Recycling Importance and Project Creation

Learning Targets

• Students should be able to explain the importance of recycling.
• Students should demonstrate enthusiasm and responsibility in creating a project that can be reused or sold.
• Students should create a project plan.
• Students should create a project using recyclable materials.

What You Need To Know

• Improper waste disposal is a global problem.
• This leads to pollution, flooding, disease spread, threats to marine life, and an overall unsafe and uncomfortable environment.
• Recycling is a process where materials are reprocessed to create new products, instead of being discarded as waste.

Benefits of Recycling

• Recycling helps protect the environment.
• Recycling creates job opportunities and generates income.
• Recycling lessens greenhouse gas emissions from factories, thus contributing to climate change mitigation.
• Recycling conserves energy.
• Recycling plays a part in fuel production.
• Recycling improves soil quality.
• Recycling decreases the need to harvest new raw materials.

Identifying Recyclable Products/Waste Materials

• Containers and packaging are a major category of waste products.
• Food and non-food items typically come in containers made from various materials like plastic, glass, metal, paper, and combinations of these.
• Thin plastics are commonly found in packaging but many locations prohibit their use due to non-biodegradability.
• Recyclable materials can be used for creative projects.

Types of Recyclable Waste

• Construction/Demolition waste (e.g., concrete, wood, metal, plastic, glass, doors, windows).
• Municipal Solid Waste (household/commercial waste).
• Miscellaneous waste (items that can be repurposed into useful or decorative items—e.g., used notebooks, empty bottles).

Planning a Project for Recycling

• Careful and systematic planning is essential for successful recycling projects.
• The plan should detail the materials needed, the project steps, and the project design.

Parts of a Project Plan

• Project Name
• Project Objectives (reasons behind the project)
• Tools and Materials (items needed)
• Design/Drawing of the project (illustration of the intended final product).
• Procedure (steps to complete the project).

Sample Project Outline

• The example outline is for a recycled paper notebook.
• The project includes objectives, materials needed, design, procedures, and potential activities.