Trash Talkin'
Students collect, categorize, weigh, and analyze classroom solid waste. The class collects waste for a week and then student groups spend a day sorting and analyzing the garbage with respect to recyclable and non-recyclable items. They discuss ways that engineers have helped to reduce the accumulation of solid waste.
Students collect and categorize solid waste.Copyright 2006 Terence Ong, Wikimedia Commons https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:NEA_recycling_bins,_Orchard_Road.JPG
Excessive product packaging materials add to the solid waste (garbage) problem. Packaging engineers use smaller amounts of materials and find more creative and efficient ways to safely package consumer products. Engineers determine materials (paper, paperboard, plastics, glass, metal and wood) and if protective packaging is needed, using environmentally-friendly and recyclable materials when possible.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Make predictions on the types of trash that a class generates during a week.
- Sort trash into categories (food, paper, plastic, metal, glass and misc.) and sub-categories (re-useable, recyclable and non-recyclable).
- Calculate the total mass of a group of items.
- Explain the cause-effect relationship on the environment of accumulating solid waste.
- Describe the attitudes on solid waste in developed and undeveloped countries.