Let’s Save Our Clothes with Avocados!
Saving our clothes with avocados!Copyright Perazzo, L., Rodriguez, C., Conrad, D., Wilborn, Z., Hartman, R., 2024
Students use parts of the engineering design process to change the matter properties (e.g., the color) of dye in order to save old clothes from a landfill. Students learn how dye is extracted from natural resources—in this case, avocados. They learn how to manipulate the extracted dye using classroom-safe substances while learning about the engineering design process. Once they have their final dye, they use it to repurpose used clothing in order to extend its life so that it does not end up in a landfill.
Engineers are involved in all steps of integrated-waste management. Materials engineers design processes so manufacturers can use smaller amounts of materials to package products and use recyclable and reusable materials when possible. Chemical engineers develop environmentally friendly, recyclable materials. In this activity, students act as materials engineers as they explore how to change an avocado dye, with the goal of using the dye to reuse a stained article of clothing, saving it from the landfill.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Investigate a problem using the engineering design process.
- Explain how dye can be extracted from a natural resource.
- Organize, represent, and interpret data (with the assistance of an adult).