Over the last 20 years, recycling has undergone nothing short of a revolution and Australians have been at the forefront. Show
But we get used to doing the same old things, so these 7 R’s of recycling should help you refocus and maybe even find some things you aren’t doing yet!
1. RecycleCheck out your fridge magnet or our Let’s Get It Sorted website to make sure you are recycling everything you possibly can. 2. Refuse plastic shopping bagsTake your own and if you forget one use a box – most supermarkets have plenty of them as their products come packed in them. Every year we throw away close to 100 billion plastic bags! So if you’re looking for some solid reasons to make the switch to the reusable tote bags, offered at many grocery stores, here are a few that may change your mind. Five reasons to refuse plastic bags1. They are filling up the landfills No matter how many uses you find for plastic bags, they are eventually going to end up in the landfill, where they will remain for quite a while (roughly a thousand years), taking up space, because they aren’t biodegradable. 2. They are made from non-renewable resources Most plastic bags are made of polyurethane, a composite created from such non-renewable components as natural gas and crude oil. 3. They are harmful to animals Once you throw plastic bags into the rubbish, you don’t have any control over where they go, and you can’t stop them from getting out into the environment where they can cause harm to whatever ecosystem they end up in. Both land and marine animals suffer from starvation, strangulation, choking, and entanglement by plastic bags, whether because they blunder into them and become trapped or because they often eat them. It is estimated that approximately 100,000 sea animals die each year from plastic bags and they are amongst the top five most common types of refuse found on beaches. Do you have pets? They could be in danger, as well. 4. They can be harmful to people If you have children, you should be aware that plastic bags need to be kept away from your tots because they pose a hazard for choking and suffocation. 5. Who recycles? Although it’s true that plastic bags can be recycled, and many markets have bins for customers to recycle their used bags, the unfortunate truth of the situation is that only about 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide. 3. Reduce your rubbishYou can do this by either avoiding generating it in the first place or finding other uses for what you were about to throw out. Here are some great tips:
4. Reuse whatever you can
5. RepairChange it up - think ‘repair’ before you think ‘rubbish’! Instead of throwing out your good shoes – take them to a boot maker and have them resoled and reheeled. Find out if you have a local men’s shed who are involved in fixing and repairing a whole range of things. 6. Re-gift or sellWhen the kids grow out of their clothes or have out grown their toys, hand them on to friends and family or take them to the op shop. You could even make some money while helping the environment by selling unwanted items on Gumtree.com or ebay. 7. RecoverShred or chip your prunings and use them on on your garden – it will add much needed carbon to your soil and save water. Why not hire a shredder for the day – you could share the cost with a neighbour or two! This lists the logos of programs or partners of NG Education which have provided or contributed the content on this page. Brought to you by
Directions Objectives Preparation Background & Vocabulary Linksvideo
Toward a Plastic Responsible Future Unit Driving Question: What can we do to reduce the effects of plastic pollution? Solutions to Plastic Waste Lesson Driving Question: How do we measure and remove plastic from the waste stream? 1. Introduce students to the 3 R’s Framework.
5. Support students as they develop their solution proposals.
Informal AssessmentStudents determine and write an explanation of a data-driven solution based on the 3 R’s Framework to propose in their policy proposal brochures. Extending the LearningIf students have data to support it, they can propose solutions that include the broader community. Subjects & Disciplines
Learning ObjectivesStudents will:
Teaching Approach
Teaching Methods
Skills SummaryThis activity targets the following skills:
Connections to National Standards, Principles, and PracticesCommon Core State Standards for English Language Arts & Literacy
The College, Career & Civic Life (C3) Framework for Social Studies State Standards
What You’ll NeedMaterials You Provide
Resources ProvidedThe resources are also available at the top of the page. Required Technology
Physical Space
Grouping
Background InformationPlastic does not degrade in our lifetime. Before we get into the R’s of plastic waste reduction, let’s discuss two alternate forms of plastic–biodegradable and bioplastic. Biodegradable plastics can be decomposed by living organisms, typically bacteria; however, it is not the same as compostable; it purely means “to break down.” To make plastics easier to break down, chemicals are added—biodegradable plastics have more chemicals than regular plastics. Bioplastics are derived from renewable biomass rather than fossil fuels. While this material has the word bio in it, not all bioplastics are biodegradable, nor do they degrade any more readily than normal plastic. To eliminate plastic from our waste stream, we must follow these R’s:
Prior Knowledge
Recommended Prior Activities
Vocabularypolicy Noun set of actions or rules. recycle Verb to clean or process in order to make suitable for reuse. reduce Verb to lower or lessen. refuse Verb to give up, renounce, be unwilling to accept. reuse Verb to use again. Articles & Profiles
Video
Websites
Tips & ModificationsStep 1: This framework comes in a variety of forms. Sometimes you may hear refuse and reduce separated. Because the behavior is so similar for the two, it is presented here as a single “R.” Step 5: Remember, this is a policy proposal. Solutions are not always policy changes, but the requirement for this project is that the solution is a policy change or introduction. This would be a good opportunity to clarify this vocabulary term and emphasize this requirement of the project.
Related Resources
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How are current systems effectively using the 4 rs
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