Energy, Climate, Environment

CONTENTS OF CURRICULUM UNIT 09.07.01

  1. Unit Guide
  1. Purpose
  2. Introduction
  3. What Are Plastics
  4. Anything You Can Do, I Can Do BETTER!
  5. From Natural to Not So Much…
  6. Better Things for Better People - Marketing of Plastics
  7. So What Is the Big Deal??
  8. Health Concerns
  9. Out of Sight, Out of Mind
  10. Are We Really Recycling?
  11. Strategies for Implementation
  12. Stage One - You as the Consumer
  13. Stage Two - You as the Recycler
  14. Stage Three - You as the Global Citizen
  15. Reflection
  16. References
  17. Reading List for Students
  18. Materials for Classroom Use
  19. Appendix - Implementing District Standards
  20. Endnotes

Flexible Enthusiasm: Consumption and Awareness of Plastics in Our Lives

Stephanie Anaissa Brown-Bryant

Published September 2009

Tools for this Unit:

Stage Two - You as the Recycler

Objective: The student will describe the importance of recycling. The student will also identify types of energy used in the recycling process. Students will research ways plastic is recycled. They will identify which types of plastics are recycled and what percentages they are recycled. (It is important for students to realize that each stage of the life of plastic requires energy. Production (companies use different types energy to create plastic), exporting (the products are shipped or driven to their destinations which consumes energy), and recycling (they are incinerated, dumped in landfills, or reused to create new products) which all require energy. What types of energy are used during the life of a plastic item? How much energy is needed to recycle an item? Is this type of energy renewable? In addition, students must realize that due to the chemical composition, there are limitations as to what products can be made from recycled plastics. One can refer back to chemical compositions and recycle codes discussed in Stage One during the discussion.

Comments:

Amy Loretta Neiter

November 19, 2009 at 8:29 am

Thank you

I am happy to be able to use your site to teach myself and my children.

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