Lesson Description:
Students at all grade levels can use the Eco-facts in the procedures section below to make posters. The posters should accurately reflect the eco-fact while still being creative and engaging. The actual fact should be displayed on the poster.

Eco-fact: for every ton of paper that is recycled, rather than thrown in the trash, seventeen trees are saved.

Procedure:
Students can design posters to display the eco-facts below. Posters should have a clear title and state the fact.

• Americans throw away enough plastic bottles each year to circle the earth four times.
• Every hour, we throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles (22 billion plastic bottles per year).
• Five recycled plastic bottles make enough fiberfill to stuff a sky jacket.
• Recycling 1 glass bottle saves enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for 4 hours.
• Enough energy is saved each year by recycling steel to supply Los Angeles with electricity for almost 10 years.
• A 12-foot high wall could be built from NYC to Los Angeles with all of the office and writing paper thrown out in the U.S. each year.
• Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees.
• Every Sunday, the U.S. wastes nearly 90% of all the recyclable newspapers. This wastes about 500,000 trees.
• One tree can filter up to 60 pounds of pollutants from the air each year.

Adaptations:

• This can be a class project, partner project, or independent project.

Extensions:

• Nothing fosters creativity like a contest! This activity could be a contest with prizes for various categories, such as, most creative, most mathematical, most humorous.
• See the waste reduction lessons for each grade in the national green week curriculum section. More detailed activities regarding waste reduction is presented in these grade levels cross curriculum lessons. Click here then choose the desired grade. Finally, click on “reduce your trash” lesson in the list of lessons for that grade.

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Lesson Type:

• Project

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Sustainability Topic:

• Energy
• Waste Reduction

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GEF Program Category:

• Green Energy Challenge

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