Lesson: 3RC (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost)
Contributed by: Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder
Summary |
Engineering Connection |
Contents
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| Grade Level: 4 (3-5) | Lesson #: 5 of 10 |
Lesson Dependency  :None |
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| Keywords: biodegrade, compost, recycle, reuse, environment, trash, waste, integrated waste management, waste reduction | |
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Related Curriculum
| subject areas |
Science and Technology |
| curricular units |
Environment |
| activities |
Composting - Nature's Disappearing Act It's all In the Package |
Learning Objectives (Return to Contents)
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Understand different methods of waste disposal.
- Explain some of the major problems waste disposal causes.
- Explain 3RC (reduce, reuse, recycle, compost).
- Describe the different steps involved in integrated waste management.
- Identify ways engineers are involved in 3RC and solid waste management.
Introduction/Motivation (Return to Contents)
Trash… Did you know that humans and industry produced more than 236 million tons of waste in 2003, which is about 4.4 pounds of trash per person per day? Wow, that's a lot of garbage!
What are some different ways to dispose of trash? (Brainstorm a list of answers with the students. They should mention landfills and recycling centers, but may also have other suggestions, such as dumps, trash cans, compost bins, etc.).Write suggestions on the board.
The most environmentally friendly ways to dispose of trash are to reduce, reuse, recycle and compost. We call these 3RC. These are the first four steps in integrated waste management. This means that you try to reduce the amount of garbage by the first step (reduce) and with what garbage is left, you venture onto the next step (recycle), and so on, until the garbage or waste is all gone. The key is to have barely any waste left when reaching the last step.
There are a total of 7 steps of integrated waste management. (Note: you may want to have a transparency or other classroom copy of the 7 steps already made and available for your reference here; see the 7 Steps attachment.) The 7 steps include (in order): reduce, reuse, recycle, compost, incineration with energy as a result, landfills, and incineration with no energy. Engineers are involved at every step of this process. Can you explain how? What things might engineers do to ensure that very little waste is being handled by the processes in steps 6 and 7? (Answer: By developing better technologies to help with steps 1-5.) What things might you do to ensure that very little waste is being handled by the processes in steps 6 and 7? (Answer: 3RC: reduce, reuse, recycle and compost) In this lesson, you will learn more about how engineers help reduce environmental waste and garbage today.
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Lesson Background & Concepts for Teachers (Return to Contents)
There is no simple, single solution to solid waste management. The current thinking is that it should be an integrated, 7-step process, including the 3RC process (the first 4 steps), incineration (waste-to-energy), landfills, and incineration (no energy production). It is ideal to combine the first 5 of these in such a way as to eliminate — or at least drastically reduce — the amount of waste that has to be dealt with in steps 6 and 7.
7 Steps of Integrated Waste Management
(Steps 1-4 represent the 3RC process discussed in detail in this lesson.)
Step 1 Reduce
As a society, we should make less waste overall. For example, we should consider buying items that have little or no packaging, rechargeable batteries, etc.
Step 2 Reuse
We should reuse items we normally throw away. For example, using paper lunch bags for multiple times instead of throwing them away after just one use.
Step 3 Recycle
We should remember to recycle items that are recyclable (paper and plastic items will have a recycling code stamped on the bottom to tell us if they can be recycled). Also, we can "close the recycling loop" by buying items made from and packaged in recycled materials. We need to continue looking for new ways to recycle currently non-recyclable items.
Step 4 Compost
We should put our yard waste and food scraps either in personal or community compost areas to make humus rich soil.
Step 5 Incineration (waste-to-energy)
We should burn trash and use the heat to produce energy for power plants, etc. This should be done on the industrial scale, not at a personal level.
Step 6 Landfills
We should store any leftover waste in a sanitary landfill to reduce the risk to the environment.
Step 7 Incineration (no energy production)
We can burn trash just to reduce the amount of space it takes up. This is often done on an individual level (outside a single home), but it can also be done on an industrial scale. This type of incineration is really the last resort and should be the last thing that we do as it creates and contributes to many serious environmental hazards.
Engineers are involved at every step of this process. This lesson describes their involvement in steps 1-5. Please see Lesson 4 for engineers' involvement in landfill use.
Vocabulary/Definitions (Return to Contents)
| 3RC: | 3RC is an acronym for Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Compost. |
| Biodegradable: | Substances that can be broken down by natural environmental processes (involving microorganisms) into basic elements like carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water. |
| Composting: | Composting is a process that allows some food, yard and animal wastes to decompose into new soil. Engineers often work to optimize the process so that biodegradation takes place more quickly and efficiently. |
| Hydrapulping: | This is the main process by which aseptic packages are recycled. Water and agitation are used to separate the layers of the packages. |
| Organic: | This term means something that is created from or by living organisms. |
| Recycle: | This is the practice of processing waste and using it as raw material for new products; i.e., making trash into something useful instead of just throwing it out. It is often called "resource recovery" because it is actually recovering and reusing natural resources. |
| Reduce: | Reduce is defined as minimizing the production and consumption of items that are made from new, NOT recycled, materials. Not creating trash in the first place and to lessen in amount, number or other quantity (precycling). |
| Reuse: | To extend the life of an item by using it again, repairing it, modifying it, or creating new uses for it instead of throwing it away. |
Associated Activities (Return to Contents)
- It's All In The Package - Students explore the concept of "reducing" solid waste and how this relates to product packaging. Students read about and evaluate the highly publicized packaging decisions of two major U.S. corporations. They evaluate different ways to package items in order to minimize the environmental impact, while considering issues such as cost, availability, attractiveness, etc. Students explore "hydropulping" and consider its use as a recycling process.
- Composting - Nature's Disappearing Act - Students explore the idea of biodegradability by building and observing a model landfill. This serves as an introduction to the idea of composting. (Note: This activity can be integrated as an extension of Lesson 4 - This Landfill is a Gas Activity.)
Lesson Closure (Return to Contents)
Review the 7 Steps of Integrated Waste Management. Ask the students to describe one way that they could help with solid waste management in their own home or community. Which step does their response relate to (in terms of the 7 Steps of Integrated Waste Management)? Will it help decrease waste for steps 6 and 7? Challenge the class to reduce the trash that they produce and to help one other person reduce their trash as well.
Attachments (Return to Contents)
- 7 Steps of Integrated Waste Management Transparency
- "Recycle Now" Song
- 3RC Homework Math Challenge Worksheet
- 3RC Homework Math Challenge Worksheet - Answers
Assessment (Return to Contents)
Pre-Lesson Assessment
Brainstorming: As a class, have the students engage in open discussion to brainstorm some different ways to dispose of trash. Remind students that in brainstorming, no idea or suggestion is "silly." All ideas should be respectfully heard. Encourage wild ideas and discourage criticism of ideas. Write suggestions on the board.
Post-Introduction Assessment
Question/Answer: Ask the students and discuss as a class:
- After going through each of the 7 Steps of Integrated Waste Management, ask students how engineers are involved in each one.
- Ask what engineers might do to ensure that very little waste is being handled by the processes in steps 6 and 7. (Answer: By increasing technologies to help with steps 1-5.)
- What things might you do to ensure that very little waste is being handled by the processes in steps 6 and 7? (Answer: 3RC: reduce, reuse, recycle, compost)
Lesson Summary Assessment
Performance: Teach the students the "Recycle Now" song (attached). Have each student sing a line until all students have had a chance.
Quick Quiz:
- Ask students to write down what 3RC stands for. (Answer: reduce, reuse, recycle, compost)
- Ask students to describe one way they can be involved in 3RC. (Accept all reasonable answers.)
- Ask students to describe how an engineer can be involved in one of the parts of 3RC.
Homework
3RC Homework Math Challenge: Handout the 3RC Math Challenge Worksheet as a challenge activity for students. Go over answers during the next class period.
Lesson Extension Activities (Return to Contents)
Arrange to teach a younger class about recycling (natural and human). Pair each student with a student in a younger class. Have the older students teach the younger students the "Recycle Now" song.
Share some of the stories in Recycling (Making a Better World), by Gary Chandler and Devin Graham, Kevin (published by 21st Century, 1997).
Try using some of the "Recycle City" activities at the EPA website at: http://www.epa.gov/recyclecity/ Be sure to check out the "Information for Teachers" in the Activities section.
Have your students take the "It's not all garbage!" quiz at EEK (Environmental Education for Kids) at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/notgarbage.htm
Try out some of the activities in "Recycling and Beyond" at http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/index.htm
Check out pictures of Simon Rodia's "garbage sculptures" at http://www.trywatts.com/towers.htm or from books in your library. Mr. Rodia spent 33 years creating garbage sculptures, of which some parts are more than 60 feet tall! Ask students what effect they think Mr. Rodia's efforts had on the surrounding community. How was engineering knowledge useful to him in creating his sculptures? (Note: Encourage students to consider structural and material engineering ideas.) Discuss similar activities in your community.
Invite a local artist/artisan to discuss how they recycle or reuse material in their art or profession.
Make a recycled toy.
Make recycled paper.
References (Return to Contents)
Blashfield, Jean F. and Black, Wallace B. Recycling (SOS Earth Alert), Chicago: Childrens Press, Inc., 1991.
Chandler, Gary and Graham, Kevin. Recycling (Making a Better World), New York, NY: 21st Century, 1997.
Department of Natural Resources, State of Wisconsin, Environmental Education for Kids, "7 Steps to Shrink Your Trash" at: http://www.dnr.state.wi.us/org/caer/ce/eek/earth/recycle/seven.htm
Glencoe Science: An Introduction to the Life, Earth and Physical Sciences, Student Edition, Blacklick, Ohio: Glencoe/McGraw-Hill, 2002.
Sterling, Mary Ellen and Vasconcelles, Keith. Thematic Unit - Ecology (Intermediate), Westminster, CA: Teacher Created Materials, Inc., 1991.
United States Environmental Protection Agency, http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/facts.htm
Woodburn, Judith. Garbage and Recycling, Milwaukee, WI: Gareth Stevens Publishing, 1992.
Contributors
Amy Kolenbrander, Jessica Todd, Malinda Schaefer Zarske, Janet YowellCopyright
© 2005 by Regents of the University of ColoradoThe contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under a grant from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation GK-12 grant no. 0226322. However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the Department of Education or National Science Foundation, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
Supporting Program (Return to Contents)
Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado at BoulderLast Modified: September 26, 2008