WORKSHEET: REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE     WORKSHEET: REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE   Throughout the world, disposing of trash has become an increasingly critical issue as populations increase and disposable goods increase

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WORKSHEET: REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE

 

 

WORKSHEET: REDUCING LANDFILL WASTE

 

Throughout the world, disposing of trash has become an increasingly critical issue as populations increase and disposable goods increase. In addition, much of the waste produced is non-biodegradable and/or deposited in such a way as reduces its ability to be decomposed. With available space for the burying of trash decreasing, it behooves us to seek out alternatives to the creation and disposal of waste.

The Reduce, Reuse, Recycle campaign is one of these alternatives that focuses on the consumer’s approach to waste. First, reducing the production of waste by making more sustainable choices. One example would be using permanent flatware and dishes instead of disposable ones. A second focus of this campaign is the reuse of items. One popular idea is to reuse plastic containers such as margarine tubs for storing leftovers, etc. Finally, recycling encourages the taking of waste items and refashioning them into new objects. Coke cans recycled into new aluminum cans, paper recycled into new paper products.

Many of us attempt to do all of these but are limited to a great degree by available programs. Not everything can be recycled, and there are problems with most recycling programs. With this assignment, you will assess your ability to recycle and think about ways to reduce your production of waste.

I. Garbage assessment: Collect a day’s worth of trash from your home. Weigh it. Record that weight here:

II. Go through and tally the items using the following table.

Table 1: Itemized garbage items.

Category	Amount	Approximate weight	Multiply by 365 (year’s worth)	Recyclable/ compostable?
Glass
Plastic
Wood
Paper	Magazines, advertisements, Coated paper
	Plain white paper
	Napkins, paper plates, tissues, hygiene items, etc.
Food scraps
Metal
Miscellaneous	List:

 

III. Assessment

A. What percentage of your trash is potentially recyclable or compostable? To calculate this, take the total weight of the categories you determined were recyclable and divide it by the total weight of the garbage. SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS.

 

B. Did you find any items that could potentially have been reused? If so, why were they not reused?

 

 

C. What is the total weight of trash that you produce that goes into the landfill every year? SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS.

 

D. Research the population of your community. If everyone in your community produces the same amount of landfill waste as you, what is your community’s yearly contribution to the landfill? SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS. *STATE YOUR COMMUNITY POPULATION SIZE HERE

 

E. What percentage of this could be eliminated simply by recycling and/or composting? SHOW YOUR CALCULATIONS.

 

F. What are some potential solutions to the landfill problem in your area?