Challenge 1: What is Waste?
(45 minutes)
At “What is Waste” students are challenged to sort a “garbage can” full of stuff into the same “bins” (“Recycle,” “Compost,” “Reuse,” and “Garbage”) they think the Director of a Recovery Center would if she were at her home. By the end of this exercise, students will articulate their definition of “waste,” compare their meaning to that of a waste expert, and begin to wonder whether garbage is a necessary part of being human.
Materials
Each of the 4 stations will need:
1. A collection of materials to sort into recyclables, reusables, compostables and garbage (see chart, “What is waste?” materials). If you don’t have access to a good collection of materials to make 4 similar sets, distribute pictures (or words) of these items instead.
“What is waste?” materials: These materials are sorted according to the Director of a New Hampshire Recovery and Transfer Station*
1. A collection of materials to sort into recyclables, reusables, compostables and garbage (see chart, “What is waste?” materials). If you don’t have access to a good collection of materials to make 4 similar sets, distribute pictures (or words) of these items instead.
“What is waste?” materials: These materials are sorted according to the Director of a New Hampshire Recovery and Transfer Station*
*Some items can be placed in more than one container. Their placement will vary depending on the regulations in your community.
2. The Challenge Card, “What is waste?”
2. The Challenge Card, “What is waste?”