Study Guide for Waste in Our World
Can you do the following …
Identify plant (leaves, logs) and animal (hair, poop, nails) wastes
and describe how they decompose in nature (decomposers,
producers and consumers)
Describe alternative methods of disposal and advantages of each
(landfill, recycle depot, eco station, thrift store/ donate)
What things are biodegradable and what types of things are not?
Name a few of each.
Compare different kinds of packaging. What are advantages and
disadvantages of packages we use?
Identify how we get rid of waste in our community.
Identify kinds of wastes that may be toxic to people and to the
environment (explosive, corrosive, poisonous and flammable).
Name a few examples if hazardous (dangerous) waste we have
in our homes (paint, hairspray, drain cleaner …)
How can we decrease the amount of waste we produce?
(using both sides of a sheet of paper, buying things with less
packaging)
Use our study guide from our
mini-test to help you study as
well!
Questions to help you study…
1. What are some ways that you can minimize the amount of
waste you create?
-
Reduce, reuse and recycle
-
Donate clothing, used books and toys to shelters and thrift stores before
you throw them away
-
Buy only one of an item, do not buy 2
2. What is toxic waste? List some examples of toxic waste
-
Toxic waste are harmful substances (usually chemicals) that are harmful to
yourself and the environment.
Examples are:
-pesticides
-chemicals
- dirty oils, used oils
-paint thinners
These need to be handled by adults only. They can be taken to ecostations.
3. As a consumer, what should you be looking for in a product
(hint-what will help reduce the amount of waste you
create?)
-less packaging
-packaging that is recyclable and/or compostable (cardboards and paper
products are best- plastic can be recycled, but its not decomposable, so
dispose of it PROPERLY)
-packaging that you can have a use for other things (margarine containers,
plastic containers)
4. What does biodegradable mean? What are some examples of
things that are biodegradable?
-biodegradable means that something is able to break down (or decompose)
Examples of biodegradable items are:
-paper and cardboard
-fruits and vegetables
-meat (stinky!)
-cotton clothing
-untreated wood
- animal poop, hair and nails
5. What does reduce, reuse, and recycle mean?
REDUCE- making less waste! You can donate clothing, reuse items or compost
them (if they can be composted), for example
REUSE- reusing items for something else. Examples: using plastic containers
from margarine or yogurt for art projects, to store other foods, donating
clothing and used toys or giving them to someone else
RECYCLE-collecting items that can be used to recreate items. For example,
collecting plastic bottles to melt down and form new plastic bottles, collecting
paper to use to create new paper
6. What are the following things: decomposer, consumer,
producer (think back to plants for this word **)
Decomposer: organisms that cause the breakdown and decay of dead plants and
animal matter.
Producer: In nature, an organism that is capable of producing its’ own food.
Consumer:
1. In nature: any organism that cannot produce its’ own food.
2. In society: anyone that uses what is produced by that society.
7. What is the difference between a landfill and a dump? Why
are landfills better for the environment?
A landfill is a place where people dispose of garbage only (all of the
recyclables, compostable items and things that can be reused and disposed of
properly).
A dump is where everything is put into the hole in the group (recyclables, toxic
items, compostable items, reusable items, everything)
8. What do worms do to help the environment (think of our
compost box in the classroom)?
-worms, along with bugs and other decomposers help to break down
(decompose) organic matter and return nutrients back to the soil. They help is
in our classroom by breaking down our compostable lunch items in our compost
bin.
9. Why is it important to talk to people and make plans to keep
our planet healthy? (class meetings handout)
-
With cooperation and brainstorming come great ideas to save our
environment. When we work together, we can save the earth and the
environment together.
10.
What are some different plant and animal wastes and
how are they recycled in nature?
PLANT WASTES
ANIMAL WASTES
Potato peelings- decomposed by
Poop- decomposed by worms and bugs,
worms and bugs, eventually becomes
eventually becomes soil
soil
Apple cores- decomposed by worms
Hair- breaks down, eventually
and bugs, eventually becomes soil
becomes soil
Grass clippings-break down
Nails- breaks down, eventually
(decompose) by worms and bugs,
returns back to the soil!
eventually becomes soil
11. List some human wastes. (think about the wastes that you make).
-fast food packaging
-poop
-waste water
-old toys and clothes
-food waste (crusts from bread, apple cores, banana peels, etcetera)
12.
How do you dispose of things properly and safely?
a. Waste in your house- dispose of it properly and wash your hands
afterwards. If you are uncomfortable handling something, ask an
adult to help you.
WASTE IN OUR COMMUNITY
b. BE CAREFUL- not everything that people throw away should be
picked up by you (ex. Needles, glass, sharp objects). If you see
these objects TELL AN ADULT. DO NOT PICK IT UP. The adult
will find a way to dispose of it properly and safely.
c. PROTECT YOURSELF! Wear gloves, long sleeve t-shirts, proper
footwear and long pants if you are helping with community cleanup. Your HEALTH and SAFETY is more important than that piece
of garbage.
TOXIC WASTES
d. Toxic wastes are chemical wastes such as gas, oil, chemicals from
factories, pesticides and poisons. DO NOT pick them up. They
need to be disposed of by an ADULT at a local toxic waste dropoff
e. WESTLOCK has a toxic waste drop-off at the bottle depot.
IMPORTANT WORDS: THESE ARE IN YOUR SCIENCE GLOSSARY
Waste
Consumer
Recycle
Biodegradable
Producer
Disposal
Compost
Reduce
Decomposer
Reuse
SOURCE MATERIAL: things that we use to make an object (plastic, wood, metal)
TOXIC: harmful substances (usually chemicals) that are harmful to yourself and the
environment
PRODUCT: the things that we consume (food, toys, clothes, etcetera)