VCAL: unit 9 waste & recycling overview activity guide and worksheet

Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not

Waste and recycling overview activity guide and worksheet

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This project was funded by the Department of

Sustainability and Environment.

Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not

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Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not

Waste and recycling overview activity guide and worksheet

Estimated duration: 10 minutes Aim • •

To understand how energy and resources are used to create packaging materials To understand the importance of recycling to conserve resources

Outcome By the end of this class, students will be able to: • Describe factual information about current waste practices

Resources • • •

Slideshow: Waste and Recycling Overview Student worksheet: Waste and Recycling Overview Computer and data projector

Activity Description 1. Ask the students to list the kinds of things they recycle.

2. Distribute the worksheets and have the students answer the quiz questions.

Correct the quiz as a class.

3. Given the findings, ask students to describe in their own words why they think recycling is important.

4. Present the slideshow “Waste and Recycling Overview” to summarise current trends and statistics.

Answers to Recycling Quiz 1. True. Steel cans are recyclable.

2. True. Aluminium is one of Australia’s major exports.

3. True. Aluminium production requires enormous quantities of electricity.

4. True. Australia is one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide per person in the world. This is largely because of our dependence on coal. The brown coal in Victoria is extremely inefficient because of the high moisture content.

5. True. The energy needed to make one new can is equivalent to the energy needed to recycle five cans.

6. True. Cullet is the name given to the glass collected for recycling.

7. True. All new plastic is made from oil.

8. False. Newspapers are made of softwoods like pine trees. Photocopy paper is made from hardwoods such as eucalyptus fibre.

9. True. Recycling one tonne of paper can save 1300 litres of water.

10. True. It takes three tall Eucalyptus trees to make one tonne of paper.

11. True. Photocopy paper is being recycled into toilet paper products.

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12. True. Dioxins that cause cancer are used to bleach photocopy paper.

13. True. Newspapers are manufactured from softwoods like pine trees.

14. True. PET bottles can be made into clothing such as polar fleece tops.

15. True. Wheelie bins are made from recycled plastic.

16. False. Sand is the source of glass.

17. False. Aluminium cans are made from bauxite.

18. True. The electricity needed to make a new aluminium can would run your TV for three hours.

19. True. Melbourne’s waste would fill the MCG every 3.5 months.

Student Roles and Responsibilities Participate in agreed tasks Contribute to class discussions Complete activities and worksheets Work cooperatively with others Seek teacher assistance and support when needed

Level of Teacher Support Facilitate discussion Organise materials and equipment Provide encouragement Introduce tasks and activities Provide assistance when requested

Assessment As this learning activity is an introductory activity, it is not suitable as an assessment task.

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Unit 9: Waste Not, Want Not

Waste and Recycling Overview Worksheet

Recycling Quiz

Answer the following questions as True (T) or False (F).

1. Steel cans are recyclable.

2. Aluminium is one of Australia’s major exports.

3. Aluminium production requires enormous quantities of electricity.

4. Australia is one of the biggest emitters of carbon dioxide per person in the world.

5. The energy needed to make one new aluminium can is equivalent to the energy needed to recycle five cans.

6. Cullet is the name given to the glass collected for recycling.

7. All new plastic is made from oil.

8. Newspapers can be recycled into photocopy paper.

9. Recycling one tonne of paper can save 1300 litres of water.

10. It takes three tall Eucalyptus trees to make one tonne of paper.

11. Photocopy paper can be recycled into toilet paper.

12. Dioxins that cause cancer are used to bleach photocopy paper.

13. Newspapers are manufactured from softwoods like pine trees.

14. PET bottles (like soft drink bottles) can be made into clothing.

15. Wheelie bins are made from recycled plastic.

16. Sand is the source of aluminium.

17. Steel cans are made from bauxite.

18. The electricity needed to make a new aluminium can would run your TV for three hours.

19. Melbourne’s waste would fill the MCG every 3.5 months.

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