, containers, and other
similar items.
Borrow, rent, or share items that
are used infrequently.
Donate items instead of throwing
them out.
Leave grass clippings on the lawn
(grasscycling) or use them for back-
yard composting.
Rake fallen leaves for composting
rather than bagging them and
throwing them away.
As a classroom activity, ask students to provide
examples of other creative ways they can reduce
waste.
What Are the Benefits of Source
Reduction?
Reducing waste at the source is the ultimate
environmental benefit. It means waste does not
have to be collected, handled, or processed in
any way, which prevents pollution, saves energy,
and saves money. In addition, by reducing con-
sumption, fewer products are manufactured,
thus reducing the impacts that manufacturing
can cause. For example, by manufacturing less,
greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, which
can make a difference in preventing global
climate change.
Preventing waste also can mean economic sav-
ings for communities, businesses, schools, and
individual consumers. Many communities have
instituted "pay-as-you-throw" waste manage-
ment systems in which people pay for each can
or bag of trash they produce that requires dis-
The Quest for Less
-------
posal. When these households reduce their
waste at the source, they create less trash and,
consequently, pay a lower trash bill.
Businesses also have an economic incentive to
practice source reduction. Manufacturing costs
can decrease for businesses that reduce packag-
ing, which can mean a larger profit margin and
savings that can be passed on to the consumer.
Schools also can share in the economic benefits
of source reduction. Buying products in bulk fre-
quently means a savings in cost. Often, what is
good for the environment is good for the pock-
etbook as well.
What Are the Challenges of
Source Reduction?
Practicing source reduction is likely to require
some change in daily routines. Changing some
habits may be difficult, but the environmental
returns on the effort can make it worthwhile. For
example, while using disposable utensils might
be convenient, using durable flatware saves
resources and requires only slightly more effort
(for cleaning). On the other hand, if waste is not
reduced, the economic and social costs of waste
disposal and the environmental impacts through-
out the life cycle of products will continue to
grow, and it will become increasingly harder to
make decisions about waste management.
Even if consumers decide to change their con-
sumption habits, products with minimal packaging
and nontoxic ingredients are not always available.
Balancing the immediate convenience of easily
available products with the long-term benefits of
waste prevention will be an ongoing challenge.
What Are Some Emerging Trends
in Source Reduction?
Many companies are becoming more involved
in source reduction by remanufacturing and
reusing components of their products or the
entire product. A toner cartridge for a laser
printer is an example of a product that once
was disposable but now is manufactured to be
reused. Many products are manufactured to use
"modular," or replaceable, units.
One manufacturer of photocopy machines takes
back and remakes equipment from more than
30,000 tons of used photocopiers. Parts from
returned machines that meet internal criteria for
manufacturing are reprocessed into new prod-
ucts. Parts that do not meet remanufacturing
criteria and cannot be repaired are often
ground, melted, or otherwise recycled into basic
raw materials. The company estimates annual
savings of several hundred million dollars in raw
material, labor, and disposal as a result of
design changes and product return programs.
Other companies are also taking advantage of
more environmentally preferable ingredients as
ways to reduce the weight of packaging. Some
supermarkets across the country have instituted
shelf-labeling programs to highlight products
with less packaging or less toxic ingredients.
Purchasing these items shows manufacturers that
consumers encourage and support source
reduction.
How Can You Help?
Students can play an important role in protect-
ing the environment by practicing source
reduction. Here are some simple practices to
help prevent waste:
• Donate old clothes and other household
items so they can be reused or sold for reuse.
• Consider taking a thermos of juice to school
instead of individual disposable containers.
• Use concentrated prod-
ucts to get more product
with less packaging.
• Use double-sided
copying and printing
features.
• Buy pens, pencils, tooth-
brushes, and other items
with replaceable parts.
-------
Use a durable lunch container or bag
instead of a disposable one.
Consider using environmentally preferable
cleaning products instead of those that
contain potentially toxic ingredients.
Consider buying items that have been reman-
ufactured or can be reused, such as toner
cartridges for the printer or tires for the car.
Encourage companies to reduce unnecessary
packaging and the use of hazardous compo-
nents in products. Many companies offer
toll-free numbers and Web sites for these
comments.
Compost cafeteria food waste and use the
finished compost to mulch the plants and
trees around the school grounds.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on source reduction and solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on source reduction:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on global climate change and waste reduction:
• Reuse Development Organization:
To order the following additional documents on source reduction and municipal solid waste, call EPA
toll-free at 800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• The Solid Waste Dilemma: Agenda for Action (EPA530-SW-89-01 9)
• Planet Protector's Club Kit (EPA530-E-98-002)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
• Reusable News newsletters
• Municipal Solid Waste Source Reduction-A Snapshot of State Initiatives (EPA530-R-98-01 7)
• National Source Reduction Characterization Report for Municipal Solid Waste in the United States
(EPA530-R-99-034)
• EPA's WasteWise program puts out Bulletins and Updates that deal with source reduction. To obtain
applicable issues, call the WasteWise helpline at 800 EPA-WISE (372-9473) or visit the Web site at
.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades K-1
Discovering Ifature
jj) Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students that some food items come in their
own natural packaging.
Activity Description J
Circle and color the items that have their own natural
packaging.
Packaging
Compost
Duration )
hour
Materials Needed J
Skills Used ]
Copies of the Find Nature's Packaging worksheet for
each member of the class
Crayons or markers
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Art
Activity J
Step 1: Discuss how some food products
have their own natural packaging that protects
the part people eat. If possible, bring in exam-
ples of items that have natural packaging
(e.g., bananas, unshelled nuts, oranges) and
others that do not (e.g., cheese, crackers,
soda). Discuss how nature's packaging can be
used in compost, which returns materials to
the earth. Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Composting on page 109 for background
information on the composting process.
Step 2: Distribute the Find Nature's
Packaging worksheet and pass out crayons or
markers. Ask the students to circle the items
that have natural packaging.
Step 3: Ask the students to color the items
on the worksheet.
Assessment J
1. Ask students what items have their own
packaging.
2. Ask students what we can do with natural
packaging instead of throwing it away.
Enrichment J
Start a vermicomposting bin in the class to
demonstrate how nature's packaging can
be recycled rather than thrown away. (See
the activity Worms af Work on page 1 27 in
the Compost chapter for instructions on
how to start a vermicomposting bin.)
Bring in a variety of unshelled nuts (e.g.,
pistachios, walnuts, peanuts). Draw or find
a sketch of a face, animal, or a fun object.
Photocopy it and give one to each student.
Have the students shell the nuts and then
glue the shells to the sketch. Use paints to
color the picture once the glue has dried.
-------
Student Handout
-------
Grades K-4
Wot Ju*t far the Bird*
To teach students that, with some creativity, we can
make useful things from items we might ordinarily dis-
card in the trash or recycling bin.
Activity Description J
Students will bring in plastic milk jugs to create bird
feeders.
Materials Needed J
Extra plastic milk jugs (with caps) for students that do
not bring in one from home
Glue
Scissors
Paint
Colored markers
Two 1 -foot long pieces of wood approximately
1/4- to 3/4-inch in diameter (per bird feeder)
Bird feed for students to put in their finished feeders
art
Key Vocabulary Words J
Reuse
Recycle
Source reduction
Duration )
hour
C^^^^^^^^
J) Skills Used )
Motor skills
Activity J
Instruct students ahead of time to bring in an
empty plastic milk jug from home.
Step 1: Introduce the concept of source
reduction to the class. Explain that reusing
items is a great way to achieve source reduc-
tion. (Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Source Reduction on page 133 for back-
ground information.)
Step 2: With an adult's supervision or
help, instruct students to cut out two large
holes on different sides of their milk jug for
birds to enter.
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students write a stony
from the point of view of a
bind. What does the bind think
of all of the tnash it sees from
the sky?
dents to make sure the holes are not too large,
or else the feed might fall through.
Step 5: With markers and/or paints, work
with the students to decorate the feeders.
Step 6: Have each student put bird seed in
their feeders. Tell the students they can take their
feeders home or hang them outside the school.
Step 3: Provide each student with two 1 -foot-
long pieces of wood. These could be sticks from
a nearby park or even the school grounds.
Explain that these wooden pieces will cut
through the bird feeder and stick out on either
end so that birds can perch on the feeder. With
an adult's supervision or help, instruct students
to trace a circle below each of the large holes
on the milk jug to match the diameter of the
stick. Then, cut out the tracing and insert the
wooden pieces through the milk jug.
Step 4: Punch small holes in the bottom of
the jug to allow rain water to drain out. Tell stu-
Assessment J
1. Have students name items that can be
reused without any alterations. Ask them to
list items that can be changed to create a
new product (like the bird feeder just created
from the milk jug).
2. Ask students to explain why reuse is good for
the environment.
3. Ask students what would have happened to
the milk jug if it hadn't been used to make
the feeder.
Enrichment J
1. Organize a waste exchange—with just the
class or the entire school. Ask students to
bring in something from home they no longer
need (e.g., a toy, game, piece of clothing).
With teacher facilitation, students can then
trade one item for another. Donate unwanted
items to a local charity or thrift store.
2. Have students bring in small pieces of "junk"
they think look interesting or colorful (e.g.,
bottle caps, colorful pieces of paper, wood
scraps, toy parts, lids, old keys, pieces of old
clothing). Then, have the class work together
gluing them onto a large piece of wood cre-
ating a colorful, attractive mosaic. When the
"junk" mosaic is finished, hang it on the wall
of the classroom.
3. Instruct students to bring items from home
that their families are reusing. Have the stu-
dents present these items to the class as a
"show and tell."
IfC
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 3-6
Source Reduction.
D Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students the various ways to create less waste
in the first place.
y Activity Description J
Students form teams and work together to answer ques-
tions on source reduction.
Materials Needed J
Source Reduction Questions and Answers sheet
Chalk board or flip chart
Clock or timer
[pi;
language
arts
Reuse
Source reduction
Disposable
Pollution
Natural resources
Duration J
hour
Skills Used )
Communication
Observation/classification
Activity J
Step 1: Discuss source reduction and reuse
and how it relates to a clean and healthy envi-
ronment. Explain what individuals can do to
make a difference in the amount of waste that is
created. (Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheets titled
Source Reduction on page 133 and Products on
page 25 for background information.)
Step 2: Divide the class into two teams.
Bring the two teams to the front of the class-
room and have them face each other. You
might want to line up a row of desks on each
side to create a "game show" setting. Flip a
coin to decide which team will go first.
Step 3: In preparation for this activity, write
the questions on a flip chart, or simply write
them one at a time on the board. Present the
first question to Team 1. Inform students there
are a certain number of answers to this ques-
tion. The number of correct answers is
provided on the attached Questions and
Answers sheet. Instruct Team 1 that they can
consult for 2 minutes before they must try and
provide as many of the six answers as possible.
Step 4: As the students in Team 1 state their
answers, write them on the board below the
question.
Step 5: Team 1 gets a point for every cor-
rect answer. If Team 1 was unable to get all
six answers referred to on the Questions and
Answers sheet, then Team 2 gets an opportu-
nity to guess the rest of the answers for that
same question. Write Team 2's answers on the
board next to Team 1 's answers. If Team 1
was able to provide all of the correct answers,
then Team 2 doesn't get a chance to answer
that question.
Step 6: Go over the answers with the class
and discuss any answers that neither team
could provide.
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to make a list of all
the things they currently do that
create less waste. Then ask them
to list other things they could do
to further reduce the amount of
waste they produce in their daily
routines.
Step 7: Start the process over again with
question #2, but this time, allow Team 2 to
answer first. Keep track of the score and work
through all of the questions, alternating which
team gets to answer first.
After all of the questions have been answered,
the team with the most points wins. For extra
credit, see if students can name even more cor-
rect answers.
Assessment J
1. Ask students what kinds of activities are
involved in source reduction.
2. Have students list some things each of us
can do to create less waste and reuse more.
3. Ask students to explain why source reduction
is important.
^ Enrichment J
1. Have each team of students devise its own
questions and answers for the opposing
team, and play again.
2. Organize a clothing drive with the class or
the entire school. Donate the used clothing
to a local charity or thrift store.
The Quest for Less
-------
Reduction, Bouadup
Question* and
(Note: Students should be encouraged to think of additional responses that are not
on these lists.)
What are 6 ways you can reuse a jelly jar?
1. Pen and pencil holder
2. Cookie cutter
3. Storage container for leftovers
4. Drinking glass
5. Vase for flowers
6. Container for nonfood items such as paperclips, buttons, marbles, or any other small item
What are 6 commonly used items that are often thrown away but could be reused? (Note
that some items have both reusable and disposable parts.)
1. Cups
2. Eating utensils (e.g., forks, knives, spoons)
3. Plates
4. Cloth Napkins
5. Lunch bags
6. Batteries
What are 6 benefits of source reduction?
1. Reduces waste
2. Conserves natural resources
3. Reduces pollution
4. Reduces disposal costs
5. Reduces toxic waste in the waste stream
6. Saves money
What are 6 ways you and your family can reduce waste?
1. Use a reusable bag when shopping
2. Bring your lunch in a reusable bag
3. Buy or make your own nontoxic cleaners
4. Make sure you only buy what you need
5. Donate items you don't need anymore instead of
throwing them away
6. Use both sides of paper before recycling it
-------
Grades 3-4
"Geological Viatic
Objective J
To show students that choices they make about prod-
ucts and packaging can have an impact on the
amount of waste they generate.
math
Key Vocabulary Words J
Source reduction
Durable
Nondurable
science
Activity Description J
Plan a picnic with students that produces as little waste
as possible.
Materials Needed J
Duration J
Lunch
Durable or reusable plates, silverware, cups, napkins,
etc.
Recyclables container
Garbage container
Food waste container, if your school composts
Large scale
Day 1: 1 hour
Day 2: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Skills Used J
Communication
Computation
Observation/classification
social
studies
Step 1: Select a location to hold your eco-
logical picnic, preferably outdoors with an
indoor alternative in case of inclement weath-
er. Find three containers the children can use
to separate their recyclables, trash, and food
scraps after they have finished their picnic
lunch. Check with your cafeteria manager to
see if your class can use nondisposable silver-
ware, cups, and plates and if arrangements
can be made to provide bag lunches for stu-
dents who forget or are unable to bring a
lunch from home.
Step 2: Explain to students that you will be
taking them on an ecological picnic where they
will learn how to create less garbage, recycle
more, and compost their leftover food items.
Introduce the concepts of durable and dispos-
able items and source reduction to the class
(refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Source
Reduction on page 133 for background infor-
mation). Note how students will put these
concepts into practice during the picnic.
Step 3: With students, compile a list of items
on the blackboard that people usually bring to
a picnic (e.g., paper plates, plastic utensils,
paper napkins, chips, drinks, sandwiches).
Working through the list on the blackboard,
discuss items that can replace the disposable
items. Examples might include cloth napkins
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students if they saw any litter
where they had their picnic. Ask
them how it made them feel to see
litter. How could it affect the
plants, animals, and other people
that use the space?
instead of paper napkins or washable plastic
plates instead of paper plates. Explain the bene-
fits of buying in bulk by describing how one large
bag of popcorn, for example, leaves less
garbage than many smaller bags. You can also
discuss picnic games and activities and their
impact on the environment. Note that tossing a
frisbee or flying kites doesn't create any waste,
but having a water balloon fight does.
Step 4: Send a note home with the children
explaining how to prepare for the picnic. The
note should explain that your class is having an
ecological picnic and is trying to limit the amount
of garbage left over. Encourage students to dis-
cuss what they've learned about source reduction
with their parents and to help make preparations
by placing food in reusable containers or includ-
ing as little packaging as possible. Parents can
also be invited to volunteer for the picnic. You
can conduct the picnic in two ways:
A) Children can bring their own lunch.
B) Children can bring "potluck" items. This may
require more time and effort from the par-
ents to provide and transport the items. In
class, have the children draw up a list of the
things they need and have each of them
select something to bring. If your cafeteria is
unable to provide silverware, cups, and
plates, these will need to be provided by stu-
dents. In the note to the parents, list the item
the student has chosen to bring.
Day 2
Step 1: Before the picnic, explain to the stu-
dents that they will be weighing the amounts of
recyclables, trash, and food scraps left over from
the picnic. Ask them to guess approximately how
many pounds of material they think will be left
over in each of the containers after the picnic.
Draw the Eco-Picnic Table shown below on the
blackboard and enter their guesses in the first
table
Guess
Actual Weight (with container)
Subtract Weight of Empty
Container
Total of Each
Recgclables
Food Scraps
Trash
Total G-tiess
The Quest for Less
-------
row. Show students which container you want
them to use for recyclables, trash, and food
scraps and then weigh each of the empty con-
tainers on the large scale. Record these numbers
on the Eco-Picnic Table. Encourage the students
to pick up any litter they find at the picnic site.
Step 2: Go to the picnic site and have the
picnic.
Step 3: After lunch, discuss the types of
garbage that are left over, as well as the
garbage prevented because of the choices stu-
dents made. Have the students look at the
leftover garbage and come up with ways they
could have reduced it further.
Step 4: Return to the classroom with the con-
tainers. Weigh the three containers to determine
the amount of material that must be disposed
of, recycled, or composted. How close was the
students' original guess? Multiplied by 7 days,
how much waste would your classroom dispose
of in 1 week? How much would it recycle? How
much could be composted? Ask your students to
discuss, generally speaking, what would happen
if the whole school (or even America as a
whole) practiced source reduction as they did
for the picnic.
Assessment J
1. Ask students why people use disposable
items even if they know they make more
garbage.
2. Ask students to provide an example of a dis-
posable item that they or their family use
regularly. Are there other alternatives that
could create less waste? Would they or their
family be willing to switch products or change
their lifestyles to produce less waste and have
less of an impact on the environment?
Ask students to think of other ways, beyond a
picnic, that they can practice source reduc-
tion. Examples might include using cloth
napkins and wipes instead of paper towels,
buying juice in large bottles or concentrate
rather than separate single-serving bottles,
using their imagination for games rather than
toys, or taking cloth bags when shopping.
^ Enrichment J
You could consider conducting this activity
by measuring the recyclables, trash, and
compostables from a regular day's lunch
compared to the ecological picnic lunch.
Collect the food scraps left over from the
picnic and put them in a vermicomposting
bin or compost pile. (Refer to the composting
activities section and the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Composting on page 109 for more
information.)
Make fun lunch bags out of an old pair of
jeans or shorts. Cut off the legs, sew the bot-
tom closed just under the pockets, and tie
thick ribbon through the belt loops for han-
dles. Help students decorate their bags with
objects such as buttons, small toys, scrap
cloth and ribbon, and fabric paints.
-------
Grades 5-6
flaw Much. Lunch.
lieft Over?
jj) Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students that reducing product packaging can
often reduce waste.
Activity Description J
Students will weigh their lunches before and after eating
to determine how much of their lunch is packaging.
Materials Needed J
Copies of Packaging Worksheet for each member
of the class
Resealable plastic bags (approximately 1 quart
capacity) for each member of the class
Small scales capable of weighing items under a pound
Source reduction
Recycling
Organics
Composting
Landfills
Disposable
Duration J
2 hours
Skills Used )
Computation
Problem solving
Activity J
Before conducting this activity, ask all students
in the class to bring their lunch from home on
a selected day. If some students are on a
cafeteria lunch program, consult with cafeteria
staff to see if they can provide box lunches on
a certain day. If box lunches aren't feasible,
have the students use the waste from their
regular school lunches (e.g., milk containers,
plastic packages, paper napkins, cups, etc.).
Step 1: Explain source reduction to the
class. Discuss how it is one of the most impor-
tant activities we can engage in to help the
environment. In addition, discuss how packag-
ing is frequently necessary, but can also create
a lot of waste. (Refer to the Teacher Fact
Sheets titled Products on page 25 and Source
Reduction on page 133.) Distribute a copy of
the Packaging Worksheet to each student.
Step 2: Before lunch, ask students to list
each piece of their lunch (including the lunch
bag or container) in Column A, then weigh
each item on a scale and record the weights
in Column B on their Packaging Worksheet.
Send them to lunch with their own resealable
bag and instruct them to put all packaging
from their lunches in the bag instead of the
garbage can. Explain that they should save
nature's packaging also (e.g., banana peels,
orange rinds, peanut shells).
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to write a stony about
what their lives and the environment
would be like if everything was dis-
posable and they could not reuse on
necycle anything.
Step 3: After lunch, have the students weigh
each piece of packaging from their resealable
bags and record these numbers in Column C.
Step 4: Have the students compare the weight
of each piece of their lunches before eating and
after. Based on these numbers, calculate the per-
centage of the total weight that is the packaging
for each lunch item.
Step 5: Instruct students to total Columns B
and C and put these figures in the "Total" row of
those columns.
Step 6: Discuss recycling, composting, and
reuse. Have students put a check in the appro-
priate box for those packaging items that are
reusable, compostable, or recyclable. These
checks are for information only, showing students
what methods could be used as alternatives to
throwing out these items. If students couldn't
check any of these alternatives, then the total in
their final column (H) would be zero. If, however,
they can check off any of these (reusable, com-
postable, recyclable) columns, then that item's
remaining packaging weight gets added to
column H.
Step 7: Ask students to compare their totals
from Columns B, C, and H and share them with
the class. Discuss the types of packaging waste
they could not reuse, compost, or recycle.
Discuss how this waste could be reduced
through other actions, such as their purchasing
behavior or the design of the packaging.
Step 8: Start a list on the chalkboard of ways
students can create less waste in their lunches
(e.g., buying in bulk, reusable lunch bags,
reusable utensils).
Assessment J
Ask students the following questions:
1. Why do manufacturers use packaging?
2. Why did some students have more packaging
waste than others?
3. Why do some products have so much
packaging?
4. Are there ways to avoid purchasing so much
packaging? What are they?
5. Can some packaging be reused or recycled?
Which?
6. What is the difference between a disposable and
reusable product? What are some examples?
0 Enrichment J
Bring in a bulk item and the same amount in
individually wrapped single serving contain-
ers. Empty the contents of the containers and
weigh them. Compare the weights of the one
big container to the total weight of the multi-
ple single-serving containers. Discuss what
effect the different kinds of packaging have
on the environment.
Ask students to go to the store and compare
the per unit prices of similar items that are
packaged differently (e.g., bulk versus individ-
ual packages). Instruct them to write down their
findings and draw conclusions from them.
Have students find a product they believe to
be packaged in excess. Ask them to explain
why they think the packaging is wasteful.
Instruct the students to write a letter or send
an e-mail to the manufacturer that sells the
overpackaged product asking the company to
consider reducing the amount of packaging.
Request a response.
Instruct students to select a package of their
choice and think of ways they could reduce the
volume and/or weight of the package without
changing its function. Ask students to sketch a
rough drawing or write a description of their
proposed package and list the reasons why
they think the new package would be better.
ISO
The Quest for Less
-------
Handout
Packaging Worksheet
Name:
A
Item From
Lunch
1 . Example:
Banana
2.
3.
4.
5.
6
7.
8.
9.
10.
Totals
B
Weight Before
Eating
(Product and
Packaging)
170 g
c
Weight After
Eating
(Packaging)
28 g
D
Packaging %
16%
E
Packaging
Reusable?
F
Packaging
Compostable?
/
G
Packaging
Recyclable?
H
Total Amount
of Trash That
COULD Have
Been Avoided.
28 g
151
-------
Landfills and
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
/
/
Science
y
Language Arts
Social Studies
Art
Communication
Research
Computation
Observation/ *
Classification V
Problem Solving
Motor Skills
*See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Landfills
What Is a Landfill?
A landfill is a large area of land or an excavated
site that is specifically designed and built to
receive wastes. Today, about 55 percent of our
country's trash is disposed of in landfills (EPA,
1 998). Items such as appliances, newspapers,
books, magazines, plastic containers, packag-
ing, food scraps, yard trimmings, and other
wastes from residential, commercial, and some
industrial sources can be disposed of in munici-
pal solid waste landfills. Municipal solid waste
landfills can also accept some types of haz-
ardous waste, such as cleaning products, paint,
and chemicals, as well as some industrial wastes
from certain businesses. Many states and com-
munities, however, promote the safe collection of
these hazardous wastes through local programs.
(See 'Are There Landfills for Hazardous Waste?"
on page 156 for more information.)
In the past, garbage was collected in open
dumps. These uncovered and unlined sites
allowed leachate, a liquid formed by decompos-
ing waste, to soak into the soil and ground water.
Cross Section of a Landfill
Vegetative
Cover V.
'Key Point*
• Landfills are the most common form of
waste disposal and are an important
component of an integrated waste man-
agement system.
• Federal landfill regulations have eliminat-
ed the open dumps of the past. Today's
landfills must meet stringent design,
operation, and closure requirements.
• Methane gas, a byproduct of decom-
posing waste, can be collected and used
as fuel to generate electricity.
• After a landfill is capped, the land may
be used for recreation sites such as
parks, golf courses, and ski slopes.
• Landfills that handle hazardous wastes
are specially designed with two sets of
liners and two leachate detection systems.
Open dumps also attracted rodents and insects,
emitted odors, and created fire hazards. Most of
these small and unsanitary dumps have been
replaced by large, modern facilities that are
designed, operated, and monitored according to
strict federal and state regulations. Today's land-
fills eliminate the harmful and undesirable
characteristics of dumps to help protect public
health and the environment.
In addition to being safer for the environment
and neighboring communities, these larger land-
fills hold more trash than the dumps of the past.
In 1 998, about 2,300 municipal solid waste
landfills were operating in the United States (EPA,
1 998). While this number is significantly smaller
than the number of landfills 25 years ago, new
landfills—often called megafills due to their
size—can accommodate significantly more
garbage. This greater capacity is necessary to
keep up with the steady growth of municipal
solid waste.
155
-------
How Does a Landfill Work?
Atypical modern landfill is lined with a layer of
clay and protective plastic to prevent the waste
and leachate from leaking into the ground or
ground water. The lined unit is then divided into
disposal cells. Only one cell is open at a time to
receive waste. After a day's activity, the garbage is
compacted and covered with a layer of soil to
minimize odor, pests, and wind disturbances. A
network of drains at the bottom of the landfill
collects the leachate that flows through the
decomposing waste. The leachate is sent to a
leachate recovery facility to be treated. Methane
gas, carbon dioxide, and other gases produced
by the decomposing waste are monitored and
collected to reduce their effects on air quality.
Landfills are regulated by federal and state laws.
The federal laws dictate where landfills can be
located, such as away from unstable land prone
to earthquakes or flooding, and require them to
be lined and have a leachate col-
lection system. In addition, landfill
owners must monitor and collect
explosive gases; regularly test
nearby ground water; and com-
pact and cover waste with a layer
of soil on a daily basis.
Many states require landfill opera-
tors to obtain a license and present
a plan for how the site will be safe-
ly closed, even though the closing
date might be 50 years in the
future. Furthermore, federal law
requires landfill owners to set aside
the money to close the landfill
properly and support ongoing
monitoring activities. Once a land-
fill is capped (closed), the operator
must monitor the site for gas and
leachate for a minimum of 30
years after the closing date. In
addition to federal regulations,
each state has its own landfill
requirements, which are often more
stringent than the federal laws.
What Are the Benefits of
Landfills?
In addition to providing a cost-effective, safe
method to dispose of ever-increasing amounts
of trash, landfills often provide other services to
the community. For example, some landfills col-
lect methane, a gas created by decomposing
156
The Quest for Less
-------
Landfill Facts
• The first garbage dump was created in 500 BC by the ancient Greeks in Athens. Residents were
required to take their trash 1 mile away from the city walls to dump.
• Paper takes up as much as 50 percent of all landfill space. Recycling 1 ton of newspapers would
save 3 cubic feed of that space.
• In a study of waste buried for more than 1 5 years, Professor William Rathje of the University of
Arizona found legible newspapers and chicken bones with meat still on them, proving that waste
does not decompose completely in a landfill.
(Sources: The League of Women Voters' Garbage Primer, 1 993; Rubbish! The Archaeology of Garbage by William
Rathje, 1990; Anchorage Recycling Center, 2000)
garbage that can contribute to global climate
change, and convert it into an energy source. In
addition, after a landfill is capped and a certain
amount of time has passed, the land might be
reused for parks, ski slopes, golf courses, and
other recreation areas.
What Are the Challenges of
Landfills?
Though regulations have made landfills safer to
the public and the environment, public opposi-
tion, high land prices, and environmental
concerns can make it difficult to find suitable
places for new landfills.
Landfills can pose other problems if not properly
designed or managed. If a liner leaks, for exam-
ple, the underlying soil and ground water can
become contaminated. Additionally, since land-
fills are often located in remote areas, waste
must be hauled long distances, which might
result in environmental impacts from increased
truck traffic (e.g., air pollution) and noise from
Putting Landfill Gas to Use
1 million tons of waste within a landfill cre-
ates 300 cubic feet per minute of landfill
gas, or one megawatt ot electricity. I not
enough to power 700 homes for a year.
Removing that much methane gas from t
atmosphere is equal to taking 6,1 00 car:
off the road for a year.
(Source: EPA, 2000)
truck traffic and the use of equipment onsite.
Additionally, within a given municipality, landfills
often compete for local garbage. Competition
can lead to reduced support for recycling and
other waste reduction programs.
Issues also might arise if a landfill is located
close to a community. Many people do not want
landfills near their homes. The NIMBY (Not in
My Backyard) attitude can make finding a land-
fill site very challenging.
What Are Some Emerging Trends?
Increased waste generation requires landfill
operators and managers to constantly evaluate
and improve current disposal methods. One
strategy to speed the rate of decomposition of
landfill waste is to recirculate the collected
leachate by pouring it over the cells and allow-
ing it to filter through the rotting garbage.
Another trend that is becoming common for
landfill operators is collecting methane gas from
the landfill and using it as the energy source to
power the landfill or selling it to a local utility
provider, company, or even greenhouses. This
process allows landfills to reduce their depend-
ence on precious fossil fuels and save money.
A new trend that is gaining attention is landfill
reclamation, in which old cells are excavated to
recover recyclable items. This process, in which
recovered recyclables, soil, and waste can be
sold, reused, or burned as fuel, is a new
approach used to expand landfill capacity and
avoid the cost of aquiring additional land.
157
-------
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on municipal solid waste landfills:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on landfills:
• U.S. EPA Landfill Methane Outreach Program:
For more information on the disposal of hazardous waste in landfills, visit:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on Land Disposal Restrictions:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on RCRA Hotline Training Modules (hazardous waste land
disposal units):
To order the following additional documents on municipal so id waste, call EPA toll-free at 800 424-
9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• Sites for Our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for Public Invo/vemenf (EPA530-SW-90-01 9).
• Safer Disposal of Solid Waste: The Federal Regulations for Lone/fills (EPA530-SW-91 -092)
• Decision-Makers' Guide to Solid Waste Management, Volume II (EPA530-R-95-023)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM
The following trade associations can provide information about landfills as well:
National Solid Waste Management Association
4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202 244-4700
Fax: 202 966-4841
Web site:
Solid Waste Association of North America
RO. Box 7219
Silver Spring, MD 20907-7219
Phone: 301 585-2898
Fax: 301 589-7068
Web site:
The Quest for Less
-------
Teacher fact Sheet
Combustion
What Is Combustion?
Recycling, composting, and source reduction are
vital activities for effective solid waste manage-
ment, but 100 percent of people's trash cannot
be handled by these methods. The remaining
waste must be deposited in landfills or combust-
ed (burned). Because of limited space, landfills
are not always a viable option in many cities,
making combustors (commonly referred to as
incinerators) an important part of a community's
integrated waste management system. Burning
garbage can decrease the volume of waste
requiring disposal by 70 to 90 percent.
Before the late 1970s, many people burned
garbage in their backyards and in simple private
and municipal combustors. These methods did
not burn garbage completely, however, and
allowed pollutants
to escape into the
atmosphere. With
the passing of the
Clean Air Act, com-
bustor owners were
directed to develop
more effective
methods of pollu-
tion control. Today's
municipal waste
fCey Point*
• Municipal waste combustors burn waste
at high temperatures to reduce its volume.
• The heat produced by burning waste in
municipal waste comubstors can be
recovered as useful energy.
• Municipal waste combustors reduce the
volume of garbage by 70 to 90 percent
• Ash is a byproduct of combustion that
must be disposed of in landfills or
reused.
• Air pollution control equipment helps
reduce air emissions.
• Specially designed incinerators can be
used as a means of handling hazardous
waste. The burning process reduces
the toxicity of organic compounds in
the waste.
combustors release significantly less pollutants
into the air than the "backyard burners" and
simple combustors. More than 100 municipal
waste combustor plants currently exist nation-
wide, and nearly 20 percent of the municipal
solid waste generated in the United States is
combusted.
Facts about Municipal Waste
Combustors
• Fire in the boiler of a combustor is often as hot as flow-
ing lava (between 1,800 and 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit)
• In 1874, a new technology called "the destructor"
provided the first combustor of municipal
• The first garbage incinerator in the United States was
built on Governor's Island, New York, in 1 885.
(Sources: Integrated Waste Services Association, 2000; Rubbishl The
Archaeology of Garbage by William Rathje, 1990)
How Do Municipal Waste
Combustors Work?
Municipal waste combustors dispose
of trash by burning it at high temper-
atures. Not all municipal waste
combustors are designed alike, but
they function in a similar manner.
Typically, a facility collects waste in a
garbage receiving area or pit, where
the garbage is mixed by a crane. The
crane operator looks for large items
-------
How Typical Combustion Facilities Work
1. Tipping area for trucks
2. Refuse pit 5.
3. Refuse crane 6.
4. Hopper, which sends waste to 7.
combustion zone
Primary combustion zone
Underfire air
Furnace
8. Heat exchanger
9. Turbine
10. Scrubber, to remove acid
gases
11. Fly ash and dust collector
12. Stack
13. Bottom ash and fly ash
collection and transport
Hazardous Waste Combustion
In addition to combustion facilities that accept
municipal (nonhazardous) waste, specially
designed incinerators, boilers, and industrial
furnaces, can burn hazardous waste.
Hazardous waste, which is toxic, ignitable,
corrosive, or reactive, can be produced by
businesses or manufacturing operations.
Combustion has some key advantages as a
means of managing hazardous waste. First,
burning hazardous waste reduces the volume
of waste by converting solids and liquids to
ash. Second, the burning process destroys
toxic organic compounds in waste. Third, dis-
posal of the ash in a landfill is safer and more
efficient than disposal of untreated hazardous
waste. The ash generated from hazardous
waste combustion must be tested and, if found
to be hazardous, must be treated for remain-
ing toxicity before it is disposed of in a landfill.
that are not suitable for combustion (e.g., batter-
ies and refrigerators) and removes them from the
pit. The crane operator also uses the crane to lift
piles of garbage into a large chute. From the
chute, garbage falls into a combustion chamber
or furnace and then moves along a series of
sloping grates that work like conveyer belts. The
garbage is burned as it moves forward.
After garbage is burned, some matter remains in
the form of ash. There are two types of ash: bot-
tom ash and fly ash. Bottom ash is the heavier,
nonburnable material, such as glass and metal,
that falls through the grate after burning. Large
pieces of metal accumulate in this ash and are
extracted from the ash with magnets. Bottom ash
accounts for the majority of ash produced by
incinerators, about 75 to 90 percent. Fly ash
includes lighter particles that rise with hot gases
as the garbage is burned and are captured by
air pollution control equipment in the stacks. All
ash generated by combustion facilities must be
tested to determine if it is hazardous. If deemed
hazardous, the ash is subject to special haz-
ardous waste disposal regulations. If the ash
The Quest for Less
-------
proves nonhazardous, it may be deposited in
landfills specially designed to store it. Currently,
studies are under way to investigate ways to
reuse ash; for example, to replace soil as a
landfill cover (generally applied at the end of
each day to minimize odor, pests, and wind dis-
turbances). Ash might also be used in road and
building construction and as part of artificial off-
shore reefs. Whether the leftover ash is recycled
or landfilled, it takes up much less space than
the same materials in their original form.
What Are the Benefits of
Municipal Waste Combustors?
Most municipal waste incinerators in the United
States generate energy in the form of electricity
because certain materials, such as paper, plas-
tics, wood, and packaging, make excellent
fuels. Producing this energy has about the same
environmental impact as energy produced from
natural gas and less of an environmental impact
than energy produced from oil or coal. In other
words, generating energy from municipal waste
combustors contributes no more pollution—and
sometimes less—than processes generating
electricity using natural gas, oil, or coal. Waste-
to-energy plants
also reduce the
need to generate
electricity from non-
renewable natural
resources such as
oil and coal.
What Are the Challenges of
Municipal Waste Combustors?
Although technologies to control pollution have
improved significantly, burning certain materials
still produces chemicals that contribute to air
pollution. To minimize emissions of air pollutants
into the atmosphere, municipal waste incinera-
tors use special equipment (e.g., scrubbers and
dust collectors) to remove pollutants. To protect
air quality and monitor the hazardous con-
stituents in ash, EPA established regulations that
apply to all large municipal solid waste units
(those with the capacity to burn more than 250
tons of garbage per day). The regulations signif-
icantly reduce toxic air emissions such as dioxin,
acid gas, lead, cadmium, and mercury.
Many people do not want incineration sites near
their homes. The "NIMBY (Not In My Back
Yard)" attitude makes finding appropriate sites
for municipal waste combustors a challenge for
many municipalities. There are, however, oppor-
tunities for the public to participate in deciding
where a combustor will be located. Officials
must hold a public meeting to inform the com-
munity about the size of the combustor, as well
as the amount of waste generation and ash to
be discarded.
-------
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web sites for more information on municipal and hazardous waste combustion and
solid waste:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA):
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on combustion:
• U.S. EPA, Office of Solid Waste site on hazardous combustion:
To order the following additional documents on combustion and solid waste, call EPA toll-free at
800 424-9346 (TDD 800 553-7672) or look on the EPA Web site
.
• Decision-Makers' Guide to Solid Waste Management Volume II (EPA530-R-95-023).
• Sites for our Solid Waste: A Guidebook for Public Invo/vemenf (EPA530-SW-90-01 9)
• A Collection of Solid Waste Resources—CD-ROM (EPA530-C-98-001)
The following trade associations can provide information about combustion as well:
Integrated Waste Services
Association
1401 H Street, NW, Suite 220
Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202 467-6240
Fax: 202 467-6225
E-mai : lwsa@ix.netcom.com
Environmental Industry
Associations
4301 Connecticut Avenue, NW,
Suite 300
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202 244-4700
Fax: 202 966-4841
Solid Waste Association
of North America
PO. Box 7219
Silver Spring, MD 20907-721 9
Phone: 301 585-2898
Fax: 301 589-7068
Web site:
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 1-4
Layered Landfill
Objective J
To teach students how a modern landfill functions (that
is, how its many layers contain garbage and prevent
leakage into soil or ground water).
Activity Description J
Students will construct edible models of a landfill to
learn about its different layers and their functions.
Key Vocabulary Words J
Landfill
Clay liner
Plastic liner
Leachate
Leachate collection pipes
Methane
Decompose
Rodent
Materials Needed J
One 8-ounce pliable clear plastic cup per student
Five chocolate sandwich cookies per student
One 8-ounce box of raisins
One fruit rollup per student
Two graham crackers per student
Two red licorice sticks per student
One package of birthday candles
One set of matches
One scoop of chocolate ice cream (or pudding)
per student
Two tablespoons of whipped cream per student
One plastic knife per student
One plastic fork per student
One handful (per student) of a variety of small chewable
candies (e.g, chocolate, peanut butter, fruit)
One copy of Anatomy of a Landfill handout per student
social
studies
Skills Used
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet
titled Landfills on page 155 for background
information. Explain the purpose of a landfill
to students and explain that they will construct
their own model landfills in class. Copy and
distribute the Anatomy of a Landfill handout.
Using the handout, go over each layer's name
and function with students.
Step 2: Distribute a cup and five chocolate
sandwich cookies to each student. Explain that
the cup represents an excavated hole in the
ground.
Step 3: Have students carefully "unscrew"
two of their cookies so that one half has white
cream and the other is bare. Students should
have two cookie halves with white cream and
two cookie halves without cream. Crush the
bare cookie halves into small pieces and put
-------
/J Journal Activity J
Ask students to list some common
items that they throw away. What
do they think people threw away
100 yeans ago? Ask them to predict
what we will throw away in the
future. What would they expect to
find in a landfill in another country
(pick a country)? Ask students to
compare these answers with the
United States.
them into the cup. Explain that the crushed
cookies represent a layer of soil that is placed in
the bottom of real landfills.
Step 4: Next, have the students take the
cookie halves with white cream and break them
up into two or three pieces. Direct students to
place the pieces in the cup with the white cream
face up. These pieces represent a layer of clay
that is put on top of the soil in real landfills.
Step 5: Have students use the plastic knife to
cut their fruit rollups to roughly fit the size of the
top of cup and slide them into place (will push up
on sides) on top of the cookies to represent a
plastic liner. Plastic liners prevent leachate from
escaping from a landfill into the ground. Leachate
is liquid created when trash decomposes.
Step 6: Have students crush and add their
graham crackers to represent a sand layer. This
layer is used to prevent liquids in landfills from
seeping out.
Step 7: Have students place raisins on top to
represent a layer of pebbles. Like the sand layer,
pebbles provide further protection against
leachate leaks.
Step 8: Have students rip the licorice sticks in
half and bite off both ends to represent leachate
pipes. Stick pipes into pebble layer. These pipes col-
lect any leachate that collects on top of the liners.
Step 9: Ask students to sprinkle the candies on
top of the raisins. The candies represent pieces of
garbage. Ask students to think about what hap-
pens when a landfill or "cup" is filled up with
trash or "candies"? How can they reduce the
amount of trash that they send to the landfill?
(Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Recycling
on page 73 for background information.)
Step 1 0: Give each student a scoop of ice
cream on top of the candies. Then, have the stu-
dents add one more layer of candies on top of
the ice cream. The ice cream layer represents the
seepage created from rain seeping through the
garbage. Explain that in a real landfill, more lay-
ers of garbage or "candies" are placed on the
landfill each day, so that liquid from the decom-
position of the trash is continually created.
Step 11: Direct students to "unscrew" their
two remaining cookies and crush another layer
of the bare cookie halves, without the cream, on
top of the candies and ice cream to represent
soil again. (Students can eat the other cream-
covered cookie halves.) This layer reduces the
amount of rain water that reaches the garbage.
Step 1 2: Each student should use a layer of
whipped cream to "cap" the landfill or cover it
(as would a plastic cap) in order to prevent
odor, insect, and rodent problems.
Step 1 3: In front of the class, stick a candle
deep into your own edible "landfill" and light it.
Explain that the candle represents the methane
gas recovery system, which draws methane gas
from the decomposing garbage. The flame rep-
resents energy that can be generated by burning
the captured methane gas.
Step 14: Have students eat their landfills as a
snack. When they get to the bottom of their cup,
ask students to notice whether their cookie or
"soil" layer is dry, or whether the ice cream or
"leachate" leaked past the many layers and the
fruit roll-up liner to soak the cookies. Remind
students that if they built their landfill correctly,
their cookies will be dry, just as in a real landfill
the soil remains protected from leachate.
The Quest for Less
-------
Assessment J
After enjoying the luscious layered landfill as
a snack, ask the students if they remember
the purpose of all the different parts, such as
the fruit roll-up, the licorice, the cookies, and
your candle.
y Enrichment J
Contact a landfill in your community and
take a tour. Ask to hear about all the differ-
ent parts of the landfill. If your landfill
recovers methane for energy, ask for a tour
of the plant.
Have students conduct a survey of friends
and family asking them where their garbage
goes. Have them record peoples' responses
and determine whether they are well
informed. In class, discuss the survey results.
-------
cr
a
of a t*andfill
«kW <^^JI
Methane gas recovery system (candle): recovers gas
for energy from decomposing garbage
Landfill cap (whipped cream): prevents odor, insect, and
rodent problems
0
a.
Soil layer (cookie pieces): used to cover daily garbage
ft.
•
0
Leachate (ice cream): natural byproduct of decomposing garbage
Garbage (candies): added daily from communities
Pebble layer (raisins): prevents liquid from seeping out
Leachate pipe (licorice stick): collects leachate
Sand layer (graham crackers): prevents liquid from seeping out
Plastic liner (fruit rollup): prevents leachate from escaping into the ground
Clay layer (cookie pieces): absorbs any leachate (or liquid)
that escapes the plastic liner
Soil layer (crushed cookies): lines the bottom of the landfill
-------
Grades 3-6
Hfo Thao.pl
Objective J
To teach students where garbage goes and explain the
difference between unlined trash "dumps" of the past
and today's specially designed landfills.
^ Activity Description J
Students will construct models of an old-fashioned
"dump" and a modern landfill in class and observe
their differences.
Materials Needed J
Two plastic colanders (9 inches wide by 4 inches deep)
Two cake pans (9 inches)
One 10-pound bag of garden soil
One 32-ounce bottle of distilled water
Small pieces of typical home-generated garbage
(see below)
One package of modeling clay
One roll of colored (red) crepe paper
Clear tape
One measuring cup
One pair of scissors
One package or roll of litmus (pH) paper
One copy of the Landfill Log worksheet for each student
science
Key Vocabulary Words J
Organic
Municipal solid waste
Landfill
Leachate
Groundwater
Turbidity
pH
social
studies
Duration )
Landfill creation: 1 hour
Observation over 4
weeks: 15 to 20 minutes
each week
Skills Used )
Observation/classification
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and distribute Landfill
Log worksheets to each student. Bring in some
small pieces of garbage from your home,
such as potato peels, apple cores, newspaper,
and plastic yogurt containers. Introduce the
following topics or concepts (refer to the
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Solid Waste on page
41 and Landfills on page 155 for background
information):
Trash generation and disposal.
How trash has been disposed of in the past
and how it is disposed of now.
Explain, in general terms, how a landfill
works.
Define each of the key vocabulary words
used in the lesson.
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to write a haiku
on sonnet about where their
garbage goes.
Step 2: Begin the exercise by asking a
student volunteer to line one colander with flat-
tened modeling clay, patting it out flat like a pie
crust. Explain that this represents the liner of a
sanitary, modern landfill. Do not line the second
colander. Note that it represents an old-fash-
ioned, unsanitary dump.
Step 7: After every "rain" session, have the
students use a measuring cup to measure the
water that leaked out of the unlined colander.
Have students observe and record the water's
color and turbidity. Ask for volunteers to test the
pH of the collected water with litmus paper. Ask
students to record results and observations in
their Landfill Logs. For comparison purposes,
have students test and record the pH of the
distilled water.
Step 8: Next, have student volunteers put the
"dirty" water from the unlined colander in a
plastic cup. Fill another plastic cup with distilled
water.
Step 3: Have several students cut the differ-
ent garbage items you brought in from home
into small pieces, about 2 inches square.
Step 4: Have a few student volunteers place
this trash and the garden soil in the colanders in
alternate layers until the colanders are full. For
each layer, add 1 inch of garbage covered by
1/4 inch of dirt. Add several strips of red crepe
paper as one layer toward the bottom of the
colanders and cover them with more dirt. (The
red crepe paper will emphasize the seepage of
water through the unlined dump.)
Step 5: Place cake pans under the colanders
to collect the seepage.
Step 9: Ask students to pretend that the dirty
water or "leachate" had escaped an unlined
landfill and reached surrounding plants and ani-
mals. Ask them what effect they think the liquid
would have on animal or plant life. Ask students
to predict how a piece of celery (representing a
plant) would react to the leachate or "dirty"
water.
Step 10: Insert two pieces of celery—one
into the leachate cup and one into the distilled
water cup. Point out to students how the celery
stalk absorbs all of the color from the crepe
paper, or dirt and toxins, of the leachate. Have
students record observations about the process
and the differences between the two pieces of
celery.
Step 6: Have students simulate "rain" on the
"landfills" by pouring 1 cup of water onto each
colander twice a week for 4 weeks. Ask students
to observe the changes that take place. Pay par-
ticular attention to any water that collects in the
cake pans. The unlined colander's seepage
should be observable and colored by the crepe
paper. The lined colander should not leak.
The Quest for Less
-------
Assessment J
1. Ask students to explain the differences
between the mini-landfills.
2. Ask students to refer to their Landfill Logs.
How did the color, turbidity, and pH of the
leachate and the distilled water differ? Why?
3. Have students describe how an unlined land-
fill or "dump" can pollute ground water and
surrounding soil.
4. Ask students to decide which landfill is better
for the environment and why. Which kind of
disposal facility would they rather have in
their neighborhood?
5. Ask students to define the key vocabulary
words of this lesson. Conduct a spelling bee
using these words.
^ Enrichment J
Take a field trip to a local landfill. Have kids
tour the facility and learn firsthand how it
operates. When you return, have students
write a paragraph about their visit, including
five new facts about landfills that they
learned.
Contact your state solid waste or environ-
mental agency to find out how many landfills
are in your state. If one is located near you,
ask how many tons of trash it accepts per
day or per year and its lifetime maximum
capacity. Have students use data obtained
from the agency to calculate how quickly the
landfill is filling up. Have students make
graphs to show how much longer it can
accept garbage at its current rate.
-------
Landfill Log
Observations
Date
Weekl
Rainl
Rain 2
Week 2
Rainl
Rain 2
VV66K J
Rainl
Rain 2
Week 4
Rainl
Rain 2
Amount of
Leach ate
'/2 cup
pH of Leachate
9
pHof
Distilled Water
7
Color of Leachate
brown and red
Turbidity of
Leachate
murky and filled
with particles
Celery in Leachate
(one-time
observation)
Celery in
Distilled Water
(one-time
observation)
T
\
\
\
\
^^^__— ••
J
mj
— i
• — i
^
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 4-6
Energy
Key Vocabulary Words J
To introduce students to the concept of energy and
teach them about its connection to trash.
Activity Description J
Potential
Fossil
Coal
Gas
Trash
Combustion
Methane
Solar
Water
Oil
Students will complete the Energy Expedition worksheet
individually or in pairs.
Duration )
Materials Needed J
hour
One photocopy of the Energy Expedition worksheet
per student
One pencil or pen per student
Skills Used ]
Reading
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Distribute one copy of the Energy
Expedition worksheet to each student.
Introduce the concept of energy—what it is,
what it's used for, and where it comes from.
Next, discuss the link between energy and
trash; explain how we can capture methane
gas from landfills to burn as energy for the
community or local businesses. In addition,
discuss how we can capture energy by burning
our trash in combustion facilities. Refer to the
Teacher Fact Sheets titled Landfills on page
155 and Combustion on page 159 for back-
ground information.
Step 2: Depending on student ability levels,
use the Teacher Answer Key to go over the key
vocabulary of this activity in advance, dis-
cussing each word and its meaning with the
class. This will help them correctly complete
the written activity later.
Step 3: Direct students to complete the
Energy Expedition worksheet, working either
individually or in pairs.
171
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students keep an energy diary
for one week. Ask them to record
every time they use energy in a day
(for example, tanning on lights, using
a can on has). Whene could they
have saved enengy (fon example, nid-
ing a bike instead of using a can)?
^ Assessment J
Collect the Energy Expedition worksheets
and assess students' work.
2. Ask students to list at least four different
sources of energy.
f
Enrichment
J
1. Visit a waste-to-energy facility as a field trip.
Have students write summaries that explain
how the facility works.
2. Divide the class into groups and assign them
each an energy concept (such as those intro-
duced in the Energy Expedition worksheet.)
Ask each group to conduct research on their
topic and prepare a presentation to teach the
class about their findings.
3. Conduct a spelling bee using the energy
words featured on the Energy Expedition
worksheet.
Crottvrard Vvaatle ICey
\
4
c
V
0
T
E
H
0
A
M
E
T
H
A
H
E
B
(J
E
n
2T
n
A
S
H
Bc
10
S \ 0
I
A
T
I
7G\h
9
0
I
L
A
L
3F
0
S
S
I
L
A
B
H
1 . A type of energy. The word describes something that's "possible,
but not certain." potential
4. The process of burning a material or substance. It's another word
for "incineration," and its letters might "bustl"
6. A liquid that we can control and direct to generate energy. You might
drink it or swim in it. WCltGP
7. A substance that is neither liquid, nor solid, but can be removed
from the Earth and used to generate power. qOS
8. A hard, black substance that we burn for fuel. COO I
1 0. A word describing energy from the sun. It rhymes with
"polar." solan
2. It's another word for unwanted material that you throw out into a
container every day. You might set it out on the curb or throw it in a
dumpster. trash
3. The hard rock-like remains of prehistoric animal and plant life, such as
dinosaurs, which we sometimes discover in the Earth's crust, fossil
5. A natural gas that is generated by garbage decomposing in a landfill.
Live animals can produce this gas as well...such as a cow burpingl The
word ends in "one," but it's not "propane." methane
9. The liquid that we pump from the Earth's surface to burn for fuel.
This work also applies to a product we often use in cooking, oil
The Quest for Less
-------
Student
Welcome Isnergy
Name:
Directions: Your first task is to complete the Energy
Crossword Puzzle below using the clues provided.
Once you have filled in the crossword puzzle/ you'll
have a list of ten important energy vocabulary words.
You're about to set out on a mission
to investigate ENERGY, including its
uses, sources, and connection to
our trash. If you accomplish your
mission, you'll be promoted to an
Energy Expert-and you'll be able to help
your family and friends understand how
important energy is to them and their
way of life. This mission is not easy,
however, and it will take all of your
concentration and effort to crack
the energy mystery. Good luck.'
I. A type of energy. The word describes something that's
"possible, but not certain."
4. The process of burning a material or substance. It's another
word for "incineration," and its letters might "bustl"
6. A liquid that we can control and direct to generate
energy. You might drink it or swim in it.
7. A substance that is neither liquid, nor solid, but can be
removed from the Earth and used to generate power.
8. A hard, black substance that we burn for fuel.
1 0. A word describing energy from the sun. It rhymes with
"polar."
TKTWtf
2. It's another word for unwanted material that you throw
out into a container every day. You might set it out on
the curb or throw it in a dumpster.
3. The hard rock-like remains of prehistoric animal and
plant life, such as dinosaurs, which we sometimes dis-
cover in the Earth's crust.
5. A natural gas that is generated by garbage decomposing
in a landfill. Live animals can produce this gas as
well...such as a cow burpingl The word ends in "one," but
it's not "propane."
9. The liquid that we pump from the Earth's surface to
burn for fuel. This word also applies to a product we
often use in cooking.
The Quest for Less
-------
Directions: Great job! You've now learned ten
important energy vocabulary words! Read the story
below to leam more about energy and become an
Energy Expert. You must determine which of your ten
vocabulary words goes in each blank Remember,
some words will be used more than once. After you
have filled in all of the blanks, you'll have success-
fully completed your energy mission!
What i*
-it
Energy is one of the most important parts of our world-
makes things happen. Energy means the "ability to do
work." Did you know that you use energy every day? Every
time you flip a light switch on; use hot water; or ride in a car,
bus, train, or plane, you are using energy. Each time you watch
TV or use a computer, you are using energy. All of the clothes that you wear, toys you play with, and
food you eat are products made from processes that require energy.
There are two different types of energy:
• Energy that is stored is called energy.
• Energy that is moving is called kinetic energy.
Let your pencil rest on your desk. Right now, if it's not moving, your pencil has (same as pre-
vious Wank) energy. Now, tap it lightly so that it rolls across your desk. Since it's moving, the pencil
now has kinetic energy.
Where doe*
come from?
There are many different sources of energy on Earth and there are many different ways that we can
tap into those sources and make the energy work for us — creating power, electricity, and heat.
One source of energy upon which we rely heavily are
fuels. How were these fuels
formed? Millions of years ago, ancient plants absorbed the energy from the sun and converted it
into more plants. Ancient animals, like dinosaurs, ate the plants and converted the plant's energy
into body mass. When the animals and dinosaurs died, their remains collected in the ground, and,
over millions of years, decomposed into a source of fuel.
What are some
(same as previous Wank) fuels? Coal, oil, and natural gas are three
important fuels that are derived from the Earth and the stored energy of organic remains.
started out as a spongy, brown material called "peat," which consists of the decomposed
organic matter of ancient animals and plants. Geologic forces buried the peat deep under the Earth's
surface, where it was further packed down by heat and pressure. The compressed peat was eventually
converted to (same as previous Wank).
We burn (same as previous Wank) to heat our homes and run electrical machinery. About 20
percent of the energy we use comes from (same as previous Wank).
_ is formed deep within the Earth's surface in rocks that are fine-grained and rich in the
organic remains of once-living animals. The oldest (same as previous Wank) -bearing
rocks date back more than 600 million years.
(same as previous Wank) is burned to
fuel vehicles and heat homes. About 45 percent of the energy we use comes from
(same as previous blank).
The Quest for Less
-------
Natural _ _ is a colorless, odorless fuel produced by drilling into the Earth's crust where it was
trapped hundreds of thousands of years ago. Once it is brought to the surface, it is refined and
purified to remove water, other gases, and sand. Next, it's transported through large metal
pipelines that span the continent. Natural _ _ (same as previous Wank) is used for heating,
cooling, and the production of electricity.
How if '&!?&&&% connected to tra$h?
While these sources of energy continue to serve us well, they are known as nonrenewable resources
that will eventually be used up. Once we use all of our supplies, we will have to depend on new
sources of energy. We're already looking for new energy sources so that we can conserve those that
come from within the Earth. That's where comes in. Did you know that you can get energy
from (same as previous Wank)? There are two ways that we can use our (same as
previous Wank) to make energy.
In one method, (same as previous Wank) is taken to a waste-to-energy facility. These facilities
burn the (same as previous Wank) during a process called . This process
generates heat that can be converted to fuel and electricity. Waste-to-energy facilities take a large
amount of trash and make it smaller by burning it. This reduces the amount of trash that piles up in
our landfills, which is better for the environment.
A second way for us to use trash for energy involves the garbage that we dispose of in landfills. As
this trash decomposes, it produces gas. Too often, this valuable source of energy is
not used. Now, however, over 150 landfills in the United States are using the gas, captured by a
special pipe system set up in the landfill, to generate electricity; provide fuel for factories, schools,
and other facilities; and to produce natural gas for general distribution.
JLre there aay other source* of
In addition to using the energy we generate from our garbage, there are other ways we can harness
the renewable energy sources that surround us. Here are two other important energy sources that we
are just beginning to use in place of fossil fuels.
The light that comes to the Earth from the sun is pure energy. Nearly all other sources of energy origi-
nally got their energy from the sun. Organic matter, like plants, convert energy into
leaves, flowers, and fruits. We can also use energy from the sun to heat our homes and buildings with
special (same as previous Wank) panels that capture and convert the light into energy.
Hydroelectric power is generated by harnessing . When (same as previous
Wank) falls or runs downhill, it can be used to run turbines or large water wheels at mills and facto-
ries, which generate electricity.
You'v-e becootne an
lijxercjy t
Now you understand how our trash can help us generate power and electricity.
In addition, you've learned all about our use of energy on this planet and the many
different sources we can turn to for energy use in the future.
The Quest for Less Unit 2, Chapter f, Landfills and Combustion 175
-------
Grades 4-6
Dirty Vifpotal "Debate
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students about some of the environmental,
social, and economic issues surrounding modern
landfills.
Activity Description J
Students will research and debate the pros and cons of
using landfills for trash disposal.
Materials Needed J
Two 3- by 5-inch note cards for each student
Internet, library, or encyclopedia access
Landfill
Leachate
Ground water
Tipping fees
Decomposition
Methane
Duration J
Day 1: 1 hour
Day 2: 1 hour
Skills Used ]
Research
Reading
Problem solving
Communication
Step 1: Introduce the concept of the modern
landfill and explain some of the advantages
and disadvantages to this form of trash dispos-
al. (Refer to the Teacher Fact Sheet titled
Landfills on page 155 for background informa-
tion and see the sidebar for helpful hints.)
Step 2: Hand out two note cards to each
student and have them label one "Benefits"
and the other "Concerns."
Step 3: As a homework assignment or an
in-class group activity, have students conduct
research and come up with one benefit and
one disadvantage associated with landfills to
write on their note cards. Encourage students
A Look at Landfills
Pros
Gives us somewhere to put our trash.
Is more sanitary than dumps of the past.
Can generate methane gas that can be cap-
tured and used for energy.
Can be capped and used for park land,
playgrounds, even building sites.
Cons
Causes loose garbage to be blown around.
Can attract birds and pests.
Can cause a lot of noise and traffic with
trucks driving in and out.
Has the potential to leak and contaminate
ground water and soil.
Can cause sinkage problems for builders
who use capped landfills as foundations.
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to think about the
advantages and disadvantages
associated with landfills. Which
one issue is most important to
them? Why?
to use the school library, Internet, and adults as
resources.
Step 1: The next day, divide students into two
groups. One group will use its note cards on
the benefits of landfills and the other group will
use their note cards on the concerns associated
with landfills. Next, give each group 10 minutes
to work together and prepare a debate on
either the pros or cons of landfills. In those 1 0
minutes, ask the students to combine their note
cards and assemble them in order of impor-
tance for easy reference during the debate.
Instruct students to pick four classmates to
represent the group as the debaters.
Step 2: Explain that each team will get 4
minutes to present their side of the debate.
During that time, any of the four designated
debaters for that team can speak, but they must
take turns. After one side presents, the other
team has 4 minutes to argue their points.
Step 3: After the debate, have the class dis-
cuss who had stronger points and why.
Assessment J
1. Ask the students to decide whether or not
they would want a landfill in their community.
Why?
2. Have students list, from memory, three to four
benefits and concerns associated with landfills.
jy Enrichment J
Have students create a survey and conduct
interviews with family members or friends to
determine how other people feel about land-
fills. Compile, analyze, and discuss the
results of the surveys in class. Make graphs
or charts based on these results.
Take a field trip to a local landfill. Have kids
tour the facility and learn how it works.
When you return, have students write a para-
graph on their visit, including five new facts
about landfills that they learned.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 5-6
Tra^h. Torch.
Objective J
To teach students about combustion and waste-to-
energy facilities as a means of trash disposal,
including how these facilites work and the related
issues and concerns.
Activity Description J
Students will calculate the weight and volume of trash
before it is burned, observe the combustion process,
and weigh and measure the ash that remains.
Materials Needed J
social
studies
Key Vocabulary Words J
Combustion
Incinerate
Waste-to-energy
Ash
Air emissions
science
math
Duration J
1 hour
One empty metal coffee can (1 6 ounces)
One punch-type can opener
One piece of wire mesh large enough to fit over the
top of the can
Five pieces of cardboard, 4 by 4 inches
One roll of masking tape
One scale
Several pieces of garbage such as eggshells, orange
rinds, napkins, and notebook paper (enough to fill the
4- by 4-inch box). Remember NOT to include anything
like plastic, rubber, or products containing potentially
hazardous chemicals
One pack of matches
One fire extinguisher
One copy of the Combustion Calculator worksheet per student
Skills Used ]
Computation
Observation/classification
Activity J
Step 1: For safety reasons, setup is extremely
important for this activity. Make sure you:
• Choose an appropriate location outside
the school for this activity. The location
should be at least 1 00 feet from trees,
buildings, and shrubs.
Check with school/community administra-
tors about any burning regulations or
restrictions.
Instruct students on proper safety behavior
for the activity, including keeping a safe
distance away from the fire at all times.
-------
Journal Activity J
Have students write a pretend
newspaper stony about a new
combustion facility in their neigh-
borhood. Where is it? How do
people feel about it? What are
the benefits and drawbacks?
Photocopy and distribute the Combustion
Calculator worksheet to each student. (Refer to
the Teacher Fact Sheet titled Combustion on
page 159 for background information.)
Introduce the following concepts to students:
—Combustion as a waste disposal method.
—Waste-to-energy facilities.
—Advantages and disadvantages to combustion
and waste-to-energy facilities.
Step 2: Have student volunteers tape the
pieces of cardboard together to form a small
box or have them use small boxes you already
have (to promote reuse). Have students weigh
the box on the scale and record this number on
their Combustion Calculator worksheets. Next,
place the garbage in the box. Have students
weigh the box with the garbage and record this
number on their worksheets. Then, ask students
to calculate the weight of the garbage based on
these two figures.
Step 3: Next, have two or three student vol-
unteers use a ruler to measure the length, width,
and height of the box. Ask students to record
these numbers, calculate the volume of the
garbage in the box, and record this number on
their Combustion Calculator worksheets. Ask
students to predict how these numbers will
change after the garbage has been combusted.
Have them record their predictions on their
worksheets.
Step 4: Take the class outside to your prese-
lected experiment location. Use the masking
tape to make a line on the ground designating
a "safety zone" (8 to 10 feet from the coffee can)
behind which students can safely watch the
experiment. Remind students that this experiment
should be conducted by adults only and should
NOT be attempted at home.
Step 5: Use the punch-type can opener to
punch several holes around the bottom of the
coffee can. Explain that this will allow oxygen to
enter the can and assist the burning process.
Pour the trash from the cardboard box into the
can, and light the contents on fire. Immediately
place the wire mesh over the top and step back
behind the "safety zone" line with students. The
mesh will keep the burning trash safely con-
tained in the coffee can. Have students observe
what they see, smell, or feel and record these
thoughts on their worksheets.
Step 6: After the trash has finished burning
and the can and contents have completely
cooled, place the remaining ashes back into the
cardboard box and have new student volunteers
weigh them and record the results. Ask the stu-
dents to observe the difference in volume of
between the garbage and its ash.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to think about what happened
during the combustion process and explain
how this method of trash disposal saves
landfill space. What changed in terms of
weight and volume?
2. Have students complete the math word prob-
lems on their worksheets.
3. Ask students to explain how this method of
trash disposal might generate energy. Did
they observe any evidence of energy being
created during the experiment?
4. Ask students to list any problems they
observed that might be associated with com-
bustion. What was in the smoke that was
emitted to the air? Ask students what might
have happened if rubber or plastic had been
burned?
180
The Quest for Less
-------
^^ Enrichment J
1. If possible, visit a waste-to-energy facility on
a field trip. Have students write essays about
the visit when they return. Or, invite a guest
speaker to talk about waste-to-energy facili-
ties (a county manager, a county engineer, or
a local solid waste officer).
2. Investigate the role that oxygen plays in com-
bustion by repeating the experiment using
another coffee can that does not have holes
punched in the bottom. You might also reuse
the first can with various amounts of trash to
investigate the most efficient combination of
air and fuel for complete combustion.
3. Contact your solid waste department for
information about how much trash is burned
at combustion facilities across the country
per year. Also find out how much ash is pro-
duced from this combustion. Have the
students create charts that show the differ-
ence in the amount of waste (trash versus
ash) headed to landfills.
-------
Name:
Combustion Calculator
Trash
Weight of box =
Weight of trash + box =
Weight of trash =
Volume of trash in box =
(Volume = length x width x height)
My predictions for after the trash is burned:
Weight of trash =
Volume of trash in box =
Combustion
My observations during the experiment:
Ash
Weight of ash + box =
Weight of ash =
Volume of ash in box (estimate)
Reduction of trash through
combustion:
Volume of trash - Volume
of ash =
Combustion Word Problems
Every year, each of us generates about 1 ton of garbage. One person's yearly garbage fills
27 large garbage cans.
1. When 1 ton of garbage is combusted in a waste-to-energy facility, we recover 500 kilowatt
hours of energy. Assuming electricity costs 7 cents per kilowatt hour, how much is the energy
contained in 1 ton of garbage worth?
2. As we learned in question #1, 1 ton of garbage contains 500 kilowatt hours of energy.
This amount of energy can light a lamp for 5,000 hours. How many hours could you light a
lamp if you had the energy contained in 42 tons of garbage? How many days?
How much money is this amount of energy worth?
-------
Integrating the Different Solid Waste Options
Once students understand the range of available solid waste management
options—including their different purposes, benefits, and impacts—they are
ready for a series of activities that utilize and reinforce their accumulated
knowledge. This unit allows students to integrate the key lessons learned
from previous sections and exercise decision-making and analytical skills
while having fun.
£'
-------
CHAPTER
in Bevie-w
-------
Grade • Subject • Skills Index
*See Glossary of Skills for more details.
The Quest for Less
-------
Waste in Review
TeacKer fact Sheet
Integrating all the waste management methods
described in this resource has helped a growing
number of communities and industries divert or
reduce significant quantities of garbage from
the waste stream. Successful integrated pro-
grams not only make waste management more
cost-effective, but they create jobs and may
even provide an economic boost to communi-
ties. Because no one method can manage all
the nation's garbage, EPA recommends a waste
management hierarchy that ranks the various
strategies in order of priority.
EPA's Solid Waste Management
Hierarchy
• Source Reduction—preventing waste is the
best way to manage it!
• Recycling and Composting—converting
waste into new and valuable products pre-
vents pollution (including harmful
greenhouse gases), saves natural resources,
and conserves valuable landfill space.
• Landfills and Combustion—land disposal
and combustion in properly managed facili-
ties and in compliance with environmental
regulations are options for the remaining
waste. Energy can be generated from each
of these approaches.
Waste Generation
Waste is generated at all points in a product's
life cycle—while harvesting natural resources,
during design and production, and during and
after use in homes, offices, and schools.
Hazardous wastes, which are substances that
are toxic, ignitable, corrosive, or reactive, are
most often
generated dur-
ing extraction
or production
of a product,
but can also
come from
households in
the form of
leftover prod-
ucts such as bug sprays, turpentine, motor oil,
and laundry bleach. Municipal solid waste, such
as old newspapers, yard clippings, empty bot-
tles, and even whole appliances, is generated
by people's everyday use of products, packag-
ing, and materials. In the United States, each
person generates nearly 4.5 pounds of solid
waste per day. This figure could be reduced by
placing more emphasis on source reduction.
Helping Communities' Quest for
Less
Regardless of a community's size or municipal
solid waste service, progress toward preferred
waste management approaches can only work
if individuals understand and practice the 3
R's—reducing, reusing, and recycling the solid
waste they generate each day. Every member of
the community can do their part by identifying
-------
ways to prevent and recycle waste and to safely
dispose of household hazardous waste. It is also
important for individuals and companies to "buy
recycled." After all, if no one buys recycled-
content products, there's no way to close the
recycling loop.
Future Goals
During the 1990s, recycling in the United States
increased from 1 6 to 28 percent. EPA's goals
for the future are to recycle 35 percent of the
municipal solid waste generated by 2005; to
reduce waste generation to 4.3 pounds per per-
son per day; to empower state, local, and tribal
governments to better manage solid waste; to
provide leadership in source reduction and
recycling; to build stronger public and private
partnerships; and to ensure the environmental
soundness of source reduction, recycling, com-
bustion, and landfill disposal. The concepts
learned from the activities in this resource will
help lead the nation to the path of a sustain-
able and waste-free future.
Additional Information Resources:
Visit the following Web site for more information on all the topics discussed in this resource:
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Solid Waste:
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 2-3
Wctftettace
|) Objective J
To classify trash items as reusable, recyclable,
compostable, disposable, or household hazardous waste.
Activity Description J
Students will participate in a relay race to place trash
items in appropriate bins.
Key Vocabulary Words J
Reusable
Recyclable
Disposable
Compostable
Household hazardous
Waste
social
studies
Materials Needed J
A variety of trash items in each of the categories listed
in Step 1, supplied by the teacher (see below for sug-
gestions)
Two trash bags or wastebaskets
Two sets of colored stickers (e.g., red and blue)
Five large plastic or metal bins
Waste Race Suggested Items (no food items please)
« Duration)
Skills Used )
Communication
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Napkin
Plastic packaging
Piece of cloth
Glass bottle
Aluminum can
Leaves or grass
Steel can
Plastic fork
Aerosol can
Piece of wood
Copy paper
Text book
Paper lunch bag
Cardboard
Paint can
Tea bag
Coffee can
Flowers
Activity J
Step 1: Review the Teacher Fact Sheets titled
Solid Waste on page 41, Hazardous Wasfe on
page 45, Recycling on page 73, and
Composting on page 109 for background
information. Review the different waste manage-
ment options with students to put the activity in
context. Discuss the different collected trash
items and where they should go when they are
done being used (e.g., trash, recycling bin,
compost pile).
Step 2: Label five plastic bins/trash cans as
"Reusable," "Recyclable," "Compostable,"
"Household Hazardous Waste (HHW)," or
"Disposable Waste," respectively, and place
them throughout the room. (This activity will
work best in a large area like a gymnasium or a
playground so the students have enough room
to run around.) Review vocabulary with students.
-------
Step 3: Collect trash items over a few days
(see above for suggestions). Collect enough for
each student to have at least one turn
participating in the race. Make sure the items
are not dangerous for the students to handle
(e.g., no sharp edges on open cans) and they
should be cleaned, if necessary. Divide the items
into two piles (one for each team), labeling the
Red team's items with the red stickers and the
Blue team's items with the blue stickers.
Step 4: Have students form two lines/teams
in the center of the room.
Step 5: Explain to the students how a relay
race works. The teacher should pre-determine
and announce a time limit for the race, based
on the number of students and their level of
familiarity with the subject. When the teacher
signals for the race to start, the first student in
each line will reach into his or her team's trash
bag and pull out an item. The two students will
decide in which bin it belongs and run to the
labeled plastic bin. After placing the trash item
in the bin, the student will run back to the end
of the line and the next two students will repeat
the same process. When the time limit has been
exceeded, the teacher will end the race. The
object is to be the fastest team to sort the items
correctly.
Step 6: At the end of the race, empty each
bin one at a time so all the students can see if
the items were placed correctly. Encourage the
students to discuss why each trash item was
placed in its bin. Discuss whether some trash
items can be placed in more than one bin. The
team that was able to place the most items in
the correct bin wins.
Assessment J
1. See Step 6.
2. Have students name an item not included in
the game that is reusable, recyclable, com-
postable, disposable, and/or household
hazardous waste.
^ Enrichment J
1. Expand the Waste Race to include other
classrooms and possibly a tournament for a
great Earth Day activity.
2. Explore the activities found in the Planet
Protector's Club kit. This kit was created by
EPA as a way to get students involved in
learning about their environment. It includes
two pocket guides (one for adults and one
for children), an official membership certifi-
cate, an official Planet Protectors Club
badge, activity guides for grades K-3 and 4-
6, a board game about recycling, and a
Planet Protectors Club poster. To order this
kit, call EPA at 800 424-9346 and ask for
document number EPA530-E-98-002.
190
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 4-6
Drop, $wap, and "Roll
"Board Game
Objective J
To educate students about recycling, composting, reuse,
household hazardous waste, landfilling, and combustion.
Activity Description J
Students play a board game in which they must get rid of
their "trash" cards by dropping off items at appropriate
bins (e.g., recycling, composting, or reuse bins) stationed
on the playing board. Students learn facts about waste
management as they move around the board.
Key Vocabulary Words J
Reuse
Recycling
Composting
Landfill
Incinerator
Household hazardous
waste
Materials Needed J
Several Drop, Swap, and Roll playing boards, with
the included "trash" and "trash trivia" cards and
playing pieces.
Call EPA at 800 424-9346 to order this game at no
cost while supplies last (document number EPA530-
E-98-002).
Several dice (one for each game board).
Skills Used ]
Communication
Reading
Computation
Observation/classification
Motor skills
Activity J
Step 1: Review the Teacher Fact Sheets titled
Solid Waste on page 41, Hazardous Wasfe on
page 45, Recycling on page 73, Composting
on page 1 09, Landfills on page 155, and
Combustion on page 159 for back-
ground information on the different
waste management options. Review
vocabulary with students.
Step 2: Divide class into groups of
4 to 6 students and distribute one
game board (including cards, playing
pieces, and dice) to each group.
Step 3: Read instructions provided with
game board and review procedures with stu-
dents before they play independently.
The major points of the game
are as follows:
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to think about how
they would design their community's
waste management system. What
would they include? How would it
be different from the system their
community has in place now?
Each player starts with 10 "trash" cards. A player
rolls the die and moves backward or forward on
the board to dispose of his or her "trash" cards in
the appropriate places. Refer to the legend on
the board to determine which items go where.
(Some trash items might not be recycled in your
community or might be handled differently than
the game suggests. Explain to the students that
this game can help them learn about things that
are recyclable, even though they are not neces-
sarily recycled locally.) The first player to get rid of
all his or her "trash" cards is the winner.
Step 4: Players who land on a space with a
question mark (?) must answer a true/false
question from the "trash trivia" cards. If the
player answers the question correctly, he or she
gets to roll again. If he or she answers incor-
rectly, he or she must take another trash card
from the center of the board. (The answers to
some "trash trivia" cards might not reflect the
practices in your community. These cards can
be removed or replaced by more appropriate
cards that the teacher or students can create.)
Step 5: If a player lands on a space that says
"Make a Swap," he or she can get rid of any
"trash" card by trading it for one from another
player. Refer to the game rules for more details.
Step 6: If one player thinks another player
dropped off an item at a particular location
incorrectly, the first player can challenge the
other player. First, check the legend to settle the
dispute. If the player did drop off an item incor-
rectly, that player must take back his or her card
and miss that turn. If that player was correct in
dropping off the item (and the challenger was
wrong), then the challenger must answer a
"trash trivia" question. If the challenger answers
incorrectly, he or she must take another "trash"
card. If he or she answers correctly, the game
proceeds as before. Refer to the game rules for
more details.
Assessment J
1. Ask students to list three items not found in
the board game that can be recycled,
reused, or composted in your community.
2. Have students explain why the game penal-
izes players by sending them to the landfi
combustor.
or
3. Ask students why household hazardous waste
has its own station.
^ Enrichment J
Ask the students to explore the different
activities found on EPA's Office of Solid
Waste Web site for kids
.
Activities include numerous games, a comic
book, and a coloring book.
Explore the other activities found in the Planet
Protector's Club kit, which is available at no
cost from EPA. This kit was created by EPA as
a way to get students involved in learning
about their environment. In addition to the
Drop, Swap, and Roll board game, it includes
an official membership certificate, an official
Planet Protectors Club badge, activity guides
for grades K-3 and 4-6, and a Planet
Protectors Club poster. To order this kit, call
EPA at 800 424-9346 and ask for document
number EPA530-E-98-002.
The Quest for Less
-------
Grades 4-6
ffown,
Objective J
Key Vocabulary Words J
To teach students about the costs involved in waste
management.
Activity Description J
Students will read the summary information about Trash
Town and complete math problems to assess the cost of
disposal and recycling in Trash Town.
Landfill
Tipping fee
Recycle
Disposal
JJ Duration J
social
studies
1 hour
Materials Needed J
One copy of Trash Town worksheet per student
One pencil per student
One calculator per student (optional)
Skills Used )
Reading
Computation
Problem solving
Activity J
Step 1: Photocopy and distribute the Trash
Town worksheet to each student. Introduce the
following concepts to your class (refer to the
Teacher Fact Sheet titled Solid Waste on page
41 for more information):
• It costs us money to dispose of our
garbage. The more garbage we generate,
the more money we pay for disposal.
• Landfills charge a fee for accepting trash
(tipping fee).
• We can save money by recycling, compost-
ing, reusing, or source reducing instead of
throwing out garbage.
• We can earn money by recycling because
recycled materials can be sold to
manufacturers.
The Economics of Trash
• Landfill Tipping Fee—Communities that want
to dispose of their waste in a landfill must
pay the landfill owners a fee, based on the
number of tons of waste they discard.
• Recyclables Market—Recycling can be
profitable! Communities that collect
recyclable items can sell those items to
manufacturers for reuse. Communities can
check the recyclables marketplace to find out
the current, per-ton prices associated with
different recyclabe materials.
Step 2: Pass out calculators to each stu-
dent. Ask the students to carefully read the
Trash Town worksheet and complete the math
problems related to the town's disposal and
recycling practices. (Teachers can decide
whether this worksheet should be completed
in groups or individually.)
-------
Journal Activity J
Ask students to pretend that they
are the mayor of Trash Town. If
the residents of their town com-
plained about the price of
garbage disposal, what would
they tell them?
Assessment J
1. Collect the Trash Town worksheets and eval-
uate the computations and answers.
2. Ask students to identify the most expensive
element of garbage disposal. Ask them
whether it's more costly to recycle and reuse
or to throw everything away.
3. Ask students to list some of the cost consid-
erations involved in garbage disposal.
^ Enrichment J
Conduct a "Pay-As-You-Throw" (PAYT) exper-
iment in the classroom or lunchroom. Hand
out the same amount of fake money to each
student and charge them based on the
amount of trash they throw away from their
lunch. (One paper bag = $l 00, one plastic
bag = $200, one aluminum can = $500, etc.)
Keep this up for a few days and see if the stu-
dents can bring in lunches that are less costly
the next day (less wasteful). See who ends up
with the most fake money at the end of the
week and give that person a prize for being
"waste wise." You can also explain to students
that more than 4,000 communities across the
country have PAYT programs where citizens
are charged based on the amount of garbage
they throw away.
2. Contact your local solid waste agency to
obtain actual waste statistics and costs for your
own community. Have students use these num-
bers to find out how much money the
community spends on garbage disposal per
day, per week, or per year.
3. Have students devise a plan for helping the
residents of Trash Town save more money and
protect the environment. Ask the students to
write a speech or article explaining their new
plan to the residents of Trash Town—what
needs to be recycled and how, how the resi-
dents will benefit, and how the environment
will benefit.
Answer Key
1. How many tons of garbage does the entire Trash
Town generate per day? 110 tOPS
Per year? f 0,1 SO tOPS
2. How much does it cost for Trash Town to throw all of
its garbage into a landfill each year?
ll.6Q6.QQQ
3. If Trash Town started a recycling program and recy-
cled 30 percent of its garbage each year, how many
tons of recyclables would be collected?
12.0^5 tops
4 If Trash Town recycled 30 percent of its garbage per
year, how many tons of trash would still be sent to
the landfill? 28.105 tOPS _
5. How much money (in less tipping fees) would Trash
Town save from recycling 30 percent of its garbage
per year? ^81.000 _
6. How much money would Trash Town earn from recy-
cling 30 percent of its garbage per year?
7. How much could Trash Town earn if it started recy-
cling 50 percent of its garbage per year?
_ 1200.750
What about 60 percent? $2^0.900
The Quest for Less
-------
Welcome to
Student Handout
Greetings.' I'm ftaby ftabbish, the
mayor of Trash Town, and I want
to thank yoa for visiting oar corn-
man ity. Are yoa good with
nambers? Do yoa know what's
best for the environment? We need
yoar help.' The residents of Trash
Town are spending lots of money to haal
and damp their garbage in the local land-
fill. Oar landfill is filling ap fast and we worry
aboat what all this trash is doing to oar envi-
ronment Plas, we can't afford to keep paying so
mach for oar garbage disposal. We've heard that other towns are
helping to protect the environment by recycling and reasing items
instead of throwing them away. We've also heard that some com-
manities can make money by recycling. Onfortanately, the Trash Town
garbage specialist is on vacation and we need someone to
answer all of oar questions aboat garbage disposal
immediately. If I give yoa all of the information, can
yoa help? If
yoa can fig-
are oat the
solations to
oar qaes-
tions on the
next page,
yoa'll be the
hero of
Trash Town.'.'
Irash, Town
-------
Student
Name:
1 .How many tons of garbage does the entire Trash Town
generate per day?
Per year?
2. How much does it cost for Trash Town to throw all of its
garbage into a landfill each year?
3.If Trash Town started a recycling program and recycled 30
percent of its garbage each year, how many tons of recy-
clables would be collected?
4. If Trash Town recycled 30 percent of its garbage per year, how many tons of trash would still be
sent to the landfill?
5. How much money (in less tipping fees) would Trash Town save from recycling 30 percent of its
garbage per year?
6. How much money would Trash Town earn from recycling 30 percent of its garbage per year?
7. How much could Trash Town earn if it started recycling 50 percent of its garbage per year?
What about 60 percent?
cBju&&r&t
Can you face the Tpash Town challenge? The following infopmation will help you solve the wopd
ppoblems below.
Diffepent types of pecycled matepials eapn diffepent amounts of money in the pecyclables
mapketplace. FOP example:
Plastic bottles: $15/ton Capdboapd: $f0/ton Magazines: $5/ton Steel: $fO/ton
Aluminum cans: $fO/ton Newspapep:$15/ton Glass: $15/ton
1. How much money would Tpash Town eapn fop pecycling 250 tons of newspapep and 30 tons of
steel pep yeap?
2. If Tpash Town pecycles 20 pepcent of its total annual gapbage and 15 pepcent of that gapbage is
aluminum cans and 5 pepcent is magazines, how much money will it eapn in total?
3. How many pounds of capdboapd would Tpash Town have to pecycle in opdep to eapn mope than
$39,000 pep yeap?
-------
A
-------
y*
C/
erm^
/ —*
Note: This glossary defines unfamiliar terms specifically related to solid waste and the environment;
some words listed in the activities under "Vocabulary" will not be found in this glossary.
vc/
Aerobic—with oxygen. During the composting
process, certain bacteria need oxygen to break
down the mix of organic materials. This is
known as aerobic decomposition.
Anaerobic—without oxygen. In a landfill, certain
bacteria decompose organic materials without
oxygen and create methane gas through a
process known as anaerobic decomposition.
Ash (also combustion ash)—solid residue that
remains after the combustion, or burning, of waste.
Backyard composting—the homeowner's prac-
tice of collecting leftover kitchen scraps
(excluding meats and fats) and yard trimmings
for decomposition in a private compost pile.
Backyard composters can use their compost as
a soil enhancement for their gardens.
Bacteria—single-celled microorganisms. Certain
types of bacteria break down organic materials
(using an aerobic and/or anaerobic process).
Bedding—organic material, such as shredded
newspaper, used to retain moisture and allow
proper air circulation and drainage to provide a
healthy environment for worms in a verm/com-
postfng container.
Biodegradable—materials that can decompose,
usually by bacteria or sunlight, into basic com-
ponents. Most organic materials (paper, grass
clippings, food scraps), under the right condi-
tions, are biodegradable.
Biodiversity (also biological diversity)—indicated
by the numbers of different species of plants and
Common Recyclable Items and Related Terms
Aluminum—a lightweight, silver-white, metallic element
that makes up approximately 7 percent of the Earth's
crust. Aluminum is used in a variety of ways, but perhaps
most familiarly in the manufacture of soft drink cans.
Bauxite—a rock in which aluminum is found in high
concentrations.
Cardboard—a thin, stiff material made of paper pulp and
used in making cartons and other forms of packaging.
Gullet—clean, generally color-sorted, crushed glass
used to make new glass products.
Fibers—the long, thick-walled cells that give strength
and support to plant tissue. The fibers of wood and
cloth are used in making paper.
Glass—hard, brittle, generally transparent or translucent
material typically formed from the rapid cooling of liq-
uefied minerals. Most commercial glass is made from a
molten mixture of soda ash, sand, and lime.
Metal—an element that usually has a shiny surface, is a
good conductor of heat and electricity, and can be
melted down, fused, or hammered. Metals include iron,
gold, sodium, copper, magnesium, tin, and aluminum.
Paper—a thin material made of pulp from wood, rags,
or other fibrous materials and used for writing, printing,
or wrapping.
Plastic—a material made from petroleum capable of
being molded, extruded, or cast into various shapes.
There are many different kinds of plastic made from dif-
ferent combinations of compounds.
Pulp—a mixture of fibrous material such as wood, rags,
and paper, that is ground up and moistened to be used
in making paper or cardboard.
Steel—a strong, durable material made of iron and car-
bon, and often other metals, to achieve different
properties. Steel is often used as a component in cans
and as a structural material in construction.
Tin—a soft silver-white metallic element, capable of
being easily molded and having a low melting point. Tin
is often used together with other metals in making cans
for packaging.
-------
animals found in a natural environment. Many
different species of plants and animals within an
ecosystem is indicative of a healthy environment.
Brownfields—abandoned or unused industrial
and commercial land that cannot be developed
or expanded because of real or perceived con-
tamination with toxic substances.
Bulk—when food or other products are sold
unpackaged or in large volumes to reduce pack-
aging waste. Consumers who buy one large
bottle of juice rather than many small containers
of juice, for example, are "buying in bulk."
Byproduct—excess material or waste produced in
addition to the primary product. Sludge is a
byproduct from the manufacture of paper, for
example. Many manufacturers look for innovative
ways to reuse or recycle the byproducts created
during the production process to reduce waste.
Castings—manure from red wriggler worms that
can be used as a soil conditioner to provide
aeration, drainage, and nutrients to soil.
Climate—the average course or condition of
weather over a period of years based on condi-
tions of heat and cold, moisture and dryness,
clearness and cloudiness, wind and calm, applied
to a specific location or globally. Southern Florida,
for example, has a sunny, dry, warm climate.
Closing the loop—purchasing products made
from recycled materials. Recycling is a cycle. It
is not enough simply to collect recyclables for
manufacture into new products. People must
then buy products made with recycled content,
thus closing the loop.
Combustion/Incineration—a rapid chemical
process that produces heat, gas, ash, and usually
light through burning. This process is one option
for the disposal of municipal solid waste. It can
also be used as a treatment or disposal option for
hazardous waste. See combusfor, waste-to-energy.
Combustor/lncinerator—a facility for the con-
trolled burning of waste. Burning municipal solid
waste can reduce its volume and weight. Some
facilities capture energy from the steam or heat
that is produced during the burning process. (See
Waste-to-energy.) Burning hazardous waste can be
considered a form of treatment and can reduce
the hazardous components of the waste.
Compaction—the act or process of pressing
materials together to occupy the smallest volume
possible; a common practice at a sanitary landfill.
Compost—a crumbly, earthy, sweet-smelling mix-
ture of decomposing organic matter (e.g.,
leaves, food scraps) created in a controlled, fher-
mophilic environment that is often used to
improve the texture, water-retaining capacity,
and aeration of soil.
Composting—the controlled biological decom-
position of organic material under aerobic or
anaerobic conditions. Organic materials are bro-
ken down (decomposed by microorganisms) into
compost, also known as humus. Composting can
occur in a backyard bin, a pile, long windrows,
or in a vermicomposfing container.
Conservation—the protection or wise use of
natural resources that ensures their continuing
availability to future generations; the intelligent
use of natural resources for long-term benefits.
Consumption—the amount of any product or
resource (e.g., material or energy) used in a
given time by a given number of consumers.
Contamination—the process of adding one sub-
stance to another substance, such as as motor
oil to water, that reduces its quality; to make
impure or unsafe by contact with potentially
harmful substances.
Corrosive—a substance capable of dissolving or
breaking down other substances (especially met-
als) or causing skin burns. A corrosive has a pH
level below 2 or above 12.5.
Decompose—to break down into basic compo-
nents, given the right conditions of light, air, and
moisture; refers to materials such as food and
other plant and animal matter.
Deforestation—the clearing and removal of
trees from a forested area.
Disposable—products or materials that can be
or are usually thrown away after one use or a
limited amount of time. For example, used
paper plates are disposable.
The Quest for Less
-------
Disposal—refers to the process of throwing
away unwanted materials. These materials are
placed in a landfill or combusted rather than
recycled, reused, or composted.
Disposal cell—a fixed area in a sanitary landfill
where waste is disposed of, compacted into the
smallest space possible, and then covered with
soil on a daily basis.
Durable—goods that can be used more than
once and withstand long use, wear, and decay.
Appliances are examples of durable goods.
Dump—site where waste is disposed of in an
unmanaged, uncovered area. Current landfill
restrictions have made dumps illegal. See sani-
tary landfill.
production and manufacture, use less packaging,
or are reusable or recyclable are preferable.
Ecosystem—community of plants and animals
that interact with one another and with the sur-
rounding nonliving environment. Examples of
ecosystems include ponds, forests, and beaches.
Effluent—waste material discharged into the
environment; refers to the treated liquid emitted
from a manufacturing facility or municipal
wastewater treatment plant.
Emission—the discharge of gases or particles,
such as from a smokestack or automobile
engine.
Energy—capacity for a system or an object to
do work (i.e., cause a change by pulling, push-
ing, or heating). Energy generated from
incineration, for example, can be harnessed to
provide electrical power for communities.
Environment—the external conditions that influ-
ence the development and survival of an
organism or population; usually refers to air,
water, land, plants, and animals.
Environmental impact—the effect of an activity
or substance on the environment.
Environmentally preferable products—those prod-
ucts that have a reduced effect on human health
and the environment when compared to other
products that serve the same purpose. For
example, products that contain recycled content,
require less energy or create less waste during
Flammable—describes a substance that ignites
and burns.
Food chain—the transfer of food energy from
one organism to the next. As one example of a
simple food chain, an insect consumes a plant
and is then consumed by a bird.
Food web—the complex and interlocking net-
works of food chains within ecosystems where
plants and animals coexist and depend on one
another for energy needs.
Fossil fuels—fuels such as petroleum or coal
formed over millions of years from the remains
of ancient organic materials.
Geothermal energy—the internal heat of the
earth collected from underground concentra-
tions of steam or hot water trapped in fractured
or porous rock.
Global climate change—natural or human
induced change in the average global tempera-
ture of the atmosphere near the Earth's surface.
This condition poses serious dangers around the
world, potentially prompting such disasters as
flooding, drought, and disease.
Grasscycling—refers to a method of source
reduction whereby grass clippings are left on
the lawn rather than bagged and set out for
collection.
Greenhouse effect—the excessive trapping of
heat in the Earth's atmosphere by a blanket of
gases. Gases such as water vapor, methane,
and carbon dioxide exist naturally and help
retain the Earth's normal surface temperature.
Changes in the normal volume of gases in the
atmosphere, due to human-induced activities,
are believed to contribute to global climate
change.
-------
Greenhouse gas—gas such as methane, nitrous
oxide, ammonia, sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide,
and certain chlorinated hydrocarbons that
affects the overall heat-retaining properties of
the Earth's atmosphere. A build-up of these
gases creates a warming of the Earth's atmos-
phere, thus changing the global climate.
Ground water—water stored in porous spaces of
soil and rock underground. Many communities
depend on ground water for their drinking water.
Habitat—an area where a living organism is
typically located that provides adequate food,
water, shelter, and living space for survival.
Hazardous waste—waste that is often produced
in large quantities by businesses and industrial
facilities that can be defined as toxic, ignitable,
corrosive, or reacffve. This type of waste is regu-
lated by a law called the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act (RCRA) to minimize risks to
human health and the environment.
Household hazardous waste—small quantities of
unused or leftover hazardous products used in
the home that become waste. Paints, pesticides,
and some cleaners are examples of household
hazardous waste. Caution must be taken when
handling, storing, or disposing of these products.
Humus—the organic portion of soil; a sub-
stance resulting from the decay of plant and/or
animal matter by microorganisms.
Ignitable—capable of burning; will catch fire at
temperatures less than 140° F.
Incineration—see combustion/incineration.
I nci nerators—see combusfor/inc/nerator.
Integrated waste management—the comple-
mentary use of a variety of waste management
practices to safely and effectively handle munici-
pal solid waste. These practices include source
reduction, recycling, composting, combustion,
waste-to-energy, and landfilling.
Landfill—see sanitary landfill.
Landfill reclamation—the process whereby old
disposal cells are excavated to recover recycla-
ble items.
Landfilling—the process of hauling waste to a
landfill cell for disposal.
Leachate—occurs when precipitation seeps
through a landfill and mixes with toxic and non-
toxic liquids, some of which are created during
biological decomposition. A sanitary landfill usu-
ally has a leachate collection system where
leachate is collected from the landfill and treated
to prevent the contamination of ground water.
Leachate collection system—a system of layers
and pipes, located between the primary and
secondary liners in a landfill, designed to cap-
ture all leachate and prevent groundwater
contamination.
Leachate recovery facility—a special facility
designed to collect liquids leaching out of a land-
fill to remove harmful or particulate materials.
Life cycle—the complete cycle of events occur-
ring over the lifetime of an animate or inanimate
object. For example, in the life cycle of a plant,
seeds are dropped in the ground; soil, water,
and compost help the plants grow; the plants
drop seeds; the plants die and become compost;
new seeds grow into new plants. A product life
cycle is the series of steps involved in manufac-
turing; distributing; using; reusing, recycling, or
ultimately disposing of a product.
Liner—a layer of plastic or clay placed in a san/'-
fary landfill to prevent leachate from escaping
and contaminating surrounding groundwater.
Manufacturing—the process of turning raw
materials into a product or good by hand or
machinery.
Methane—a colorless, odorless, flammable gas
formed by the anaerobic decomposition of
organic waste in a landfill. Methane also is a
greenhouse gas that contributes to global cli-
mate change. Many sanitary landfills have a
202
The Quest for Less
-------
system in place for methane gas recovery. These
facilities collect some of the methane and sell it
as a source of energy for heating buildings,
manufacturing products, or other uses.
Microorganisms—organisms of microscopic
size, such as bacteria, amoeba, and viruses.
Municipal—properties, goods, and services owned
or operated by a city or county government.
Municipal solid waste—wastes such as durable
goods, disposable goods, containers and pack-
aging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and
miscellaneous inorganic wastes from house-
holds, some commercial establishments (e.g.,
businesses or restaurants), institutions (e.g.,
schools or hospitals), and some industrial
sources. It does not include nonhazardous
industrial wastes, sewage, agricultural waste,
hazardous waste, or construction and demoli-
tion waste. Also known as garbage, trash,
refuse, or debris.
Municipal solid waste landfill—see sanitary
landfill.
Natural resources—raw materials or energy
supplied by nature and its processes (e.g., water,
minerals, plants). Trees are a natural resource
used to make paper, and sunlight is a natural
resource that can be used to heat homes.
NIMBY (Not In My Backyard)—a term indicating
the attitude of individuals who oppose siting a
disposal facility in their communities.
Nonrenewable resources—naturally occurring
raw materials that are exhaustible and become
depleted more quickly than they naturally regen-
erate. Some nonrenewable resources, such as
peat, petroleum, and metals, are only available
in limited quantities, take a long time to form,
and are used up rapidly.
Nontoxic—does not contain substances that are
harmful, poisonous, or destructive.
Oil (crude oil)—unrefined liquid petroleum.
Open dumps—the outdated, unsanitary practice of
discarding waste in unlined, unprepared land sites.
Organic—from a living organism (e.g., plant,
animal, person, or bacteria). Also refers to a
product grown or manufactured only with natu-
ral materials (e.g., corn grown with compost
and not chemical fertilizer or pesticides; sham-
poo made from plants instead of human-made
chemicals).
Organism—a living body made up of cells and
tissue; examples include trees, animals, humans,
and bacteria.
Packaging—a cover, wrapper, container, or sta-
bilizer (e.g., strapping or pallet) designed to
store, transport, display, and protect a product
and/or attract purchasers.
Pathogen—an organism that causes disease,
such as e. coli or salmonella typhi bacteria.
Pay-As-You-Throw (PAYT)—see unit-based
pricing.
Petroleum—a fossil fuel extracted from natural
deposits deep in the Earth; consists of a mixture
of solids, liquids, and gases that are physically
separated (refined) into products such as
gasoline, wax, asphalt, and petrochemical feed-
stocks, which are the building blocks of many
plastics. Also sometimes known as oil (crude
oil).
pH—a measure of acidity or alkalinity. The pH
scale ranges from 0 to 14. A substance with a
value less than 7 is acidic, 7 is neutral, and
above 7 is alkaline.
Pollutant—a liquid, gas, dust, or solid material
that causes contamination of air, water, earth,
and living organisms.
Pollution—the contamination of soil, water, or
the atmosphere by the discharge of harmful
substances.
-------
Pollution prevention—preventing or reducing
pollution where it originates, at the source—
including practices that conserve natural
resources through increased efficiency in the use
of raw materials, energy, water, and land. See
waste minimization.
Postconsumer content—percentage of materials
recovered by consumers (from the municipal
solid waste stream). For example, a newspaper
might be made from 30 percent recovered
newsprint.
Postconsumer materials—materials recovered
through recycling programs (i.e., materials
recovered from the municipal solid waste
stream, not from internal industrial processes).
These materials are often used to make new
products. Newspapers that are recycled by con-
sumers, for example, are a postconsumer
material used to make newsprint.
Preconsumer content—percentage of materials
salvaged for reuse from the waste stream of a
manufacturing process (rather than from con-
sumers) subsequently used to manufacture a
product.
Processing—see manufacturing.
Product—item manufactured by hand or by
industry for consumers to purchase and use.
Pulp—a mixture of fibrous material such as
wood, rags, and paper, ground up and mois-
tened to be used in making paper or
cardboard.
Raw materials—unprocessed materials used in
the manufacture of products. These unprocessed
materials can be either natural substances such
as wood or metals or recovered materials such
as crushed glass from residential recycling.
Reactive—tending to react spontaneously with
air, solids, or water, explode when dropped, or
emit toxic gases.
Recovered material content—see recycled content.
Recovered materials—materials used in a man-
ufacturing process that are obtained from
municipal recycling programs or collected from
industrial processes (e.g., short paper fibers left
over after making high-grade paper may be
used to make paperboard).
Recovered resources—see resource recovery.
Recycling—collecting, sorting, processing, and
converting materials that would have been
thrown away into raw materials used to make
the same or new products.
Recycling loop—the cycle of collecting and pro-
cessing, manufacturing products with recycled
content, and purchasing products containing
recycled materials. Consumers "close the recy-
cling loop" when they buy recycled-content items.
Recycled content—also known as recovered
material content, is the percentage of material a
product is made from that has been recovered
from consumers in the municipal solid Waste
stream (posfconsumer contenf) plus any industri-
al materials salvaged for reuse (preconsumer
confenf).
Recyclable—material that still has useful physi-
cal or chemical properties after serving its
original purpose and can be reused or remanu-
factured to make new products. Plastic, paper,
glass, steel and aluminum cans, and used oil
are examples of recyclable materials.
Residential—refers to homes and neighborhoods.
Resource Conservation and Recovery Act
(RCRA)—a set of regulations that control the
management of hazardous waste to protect
human health and the environment.
Resource recovery—the process of obtaining
materials from waste that can be used as raw
materials in the manufacture of new products or
converting these materials into some form of fuel
or energy source. An integrated resource recovery
program may include recycling, waste-to-energy,
composting, and/or other components.
Resources—materials used to make products,
generate heat, produce electricity, or perform
work. See natural resources, nonrenewab/e
resources, and renewable resources.
Renewable resource—naturally occurring raw
material that comes from a limitless or cyclical
source such as the sun, wind, water (hydroelec-
The Quest for Less
-------
tricity), or trees. When properly used and man-
aged, renewable resources are not consumed
faster than they are replenished.
Reusable—material that can be used again, either
for its original purpose, or for a new purpose.
Reuse—a type of source reduction activity
involving the recovery or reapplication of a
package, used product, or material in a manner
that retains its original form or identity.
Runoff—water, usually from precipitation (rain),
that flows across the ground—rather than soak-
ing into it—and eventually enters a body of
water. Sometimes carries substances, such as
soil or contaminants, into a water body.
Sanitary landfill—a site where waste is managed
to prevent or minimize health, safety, and
environmental impacts. To develop a sanitary
landfill, communities excavate soil and install an
impermeable liner, made of plastic or clay, to
prevent the contamination of ground Water.
Waste is deposited in different cells and covered
daily with soil. Sanitary landfills often have
environmental monitoring systems to track per-
formance and collect leachafe and mefhane
gas. Some landfills are specially designed to
handle hazardous waste.
Solid waste—see municipal solid waste.
Source reduction (also known as waste preven-
tion)—any change in the design, manufacture,
purchase, or use of materials or products
(including packaging) to reduce their amount or
toxicity before they become municipal solid
Waste. Source reduction also refers to the reuse
of products or materials.
Sustainability—social and environmental practices
that protect and enhance the human and natural
resources needed by future generations to enjoy
a quality of life equal to or greater than our own.
Themnophilic—"heat loving," or surviving well in
high temperatures. In the composting process,
heat-loving microorganisms break down food
scraps and yard trimmings into a crumbly, soil-
like substance.
Tipping fee—a fee assessed for waste disposal
in a sanitary landfill, waste-to-energy plant, or
composting facility for a given amount of waste,
usually in dollars per ton. Fees are established
based on disposal facility costs and the amount
disposed of at the facility.
Toxic—containing compounds that pose a
substantial threat to human health and/or the
environment.
Unit-based pricing/PAYT (Pay-As-You-Throw)—a
system in which residents pay for municipal solid
waste management services per unit of waste
(by weight or volume) collected rather than
through a fixed fee. Residents, for example,
might purchase a sticker to place on each bag
of waste set out at the curb—the price of the
sticker covers the solid waste management serv-
ice costs for the volume of the bag.
Vermicomposting/vermiculture—a method of
composting using a special kind of earthworm
known as a red wiggler (Elsenia fef/da), which
eats its weight in organic matter each day. Over
time, the organic material is replaced with worm
castings, a rich brown matter that is an excellent
natural plant food.
Virgin materials—previously unprocessed mate-
rials. A tree that is cut into lumber to make
pallets is an example of a virgin material.
Lumber recovered from broken pallets to make
new pallets is not a virgin material but a recy-
clable material.
Virgin resources—raw materials that must be
mined or captured from the Earth for use in the
creation of products or energy.
Waste—see municipal solid waste.
Waste management—administration of activities
that provide for the collection, source separa-
tion, storage, transportation, transfer,
processing, treatment, and disposal of waste.
Waste management hierarchy—the preferred
way to manage solid waste is to first practice
-------
source reduction, then recycle and compost,
and finally to combust waste at a wasfe-fo-
energy facility or place it in a sanitary landfill.
Waste minimization—includes reducing waste
before it is even generated (see source
reduction) and environmentally sound recycling.
Often used in relation to hazardous waste.
Waste prevention—see source reduction.
Waste-to-energy—a process in which waste is
brought to a facility and burned to generate
steam or electricity.
Waste-to-energy facilities—specially designed
waste management facilities where waste is
burned to create energy, which is captured for
use in generating electricity.
Waste stream—the total flow of solid waste gen-
erated from homes, businesses, and institutions
that must be recycled, incinerated, or disposed
of in landfills.
Windrow—large, elongated pile ofyardfr/m-
m/'ngs or other organic materials used in the
composting process, typically turned by a
machine. Municipal composting programs often
use windrows for large-scale composting of yard
trimmings.
Yard trimmings—grass, leaves, tree branches,
brush, tree stumps, and other compostable
organic materials that are generated by homes,
schools, or businesses.
Glossary of Terms The Quest for Less
-------
of
Note: This resource uses the following definitions for the skills indicated in each activity.
Communication—writing or verbally expressing
coherent and creative thoughts and opinions;
interacting with other students to accomplish a
common goal.
Computation—adding, subtracting, multiplying,
dividing, or grouping numbers; recognizing and
describing numerical patterns or symmetry;
developing skills of estimation and judgement;
using variables or equations to express relation-
ships; developing charts, graphs, or tables to
represent numerical data; giving directions or
explaining ideas or concepts to others.
Motor Skills—hands-on activities such as cut-
ting, pasting, coloring, or drawing; physical
activities such as running, or, throwing and han-
dling objects.
Observation/Classification—identifying certain
physical properties or abstract qualities of
objects or concepts; understanding objects or
concepts according to physical or abstract simi-
larities or differences.
Problem Solving—using prior knowledge to con-
struct or anticipate meaning; generating and
answering who, what, when, where, why ques-
tions; using data, tools, or resources to obtain
information; interpreting data to explain out-
comes or to predict outcomes.
Reading—reading or listening to a story, essay,
dissertation, or speech; being able to compre-
hend, remember, and respond to questions; and
following directions.
Research—using outside sources to obtain data;
recording accurate data.
------- |