Transcript What can we as individuals do about solid waste disposal?

What can we as individuals
do about solid waste
disposal?
How can we reduce the amount of
waste that ends up in our landfills?
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What does it mean to recycle?
 Remove
useful
materials from
waste so that they
can be used
again.
 Materials go
through the
“cycle” another
time.
http://www.rmc.sierraclub.org/rfg/Images/ist2_581051
_green_recycle_symbol.jpg
What can we recycle in Oregon?
Paper:
 Cardboard
 Copy Paper
 Newspaper
 Magazines
 Sticky Notes
Metal:
 Al, Steel or Tin cans
 Pie Tins
Plastic:
 Milk/Juice bottles
 Soda bottles
Glass
Rinse
food from
containers
What cannot be recycled here?
Clothing
 Beverage glasses
 Light bulbs
 Foil type
containers
 Alcohol wipes
 Tissue (Kleenex)

 Styrofoam
products
 Wax-coated
products
 Plastic materials
like take-out trays
& plastic wrap
 Paper towels
What you should know about these
symbols …

Any company can put
these symbols on
their products.
 These symbols do
NOT mean that the
product is recyclable
or that the product
was made of
recyclable material.
http://www.recyclelogos.org/images/recycle-logos-1.jpg
http://www.recyclelogos.org/
What happens to these materials
after being recycled?
 Arrive
at recycling center where they
are sorted.
 Video link showing sorting …
 Each material is sent to a different
buyer where material is processed
and formed into something new.
 For example – Video linking showing
recycled paper being reprocessed
into paper
Types of recycled materials:

Post-Consumer Waste



Material that had another
use and was recycled by
people.
This would be the
material that YOU
recycle.
Pre-Consumer Waste

Material that was
“wasted” in the
manufacture of a product,
but captured for
recycling.
http://www.ecosmartesa.com/PostConsumerWaste.gif
Recycling is not enough …
We must purchase items made of
recycled material.
 For example:






Paper products
Fleece/Clothing made from recycled plastic
bottles
Plastic ware made from recycled plastic
Shoes made from recycled plastic & rubber
Aluminum foil
Even better than recycling …
REUSING material
 Reusing
items greatly
reduces the raw
materials needed to
create them.
 For example, recycled
aluminum takes only 5%
of the energy to process
as non-recycled
aluminum.
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g.uvm.edu/wagn/pre
sent.gif
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can
 Shoebox
 Old pair of jeans
 Old newspapers
 Wrapping paper
 Grocery bag
 Soccer ball
 Old CD or DVD
 Soda bottles
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98/Five_Pocket_Jeans.jpg
 Soup
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How can we reuse common items?
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_packing/image008.jpg
http://www.artsjournal.com/bookdaddy/newspaper.jpg
Reducing packaging by REUSING
materials …
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v/img/sandwich.jpg
Shopping bags
 Lunch bags/boxes
 Food containers
 Water Bottles
Use
reusable
lunch
bags/boxe
s
Reusable
water
bottles
NOT oneuse only
containers
Use
reusable
bags
http://tinytapir.files.wordpress.com/2008/06/ggcatpic_med.jpg
http://pro.corbis.com/images/CB068030.jpg?size=572&
uid=%7BCC691597-CC34-4950-81A82198B57B50B4%7D

Use
reusable
Instead of NOT
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NOT
food
single-use singleplastic
container
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water bottles use
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c%20bag.jpg
s
seuss.com/images/lunch_boxes/seuss_cat_in_the_hat_sof
http://www.auburn.edu/projects/sustainability/newsl
bags
t_sided_lunch_box.jpg
http://blog.craftzine.com/oilclothlunchbag.jpg
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etter/paper-lunch-bag.gif
The best option
… REDUCE

Using fewer
resources
 By purchasing
fewer items
 Reducing
energy use
 Considering
the longevity
of the product
& selecting
those that last
the longest
http://www.dcrp.co.uk/waste.gif
BEFORE purchasing …
 Consider
whether or not you actually need
something
 Consider where the item will eventually go
 Purchase items with less packaging
 Pack your own lunch rather than eating
out
Use less energy
 Using
less energy means reducing fossil
fuel, uranium and water use
 Turn off electronic equipment when you’re
not using it
 Actually walk and bike places
 Take the school bus instead of getting a
separate ride
 Buy locally produced items – it takes less
energy to transport it