Recycling & E-Waste
Alison Rodman, Ryan Aruck & Rayza Santiago
Hobart and William Smith Colleges
Objective: This lesson informs students about waste and recycling. Students will learn about the amount of waste that society generates and how reducing, reusing, and recycling help to decrease that waste. The second part of the lesson is to demonstrate the kinds of objects that can be recycled and encourage students to be creative in thinking of ways to reuse household products instead of throwing them in the garbage. Thirdly, the students will learn about landfills and the kinds of things that comprise the average landfill. These objects all decompose at different rates and students will be taught that certain things last for 1-2 months while others last for over 500 years. Finally, a discussion on electronic waste (e-waste) will be presented with an emphasis on cell phone recycling.
Step One: Show PowerPoint
Materials: computer, projections system and slide show
Procedure:
• Tell students to look carefully at each slide, spend roughly a minute on each slide.
• After each slide, ask students what they think they are looking at.
• In the second round of pictures, explain more about each picture.
• Ask for students reactions
Step 2: Survey class
Materials: Background Information for teacher
Procedure: Have students respond by raising their hand (we will record responses)
• What is recycling?
• Do you know anyone that recycles?
• What do they recycle?
• Does your family recycle?
• Why
• For those of you who don't have a recycling bin, how many of you would recycle if you had one at home?
Step 3: Sorting of Recyclables and Non-Recyclables
Preparation: Bring objects (recyclables and non-recyclables) unsorted in a bag. Have 2 separate bags ready for students
Materials:
Plastic bottle, soda can, newspaper, cardboard, e-waste, glass bottle
Procedure:
• Hold up some objects and ask the student which ones they think are recyclable. (such as plastics bottles, soda cans, newspaper, cardboard, cell phones, other things that are not, shaving cream cans, pesticides containers etc..)
• Ask students if object is recyclable or not. Separate into 2 piles.
• Ask the students to brainstorm ways they might be able to reduce, reuse or recycle material around the house.
Activity: 6 Corners - How long will it last?
Preparation : Write time periods on poster board and hang around classroom. Make sure that there is space between groups so you can clearly see all 6 groups.
Materials:
• Can
• Glass bottle
• Paper cup
• Banana Peel
• Disposal Diaper
• Wool Socks
• 6-pack holder
• Poster board
• Markers
Procedure:
• Ask students what they think decompose means? (give students a minute or to think about, and ask them what they think and then give them the definition)
• Describe how things decompose in a landfill
Answer -The amount of time it takes for complex matter to break down into simpler matter. How long it will take for it to disappear.
Since every object has a different decomposing time, we are going to have you guess how long it takes for certain objects to break down.
Directions for Activity
1. Place 6 different time periods around the room.
2. Hold up an object, make your best guess on how long it will take for an object to decompose in an landfill.
3. Have students go to the time period that they think is correct.
4. Repeat this for all 6 items
• Can- 100 years
• Glass Bottle-more than 500 years
• Paper Cup- 1-5 years
• Banana Peel- 1-3 months
• Disposal Diapers-more than 500 years
• Wool Socks-1-5 years
5. Throughout activity, ask students why they think it takes such a long or short time for this object to decompose?
Step 3: The Components of a Land Fill
Materials : Pie Graph
Procedure:
• Hang pie chart with the name and %'s covered
• Have students guess what composes a landfill
• Write on board
• Have students predict what percentages each object is.
• Then uncover and show and explain the numbers
Step 4: E-Waste
Materials: E-Waste, eco-box
Procedure:
• Ask students what they think E-waste is?
• Give them time to think and ask for their thoughts
Definition: E-waste is consumer products that contain a variety of toxins that harm the environment and the species living in the environment when they are not disposed correctly.
Survey- ask verbally and have students raise their hand
How many people know what e-waste is?
How many of you have a cell phone?
For those of you who have or had a cell phone, have you ever thrown one in the garbage?
2. Show E-waste
Ask students what they think E-Waste is composed of?
Talk about eco cell boxes around school.
There programs are encouraging people to recycle their cell phones and give them a second life. If they are still working then they can be donated or they are no longer working they will be recycled properly.
These companies recycle cell phones:
Eco-Cell: -program@eco-cell.com -(502) 896-4398
Re-Cellular -(734) 205-2200
EcoPhones: 1-888-EcoPhones/1-888-326-7466