Today’s TopicPlastic Recycling

Plastics have only been around for 100 years

Saran Wrap was introduced by Dow Chemicals in 1953

Plastic are in cars, computers, phones, homes, hospitals, stores and more!

Plastic is Everywhere Plastic is Everywhere

Source: About.com

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Americans Buy Bottled Water

Americans buy more bottled water than any other country!

We drink an average of 222 bottles of water per person per year or 4 bottles of water every week.

Source: National Geographic Source: Container Recycling Institute© Dmitriy Shironosov | Dreamstime.com

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We Throw Away Plastic

Each day in the United States more than 60 million plastic water bottles are thrown away.

Plastic makes up more than 12% of our garbage.

Overall plastic recycling rate in the United States is only 8%.

Source: Container Recycling Institute

Source: National Geographic

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Recycled Plastics

Recycled plastic can be turned into furniture, decking, carpet, playgrounds, clothing and much more!

Source: Playmart Playground Equipment

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Source: United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Recycled Playground

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TtGNy9ySkqk

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Plastics Never DecomposePlastics Never Decompose

Plastic never Plastic never actually breaks actually breaks down - it just down - it just breaks down breaks down into smaller and into smaller and smaller pieces smaller pieces that cause harm that cause harm to our world to our world

Source: wiki.answers.com

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Plastic Garbage

Over 100 million marine animals die each year due to plastic garbage in the ocean.

Many consume the plastic mistaking it for food.

Read more:Source: Sea Turtle Conservancy

© Eric Hinson | Dreamstime.com

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The Great Pacific Garbage PatchThe Great Pacific Garbage Patch

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8a4S23uXIcM

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Plastic Bags

Every year, the Unted States throws away100 billion plastic bags, which clutter landfills, clog drains, drift in the ocean and fill sea turtle bellies

Ireland, Taiwan, South Africa, Australia, and Bangladesh have taxed or banned them

Source: HowStuffWorks Source: National Geographic News

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Plastic Bottles

Recycling one plastic bottle can save enough energy to power a light bulb for 6 hours.

Source: National Geographic Kids

© Artem Gorohov | Dreamstime.com© Vlad Ivantcov | Dreamstime.com

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Challenge Questions

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1. What are ways that you could immediately take action to reduce your plastic consumption? Think about the things you buy, bring to lunch, what’s in your refrigerator, in your home and in your classroom.

2. How could you encourage others to do the same?3. How is plastic valuable? How is it harmful?

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