The  life  of

a  Soccer Ball
    Have you ever wondered how soccer balls
    are made and what happens to them
when you're finished playing with them? As
with any product, making a soccer ball uses
natural resources and energy, which can
impact the air, land, and water. Follow the
life  of a soccer ball to learn more about how
it is made and how you can help reduce  its
environmental impacts.
                                     1
Gathering and Processing
Materials
Soccer balls are made both natural and
man-made materials, including:
                                               Plastic, from petroleum
                                               Rubber, from plants or synthetic

                                               Cotton, from plants
                                                  Animal products, including leather
                                               These materials must be
                                               processed in factories
                                               before they're made
                                               into a ball.
Cover: Leather or Plastic
lining:
                                                                                                     Plastic or Cotton
                                              Bladder: Rubber
         Use and Beyond
      From backyard practice to game day, you can use and enjoy a
      soccer ball for a  long, long time, especially if you take good care
      of it. Once it is worn out, though, a soccer ball can be difficult to
      recycle because the materials in it can't be easily separated. But
      you can reuse it, or donate it to an organization that will pass it
      on to someone who will.

Score BigBy Taking Care of Your Ball

•*












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Do
Keep your ball inflated.

Keep your ball clean.

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grass or clay.


—

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Don't
Stand or sit on your ball. ,
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Leave your ball outside ™
overnight or in the rain.

Play on hard surfaces
like concrete or asphalt.

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              United States
              Environmental Protection
              Agency
    EPA 530-F-15-010
    April 2015
2
Assembly
Parts are assembled into a complete ball using glue or
stitching.


Cover material is rolled out to make a strong, smooth
exterior, and panels are glued or stitched together.

linind is glued to the cover. Several layers of lining
add shape and durability.

Thetladder goes inside to keep the ball inflated.

Exterior is printed with graphics and logos and coated
with plastic for durability.
                                                                                                                                            CO2 and Climate Change
                                                                                                                                    Did you know that making new products produces carbon dioxide
                                                                                                                                    (C02), a greenhouse gas? Greenhouse gases trap heat in the
                                                                                                                                    atmosphere, making the Earth warm enough to allow creatures to
                                                                                                                                    live. Unfortunately, humans are adding too much carbon dioxide to
                                                                                                                                    the atmosphere, causing climate change. Changes in climate can
                                                                                                                                    result in stronger storms, melting glaciers, and loss of wildlife habitat.
                                                                                                                                       Transportation
                                                                                                                                       Every material used to make a soccer ball, as
                                                                                                                                       well as the finished ball itself has to get from
                                                                                                                                       one place to another, and ultimately to you!

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  E
ach stage of a product's life can affect the environment in
different ways.
         Gathering and Processing Materials. P rod ucts
         are made from materials found in or on the Earth, such as
  trees or metal. Once materials are gathered, they must be converted
  into a form that can be used to make products. For example, paper
  is made from trees, but the wood has to undergo several different
  processes before it can be used as paper.
  Getting to, gathering, and processing materials creates pollution,
  uses energy, and depletes our limited natural resources. Making new
  products from recycled materials reduces the amount of raw materials
  used during manufacturing, decreasing the environmental impact of
  these products. Also, designing products to be durable and repairable
  can extend the life of a product or help prevent unnecessary wastes.

          Assembly. Products are made in factories, which use
          electricity and other forms of energy that can produce
pollution. The manufacturing process can also produce wastes that
must be disposed of in landfills.

         Transportation. Finished  products are transported
         in trucks, boats, planes, and trains to  different locations
         where they are sold. All of these forms of transportation
require fuel, which can contribute to air pollution and climate
change. Buying products made closer to home may decrease the
impacts associated with transportation.

         Use and Beyond. Using products designed to
         be durable and reusable instead of disposable reduces
         the need to create a new product from scratch. This
         saves resources and  prevents pollution. Taking good
care of your products or donating products that you no longer
need extends the life of those products. Using products for other
purposes or recycling therm reduces waste and saves natural
resources.
Upeyeled Flowerpot

Do you have an old soccer ball that you can't
use anymore but can't bear to part with? Why
not try to extend its life by turning it into
something else?
You will need:
•   An old soccer ball
•   Scissors
•   Two small potted plants
•   A pencil

Directions:
1.  With your pencil, draw a line around the
    center of the soccer ball. This will be the
    line you follow to cut your ball in half.
2.  Get an adult to help you cut the cover
    of the soccer ball. You may find that it
                                                                                                                                                                              is easier to cut along the panel stitching
                                                                                                                                                                              rather than trying to cut a straight line.
                                                                                                                                                                          3.  When the soccer ball has been cut, remove
                                                                                                                                                                              the lining and the bladder so that all that
                                                                                                                                                                              is left is the two halves of the cover.
                                                                                                                                                                          4.  Place your potted plant, with its pot, inside
                                                                                                                                                                              one half of the soccer ball. Do the same
                                                                                                                                                                              thing with the second potted plant and the
                                                                                                                                                                              other half of the soccer ball.
                                                                                                                                                                          5.  Place your potted plants in a spot that
                                                                                                                                                                              help the plants to grow.
    Help John find his soccer ball by guiding him through the
    four stages of the life of a soccer ball. Use the symbols
from this poster to help you find all four:
                                                                                                                                                                Extra Time Huddle

                                                                                                                                                                Now that you know what goes into making a soccer ball,
                                                                                                                                                                see if you can apply those lessons to other products by
                                                                                                                                                                thinking about and discussing the questions below.

                                                                                                                                                                •   Think about some of the items  you use each day.
                                                                                                                                                                    What raw materials are they made of? Where are they
                                                                                                                                                                    made? How long do they last?

                                                                                                                                                                *   Transportation is required at every step of a
                                                                                                                                                                    product's life. What types of transportation are more
                                                                                                                                                                    environmentally friendly? How  could they be made
                                                                                                                                                                    cleaner and more efficient?

                                                                                                                                                                •   Sooner or later, everything gets worn out.  What
                                                                                                                                                                    will you do with them when you can no longer use
                                                                                                                                                                    them? What are some ways you can reuse worn
                                                                                                                                                                    out products? Think about sports equipment, toys,
                                                                                                                                                                    beverage containers, etc.

                                                                                                                                                                •   Sometimes, buying a new product is the only option.
                                                                                                                                                                    What can you do to reduce the environmental
                                                                                                                                                                    impacts of the products you buy? How do  you  know
                                                                                                                                                                    which products are  more earth friendly?

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