INTRODUCTION:  Much of the waste we generate is avoidable. A lot of what we throw away is just empty packaging. Of course, some packaging is useful; it protects products from damage or spoiling, allows them to be stacked, and makes them easier or safer to handle. 

Many product packages are not eco-friendly. Some items come in boxes that are unnecessarily large or are made of materials that are difficult to dispose of in an environmentally friendly manner. 

Why are some products overpackaged? After all sometimes the extra packaging adds to the cost of manufacturing the product.  Could it be to help sell the product? Are there other reasons? 

Additionally, a lot of our waste doesn’t have to end up in the landfill at all. Many things can be recycled, reused, or composted. Have you ever considered the amount of trash you produce, the types of things you’re throwing away, where it all goes? Probably not. 

Our job with this lab is to collect information that’s relevant to you with respect to your waste generation habits and how to make waste reduction part of our habits and lives.  

OBJECTIVE:  To collect and analyze data about waste production and disposal.  To analyze ways to lessen your impact.

PART 1:  Packaging and Purchasing (30pts)

Purpose:  We all know that buying in bulk saves money.  But does it save anything else?  Can it be good for the environment too?  You are going to examine the ratio of carton material (eventual waste) to product quantity, to determine if there are other advantages associated with buying in bulk.

Procedure:

1.  Pick 3 products you use at home that can be purchased in various sizes. If this is not possible click here for product samples.

2.  Take measurements of the products and record in your data table.

3.  Record the additional bolded information in your table.

4.  Use the bolded information for the calculations to complete the rest of the table.  Equations/directions are provided in parenthesis or by the *.

5.  Compare your results for the small vs. large package, and answer the analysis questions in the space provided.

Data (18pts):

* Surface area of packaging:

Surface area is the sum of the areas of each of the sides of the box:  Area of side 1 + Area of side 2 + Area of side 3 + Area of side 4 + Area of side 5 + Area of side 6 (remember:  Area = Length X Width)

Analysis Questions:

1. According to your data, does buying in larger quantities require more or less packaging material per unit measure of the product. (1pt)

2. Do you think this is always the case?  Explain. (2pts)

3. How important is packaging to consumers? What kinds of things do you think the average consumer looks for in packaging? (2pts)

4. Are there ecofriendly alternatives or ways packaging could be changed in general? Can you think of a specific product/brand you use and how it could be changed? (2pts)

5. How easy do you think it is to design or switch to ecofriendly packaging? (1pt)

6. Explain how people could lessen their impact on the environment with their purchasing habits. (2pts)

7. Explain why/how your choices have a large impact on the product market and environment as a result. (2pts)

PART 2:  ZERO GARBAGE DAY!! (30pts)

Purpose: To examine how much waste YOU generate over the course of a day, and to think about (and implement) ways to reduce the amount of garbage you produce.

Procedure (10pts):

1. Each student will collect personal garbage data for 24 hours. Students will either use a plastic bag to collect the garbage and examine the contents at the end of the 24 hour period, or keep a log of everything that is thrown away as it happens over the course of the 24 hour period.

OR you can do the zero garbage option - as in go through 24 hours producing ZERO waste and scroll down for alternative analysis response.

2. If you choose to collect, from when you wake up to when you go to bed for ONE DAY you ARE NOT ALLOWED to use trash cans.  Everything goes into the plastic bag (within reason of course, those items deemed inappropriate for health concerns shoud be recorded before being disposed of properly).

If you choose to record, YOU MUST BE DETAILED, EXACT, AND ACCURATE.

3.  Study the contents of your bag of garbage, or examine the detailed log you made. In the space provided make a categorized list of what’s  there; label it  either recyclable, reusable, biodegradable, or just plain trash. 

4.  Reflect on your experience and answer the analysis questions.

Garbage data (list items and quantities) (6pts):

Analysis Questions:

1.   How many and which items in your garbage bag were recyclable (1pt)?

2.   How many and which items in your garbage bag were reuseable (1pt)?

3.   How many and which items in your garbage bag were biodegradeable (1pt)?

4.   How many and which items in your garbage bag were just trash (1pt)?

5.   DESCRIBE/EXPLAIN thoroughly. How do you feel about the amount of waste you generate over the course of a day (5pts)?  (surprised/not, bad/good, reasonable, knowingly/not, etc.)

6.   Briefly write about 3-5 things you could do to reduce the amount of waste you generate on a day to day basis, how it would help, and the difference it would make (5pts).

Alternative response for zero garbage production: 

Write a DETAILED description of your 24 hours and all the things you specifically did to make no garbage. How difficult was it on a scale of 1-10? DESCRIBE WHY. How easy would this be to do on a regular basis? How do you feel about the zero-garbage experience versus the way you do things on a normal day where you produce trash? What are 3-6 strategies you could adopt on a daily basis to reduce your waste?