DOCUMENT RESUME

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TITLE Study Guide [Resource Packet]. INSTITUTION Wisconsin State Dept. ofNatural Resources, Madison. PUB DATE 90 NOTE 122p.; For related document for younger students,see SE 053 872. AVAILABLE FROM Education Programs, Bureauof Information and Education, Wisconsin Dept.of Natural Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. PUB TYPE Guides Classroom Use Teaching Guides (For Teacher) (052)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PC05 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Class Activities; *Ecology;Educational Games; Elementary Secondary Education;*Environmental Education; Handicrafts; *LearningActivities; Outdoor Activities; *Recycling; So1id ; Study Guides; Tables (Data); Tests; Disposal; Worksheets IDENTIFIERS *Wisconsin

ABSTRACT This resource packetcontains six documents by the Wisconsin Department developed of Natural Resources inorder to help teachers infuse the environmentaleducation topics of recycling solid waste into social and studies, art, English,health, mathematics, science, and environmental education classes. "RecyclingStudy Guide" contains 19 activities tohelp students in grades 4-12 where solid waste understand comes from, why it is a problem,and what can be done about it. "K-3 Supplement to the Recycling Study Guide"contains 11 activities for primaryschool students concerning solid waste, a glossary recycling and of terms, anda home recycling survey. "Nature's Recyclers Activity Guide" contains 19 classand home activities, games, crafts,songs, and skits to help teach about natural recycling people cycles in nature and therole people can play in recycling natural resources. "The Fourth 'R': An ActionBooklet for Recycling in the Classroom and School" providesclassroom, school, and community activities that enable students topractice recycling, reducing, and reusing to reinforce positivebehaviors for dealing with waste."Recycling: Facts and Figures" 1990 US Statistics reports data from concerning the volume ofsolid waste perperson in Wisconsin, energy savings through recycling, trashtrivia, and recycling codes for ."Recycling Games and Quizzes" an assortment of word presents games, and matching and multiplechoice tests about solid waste. (MDH)

*********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied byEDRS are the best thatcan be made from the originaldocument. *********************************************************************** "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS Ut DEPAIIITNIVIT OF MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY ()Ike of IDLICATION EOucatronet Researchand Improvement Joel L. Stone EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ER/C) This document hasbeen reproduced as received from the Wien Ong:noting or Omani:man 0 Minor changes have been made to improve rmiroduchon gualny. TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES Points of view or INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." mint do nor neceminlyopinions stated in this docir OERI positim or policy rideemInI natmesm---A. c,cFg StudyGuide EMMEN&

Table of Contents Introduction Introduction 1 Maury 5 To Educators articles that address solidwaste and Activities: recycling issues. Many excellent Ott of Sight, Out of Mind Is it your turn to take out the curriculum materials exist andwe Part 1 My Ton of Trash 6 trash? Pile your trash with all the Part 2 hope that you will send for anduse Class Trailt 7 , , old chairs,pop them. Part 3 Trash or Treasure? 8 and other solid waste thrown Part 4Curang Class Trash 9 Consider talking with your students Right in My Hometown away in Wisconsin every year, and about solid waste and recycling you get 6.5 million tons of stuff. Part 1 Natural Resources: before beginning your lessons Why are we making all this trash, to learn Handle With Care 10 what they already know and think and where does it end up? Part 2 Biography of a Product 11 about it. Why is trash collected? This study guide is intended to help Where Has All The Garbage Gone? Where is their trash taken? Havethey Part 1 Making a Mini- 12 you and your students understand ever visited a landfill? What did Part 2 Follow That Garbage! 13 what solid waste is, where itcomes people do before there Composting: A Great, Rotten Idea from, why it's a problem and what were or aluminum cansor trash Part 1 Is It Rotten? 14 can be done about it. The guide Part 2 Readin', Rottin' and removal services? Do people inother includes an overview of solidwaste countries make as much trash 'Rithmetic: Classroom Composting 15 and recycling, a glossary, suggested as Is It A Waste? Americans do? By finding out activities and a list of resource your Part 1 All Wrapped Up 17 students' thoughts and opinions, publications, audio-visual materials you Part 2 What's the Appeal? 17 can help them connect new concepts Part 3 How Many Ways Can and organizations. It is designedto with what they already know. stand alone, yet complements the You Wrap an Apple? 18 The activities in this guideare Part 4 Packaging: Is It A Waste?.19 Wisconsin Department of Natural designed for use in grades 4-12. With Part 5 What Can I Do To Resources (DNR) free publication, modifications, they should be useful Change Packaging? 20 Special Recycling Edition (see How Times Have Changed in other grade levels. Weencourage Resources). you to tailor the activities to meet Part 1 What, No Video Games? . 22 You are encouraged to Part 2 use the your students' needs. You are The Garbage Guzzler information and activities in this Strikes Again 23 welcome to revise and/or reproduce The Cost of the Toss guide and the Special Recycling any part of this guidit for distribution Part 1 Decisions, Decisions 24 Edition with your students in all to students an.: ocher educators. Part 2 Paying the True Price of Pop 26 disciplines. The Department of Public Time For Action 27 Instruction's Guide to Curriculum !) More Activity Ideas! 28 Planning in Enviroamental Education Resources :10 has suggestions for infusing subjects like solid waste and recycling into NOTE: your social studies, art, Words that appear in italics are (.0 English/language arts, health, defined in the glossary. mathematics, science, environmental Sections marked with * are based P1JBL-1E-02089Rev education and other classes. You also January 1989 on materials from the A-Wa y With Kr OF NATURAL RISOUNCES may want to consult other resources Waste curriculum guide, aprogram listed in this guide and check of the Washington State Department and magazines for current of Ecology (see Resources). BEST COPY AVAILABLE Siring Up Solid Waste Wisconsin's Annual Trash Tally Every day we throw out everything iimunigg from toothpaste tubes to old IN sets, Total Waste 6.5 million tons grass clippings to plastic milk jugs, jelly to paper. You may not Municipal Waste 3.5 million tons personally stuff 7.5 pounds ofsolid wasteinto thetrashbag every day, Piper 1.4 million tons. Equal to a forest of 20-25 million trees a but if you add up all the waste from year. Largest portion of solid waste. your house, classroom and school Food & yard waste 600,000 tons. 15-20 of the total. cafeteria, from the restaurant where you ate, from the factories that made bottles 200,000 tons. 750 million bottles, half for soda and beer. your clothes or paper, from the utility On the decline, as more beverages are.packaged in plastic that generated your electricity and and foil bottles, pouches, aud boxes. from the stores where you shopped, it . 2*- amounts to about 7.5 pounds a day cans 91,000 tons (30,000 tons aluminum, 57,6.00 tons , per person. Multiply that by 365 days 4,000 tons bimetal). 2.5 billion a year, including eLough aluminum soda and beer cans (1.4 billion) to circle the per year, then by 4 8 million earth 4 times. Wisconsin citizens, and your results show that Wisconsin throws away Tires 60,000 tons. 4 million a year. An estimated 15-20 million more than 6.5 million tons of stuff tires are stockpiled in Wisconsin. each year! But where is "away?" Is there such Motor oil 58,000 tons (50,000 tons or 12.5 million gallons from a place? service stations; another 8,000 tons or 2 millioa gallons Six and one half million tons of from people who change car oil at home). State law waste is enough to pile a typical city requires stores and communities to set up collection street six-feet deep, curb to curb, for centers. 500 miles more than the distance Plastic 25,000 tons. 400 million a year. Growing rapidly. from Superior to Chicago! Or if - compressed, the way it is inlandfills, Other waste 1 million tons. Composed of , deuiolition debris, that much waste would bury a old , , other plastic, etc. 200-acre farm under 30 feet of trash each year. So... Non-municipal waste 3 million tons. Composed of pulp, ash, ind foundry waste.

Where Does It All End Up? Most of Wisconsin's solid waste years after the site is closed. When above for approved and nonapproved ends up in the state's 1,100 licensed the owner's responsibility ends, the apply to these closed landfills. A landfill is a place where state takes over maintenance duties. landfills. waste is dumped, compacted and The owner, however, remains liable Unfortunately, waste sometimes is covered with dirt. Covering the trash for any damage that his landfill does dumped along roadsides, on the controls blowing paper, odors, insects to other people or property. "back forty" or in other and rodents. The remaining licensed landfills are nonapproved locations. Except for Of the 1,100 licensed landfills in unengineered or "nonapproved." household wastes discarded on the Wisconsin, only 90 aresanitary They were buiit before we realized the homeowner's property, it's illegal to landfills designed, built and importance of strict environmental discard or incinerate garbage, trash, operated according to state-of-the-art standouts. Most of these facilities are , farm chemicals and standards to preventpollution scheduled to be closed by 1999. A other waste in places that aren't problems. These engineered or closed landfill, however, can continue approved by the state. Discarding "approved" landfills are constructed to affect the environment many years waste in unsafe ways and in only after the Wisconsin DNR after it's sealed up and forgotten. nonapproved places can endanger the approves the site and the operating Owners of unapproved landfills must environment upon which we depend. plan. The DNR checks the site for take care of them as long as they own Thus, each of us becomes responsible soil type, potentia: for contaminating the land and are liable for any for what we throw away and the groundwaterand surface water, resulting damage. impacts this waste may have on our proximity to buildings and future In addition to licensed, operating environment. land use. It reviews plans for landfill landfills, Wisconsin has more than construction, operation,leachateand 2,700 closed landfills. The same long- gas control, closure and long-term term liability and care described care. Approved landfills must be maintained by the owner for 20-30

2 So What's The Problem?

Water Pollution Economics What happens when rainwater or Wisconsin citizens pay $50475 melting snow seep through buried million a year to construct and trash? A liquid called leachate forms manage sanitary landfills. Collecting that can flow out of the landfill. and transporting garbage to the Leachate contains concentrated landfills adds an estimated $150-$200 contaminants that can be harmful, million more. Costs have risen rapidly especially if they seep into surface in the past 5-10 years, primarily due water and groundwater supplies. to the expense of handling and Groundwater quality is a major burying wastes in ways that protect concern, since two out of every three the environment. people in Wisconsin drink groundwater. Thehazardous wastes in leachatecome from many sources, including items we commonly throw out at home, like motor oil, paint, garden pesticides and household cleaners.

Land Use In 1985, 14,000 acres of Wisconsin many states. The DNR estimates that land the equivalent of 70 typical most existing landfills in Wisconsin Wisconsin farms were being used will be full within 10 years. In some for landfills. Some people question areas, landfills will reach capacity whether this is a wise use of our land. even sooner. Thus, the need for As we continue to make waste, the developing newrecyclingsystems and landfills are filling up, creating what landfills in Wisconsin is increasing has been called a "garbage crisis" in and urgent.

The NIMBY Phenomenon Finding places to put landfills isn't easy. Few people are eager to live near a landfill, an attitude sometimes called the NIMBY phenomenon: "Not In My Back Yard!" Many people believe landfill construction and operation result in traffic, noise, dust, aesthetic loss, declining property Hazardous Gases values, groundwater contamination Methanegas can form in landfills and other pollution. as a result ofdecompositionof While fears often have been justified, organicmaterials like grass clippings modern landfill design, construction and food wastes. Methane is and management can minimize most flammable and toxic, and can move of these problems. through the soil into the air or into nearby basements. Recently, researchers have discovered that when some plastics and other human-made chemicals decompose, they liberate small amounts of even more hazardous gases, like vinyl chloride and hydrogen sulfide.

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3 that must be considered when we're Resources Recovered in Wisconsin (1984) selecting the best solution to each Materials Estimated Tons/Year solid waste problem. Municipal wastewater plant sludge 8 2-8.5 million Cheese whey 4.1 million What .Can You Do? Ferrous 1 5 million Pavement 1.5 million You can start by looking at what Waste wood 1.5 million you throw away at home. Each paper 1 3 million person's "drop in the bucket" adds Sulfite liquor from paper mills 1.0 million to the trash problem. If each drop Coal ash 280,000 becomes smaller, the problem will be Rendered materials (animal remains) 250,000 reduced. Pulp/paper mill sludge 100,000 Everyone produces some waste, but Hazardous wastes 70,000 you don't have to be a "super- Waste burned for energy 70,000 consumer." Think about tilt: goods, Glass 35,000 services and activities you buy or Aluminum cans 12,000 support. In what ways do they Leaves municipally composted 4,000 contribute to the solid waste Plastics, barrels and drums, pallets, clothing, problem? How could you purchase non-ferrous metals and dispose of items in ways that generate less trash? What can you do to voice your opinion about solid What Else Can We Do With The Trash? waste issues in your community? For example, consider: Wisconsin already reuses, recycles, meat fats can be made into chemicals buying goods in returnable and or recovers energy from and cosmetics, coal ash into shingles recyclable containers. more than 20 million tons of waste and concrete and plastic bottles into learning where you can take items each year. This reduces the need for artificial lumber and winter jackets. to be recycled and showing your landfill space, saves the cost of The DNR's goal is to recycle at least support by recycling. disposal and reuses valuable natural 10% of the waste now landfilled. composting food wastes, leaves and resources. Under state law (SS 4. organic wastes. grass clippings. 144.792), Wisconsin has adopted Gardeners know both the ease and finding people in your town who policies to encourage waste reduction the value of composting food and are interested in reducing waste, and recovery as alternatives to yard wastes to create rich humus that promoting recycling, inventing new landfilling. The law requires that improves soil fertility and texture. uses for old materials, fighting Wisconsin (in order of priority): Some businesses also can compost or encouraging local merchants to sell 1. Reducc the quantity of waste their organic wastes. For example, goods in returnable containers. How produced. For example, packaging cheese whey, organic sludges from can they help you? How can you can be designed to use less material, paper mills and treatment assist them? to be recyclable and *.o contain fewer plants and remains from cleaning fish taking an active interest in how hazardous chemicals. We can can be composted. The DNR's goal is your solid tax encourage redesign of packaging by to compost 10% of the municipal dollars are spent. Compare your selective shopping and by expressing waste now landfilled. community's hauling and disposal our views about packaging to S. Recover energy from waste. costs with those of neighboring retailers, industry and government. Each ton of solid waste has the towns. Investigate the quality of your 2. items. Soda bottles, old energy equivalent of 70 gallons of local landfiR and measures being furniture, clothes, tires, appliances gasoline enough energy to drive a taken to make it as safe and long- and automobiles or their parts, small car from coast to coast. lasting as possible. industrial shipping containers Wisconsin's goal is to recover energy learning how nature recycles a-rels, pallets, boxes) from 55% of the state's municipal materials. Is much wasted? and many more items can be reused. waste. Wisconsin's solid waste 3. Recycle. Recycled can 6. Landfill nonrecoverable items. management goal is to find the best be made into newsprint, paper bags, We may always need landfills, but political, economic, social and cellulose insuladon, egg cartons, Wisconsin is working to reduce this personal ways to reduce waste and animal bedding or cardboard. A state need. Using the techniques described keep our environment healthy. Our beverage deposit law above, Wisconsin aims to cut the most creative solutions are those that (sometimes called a bill) could need for landfills in half by 1990. The imitate the natural systems that have provide us with the incentive to long-term goal is a 75% reduction. successfully recycled waste products return beverage containers for a for millions of years. deposit. Glass and aluminum from None of these options is the sole Each of us contributes to the solid beverage containers can be made into solution to our waste disposal waste problem. Each of us can help new containers. Cooking oils and problem. Each option has side effects solve it.

4 Glossary*

biodegradable: the property of a hazardous waste: waste that causes recover energy: see "energy substance that permits it to be broken special problems for living organisms recovery." down by microorganisms into simple, or the environment because it is stable compounds such as carbon poisonous, explosive, burns or recycle: the collection and dioxide and water. (See dissolves flesh or metal, ignites easily reprocessing of manufactured "decompose.") with or without a flame or carries materials for reuse either in the same disease. Some hazardous wastes cause form or as part of a different bottle bill: a law requiring deposits only one problem, others cause product. on beverage containers, like several. aluminum cans and plastic bottles. renewable resource: a natural Encourages recycling and discourages humus: organic material consisting resource derived from an endless or littering and landfilling. More of decayed vegetable matter that cyclical source (e.g., sun, wind, accurately called a beverage container provides nutrients for plants and water, wood, fish). With proper deposit law. increz.ses the ability of the soil to management and wise use, retain water. replacement of these resources by composting: waste management natural or human-assisted systems can process that creates an optimal landfill: a site for the controlled be approximately equal to their environment for decomposition by burial of solid waste. consumption. layering organic wastes like food scraps and grass clippings so they'll leachate: liquid that has percolated reuse: to extend the life of an item decay into fertile humus. through solid waste and/or been by using it again, repairing it, generated by solid waste modifying it or creating new uses for conserve: to protect from loss or decompostion and contains extracted, it. depletion. Conservation is the wise dissolved or suspended materials. use of natural resources to minimize May contaminate groundwater or sanitary landfill: a specially loss and waste. surface water. engineered site for disposing of solid waste on land. Constructed in a way decompose: to break down into litter: waste materials discarded in that reduces hazards to health and component parts or basic elements; to an inappropriate place. Littering is safety. rot. Decomposition is imperative for illegal in Wisconsin. the continuation of life since it makes solid waste: all solid and semi-solid essential nutrients available for use by methane: a colorless, odorless, wastes, including trash, garbage, yard plants and animals. flammable, potentially dangerous waste, ashes, industrial waste, swill, gaseous hydrocarbon (CH4) present in demolition and dump: open, unsanitary disposal natural gas and formed by the and household discards such as site used before existence of licensed, decomposition of organic matter. Can appliances, furniture and equipment. controlled burial sanitary landfills. be used as a fuel. Now illegal in Wisconsin. solid waste management: the natural resource: valuable, controlling, handling and disposal of energy recovery: the generation of naturally occurring material such as all solid waste. One goal of solid energy by burning solid waste. soil, wood, air, water or minerals. waste management is to reduce waste to a minimum. garbage: spoiled or waste food that noarenewable resource:.a natural is thrown away. Generally defined as resource that, because of its scarcity, trash: material considered wet food waste; excludes dry material the great length of time it takes to worthless, unnecessary or offensive (trash). The term is often used form or its rapid depletion, is that is usually thrown away. interchangeably with the word considered finite in amount (e.g., Generally defined as dry waste "trash." coal, copper, petroleum). material; excludes food waste (garbage) and ashes. The term is groundwater: water beneath the organic: derived from living often used interchangeably with the earth's surface that fills the spaces organisms. word "garbage." and moves between soil particles and rock. Supplies wells and springs. Two pollution: harmful substances out of every three Wisconsin citizens deposited in the environment, leading drink groundwater. to a state of dirtiness, impurity or unhealthiness. raw material: unprocessed natural resource or product used in manufacturing.

5 Activities Out of Sight, Out of Mind

Part 1 My Ton of Trash mmlw...aalen110MIWOMMO. m--,...1 ftma.....0~11.1/11.01.131411q

Goal: To help students visualize how cr C- much waste is generated for each person in Wisconsin and understand ^' how the number of people living in , / . our state and country affects this amount. efri-"4 , Subjects: Mathematics, social studies, science, environmental education, health. Grades: 6-12 Materials: 7.5 pound of miscellaneous trash (wash containers, avoid items with sharp edges) CPT. et Procedure: 1. Describe trash and list some How many people are in your changes in lifestyles since 1650? (See examples. Discuss: family? If 7.5 pounds of trash is activity: How Times Have Changed.) What qualities does an item have generated each day for every person, How might the amount of solid that makes you decide it's trash? how many pounds or tons of trash waste generated be influenced by What different kinds of trash are does your family make every week, family income? there? month and year? How have increases in numbers of How many people live in people and amounts of solid waste 2. Dump the 7.5 pound bag of Wisconsin? How many pounds or affected the environment? trash on the floor. Discuss: tons of trash is generated each day in What are the predictions for future Does this seem like a lot of trash? Wisconsin? human population growth? This much trash is thrown out each Discuss: What predictions might you make day for every person in Wisconsin. What happens to all the trash you for the amounts of solid waste we'll How do you think the number "7.5 throw away? produce in the future? pounds" was calculated? Who Where is "away?" Is there such a What impacts might an increasing figured out this number? Will the place? population have on our use of natural number ever change? Why? What do you think happens to resources? How do you feel about the fact waste at the landfill? (See activity: that you're responsible for 7.5 Where Has All the Garbage Gone?) 5. Calculate: pounds of trash that is thrown out What are possible problems with If every person in Wisconsin threw each day? piling waste in landfills? away one less pound of trash per day, how much less trash would end up in 3. Calculate: What would you do with your family's trash if there was no truck our state's landfills? If you generate 7.5 pounds of trash Discuss: (!ach day, how many pounds do you that came to take it away? How might this affect the amount of trash What could you do to reduce the make every week, month and year? amount of waste you make? Convert these numbers from your famiiy makes? pounds into tons. How many tons of 4. Research the rate of human Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: trash do you make every week, population growth in Wisconsin and How many pounds of trash do you month and year? the U.S. since 1650. Discuss: think are thrown out each day for To help you visualize how much a What relationship might there be every person in Wisconsin? ton weighs, add the weights of between an increasing human What relationship, if any, is there students in the class until you reach population and the amount of solid between the number of people and one ton. How many students does it waste generated? the amount of trash? take to make a ton? How many How might the amount of solid "students-worth" of trash do you waste generated be influenced by make every week, month and year?

6 Part 2 Class Trash

Goal: To have students calculate the Procedure: 6. Calculate the volume of trash in amount and types of rash thrown 1. List the items you throw in the each bag by measuring the width, out by their class at school and classroom and lunchroom length and depth of items in it. How investigate where it's taken. wastebaskets on a yrpical day. Now might volume differ if the glass, cans categorize them according to what or boxes are crushed? Does weight Subjects: Mathematics, social studies, material they're made of (e.g., food, change if volume changes? science, environmental education, paper, plastic, aluminum, glass). health. 7. How do your calculations Predict what four types of materials compare with the predictions you make up the greatest portion of the made in step 1? Grades: 7-12 waste by: weight, volume, number of Materials: items. Record your predictions. 8. How much trash does your class trash generated by your class on a throw out in a day, week, month and 2. Collect and save the trash your school year by weight, volume and typical day (save for use with Part 3) class generates (in the classroom, artroom, shop, lunchroom, etc.) on a number? Calculate the average Note to Teacher: Students will need amount each student throws out in to be familiar with the concepts of typical day (wash jars and cans, place one day. weight, volume and number in order food trash in a sealed container). You to do the following activity and can save trash for more than one day, 9. How much space will one school understand its implications. Consider if you wish. This will enable you to year's-worth of your class's garbage using this activity as part of a calculate the average amount fill if the garbage is not compressed? mathematics lesson that addresses generated by your class each day. Calculate the volume of your these concepts. classroom. If you didn't remove any 3. Dump the trash on the floor. of your class's trash from the Sort items into piles according to the classroom, how much of the room type of material of which the items would be filled with trash by the end are made. of the year? How much room would 4. Count the number of different be left for you? items of each type (e.g., 47 pieces of 10. If the number of students in paper, 3 aluminum soda cans, 8 juice your class is average for your school, boxes, 11 plastic bags, 1 broken calculate how much trash your school pencil). What types of items comprise generates each school year. Discuss: most of the trash by number? Draw a Do you think your class makes a bar graph to illustrate this. Place the lot of trash? Not so much? Explain trash types in separate bags. reasons for your response. 5. Select the four types of items When the trash from each class in you estimate make up most of the your school is added together, do you trash by weight. Use one of the end up with a lot of trash? Explain following methods to determine the reasons for your response. exact or approximate weight of each 11. Investigate where your school's type: trash is taken. (See activity: Where a) If you have a grocery scale in your Has All the Garbage Gone?) classroom, weigh the items. b) If you have a bathroom scale: Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: Stand on the scale. example: How much trash do you think your What is your weight? 100 lbs. class throws away each day? Pick up a bag. What types of trash do you think Now what is your weight? .. 102lbs. your class throws away on a typical How much does the bag day? weigh9 2 lbs. What happens to your school's c) If you don't have a scale, find trash? objects in the classroom that are of a known weight. Compare the weights of your object and the trash (use a balance if you have one). Estimate the weight of the trash.

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7 Part 3 Trash or Treasure?

Goal: To have students find out why, Discuss: used furniture and clothing stores and how and where they should recycle or What items did you circle? environmental organizations.) reuse what they typically throw away. How could you have reused items? Make a list with the following Did you wonder whether the information about the businesses or Subjects: Science, social studies, napkin was paper or cloth? What organizations that recycle: name, language arts, environmental difference might this make? address, telephone number, materials education, home economics, What could you have done with the recycled, hours of opelration, whether marketing. recyclable items? the organization will pay you for What could you have done with materials, any other useful informa- Grades: 4-12 apple cores and orange peels? tion. This information is available in: Materials: Which items are difficult to reuse Wisconsin's Community Recycling * same as Part 2 or recycle? Why? Collection Programs Directory and Should we as a society be making Markets for Wisconsin's Recycled Procedure: products that aren't reusable or Materials (see Resources). 1. Is there anything else you can do recyclable? with what you throw away? List your Should items that are wrapped in 4. Investigate and discuss: ideas. Most of them will fit into one difficult-to-dispose-of packaging cost What are some advantages of of the following four categories: more? recycling?(Conservesnatural reuse, recycle, recover energy, Did any of your classmates reuse or resources, saves energy, protects the landfill. Write these four categories recycle any of the items you circled? environment, can make money, on the board. What trash items might How did they reuse or recycle the creates jobs for people involved in fit best into each category? List them items? recycling and reduces our dependence under the proper category heading. Was reusing or recycling them easy on imported materials.) to do? Why or why not? What are some disadvantages of 2. Do a) and/or b), then answer What do you think happens to the recycling? (May cost money, takes the discussion questions: items you didn't circle? time, takes space for storage, takes a) To the teacher: Give each student a away jobs from people who make copy of the following checklist to fill b) Sort the items that your class rim products and depends on out, or put the list on the board and threw out in one day (see Part 2) into recycling markets.) (See activity: The work through it as a group. For the following categories: reuseable, Cost of the Toss,) younger students, you may want to recyclable, other. Discuss: What are the pros and cons of use pictures of the items listed below. Why did you place each item in the energy recovery and landfilling? Feel free to add your own items. category you chose? 5. Brainstorm the steps your class Directions: Does your class recycle any of the might take to design and implement a Put an X next to items you threw in items? recycling project for your classroom the wastebasket this week. Should your class recycle them? or school. (See activity: Time for Why? Action.) Select a project that is _Paper bag Are there some items your class Newspaper feasible. For example, collect and _ could recycle but doesn't? Why recycle paper from the school's copy _Book doesn't your class recycle them? machine and classrooms. Who can _Magazine Are there places in school aside you contact to help you with your Paper milk carton from the classroom where you discard project? _Other paper trash during the day? Think about _Napkin how much food and how many food 6. Consider doing your project! wrappers, cans and bottles you discard at lunch, how many paper Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: _Apple core What is recycling? What are reuse, Old clothes towels you use to dry your hands, _ etc. energy recovery and landfilling? _Plastic milk carton What happens to the items that What types of solid waste can be Tin can aren't reuseable or recyclable? recycled, reused, recovered or _Glass landfilled? _Gum wrapper 3. Investigate where in your What can you do in your school to _Orange peel community you cpn take items to be recycle solid waste? reused or recycled. How can you find out about local Broken toy _ recycling programs? (Contact: local _Grass clippings natural resources and environmental _Other protection agencies, glass Now circle all the items you think manufacturers, recycling businesses, could have been reused or recycled. municipal public works departments,

8 Part 4 Cutting Class Trash

Goal: To have students realize that reuse and recycling of materials aren't the only or main solutions to the solid waste problem. A key step is to cut down on the use of materials that become solid waste. Subjects: Home economics, social studies, mathematics, science, environmental education. Grades: 5-12 Procedure: 1. In what ways can you reduce the amount of trash you throw out at school? Don't forget to consider waste from the artroom, shop, lunchroom, etc. Write your ideas on the blackboard and request that it not be erased for one week. 2. For one week, cut down on your use of paper, and other materials. Refer to the suggestions on the blackboard. Note: It isn't fair to "cut down" by throwing things out in other trashcans in the school. 3. At the end of each day, calculate the amount of trash and list what individual items make up most of the trash. (See Part 2 for instructions.) Going Beyond: 4. Compare your findings with the Take home a copy of the Investigate what used materials amounts calculated in Part 2. checklist and questions from Part 3 organizations like the Salvation Army and fill it out. Note to teacher: and Goodwill Industries need and Calculate: Did you throw out less trash when Include a cover letter to parents what they do with the materials they you tried to cut down? How much explaining that the class is studying receive. solid waste and recycling, and that Discuss the role of yard sales, less? If your class cut down on use of you would like them to help their garage sales or tag sales in recycling materials for the school year, how children see what kind of solid waste and reusing materials. Investigate how the amounts and much less trash (in pounds) would is generated at home. Discuss: you send to the landfill? What did you find out about what types of wastes generated by a bank, your family throws away? , clothing store and Discuss: How easy is it to cut down on how . How do you feel about your hospital differ. How does each business dispose of its waste? Do any much you use? findings? Do you feel that it is worth doing? . What ideas do you have for what recycle materials? Americans generate more trash Why? you could do with the trash generated Will you continue to cut down on at home? per person and more trash in total your use of materials, or is this class Trace the "afterlife" of one of than the people of any other country in the world. How do you feel about activity a one-shot deal? the items on the checklist from Part 3. For example, what happens to the this? Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: plastic bag or paper milk carton after Research and report on waste How can you reduce the amount of it's taken to the landfill? Does it disposal habits of other countries. trash you generate in your decompose? Does its decomposition How do they deal with solid waste? class/school each day? create harmful byproducts? What Why don't they make as much trash impacts might its decomposition have as Americans? on air, soil, water and health? Create a reusable item from something you're going to throw away. Right in My Hometown Part 1 Natural Resources: Handle With Care *

Goal: To have students examine their 4. Classify each product as: 6. Look at the list of items you own use ofrenewableand essential to survival, necessary for listed as luxuries. Which items could nonrenewable natural resources, maintaining my present lifestyle, a you give up without a major change determine which are essential for their luxury. Discuss: in your lifestyle? survival and suggest ways they might What criteria did you use to define change their lifestyles to make more what is essential, is necessary for 7. Make a list, beginning with the careful use of natural resources. maintaining your present lifestyle or easiest item to give up and ending is a luxut y? with the most difficult. Could you Subjects: Language arts, science, Which, if any, items listed in the give up the top three items on this list social studies, environmental "essential" category are really not for a day, week or month? Try it. education, industrial education. essential for survival? Explain your How do you feel? Grades: 6-12 response. 8. Think of several ways to reuse Do you think your parents or or recycle items you decide you can't Procedure: grandparents would place the give up. 1. What is a natural resource? List products in different categories? Why or why not? 9. Identify some of the economic, several examples. cultural and environmental impacts of 2. Define the terms "renewable" S. After discussing the lists, suggest any changes you make or and "nonrenewable" resource. (Some alternatives for each item, making an recommend. Consider the renewable resources are: solar energy, effort to replace items that you think implications if your entire family, water, food and wood. Some are inefficient or wasteful with items school, community and country made nonrenewable resources are: that are less wasteful. Discuss: such changes. petroleum, tin, bauxite, coal, copper Would using alternatives increase and lead.) your use of renewable resources? Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: (e.g., switching from aluminum foil Define and give examples of: 3. Do a, b or c below: to wax paper.) natural resource, renewable resource, a) List the products you used or Would using alternatives increase nonrenewable resource. consumed during a specific time your use of nonrenewable resources? List four items you use that aren't period, e.g., between the time you got (e.g., switching from paper to essential for your survival. What home from school yesterday and the most plastic cups.) impact does their production or time you went to bed; between the How might changes in the disposal have on the environment? time you got up this morning and the production and consumption of these Would you be willing to give them up time you left for school. products influence the economy and if you discovered that the impact is hl Describe a scenario or event and as the environment? adverse? -oup, list what products were 1. 'aye the teacher select and read a 3tory in which people use a variety of products. As a class, list what products were used. Discuss: Which products are made of: renewable resources, nonrenewable resources?

10 ,C1., 7 ,,. a A leGa ow. Part 2 Biography of a Product

Goal: To have students investigate the natural resources required to make a product that is manufactured in their community, determine whether the resources are renewable or nonrenewable and consider the impact- production has on the environment (locally.and elsewhere). Subjects: Social studies, science, health, language arts, environmental education. Grades: 6-12 Procedure: I. Select one product that's made in your community. For example, bicycles arc made in Waterloo, batteries and bologna in Madison, pens in Janesville, soy sauce in Walworth, shoes in LaCrosse, in Chippewa Falls, tires in Eau Claire, ships in Sturgeon Bay, beer in Milwaukee, glass in Burlington and cheese and paper in many towns. 2. List or draw on the blackboard 3. Categorize the product as: Can the product or its parts be the production steps and all theraw essential to survival, necessary for reused or recycled in some way? materialsrequired to make the maintaining my present lifestyle, a How? product. Contact or visit the luxury. Discuss: Will the product or its parts manufacturer if you need more What criteria did you use to make decompose if buried in a landfill? information about the materials and your decision? What effects does disposing of this process used to make the product. What impacts doesuseof the product have on the environment? Discuss: product have on the environment? Can it be safely burned to produce Are more raw materials required to energy? Does burning it release make your product than you 4. Describe what happens to the harmful chemicals? expected? product after you use it. Discuss: Who pays for disposing of the Where did the raw materials come Can it be used up or will it wear product? from? Is the source in your town, out? Who is responsible for disposing of state or country? What will y -u do with it? it? What amounts of these raw materials are available? What happens to the environment Going Beyond: Investigate answers to the U.S. export to other countries? when the raw materials are extracted the following questions by checking Why does the U.S. export these from the earth or harvested? Does the , articles and magazines, or materials? Why do the other process produce pollutants or destroy writing to agencies or organizations countries import these materials? land or ecosystems? How might it for information. How long will known reserves of affect people living in the area? What natural resources used by coal, wood, oil, iron, copper, water, Were the raw materials changed the U.S. come from other countries? bauxite, natural gas and zinc last if (refined) before they got to your How much of each resource is we continue to use them at present town? imported? rates? Are any of these renewable Were there any by-products made How does importing raw resources? What might happen as we from refining the raw materials? materials influence: U.S. and world begin to use up these resources? What happened to these by-products? economics, politics and security; the (Investigate: offshore oil What impacts does each step in the local and global environment; social development; mineral exploration in manufacturing process have on the systems and jobs in the U.S. and Antarctica and world political environment? other countries? implications; the coal economy of What used, recyclable materials Kentucky and West Virginia; U.S. oil (e.g., newspaper, scrap metal) does interests in the Middle East.)

- J 11 Where Has All The Garbage Gone? Part 1 Making a Mini-Landfill * 117.111.1.....0 Goal: To have students examine the materials that comprise the products they use, describe whether these materials are renewable or nonrenewable resources, observe what happens to materials when placed in a landfill and decide whether they should be disposed of in a different way. Subjects: Science, social studies, environmental education. RENEWABLE Grades: 4-6 RECYCLABLE. Materials: four large clear glass jars soil miscellaneous solid waste crayons masking tape Procedure: A) 1. Choose one item you threw B) 1. With crayons and masking tape, C) 1. Keep a record of your family's away today. Wha: is your item made label each glass jar with one of the purchases from two trips to the of? Into which of the following four four category headings above. grocery store. Divide the items into categories of solid waste does your the four solid waste categories listed item fit? 2. Fill each jar about half full with above. Discuss: a) organic (e.g., potato peels) soil. What does your family do with the b) renewable resource/recyclable 3. Sort each miscellaneous solid waste from its store purchases? (e.g., newspaper) waste item into its proper category Is there anything else your family c) nonrenewable resource/recyclable (a-d). Put a small sample of each into could do with this waste? (e.g., aluminum cans) the jar with the corresponding label. Could you substitute items from d) nonrenewable resource/hard to Cover with soil and keep damp with "d" with items from "a-c?" Is this a recycle (e.g., plastic toothpaste tube) water. Leave the lid off and place the worthy goal? Why? If your goal is to reduce solid 2. What happens to the item you jar on a shelf away from people and out of direct sun. Stir occasionally. waste, which items would you threw -away? Discuss: eliminate from your s4opping list? Where is away? 4. Predict what you think will What is a landfill? happen to the solid waste in each jar. Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: How might the material that a Record your predictions. Define and give examples of: piece of trash is made of determine organic material, renewable resource, how you should dispose of it? 5. Observe and record what changes occur during a 2-3 week nonrenewable resource. 3. List ways you can avoid period, if any. Discuss: What do you think will happen to disposing of your item in a landfill. What happened to the items made items made of renewable or of organic and renewable resources? nonrenewable resources when they're 4. If your goal is to save natural dumped in a landfill? resources and reduce solid waste, What happened to the items made of nonrenewable resources? List four items you use everyday from which category (a-d) would you that you could recycle. buy pi oducts? Which category would How did what happened compare you avoid? with your predictions? What comparisons can you make between your mini-landfill and a real landfill?

12 ^ 7003111A1140.111.10,3111.1447711=741airi,- Part 2 Follow That Garbage! IMMININOW -=.. Goal: To have students see where Who does the site serve? Who can How will the landfill be cared for their garbage goes and investigate bring wastes to the landfill? after it is closed? Who is responsible their community's solid waste What is the fee for using the for its care? What will be done with disposal issues. landfill? the land at the site? How much does your family pay What alternatives for waste Subjects: Social studies, science, for trash collection? disposal has your community health, environmental education. How much does it cost to take care considered for the future? of trash once it's in the landfill? When will these alternatives be Grades: 4-12 How much solid waste is disposed carried out? Procedure: of at this site daily, weekly and How can you participate in making 1. a) Contact your municipal landfill yearly? the decisions that develop future and obtain permission for your class Who works at the site? Do they waste management plans in your to visit it. Arrange for the site monitor what is dumped? community? manager, owner or other resource What happens to the trash once it's 3. Now that you know more about person to guide your trip and be dumped in the landfill? landfills: available to answer questions. A list Are any of the materials How do you feel about them? of local waste disposal sites can be hazardous? Are there regulations or Are they the best way to dispose of obtained by contacting your DNR procedures for dealing with trash? What are possible alternatives? district solid waste management hazardous wastes? What can you do to help reduce specialist. (Be sure to follow all safety What is the land adjacent to the solid waste? precautions while visiting the site.) landfill used for? Is the landfill a b) If you're unable to take a field problem for nearby landowners? If Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: trip, ask a guest speaker to come and so, in what ways? Where is the trash you throw away discuss local solid waste management How is the site managed for taken? with your class. Resource people you control of blowing trash, odors, What eventually happens to your might contact are: waste disposal site noise, animals, erosion, surface trash there? operators, private waste haulers, runoff and leachate? What is the difference between a Extension agents, environmental Are tests performed regularly at the dump and a sanitary landfill? health officers, government officials, site (groundwater, soil, methane gas)? environmental organization What are the results? representatives, DNR and local solid Is there a waste managers and public works program at the site? If so, what is personnel. recovered? How? What impacts does resource 2. Before visiting the municipal recovery have on the economy and landfill or having a guest speaker, environment? develop a list of questions you would How many years is the landfill like answered. Investigate possible expected to last? How much time answers tc your questions. Then send does the community have to find a the questions to the guide or guest new site? speaker in advance so they can prepare responses. Questions to consider include: Where is the garbage from your school or home taken? Going Beyond: For older students... community. Take oa the roles of How does it get there? If your community has a solid people involved in the decision: local Why was the landfill located on waste incinerator designed for energy landowners, politicians, industry this site? What factors must be recovery, visit it. What are the pros representatives, environmentalists, considered when a site is selected? and cons of ? waste managers and others. What tests were done at the site Investigate waste disposal Landfills often have been before it was opened? What were the techniques, problems and laws in developed in wetlands, although this results? other parts of Wisconsin, the U.S. is now illegal in Wisconsin. Consider What laws govern solid waste (e.g., New Jersey, California) and the the following questions: disposal in your community? world. Consult individuals, books, Why were landfills often located in Is the landfill an engineered or newspapers, magazines and state wetlands? unengineered site? agencies. What problems might exist with Who owns the landfill? When did Survey your parents' knowledge placing landfills in wetlands? it open? What was the cost of and attitudes about solid waste. . Are wetlands an important constructing it? Conduct a hearing to decide ecosystem? Why? where to locate a landfill in your

13 Composting: A Great, Rotten Idea Part 1 Is It Rotten? 4/1/(WOMOI.O.IMANMNI/Ilme.

Background: When we mention Goal: To have students investigate the 6. List items you throw away that "recycling," we often think of pros and cons of composting. are biodegradable. Discuss: recycling glass bottles, aluminum cans How might you and your family and newspapers. But another 301l'a of Subjects: Science, health, recycle these materials? the household garbage we throw out environmental education, vocational What is composting? also can be recycled. These agriculture, home economics. Why do you think people compost recyclables are food scraps, leaves, household organic wastes? grass clippings and other Grades: 4-12 7. What are some benefits of biodegradableorganic wastes. Materials: Organic wastes can be recycled by rotting log, grass clippings, leaves cornposting household food and yard composting. Simply stated, or food scraps wastes? For example: composting creates optimal conditions Doesn't require the purchase of for decomposition to occur. Procedure: expensive plastic bags often used for Decomposition is the biochemical 1. Define: recyclable, disposing of household and yard process by which bacteria, fungi and biodegradable. List items that are wastes. other microscopic organisms break recyclable and/or biodegradable. Saves the cost of transporting organic "wastes" into nutrients that Discuss: wastes to and handling wastes at the can be used by plants and animals. Are there recyclable materials that landfill. Wisconsin discards 2.4 Decomposition occurs in nature aren't biodegradable? Are there million tons of compostable waste whenever a leaf falls to the ground or biodegradable materials that aren't every year. It costs $50 per ton to an animal dies. It is essential for the recyclable? collect wastes in urban areas and continuation of life on earth. The $15-$25 per ton to dispose of them. 2. Feel, smell and look at the result of decomposition in a compost How much money do Wisconsin rotting log, grass clippings, leaves or pile is a nutrient-rich humus that is citizens spend each year disposing of food scraps. What words would you excellent for improving soil quality their compostable wastes? and plant growth. use to describe these materials? List Saves space in the landfill. these words. Do the words have Wisconsin's landfills are filling up positive and/or negative fast. Within 10 years, most will be connotations? Why? filled to capacity. Thus, Wisconsin 3. Explain what is happening to the already has a serious problem rotting material. Discuss: where will we put all our waste? What is the natural process that Reduces pollution from landfills. breaks biodegradable material into Creates nutrient-rich humus you particles that can be used again by can use to fertilize and improve the plants and animals? (decomposition) texture of your yard and garden soil; What organisms assist in this saves money you might spend on decomposition process? (fungi, mulch or fertilizer. bacteria, earthworms, springtails, 8. What are some possible mites, etc.) problems with composting? What What will your rotting material suggestions do you have for solving finally becone? (humus) the problems? For example: 4. Imagine a world where It's too much work. Mowing the decomposition doesn't take place. lawn and washing the car are work, Discuss: too, but we choose to do these What would happen to organic activities because they're satisfying materials like dead animals, leaves or so is composting! And composting sewage? has a positive impact on the Could plants and animals survive if environment, which can make us feel decomposition doesn't occur? Why or good. why not? You'd have to run outside Is decomposition important? Why? everythne you eat an apple or peel a potato. Just place scraps into a 5. Now think of words to describe plastic container with a lid. Keep the rot or decomposition. List them. Do container in or under the kitchen the words have positive and/or sink, then take the waste to the negative connotations? Why? compost pile whenever the container is full.

14 It's easier to use the trashbag or tax the system and costs money. If Resources), your pile shouldn't smell garbage disposal. Once you make it you can afford a garbage disposal, or attract rats. into a routine, composting is easy, perhaps you can afford a "no work" The neighbors might not like it. If too. It can make you feel good about composter. Easy-to-use, compact and you locate, build and maintain your doing something positive for the attractive composting bins are pile properly, it shouldn't be environment by using instead of available commercially. Contact your offensive. Take the opportunity to wasting the fertilizing potential of garden center or the DNR Bureau of explain what you're doing to your your garbage. Also, landfilled yard Solid Waste Management for details. neighbors and why you feel wastes and food scraps take up space It might smell and attract rats. If composting is important. and may release harmful methane you maintain your compost pile 9. How would/do yoti compost gas. Food waste put down the according to basic guidelines in your household wastes? Where can garbage disposal ends up in the publications like Home Composting: you find information to help you? sewage system, where treating it can Reap a Heap of Benefits (see Write or call for information. .117 .1110.11111.1121... Part 2 Readin', Rottin' at 1 'Rithmetic: Classroom Composting 1171M56 Goal: To have students learn about compost is needed to generate good recycling in nature and actually decomposition temperatures recycle organic matter by composting. (104.170°F). Thus, an aquarium, with its small size and glass sides, isn't the Subjects: Science, health, best compost container. Consider environmental education, constructing an outdoor compost pile mathematics, home economics, with wire sides on the school vocational agriculture. grounds. Composting instructions are available from: DNR Bur. of Grades: 4-12 Information and Education.) Materials: Procedure: fish aquarium 1. What "ingredients" do you organic waste materials (be sure to think are needed to construct a add a variety of materials, not all one compost pile? Why? List ingredients. kind, i.e., use sawdust, hair, wood For example: ash and leaves in addition to food soil: contains microorganisms that scraps; avoid meat scraps, fats and help decomposition. oils, which inhibit decomposition and organic wastes: such as leaves, food in outdoor compost piles can attract scraps and grass clippings. Wastes dogs, rats, raccoons and other should be varied, including materials animals) with both carbon and nitrogen. By lawn fertilizer that contains alternating layers of high-carbon and nitrogen (but not herbicides or high-nitrogen materials, you can insecticides); manure and green grass create good environmental conditions clippings also contain large amounts for decomposition to occur. of nitrogen. A ratio of 25-30 parts nitrogen: many of the organisms carbon to 1 part nitrogen is ideal. responsible for decomposition need in a compost pile may make it soggy soil nitrogen, thus nitrogen is necessary and slow decomposition by reducing 1-2 dozen red earthworms (obtain for rapid and thorough needed oxygen. from yard, garden, school grounds or decomposition. Nitrogen is found air: the biological activity of fungi, local bait shop) naturally in many organic wastes, and bacteria, small insects and other thermometer in many commercial fertilizers. organisms results in decomposition. trowel or large kitchen spoon (for worms: they eat the waste, helping Most biological processes require turning, or aerating, the pile) to break it down; make droppings, adequate amounts of oxygen. (Note: Air circulation is important which enrich the soil; tunnel through time: decomposition takes time. To to decomposition, thus the best and aerate the waste, facilitating speed up decomposition, aerate your compost bin is one with wire or decomposition; and eventually die pile every few days; otherwise, just screen sides. Mass also is important, and become part of the compost. leave it and wait. since approximately one cubic yard of water: necessary for normal heat: heat is produced by chemical functioning of life. Too much water reactions resulting from increased

15 - biological activity that occurs during 7. Be patient. Occasionally check 11. Discuss: decomposition. Heat helps sanitize the moisture and add water if needed. How does composting reduce the compost by killing certain organisms amount of waste you would have (e.g., weed seeds, pathogens, harmful 8. Make a chart to help you keep a thrown out? insect larvae). daily record of temperature and other What do you think happens to observations during the next month mass: in order to generate enough organic wastes that end up in the heat for optimal decomposition, the or two. Observe: landfill? Which materials break down the pile must contain at least one cubic Is the landfill a gigantic natural meter of organic material. Thus, the fastest? Slowest? Why? compost pile, or are there problems Are there any odors? Why do you temperatures generated in an with placing large amounts of organic aquarium compost pile may be think decomposition has an odor? material in landfills? different from those generated in one Does the texture of the compost that is larger. change? In what ways? 12. Now that you have constructed and maintained a mini-compost pile 9. Once the materials in your 2. Design a plan for making a in the classroom, how would you go mini-compost pile in the classroom. compost pile have decomposed into about constructing and maintaining Decide which ingredients students will humus, conduct the same feel, smell one at home? provide and which will be supplied by and look test that you did in Part 1, the teacher. Set a date for #2. Pre- and Post-Instruction Questions: constructing your pile. 10. Now decide what your class What is composting? 3. Suggestions for creating a mini- should do with this rich soil. When What are the necessary compost pile: you clean out the aquarium, should "ingredients" for a good compost a) Chop the organic wastes into small you: dump the humus in the trash; pile? pieces. You can leave some large take it outside and dig it into the soil; How is composting related to the pieces of the same materials to use it for growing plants in the concept of recycling? compare rates of decomposition classroom? How can composting reduce waste? between large and small items. Why might there be a difference? b) Alternate layers of the materials as Going Beyond: follows (amounts are approximate): Create a compost pile as in Part Have they had any problems? Would inch of soil, two inches of organic 2, but also add manufactured items they recommend composting? waste, sprinkle of fertilizer, sprinkle like a soda can, paper clip, bottle Investigate what happens to the of water, repeat. cap, aluminum foil, iron nail, pencil, leaves your community discards each c) Cover with an inch of soil. Water crayon, paper, plastic bag, rubber autumn. What do you think should the pile enough to make it moist but band, etc. Predict rates of be done with them? not soggy. It should feel like a damp decomposition or lack of If your community has a sponge (it feels moist, but you can't decomposition and observe actual municipal composting center, take a squeeze water out of it). changes, if any. field trip to it. Be sure to prepare d) Add the earthworms and observe Take a field trip to a local questions to ask the guide. leir behavior. or park. Examine a rotting log or leaf Have students design e) Place your compost pile where it litter. Place a sample of rotting experimental compost piles. For will be at room temperature (not in humus in a white enamel pan and example, make a pile that: is low in direct sun). sort through it carefully, looking nitrogen; lacks moisture; has little air 4. Place the thermometer in the closely for "decomposers." What circulation; or is made of a single niddle of the pile. Wait an hour or decomposers (insects, mites, fungi, ingredient (e.g., just grass clippings). ), then record the temperature. etc.) can you find? What do you Also create a good compost pile for think they're doing? Read about their comparison. Compare rates and 5. Record the temperature from the life histories. (Do activity: A Rottin' temperatures of decomposition same location and depth, and at the Place to Live, in booklet Trees are between piles. same time each day. Why is it a good Terrific. See Resources.) Fill flower pots with different idea to be consistent with location, Make a Berlese funnel to help soil types, including one type that has depth and time of recording? Does you capture tiny soil animals. your humus mixed in. Plant seeds or the temperature change? Why or why Examine them using a magnifying grow seedlings in the pots. Make 4-5 not? Make a graph to show your glass or binocular microscope. Make pots with each soil type so that you're temperature results. drawings of them and try to figure comparing more than one plant 6. Gently mix the compost once a out what kind of animal they are. grown in each type (i.e., so that you week to aerate it. A good time to Read about their life histories. (See: have a large enough sample size to turn the compost is after the Soil Animals, Living Earth and The make a valid judgement). Do the temperature peaks and begins to Natural History Guide, in Resources.) plants in different soil types grow at drop. Why? Be sure to record the Visit someone who maintains a different rates, with different vigor, temperature before you turn the compost pile. Why do they compost? color, etc? What are possible compost that day. What do they do with the compost? explanations for any differences?

16 Is It A Waste? Part 1 All Wrapped Up *

Background: Why do we buy one Goal: To have students investigate the (plastic wrap, styrofoam, plastic milk product instead of another? Often it's purpose of packaging and identify containers). Discuss: because of the packaging. Packaging wasteful packaging. What happens to the packaging accounts for 10-15% (and sometimes once the product is used? more than 50%) of the cost of a Subjects: Home economics, Which packaging is/isn't: product and 40-50% of all consumer marketing, social studies, language recyclable, biodegradable? wastes. While packaging often is arts, health, science, environmental Which packaging is/isn't made designed to protect merchandise, it education. from: recycled materials, renewable resources? also is designed to sell products. Grades: 4-12 Excess and non-recyclabte packaging What are the environmental pros add to our energy and waste Procedure: and cons of making and disposing of problems. We can cut down on 1. Bring in an example of food each type of packaging? packaging. packaging. Discuss: Which packaging would you label: Why is the product packaged? (To most wasteful, least wasteful? Why? protect the product, protect health, 3. Brainstorm ways that you could prevent theft, provide advertising, reduce the amount of packaging you provide convenience, promote purchase. For example, could you purchasing, make the product look purchase products in bulk? How larger or more appealing?) would this help reduce packaging? (A Is the packaging essential or 3 ounce tube of toothpaste requires wasteful? Why or why not? What 50% more packaging per ounce than criteria are you using to make your a 7 ounce tube.) decision? Whz:, influence do you think Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: packaging has on the salability of the List three examples each of product? recyclable and non-recyclable packaging. 2. Design a way to categorize the What criteria might you consider packaging. For example, sort it when deciding whether packaging is according to "natural" packaging necessary or wasteful? (bananas, apples, peanuts); "older" What happens to most of the packaging (paper bags, returnable packaging you purchase? What do bottles); and "modern" packaging you think about this?

Part 2 What's the Appeal? *

Goal: To have students quantify the Which product would you buy? number of times and radio Why? ads try to sell products for reasons What is advertising? What is the not related to product quality and list purpose of advertising? some of the techniques advertisers use Does advertising influence what to promote products. you buy? How? Which advertisement do you like Subjects: Social studies, mathematics, best? Why? language arts, home economics, Do your reasons have anything to marketing, environmental education. do with the quality or function of the product? Grades: 7-12 Do you purchase name-brand items Procedure: instead of generic items? Why? 1. Find samples of different 2. Discuss ways in which products advertisements for the same type of are promoted on television, radio and item (soda, detergent, potato chips). in print. Analyze at least 25 ads. Note Select ads for different name-brands the following: and types of packaging. Discuss: What strategy does the advertiser use to sell the product?

17 What is the advertisement really 4. Make a composite chart that the product is used? Why or why selling: convenience, health, sex shows the results of all the surveys not? appeal, status, fun, quality? done by students. Discuss: Does the advertisement mention the Which marketing strategies were Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: packaging? used most often to promote packaged Name three reasons you buy one Is the packaging reusable or products? type of packaged product instead of recyclable? What strategies were used that were another. Does the ad suggest what you not listed on the sample form? How often are your reasons based should do pith the packaging? What usually happens to the on the quality or function of the packaging? product? 3. Design a chart to help analyze Do you think the manufacturer of Discuss ways in which characteristiof these ads. A sample the product should be responsible for advertisements may influence what follows (feel free to add other what happens to the packaging once you choose to purchase. categories):

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!../41/1-1.11=VOr-IrWINIJIMINEM Part 3 How Many Ways Can You Wrap An Apple?

Goal: To have students design poems, songs, posters or whatever more important to package the item packaging and advertising st-ategies you believe will sell the product. to sell than to package it to have low to sell a product, analyze why they environmental impact? Are these two decided on their strategies and 2. Present your ad campaign to the concepts mutually exclusive? Could consider why they buy one product class. you design a package that sells but instead of another. 3. Display the "products" doesn't use a lot of energy or resources to produce or dispose of? Subjects: Social studies, language (numbered in some way).. Vote for the apple you would buy (each Who should pay for the disposal arts, art, drama, environmental costs of packaging that isn't education. classmember should vote anonymously on slips of scrap paper). recyclable or reusable? Grades: 6-12 Tally the results. Discuss: Do you have any choices about Why did you choose the product how much packaging you purchase? Materials: you did? an apple or other object (hammer, How much packaging was involved Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: child's toy, batteries) for each student in the "winning apple?" Was the Who do you think makes decisions or group of students. Each student or packaging necessary? Why or why about what packaging to use on a group should have the same item. not? product? What influence does the packaging What main factors do you think Procedure: have on the quality of the product? they consider when deciding how to 1. You have just gotten a job as an Why was the product packaged? make their product sell? advertizing agent for an apple Who pays for the packaging? Why do you think people buy company (you can work either Who should pay for disposal of the products that have a lot of individually or with a group of other packaging? packaging? students). Your first assignment is to Was the manufacturer of the How often do you think develop a packaging design and ad product concerned about disposal of manufacturers consider the impacts campaign to sell apples. Keep track the packaging? of packaging on the environment? of the reasons why you chose your If the manufacturer is primarily Do you have to purchase highly particular design and sales pitch. interested in selling the product, is it packaged items? Your campaign can consist of skits, Part 4 - Packaging: Is It A Waste?* ,49010101,711110.71, =.11WINIII1111041...... Background: In 1974, the packaging and become aware of how Which forms of the potato are Environmental Action Foundation complex and energy-intensive food most highly processed and packaged? published research showing that the processing has become. Which are most expensive per energy used to produ-e the packaging pound? used annually by Mc Jona ld's Subjects: Home economics, social Which form of potato would you fastfood restaurants was equal to the studies, language arts, marketing, purchase if you were interested fn amount of energy required to supply mathematics, environmental reducing solid waste or saving the people of Boston, Washington, education. money? San Francisco and Pittsburgh for a Grades: 7-12 2. Working with a partner, choose year. a fresh food item to investigate, such Procedure: Goal: To have students consider as a potato, tomato or corn. If 1. Examine the following chart. possible, go as a class to the grocery solutions to the problems of energy Discuss: and resources wasted due to excessive store (or go independently after school). Calculate and/or record the price per pound of the fresh product as well as 5-10 items that are processed forms of the product. Discuss: Which form of your food item is most expensive per pound? Why? Which do you think uses the most energy to produce? What relationships are there among cost and amount of processing and This Spud's For You packaging? Product* Package Price Price per 3. Make a chart like the one above Size Pound for the product you are investigating. Discuss: 10 lb. $ .30 Fresh Idaho Potatoes $2.99 What conclusions can you make Fresh Idaho Potatoes 5 lb. 1.98 .40 about the relationships among cost, Fresh Idaho Potatoes loose .59 .59 processing and packaging? Kohl's Canned Sliced Potatoes 8.5oz. .33 .62 Which packaging do you think is Ore Ida Tater Tots 4 lb. 2.99 .75 least wasteful of energy and raw Ore Ida Tater Tots 2 lb. 1.69 .85 materials? Which is most wasteful? Ore Ida Tater Tots 1 lb. .99 .99 Does the product need the Kohl's Crinkle Cut French Fries 5 lb. 2.99 .59 packaging? Kohl's Crinkle Cut French Fries 2 lb. 1.33 .67 What do people do with the Micro Magic Microwave French Fries 15 oz. 1.69 1.80 packaging? Micro Magic Microwave French Fries 9 oz. 1.25 2.22 Which packaging: weighs the least (3-3 oz. pkgs.) per pound of product; takes up the Small Order McDonald's French Fries 2.5oz. .59 3.78 least space in the landfill; decomposes Betty Crocker Potato Buds 28 oz. 2.59 1.48 most or least quickly; doesn't Betty Crocker Potato Buds 13.75 oz. 1.49 1.73 produce toxic materials when it decomposes? Betty Crocker Potato Buds 5.5oz. .65 2.08 Planter's Potato Crunchies 6.5oz. 1.19 2.54 4. Which of these products will you Durkee Potato Sticks 7 oz. 1.49 3.41 buy in the future? What criteria will Durkee Potato Chips (8-9/16 oz. pkgs.) 4.5oz. 1.29 4.59 you use for making your decisions Pringle's Potato Chips (reg.) 7.5oz. 1.49 3.18 about what to buy and what not to Jay's Potato Chips (twin pack) 8 oz. 1.39 2.78 buy? Jay's Potato Chips (12-0.5 oz. pkgs.) 6 oz. 1.89 5.04 Pre- and Post-Activity Questions: What percentage of the cost of *All items priced on June 22, 1987, at Kohl's II Food Stores and McDonald's in packaged do you think is due Madison, WI. to packaging? Which of your favorite foods could you buy without packaging? How can packaging of foods be reduced?

19 Part 5 What Can 1 Do To Change Packaging?

Goal: To have students identify steps Write to legislators urging them to Refuse to accept bags and extra that can be taken to affect the require standardization of materials wrappings from the store cashier and packaging options available in the of which containers are made. This bagger and tell them why. marketplace and encourage them to would make possible an expanded 2. Do some of the things you system of returnable or recylable act on an option (See activity: Time suggest. for Action). containers. Organize a consumer's advisory 3. Evaluate your results. Discuss: Subjects: Language arts, social committee to recommend packaging Did you receive a response to your studies, environmental education. or bagging changes in your local letter? If not, send another copy. supermarket. Did the response you received Grades: 5-12 If you are dissatisfied with a address your concerns and answer Procedure: product's packaging, write the your questions adequately? 1. Brainstorm whaz you can do to manufacturer and send a copy to the Do you feel that your action has encourage change in packaging local Consumer Protection Division had an influence on reducing procedures. List your ideas. For of the federal government or unnecessary packaging or encouraging example: appropriate agency. use of recyclable materials? Write letters encouraging retailers Write to packaging companies Remember, even if your influence to carry beverage containers that can urging them to use recyclable was small, every "drop in the be returned or recycled. materials. bucket" counts. Write to the manufacturers of an (For all of the above, be sure to Who can you contact to assist you item with a particularly wasteful request a response to your letters.) in your goal? package and ask them to suggest Refuse to purchase over-packaged Would you personally be willing to ways you can reuse or recycle the items in stores and tell the manager do without the conveniences and packaging they are producing. why. appeals of packaging? Why or why not?

packaging in 1983, the U.S. used: 1958-1911., from from 33million 92 billion metal cans in theU.S. grew 42 billion glass bottles to 66+million tons and jars the use of 16 billion plastic containers plastic beverage containers in the U.S. all has increased as follows: made up30-40coo of packaging 15.0 million in 1967 in 1971, inals 8.5 billion in 1982 products of paper portion 12.5 billion in 1985 up thelargest .saste: 20.0 billion in 1990 each iicar Wisconsin'stons 1.3million use citizens bottles Wisconsinplastic million tons Wisconsin citizens 300 20,000 eachsear., use 1.4 billion landfilled aluminum cans and ate 17 million plastic soda bottles each year .4A in 1983, packaging accountedfor 10.5 of a in 1985. beer and soda bottles made up 600o of jumped from S9.4 all discarded metal, glass. and plastic containers food item's cost (the total cost billion in 1973 to $24.2 billionin 1983) Almost 1.0 billion glass bottles are filled in Wisconsin each year, half with soda and beer; only 50/o of all glass bottles are recycled

Facts from: Special Recycling Edition, July-August 1985.Wisconstn Natural Resources.Vol. 8, No. 4.

20 Going Beyond: Scenario 3: Read the following true-life Luke and Jennifer are on their way ketchup packet. Meanwhile, Jennifer scenarios. Based on what you now home from school and are starving. is eating her burger, having stuffed know about how packaging creates They stop at the fast-food restaurant the styrofoam box, designed to keep solid waste and how consumers are for a burger, fries and soda. They the burger warm, back into the bag. influenced by advertising, pay, pick up the bag with their order She adds some pepper from the little convenience, etc., analyze and discuss and go to the nearby park to eat. paper packet, but decides she doesn't what is going on in each scenario. Luke opens the bag and takes out the need the salt she got, so leaves it in How do you think people in these sodas and paper napkins He puts a the bag. When they're finished scenarios might behave differently to plastic straw through the plastic spill- eating, Luke and Jennifer put the reduce the amount of trash they proof lid on his paper , then grabs garbage (from two burgers, two sodas discard? for the cardboard container holding and one french fries) in the trash can the fries. "You like ketchup?," he and head home. Scenario I: asks Jennifer, as he opens the plastic Mr. Jones and his young son, Sammy, are at the convenience store to buy a gallon of milk. Mr. Jones Purchase a large box of cereal and would you buy? Why is cereal picks up the plastic jug of milk and a variety pack that contains an equal packaged in variety packs? C...a any heads for the check-out. In the weight of cereal. Remove (or eat!) the of the packaging be recycled? meantime, Sammy has been eyeing contents. Measure the area of the Talk with an older person in the candy, and asks if he can have cardboard, foil and/or wax paper your community about what grocery some. Mr. Jones says yes, and packaging. Which item (large box or shopping was like 50 years ago. Were Sammy places his choice (individually variety pack) has more packaging per the stores the same size or arranged wrapped jaw-breakers) on the unit of cereal? Which costs more per inside like they are today (e.g., did counter. The clerk rings up the unit of cereal? Why do you think it shoppers take their own groceries purchase and puts the milk jug in a costs more? If you want more cereal from the shelf or did the clerk do it paper bag. Sammy demands his own for your money, which would you for them)? Where did the term bag for his candy, and the clerk looks buy? If you want less packaging for "supermarket" come from? Why questioningly at Mr. Jones. Mr. the same amount of cereal, which have there been changes in the way Jones nods to the clerk, who gives food is marketed? Were there as Sammy his own bag. Once out of the many items to choose from then? store, Sammy takes his candy out of Why? How were the items wrapped? the bag and throws the bag away. Write down what you had for Mr. Jones does the same with his bag lunch and list all the containers and when he gets home. packaging that came with the food. Discuss the items that could be reused Scenario 2: or recycled. Ms. Smith has just finished Interview grocery shoppers to mowing the lawn and asks her find out why they buy certain daughter, Kate, to help rake the grass products. What do they do with the clippings and stuff them into plastic packaging? How often do they bags. Kate also rakes up some leaves consider packaging when they make a that have blown into the shrubs. Ms. purchase? Smith and Kate haul the bags to the curb for garbage collection. Their neighbor, Carol, walks by and asks why they are putting the grass and leaves in plastic bags. Kate responds that she doesn't know how else you're supposed to get rid of them people always dispose of them that way (she points to the house across the street, which also has thrown out grass in plastic bags). And besides, it's the way her mom asked her to do it. Ms. Smith explains that the ads on TV said bags were good to use for throwing away trash like grass and leaves. She buys the heavy-duty ones with the built-in tie because she had a coupon, and because the ad said they are tough to break and easy to use. How Times Have Changed Goal: To have students investigate production and handling of wastes. Subjects: Social studies, language and think about how technologies, To encourage students to develop a arts, science, art, environmental lifestyles and values change through greater understanding of history and education. time and how these changes alter the to express themselves through language.

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Grades: 5-12 Materials: Section 1:Sayings and Slogans tape recorder (optional) You've all heard sayings like: What qualities in products did "A stitch in time saves nine." people appreciate when you were Procedure: "Waste not, want not." growing up? Has that changed over 1. Imagine yourself as a reporter "An ounce of prevention is worth time? How? investigating how times have changed a pound of cure." Did people take better care of their since your parents and grandparents "Built to last a lifetime." belongings when you were growing up were children. To help you begin More recently, we hear slogans like: than they do now? Why? How many thinking about how things have "Quick and easy to use." pants, dresses or pairs of shoes did changed, read either Section 1 or 2, "No mess, no bother." you have? What were the clothes or investigate the past by consulting "Disposable." made of? When clothes tore or wore books, the local historical society, old "Individually wrapped for your thin, were they repaired or were new magazines, antique stores, museums, convenience." ones purchased? What did you do etc. As you do this think about how "They sure don't make 'em like with old clothes? you'd answer the questions that they used to." Can you show me a family follow each section. Discuss your heirloom and describe the qualities answers in class. Questions: that make it so special? What other similar sayings and Why are we attracted to items that 2. Interview your parents, slogans can you think of? are "new and improved?" grandparents or other adults to find What are these slogans saying Are we more wasteful today? In out what they used in their everyday about our lifestyles and how they've what ways? Why? lives for toys, clothing, food changed? What types of things did you throw wrappings, trashcans, etc., how these Which messages point out product out in the trash? Were they similar to items have changed through time and quality? Which emphasize product what we throw out today? What how they feel about these changes. convenience? containers did you use for trash? You can either design your own Are products today built to be What did you do with trash? Did you interview or read Section 1 or 2 to the durable, convenient to use, or both? have as much trash to throw away person(s) you are interviewing, then Why? What do you think about this? then as you do now? ask the accompanying questions. (If you have a tape recorder, tape the conversation. Be sure to ask the person being interviewed if they mind Section 2:Toys for Us being taped.) Toys have changed through the Questions: 3. Discuss your interview results in years. At one time, most were made What were your favorite toys when class. of natural objects. Then they were you were little? How many toys did made of papier-mache, or were you have? handmade country toys like whirli- What were your toys made of? gigs, bean shooters, yo-yos, limber Who made them? jacks and tops. Over time, How long did your toys last? commercially manufactured toys Could they be fixed if they broke? became available, like wooden Would it have been cheaper to fix the Lincoln Logs and Tinker Toys and toy or get a new one? Why? Could metal Erector Sets. Then plastic toys you fix a broken toy at home or did came on the market toy guns, someone else have to fix it? frisbees, hula hoops and plastic If broken toys could not be models. Now, battery-operated and repaired, what did you do with them? electronic toys, pinball games, video How are toys sold today different games and computers are popular. from thNe you had?

22 Part 2 The Garbage Guzzler Strikes Again .114....ry.=4/14.=. Grades: 4-7 Procedure: The Garbage Guzzler Strikes Again 1. Read the following unfinished Sam and Jody's teacher has given Massachusetts! The Guzz makes three story. their class an assignment to write more trips in the Time Machine, 2. Write a final paragraph that about recycling and how the stuff returning with garbage collected from describes what the Garbage Guzzler Americans throw away has changed a Philadelphia house dwing the dumped in Jody's backyard. Read throughout history. Sam and Jody meeting of the first Continental and discuss your concluding are having a tough time with the Congress, from a miner's shack near paragraphs in class. paper. Lucky for them, the Garbage Sutter's Mill during the California Guzzler suddenly appears and offers Gold Rush and from a Wisconsin 3. Discuss possible answers to the to lend a hand! house the day after Mount St. Helens questions that follow the story. Did The Guzz picks up the trashcan erupted. He dumps all four cans of your endings answer some of these behind Jody's house and takes off ingarbage in separate piles in Jody's questions? his Time Machine. Sam and Jody backyard. 4. For an art assignment, draw have no idea what the Guzz is up to. Sam and Jody are amazed by what your image of the Garbage Guzzler. Are they surprised when he returns they see in each pile. The Pilgrims with a can of garbage he collected had thrown out... Questions: from a Pilgrim's house in Plymouth, From what dates in history did the Garbage Guzzler collect garbage? What items might Sam and Jody find in each garbage pile? Going Beyond: Consider how other What are these items made of? products we use in our homes have How many of the items do you changed through time. Discuss: think would be recyclable? What did people do before there Compare the items in the different were products like Scotch tape, piles. What do the differences hairdryers, toilet bowl cleaner, soda indicate about the lifestyles of people cans, toothpaste tubes and pumps, at each location and each period in plastic cups, power lawnmowers, history? What might people from disposable diapers, plastic wrap, each period in history think about the vaccuurn cleaners, plastic shampoo garbage from other periods? bottles, microwave ovens, etc.? What will happen to the items if What did they do with their leaves they stay in Jody's backyard for a and garden clippings before there year, ten years, fifty yeaf1;? were plastic bags? What predictions do you have for How do changes in technology what we will be throwing away in ten affect our living habits, our waste years, fifty years? habits, our opportunities for recycling What predictions do you have for and our environment? the amount of trash we will throw away in ten or fifty years compared to how much we throw away now? Is there anything you can do to influence what trash will be like or how much trash there will be?

e). tt. 23 Vie Cost of the Toss Goal: To have students develop a better understanding of what options exist for managing solid waste, and the costs and benefits of each option. Subjects: Social studies, mathematics, environmental education, science, health. Grades: 6-12,

Part 1 Decisions, Decisions WVANIMIIKEP ir.1aMaIMer :1711.111111 Procedure: growth, long-term economic and What are the pros and cons of 1. Imagine yourself as the mayor of environmental impacts, etc.)? incineration? Do you think the Wonderful, Wisconsin. Yours is a How big is 52,000 cubic yards? benefits (landfill space saved, energy pleasant city of 65,000 people. How much space will you need if you produced, convenient) outweigh the Unfortunately, Wonderful is in the choose to landfill Wonderful's costs (landfill still necessary, toxic ash midst of a not-so-wonderful crisis: garbage for that many years? and air pollutants produced, your landfill must be closed because Compare the pros and cons of expensive)? What are the experiences it doesn't comply with present citizen convenience and of other communities that already standards for protecting the environmental impacts for each have installed incinerators? How do environment. What's Wonderful option. Do you consider citizen the pros and cons of incineration going to do with all its garbage? convenience more important than compare with those of recycling? As mayor, you're responsible for environmental impacts or vice versa? Recycling newsprint sounds like a investigating new options for Why? How does your view affect great way to save landfill space and managing Wonderful's solid waste. which option you think is better? trees. But you've heard that some You begin by forming a solid waste What is the relationship between newspapers use ink that contains committee to study the options. Who net cost and citizen convenience? Is lead, a hazardous metal. What do you think should sit on this what's convenient the least/most happens to tWs lead when the paper committee (town treasurer, public expensive? If saving money is your is landfilled, recycled, composted, works director, citizen representative, main concern, which option would burned? What have newspaper landfill developer, etc.)? Assign you choose? Should saving money be manufacturers substituted for lead fellow classmates to play these roles your only concern? inks? and decide on a name for your Does this chart calculate in the committee. "costs" of each option's long-term 3. Investigate what is required by environmental impacts or use of your local, state, and federal 2. Call a meeting of the committee. natural resources? What might these governments for chosing the waste Your assistant has prepared the chart, "costs" be? How much should your management option(s) for Wonderful "Managing Garbage From Homes," committee be concerned about these (e.g., public hearing, citizen to help members see some options "costs" in making your dezision? referendum, DNR approval, and impacts of managing garbage How easy is it to put a dollar value environmental impact statement). from Wonderful's homes. Study the on environmental damage? chart and, as a group, consider the 4. Do you feel you have enough If creating jobs is high on your list information to make a wise descision following questions: of priorities, which option would you At first glance, which waste for your town? If not, where can you choose? What do you think about the find this information? disposal option seems best? Why? Do often-made statement that recycling you all agree? Is there one best eliminates jobs? 5. Now that your committee has option? You have read somewhere about What criteria and values are you investigated and discussed the options composting . for Wonderful's solid waste using to judge options? Are you pro- Where can you find out more about management plan, make a decision business, pro-taxpayer, pro- ,:omposting? Why might your about which option(s) the town environment, pro-convenience? community consider composting as a should enact. Discuss how your personal points of valid option for waste disposal? view might influence how you judge Which wastes could be composted? 6. List suggestions for what you the importance of each potential can do to ensure the success of impact. Wonderful's new waste management For how many years into the future plan (e.g., community education, are you planning? Why is this an providing containers for recycling). important consideration (population

24 Managing GarbageOption From Homes: Options & Impacts* No. of employees Landfill Net Cost ($/yr.) Amount of Energy Environmental Issues Citizen Convenience (landfilla) Landfill 15 everythingmi. away) LandfillCollection 40 2 (cubic yards)52,000needs/yr. yd' CollectionLandfill (includes sale ofenergy any produced) $1,820,000$1,300,000 520,000 TotalLandfillCollection Used (gallons of gas equivalent) 30,000gal.43,00013,000 gal. usesis unattractivecan land pollute water & air justat put curb waste Total 4442 Total $1,400,000 Collection 33,000gal. reducesbury/lose(methane)can create impacts naturalhazardous at resources landfill gases need to separate aluminum.glass,Curbsideb) remainder.Voluntary newsprint, pickup Landfill R?eycling plastic,of: TotalLandfillRecyclingCollection center 54 28 47,000 yd' CollectionTotalLandfillRecycling(profit) $1,5. cs,, ,:t0 !0.000 0 RecyclingTotalLandfill Saved(saves) 255,000 gal. 300,000 12,000 reducesreusesmanufacturing pollution natural resources from recyclablesbuilds good habits c) Mandatory(as in "b" above) Recycling TotalLandfillRecyclingCollection center 486515 2 42,000 yd' CollectionTotalLandfillRecycling(profit) $1,500,0001,860,000 420,000 60,000 TotalLandfillRecyclingCollection Saved 555,000(saves) gal. 600,000 36,000gal.9,000 abovesame as voluntary recycling requiresneedbuildsforrecyclables to non-compliance separateenforcement good habits d) CompostingMandatory of yard CompostingCollectionLandfill 42 21 45,000 yd' LandfillCompostingCollection $1,350,000 450,000 50,000 CollectionLandfillComposting 33,000gal.10,000 1,000 reduces methanestrengthneed for oflandfillgas leachate pollution buildsyardneed wasteto good separate habits e)compostedremainder.waste. Incinerate1/2 yard Landfill waste (#sat for home) assume energyis TotalCollection 3845 10,000 yd' TotalCollection $1,250,000$1,850,000 CollectionTotal Used 44,000gal.28,000gal. reducesreusesproduces natural need fertile for resources humus landfill just put waste at (incineratornon-burnables.recovery. Landfill in town) ash & TotalLandfillIncinerator 5112 1 TotalLandfillIncineration $2,200,000 200,000750,000 TotalLandfillIncinerator(produces) 840,000Produced 810,000 gal. 2,000 produceshandlingmetalsconsumes that flyair requires naturalpollutantsash high specialresources in heavy curb *Example compares OtherNumberscosts foroptions apresented community and combinations are producingrealistic butof 100 options not tons/day, specific exist. to5 any one community. days/week. Part 2 Paying the True Price of Pop

Procedure: 1. Bring pop containers made of different materials to class to help you focus your inquiry on real objects. Discuss: What materials are your containers made of? How might this determine how you should dispose of them? What do you think are the best ways to manage the future of your containers? Why? How much of the cost of the pop do you think is packaging, how much is the cost of the pop itself? 2. Study the information in the chart, "The True Price of Pop." Discuss: How much of the cost of the pop is The True Price of Pop (per 16 ounce serving) packaging? -7.727.3=7/WENSLZAIMIIPAMP How do you feel about paying for Container Cost to Energy to make, Solid Waste the packaging? Consumer transport, etc. crushed Who do you think should be (oz. of gas (in') responsible for its disposal? equivalent)

3. List possible costs and benefits Returnable glass bottle 214 1.4 oz. 1.4 in' of disposing of your containers. Consider waste management impacts Non-returnable glass bottle 35c 6.3 oz. 5.8 in' on economics, environment, energy use, jobs, etc. For example: 40¢ 3.1 oz. 7.0 in' Do the manufacturer and retailer Aluminum can 48¢ 8.5 oz: 4.0 in' of your containers pay for disposal, or is this cost passed on to you, the . ^P.:77.7i:7777.17-7-.. consumer? What do you think are their main concerns when they Going Beyond: manufacture and sell your pop Investigate how your town disposes How does the amount your family containers? of its solid waste. How much is pays for trash service compare with What impacts might the disposal of landfilled? recycled? composted? the amount it pays for water or your containers have on the incinerated? What plans does your sewage services? environment? Who pays for the town have for handling solid waste in Would you be willing to recycle environmental impacts of waste the future? What do you think about some household trash items if your disposal? these plans? town made it easy (e.g., curbside If you are concerned about Contact your trash collector to find pickup of newspaper, glass, reducing solid waste in your town, out the total costs of collection, aluminum)? then which container(s) would you transportation and disposal per ton of Investigate how society subsidizes buy? solid waste. Discuss: some methods of handling waste. If your family produces two tons of What do you think about such trash each year (the average produced subsidies? For example: per family of five), then how much Do your property taxes fully cover should your family pay for trash the cost of your local landfill? removal service? Does government give tax breaks to How much does your family pay people who grow trees to be used for each year for trash service? making paper? Are similar tax breaks Do you think the cost for care of given to people who use recycled your solid waste is reasonable or paper (instead of trees) to make new unreasonable? Why? paper? Would you be willing to pay more How many of your tax dollars are to dispose of your trash? Why or why spent on educating citizens about not? recycling and composting?

26 Time For Action

Goal: To help students understand How much water falls on a landfill Do I have the courage to take this the process of taking environmental during the year? How much of this action? action. To have them identify a becomes runoff and leachate? Do I have the time needed to take specific waste management problem What are the pollutants in this action? in their community, design a research leachate? What are the sources of Do I have all of the other resources question addressing it, conduct the these pollutants? Which are the most needed to make this accion effective? research and decide how and whether harmful? What are the ecological consequences of this action? to take action to help solve the 3. Define your issue as precisely as problem. (Questions from: investigating and possible, develop a research Evaluating Environmental Issues and Subjects: Social studies, science, question(s) and conduct the research Acdons: Skills Development Modules. language arts, environmental to answer your question. Possible See Resources.) education. research techniques for collecting data to help answer the question could 6. If you decide to take action, Grades: 7-12 include telephone interviews, choose strategies for which there is a development and use of surveys and likelihood of success within a realistic Procedure: questionnaires, and use of both amount of time. For example: 1. What are several key solid waste primary and secondary references. Survey litter production on your management issues in your block, instead of surveying litter community? Find out about them by 4. Prepare a research report to production in your entire town. reading local newspapers, attending present in class. The report should Begin by writing letters to the meetings of solid waste planning include a description of: a) the issue; editor of the local paper encouraging groups, talking to municipal or state b) the research question; c) the people to recycle, instead of aiming solid waste managers, finding out the method of investigation; d) the data to convince the city council to start a viewpoints of local environmental gathered; e) how you analyzed the mandatory recycling program. You groups or reviewing local budgets for data; f) what conclusions you made might try to get editorial support for hauling and disposing of trash. For from the study (both the knowledge your viewpoint. ideas and information, refer to the gained and what value that Before you try to set up a Special Recycling Edition (see knowledge has) and g) what concepts, community recycling center, see if Resources). values and beliefs influenced why you your family is wining to recycle asked the question, why you selected household wastes for a few months. 2. Select a local solid waste issue to the research method and how you investigate individually or as part of a interpreted the results. 7. Add a conclusion to your report small group. Focus on an issue that that describes the action you took can be investigated within a 5. Questions to consider as you and any results. reasonable amount of time. For investigate your issue and before you example: decide to take action include: What can be done if the local Who is involved in the issue and landfill is almost full? what are their beliefs, values and Going Beyond: Is incinerating waste for energy an attitudes? Invite a member of your city's economically and environmentally What are my beliefs and values common council or county board to sound management option? about this issue? talk about how solid waste disposal What steps could you take to What specific types of action will I and community recycling decisions reduce the amount of solid waste you take? (persuasive, consumer, political, are made. Consider giving your guest make at home? legal, direct, and/or personal action?) a list of questions you would like How can people be informed about Is there sufficient evidence to answered before he/she comes to changing their buying and living warrant action on this issue? your class. habits to reduce how much they Are there alternative actions that I Attend a common council or throw out? could take? county board meeting to observe local How much does the community Is the action I chose the most politics in action. spend handling trash compared to the effective one available? budget for education, recreation, What are the legal, social and snow removal, police and fire economic consequences of this protection or housing for the elderly? action? How do different fast food Do my personal values support this restaurants compare in what and how action? much waste they generate? Do I understand the procedures How much methane gas is necessary to take this action? generated from solid waste? Is Do I have the skills needed to take methane gas a problem? What are this action? possible solutions?

27 More Activity Ideas! -11e-SIIRIS.

Note what people in your politically, how it has been Do they work well? If not, do you neighborhood throw out on trash implemented and what impacts it has have suggestions for how they could day. Do you see items that could be had on recycling, litter, jobs, public be better? reused or recycled (e.g., opinion, energy use, etc. Contact frames, old appliances, chicken wire, Wisconsin legislators, businesses, Consider the fact that the United plastic plant trays, grass clippings, agencies and organizations and ask States has 6% of the world's leaves, glass bottles, wood scraps)? for their viewpoints and reasons for population, but uses 40-50% of the Why do you think these items are supporting or opposing beverage world's nonrenewable resources? being discarded instead of given container deposit laws in Wisconsin. What do you think about this? away, recycled or reused? What What do you think about a state or . might you do about this? (e.g., offer federal bottle bill? Conduct a survey of several fast- to take materials to or contact food restaurants and record the types Goodwill, Salvation Army, recycling Collect photographs of life in of packaging (e.g., styrofoam, paper, companies; hold a yardsale; find other countries. Which countries do aluminum foil) they use for similar others who could use the materials.) you think have the greatest solid items (e.g., soda, plain hamburger, waste problems? Why? fish sandwich, french fries, coffee). Read the Dr. Suess story, The Note which containers/packages are Cat in the Hat Comes Back. Discuss Brainstorm ideas for how you made from renewable vs. the concept of "away." Is there such can help reduce solid waste. nonrenewable resources. Is the a place? What do you think about packaging necessary or excessive? The Cat in the Hat's solution to the Write slogans and make posters What criteria are you using to make problem? or mobiles about solid waste your judgement? If you were problems and solutions. concerned about the impacts of solid Investigate the United States' waste on the environment, which nationwide efforts to recycle during Think about how you feel about restaurant would you patronize? World War II. What was recycled? solid waste is it ugly or pretty? A Could you influence the restaurant to Why was recycling during the war so problem or not? change its packaging policies? How? successful? How was recycling promoted and encouraged? Why is it Ask everyone in your class to Go to a fast-food restaurant and harder to get people to recycle today? pick up a piece of litter on the way to ask to be served a drink in your own school. What is litter? What items cup or a hamburger on your own Collect and discuss examples of often end up as iitter? Why? How plate. Will/can the restaurant serve objects that can be reused in ways much of what you collected could be you? Why or why not? What do different from their original purpose. recycled? How do you feel about people think of you if you ask to litter? How do you feel about be served in this way? What are the Visit a car "graveyard" to learn collecting it? Why do we have a litter health requirements for packaging what parts of junked cars are reused problem? What is meant by the fast foods? Why were these rules or recycled. Note how changes in car slogan, "Every litter bit hurts?" Is made? design and materials have changed littering common in other countries? what's considered recyclable. What is different about countries Visit your local solid waste where littering is not common? What disposal service to learn how it Conduct a litter survey of your suggestions do you have for helping disposes of your community's waste. neighborhood or school grounds. solve the litter problem? Are the suggestions realistic and something Gather trash from school or Examine the pros and cons of that you will do? home and design useful objects from using returnable beverage containers. it (musical instruments, toys, bird What states have "bottle bills" Find out what the solid waste feeders, planters, doorstops, etc.) For (beverage container deposit laws)? management laws are in your ideas, write for the DNR's Crafts Contact one or more of these states community. What are they designed from Trash or Ranger Rick: for information about how the to do? What do you think of them? Recycling Reprints (see Resources). legislation was accomplished

28 Examine the contents of the Visit a paper manufacturing litter on deer, raccoons and other classroom trash can at the end of the plant. Does the plant use only virgin mammals (they eat the litter or can school day. Record each piece of materials or does it also manufacture cut their tongues on sharp edges). trash as it's removed. Can you recycled paper? What are the pros Humans also can be hurt. Have you reconstruct the day's activities from and cons of manufacturing paper ever cut your foot on broken glass or the clues in the trash can? Are any of from virgin materials vs. recycled a discarded nail? Think of other ways the items recyclable? materials? that litter can harm people and other animals. How can such problems be Investigate why archaeologists Investigate the Wisconsin tax prevented? Contact your state and anthropologists are interested in advantages/disadvantages of using legislator for an update on Wisconsin old garbage dumps. What can virgin materials vs. recycled materials laws that address these problems. studying the contents of old dumps to make paper. What do you think tell us about earlier peoples? What is about these tax laws? Contact a glass manufacturing an Indian midden? What do you company and ask for an estimate of think people in the year 3000 would Investigate how newsprint in the amount of energy required to think about our culture if they were your community is recycled. Do many produce, recycle and reuse a ton of to do an archaeological dig in our people recycle their newspaper? Why glass bottles. What other costs should landfills? or why not? be considered when choosing which strategy for handling glass is best Select and analyze an article Consider why we've shifted from (e.g., costs of collection and about solid waste management from glass milk bottles delivered to the transportation)? What do you think your local paper. What is the door to plastic or plastic-coated paper your family should do with its glass? headline? Who, what and where is containers purchased at the store? How much energy would your actions the story about? What are the What are the economic, use/save? Should we recycle bottles conclusions? What do you think environmental and social impacts of to save energy? Why? What impacts about the article? Does it present the this shift? might this have on jobs, the facts you need to understand the environment, trash removal costs, issue? Does it interpret the facts well? Place 20 objects, both natural etc.? Is it well written? and human-made, on the floor. Name the objects and decide if they are Set up a recycling plan for your Conduct a school or natural or human-made and why. school. Determine what can be neighborhood yard sale to reuse How completely do natural objects recycled, find sources for the sale of unwarned objects. What do you think decompose compared to human-made recyclable materials, establish a about the saying, "One person's trash ones? Which objects are more likely procedure for recycling, elicit support is another's treasure?" to release harmful chemicals to the from school organizations (e.g., environment as they decompose? service clubs could help coordinate Take a field trip to a nearby the plan, shop class could make or woods or old field. Look for evidence Find out about ways in which design recycling bins), discuss your of nature's recycling processes. For litter harms animals. Investigate the plan with school administrators and example, find natural objects that are possible impacts of: discarded fishing present your proposal to the school decomposing (dead plants and line and plastic six-pack holders on board. Enact your recycling plan. animals, animal droppings, feathers, waterbirds (they can get tangled); old fur, etc.) and what "decomposers" soda or beer bottles on shrews and Investigate what happens to old are assisting this process (fungi, other small mammals (they enter a tires. What are the problems insects, molds, etc.). Investigate what tilted, slippery bottle and can't get associated with tire disposal? you find carefully, and discuss what back out); flip-tops on fish (small fish Research the causes and effects of the you see, smell and feel. Why is can get stuck in the rings); and tire fire that began in Somerset, decomposition such an important cigarette butts, tin cans and other Wisconsin, on October 18, 1986. natural process? What sources of information can you consult to find out about the fire?

29 Resources

nur.0 Throwing Things Away: From Middens toTrees Are Terrific. 1985.Nature Scope, Resource Recovery. 1986. Laurence National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th Bibliography of Public Information Pringle. Thomas Y. Crowell, 10 E. 53rd St. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Publications on Recycling and Resource St., New York, NY 10022. Recovery. Bur. of Solid Waste Manage., The Wild World of Compost. August Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. of Info. and Wisconsin's Community Recycling 1980. Cecil E. Johnson. In:National Educ. Collection Programs Directory. 1985. Bur. Geographic,157:273-284. National of Solid Waste Manage., Wis. DNR. Geographic Society, 17th and M Sts. NW, Coming Full Circle: Successful Recycling Order from: Bur. of Info. and Educ. Washington, DC 20036. Today. 1988. Environmental Defense Fund, 257 Park Ave., New York, NY Wisconsin's Composting Communities. 10010. 1987. Bur. of Solid Waste Manage., Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. of Info. and Community Recycling Activities. 1985. Educ. Bur. of Solid Waste Manage., Wis. DNR. The Complete of Composting. 1969. Order from: Bur. of Info. and Educ. J.I. Rodale, ed. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA 18049. urncuitim Earth Day Report. March-April 1985. Wisconsin Natural Resources.Vol. 9, No. Composting: A Study of the Process and A Guide to Curriculum Planning in 2. Bur. of Info. and Educ., Wis. DNR. It's Principles. 1972. Clarence G. Environmental Education. 1985. David C. Golveke. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA Engleson. Dept. of Public Instruction, The Everyman's Guide to Ecological 18049, P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841. Living. 1971. Greg Cailliet, et al. Macmillan Publ. Co., 866 3rd Ave., New Earthworms, Dirt and Rotten Leaves: An A-Way With Waste: A Waste York, NY 10022. Exploration in Ecology. 1986. Molly Management Curriculum for Schools McLaughlin. Macmillan Publ. Co., 866 (K-12). 1984. Washington State Dept. of Foxfire Books, Vols. 1-8. Eliot 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10022. Ecology, Litter Control and Recycling Wigginton. Doubleday and Co., Inc., 245 Program, 4350 150th Ave. NE, Redmond Park Ave., New York, NY 10017. Ecology of Compost: A Public WA 98052. Involvement Project. 1976. Daniel L. How to Grow Vegetables and Fruits by Dindal. Office of Public Service, State CLASS Project: Conservation Learning the Organic Method. 1975. J.I. Rodale. Univ. of New York, Syracuse, NY 13210. Activities for Science and Social Studies. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA 18049. National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th Everyone's Guide to Home Composting. St. NW, Washington, DC 20036; Dept. of Investigating and Evaluating 1978. Robyn Bern. Van Nostrand Public Instruction, P.O. Box 7841, Environmental Issues and Actions: Skills Reinhold Co., 135 W. 50th St., New Madison, WI 53707. Development Modules. 1985. H. York, NY 10020. Hungerford, et al. Stipes Publ. Co., P.O. Crafts from Trash. 1984. Bur. of Solid Box 526, 10-12 Chester St., Champaign, Grass Clippings: Good As Gold For Your Waste Manage., Wis. DNR. Order from: IL 61820. Lawn. 1987. Bur. of Solid Waste I3ur. Info. and Educ. Manage., Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. of Limits to Growth. 1972. Done Ila and Info. and Educ. Grqundwater Study Guide. 1984. Bur. of Dennis Meadows. et al. Universe Books, Info. and Educ., Wis. DNR. 381 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10016. Home Composting: Reap a Heap of Benefits. 1987. Bur. of Solid Waste Here Today, Here Tomorrow: A Markets for Wisconsin's Recycled Manage., Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. ofCurriculum on Recycling, Energy and Materials. 1986. Bur. of Solid Waste Info. and Educ. Solid Waste (K-12). 1982. Conserv. and Manage., Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. of Environ. Studies Center, Inc., 120-13 Info. and Educ. Living Earth. 1959. Peter Farb. Harper & Whitesbog Rd., Browns Mills, NJ 08015; Row Publ., Inc., 10 E. 53rd St., New NJ Dept. of Energy, Office of Recycling, Mining Urban Wastes: The Potential for York, NY 10022. 101 Commerce St., Newark, NJ 07102. Recycling. April 1987. Cynthia Pollock. Worldwatch Paper #76. Worldwatch The Natural History Guide. 1967. H. The Importance of Being a Garbologist Institute, 1776 Ma:sachusetts Ave. NW, Charles Laun. Alsace Books and Films, (4-6). 1976. GRIP, P.O. Box 4806, Washington. DC 20036. 1212 Hazel Dr., Alton, IL 62002. Pittsburgh, PA 15206.

Recycling. Rodale Press, Emmaus, PA Research Report on a Composting Let's Recycle!: Lesson Plans for Grades 18049. Greenhouse. 1987. Bruce Fulford. The K-6 and 7-12. 1980. U.S. Govt. Printing New Alchemy Inst., 237 Hatchville Rd., Office, Supt. of Documents, Washington, Special Recycling Edition. July-August E. Falmouth, MA 02536. DC 20402. EPA Publ. No. SW 801. 1985. If'isconsin Natural Resources,Vol. 8, No. 4. Bur. of Info. and Educ., Wis. Soil Animals. 1968. Friedrich Schaller. Let's Recycle: Lesson Suggestions for DNR. The Univ. of Michigan Press, P.O. Box Teachers of K-3. 1977. Recycling Council 1104, Ann Arbor, MI 48106. of British Columbia, 2150 Maple St., Vancouver, B.C., V6J 3T3 Canada.

30 Ind Operation Waste : Seven Sequential Wisconsin's Environmental Decade, 14 Learning Units. 1980. Virginia Div. of W. Mifflin St., Madison, WI 53703; 230 Litter Control, 1116 Washington Bldg., Audio-Visual Aids on Recycling: Resource W. Wells St., Suite 309, Milwaukee, WI Richmond, VA 23219. List. 1985. Bur. of Solid Waste Manage., 53203; 2141/2 E. College Ave., Appleton, Wis. DNR. Order from: Bur. of Info. and WI 54911. Put Your Garbage to Work (7-12). 1979. Educ. GRIP, P.O. Box 4806, Pittsburgh, PA University of Wisconsin-Extension, 15206. Dodge County Says Please Recycle. 15 Community Dynamics Institute, Lowell min. slide-tape. Dodge Co. Library Hall, 610 Langdon St., Madison, WI Ranger Rick: Recycling Reprints. National Service, 311 N. Spring St., Juneau, WI 53706; also, contact your County Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th St. NW, 53039. Extension office. Washington, DC 20036. Energy Where You Least Expect It. 28 United States Recycle Alaska: Activities Handbook. min. film. Third Eye Films, 12 Arrow St., 1982. Dept. of Environ. Conserv., Pouch Cambridge, MA 02138. The Aluminum Association, 818 0, Juneau, AK 99811. Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington, DC It's Not Nice to Foul Mother Nature. 17 20006. Recycle for Reuse: 4-H Leader-Member- min. VHS video package. Wisconsin Family Guide. 1985. 4-H Programs, Univ. Recycles, Lisa Robbins, Barkin, Harman, American Paper Institute, 260 Madison of Wis.-Extension, Madison, WI 53706. Solocheck & Paulsen, 606 E. Wisconsin Ave., New York, NY 10016. Publ. No. 362. Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53202. Environmental Defense Fund, 1616 P St. Recycling: Activities for the Classroom. The Trash Monster. 12 min. filmstrip. NW, Washington, DC 20036. 1978. Mary Lynne Bowman, Herbert L. Calif. Solid Waste Manage. Board, 1020 Coon. ERIC/SMEAC Center, 1200 9th St., Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814. Environmental Action Foundation, 1525 Chambers Rd., 3rd Floor, Ohio State New Hampshire Ave. NW, Washington, Univ., Columbus, OH 43212. The Wizard of Waste. 12 min. filmstrip. DC 20036. Calif. Solid Waste Manage. Board, 1020 Recyclopedia: Games, Science Equipment 9th St., Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814. Glass Packaging Institute, 1133 20th St. and Crafts from Recycled Materials, 1976. NW, Rrn. 321, Washington, DC 20036. Robin Simons. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2 Park St., Boston, MA 02107. Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, 1627 K St. NW, Washington, DC 20006. Recyculum (K-6). 1980. Eco-Alliance, Wisconsin P.O. Box 101, Corvallis, OR 97330. Izaak Walton League of America, Inc., Citizens for a Better Environment, 150 W. 1701 N. Fort Myers Dr., Suite 1100, Reduction, Reuse, Recycling (K-12). Juneau Ave., Suite 206, Milwaukee, WI Arlington, VA 22209. Assoc. of Oregon Recyclers, 1615 NW 53202; 111 King St., Madison, WI 53703; 23rd Ave., Suite 1, Portland, OR 97210. 1270 Main St., Green Bay, WI 54302. Keep America Beautiful, 9 W. Broad St., Stamford, CT 06902. leather's Guide: Educational Materials in League of Women Voters, Wisconsin Resource Recovery (K-12). 1984. Cathy A. Chapter, 121 S. Hancock St., Madison, National Audubon Society, 950 3rd Ave., Berg. ERIC/SMEAC, 1200 Chambers WI 53703-3447. New York, NY 10022. Rd., 3rd Floor, Columbus, OH 43212. ED 258 835. Sierra Club, John Muir Chapter, III KingNational Solid Waste Management St., Madison, WI 53703. Association, 1120 Connecticut Ave. NW, Teaching Science With Garbage: An Washington, DC 20005. Interdisciplinary Approach to Waste Facility Siting Board, 132 E. Environmental Education from the Point Wilson St., Madison, WI 53702. National Wildlife Federation, 1412 16th of View of Science. Mathematics and St. NW, Washington, DC 20036. Social Studies. 1971. Albert & Vivian Wisconsin Counties Solid Waste Schatz. Rodale Press, Ernmaus, PA Management Association, 802 W. The New Alchemy Institute, 237 18049. Broadway, Suite 308, Madison, %VI 53713. Hatchville R., E. Falmouth, MA 02536.

The Trash Monster. 1980. Calif. State Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources for the Future, 1616 P St. NW, Solid Waste Manage. Board, 1020 9th St., Resources, P.O. Box 7921, Madison, WI Washington, DC 20036. Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814. 53707. (Environ. Eciuc. Specialist, Bur. of info. and Educ., 608-266-6790; Recycling The Society of the Plastic Industry, 1275 Waste: An Instructional Module for the Coordinator, Bur. of Solid Waste K St., Suite 400, Washington, DC 20005. Tenth Grade. 1980. M-STS, P.O. Box Manage., 608-267-7565) 1603, Wausau, WI 54401. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wisconsin Department of Public 401 M St. SW, Washington, DC 20460 The Wizard of Waste. 1980, Calif. State Instruction, Environ. Educ. Supervisor, (Office of Solid Waste Manage. and Solid Waste Manage. Board, 1020 9th St., P.O. Box 7841, Madison, WI 53707-7841. Emergency Response; Office of Public Suite 300, Sacramento, CA 95814. Awareness; Office of Pesticides and Toxic Wisconsin Recycles, P.O. Box 2842, Substances); Region V, Office of Public Oshkosh, WI 54903. Affairs, 230 S. Dearb'orn St., Chicago, IL 60604.

31 The purpose of Department of Natural Resources study guides is to help increase Wisconsin citizens' knowledge about and understanding of our state's environment. We hope to provide information about important environmental issues, encourage respect for the environment and help citizens become active stewards of our natural resources.

Credits and Acknowledgements Authors: Anne Hallowell, Carrie Morgan, John Reindl. Dan Sivek, Larry Sperling, Dennis Yockers Editor and Project Coordinator: Anne Hallowell Special thanks for editorial advice: Wendy McCown, Karen Fiedler, Joel Stone, Bob Wallen Graphic Designer/Illustrator: Georgine Price Typesetter: Kathy MacDonald

Production of this study guide was partially funded by individual contributions from Wisconsin educators. If you would like to make a donation, please makc your check payable to: Education Programs, Dept. of Natural Resources, and mail to the address below. Thank you.

Your comments and suggestions about this study guide are welcome. Address your comments to:

Education Programs Bureau of Information and Education Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707

For further information about recycling in Wisconsin, contact:

Recycling Coordinator Bureau of Solid Waste Management Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707 (608) 267-7565

Piloted on Recycled Paper. K-13 Supplement to the Recycling Study Guide

, Table d Contents Introduction Introduction Activities It's Your Trash 2 Where Do Things Come From? 4 Recycling... Recycling... Recycling. With Wisconsin's new Clay 4 recycling law, everyone is talking about recycling as a way to solve Making A Model Landfill 6 our growing trash problem. However, just talking about recycling, Big BagSmall Bags 8 and talking just about recycling, will not produce the changes Worksheets needed in our society to address the trash problem. We need to Recycling Maze 9 develop a citizenry that is informed, educated, and willing to act. Trash It Or Recycle It 10 Besides teaching people how to and why they should recycle, we Where Do Things Come From? 11 also need to encourage them to reduce consumption and reuse Follow That Bottle! 12 materials. We have already begun. In 1987 the Wisconsin Take Home Department of Natural Resources produced the very popular RecycleIt's Easy 13 Recycling Study Guide to help educators teach recycling, Home Recycling Survey 15 reducing, reusing, and composting to youth. It is designed for grades 4-12. Credits and Acknowledgements This booklet is intended to be a supplement to the Recycling Editor and Author: Joel Stone Study Guide for grades K-3. It includes activities, worksheets, and Editorial Advice: Anne Hallowell, Judy Klipple, take-home materials for younger students. It does not repeat the Shelley Williams, Carrie Morgan, background information, glossary, and resource listing found in Dennis Yockers, Sherry Klosiewski, the original guide. Please refer to the Recycling Study Guide for Cathy Cliff, Renee Mabie, Bob that information. Wa lien, Bill Worthman, Mary Snudden, and Kit Warrick Graphic Design and Illustraton: Georgine Price Special thanks for material review, selection, and testing: Riverview School Seminar Team of Wausau School District Produced by: Wisconsin Department of Ncttural Resources under a grant from Region 5 of the Environmental Protection Agency Your comments and suggestions about this guide are welcome. Address your comments to: Recycling Education Coordinator Wis. Dept. of Natural Resources P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707

PUBL-IE-049 90 It's Your Trash

Goals: Procedure: To help students become aware thateverybody 1. On the day before this lesson is taught, ask your contributes to the solid waste problem and that we students to help their parents make supperthat should work together to solve the problem. night. Have them save all the containers thatfood To introduce the practices of reducing, reusing, came in. Bring those containers toschool tomorrow. and recycling as a means to help reduce the amount Send a note (like the one at the bottomofthis page) of trash we generate. home with each student to request parental assis- tance. Also, before you start this activity,find out what items can be recycled in your community. Background: 2. At the start of class, have each child bring his/ Much of what ends up in our trash was once her empty food packages to the front of the room considered valuable, necessary, or desirable by us and put them in a pile on the floor. Ask students to because of what was wrapped in it. Once discarded, explain what they had for supper and how the food it loses its value and becomes part of a messy,dirty was packaged. problem called trash. There are many kinds of trash 3. Ask your class what they usually do with allof and many different ways to help alleviate ourtrash this packaging. They probably will say, "Throwit problem. Since we all generate trash, all of usneed away." to do our part to help solve theproblem. 4. Ask your students what they might call thispile of stuff. Write a definition of trash on the blackboard. Materials: Trash: things we throw away because we don't want small magnet them anymore. S. Ask them what this pile of stuff would be called four boxes or grocery bags labeled: Reduce, Reuse, if it was scattered all over the playground. Write a Recycle, & Trash definition of litter on the blackboard. Litter: trash that's been thrown on the floor or ground.

Parent Letter

Dear Parent, Tomorrow we will be learning about recyclingin class, and we need some examples of food packaging. Please ask your child tohelp you make supper tonight and save all of the packaging or containers that yourfood came in. Assist him/her with opening, emptying, rinsing, and drying them. Sendthem to school with him/her tomorrow. Thank you for your help. Sincerely,

2 Going Beyond: 6. Have two or three volunteers sort the trash into Copy and give your students the Recycling Maze several piles of similar items. Ask these questions: worksheet found on page 9. Ask them to follow the What are these things made of? (glass, paper, path from their house to the recycling center, plastic, metal, etc.) collecting all six recyclable items along the way. Are all of the cans the same? Using the mag- Encourage your students to recycle at home, Find net, give several students the opportunity to out what is recyclable in your community and how sort the magnetic metal (steel) from the alu- to sort and prepare those items for recycling. minum. Contact your local Departments of Public Works Were these items trash when you first bought or Solid Waste Management, or call recyclers listed them? in the Yellow Pages for this information. Copy and Why did you buy them? give your students the RecycleIt's Easy take- What makes them trash now? home instructions for recycling found on pages13- What do you think about trash? Or, What 14. Ask them what is recyclable in their commu- words can you use to describe trash? Write nity. With your knowledge and their input, direct these on the blackboard. them to check the "yes" or "no" box for recyclability in their community under the directions for each 7. Then ask them: item. Go over the simple directions for each recy- Whose trash is this? clable item. Send RecycleIt's Easy home with What should we do with it? Put it in your desk? them, and encourage them to help their families Keep it in this room? Why not? recycle. Where should we put it? Copy and give your students the Trash It Or Whose job is it to take care of trash? Recycle It worksheet found on page 10. Ask them Do we make too much trash? to draw a line from each item to the proper con- 8. For older students, write "Throw Away" on the tainer it should be placed in. black board. Ask: Where is "away"? What happens to trash? Set up a "Reuse Box" in the classroom for paper 9. Place four boxes or shopping bags labeled that has been used on only one side. Encourage students to use it. Reduce, Reuse, RecycleandThrowAway next to the trash. Collect aluminum cans, plastic soda, milk and Discuss with your class what each of these detergent bottles, and other items that can be terms means. recycled in your community. Take them to a recy- Ask students to help you sort out items that cling center and use the money to support your can be recycled and reused. school recycln, g project or to take an environmen- Discuss how each can be recycled and reused tal field trip. as you place it in the appropriate container. Ask the custodian not to empty the waste basket 10. Next, ask them how the amount of trash that's for several days (do not put food wastes in basket). left can be reduced. (Buy food in bulk so there won't What are your students' reactions? Discuss these be as much packaging, buy food in containers that with the class. can be recycled or reused, etc.) Put items that could have been reduced in theReducecontainer. 11. Put what is left in theTrashcontainer. Ask the class: Is it better for the environment to reduce, reuse, and recycle? Why? What can you do to reduce, reuse, and recycle at home? 12. Finish the activity by appropriately taking care of the recyclobles and the "trash".

3 Where Do Things Come From?

Goal: them the piece of and tell them the cloth was To help students learn what things are made of made from cotton . Pull aparc the cotton to show the fibers. Stretch and twist the fibers to show and where they come from. how thread is made. Pass this around. Ask: Where does cotton come from? Cotton conies from a plant Background: that is cultivated in warmer climates. All of the materials that make up our goods and 3. Repeat this procedure for the other items. products are derived from the limited supply of 4. Select different items found in your classroom earth's natural resources. Flax and cotton come and ask the same questions. First select items that from plants; paper and wood come from trees; grains come from one resource and then pick itemsthat come from plants; aluminum, iron and tin aremade come from two or more resources. from metallic compounds dug out of the earth; glass is made from sand, soda and lime; and most plastics Going Beyond: and fabrics are made from petroleum. Once children learn and appreciate where things Copy and distribute the Where Do Things Come From? worksly'?.t (page 11). Have your students come from, they can better understandthe need for conserving our natural resources. draw a line from each item to where it came from. Collect and display materials in different stages of manufacturing process for a variety of products. Materials: For example: tree branchwood shavingswood piece of cotton and a scrap of cotton cloth pulppaper; iron oreiron ingotflat iron small tree branch, a piece of paper, and a pencil knife; corn plantear of cornkernel of corn ear of corn and box of corn flakes pop corn. motor oil, plastic bottle, and polyester cloth Trace the origin of items we use highlighting the scrap of iron and "tin" can retail and manufacturing processes. For example: sand and glass bottle Cotton shirtdepartment storeshirt factory cloth factory (where thread is woven into cloth and dyed)cotton processing plant (where cotton is Procedure: cleaned, carded, and spun into thread)farm 1. Collect and assemble the items listed above. (where cotton is grown and picked)soil, air, & 2. Show your students the cotton cloth and ask: sun (where the cotton plant gets its nutrients and What is this made of? Where did it come from? Show energy to grow).

11111MMINION111111111111111=111011111111 Clay Bottle Recycling

Goals: resources can be recycled or reusedsaving energy To teach studrants that our natural resources are and allowing us to use resources over again. For limited and can be conserved by recycling. example beverage containers are made from a variety of resources and the process of making them Background: uses a great deal of energy. Recycling savesthese Our earth has a limited supply of natural re- materials and requires less energy. Some glass bottles sources, and once we use them up therewill be no can be returned for a deposit to be cleaned andused more. Many of the products we make withthese again. Most glass bottles can be melted down and

4 J made into new bottles. Aluminum cans can be 7. Tell your students they are going to recycle their melted down and formed into new aluminum bottles. Collect the bottles and mix them all together products. Since most plastics have low melting again. Give each student a piece of this clay and temperatures and recycled plastic may contain con- have him/her make a new bottle. Tell them this is taminants, plastic bottles are not made into new recycling. They made new bottles from used bottles beverage containers. They are shredded into fibers and did not have to use any clay from the pile you and used as fiberfill in jackets or in making rugs. previously put aside. Many materials can be re- They can also be melted and formed into new plastic cycled over and over again. Show them examples of products. bottles and cans that can be recycled. Ask: Why is recycling important? It conserves our natural re- Materials: sources (the clay pile). 8. You may want to tell your students that some clayenough for each student to make two or materials can be recycled into new things that look three "bottles" different from what they originally were. Have them examples of bottles (glass & plastic) and cans that make a clay cup out of their clay bottle. Show them can be recycled a plastic soda bottle and some filling that may fiber filling from an old jacket have been made from a plastic soda bottle. 9. Tell your students that some bottles can also be Procedure: returned for a deposit. Discuss how they can be washed, sanitized, and refilled as many as 20 times 1. Show your students the pile of clay. Ask them to pretend this is all of the clay there is in the world. before they wear out. Have them make new bottles and use these to demonstrate this. Once they use it up, there will be no more. Tell them they will make bottles with the clay and will pretend to drink soda from the bottles. Then the bottles will Going Beyond: be thrown away. Copy and pass out the Follow That Bottle 2. Give each student a small piece of clay and ask worksheet (page 12). Tell your students that glass him/her to make a bottle and to pretend to drink bottles are made from sand and other materials from it. we dig out of the ground. These are mixed together 3. Collect their bottles and pretend to throw them at very high temperature in a glass factory and away. Ask them if they want more pretend soda. made into bottles. Bottles are then sent to the Repeat this procedure until all of the clay is gone. bottling plant where they are filled with soda. 4. Ask: Have your students trace (with red crayons) the Where did all of the clay go? path the bottle takes from the glass factory, to the Where did all of the clay bottles go? bottling plant, to the store, to their house, and How are we going to get more soda if there is finally to the landfill. If the bottle is recycled, it no more clay to make bottles, and there is does not go to the landfill. It goes back to the glass nothing else to make bottles with? factory and is made into a new bottle. Have your What could we have done to make the clay students trace (with green crayons) the path the last longer? bottle takes from their house, to the glass factory, to the bottling plant, to the store, and finally to 5. Retrieve the clay bottles that have been "thrown their house. cway". Give one to each student and make the rest of the bottles into a pile of clay again. Tell them we Ask students to bring examples of recyclable items are going to start over and to pretend they have not to class. Use these for "show & tell". thrown their first bottles away. Ask them: What can Read The Lorax by Dr. Seuss. Discuss how the we do with these bottles so that the clay will last "truffula" trees could have been saved by recycling longer? "thneeds". 6. Discuss the term recycle, which means using Collect a new leaf, some soil, and dead leaves in the same materials to make new products. several stages of breakdown. Discuss how nature recycles nutrients. Matedals: Making a Model 2 plastic colanders 2 cake pans Landfill* 1 half gallon ice cream bucket of garden soil per colander 3 feet of plastic aquarium hose Goals: 1 rubber band To teach students where their garbage goes and to small piece of stocking help them understand the problems associated with small pieces of typical home-generated garbage garbage disposal. (see Parent Letter) modeling clay Grades: 2-3 grass seed colored crepe paper Background: paper & pencil Every day, each person in Wisconsin throws away approximately 3.5 pounds of trash. Most people Procedure: give little thought as to where it goes and what 1. The day before you teach this lesson, ask your happens to it when it gets there. Where is "away"? In students to bring in five items their family throws the United States, "away" means a landfill, incin- of this erator, or even the ocean! In Wisconsin,"away" is away. Send a note (like the one at the end lesson plan) home with each student to remind her/ usually one of the over 200 licensed landfills located throughout the state. Wisconsin use to have over him and to request parental assistance. 1,000 dumps and landfills. However, only a small 2. After doing "It's Your Trash" or a similar activity, percentage of these were state-of-the-art landfills, ask your students the following questions: designed to prevent pollution problems. With new What happens to your trash after you throw federal regulations, most of the older dumps and it away? landfills were closed, and Wisconsin residents ha / Where is "away"? fewer places to put their trash. Most people do not Has anyone been to any of these "away know what happens to their trash when it's put in a places"? landfill. Thus, they question the need to close old Give them ample opportunity to share their ideas landfills and resist the construction of new landfills and experiences. in their community. 3. Tell students that most of the trash in Wisconsin This activity will help students understand what ends up in landfills. Ask them: What happens to happens to their trash. The students will become trash once it is buried in a landfill? After you discuss familiar with the term "leachate"the liquid that some of their answers, ask them to help youbuild has percolated through trash or been generated by two model landfills. One will be an oldfashioned the decomposition of trash in a landfill. It carries dump, and one will be a modern sanitary landfill. dissolved or suspended materials that may contain 4. Line one colander with flattened modeling toxic chemicals which can contaminate ground and clay. Pat out clay into a thin layer, like a pie crust. surface water. Leachate is one of the major problems This represents the liner of a sanitary landfill. Do not associated with landfills. line the second colander. It represents the old fash- ioned dump where the policy was to dig a hole, dump in the trash, and cover it with dirt. hose 5. Attach the piece of nylon stocking to one end of the plastic aquarium hose with a rubber band. Put this end in the bottom of the clay lined landfill. This will be your monitoring well. The leachate that collects at the bottom of the clay liner can be siphoned trash LASEUSW colander off and examined. dirt 6. Have students cut each different garbage item cake pan into small pieces, about two inches square. You will have to cut or break metal, glass, or leather items.

*Developed by Mary Snudden, Eau Claire School District, Wisconsin

6 4 7. Place trash and soil in colanders in alternate 10. After a period of time (several months*), open layers until they are filled. Keep a list of all items each landfill and see how many items you can find placed in each landfill or keep an example of each and identify. What changes have taken place? What piece of trash. You moy want to add a layer of would have happened to the leachate if it was not colored crepe paper to represent (the siphoned off or trapped in the pan? color leaches out). *Note: Several months may seem like a long time for 8. Build a small mound of dirt in each colander young children to wait. Put the "opening" date on each and plant grass seed. Let your students add "match landfill and do weekly observations as a "count down" box" garbage trucks, front end loaders, graders, and to the "opening"make it a big event. compactors that might be used at a landfill site. Place cake pans under the colanders to collect the Going Beyond: seepage or leachate. 9. Have your students water or "rain" on each landfill Place a small sample of each item landfilled in a twice weekly and observe the changes that are taking jar of water. Have your students observe how water changes or doesn't change things and how things place. Pay particular attention to the seepage or leachate change water. accumulation in each cake pan. The seepage from the unlined landfill can be observed as it collects in the bottom Once a landfill is full and officially closed, a clay of the pan. This observable phenomenon helps children "cap" is put owr it to keep water out. This also understand how ground water can be contaminated. The effectively seals out air. What will happen to the lined landfill should not have any seepage. Where did the trash if no water or air can get into the landfill? "rain" water go in this landfill? To find out, you will have You may want to add a third colander-landfill to siphon leachate out of the bottom of the day liner using with a clay cap to your experiment and observe the "monitoring well". Gently suck on the protruding end what changes may take place. of the aquarium hose while keeping this end below the Put examples of items made from materials used bottom of the clay liner. As the leachate is drawn up the 100 years ago (wood, leather, glass, iron, etc.) and hose and starts down towards your mouth, stop sucking items made from modern materials (plastic, and stick this end of the hose in the cake pan or a glass jar. styrofoam, aluminum, etc.) in separate jars of This should draw off all of the leachate. Observe the water. Observe what happens over time. What leachate and discuss what you have found. Did any happens to plastics that are dumped in the ocean? "toxics" show up? In modem landfills, leachates are Fill a glass jar two thirds full of water. Add four collected and properly disposed of to prevent groundwater drops of red food coloring. Put a stalk of celery into contamination. the water. Observe what happens. Do plants filter pollutants out of water?

Parent Letter:

Dear Parent, Tomorrow we will begin learning about landfills in class, and we need examples of items that families throw away. I have asked each child to bring in five small examples of household trash. Please help your child collect items from the following list: all types of paper items all types of plastic or "styrofoam" vegetable matter (potato peelings, carrot chunks, grass clippings, etc.) animal matter (chicken wing bonesonly a small amount) broken small toys"match box" car pieces (metal, tires, windshields, etc.) aluminum foil otheruse your imagination Put the items in a small plastic bag and send them to school with her/him tomorrow. Thank you for your help. Sincerely, Big BagSmallBags

Goal: Going Beyond: by buying Bring in other examples of bulk versussingle To help students learn to reduce waste and products in large packages instead ofsingle serving serving packages. Discuss the advantages disadvantages of each. packages. Encourage your students to investigate waysthey can reduce waste, reusethings, and recyde at Materials: home. Copy and pass out the HomeRecycling large bag of potato chips Survey found on pages15-16. Ask your students to same quantity of potatochips in single serving take these home and do the survey withtheir packages parents. two trays Procedure: 1. Buy a large bag of potato chipsand the same quantity of chips in single servingpackages. Note what each costs. 2. In class, place the large bag on oneside of a table and the small bags (includingall of their packaging) on the other. Ask your students:Which side of the table has the most potatochips? 3. Next, empty the contents of thelarge bag onto one tray and the contentsof the small bags onto another. Place their respective packagingin two separate piles. Ask: Which tray hasthe most chips? Which pile has the most packaging? 4. Tell your students what youpaid for each package of chips and what the chips cost per ounce for each tray of chips. 5. Lead a discussion on packagingbased on your potato chip example. Talk aboutthe merits of buying in bulk versus single servingpackages. Ask your students how they can bring chips toschool if their parents buy chips in big bags only. 6. Finally, divide up the chips and eatthem!

Jay's Potato Chips* Cost/oz. Package Total Wt. Wt. of Chips Pkg. Wt. 7.04 oz. 6.5 oz. .54 oz. $ .23 1- 6.5 oz. bag .35 12-.05 oz. pkgs. 10.56 oz. 6.0 oz. 4.56 oz. *Priced on November 18,1990, at Woodman'sFood Store in Madison, WI.

8 Recycling Maze

With a pencil or crayon, follow the path from your house to the recycling center. Collect all six recyclables along the way. Do not cross any lines.

Recycling Center

MIMINNIMIN Trash It Or Recycle It

DICON a line from each item to thebarrel it should go in.

TheNEWS

10 4 Where Do Things Come From? Draw a line from the item to where it came from.

oil

trees

sand

ii

corn field

cotten bush

tin mine

(

aluminum mine

11 Follow that Bottle!

Use a red crayon to trace the path thebottle takes to get from the glass factory, tothe bottling plant, to the grocery store, to yourhouse, and finally to the land fill. Use a green crayon to trace the paththe bottle will take if it is recycled and it comesback to you full of soda. Which is better for the environment:throwing the bottle away or recycling?

rigour ' lusor,um 1111111

12 6 RecycleIt's Easy! Plastic containers

You can help your family recycle by following these simple directions.

Mixed paper and Corrugated cardboard newspaper

Separate by recycling code

C24,1 Look for the ribbed, wavy layer. Remove caps and rings Bundle and tie newspaper Flatten the cardboard Rinse

Bundle, bag or box it Put mixed paper in large grocery bags

Bag or box it

Check with your local government or recycling center to find out what is recyclable inyour community. Mixed paper Corrugated cardboard Plastic containers A yes yes yes lno A 0 no 0 no L2.1 yes 0 no A Newspaper t_34.1a yes0 no A 0 yes c1.1 0 yes0 no A L3no L5.1a yes LIno A 1.6.1a yes0 no

13 RecycleIt's Easy! Aluminum Glass Tin cans bottles and jars Aluminum cans

Rinse Rinse No need to remove labels

Separate colors Pie plates Remove the label Magnets won't (if required) attract aluminum

Clear Brown Green Open both ends

(\\01111" JA111)4 )

Flatten No lightbulbs (if required) Flatten No Separate cans from No dishes or other aluminum 44;:14.414b0"

Put in bags, boxes or buckets Bag or box it Bag or box it

Other Aluminum

recyclable in your community. Check with your local government orrecycling center to find out what is Tin cans Glass bottles and jars Aluminum cans 0 yes Oyes L3yes 0 no no 0 no

14 Home Recycling Survey

Here is a recycling survey for you and your parents to do together. Read each question and check your answer. Then turn the page to find out what you can do to help our environment.

Yes No 1.If you take more food than you can eat, do you throw the leftovers in the trash?

2. Do you use paper cups and plates for cookouts or picnics?

3. Do you bring lunch to school in a paper or plastic bag and throw the bag away every day? Li LI 4. Do you throw away aluminum cans? 5. Do you use just one side of your writing paper? LI

6.If you make a mistake when writing or drawing, do you throw away your piece of paper and get a new one?

7. Do you throw away clot' ..s you've outgrown?

8. When you see on the floor or ground do you leave them there?

9. Do you buy soda in plastic bottles and then throw them away? 10.Do you ask for or take a bag when buying small things like candy or gum? Ul LI 11.Do you buy juice or chips in single serving packages? LI Li 12.Do you use paper towels for drying your hands or cleaning up spills? Lj LI 13.Do you throw away glass bottles and jars?

14.Do you use a clean sheet of paper to make paper airplanes?

15. Do you throw away broken crayons? [21 LI

If you have 10 or more no answers you are already helping our environment.

15 Here's how you can helpthe environment byreducing waste: hungry. Put leftover 1.Take small portions of food and goback for "seconds" if you are still food in reusable storage containers toeat later. 2. Buy or make up your own"picnic basket" that includesreusable cups, plates, and silverware. Look for these items at garagesales. boxes too. Pack your food in 3.Buy a lunch box and be cool.Get your friends to use lunch reusable containers instead of waxed paper,sandwich bags, or aluminum foil. It will stay fresher and will not get "squished"! to 4.Collect and recycle aluminum cans.Aluminum is a very valuable metal and is easy recycle. Recycling one aluminum can savesenough energy to keep a light bulb litfor 12 hours! If you only need 5.Use both sides of a piece of paperwhen writing letters or doing homework. to use one side, save the paper in a"reuse" box for future use. Make your paperlast twice as long. of the 6.Use a pencil and erase anymistakes. If you need a perfect copy, practice on one papers from your"reuse" box and then copy it over. they are ripped or torn 7.Save your old clothes for a garagesale or give them to a charity. If and cannot be repaired, then usethem for cleaning rags (cut off and savethe buttons first). and 8.Litter is everybody's problem andresponsibility. Do your part by picking it up disposing of it properlyperhaps evenrecycle it. plastic soda 9.If possible, buy soda in returnableglass bottles and return them! If only bottles are available, do not throwthem away. In many communities,they are recyclable. 10. After you buy a small item,take it home in your pocket. You do notreally need a bag. If your items are too large for yourpocket, then bring a reusable shoppingbag you've made. 11. Buy in bulk or buy largerpackages and put the amount you need forschool or snacks in reusable containers. Buying in bulk isusually cheaper than buying individuallywrapped servings and requires less packaging. 12. Use a hand towel for drying yourhands and a dish cloth or sponge forwiping up spills. They can be cleaned and used againinstead of being used once and thrown away. 13. Do not throw away glass bottlesand jars. These can be recycled in manycommunities. Many can also be reused for storingdifferent things. 14. Make your plane with a pieceof paper from your reuse box and savethe clean sheet of paper for writing. 15. Save broken crayons in a canfor future coloring or art projects. Buy a crayonsharpener to make points on roundededges.

Printed on Recycled Paper Nature's Recyclers Activity Guide

I/-

To b e of Contents To Naturalists/Interpreters: Activities Glass, tin, paper, aluminum, oil... with Wisconsin's recycling law Trash Hunt 2 people are busy recycling. Many of us don't realize that while we are Litter It's Everywhere 3 washing, stomping, and separating materials other creatures are also Spore Prints 4 busy recycling. Lichens, mushrooms, sow bugs, earthworms and The Lorax 5 beetles spend their whole lives recycling for nature. Nature's recy- Dead Tree & Rotting Log Study clers are responsible for turning dead plants and animals back into 6 usable nutrients for new plants and animals. Likewise, humans ure Mushroom Adventure 8 responsible for turning garbage back into reusable materials. On-Site/Take Home Parks and outdoor recreation areas are prime locations for demon- Earthworm Castles 9 strating the importance of recycling. The natural setting provides Microbe Garden 1 0 visual examples of cycles, recyclers, and natural resources. You can Mini-Composts 11 use these visual aids to make connections between natural and human Games recycling, and between recycling and preservation of natural re- sources. In addition to the physical setting being ideal, the atmosphere Log Tag 1 2 is too. People coming to parks to relax and enjoy resources are Tree to Turf Time Machine1 3 generally more receptive to recycling hints and ideas that will help Where Do Things Come From? save the natural resources they love. 1 4 Recycling Games 16 This activity guide book is intended to help you teach people about Crafts natural recycling, cycles in nature and the important role people must play in recycling our natural resources. Crafts from Trash 1 8 Make Your Own Paper 2 3 The activities include things to do outdoors, indoors, at the property Natural Dyes 2 4 and back at home or school. They are organized by major activity type: Fireplace Logs from Newspaper Activities, On-Site/Take Home, Games, Crafts, Songs, Plays, 25 and Exhibits. Each activity is laid out in the same format. You can Songs assess the age level of the group, decide whether your goal coincides with the written goal, brief yourself with the background, gather Sing Along 26 materials and then perform the procedural steps. With any remaining Skits & Plays time, encourage the group to partake in the activities listed in the Rotting Logs Puppet Show 28 Going Beyond section. A glossary is also included for your conven- ience. Exhibits 30 This guide is designed for use with people 5 years old and older. You Glossary 31 are encouraged to tailor the activities to meet each individual group's Resources 32 needs. When leading groups and involving them with nature's recyclers, re- member to use your basic interpretive skills. Set firm ground rules, treat everyone like adults, and do not "talk down" to them. Maintain the awe and mystique of your position. Also, remember that action is better than PUBL-IE-043 90 a thousand words. Let them feel it, touch it, smell it, and see it, not just hear it.

02_ 41111r 111111111111111114 ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES AOl IVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES 111111.11MW Trash Hunt

Age:6-12 years old Materials: 1 trash bag per pair (reuse old shopping bags) Goals:To develop an awareness of littering and the 1 pair of gloves per pair problems it can cause, and to clarify the difference between litter and trash, renewable and nonrenew- Procedure: able resources, and recyclable and nonrecyclable items. 1. Have a discussion with the group about litter. Explain the difference between litter and trash. Ask: Background: How do you feel about litter? Why do people litter? A knowledge of the definitions for thefollowing Does nature litter? What happens to nature's litter? pairs of words will make the discussion more interest- 2. Explain that the group's mission is to find litter in ing: litter and trash, recyclables and nonrecyclables, the area. It doesn't matter how big or small the pieces renewable resources and nonrenewable resources, and are. biodegradable and nonbiodegradable. These can be 3. Distribute bags and gloves to every pair. Set a found in the glossary. time limit and boundaries to avoid stragglers. Set Not only is litter undesirable to look at, but it can them free on their mission. also be harmful to wildlife. 4. After the hunt, gather the group in an area shel- Little fish can swim through the pop-top of a soda tered from the wind. Have the children dump their can and get stuck. litter in a pile in front of the group. Birds, larger fish, and small mammals can be S. Pick through the pile. Find litter that is harmful to strangled in the loops of plastic six-pack holders. wildlife and explain how it's harmful. Loose fishing line can get wrapped around the legs, 6. Define renewable and nonrenewable. Have the wings and beaks of water birds, impairing their children sort through the pile picking out examples of movement and strangling them. each. Some wildlife may even mistake shiny litter for 7. Define recyclable versus nonrecyclable. Have the food. When pop-tops and bottle caps are eaten they children decide whether the litter pieces should be put can cause injury. Styrofoam cups, plasticcellophane in a trash can to go to the landfill, or in a box to be wrappers and cigarette butts havebeen found in recycled. the stomachs of deer. 8. Define biodegradable and nonbiodegrodable. Broken glass, edges of opened cans and empty jars Have the children decide which litter is biodegradable are all dangerous. Animals can get cut, getinfections and which is nonbiodegradable. Discuss the pro's and und even die. They also can be trapped in slippery con's of biodegradable plastics. glass jars. 9. Dispose of the litter properly. Some people are promoting biodegradable plastics as CIpartial solution to our litter and landfill problems. Going Beyond: These plasticsare made with a starch or yeast that Use some of the items collected during the hunt in binds the plastic polymers together. When they "break the Mini-Composts activity. down" in the environment, the starches or yeast de- Put the money made from collecting recyclables compose but the plastic polymers remain. towards educational materials. Biodegradable plastics help our litter problem, but Sing the litter songs in the Sing Along section of this not our landfill problem. When buried in alandfill, booklet. they do not break down for a long time because of the Create a "trash monster" or trash collage with the lack of oxygen. In addition, starches and yeast may collected litter. contaminate plastic that could otherwise be recycled. Draw before and after pictures of the cleaned up area. Have the children write stories to goalong with their pictures. ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

Litter It's Everywhereg*

Age:8-15 years old Going Beyond: If the group comes up with a great solution, tell Goals:To make people more aware of litter and to them you'll implement it. After a few weeks, (if it's a encourage them to think of ways to help curb our litter school group), write to the group to let them know problem. how their solution is working, If the group is a school group, suggest that the class Background: re-do this activity for the school grounds. Have Food wastes from snacks, extra packaging, soda them make suggestion to the principal and school cans and paper may all be found in your area. Factors board on ways to reduce litter. And, have a member contributing to this problem may include: not enough of an environmental group talk to the class about trash cans, careless campers, the wind blowing trash pollution problems and solutions. against a fence, or uncovered trash cans. (For more Do the Trash Hunt activity in this booklet, or nformation, see the background section in Trash Hurt). incorporate the ideas from the activity into the discussion for this activity. Materials: Sing the songs related to litter from the song section map of the nature center area/park per person of this booklet. clip boards writing utensils Procedure: 1. Discuss litter and what a problem it is, both at the park and elsewhere. Talk about why people litter, and what can be done to help reduce litter (recycling, reusing, more conveniently placed trash cans, etc.). 2. Give each person a map. Ask them to fill in the details of the area, (building, parking lots, campsites, trees, play equipment, pop machines, beaches, fences, trash cans, streets etc.) Display a legend of items for them to use. 3. Tell them to circle on their maps the places where they predict that the most litter will be found. 4. Encourage people to explain their ideas. Have them consider what types of litter they think would be found in the yard, and ask for any possible reasons they have to explain this. 5. Go out on a walk to check their predictions. In key littering locations, have them come up with solu- tions ("No Littering" sign, trash cans, warnings, etc.).

Adapted from: Oscar's Option. Ocean State Clean Up and Recycling. Dept. of Envir. Management. Providence, RI. 02908

JJ ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

Spore Prints e 4!/0/- Age:6-adult 11;',./.14 s;ZA Goal:To introduce people to one of nature's recyclers !711-ifeAti.. "4.,(4 1t-;4%Z1:::ii:A ;4 I 40a. the mushroom. "ItZ::.*: Id . see ' lea.0,1*4% Background: 141,41.'' %%Mem" Mushrooms belong to a group of living things called .:04104'r -/:./:a. fungi. A fungus is a plant that does not contain chlo- rophyll. It isn't green. It can't make its own food as>. through photosynthesis. It must gather its food from decaying and living matter. Mushrooms are impor- . i tant members of nature's recycling team. These de- .teii if composers chemically break down dead vegetation, animal bodies, and manure into usable nutrients. The part of the mushroom that people see, the Materials: fruiting body, is only part of the whole plant. The rest 1 mushroom with gills, per person is hidden in the substrate. Mushrooms grow from 1 piece of black paper per person spores which are tiny seed-like structures. A little thread, 1 piece of white paper per person called a hypha, grows from each spore. The hyphae 1 -owl per person grow and become entangled with one another, form- Knife ing masses of hyphae called mycelia. As the mycelia grow, chemicals are released which dissolve the object Procedure: leaving food for them to eat. 1. Explain the life cycle of mushrooms to the group. When the conditions are right, small mushroom 2. Distribute store-bought mushrooms and paper. "buttons" begin to form beneath the soil. The buttons Some spores are dark, and others are light. Unless the take in water, swell, and push up out of the ground. leader predetermines the color of spores, (light spores/ Gradually the stem grows, the cap opens, and flattens. dark paper, dark spores/light paper), people should be The mushroom ripens and disperses its own spores given one black and one white piece of paper so that thus starting the cycle over again. the spores will show up on one of the pieces. Use mushrooms from the grocery store rather than 3. Cut off the stem close to the cap. Place the cap, from your property because natural supplies could be gill-side down, on a sheet of paper. If the spore color permanently depleted. This provides a nice opportu- has net been predetermined, place the cap half on a nity for people to learn by example that nature can be white sheet and half on a black sheet. observed without being ruined. 4. Cover the mushroom cap with an inverted dish or In this activity you will see ripened spores. The bowl. This prevents air currents from dispersing the unique gill pattern of spores results from the spores spores. Leave it undisturbed for several hours over- falling from the gill surface where they are formed. night if possible. When the cap is lifted there will be a unique spore print. Encourage people to take the spore print home and frame it. Going Beyond: Take the group on the Mushroom Adventure found in this booklet. This hike will help the group observe mushrooms outdoors in their natural setting. Explain that spore prints are important traits when identifying mushrooms. Distribute mushroom guides to see if the mushrooms are identifiable by their spore prints. To observe another one of nature's recyclers build an Earthworm Castle. ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES The Lorax*

Age:8-14 years old Materials: a copy of The Lorax by Dr. Seuss Goals:To help children understand human impacts on natural systems and the environmental impacts of Procedure: a consuming society. 1. Read The Lorax to your group. 2. Discuss the following questions: Background: What happened to the "truffula trees"? The Lorax, a children's book by Dr. Seuss, tells of What happened to the "brown bar-ba-loots"? the deterioration of an environment because of reck- What was made from the "tmffula trees"? less exploitation of "truffula trees" to produce "thneeds" A "thneed" is defined as a fine thing that everyone to meet the incessant demands of consumers. It could thinks they need. What are examples of "thneeds" very well portray our society's demands for consumer things that we think we need? goods. In fact we exploited our resources the very same How could the "once-lers" have made "thneeds" way in the United States 100 years ago. Fortunately, without destroying all of the "truffula trees"? through individual efforts and environmentally sound If you were the "once-ler", what would you have legislation, many of our resources are being better done differently to protect the environment? managed today than the "truffula trees" were. How- What can we do today to protect the environment? ever, our demand for consumer goods is still very high and many of our resources are still being th own away 3. Make sure that the children leave with the knowl- after use instead of being recycled or reused. Our edge that we must harvest resources in order to keep consumer demands still cause resources to be exploited on living. The key is to manage and harvest our in other countries that do not have the strong environ- resources wisely and to get the most use out of any mental laws that we have. resource that we utilize. Reducing consumption, reus- Our forests are a good example of a resource that ing materials and recycling resources are some of the we once exploited but now manage quite well for sus- ways that each of us can help. tained yield. Wildlife, soil and water are also given consideration in our forest management plans. The Going Beyond: rain forests in other countries are still being exploited, Identify real-life examples of the foiiowing items in partially as a result of our demands for consumer the story: "swomee-swans", "truffula-trees", "brown- goods. bar-ba-loots", "humming fish", " thneeds", "once- lers", "smogulous smoke", "gluppity-glup", and "schloppity-schlopp", Have the class illustrate the story on a large piece of paper showing problems and solutions.

* Adapted from: Project Learning Tree, American Forest Council, 1250 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Washington D.C. 20036 and AVR Teacher's Resource Guide, Association of Vermont Recyclers, P.O. Box 1244, Montpelier, VT 05602

5 ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES 3. Take your class on a discovery hike insearch of nature's recyclers. You may want to develop awork- Dead Tree and sheet for older students to record their observations, or just arm them with magnifying glassesand guide them through the discovery process. If possible,let Rotting Log Study your students work in small groupsof three to five. 4. Start with the two live trees and ask: Whatmakes Age: 8-adult them grow? Where do they get their nutrientsfrom? Will they live forever? Goals: To help people develop an understanding of 5. Next go to the standing dead tree andask: What the decomposition process and the role nature's recy- happened to the tree? What caused it to die? What will clers play in recycling nutrients. happen to it now? Direct your students to lookfor evidence of nature's recyclers at the tree. Openthe "window", examine crevices (cautiously), and search Materials: the ground around the tree. Look for plants(mush- magnifying glasses or hand lenses rooms and lichens), birds (woodpeckersand sapsuck- clear plastic ers), mammals (squirrels and chipmunks),amphibi- dark plastic or heavy fabric ans (salamanders), insects (antsand termites), and SaW other members of nature's recycling crew (millipedes, hammer and chisel sow bugs, mites, earthworms, etc.).Ask your students staple gun and staples what role each recycler plays in the decomposition process. Have your students closetheir eyes and feel Background: the texture of the tree. Ask them for descriptivewords The death and decay of a tree is a very dynamic (adjectives) about what the feel. Have them smellthe process that provides us with one ofthe best teaching tree and describe its odor. examples of recycling in nature. Standing dead trees 6. Visit the freshly fallen tree and the rest ofthe logs and downed, rotting logs can be found in mostforest in decreasing stages of decay. Ask similar questions communities in various stages of decomposition.They and have your students make the same observations serve as excellent habitats for avariety of organisms as they did for the standing dead tree. of a known as decomposers or nature's recyclers.By ob- 7. After your students study the punky remains serving and comparing these various stages ofdecay, log ask: What is left from the tree/log? (mineralsand you can virtually watch a tree returnto the soil. some organic matter) Where didthe rest of the tree go? (some back into the air and water, some intonature's Procedure: recyclers). Dig up some soil nearby (first horizon)and and smells with the log close compare the way it looks, feels 1. Early in the season, locate the following in have proximity to each other: small live tree, large live tree, remains. Are they similar? Review what you standing dead tree, freshly fallen tree, log in initial found and learned. 8. Finally, go back to the small live treeand ask stages of decay, log well along in decay,and punky your students where it gets itsminerals to grow. Talk remains of a log. about completing the cycle and how the same re- 2. If possible, make a "window" in the standing again. dead tree by cutting out a 10 inch square sectionof sources have been used over and over bark at a good viewing height. Cut "windows" intothe rotting logs by making two cross cutsapproximately Going Beyond: 10 inches apart and one inch deep in eachlog. Chisel Discuss what happens to organic materials that we out the section between the cuts to adepth of one half landfill. Why don't they get recycled? (no air, no to one inch. Staple a thin sheet of clearplastic over sun light, limited moisture) each window, leaving a gap underneath. Punch afew Discuss what we can do to be more likenature's air holes in the plastic. Finally, covereach window recyclers. with a "shutter" made from a piece of dark plastic or Study nature's recyclers in the wintertimeby heavy fabric. Staple just the top edge of thematerial collecting some forest floor litter and warming it and weight the bottom so that it will not blow around. with a lamp. Dormant "recyclers" will come tolife These "windows" will enable you and your class to under the heat from the lamp. view nature's recyclers without continuallydisturbing Collect sow bugs, several fallen leaves and other them and destroying their homes. The "shutter"keeps decaying plant material. Place them in a closed the space underneath dark and more inviting to na- container with a few drops of water. Remember to ture's recyclers. punch a few air holes in the lid. Observe the sow bugs for a few days, and then let them go. ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

Nutrient Recycling in Trees

Young trees grow in strength fed from the remains of the old oak.

4,, Finally, the tree falls and nature's recyclers attack it in force changing the wood into soil.

..-;kle

A great oak stands in the forest. Even as it grows, nature's recyclers work at weakening the tree. Until only a dead skeleton remains.

Each year the tree returns part of itself inowou to the soil.

liEST LOKI kiAlLAFIll ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES Not all mushrooms areumbrella shaped. Some grow on the side of treeslike shelves. Others are globe- Mushroom shaped and are called puff balls. Prior to the hike it may bebeneficial to learn the specifics about species which growin your area. It will Adventure also help to have a mushroomidentification book along on the adventure. Thehike is most successful Age: 10 - adult from July to September whenthe greatest number of of mushrooms may mushrooms and their species and the heaviest densities Goals:To teach people about be found after drenching rains. important role in nature'srecycling system. Procedure: Background: 1. Assemble the group. Depending onthe group Mushrooms are an important partof nature's recy- size, your facility, and visualaides, you may want to cling team. Some mushrooms areparasites on living teach several points before going outin the field. saprophytic, using Stress the importance of adetailed study of trees, but most mushrooms are gather them only dead materials for food.They cause decay of mushrooms before anyone attempts to dead leaves, animals, and woodin the forests. Where for food. Advise people to look atthem, photograph forest soils are too acidic forbacteria to grow well, them, and to enjoy their manycolors and pleasing mushrooms are the main decayproducers. forms, and forget about eating them.Many people Mushrooms have an interesting lifecycle. Tiny seed- die each year because ofmistakes in mushroom like spores are released intothe air from the fruiting identification. body of mushrooms. When a sporelands in a fertile Emphasize the lack of chlorophyll inmushrooms location, it sends out manyroot-like threads called and the habitats of variousmushrooms. Explain hyphae. These tiny threads growinto a tangled mass their extensive "root" systems,tremendous spore under favorable called a mycelium. The myceliumis the underground production and rapid growth rates part of the mushroomthat chemically breaks down conditions. the material on which it eatsand grows. When the Discuss the specific habitatrequirements of mycelia are strong, and conditions aregood, small mushrooms you may see on the hike. mushroom "buttons" begin toform beneath the soil. Stress that mushrooms arethe fruiting bodies of (mycelia) The buttons take in water, swelland push up out of the their extensive, hidden "root" systems soil. Gradually the mushroom's stememerges and the and that most mushrooms grow,ripen, disperse cap opens like anumbrella. The cap is lined with gills spores and die in just afew days. Their important that hang next to each other.Each gill contains many roles in the nutrient cycleshould also bi-. brought cells that make spores. After spores aremature, they out during the hike. Look for mush- can be dispersed bywind, water, animals and insects. 2. Go on the Mushroom Adventure. rooms. Practice identifyingthem. Note key character- istics such as stem lengthand width, color, habitat, texture, spore color and gill pattern. cap Going Beyond: Do the Spore Print activity fromthis booklet. Further study spores and molds.The spores that spores create mushrooms aresimilar to those that create molds. To see how airborne spores growhyphae and fruidng bodies, do thefollowing: glass dish. Leave it gills Place a Mice of damp bread in a uncovered, for several minutes.Then cover the dish with a glass plate. Set the dishaside for several days in stem a warm, dark placeand see if any mold grows onthe food. Observe the molds with amagnifying glass. Can you see the center pointfrom which the hyphae grow? How did the molds start atthese points? The air we produce molds and mycelia breath is filled with spores that mushrooms. Like mushroom spores,mold spores can only grow when they land infavorable conditions such as the damp bread. ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME

Earthworm Castles

Age:5-15 years old Procedure: 1. Introduce a group of children to a live worm and Goal:To help people observe and learn about one of have them watch it move. Using a magnifying glass, nature's important recyclers the earthworms. observe the setae. Locate the clitellum. Show them how to tell the front part from the rear. Put some Background: "worm food" near the mouth and see if it will eat. Earthworms help make good soil. They dig tunnels 2. Lead the children on a worm dig. Talk about that let in air andleep the soil loose. Earthworms are where worms live and how they help nature cycle its important recyclers because they eat bits of decayed nutrients. Using the spoons or shovels, have the chil- plants and animals that are in the soil. dren hunt for worms to put in the castles they will Earthworms' bodies are simple structures composed build. of two tubes, one within the other. The inner tube is 3. Create the castles. Place a few rocks in the bottom the digestive system. The black color is the food in the of each jar. Add a mixture of soil and peat moss to a digestive tract. depth of ("bout 10 cm (4 inches). Invite the worms into Earthworms belong to a group of animals having their new homes by carefully placing them in the jars. segmented bodies. Each segment is the same except 4. Place some worm food on top of the soil. Foods for the head and the clitellum. The head, the end that work well are: apple and banana peels, canta- which moves forward, has a mouth, but no eyes. loupe, watermel3n, celery, coffee grounds, eggshells, Worms do not need eyes underground. The clitellum is onion peels, pizza crusts and tea bags. (To avoid fruit the swollen ring around the body. It contains many flies, completely cover the food with a layer of dirt.) glands which secrete mucus to form the walls of a 5. Keep the castle moist, but not wet. cocoon. The eggs in the cocoon are fertilized, and left 6. Cover the jar with black paper. Explain that to hatch in the soil. Earthworms are bisexual each worms are sensitive to light. individual contains both male and female parts. 7. Let the group take the earthworm castle home Earthworms do not have any legs. They move by with them. Have them observe the worm tunnels, the extending their front half forward and anchoring it worm castings and the worm eating habits. Do the with hair like structures called setae. Then their back grass cuttings slowly disappear? Remind the class to half is pulled forward. Earthworms dig their tunnels by keep the soil moist, to keep the jar covered with the eating soil in front of them. The soil is then excreted dark paper when they aren't watching the worms, and with mucus to form the burrow walls. Castings, which to add new "worm food" every few days. Suggest that are excess excreted dirt clumps, may be found on the the kids bring in table scraps from home. This way surface of the ground. They look like tiny bunches of some of nature's recyclers are helping recycle some of grapes. Castings have a high lime content and help the childrens' waste. Insist that the worms are re- fertilize the ground. turned to their natural habitat after the children are done observing them. Materials: (per castle) magnifying glass Going Beyond: large jor (ex. = a used mayonnaise jar) Make an "earthworm-track observation spot". Pour rocks water over some soil outdoors to make it muddy. soil Come back the next day and look for worm tracks. peat moss Discuss that worms need air to breath. They come worm food (Grass cuttings, tiny table scraps,egg out of the ground so they do not drown. shells, coffee grounds, etc.) Have young children pretend to be worms. black paper Encourage them to close their eyes and move on the shovel(s) or spoon(s) ground like earthworms. Make worm pictures by having a muddy worm crawl across a white piece of paper. Make an Earthworm Castle to have on display to show those people/groups who are unable to make their own castles. To observe another recycler, do the Mushroom Hike in this book.

9 'J. ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME Microbe Garden

Age:8-17 years old Procedure: 1. Firmly pack about 1" of soil in the can or jar.Soil Goals:To show decomposers at work and to have should be moist, but not water-logged. people understand the role molds play in the decom- 2. Prepare 5 pieces of mold food, approximately position process. half inch square and 1/8 to 1/4" thick. 3. Place the pieces of food on the soil, nottouching Background: one another. Microbei are plants and animals that help decom- 4. Let the garden stand in the open air for about15 pose materials. These molds,bacteria, yeasts, and minutes to catch spores. protozoa are responsible for turning decomposing 5. Cover the container with plastic to preventthe matter into nutrient pieces that are small enoughfor garden from drying out. Use a rubber band to hold it plants to absorb. Microbes are better at this task than in place. earthworms because of the amount of materials they 6. Either use this microbe garden as a display, orlet consume. Under favorable conditions, anearthworm members of the group take it with them to observe and eats its own weight in food daily. A microbe digestsits nurture. weight in food in just a few seconds. And, gram for 7. Remove plastic for a few minutes each day to give gram there are more microbes in a compostpile than the molds a good supply of oxygen. Add water tothe earthworms. Not only are microbes responsible for soil when it dries out. more decomposition, but they can digest manythings earthworms cannot, including dead earthworms. Going Beyond: While microbes are small, many can be observed Explain that mushrooms are the fruiting bodies of without a microscope. The molds that develop in mold some molds. Go on a MushroomAdventure hike gardens may be any color, size, or shape. The colors of (found in this booklet). molds are usually due to spores. Like airborne seeds of Suggest that the group build Earthworm Castles to higher plants, spores help to propagate their species watch how earthworms help decompose materials. by blowing to new locations. Make a mold garden using man-made, less- Some common molds that grow on bread include: degradable materials (cellophane, brown paper, rhizopus stolonifer (shiny black bread mold) rubber etc.). Compare the rates of decomposition aspergillus niger (fuzzy, black bread mold) between the two gardens. Record your observations. penicillium (fuzzy, blue-green mold). Explain the life cycle of a mold. Each mold is really a colony consisting of millions of cells of one particular species. Many different molds may grow at the same time, or there may be sequen- tial changes when some molds replace others. Your mold garden is a model for what microbes do in well-aerated compost piles. Nature's recyclers, in- cluding the microbes, digest and oxidize garbage. The end product is good rich humus that enhances the fertility of soils. Materials: metal can or plastic jar (6-8" wide and 3-4" deep) soil from garden or near shrubs 10,4*. water mold food (kitchen refuse - nut shells, potato peels, 0es ea% vib .11/1, banana skins, old cereal, stale bread, apple cores, etc.) (No protein materials - meat, cheese or gela- tin) rubber band clear plastic (cellophane) Aia'areAk!''-f;.?"4:,41

10 61J ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME ON-SITE / TAKE HOME

dairy products, fats and oils which inhibit decomposi- Mini-Composts* tion, cause odors and can attract pests. Chop wastes into small pieces. Leave some large pieces of the same materials to compare rates of decomposition between Age:9-17 years old large and smoll items. Why might there be a differ- ence? Goal:To help people learn about recycling in nature 3. Alternate layers of the materials as follows by watching nature's process at work in a miniature (amounts are approximate): inch of soil, two inches of compost pile. organic waste, a sprinkle of manure or green grass clippings and a sprinkle of water repeat. Background: 4. Cover with an inch of soil. Water the pile enough When we mention "recycling," we often think of to make it moist but not soggy. It should feel like a recycling glass bottles, aluminum cans and newspa- damp sponge. pers. But another 20% of the household garbage we 5. Add earthworms. throw out could also be recycled. Food scraps, leaves, 6. Allow a school group to take the mini-compost grass clippings and other biodegradable organic wastes home with them, or use it as a display piece on site. can be recycled by composting. Simply stated, corn- Place the compost pile where it will be at room tem- posting creates optimal conditions for decomposition perature (not in direct sun). Gently mix the compost to occur. Decomposition is the biochemical process by once a week to aerate it. Use a thermometer to test the which bacteria, fungi and other microscopic organ- temperature of the pile. Graph the results. isms break organic "wastes" into nutrients that can be 7. Discuss: How composting reduces the amount of used by plants and animals. Decomposition occurs in waste that is thrown out, what happens to organic nature whenever a leaf falls to the ground or an wastes that end up in the landfill, whether or not the animal dies. It is essential for the continuation of life landfill is a gigantic natural compost pile, and the on earth. In order for decomposition to occur in a problems with placing large amounts of organic ma- compost pile, several components must be present: terial in landfills. soil, organic wastes, nitrogen, worms, water, air, time, heat and mass. Decomposition does not occur very Going Beyond: rapidly, (if at all) in a landfill because two necessary Suggest that everyone build a real compost pile, components, air and nature's recyclers, are not there. either as a group at school, or individually at home. The result of decomposition in a compost pile is a For directions, write to: Education Programs, Bureau nutrient-rich humus that is excellent for improving of Information and Education, Dept. of Natural soil quality and plant growth. Resources, P.O.Box 7921, Madison, WI 53707. Ask for the Home Composting brochure. Materials: Make a second compost pile with non-biodegradable aquarium materials in it. (pop can, glass bottle, comb, can organic wastes opener etc.) Every week compare/contrast the rates soil (not potting soil) of decay of the two boxes. thermometer Sanitary Landfill versus Open Dump. Half fill two trowel or large spoon clear containers with soil. Put examples of solid 1-2 dozen red earthworms waste in each container. Leave the open dump uncovered and occasionally water it lightly. For the Procedure: sanitary landfill, cover the waste with several inches 1. Introduce the ideas of decomposition and natu- of soil. Observe for six months. What differences are ral recycling. Ask the group what the verb to "com- there? What types of solid waste rotted? pose" means. (To make. For example, musicians make Just before the ground freezes in the fall, bury songs by putting words together.) Explain that decom- identical materials outside and in containers inside. pose means to take things apart. Decomposers help Keep the indoor container moist and warm. In the nature recycle by breaking materials down so they spring compare the mat( lois. Is temperature an can be cycled over and over again. This process can be important factor in decomposition? accelerated in a compost pile. Ask: What is composting? Try building a Compost Column using "Bottle What are the necessary ingredients for a good com- Biology" directions. See Resources. post pile? How is composting related to the concept of Go on a hike to observe nature decomposing. recycling? How can composting reduce waste? 2. Assemble a variety of organic wastes in the aq- Adapted with permission from: AVR Teacher's uarium, including leaves, needles, grass clippings, saw- Resource Guide, Association of Vermont Recyclers, dust, hair, kitchen scraps, etc. Avoid meat scraps, P.O.Box 1244, Montpelier, VT 05602

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Log Tag*

Age:5-10 years old Materials: a group of people Goal:To give children the opportunity to use what a large open space such as a field or large campsite. they learned about nature's recyclers and decaying logs. Procedure: 1. Gather a group of children and go to an open Background: space. Fallen trees and rotting logs are suitable habitats 2. Explain the rules to the children and choose one for many organisms, both plants and animals. As the person to be "it". That person tries to tag other players. log or tree decomposes, it becomes a host to different Other players can save themselves by crouching down plants and animals. Insects bore into a tree's protec- before being tagged and naming a plant or animal tive bark, allowing air, moisture and spores of fungi to that lives on, or in a rotting log. As long as the same enter the tree. The fungi grow, consumming the tree's person is it, there can be no repeating of plant or starches and dissolving the wood structure. The fruit- animal names. ing bodies of the fungi are food to many insect larvae, 3.1f a player is tagged before he/she can think of an bacteria, slugs and snails. animal or plant name, than that player becomes "it". Gradually the log is covered with mosses and grasses. 4. Whenever a new player becomes "it," all plant Earthworms, microscopic organisms and fungi con- and animal names can be used again. tinue the decaying process underground. It takes an average of ten years for a dead tree to turn tosoil. Going Beyond: Weather, temperature and moisture as well as tree The Mushroom Hike or Observe a Log activities are type all affect the rate of decomposition, and thus, the good backgrounds for this game. type of organism found. The following is a list of Discuss which animal and plant names the children organisms which could be described, discussed and used. Did they forget any? Which ones? used in the game: raccoon, squirrel, owl, ant, beetle, earthworm, salamander, spider, chipmunk, lichen, bacteria, mushroom, butterfly, insect larva, moss, ter- mite, microbes, millipede, centipede, etc.

* Adapted from: Hands-on Nature: Information and Activities forExploring the Environment with Children, by lenepher Lingelbach. Vermont Institute of Natural Science,Woodstock, VT. 05091.

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Age:5-10 years old Going Beyond: Observe the different stages of decay outside. Talk Goal:To introduce the decomposition process to about how different "nature's recyclers" help the younger audiences. tree decay at different stages. Observe the different recyclers. Background: The Rotten Log Puppet Show, and Log Tag found in A rotting log serves as a habitat for many plants this booklet are related activities. and animals, which vary according to the log's stages of decomposition. Materials: 4 logs in various stages of decay ranging from freshly cut to nearly soil. The logs in the later stages of de- composition can be mounted on plywood to help protect them. Time Machine large cardboard box painted with a seasons that has a movable dial; other num- bers, gadgets, and dials; and closable front and back flaps. costume for leader. Procedure: 1. Divide the children into 3 groups: one to whistle like the wind, one to tap their fingers like the rain, and the third to chant the passing seasons "spring, sum- mer, fall, winter." 2. As a costumed professor, explain that you have invented a remarkable time machine that will show what happens to a tree when it dies. Open the flap of the Time Machine to reveal a recently cut piece of wood, then close it. 3. Progress through the first 4 years, moving the seasons dial as group 3 chants and the other groups make their sound effects. Then open the Time Ma- chine (in which your hidden operator has switched logs) to see a lbg in initial stages of decay. 4. Repeat this process for the passage of 4 more yems, after which the secretly replaced log will look punky and soft, and then again for the last four years (total of twelve years), when the Time Machine log will be chunks of dirt. 5. Afterwards, inspect and compare the 4 logs.

* Adapted from: Hands On Nature, The Vermont Institute of Natural Science. Church Hill, Road, Woodstock, VT. 05091.

13 GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES Where Do Things Come From?

Age:8-12 years old Procedure: 1. Ask the children, "Where do things come from?" Goals:To help children learn where our products Discuss the earth's resources and identify the five cate- come from and the difference betweenrenewable and gories. Show specific examples of products derived nonrenewable resources. from each category and ask the children for other examples. Talk about renewable and nonrenewable Background: resources. Ask the children for specific examples of In order for people to understand the need for recy- each. cling, they must have an understanding of the source 2. Pass out the scavenger hunt sheets, clipboards of the products they use and that the earth has a and pencils. Give them the following directions: limited supply of resources. All of the materials that Find 15 of the 30 items on the list. These should make up our goods and products are derived fromthe include at least three items from each of the five earth's natural resources. Some of our resources are categories. quite abundant like sand and grass, but some are Indicate items found with a check in front of the scarce like oil and diamonds. Someof our resources item. are renewable (can be replaced in arelatively short Do not collect the i',. ms and bring them back! period of time) and some are nonrenewable (once taken out of the earth no more will take their place for Identify which resource category the item belongs a long, long time). For this activityall of earth's re- in by putting an R for rocks, M for mineral, 0 for oil, sources (excluding water and air) canbe lumped into P for plant, and A for animal on the line behind it. five categoriesRocks, Minerals, Petroleum/Oil, Plants, Finally, circle the renewable resources. and Animals. Extra points will be given for the special items listed and found. Explain that "nature's" packaging Materials: means a shell, cone or pod casing. copies of Resources Scavenger Hunt Worksheet 3. Give the children 15 minutes to hunt for items (page 15) outside. clipboards 4. Call them together and go over the answers. pencils Discuss recycling, reusing, and reducing and how these examples from each of the five resource categories practices help conserve our resources. listed above

Items by Category Answers Rocks Minerals Oil Plant Animal glass penny plastic bag charcoal hamburger stone wall pop can frisbee bread ice cream pottery diamond ring nylon sock lettuce butter cement nail plastic bottle firewood egg stone building pencil lead polyester pants paper leather shoes All items in plant and animal categories are renewable resources.

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Resources Scavenger Hurt Worksheet

Find 15 of the 30 items listed below. These should include at least three items fromeach of these categories: Rocks, Minerals, Oil, Plants and Animals. Indicate items found with a check in front of the item. Do not try to collect the items and bring them back! Identify which resource category the item belongs in by puttingan R for rocks, M for mineral, 0 for oil, P for plant, and A for animal on the line behind it. Circle the renewable resources.

O glass 0hamburger 0 plastic bag

O frisbee 0 ice cream 10 charcoal

O bread Elpop can 0 paper

O pottery 0 stone wall 0 diamond ring

O butter 0 firewood 71stone building

CIpenny 0 nylon sock 173plastic bottle

C--1 egg CIpencil lead CIleather shoes

O nail 0 lettuce 0 polyester pants

0 cement

Extra Cr dit O returnable bottle

O "natures" packaging

O man-made packaging

O an item thatcan be used for something else

O an item made frommore than one material

6 J 15 AIM GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES GAMES NIMMIN

Recycling Games ter, and industrial organic chemicals.By varying the type of chemicals added to plastic resins,the finished product may be flexible or rigid; transparent, opaque, Age:10-adult or colored; or easy to tear orrigid. While plastics are convenient and useful, they contain manytoxins Goals:To make people more aware of our consump- air. Throw- and to help people which can pollute our land, water and tive habits and the need to recycle, away plastic packages alsoconstitute much of our learn about some commonly recycled items. litter.lastics of similar type are melted downand molded into new products. Because of US FDAregula- Background: tions, plastic is not recycled into foodcontainers. These games could be good rainy dayactivities or time fillers. man-made, Materials: Everything on earth, both natural and copies of Recycling Games Worksheet(page 17) has the potential to be recycled. However, ourcurrent knowledge, technology, facilities and economics pre- pencils for each person. vent many items from beingrecycled. Most recycling They tend to concen- Procedure: programs are profit oriented. the group trate on "easy to recycle" and "big-5-back" materials. 1. Distribute copies of the games. Instruct handle a greater to complete the matching gamesand break the code We must develop more markets to coded words diversity and a greater quantity ofmaterials. for the coded recyclables. Tell them the GLASS is made from soda ash, sand,and lime. are a list of 10 recyclablematerials. In this code, one materials letter is substituted for another. The objectof the game Glass is able to hold many items that ot:-..2r them started by cannot. However, it is heavy,breaks easily, and re- is to decipher the 10 recyclables. Get mains in landfills for a long time. Tobe recycled, it giving them the first answer, "newspaper". crushed into small 2. If you wish, divide the group into teams. must first be sorted by color and and its pieces called "cutlet." The cutlet is melteddown into a 3. Check their answers. Discuss each answer again. implications. solution and then made into glass containers 8-f, 9- Other products can also be made fromrecycled glass Number Match: 1-g, 2-c, 3-j, 4-e, 5-a, 6-i, 7-b, bottles such as insulation, androad-patching mate- h, 10-d. Word Match: 1-h, 2-e, 3-a, 4-i, 5-c, 6-d,7-f, 8-b, 9-j, rial. ALUMINUM is made from bauxite, which is a non- 10-k, 11-g. and Coded Recyclables: 1. Newspaper, 2. Glass,3. Mo- renewable resource. Aluminum is light weight, Cans, 6. Card- corrosion resistent. When recycled, it ismelted and tor Oil, 4. Tires, 5. Aluminum then shaped again into new cans and otheritems. For board, 7. Asphalt, 8. Metal, 9. Leaves, 10. Cars 95% of the energy 4. Let the winners do somethingspecial, such as every aluminum can recycled, having to needed to create a new can is saved. getting to be first in line on a hike or not TIN-PLATED STEEL cans are made of iron oreand help clean up after an activity. tin, neither of which arerenewable resources.The cans will eventually rust and break down. However,throw- Going Beyond: ing them away is a waste of valuablemetals. When Use these word games as a pre-programactivity to recycled, the cans are put into a huge containerwith find out what members of your groupalready know holes in the bottom. This container is immersedinto a about recycling. Use the backgroundinformation caustic solution which takes the tin off the cans.Then to let people know where materials comefrom and the steel cans are washed and sold as Number1 Grade how they are recycled. Have examplesof the Steel. The tin is removed from the causticsolution by different materials to show the group.Stress how electrolysis and made into ingots which aresold to important it ts to imitate nature by giving newlife companies requiring tin. to materials that are decay resistant orin short PAPER is made from a renewable resource trees. supply. Paper is shredded into small pieces andmixed with Invite the group to share their recyclingadventures. water. This mixture is beaten into amush-like pulp Ask what they do at home, atschool, at work. which flows onto a moving screen throughwhich What can they recycle in theircommunity? most of the water passes. The wood or par?erfibers Further research the cycles of natural resources. remain. The fibers are pressed throughheavy rollers Do other related activities from thisbooklet that remove more water and then are sentthrough Musical Instruments, Make Your Own Paper,Fire steam-heated dryers. Place Logs From Newspapers, SingAlong, and PLASTICS are made from petroleum, coal,air, wa- Where Do Things Come From? IMO 16 b u GAMES - GAMES - GAMES GAMES - GAMES - GAMES - GAMES GAMES GAMES

Recycling Games Work Sheet

Recycling Number Match 1. Number of buyers of recyclable materials in Wisconsin. a. 1000 2. Percent of all paper that is recycled in U.S. b. 350 3. Percent of all paper recycled by Japan. c. 26 4. Number of metal cans used each year by a family of five. d. 12 5. Number of glass jars and bottles used each year by a family of five. e. 2000 6. Pounds of solid waste thrown away by a family of five in a year. f. 17 7. Number of plastic containers used by a five person family in a year. g. 600 8. Number of trees it takes to make a ton of paper. h. 400 9. Gallons of oil saved by recycling a ton of paper. i. 4000 10. The energy saved by recycling an aluminum can could keep a light j. 50 bulb on for this many hours.

Recycling Word Match 1. Recyclable, ground-up glass a. Paper 2. Changes organic materials into usable nutrients b. Motor Oil 3. Half of all land-filled waste c. Cellulose insulation 4. A use for shredded newspapers d. Aluminum 5. A use for finely ground newspapers e. Composting 6. Recycling saves 95% of the energy to process it f. Plastics 7. Mac If- from petroleum and natural gas; recycling is still ininfancy g. Natural Resources 8. Wisconsin law requires communities to set up collection centers forthis h. Cul let 9. Our largest portion of household waste i. Animal bedding 10. If materials aren't recycled, they go here j. Newspaper 11. if materials aren't recycled, they use up k. Landfills

Coded Recyclables 1.ZBEVNINBP 6.LJPFRDIPF 2.OWJVV 7.JVNCIWA 3.IDADPDTW 8.IBAJW 4.ATPBV 9.WBJSBV 5.JWYITZYILJZV 10.LJPV

!,f r-.9 17 Rumor Alm Pow. CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Crafts from Trash

Age:5-12 years old Background: Many containers can have their "lives" and useful- Goals:To help children learn that many items can ness extended by finding creative ways to reusethem. have more than one use, and that the longer you keep In this activity, children will learn to make toys, musi- an item out of the waste stream, thebetter it is for the cal instruments, piggy banks and bird feeders from environment. common household trash.

Recycle for the Birds

Materials: clean household containers: knife milk, detergent and bleach bottleshammer milk cartons nails coffee cans wire cutters pie tins pencils onion sacks ruler mustard jar lid (for tracing circles) light wire sticks or dowels (for perches) coat hangers Procedure: 1. Create bird feeders out of clean household con- tainers using the drawings for models. Assist younger children with the cutting. Remember to punch small drain holes in the bottom of the containers to let rain Bleach bottle feeder water out. 2. Discuss the proper locations for installing the feeders with your group and the types of bird feed to put in each container. Inform them of their responsi- bility for maintaining a continuous supply of food once feeding is started and the importanceof keeping the feeders clean. 3. Discuss the importance of reusing materialsand develop a list of common items that can be reused and the new use(s) for each. Going Beyond: Design and create bird houses out of natural or man-made containers. Provide string, old yam, baler twine, cloth strips, etc. for nesting materials. Wind these through an onion sack and hang the sack on a coat hanger. Donate feeders to nursing homes ond maintain them.

Milk jug feeder

18 CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS ANN

Detergent bottle feeder Pie plate feeder

Onion sack suet feeder

Coffee can feeder

Milk cartonfeeder

5 19 CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS

Plastic Bottle Pig Bank*

Materials: plastic bleach bottle 4 corks per bottle 1 cleaner consiTuction paper glue scissors red marker

Procedure: them out. Glue them on each side of the bottle. (See 1. Encourage children to bring plastic bottles and "B" on drawing). corks with them. These could be their "entrance tick- Draw and cut out two eyes and glue them on each ets" to your craft room. Save plastic bottles yourself for side of the bottle just above the snout. (See "C" on the occasional "I forgot my bottle"ers. Friends Groups drawing). could also be asked to save plastic bottles. With red marker, draw a mouth below the snout. 2. Guide your class through the process of "pig (See "D" on drawing). construction" using demonstrations and the following Cut out a slot, large enough to fit a fifty cent piece directions: in, on top of the bottle between the ears. (See "E" on Rinse bottle out thoroughly. drawing). Make the pig's tail by twisting a pipe cleaner around Glue four corks on the bottom of the bottle for legs. a pencil and then slide it off. (See "F" on drawing). Lay bottle on its side with handle facing up and with neck of the bottle representing the pig's snout. Going Beyond: With tip of scissors poke a hole for pipe cleaner Point out to the children that they just took a piece "tail" at the base. Stick pipe cleaner "tail" into the of trash and made it into a treasure. Ask them to hole and affix with glue. (See "A" on drawing). think of other objects that can be reused in ways Younger children will need help puncturing and different from their original purpose. Ask them how cutting the bottles. they are helping the environment by reusing items. Draw two ears on the construction paper and cut

* Adapted from: Everything Goes Somewhere, a Recycling Study Guide. University of WI-Ext. (1989), UW Stevens Point. 20 7 U CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Musical instruments*

Tambourine

Materials: pie tin bottle caps string or yarn in 3" pieces Procedure: 1. Punch holes around pie tin with hammer and Milk Carton Shaker nail. 2. Punch one hole in each . Materials: 3. Put a string through one hole in pie tin andone bottle cap and tie a knot in each end of thestring. gallon plastic milk carton with top 4. Continue stringing each hole witha bottle cap. dried beans or sand crayons 13' .,.:edure: Bottle Xylophone i. Design the outside of the container with,-.Tayons. 2. Put dried beans or sand in bottom of container (only small amount needed) Materials: 3. Screw on lid. 8 used glass bottles of uniform size water wooden and metal spoons Procedure: 1. Put bottles in a line without touching each other. Going Beyond: 2. Leave the first bottle empty. = Use these instruments with the Sing Along found in 3. Put a small amount of water in the 2nd. this booklet. 4. Put more water in each bottle until the lastone is Discuss how the instruments were made from items full. that normally would have been trash. 5. Hit each bottle with a wooden spoon and listento Use your imagination to think of other instruments the tones. Try using a metalspoon and hear the that can be made from trash. difference.

* Adapted from: Project Pride, Quality Forward. P.O.Box 22, Asheville, NC 28802

21 CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Recycled Toys Scoop Ball Materials: (per set of ScoopBalls) 2 shoe boxes glue 2 thin strips of wood (approx.7" x 1") (used paint stirring sticks work well) 2 cardboard strips ball (tennis, whiffle or racquetball would work, or be resourceful and use a ball ofused tin foil) Procedure: 1. Children should be told inadvance to bring a shoe box and plastic or card boardlid with them. 2. Cut two shoe boxes into scoops asshown in the diagram. 3. Glue a thin strip of wood toeach scoop for a handle. 4. Reinforce the handle bygluing an extra piece of cardboard to the bottom of each scoop. 5. Allow the glue to dry. 6. Play ball! Players stand opposite oneanother and toss the ball back and forthwith their scoops. No hands can touch the ball. Pairs can competeagainst other pairs by seeing who can makethe most consecu- tive catches.

Ring Catch Materials: 1 pencil per person 1 lid from an ice cream, margarine, orsherbet container scissors string Procedure: 1. Cut out the center of the lid. 2. Tie the string from the lid tothe pencil. 3. Swing the pencil back andforth and try to catch the ring on it. Going Beyond: Discuss with the children howthey just turned a piece of trash into a fun toy!What else could they make with their trash? Discusshow using the lids over again saves ourlandfill space. It also saves natural resources by not having to usevirgin materials to build new toys. Bring in a commercial set of scoopballs. Discuss the difference in price, the differencein materials (degradable versus non-degradable),and the similarity of performance for the twostyles of scoops.

*MOW 22 Id CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Make Your Own Paper

Age:5-12 years old Procedure: Goals: 1. Tear the newspaper into very small bits. Add 2 To show children that used paper can be cups of hot water to 1/2 cup of shredded paper. recycled into new paper. 2. Beat the paper and water in the blender,or with Background: the egg beater, to make pulp. Mix in the starch.Com- pleted pulp should be the consistency of splitpea soup. What happens to used paper? Most paper is thrown 3. Pour the pulp into the flat pan. away in landfills or is burned. If we recycle paper we 4. Slide the screen into the bottom of thepan and save landfill space and utilize valuable wood fibers move it around until it is evenly covered with pulp. over again. 5. Lift the screen out carefully. Hold it level and let it Making your own paper from old paper is similar to drain for a minute. what happens in a mill. Ata mill the 6. Put the screen, pulp-side up, on a blotteron some pulp is put into a machine with a long movingscreen. newspaper. Put another blotter over the pulp, and The water drips through the screen. Then thescreen more newspaper over that. moves through parts of the machine that press and 7. Roll a jar or rolling pin over the "sandwich"to dry the pulp. The final product is newpaper. squeeze out the rest of the water. The paper you make will be much thicker and 8. Take off the top newspaper. Turn the blotter rougher than recycled paper made ina mill. Paper sandwich over. Then take offtl;e blotter and the screen mills have many kinds of machines to make thepaper very carefully. Do not move the pulp. Voila!! There is smooth and flat. your paper! If time is limited, most of the pulp can be prepared 9. Put a dry blotter on the pulp and let thepaper dry the night before. If you make it much in advance it for 24 hours. should be refrigerated to prevent fermentation. To make special occasion paper, add colored threads Going Beyond: or dried flowers and leaves to the completed pulp. Ask the children to speculate how muchpaper they Materials: use in one day (napkins, lunch bags, school work, paper cups, newspaper, etc.). What would life be a blender or egg beater and bowl like without all of these products? a flat dish or pan, a little larger than the screen Encourage the children to use the paper they made a round jar or rolling pin in another art project. per child: 10 pieces of tissue or newsprint a piece of non-rusting screen 4 pieces of blotting paper or felt the size of the screen newspaper and blotting paper 2 cups of hot water 2 teaspoons of instant starch

23 Ammar CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Natural Dyes*

Age:5-10 years old Procedure: 1. Prepare dyes ahead of time by placing asmall Goal:To show children that natural products can be amount of the items mentioned above inindividual substituted for man-made products. pans and add two cups of cold water.Place over heat and bring rapidly to a boil, simmer for 10 minutes, Background: turn off heat, cover and steep for 30 minutes.Remove Many of the products that we purchase arecolored residues, place in containers and refrigerate. or printed with man-madedyes and inks. Some of 2. Discuss where colors come from with yourclass. these dyes and inks have a petroleum base and quite a Ask them if they know of any "sources" forcolors. few of the brighter colors are derived fromheavy Discuss how things were colored in the past andwhat metals like cadmium and lead. These elements move we might have used for inks. Explain toolder students through food chains and accumulate in the tissuesof that many of our colors today are derived fromheavy higher organisms. Even trace amounts may impair metals and the impact these metals have on the envi- body functions or cause death. Extractionof these ronment. harmful elements is difficult, and the remainingresi- 3. Show children the dyes that you made andtheir dues are toxic and persistent in our environment.As source materials. Ask them ifthey have any other we become more concernedabout our impact on the ideas for natural dyes. environment, we will be looking at natural dyesand 4. Assemble dyes, eggs and containers(recycled of inks for coloring and printing. course) and have children select dyes(s) for coloring their eggs. Coloring time varies with dyes andthe Materials: intensity of color desired. Leaving the eggs in thedyes overnight will give the deepest colors. Remove from chilled, hard-boiled eggs containers for heating, storing and dyeing dye and dry on metal cake racks. Refrigerate eggs as soon as possible (refrigeratedhard-boiled eggs can be dyes as indicated below: kept for a week). Dye Base Colors Produced Walnut shells Buff or adobe Going Beyond: Red cabbage leaves Robin blue Have children experimentwith making other Orange peels Light yellow natural dyes. Carrot tops Smokey yellow/green Use dyes for water coloring. Fresh cranberries Dark green Use dyes for tinting whilemaking paper from Onion skins Orange recycled paper. Spinach Light gold

State of Alaska, Department of Environmental * Adapted from: Recycle Alaska Activity Handbook, Conservation, Pouch 0, juneau, Alaska 99811

24 CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS CRAFTS Fireplace Logs from Newspapers*

Age:8-adult

Goal:To help people learn that energy can be recov- ered from trash. Background: Reducing consumption, reusing materials, recycling resources, composting food and yard wastes, recover- ing energy through incineration and landfilling are the alternatives that we have for handling our trash. Incineration may be as controversial as landfilling, but when done as part of an energy recovery system with good environmental controls, it is a viable alter- native. In Wisconsin we annually landfill enough energy in our trash to heat 300,000 homes; this is a tremendous waste of resources. Many communities are now looking at waste-to-energy plants as a sound way to help solve their trash problems. They are doing it as a fifth step after reducing, reusing, recycling and composting. If there is not a market for newspaper in your area, turn your newspaper into fireplace logs for energy. Materials: container(s) large enough to hold several soaking newspaper logs newspapers used twine or string broomsticks scissors water Procedure: 1. Take eight pages of newspaper and lay them unfolded on a table or floor lengthwise. Lay the broom- stick at the top of the paper. 2. Tightly roll the newspaper around the broom- Going Beyond: stick to about 8 inches from the end. Overlap another Discuss where the energy that is stored in the 8 pages and continue rolling until you have a good newspaper comes from. size log. Sell logs as a fund raiser. 3. Tie with used string or twine (3 inches from each Use old continuous fold paper instead of end). newspaper. 4. Soak overnight in water. The water will break down the paper's fibers and reduce the amount of fly ash when the logs are burned. 5. Take logs out of the water and bang them on the * Adapted from Recycle Alaska Activities ground to pack the paper. Handbook, State of Alaska, Department of 6. Remove the broomstick and dry thoroughly (on Environmental Conservation, Pouch 0, Juneau, racks if possible). Alaska 99811

25 SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS Sing Along

Age:All Ages Background: Singing songs related to the theme of your activity Goal:To have these catchy tunes stick in peoples' or hike is a great way to wrap up asession. Handout minds so that they will think about recycling in every- music sheets so people can sing along with you. En- day life. courage children to play the recycledmusical instru- ments they can create in the craft section.

"Dr. Recycle" "The Recycling Song"* (Sing to the tune of the "Dr. Pepper Song".) (Sing to the tune of "A Yellow Submarine".) I'm a successful recycler and I'm proud Chorus: I used to be alone in a crowd We all live in a world that could be clean But if you look around these days, a world that could be green There seems to be a "Recycling Craze"! a world that could be clean. Chorus If our friends down at the store Oh You can reuse, she can reuse, used less styrofoam, he can reuse, I can reuse recycled more, Recycling is really up to you! cans of blue, and red and green, all would vanish in a crunching machine. Repeat chorus. (Sing Chorus) Be a cycler Be a recycler! (Repeat this line six times getting softer each If our trash cans all had names time.) mixing cans with paper is a shame, we could sort the glass and then all our trash would be used again. "Five Little Bottles" (Sing Chorus) (Sing with hand movements.) * Adapted from Recycle For Reuse, by The Wisconsin 5 little bottles sitting in a row, Extension Service. 1 was recycled, then there were 4. 4 little bottles sitting in a row, 1 was recycled, then there were 3. 3 little bottles ... 2 little bottles ... 1 little bottle sitting in a row, it was recycled and then there was none tobe thrown away.

26 SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS SONGS

"Recycling is the Way" (Sing to the tune of "Jingle Bells".) Recycling is the way...to handle trash today. No more giant landfills here... there is a better way! Just separate your trash at your home oh, so neat. Cuz curbside pickup is a treat. Recycling can't be beat. Chorus: Save your glass, save your paper, save your metal, too! Show your neighbors that you care. It is the thing to do! Disposable just won't do. Carry your cup with you. Styrofoam's not smart. And costs you money, too. Disposable just won't do. Diapers of plastic whew! Babes love diapers made of cloth. And they save money, too! Chorus: Reuse your cups. Reuse your plates. Reuse utensils, too. When you toss your plastic out, you toss your future, too!

First verse written by Mary Snudden, Eau Claire Schools. Secondverse written by Rosemary Thielke, Milwaukee, WI.

"Cleaning Up All the Litter"* (Sing to the tune of "Hokey Pokey".) Put your litter bag in. Take your litter bag out. Put your litter bag in and then you shake it all about. You clean up all the litter and you turn yourself around, That's what its all about! Put your paper in. Take your paper out. Put you paper in and you shake it all about. You clean up all the litter and you turn yourself around. That's what it's all about!

Procedure: Sing and act out the song using litter. Every child will need 1 litter bag, and 4 pieces oflitter, similar to the other children's (can, a piece of paper, milk carton, straw, etc.) Ask the group to form a circle, children facing one another. Start with the 4 pieces of litter on the floor at everyone's feet and the litter bags in everyone's hands. Sing "Clean Up All the Litter" and perform appropriate motions. Th2 children will havefun singing and dancing while becoming aware of litter. Proceed with the other litter pieces. Repeat the original verse and you're finished. Adapted from: Project Pride, Quality Forward.P.O. Box 22, Asheville, N.C. 28802.

27 SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS Rotting Logs Puppet Show Rotting Logs Show* Age:5-14 years old To show children that many of nature's recy- Characters: Rocky Raccoon Goal: Benji Bear clers utilize dead, decaying logs. Charlotte Spider Background: Wendy Worm Rotting logs are homes for many animals.As logs Rocky: Benji Bear, I've been looking for you. As rot, different animals inhabiteach stage of decay. king of the forest you must have a list of Raccoons, squirrels, owls and woodpeckerslike trees all the individual homes around here. that are in the beginning stages ofdecomposition. They use the big holes GS homes. Spiderslike decom- Benji: I sure do. Are you in need of a home, posing logs during the intermediate stagesof decom- Rocky Raccoon? position because many other bugs arethere to capture Rocky: Yes I am. Nothing too fancy, no moss to and eat. Earthworms, slugs, and snailslike trees in the fairly changing to moss carpeting or anything, just a final stages of decay when the trees are dry place with a roomy hole for me to loose and rich soil. The new forming ground is moist, stay in. in nutrients. The following puppet show/play can eitherbe done Benji: I know just the home for you Rocky. It with puppets, or with actors. Theactors/puppeteers has a soft, comfortable floor and thick, can either be parkstaff/volunteers, or children. Cre- well-insulated walls. I'm sure you'll find ated puppets with paper lunch bags andconstruction it a perfect, snug home for the winter. paper or old socks and yarn scraps.Because of the Just follow these simple directions and reading involved, it is recorr, rded that older chil- you'll have no trouble finding it. dren play the parts. (Hands him a piece of paper) Materials: Rocky: Thanks a lot, Benji. a real or constructed rottinglog (Walks ofh Charlotte Spider appears) 3 pieces of paper with "Directions", taped to astick 4 costumes or 4 puppets (bear, spider, raccoonand Charlotte: Hey Benji, I'm in need of a home too. Do a worm) you have anything for me? Benji: What kind of place are you looking for Procedure: Charlotte Spider? 1. Either choose 4 children to beactors/puppeteers or have staff people participate.Encourage the actors Charlotte: The older the better, with a lot of little to really act out the role of their animals.For example, cracks and crevices for me to crawl under the worm should wiggle on the ground, andthe spider and through. I need a safe place for my should walk daintily. Tell everyone else it is theirjob to sac of eggs and a spot where Iwill be be a good audience. protected and warm enough to spend 2. Perform the Rotting Logs Show. the winter.

Nature, The Vermont Institute of NaturalScience, Church Hill Rd, * Reprinted with permission from: Hands-On Woodstock, VT. 05091 28 SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS SKITS & PLAYS

Benji: I've got the perfect place for you, Char- Charlotte: I'm a spider, and I like smallspaces to lotte. This home will help protectyou hide in and places to catch my food. from predators and will be a great place for you to find food. These directions will Wendy: And I'm a worm. I'm a prisoner inside show you how to get there. solid walls, and dry leaves are roughon my skin. I like dirt, myself, where I can (hands her same paper and Charlotte walks move around easily. off; Wendy Worm appears) Charlotte: I don't know. What do you think, audi- Wendy: Oh Benji, can you help me? I'm havinga ence? Could we all use thesame rotting terrible time finding a home. log for our homes? Benji: Sure, Wendy Wont. What kind of home (wait for answer) do you want? Rocky: There's a nice big hollow space at this Wendy: Us worms go for damp soil. It offers all end for me. the comforts and conveniences of ground life. I'd like a soft place with lots of rot- Charlotte: The middle of the log has great places for ting things so I can find good food. me to crawl around in and plenty of juicy insects to eat. Benj Well, it just so happens I know ofa place with nice, rich, damp soil. Here are the Wendy: Well, I can live over at this end where the direction to get there. rotting wood has almost turned to soil. (hands her same paper) Rocky: So, I guess we all can live together. (yawns) I better go test my new bed. (leaves) Wendy: Thank you Benji. I knew I could counton you. Charlotte: This rotting log provides a nice home for each of us. I think I'll hide behind here (log comes up: Rocky and Wendy eachap- and wait for dinner. (leaves) proach it from opposite sides) Wendy: So it doesn't matter that I'm a worm, and Rocky: This rotting log over here must bemy he's a raccoon and she's a spider. Life in new home. this log is good for all of us. I bettergo Wendy: Your home! Benji Bear told me it would burrow in that damp soil; this dry air is be my new home. too much for me. Bye, bye everyone. (leaves) Charlotte: (creeping up over the log) Hey you guys, quit the joking. This is my new home. Rocky and Going Beyond: Wendy: Your Home! Play Log Tag, go on a Mushroom Adventure, build Rocky: We can't all live in the same place. I'mQ an Earthworm Castle, or study a Dead and Rotting raccoon and I need solid walls and nice Log. (All activities found in this book.) dry leaves.

I ;el 29 Exhibits

Many simple exhibits can be createdto give ex- amples of natural and humanrecycling. Here are a few ideas: Natural Reuse collect and display examples of Cycles posters or bulletin board displaysshowing such as: natural cycles like water, nutrient,CO2/02, and natural objects being reused in nature alu- grass, leaves, mud and hairfor nesting material, rock cycle or human recycling showing paper, shells for invertebrate homes, etc. Showhuman minum, plaStic, etc. reuses too reed chairs, grass mats, etc. Nature's Recyclers posters or bulletin board dis- of and the roles that Composting set up a compost bin (or examples play showing nature's recyclers several types of bins) and use it! Create adivlay they play. comparing leaf litter decompositionwith com- Nature's Litter Make a poster or display that shows posting. nature's litter on the forest floor andthe various This could be done as Community Recycling Find out what is clable stages of its decomposition. in your community and set up adisp, showing part of a soil profile. recyclable items and their preparation for recy- Packaging gather examples of the following pack- cling. ages for a "hands on"table: Your Daily Waste Assemble examples of an indi- Natural acorn, cones, milkweedpods, egg shell, vidual's daily and weekly accumulation oftrash. orange peel, coconut Use photos for monthly and yearlytrash. Old returnable bottle, pottery, birch bark con- Why Waste? Set up a display using pictures, prod- tainer, paper egg carton, basket ucts, and narrative information toexplain the magnitude of the resources that we use anddispose New plastic bags and bottles, aluminum can,bi- metal can, "blister pack", eggcarton of each year. using Hazardous Household Products Set up a display Deadly Litter create a display or collage safe alterna- plastic 6-pack holders, balloons,fishing line, alu- of these products and environmentally minum flip or tab tops, polystyrene particles,nylon tives. netting, broken glass, open cansand appropriate Environmentally Safe Shopping Set up a display magazine pictures or photographsshowing their or pictures showing shoppingalternatives to our deadly impact on wildlife. disposable/throw-away society (ie buying in bulk, Renewable/Nonrenewable Resources collect and buying returnable bottles, etc.). display the following examples: Resourceful vs Wasteful Picnic Set up a display cereal boxpaperpulpwoodtreesoilearth that compares a picnic using a picnicbasket with its pop bottle glasssandrockearth reusable plates, cups, utensils, napkinsand food Al cansheet AlAl ingotA102--bauxiteearth containers with a picnic using all disposableplates, plastic bottlemelted plasticoil----earth cups, utensils, napkins andfood containers. Show appletreesoilearth the amount of trash that each one generates.

30 Glossary

Bauxite: The principle source of aluminum, contain- Mold: A type of fungus that growson decaying ing alumina and impurities. materials. Biodegradables: Materials that will decay over a short Natural resource: Valuable, naturally occurringma- period of time. They can be broken down by micro- terials such as sail, wood, air, wateror minerals. organisms into simple, stable compounds suchas cL rbon dioxide and water. Non-biodegradable: Materials that will not decay and cannot be recycled. Chlorophyll: A green material in leaves and in other green parts of plants that is used to carry on photo- Non-recyclables: Items which are made of materials synthesis. that cannot be recy cled. Composting: Mixing food scraps, grass clippings, and Nonrenewable resource: A naturalresource that, leaves in an optimal environment for decomposi- because of its scarcity, the great length of timeit tion to form a rich soil conditioner. takes to form or its rapid depletion, is considered finite in amount. (e.g. coal, copper, petroleum). Cycle: To circle, occur again, over andover. Nutrients: A substance with nutr-e value that is Decay: The destruction or decomposition of organic necessary for growth. matter as a result of bacterial or fungal action. Photosynthesis: The process by whichgreen plants Decompose: To break down into basic elements;to rot. use the sun to change carbon dioxide and water into Decomposer: A plant or animal that feedson dead sugar. material and causes it to break down. Examples in- Recyclables: Items made of materials whichcan be clude fungi, earthworms, and bacteria. Theseare reused either in the same form oras part of a nature's recyclers. different product. Dump: An open and unmanaged disposal siteused Recycle: To collect and reprocess manufacturedmate- prior to sanitary landfills. rials for reuse either in the same formor as part of a Fungi:. (singularfungus) Simple plants that cannot different product. use the sun's energy to make food because they do Reduce: To lessen in extent, amount, numberor other not have chlorophyll. quantity. Habitat: The area where an animal or plant lives and Renewable resource: A naturalresource derived from finds nutrients, water, shelter, and livingspace. an endless or cyclical source. With propermanage- Incinerator: A facility designed to reduce waste vol- ment and wise use, replacement of theseresources ume by burning. It can be equipped to generate by natural or human assisted systemscan be ap- energy. proximately equal to their consumption. Ingots: A mass of metal shaped for conveniencein Reuse: To extend the life of an item by using itagain, storage or transportation. repairing it, modifying it, or creating newuses for it. Leaf litter: Slightly decayed leaves lyingon the forest Sanitary landfill: A specially engineered site forthe floor. disposing of solid waste on land. Lichen: A plant composed of fungi and algae living Trash: Materials considered worthless,unnecessary, or together in a partnership. offensive that are usually thrownaway. Litter: Waste material discarded in an inappropriate Virgin material: Any basic material forindustrial place. Littering is illegal in Wisconsin. processes which has not previously been used (wood/ pulp trees, iron ore, silica, crude oil, bauxite,etc.). Microbe: Very small plants and animals that aid in decomposition. Yard waste: Organic wastes generated in theyard including leaves, grass clippings, sticks, etc.

31 Resources Project Pride. Quality Forward. P.O. Box22, Asheville, A-Way with Waste (teacher guide).1989. Washington State Department of Ecology, WasteReduction, Re- NC 28802. cycling, and Litter Control Program,Eikenberry Recycle Alaska: Activities Handbook.1982. Dept. of Building, Mai lstop PV-11, Olympia,WA 98504 Envir. Conservation, Pouch 0, Juneau,AK 99811. Bottle Biology Resources Network(A Project of the Recycle For Reuse: 4-H leader-member-familyguide. Center for Resources Education).University of Wis- 1985. 4-H Programs, University of WIExtension, consin, B-37 Russell Laboratories,1630 Linden Dr., Madison, WI 53706. Publ. No.362. Madison, WI 53706 Recycling Education A Workbook for Teachers. "Buried Alive, The Garbage Glut: AnEnvironmental 1988. Keep America Beautiful, Mill RiverPlaza, 9 Crisis Reaches Our Doorstep."Newsweek, Novem- West Broad Street, Stamford, CT 06902. ber 27, 1989. Recycling Study Guide (booklet). 1988.Wisconsin Earthkeepers Four keys for helping young people Department of Natural Resources, P.O. Box7921, live in harmony with the earth. (1987).Steve Van Madison, WI 53707. for Earth Matre, and Bruce Johnson. The Institute A Parents' and Education, Box 288, Warrenville, IL 60555. Sharing Nature With Children Teachers' Nature-Awareness Guidebook.1979. Jo- Everything Goes Somewhere (studyguide). 1989. seph Bharat Cornell. Ananda Publications. University of WI Extension, College ofNatural Re- Stevens Point, WI 54481. Sunship Earth: An AcclimatizationProgram for sources, U-W Stevens Point, Outdoor Learning. 1979. Steve Van Mate.Accli- Golden Guides Nature Series. Golden Press, New matization Experiences Institute, Box 288,Warren- York. Western Publishing Co., Inc. Racine,WI. ville, IL 60555. Hands-On Nature: Information andActivities for Teacher's Resource Guide for Solid Wasteand Recy- Exploring the Environment with Children.Jenepher cling Education. Association of VermontRecyclers, Lingelbach. Vermont Institute of NaturalScience, P.O. Box 1244, Montpelier, VT 05602. Woodstock, VT 05091. The Fourth "R" An Action Booklet for Recycling Nature Scope Series. NationalWildlife Federation, in the Classroom and School. 1990,Wisconsin De- 1412 16th St. NW, Washington, DC20036-2266. partment of Natural Resources, P.O.Box 7921, OBIS (Outdoor Biology InstructionalStrategies). 1982. Madison, WI 53707. Delta Education, Box M, Nashua, NH03061. The Great Muss Caper (activity guide,ditto master, Container In- Oscar's Option. Ocean State Clean Upand Recycling. poster and filmstrip). 1987. The Glass dustry, c/o Box 1400K, Dayton, OH 45414. Dept. of Envir. Management. Providence,RI 02908. Mifflin Com- The Nature Specialist A complete Guide to Pro- Peterson Field Guide Series. Houghton Hendler Miller. Ameri- pany, Boston. Riverside Press,Cambridge. gram and Activities. Lenore can Camping Association,Martinsville, IN. Project Learning Tr...rnerican Forest Council, 1250 Connecticut Ave., N.W., WashingtonD.C. 20036.

Credit and Acknowledgements: Editors: Shelley Williams and Joel Stone Graphic Design:.Georgine Price Produced by: tWisconsin Department of Natural Resources under a grant from Region 5 of Printed on recycled paper the Environmental Protection Agency 8- The Fourth "R" An Action Booklet for Recycling in the Classroom and Schc

"As teachers, we meet the future every time we open the classroom door. We share the accumulated knowledge and experience of our generation with our students, offering them lessons in how to better Table of Contents manage the world they will inherit. But advice isn't the only thing I. Daily Practices in the Classroom we'll be passing along to future generations; they'll also inherit an All grade levels 2 unavoidable legacy garbage!" ' Art 3 Let's face it. We have a garbage crisis. The problem is not new. Family Er Consumer Education 3 Throughout history garbage has been a dilemma, and with our Technological Education 3 recent change to a throw-away society, the dilemma has grown Science 3 into a crisis. Recycling resources, reducing consumption and reusing Creative Reusing 4 materials a.e some solutions to this problem. However, these II. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle solutions will require fundamental changes in institutional policies Throughout the School and individual behaviors. General/Office/Administration 5 Educators and educational institutions are frequently called upon Library 5 to address issues when behavioral changes are needed. The garbage Teachers' Lounge 6 crisis is nc exception. We are at a point in time which educators Cafeteria/Food Service 6 refer to as a "teachable moment". Garbage and recycling are on Maintenance/Custodial Staff 6 everyone's mind. Teachers are being asked to address this issue by III. Educational Activities community leaders, and students are asking their teachers questions All Grades 7 about it. Art 8 Now is the time to add a Fourth "R" recycling to the traditional Family & Consumer Education 8 three "R's" of reading, 'riting and 'rithmatic. Fortunately, Wisconsin Technological Education 8 already has the Recycling Study Guide and other educational IV. Taking It Further: Special Projects for materials for teachers to use. Many teachers are already teaching the School, Community Service, and recycling in the classroom. But will just teaching about recycling Fund Raising. 9 really initiate the attitudinal and behavioral changes required to V. Setting Up A School Recycling solve thE garbage crisis? Probably not. We must practice what we Program. 10 teach; we must practice recycling, reducing and reusing to reinforce VI. Resources positive behaviors for dealing with our wastes. To Purchase Recycled Paper 11 This booklet is designed to do just that. Department of Public Periodicals Containing Recycling Instruction curriculum consultants and teachers from all over Information 11 Wisconsin have contributed their ideas to help you practice recycling, Art Projects Using Recycled Materials reducing and reusing in the classroom and throughout the school 11 system. Use this booklet as a guide to help your class and school get To Recycle Textbooks 11 involved with an issue where they can have an impact. Recycling Markets 11 Educational Resources 11 " As a nation and as citizens of the world, we need to generate less trash by choosing our disposable items wisely and by carefully considering how they will eventually have an impact on ol ir world. We need to create not on; y an interest in, but a strong social PUBLIE.035 90 pressure toward recycling." '

Practke What You Teach" by Juliann Texly,The Science Teacher. February 1990. I. Daily Practices in theClassroom

All Grades/Classes: Obtain masonite boards, roughly 12" x 18" or 8" x 12", depending on the size of the kids' handwriting. Separate classroom trash into paper vs. non- Paint these with two coats of chalkboard paint, recyclables. "cured" by rubbing chalk across the board, and washed with a wet cloth. (Recycled, of course.) The Keep a scrap box for various papers (one-sided, rule-of-thumb on chalkboard paint is one pint per construction, small scraps, etc.) classroom. Students can use chalk to do their work Use both sides of paper for reports, homework and when the signal is given each of them can assignments, drawings, note-taking, work sheets, hold the board up in the air so that the teacher can etc. Create a class motto, such as "Be Nice, Use It see each student's work. Eraser? Old socks orsmall Twice!" carpet scraps. Ask students to figure out a way to estimate the amount of paper saved (reduced) by Make note pads from used paper. usfng the boards for a specified period of time. Use white or (even better) unbleached paper when Use "wipe clean" cards or "magic slates" when possible. Some dyes are contaminants and cannot figuring math problems or practicing writing. be used in producing high quality recycled paper (check with your paper recycler). When giving multiple choice tests, use Scantron Testing Sheets, as they are 1/4 the size of regular Require separate or special notebooks only when paper and are machine scored. absolutely necessary. Use the computer for drill and practice. Require use of loose leaf notebooks instead of spiral notebooks. The binders are reusable and the Encourage use of pencils and crayons rather than paper is easily recycled. throw-away plastic pens and markers. At the end of the year, stack notebooks for recycling. With older students, encourage use of refillable Remove spiral bindings and cardboard. or, if much pens and mechanical pencils rather than throw- of the notebook is unused, encourage students to aways. flip the notebook over, making the back cardboard Use tape and staples sparingly. the front cover, and use it again. When changing classroom aquarium water, use Use paper towels conservatively. the aquarium water to water classroom plants. Reuse bulletin board paper for more than one Turn off the lights when the classroom is not being month or one season. used. Reduce use of work sheets or put plastic sleeves Use items collected from home (food containers, with crayon over work sheets. Have students write etc.) for storage. and erase with carpet squares. Plastic sleeves are available from Dorfman Products in California. Take care of books, computer diskettes, and other Maximize use of overhead projector and school materials so they last. blackboard to minimize use of dittoed directions Put a table in the hallway at the end of the year for and information in the classroom. students to put unwanted pencils, notebooks, etc. on. Bring the box of materials out at thebeginning Keep a swap box for records, games, tapes, puzzles, of next year for students to take and use these toys, books, and magazines in the classroom. Students who bring items from home to be reused items. can place their names on a sheet andlist what they If school policy allows, have each student keep a bring (IN) and take (OUT). reusable plastic or porcelain cup in the classroom for beverage breaks, treats, and parties. Younger Use cooperative learning and manipulatIves students can decorate plastic cups with paint pens. (hands-on activities) when possible. These save on paper and offer other benefits. Have students and staff place recyclable waste in regular waste baskets and place non-recyclables in centrally located trash barrels.

2 Have students bring in the fronts of used holiday Family & Consumer Education: cards and place them in a box. Throughout the year have students cut them to regulation post Utilize manufacturing simulations to minimize the need to purchase various supplies. card size. (3 1/2" x 5" to 4" x 6") Have them draw a line to divide the card so that one side can be used Prepare small samplings of food products during for the address and the other for the message. labs to discourage wasting of foods. These cards are used for special class projects or by individuals to write thank you notes or notes to Make garments, toys, or games from recycled or friends. Ask students to bring in a stamp and mail reused materials. the cards from school. Alter and mend garments (saves on buying new garments). Change clothing to a new "style" by On field trips: adding a scarf or other accessary. - bring soda cans back to school for recycling. bring work sheets on homemade clipboards and Keep swap bones for used or unwanted patterns, tie pencils to the clipboards. buttons, material, notions, etc. - encourage students to use lunch boxes and

reusable containers. . Technological Education: bring a box for unwanted apples and oranges; Save wood shop scraps for firewood (kindling) or make these available for snacks later on. art projects. bring a bag for picking up litter. Avoid using treated lumber. It contains poisonous Art : chemicals the sawdust is toxic. Ask local industries, galleries, and print shops to Sawdust recyclin g: See Wisconsin Technological donate materials they intend to discard that would Education Manufacturing Activity Guide. be useful in your class (latex paint, paper, plastic Collect and repair old tools. containers, etc.) Cooperate with local industries to supply you with Use fabric scraps to wash art room tables. Let parts, tools, supplies and waste wood they might tables air dry when possible. discard but would be of use to your class. Keep a box of construction paper leftovers for Use home collections of left-over latex house paints students to use when they need small pieces for a for projects. project. Use household containers in your activities Use items collected from home (food containers, (example: model rocket). packaging etc.) for paint pans or cloy sorting. Recycle used motor oil (look for used oil receptacles Use pictures from magazines for art projects. in your community). Use scrap paper, cloth, and wood from other classes. Science: Attempt to reduce the "supplies" budget for art classes for one year as an experimental alternative Make aquariums, terrariums, planters, scientific to expensive commercial traditions. Contact Fred apparatus and tools from plastic bottles, jugs, Mayes, Edgerton Community Schools, 200 Elm utensils and other recyclables (Bottle Biology, B-37 High Drive, Edgerton, WI 53534 for suggestions. Russell Laboratories, 1630 Linden Dr., U-W Madison, Madison, WI 53706). Do not throw away broken crayons use them! Design "mini-Vis" using reduced quantities of Make projects out of natural or recycled materials chemicals and other supplies. when possible.

3 8 5 Creative Reusing: Here are some suggestions for re-using various materials in yourclassroom: Use... For... attendance sheets scratch paper baby food jar beakers, storage carpenter shavingc classroom animal bedding cereal box poster backing checkbook box pencil/crayon box coat hanger mobiles construction paper scraps book marks deodorant roll-on tracing numbers, writing practice egg carton seed collections film canister paste jars, bug collections, soil samples frozen juice container paint or water when painting magazine pictures creative writing illustrations, art projects, report covers metal can pencil holders milk cartons - plastic or paper bird feeders old tire playground apparatus, flower/vegetable planters one or two liter clear plastic bottles mini-terrariums, compost bins, aquariums paper grocery bag text book cover, newspaper bundler (no strings!) paper towel rolls sending home papers with younger students permanent wave bottles glue bottles plastic laundry detergent bottles containers of pencils, crayons, etc. plastic lids petri dishes, observation trays plastic milk jugs banks, art projects, hold water for activities plastic peanut butter, cottage cheese, test tube holders yogurt containers polystyrene packaging art projects (cups, burger containers, etc.) small milk carton paper weight or planter toilet tissue cores bird feeders (roll in Peanut butter and seed)

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G II. Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Throughout the School

General/Office/Administration: Ask to be removed from junk mailing lists, obtain a form at the local post office to remove names of Make small pads of paper from scrap memos and employees from third-class mailing lists, from dittos. Distribute to all teachers. which most junk mail comes. Or you can write to Use "stickum" slips at a minimum, recycle used Direct Marketing Associates, 6 East 43rd St., New paper for notes. York, NY 10017. Reuse or recycle computer paper. Use white paper or (better still) unbleached paper instead of colored. White paper may be a higher Have rubber stamp made for hall passes and make grade than colored ledger on the recycling market passes on used paper. and may sell for many times the price. Unbleached Maximize sharing of periodical print material paper may not be as valuable for recycling, but it within building to minimize the number of copies is better for the environment (less pollution in needed. Make students aware of the effort. production). Use recycled paper in your school and for school Keep a box in the office for scrap paper for use in stationery. Successful recycling requires a market writing memos, teacher messages, announce- for products made from recycled materials so ments, etc. schools should both supply and demand recycled Maintain central files instead of filing everything products. See Resources for sources of bulk recycled in multiple files. paper. Put the school on a mailing list of an environmental Use both sides of paper for all correspondence. periodical so you will receive current information Jot down main ideas of articles for teachers rather about recycling. See Resources. that duplicating entire articles. Keep articles on Post current prices for recyclable materials on a file for teachers who would like to read them. bulletin board. Write labs, tests, assignments, correspondence etc. Put news and achievements regarding recycling in on the computer and store on disks. Editing can be your school in the daily announcements. done without wasting paper. Assign school clubs or classrooms with recycling Library: responsibilities (setting up bins, collecting and transporting materials, sorting, etc.) Reuse paperback books and magazines. Place a shelf in the room where students place books they When installing updated copy machines in the bring in and exchange them for others. Students office, invest in a two-sided copier. A duplex copier who bring books in and who do not find a trade costs $1500-2000 more than a single-sided copier, can place their names on a sheet or take a token for but savings in paper and filing space will make it later exchange. Make sure the students' names are cost-effective. Post clear instructions next to copier in their books so they will be returned to the proper to make the process user-friendly. owner. To save on office paper: Sell or give away old books. Perhaps donate them write messages to teachers on partial pieces of to local charitable organizations, libraries, or paper. organizations doing educational work in foreign -* use routing slips to circulate memos countries. -1. post memos on a central bulletin board Save old films and filmstrips for art and other -- use the P.A. systemforall morning creative projects. announcements Save magazines for art and current events projects. Order supplies in bulk to reduce packaging, Recycle newspapers.

1 7 Teachers' Lounge: Custodial/Maintenance Staj: Collect coffee grounds for composting. Solicit help from classes and/or student clubs in maintaining grounds (picking up litter, tending to Share magazines with others. shrubs and gardens, etc.) Put boxes and bins in the teachers' lounge for Set up a visible place in the school for teachers to collecting recyclables. put "extra" work sheets. As the number mounts it Set up a rack for teachers to hang their mugs or can serve as a visual reminder to teachers and cups. students. Do away with disposable cups have extra mugs Set up area in school building for storage of available for visitors. cardboard boxes for recycling. Every two weeks have one class be responsible for flattening the Cafeteria and Food Service: boxes for recycling. Install individual room controls for heating/AC Set up recycling bins in the cafeteria. Designate units which teachers can operate. Install ceiling bins for aluminum, uneaten fruit, other food waste, fans to replace AC units. and other specified recyclables. Use uneaten fruit for snacks, empty contents of the unwanted fruit Use non-aerosol, non-toxic cleaners. bin into the school's compost pile several times a Eliminate or reduce use of plastic trash can liners. week or give to a local farmer or garden club. Replace paper towel dispensers in washrooms with Distribute milk from a dispenser rather than in cloth roll or warm air type dryers. separate milk cartons, use washable glasses. Put trash can- on the playground for candy Use straws only when necessary. wrappers, etc. Use washable, reusable trays, plates, bowls, glasses and utensils rather than disposables. Recycle cans and bottles from the kitchen. Separate out compostable materials such as clean vegetable and fruit scraps and coffee and tea grounds. Add these to yard materials; have students or grounds personnel compost and use these materials as fertilizer for the school gardens, lawn. and indoor plants. Reuse bulk containers for storage. Share extras with teachers and/or community groups. Encourage students to: - bring their non-perishable lunch leftovers home so the food will be eaten rather than thrown away. - eat h?althy foods which have minimal packaging. use wax paper, "tupperware", and lunch boxes to store their lunch items. - eat all the food they take on their trays. - use lunch boxes or reuse their lunch bags. - throw their aluminum cans into the cafeteria's (a good fund raiser). - take only one napkin.

6 minemmosimi Ill. Educational Activities

Ali Grades/Classes: Have a Reuse Day at school. Have students wear Develop a recycling display for use during parent- clothing handed down from someone else and teacher conferences, American Education Week, bring in materials which have been re-used instead and other such events. Themes could include: of thrown away. Environmental Shopping, Composting, How To Have students research, write, act in, and produce Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle, Natural Cycles, a video tape (15 minutes max.) on: Renewable vs. Nonrenewable Resources, Recycling in the home, Composting, Use of Recycling Demonstration, Model Landfill, What alternative products in lieu of harsh chemicals Our Community is Doing About Solid Waste and disposables, Proper disposal of household Have your school give out an annual award for the toxic waste. best classroom resource conservation ideas. Send To generate student concern about the issue, show ideas to the Recycling Education Program at the films/videos on the impact of refuse on animals, Wisconsin DNR. drinking water, and other resources that directly Make use of foreign exchange students within the affect students' lives and interests. school and their cultural information concerning Go on litter pick-ups regularly and sift through resource recovery in their coup tly. trash to find recyclable materials. Fill washed, empty egg shells with soil and plant Design a display on plastic toys that cannot be seeds. As plants begin to grow the shell and all can recycled. Encourage students not to buy theSe. be plantedthe shell will decompose and nourish Make new toys out of old plastic toys or recyclable the soil. materials. For younger students, make instruments from the With younger students, collect old tape recorders, following materials: record players, , phones, etc., put them on a Tambourine -- 2 aluminum pie tins, paper plates "take-apart" table, and have students take them and large bottle caps apart to see what is inside. Save knobs and other Castanets bottle caps, baby food jar lids interesting components and conduct an "Invention Banjowrap rubber bands around an open cigar Convention". or shoe box Teach students how to make a compost pile. Start Maracasfill small plastic jars with beans or rice a compost pile and either sell/give away the Drum a coffee can or other large can compost to a local fax aier or gardener or use on Develop a list of environmentally safe school schoolyard plantings. S ee page 16 of the Recycling supplies and use them! Study Guide for more composting ideas. Put posters on the walls of the schools alerting Take your class on a 1-3 mile Ecology Hike or students to practice reducing, reusing, and Wellness Walk to a nearby park and collect garbage recycling. on the way. Separate the garbage into recyclables Plant trees. (Perhaps manage a school forest for and non-recyclables. Celebrate cleaning your area pulp trees.) by having a picnic at the park using re-usable and Develop Public Service Announcements or recyclable utensils. Bring the collected garbage Consumer Bulletins and place them in the school back to school and graph what you found. This or local newspaper and radio stations to educate information can be compared to previous years. people about recycling. Some of these could be Collected garbage can be used for art and other oriented toward specific target groups. projects. Have students make a presentation to the school Have high school sociology classes design and board regarding recycling policies. For example: conduct a survey to help determine what type of - Students can explain what they are doing to recycling program would be best for your school. conserve in the classroom and to encourage the Have oh er students read A Sand County Almanac board to make their policies conservation- by Aldo Leopold. Discuss Leopold's views regarding oriented. the management and our responsibility for our -4 Students research different areas of waste in resources. Pay particular attention to the essay "A your school (food, paper, plastics, etc.), develop Man's Leisure Time". Gary Laib, Poynette High and present ideas on how to reduce this waste. School, Poynette, WI 53955 has an activity guide for this book and essay.

7 8 5 Give students addresses of local recycling collection Promote a "waste-less" campaign in the school or centers and encourage students to take these home community as a class or FHA-HERO project. to their parents. Have students investigate products/items that they Bury some trash from the classroom in the ground buy. Have them check to see if the packaging is in September and uncover it in May to see how recyclable, and if not, what recyclable substitutes biodegradable each item is. Hang photodegradable can be found. plastic where it will have exposure to the sun and Have students develop a list of products that use monitor its changes. too much packaging, find the names and addresses of the manufacturers, and write to them expressing Art : their concerns and suggested alternatives. Create "sit-upons" out of cardboard or plastic. Invite a local landfill manager, recycling center Teach a unit on product and packaging design operator, waste disposal service worker, etc. to which includes design consideration for recycling speak on solid waste concerns and ways the and reducing packaging materials. community could waste less. Design recycling graphics to put on boxes for collection of cans and paper. Technological Education: Design new cards and wrapping paper by using Conversion of food by means of methane pieces of old birthday cards, tissue paper, and generation: using food waste from school cafeteria grocery bags students bring from home. discover how methane gas may be produced. Basic materials food scraps, livestock manure, water, Make puppets from used lunch bags. mixing apparatus, 5 or a/gallon containers, valves Make "New Depression Art" or "Junk Art" & balloons. mobiles, sculptures, robots, etc. using collected Conversion of plastic by means of combustion: objects. burn identical weights of different kinds of Make paper from used paper, cloth, and string. Db thermoplastics, determine the combustion paper molding projects or collage art with paper efficiency by determining which plastic raises the making by adding recycled ,.olorants, such as temperature of a given amount of waterthe highest. paints, vegetable dyes, coffee stain, etc. Conversion of paper by means of combustion: as Make papier-mache' projects (flower pots, waste for plastics above. baskets, recycling bins) from newspaper. Recycling paper by means of paper making: use Decorate paper bags and use them for collecting newspaper, magazines, rags, etc. to form new recyclables. paper from pulp. Aluminum recycling by means of casting: melt Family & Consumer Education scrap aluminum in a foundry and cast into new Develep a unit or module on consumption/waste, products. it could include: Build a paper baler or can smasher. See Bame- a concept analysis of the meanings of Cummings Activity Manual, Davis Publications consumption and waste. for instmctions. - an examination of how culture and background influenceattitudes and behaviors of Conduct an environmental impact study. See consumption and waste. Understanding Technology Activity Guide by - a discussion on future trends/prospects of Davis Publications. American consumption patterns on resources Conduct a home energy audit. See Understanding in the future. Technology Activity Guide by Davis Publications. - an examination on what the various forms of Solicit old technical journals from local industries media portray in regard to consumption, for students to use. packaging and waste. Repair small appliances, lamps, electric - a discussion of factors that cause changes in motors,small gas engines, etc. American consumption and waste patterns. - surveys of various age groups for views of Refinish and repair wood furniture. consumption and waste. Build recycling and composting bins for school or - identification of values/beliefs associated with community use. specific patterns on consumption and waste. Build projects with "" made from Set up a home recycling system in class: collect recycled plastic, newspaper, aluminum, plastic, tin, glass, etc 8 IV. Taking It Further: Special Projects for the School, Community Service, and Fund Raising

J

*. Use recycling as a year-long club project. Host a technology fair at the high school level. Donate money collected from recycling to: Develop/display new products made from recycled materials. Local charities Buy bird seed for the school's bird feeding station Host an art fair featuring art from recycled items. Support school recycling activities Conduct a Recycling Invention Fair or Invention Purchase equipment for handicapped students Convention. Support special field trips and projects Have students plan and conduct an annual garage School environmental education activities sale to encourage re-using. Supporting local, state, or national conservation Make kitty or "pet" litter and animal bedding from organizations. newsprint. Have kids shred the paper, package it, Develop booklets, coloring books, and skits on and sell it! recycling. Repair tools or appliances and give to needy Develop a reading area or site in the Library/IMC citizens. that would include up-to-date information and Collect old school books, clothes, and toys for the articles concerning the solid waste issue and recycling. Include information on selective needy. shopping. Make reusable shopping bags out of heavy fabric, silkscreen a logo on them and sell them ala fury Recycle old textbooks. See Resources. raiser. Establish a school account at the local recyclina Make quilted shades foit school wiNlowg,to help center. Payments for materials brought in by conserve energy. parents and community members can, in this st way, be credited to fund school projects. Use cloth scraps and kgs to make rugs, quilts,,. school banners, shopping,bags, and other projectg.', Repair toys forschool children or an empty stocking club. Make recycled holiday ctxrds for senior citizens and needy people to use. Have a Repair Workshop Day sponsored by the shop class. School and community members can Collect and distribute ma azines for senior citizens bring bicycles, small appliances, tools, etc. to the and the needy. workshop for repair. This could be used as a fund Implement an all-school Project Earth program to raiser. last a year. Designate each month for a special Make and sell newspaper logs. Wrap newspaper topic (Endangered Species Soil, Water, Land Use, tightly around a broom stick (use twine or thin Pollution,f alf .).Incorporate solid waste wire to hold the roll tight), soak in water, remove managemwt ilito one of these themes. broom stick, and dry thoroughly. Conduct various recycling drives throughout school.

9 V. Seffing Up a School RecyclingProgram

A school recycling program may not make money, but it will cut down on waste and disposal costs. It also reinforces positive behaviors associated with conserving our natural resources. The school will teach by setting an example and all of society will benefit. Before you start a recycling program, find out what can be recycled in your community.Check the yellow pages under "Recycling". Call community orprivate recycling centers and buyers of recycled materials. Your municipality or county may already have a program that you can participate in call your Departments of Public Works or Solid Waste Management. Finally, your public library has several publications from the Department of Natural Resources that will help you find recycling programs in your community (see Recycling Markets under Section VI, Resources). Next, inventory your school's trash to determine what types and amounts of waste you are generating and what isrecyclable. Once you find out what is recyclable in your community and what makes up your waste stream, you can set up Students can be in chat ge of most or all aspects of your program. the program including purchasing and waste stream surveys, market analysis, project Some helpful hints: development, container design and construction, Before you recycle reduce the amount of material promotion, collection, and monitoring. requiring disposal by avoiding the purchase of Use a special event or rally to "kick off" the program disposable items, by buying products in reusable and provide periodic feedback and recognition to containers or in simple packaging, by buying in participants. bulk and by following the suggestions in the other sections of this pamphlet. Recycling containers should be easy to identify and readily accessible to everyone that needs to A school recycling program may be organized use them. through: -4- school district administration Although schools generate large quantities of MIXED SCRAP PAPER, it may be preferable to keep school building's administration LEDGER, KRAFT (brown bags), and NEWSPAPER -4 student council or other student organization separate. Check your local markets. LEDGER or - student organization white office paper is higher quality and may be the -4- teacher or class easiest to sell. If this is your most marketable item, -4. community recycling project consider using white paper for most of your paper If a school wishes to receive financial compensation needs. for recyclables, it may have to deal directly with Make it clear to all participants that certain buyers of recycled materials. contaminants common in school facilities must be Program organizers should work with the office, kept out of recyclable paper: paper towels, facial cafeteria, and custodial staff in setting up the tissues, cigarettes, cellophane wrappers, stencils, project. carbon paper, and waxed paper.

10 VI. Resources

To Purchase Recycled Paper Recycling Markets Earth Care Paper Products, PO Box 3335, Madison, At your local library: WI 53704 Phone:(608)256-5522 Community Recycling Activities Riverside Paper Company, PO Box 179, Appleton, WI Wisc. D.N.R., Publ-SW-032, 1985* 54912-0179 Phone:(414)749-2200 Markets for Wisconsin's Recycled Materials State Consolidated Stores, UW-Madison Campus Wisc. D.N.R., Publ-SW-089, 1989 Phone:(608)262-5354 Wisconsin's Community Recycling Collection Wisconsin Department of Administration- Program Directory Purchasing Agent Phone:(608)266-2202 Wisc. D.N.R., Publ-SW-033, 1985* Periodicals Containing Recycling -Watch for annual updates beginning in 1991 Information: At your County Extension Office: Audubon Activist, National Audubon Society, 950 Community-Based Waste Recycling, How to Get Started, Pat Walsh, UW-Extension. 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10022 Wisconsin Natural Resources Magazine, Box 7921, Educational Resources: Madison, WI 53707 Biocycle, Box 351, Emmaus. PA 18049 Recycling Study Guide, Wisc. D.N.R., Publ-IE-020, Garbage, 435 Ninth St., Brooklyn, NY 11215-9937 1989 Resource Recycling, P.O. Box 10540 Portland, OR Special Recycling Edition. July-August 1985. "Wisconsin Natural Resources". Vol.8, No.4, 97210 Wisc. D.N.R. Art Projects Using Recycled Materials: Crafts from Trash, Wisc. D.N.R., 1984. Recycling Facts Et Figures, Wisc. D.N.R., 1989. Project Pride, P.O. Box 22, Asheville, North Carolina 28802 Recycling Games & Quizzes, Wisc. D.N.R., 1989. Available from: To Recycle Textbooks: Recycling Education Coordinator Wisc. D.N.R., 1E/4 Book Value Inc., 238 North Ross Street, Auburn, Box 7921 Alabama 36830. Phone: 205/826-7309. Madison, WI 53707 International Book Project, 17 Mentelle Park, LeXington, KY 40502 Printed on recycled paper Credit and Acknowledgements: Editors: Joel Stone, Barb Barzen and Shelley Williams Graphic design: Georgine Price Contributors: Wisconsin teachers, school administrators and Department of Public Instruction curriculum consultants. Produced by: Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources under a grant from Region S ofthe Environmental Protection Agency

We're a Recycling School.

W practic reducing. reusing and recycling.

The Fourth "R" Pledge Become an official "Recycling School"! By signing the pledge below, your schoolwill be recognized as a fine learning institution that teaches and practices the Four "R's" reading, 'riting, 'rithrnatic and recycling. For your participation, you will receive local recognition (a newsrelease will be sent to your local paper). u "Recycling School" sticker for your entrance door and a recycling education packet. Sign the Fourth "R" Pledge, fill in your school's name and address and mail to: Recycling Education Coordinator D.N.R., 1E/4 Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707

OM" The Fourth "R" Pledge We recognize that the garbage crisis is an issue facing all of us today and that we mustdo our part as students and educators to help solve this problem. We believe that we can help by recycling resources,reducing consumption. and reusing materials. We pledge to teach and practice the Fourth "R"Recycling in our school building and to set a positive example for others in our community.

Principal's Signature Date

Name of School

Address

Zip Code

County

9,41 RECYCLING Facts & Figures

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ANIMitaltuor WiiiiiiiJL-

fti ;,(411.J.AL0"L'114%.r., letitAisf

s), Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureau of Information & Education Madison, Wisconsin PIJI3L-1E 157 Our Growing Solid WasteProblem- Municipal Solid Waste* National Statistics (Expressed in million tons)

1960 1970 1986 1990 2000

*Total 87.5 120.4 157.7 179.6 192.6

paper/paper bd. 29.8 43.9 64.7 71.8(40%) 86.5 yard waste 20.0 23.2 28.3 31.6(18%) 32.0 metals 10.5 13.7 13.7 15.3( 9%) 15.9 plastics .4 3.0 10.3 14.4( 8%) 15.7 food 12.2 12.8 12.5 13.3( 7%) 12.3 glass 6.5 12.7 12.9 12.6( 7%) 13.4 RLTW** 6.8 9.3 12.6 20.8(12%) 13.4

pkging*** 24.5 36.5 50.1 57.5(32%) 66.0 nondurables**** 15.1 35.1 50.3(28%) 47.5

lbs/person/year 972 lbs 1300lbs. 1600 lbs.

Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is the term used today when speaking about garbage produced by communities. It includes garbage from households, corporations, schools, and businesses.

** rubber, leather, , wood

*** combines parts of paper, plastic, and containers

**** clothes, disposables, newspapers etc.

Materials Generated in MSW by Weight Landfill Volume of Discards in MSW

Food Wastes. 7.4% Food Wastes. 3 3%

Other, 11.6% Other, 18 4%

Plastics, 8.0% Paw04.1% Pam 40.0%

Glass, 7 0%

Plastics. Metals,8.5No% 19.9%/ Yard Wastes, 10.3% Glass, 2.0% Yard Wastes. 17.6% Metals, 12.1% Total Weight =179.6 MM tons Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) Total Volume = 400 Million cu. yards Municipal Solid Waste Source: Chafacterizioon of MSW. USEPA 1190 UPDATE Source Characters:mon of MSW. USEPA IMO UPDATE Savings during Product Manufacture Using Recycled Materials

Paper attfd OAK Aluminum water use 60 %* 40 % 50 % water pollution 35 % 76 % 97 % air pollution 73 %** 86 % 20 % 95 % mining wastes 97 % 80 % energy 23770 % 47-74% -4-22 % 92-97%

17,000 gallons water per ton ** 60 lbs air emissions

Energy Savings Through Recycling

Recycling 1 ton ofglass saves the equivalent of 10 gallons of oil.

Recycling I ton ofplastic saves the equivalent of 1-2,000 gallons of gasoline.

Recycling 1 ton ofnewspaper saves the equivalent of 100 gallons of gasoline.

Recycling 1 ton ofaluminum saves the equivalent of 2,350 gallons of gasoline. This is equivalent to the amountof electricity used by the typical Wisconsin home over a period of 10 years.

Recycling 1 ton ofiron saves 1 ton of coal. 1990 Wisconsin's Annual Trash Tally Category Material Generated Trash Recycled Munidpal Solid Waste * Paper 1,363,000 994,000 369,000 Yard waste 491,000 436,000 55,000 Food waste 250,000 236,000 14,000 Glass containers 200,000 161,000 39,000 Plastic containers 47,900 45,500 2,400 Plastic packaging 72,000 70,400 1,600 Aluminum cans 35,000 16,000 19,000 Steel cans 50,000 38,000 12,000 Tires 47,000 35,000 12,000 Disposable diapers 49,000 49,000 Other waste 746 000 695 000 51 000 Total 3,350,900 2,775,900 575,000 Non-Municipal Solid Waste * Total 6,312,450 5,015,450** 1,297,000 Total Generated * 9,653,350 7,791,350 1,872,000

10 9.7

7.8 flTotal waste generated

Jcz Non-municipal solid waste 6.3 Ve'a 6 Municipal solid waste 5.0

3.4 2.8

0 Total Generated Trashed Recycled

* Estimate in tons per year; source Franklin Associates, LTd. ** Includes 1,000,000 tons of landspread wastewater treatment sludge

Each person in Wisconsin generates 3.7 pounds of municiple solid waste per day: of that, they throw away 3.1 pounds and recycle .6 pounds. If you add their share of the non-municiple solid waste, then each person generates 10.8 pounds per day, throws away 8.7 pounds, and recydes 2.1 pounds. Wisconsin Trash Statistics

Conversions

paper 120 lbs-1 tree 17 trees/ton steel can 1.98 oz/can, 8.08 cans/lb 16,161 cans/ton aluminum can 595 oz/can, 26.89 cans/lb53,782 cans/ton PETE bottle 1.47 oz/can, 10.88 cans/lb21,769 bottles/ton glass bottle 2.5 bottles/lb 5,000 bottles/ton clisp. diapers 2.26 diapers/lb 4,520 diapers/ton tires 100 tires/ton

Wisconsin's Trash Tally *

Generated inSh Recycled paper (treRs) 23,171,000 16,898,000 6,273,000 steel cans 808,050,000 614,118,000 193,932,000 aluminum cans 1,882,370,000 860,512,000 1,021,858,000 PETE bottles** 1,042,735,100 990,489,500 52,245,600 glass bottles*** 1,000,000,000 805,000,000 195,000,000 disp. diapers 221,480,000 221,480,000 0 tires 4,700,000 3,500,000 1,200,000

Wisconsin's Trash (units/person)

Generated Trash Recycled

Paper 4.73 3.45 1.28 trees/person steel cans 164 125 39 cans/person aluminum cans 382 175 208 cans/person PETE botdes** 212 201 11 bottles/person glass bottles*** 203 164 39 bottles/person disp. diapers 45 45 0 diapers/person tires .96 .71 .25 tires/person

* 1990 estimates in units **equivalents in terms of two liter soda bottle *** equivalents in terms of 12 oz glass beverage bottle Trash Trivia

Trash

In Wisconsin we throw away 8 million tons of "trash" per year (municipal and non- municipal solid waste). This is enough to pile a typical city street 7.5 feet deep with trash (curb to curb) for 500 miles. That's more than the distance from Superior to Chicago.

In the United States we throw away enough garbage per day to fill 63,000 garbage trucks that hold 7-14 tons of trash each. On an annual basis, we fill up enough garbage trucks to form a line that would stetch from earth half-way to the moon.

Landfills

In Wisconsin there are approximately 150 landfills (down from 1,000 landfills in 1988).

In the United States, we have approximately 6,300 landfills (down from over 8,000 in 1988).

Office Paper

In Wisconsin we use enough office Paper each year to build a wall 10 foot high and 102 miles long. We throw away 71 miles and recycle 31 miles of the wall.

In the United States we use enough office paper each year to build a 12 foot high wall from Los Angeles to New York City.

With the office and wriUrr paper we throw away In the US. every year, we (amid build a 12-foot high wail horn Los Angeles to New York City. Diapers

In Wisconsin we use and throw away over 220 million diapers a year. That's enough, if placed end to end, to form aline 5,243 miles long which is equivalent to two round trips to Orlando, Florida from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

In the United States we throw away 16-18 billion disposable diapers per year. That's more than enough, if placed end to end, to form a line that would extend to the moon and back several times.

Tires

In Wisconsin we use over 4 million tires a year, and we have about 10 million tires stockpiled. Since 1988, Wisconsin has been working hard to clean up the estimated 20 million tires that had been stockpiled around the state. These tires are being used in road construction, to make floor mats, and for fuel. One Wisconsin utility plans to burn 1.2 million tires a year in its power plant. One tire provides enough energy to meet the power needs of the average residential home for a day and a half.

In the United States we use 234 million tires a year, but we have over 2 billion used tires stockpiled! Of the tires we use each year, 82% are landfilled, stockpiled or illegally dumped; 9% are burned for energy; 4% are exported; 2% are recycled with asphalt; and 2% are recycled into new products.

ala We throw away MC 200 million *es every year (one for every person in the United States).

0; PETE

L2s,

HOPE PVC

244. LOPE

A4I tak:41N PS other

WOWS ReSOUrCeS VAS. Dept oiNatural Res-v.) )asiZ 1992 The Plastic Code Puzzled by plastics? Many people are puzzled by which plastics can be recycled. Fortunately, The Society of the Plastics Industry, Inc. developed a coding system to help recyclers identify the types of plastic used in making bottles and other containers. The code consists of a recycling triangle with a number in the center. Each number represents a different type of plastic. The letters sometimes found under the triangle abbreviate the name of the plastic. Generally, the coding symbol is imprinted on the bottom of a plastic container. Though most plastics can be recycled, only #1 (PETE) and #2 (HOPE) type plastics are readily recyclable and marketable (to date of this printing). Hopefully as recycling technologies increase, all plastics will be efficiently and safely recycled.

PETE- terephthalate Common forms: two liter bottles, some jars Recycled into: fiberfill, carpet backing, nonfood containers Problems: high level pollutants inherent in manufacturing process, high probability of releasing t.24S noxious compounds during combustion *Good recycling market HDPE- high density polyethylene Common forms: milk and household soap bottles Recycled into: 'plastic lumber", piping, drain tiles, flower pots, some soap bottles 124.1 Problems: some pollutants inherent in manufacturing, noxious compounds released during combustion. Good recycling market PVC- Common forms: salad oil containers, clear film for packaging meat Recycled into : limited to construction and auto industry plastics Problems: high levels of pollutants inherent in manufacturing process, high probability of releasing C.3.S noxious compounds during combustion * Limited recycling market LDPE- low density polyethylene Common forms: food paskaging, shrink wrap, some plastic bags Recycled into: plastic bags, landscape timbers on a very limited basis csis Problems: same as HDPE * Limited recycling market PP- Common forms: butter and margarine tubs, yogurt containers, screw-on caps and lids, drinking straws Recycled into: mixed with PETE and HDPE for some of the products listed above on a limited basis Problems: high level of pollutants in manufacturing process * Limited recycling market PS- polystyrene foam "styrofoam" Common forms: cups, egg cartons, meat packing trays, plastic forks, spoons and knives Recycled into: foam boards and food trays on a limited basis e.6.1 Problems: some pollutants inherent in manufacturing process, recycling is not yet economical due to the high volume to weigt ratio * Limited recycling market other: This category includes products which contain all other plastics, mixed plastics or mutti-layer materials. 1.2401

1 03 1

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e I Enduring Litter

Litter at the roadside is ugly. How long it will stay before decayingmay be an ugly surf:Nis..

414. TRAFFIC TICKET 2-4 weeks

COTTON RAG 1-5 months

ROPE 3-14 months

WOOL SOCK 1 year

BAMBOO POLE Yror':k,..;u +. 1-3 years ,r;r - ,

PAINTED WOODEN STAKE 13 years

TIN CAN 100 years

ALUMINUM CAN 200-500 years

PLASTIC 6-PACK CO VER 450 years

GLASS BOTTLE undetermined

This material borrowed from Source Book of lusf;7 A-Way With Wastecurriculum guide. A program of the WashingtonState Department of Ecology.

1 (15 RECYCLING Games and Quizzes

Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources Bureaus of Solid Waste and Information and Education P.O. Box 7921 Madison, WI 53707

Pruned on RecyclodPaw u ": To the teacher: Rave the students draw aline from the item to the appropriate stack of recyclables. From: "Rethinking Recycling", Oregon D.E.Q. Sort it out beforeyou setit out. Circle the items that are trash. Cross out all the recyclabies and put them in the recycling area. Color in can when complete.

Computer Paper 0\90"' nst, Cans 40 J/er. 014_ ZD- a. '0,s al a?i3 a_ cz (.0 c53 P9

a) GOLI cL(i) z 9) S06a 0 4-= ci) '(\t' --a,-. 6- 0 co (I) CD CO r.:t. -0 Q °V 0 2 o o- 0 ..c * 5 cy) 63, BabYci. c'd3ax .5 f Glass Bottle

LiGlass LiCans Plastic LiPaper LiCompost Aluminum & Bi-metal From: "Here Today, Here Tomorrow", New Jersey D.E.P. RECYCLING MAZE

Recycling, like this maze, is not difficult, and

once you're on the path to recycling, it's easy.

Recycling Center

1

1

Please do not litter

I

_ CODED RECYCLABLES

1. ZBEVNJNBP

2. OWJVV

3. IDADP DTW

4. ATPBV

5. JWYITZYI LJZV

6. LJPFRDJPF

7. JVNCJWA

8. IBAJW

9. WBJSBV

10. LJPV

All of the above are things that can be recycled, but they're in code, where one letter means another. Can you find the names of the things that can be recycled?

1.0 Jadvdsmau °I Recycling Number Match

1. Number of buyers of recyclable materials a. 1000 in Wisconsin.

2. Percent of all paper that is recycled b. 350 in U. S.

3. Percent of all paper recycled by Japan. C. 26

4. Number of metal cans used each year by d. 12 a family of five.

5. Number of glass bottles and jars used e . 2000 each year by a family of five.

6. Pounds of solid waste thrown away by f. 17 a family of five in a year.

7. Number of plastic containers used by g. 600 a five person family in a year.

8. Number of trees it takes to !lake a h. 400 ton of paper.

9. Amount of energy saved by recycling a i. 4000 ton of paper (gallons of oil).

10. The energy saved by recycling an alum- inum can could keep a light bulb on j. 50 for this many hours. Answers

1-g 2-c 3-j 4-e 5-a 6-i 7-b 8-f 9-h 10-d Recycling Word Match

1. Recyclable, ground-up glass a. Paper

2. Changes organic materials into a soil-like mixture b. Motor Oil

3. Half of all landfilled waste c. Cellulose insulation 4. A use for shredded newspapers

5. A use for finely ground newspapers d. Aluminum

6. Most is imported from Australia and Jamacia; recycling saves e. Composting 95% of the energy to process

7. Made from petroleum and natural gas; f. Plastics recycling is still in infancy

8. Wisconsin law requires communities g. Natural Resources to set up collection centers for this h. Cullet 9. Some states recycle 90-95% of these by having deposits on them i. Animal bedding 10. Our largest portion of household waste j. Newspapers 11. If materials aren't recycled, they go here k. Landfills 12. If materials aren't recycled, they use up 1. Beverage containers

Answers

1-h 2-e 3-a 4-i 5-c 6-d 7-f 8-b 9-1 10-j 11-k 12-g SEARCH- A-WORD Find and circle the 31 words in this activity. The words are found up, down and across.

Municipal Solid Waste Solid Waste Management ML VS FE GHJ KL WL IRF EPMHDAELDRGH Garbage X Anaerobic U NDOBCZ XASGDNDEV MGHWQPUNUEZ Resource Recovery N KL L HOWERJ AFKL SOLIDWASTEMSI D Dump I NCI NERATERI NCOMFDCVVAINPRAT Incinerate CBVDPOUI YTBCAVUPDWOUTBCAUIYT Refuse Derived.Fuel Transfer Station LKWASDFGHAI NKRKPOFGHAI NDFGH Sanitary Landfill P M N A Z XCVBNGP ANCMVF RTNGDCVBNG Li t ter AYTSREXGJ BE AET TEL EACHATEEACHA Source Separation L WOTACHKL IUL RQRACHKL IUCHKLI U Trash S BNEJKBDRYI SONEJ KBCOMPOSTING Biodegradable JF A Scrubber O ZXMYVJ FAEROBI CYVJ FQMNMBI Decompose L VCALKGBHCSL ICOL KGBHCSPI GBHC Solid Waste JFNHJI JI YCI CFVHJI JI YCOCFIJI Leachate D EL ANDF I LLBDEL ENDF IECOSYSTEM Composting Aerobic WGHGKLUWAST ESTREAMHPMXESTRMW Landfill AFHEMNBVCZF GOPYVBFOCZFAFNFMN Ecosystem SHDMYYI OXGMI CJKUTRAXGMIVEFF0 Waste Stream TYREFUSEDER I VEDFUELDERTYHEFN Emissions R Energy Recovery Facility EDGNCXZETJ X UWXZZNBETJ XETAMI Non Renewable Resource N CJ TRANSFERSTATI ONSFERNCLTRE Fly Ash D FERYBNAHFUDFERYBNAHFUEFERYN Natural Resource E MI SSI ONSJK ETYREYMCXJKRMIDSE Tipping Fee K HGHDVZI VI K KHGHDVZIYRQGZGHDW Recycle Bottom Ash S OI LNLI TTERSOI LNNMWAFLYASHNA O HCVBNSAFHK 01-11`VBNSAFHKRHSVBB U RENATURALRESOURCERALRESONRL RFNVXSEYTTYRFNVXSEYTTYCTNVXE CHJI YBCLDSDCHJI YBCLDSDOHYIYR E MNVXTRASHJ EMNVXF MDK YJVBNVXE S GHVDFGNORESGTI PPINGFEEGTKPS E HNKDFRDASZ EHNKDFRDASZRHLKDO P CXZVGRFI LBPCXZVGRFILBYCXZVU AGHJKLBI ODEGRADABLEODEFRADAR RHJYI OULGDX REJ VI BOTTOMASHYI C AJWEWERLXPP ACWEWERLXPPCRLXPE TKLHFGHBYTT T YLHF GHBYTTI YHBYT I ONGDGFSEWR I CNGDGFSEWRLCNFSE O NHFCVBNXSOOLHFCVBNXSOILHFBN N JI OJ FSCRUB BEROYYSCRUBTRCPUB BXDFGHJKLNBBJ WGI ONKLNYHNALN

From; "Here Today, Here Tomorrow", New Jersey D.E.P. WORD SEARCH

Things That Can Be Recycled

D E A GNCONCR E T E P T

R MO T OR 0 IL SF QS I C

UWF Z KL UO T N X SR HO

V L F CJ ZDGW IETOR

R T I NC ANSL CS I A A R E SC OP P ER N MMBC EU

P H E G X O Z O W U E V L L G

ADP AP ER SQN TA T L A

PL A S T ICS WI AJL Z T

S T P I ZUH TOML MA W E

W BECUBDEOU S I HR D

E GR A GS T EDL N D P Z S

N F D A W A O L E A V E S P Q

C EO X SUHAJ C HC A R S

EC TA SS AL GF T Z I N C

Can you find these words?

IRON TIN CANS LEAVES STEEL ALUMINUM CANS GLASS BRASS CARS JARS COPPER TIRES RAGS ZINC PLASTICS PAPER +ORO SEWN GOLD ASPHALT NEWSPAPER thin.r That CIti I. LEAD CONCRETE CORRUGATED METALS MOTOR OIL OFFICEPAPER WOOD THE GARBAGE TEST

1. What is the largest part ofhousehold waste?

A. Paper C. Glass

B. Metal D. Plastic How many trees are cut down each yearto make 2. Paper comes from trees. the paper for a family offive?

A. 10" C. 20

B. 15 D. 25 how many trees does it 3. If a family recycles all of its newspapers, save each year?

A. 1 C. 4

B. 2 D. 10

does a five person family usein 4. How many glass bottles and jars a year?

A. 100 C. 1,000

B. 250 D. 2,000 the most glass bottles andjars? 5. For which product does a family use

A. Beer C. Medicine

B. Food D. Soda glass bottles and jars were usedby 6. Ten years ago, in 1974, how many a family of five?

A. A lot less than now C, A little more than now

B. A little less than now D. A lot more than now

family use the most glasscontainers? 7. In 1974, for which product did a

A. Beer C. Medicine

B. Food D. Soda Page 2 Garbage Test

8. How many metal cans does an average family of five use in a year?

A. 100 C. 1,000

B. 250 D. 2,000

9. For which product does a family use the most cans?

A. Beer C. Soda

B. Food D. Paint and Motor Oil

10. In 1974, how many metal cans were used by a family of five?

A. A lot less than now C. A little more than now

B. The same as now D. A lot more than now

11.In 1974, for which product were most metal cans used?

A. Beer C. Soda

B. Food D. Paint and Motor Oil

12. Turning to plastics, how many plastic containers does a family of five use in a year?

A. 100 C. 500

B. 300 D. 1,000

13. For what product are the most plastic contaihers used?

A. Beer C. Soda

B. Milk D. Shampoo

14. Ten years ago how many plastic containers did a typical fiveperson family use?

A. A lot less than now C. The sarre as now

B. A little less than now D. A little more than now

15. Recycling saves which of the following?

A. Landfill space C. Energy

B. Natural Resources D. Money

1 THE GARBAGE TEST ANSWERS

1. A. Paper. About half of household waste is paper, the largest part being newspaper. Metal is about 7% of our house waste, glass 10%, and plastics 1%. Food and yard waste average about 30-40% on a yearly basis. of paper a year at 2. D. 25. The average person uses about 630 pounds home, work, and school. For a family of five, this comes to 3150 pounds or 1.6 tons. It takes 17 trees to make a ton of paper sothe average family of five usesthe equivalent of about 27 trees a year for its paper needs. pounds of newspaper a 3. C. 4. The average person uses just over 100 year; the family of five usesabout 500 pounds or a quarter of a ton of newsprint a year. Based on 17 trees per ton, this is four trees a year. bottles and jars or 4. C. 1000. In 1982, the U.S. used 44 billion glass just under 200 a person, 1000 for afamily of five.

glass bottles for 5. A. Beer. In 1982, the U.S. used 15 1/2 billion beer, 13 billion for food, 8.7 billion forsoda, 2 billion each for medicine and liquor, and the remainder forwine, cosmetics and chemicals.

6. B. A little less than now. In 1974, the U.S. used 39 billion glass bottles, or with a total population of215 million people, an average of 180 per person, 900 for a family offive.

follows: 7. B. Food. The 1974 use of glass bottles and jars were as Food - 12 billion, beer and soda - 91/2 billion each, medicine - 3 billion, liquor - 2 billion.

figures are available), 8. D. ,2000. In 1980 (the latest year for which the U.S. used 90 billion metal cans orjust under 400 cans per person, 2000 cans for a family of five.

beer in 1980, 9. A. Beer. Over 29 billion metal cans were used for followed by 27 billion cans for food, 25billion cans for soda, and the remainder for paint and varnish, petfood, aerosols and other uses. about 10. B. The same as now. In 1974, the U.S. used 86 billion cans, or 400 a person, 2000 for a family of five.

food - 32 billion, 11. B. Food. In 1974 the U.S. use of metal cans was: beer - 26 billion, soda - 17 1/2billion, and all others - 10 1/2 billion. Page Two Answers

12. B. 300. The U.S. used 15 1/2 billion plastic containers in 1982, an average of 65 per person or 325 for a family of five.

13. C. Soda. The U.S. used 2.70 billion plastic bottles for soda in 1982 (a four fold increase from 1978), along with 2.67 billion plastic bottles for milk, 2.0 billion for medicine, 1.1 billion for shampoo, and 1.9 billion for detergents, bleaches, and fabric softeners, with the re- mainder for lotions, chemicals, food and other beverages and other uses. None were used for beer, liquor or .

14. A. A lot less than now. In 1974, the U.S. used only 600 million plastic containers or less than 15 for a family of five. Dustin Hoffman was truly given some good advice when he was told in "The Graduate" to get into plastics! The plastic bottle industry will continue to grow as plastic containers begin to be used for alcoholic beverages, and as plastic soda bottles become available in sizes smaller than the 2-liter bottle now in common use.

15. All answers are correct. Landfills - Wisconsin has over 1,000 landfills for disposing of its 9 million tons of waste (10 pounds per person per day). If stacked on a typical city street six feet high from curb-to- curb, this waste would stretch almost 900 miles. Any recycling would reduce this pile.

Natural Resources - As shown by the previo.is questions, Wisconsin residents use an enoromous amount of material each year--paper from cutting down a forest of 25 million trees, nearly 2 billion metal cans, just under 1 billion glass bottles, 300 million plastic containers, 4 million tires, half a million large appliances, etc. Much of this, plus our food and yard wastes, could (and should) be recycled.

Energy - Almost all recycling saves energy. Recycling a ton of newspapers saves the equivalent of 400 gallons of oil. If we recycled or incinerated all of our waste, we would save enough energy to heat 700,000 Wisconsin homes.

Money - Most people recognize that aluminum can recycling is profitable and that community groups often run newspaper recycling programs to raise money. But large scale recycling programs can earn money too. From 1968 to 1982, the City of Madison has made a net profit of over $400,000 by recycling newspapers. Not all recycling programs make money--but most doo RECYCLING CROSSWORD PUZZLE

1

1. Recycling saves 2, is recycled islto fuel. 3. Plastics decompose. 4. Brown paper bags can be mixed in with cardboard for recycling. 5. should be rinsed, flattened, and have the paper labels remo.Ped for recycling. 6. Recycling reduces pollution. 7. We 99% of the plastics we buy. 8. Aluminum comes from the mineral 9. Plastics be recycled into food containers. 10. and jars can be recycled. 11. Reducing, reusing and recycling solid waste will help save our from landfills. 12. Curbside recycling is 13. We must the amount of trash we produce. 14. Trees are a natural resource. 15. in plastics hamper the recycling process. 7DCDWINI 1. Oil and metals are natural resources. 7. Each Oregonian throws away 1600pounds of every year. 16. Portland metropolitan area landfillsenough trash to fill the every month. 17. Crushed glass prepared for recyclingis called 18. Another name for trash and garbageis 19. It takes trees to make one ton of paper. 20. A "tin" can is mr+srly and can be recycled. 21. Recycling will pick up recyclable materials monthly at curbside. From: "Rethinking Recycling", Oregon D.E.Q. RECY.CLU SWORD PUZZLE

mnominmew name= m m n m nomonmennII monnmm.nno R eMMINOR nnlimmnmn RUMO0 1#10 M li PI Ell MEMMMEMMMO N mammon n n mom= m m n nonmennM M M OMM 0 MMMM OMEM n mina= em n n n m e nennennen m m mo irnrIlr9EI "crtoss 1. Recyclingsssss 2. IsFe7iFf a NI-F-f,--;;T: ). FT;iiTZ. -7-- decompose. 4. Brown paper bags can be mixed in with cardboard for recycling. S. should be rinsed. flattened. and hove the paper -1711,71, removed tor recycling. i. Recycling reduces pollution. 7. Mt in-of the plastics we buy. O. AltaTITTITGic:Wri-Tiom the mineral bauxite. 9. Plastics be recycled into food containers. 10. 7137.at.can be recycled. 11. flia-,711,171-eusing and recycling solid waste will helln saveour from landfills. 12. Curbside recycling Is 11. We must the eiTZU;i776trashwe produce. 14. Trees are a naturalresource. IS. In plastics hamper therecycling process. 001464

I. 011 and metals are pouz:Tfl resource.. 7. Each Oregonian throws away1600 nry year. 16. Portland metropolitan arealandfills enough trash to fill the every month. 17. Crushed glassprepaiiTIOrrecycling Is called

16. Another name for trash andgarbage 111 19. It takes treteto amine one tonofpaper. 20. A 'tincan is mostly end can be recycled. 21. Recycling will plcauprecyclable materials monthly at curbside.

CUPV L1U 12i Help! Some very valuablethings are on their way tothe landfill! Save them frombeing thrown away! Circlein blue the things which canbe recycled. Circle in green the things which canbe reused. Some maybe both! SAVEYAREDUCELMNOP VWXYZLREPAPKNALB GHITBUTENIRAGRAMJ FTXIPMILKJUGSQRS LPENCILSOLDTOYSK UNEXVNREUSEICXMDX NITCMUSAVECRAYONS CEBACMABCXNQRSTUR HAWNUPQBROMDRORE RRSZPYARELXBLRAC BTELPLGMUDIBOXALBY A2XUZJARSSUTOAKORC GPSKRTPKHCTTRDIJLi SAELMEPEREETDMLKE OPXYZSOPRQRLDONTM RECYCLEBCSPEWASTE GROCERYXBAGSXEKOJ

Did youfind: newspaper brush box blank paper cardboard tin cans motor oil art paper bottles jars plastic bags aluminum plates milk jugs grocery bags crayons old toys margarine tub pencils (P.S. There are some extra bonuswords hidden here, too! Can you find them? What do theytell you?) From: "Rethinking Recycling", Oregon D.E.Q.