Does Recycling Really Help?
Everyone has heard of recycling,
but do you know the real benefits of this service? In this exercise, you are
going to read views of several different people. Some of them will be for
recycling, and some of them will be against it. It will be up to YOU to decide
if we are helping or hurting the Earth and if we can correct the wrong we are
committing either way.
First, you will visit several
different sites that will show you the different opinions people have about recycling.
They are:
http://www.earth911.org/master.asp?s=lib&a=aluminum/benefits.asp
http://www.dep.state.pa.us/dep/deputate/airwaste/wm/RECYCLE/FACTS/benefits4.htm
Now, visit this site to discover
what materials are recyclable. Circle what is recyclable from the list I
provide.
http://www.homeprojects.org/Recycling-Continued.php
After reading all of this info and
having personal experiences with recycling, what do you think about it? Is it
good or bad? If we were to start a recycling program in class, would you help
your classmates to separate and deliver the products to the recycling center? Answer
the questions on the sheets I have handed out. 
For the last part of this exercise,
visit these two web pages that talk about recycling in
http://www.japan.com/living/recycling/aluminum3.php
http://www.japan.com/living/recycling/garbage.php
Who uses more aluminum? Are we recycling the
same amount as them? And who has had a higher recycling rate over the years? Finally,
make a garbage list and a recycling list from the list I give you according to
Japanese standards. State what can be separated with what. Also, pretend that
you have to get rid of a large furniture item or appliance. How do you throw
these items out? We will take 2 class periods to complete this assignment. Keep
all of your work together!