The Average American produces 4.5 lbs of waste a day. What kinds of things do we throw away? We tend to think that the litter we see is characteristic of what's in our solid waste. What is taking up the most space in our landfill? How much can be recycled? Re-used? How does disposal and recycling affect the environment? Your class will be divided into groups of 3-4 students. Each group will investigate one portion of the waste stream: paper, electronics, yard waste, tires, batteries, plastics, household hazardous waste, glass and metals. You need to find out what products make up your waste stream, what portion of the waste stream is made up of your material, and what recycling or re-use or other diversion options are available. If your material is recyclable, what can be made from it? For example, if you are tasked with investigating paper, what products are contributing to waste paper? Is it mostly newspapers, or packaging, or perhaps old homework papers? What kinds of scrap paper are suitable for recycling, and what are they made into? What are the environmental impacts on the land, air and water of land disposal and of recycling? Each group will be assigned a segment of the municipal solid waste stream (aka: garbage): paper, plastics, yard waste, glass, metals, tires, batteries, electronics or household hazardous waste. Much is known already about what makes up household waste. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes a report every year that provides excellent data on waste generation and recycling. Start with information in the latest EPA report. You may include information from other sources, but make sure any information is credible. The EPA release from 2011 located on the website. The EPA site would be a good general resource as well. . You will complete a background search as individuals and on day two compile your information. Your group will present to the class information in which you address the following: Questions to Answer and Present: 1. What products that we throw away contribute to your assigned material in the waste stream? How much does each contribute? For example, if you are studying paper, what products (such as newspapers, magazines, paper plates, paper bags, or junk mail) make up paper in garbage?
Team Members: Waste Product: Rubric : 5 pts each _________1. Clearly identified what products that we throw away contribute to your assigned material in the waste stream? _________2. How much does each contribute or make up in total amount of garbage? _________3. Clearly identity what components (if any) are problematic for: a. disposal, b. recycling, c. or re-use of your material? _________4. How much of your material is recycled the U.S. currently? _________5. How much is re-used (if any)? _________6. Clearly identified what are the common products your material is recycled into? Re-used for? _________7. Clearly identified the environmental impacts of recycling, re-use, or landfill of your material. _________8. Presentation and quality of project, pictures and illustrations (reflective of the number of students in group) We have the right to ask you to submit to Turnitin.com for plagiarism!! If you do not have this rubric you will be deducted 5pts!