RECYCLING SURVEY (Grade 4-6)

When we throw away garbage, it usually ends up in a landfill. Landfill space is getting increasingly scarce, and every time we throw something away we throw with it the energy, the money, the raw materials, and the water it took to make it.

The average American throws away 4 pounds of garbage per day. In 1990, it is estimated that Americans will throw away over 1 million tons of aluminum cans and foil, more than 11 million tons of glass bottles and jars, over 4 and a half million tons of office paper and nearly 10 million tons of newspaper. Almost all of this material could be recycled.

Recycling means to make a new product from old materials. Recycling saves large amounts of energy. Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for four hours. Recycling one soda can saves as much energy as if the can were half full of gasoline.

When waste products are recycled, fewer raw materials are used. Americans threw away 35 billion aluminum cans last year - we threw away enough aluminum to build an entire air fleet four times over. Recycling paper reduces the pressure on our forests for wood pulps.


HOME RECYCLING SURVEY
  1. Put X's by the items that go into your garbage.
        
    cans (aluminum and/or tin)
        
    glass bottles
        
    paper
        
    aluminum foil
        
    styrofoam (containers or packaging materials)
     
    cardboard
     
    disposable diapers
     
    plastic containers
     
    newspapers
     
    grocery bags (paper or plastic)
     
    egg cartons
     
    batteries
     
    clothing
     
    catalogs and magazines

  2. Which items (of those listed above) could be recycled - by you or someone else?
    *
    *
    *

  3. Does your town or city have a place to recycle any of these items?
    ____ Yes
    ____ No
    ____ I don't know

  4. Where does your garbage go once it leaves your house? (Draw a picture or explain in words.)
    *
    *
    *

  5. What are the benefits and drawbacks of recycling to your family?

    Benefits:
    *
    *
    *

    Drawbacks:
    *
    *
    *

  6. List five products commonly purchased by your family that produce "instant garbage". They may come packaged in such a way that you throw away packaging as soon as you open them or they may be disposable so that you throw them away after using them only one time. Can you think of any alternatives to these products?

    Instant garbagePossible alternative
    1. 1.
    2. 2.
    3. 3.
    4. 4.
    5. 5.

  7. How does reusing things help the environment?
    *
    *
    *


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