the delaware estuary: wetland metaphor

wetland metaphor

Objective
to describe wetlands and discuss their importance

Time
?

Materials
pillowcase
bag or box
sponge
small pillow
soap
mixer/eggbeater
small doll cradle
strainer
paper coffee filter
antacid tablets
small box of cereal

What happens to the stuff we throw away? Many of us don't consider what happens after the garbage trucks roll away. In our area, the garbage is dumped in a Landfills can affect the estuary. Toxins and other substances can leak through the soil and end up in the water (much like chemicals from our lawns and gutters do!).

Because so much of a landfill is air between the items we throw away, if we threw away less, then there would certainly be more room in our landfills. Our activity here will help us determine items we throw away that perhaps we shouldn't.

Lesson
Select an item you threw away today. What is the item made of? Which of the following categories would you place your item?

organic (e.g. food)
renewable resource/recyclable (e.g. paper)
nonrenewable resource/recyclable (e.g. aluminum cans)
nonrenewable resource/hard to recycle (e.g. toothpaste)

What happens to the item now that you threw it away?
Where is away?
What is a landfill?
How might the material that your item is made of determine how should dispose of it?

There are other ways of disposing of items rather than placing them in the trash can. List other ways we get rid of things we no longer want or need.

Saving natural resources and reducing the amount of waste we throw away is what we are aiming for. From which category above (1-4) would you buy products? Which category would you try not to buy?

Procedure

Using your markers and masking tape, label each jar with one of the four categories of waste we identified above.
Fill each jar half-full with soil.
Place items that you have previously thrown away in each jar corresponding to the label on each.
Leave the lid off the jars and place away from direct sun and out of your way.

Analysis
In your journal, predict what will happen to each item in each jar.

During the next two to three weeks, observe what happens to each item (if there are any changes) and record in your journal what those are.

How are your predictions holding up?
Is this a realistic model of an actual landfill? Why/why not?

Extension

In your journal, keep a record of what your family buys at the grocery store during its next two trips. Place each item into one of the four categories we have examined.
Discuss with your family what happens to the waste from these items.
Brainstorm with your family which items could be recycled or re-used.
Are there substitutes for items in category 4 from categories 1, 2 or 3? Is this something your family should do?
Are there any items from the grocery lists which could be eliminated?

Assessment
What are renewable and nonrenewable resources? List examples of each.
What does organic mean?
What happens to nonrenewable resources when they are dumped in a landfill?