Have you ever wondered if the new “green” product you just bought is really better for the
environment than the older version? What makes it “green” or “greener” than other
products on the market? Just how much of an impact do we have on the environment?
Assignment:
You and two of your classmates are charged with taking on the roll of investigative journalists.
Your editor, Mr. Greenway, wants you to research a product, “green” product, or industry to
uncover the truth about how environmentally friendly, or unfriendly, the item or process is.
Mr. Greenway wants you to create a Power Point presentation to share your findings with the rest of the
investigative journalists that work for him. He has provided a list of suggested topics; however, if you
have interest in an area that he has not included, you are welcome to pursue that option. You MUST
clear the topic with his assistant editor Mr. Pollitt to make sure that it is acceptable.
The Process:
1. Sign up for an option in your group of three
2. What you MUST include
A) 10-15 Slides about you product or industry. Enough to compile a 7-10 minute presentation.
B) At least 10 pictures/images to help show how your product or industry works
C) Points on slides should answer the questions who, what, where, how, and what are the
possible impacts? about your product.
D) Conclusion should answer the question: Is this product or industry harmful to the
environment? Is the manufacturer trying to make the product more environmentally friendly?
E) Please provide at least two sources for this project.
3. Sign up for a presentation time. All groups must present their findings to Mr. Greenway and the
rest of the reporters, or you will not get paid for your work!
4. Email your final product to Mr. Pollitt so it will be ready for you to present on your given day
PRESENTATIONS WILL TAKE PLACE ON DECEMBER 1st
& 2nd in room 215
spollitt43@gmail.com
Suggestions for Presentation:
1. Examine a product from design to dumpster. What materials are used to make the product? Where
and how is it made? After it has gone through its lifecycle, where will it end up? Can it be recycled?
Reused?
2. Compare a new “green” product with one made 10-40 years ago. What are the differences in
materials used to make the product? Is it recyclable? Can it be reused? What is the impact on the
environment?
3. Study an industry to see if the way they are operating is environmentally sustainable. What impact
does the industry have on the environment? Could it be less harmful? Are there alternatives we could
use that would be friendlier to the environment?
4. Is it more cost effective to treat the environment well? Is it more expensive to clean up the mess we
make, or is it better to not make the mess in the first place? What effect does the product have on human
health?
Project Options:
1. Cars: We use them everyday, they are all around us- but how much do we really know about them?
How green are the new car technologies? Electric, hybrids, super fuel efficient gasoline cars? Are
there new materials that are more sustainable being used to manufacture cars? How are cars
recycled? These are just a few of the questions you could consider. Pick one.
2. Household Products: There are thousands of products out there for household cleaning purposes.
Pinesol, Mr. Clean, Vim, Tide, Clorox etc. Research the down stream impacts these products can
have on the environment (what happens after they go down the drain?) Are products that are
advertised as “green” less harmful to the environment? Are there regulations as to what can be
labeled “green” or organic?
3. Agriculture (Land): Where did that banana come from? How about the bag of chips you just ate, or
the steak you ate for dinner last night? How about that fair-trade coffee? There are literally
thousands of options under this heading. Your group could examine the impacts of fertilizers or
pesticides on the surrounding ecosystem. What are GMO’s and what impact can these products have
on human health?
4. Agriculture (Aquatic): Examine the impact of human actions on certain marine populations. How
has over fishing impacted populations? (Focus on a specific species. Think about how this could
impact other species either above of below this organism on the food chain). What are fish or
shrimp farms? Do they have negative effects on the environment? Could there be long term
consequences for human health?
5. Heavy Industrial Processes: Oil sands, deep sea drilling, open pit mining, plastic production,
disposal of industrial waste, oil refineries, metal forgery, fertilizer production. What is the process?
What are the harmful, or helpful byproducts?
6. Electronics: Where did that phone, camera, computer, iPod or television come from? What is it
made of? Are there hazardous byproducts produced during the manufacturing process? What
happens at the end of the phone’s life? Where does it go? Can it be reused or recycled?
7. Plastic Drink Containers: Take a closer look at the long term impact of our love affair with plastic
beverage containers. How are they made? What harmful effects do they have on human health?
What is their impact on the environment after they have served their function? What are the
alternatives?
The following list is provided to help you in your search for useful and reliable internet sources for
your Green Machine Project. Remember you must have at least two sources. Remember also that
the school library has a large collection of books to help you. The public library can also be a very
useful tool in your search for information.
http://www.environmentfriendly.ca/index.html Excellent site for a wide range of topics listed above. A
must see.
http://www.madehow.com/index.html Use the alphabetic subsections to search detailed info about the
processes involved in manufacturing the product. Includes info on recycling and environmental impact.
http://science.howstuffworks.com/ Good site for finding out how things work….go figure.
http://earth911.com/ Good site for researching how different products are recycled
http://www.toxicfreecanada.ca/ Interesting site for researching ideas
http://www.greenpeace.org/canada/en/ Great site for finding out about current environmental issues
http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/water-education/quality-water-filtration-method.htm Good for
examining water filtration processes and possible contaminants
Citation Style APA format:
To review correct APA style formatting, refer to the library website
http://reynoldslibrary.weebly.com/reference-list-format.html
See Mr. Pollitt if you have problems finding or accessing the page.