Recycling saves large amounts of energy. Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours. Recycling one soda can saves as much energy as if the can were half full of gasoline. When waste products are recycled, fewer raw materials must be used. Americans threw away 35 billion aluminum cans last year, enough aluminum to build an entire air fleet four times over.
Recycling paper reduces the pressure on our forests for wood pulp, so that less logging is needed.
Display the household items and ask students what characteristics the items have in common and whether the items might be found in their homes. Tell students that over the next two days they will be thinking about garbage and ways that people can reduce the amount of garbage they produce. Ask students if any of the items could be used again, either in the same way they were used originally or in a different way. Hand out the survey and explain that the survey is not a test, and there are no right or wrong answers. Divide the students into groups of four.