Lesson1:Litter Is Waste Out of Place

Objectives: Students will pick up litter and discuss what it is, why it is where it is, where it comes from, and suggest some methods to control it. Litter is a waste material that escaped from the waste handling system. Litter is man-made or man-used material.

Subjects: Social Studies, Science, Math, Home Economics

Methods: There are seven main places in our community where waste materials are most apt to escape:

1. Home garbage cans

2. Business and commercial garbage cans and dumpsters

3. Trucks with loads improperly tied down or covered

4. Construction or demolition sites

5. Loading docks and commercial storage areas

6. Materials thrown, dropped, or blown from cars

7. Materials thrown or dropped by pedestrians

Most people think of litter as coming from motorists and pedestrians. Many people are too quick to blame children and young adults for all litter problems, but the problem can come from many places in our community.

Procedure:

1. Discuss where litter comes from. Ask: What is litter? Why is there litter? Where might you find litter? How can you and your family help prevent litter?

2. Bring in examples of different types of litter, identifying the location where the litter was found.

3. Have the children save their lunch sacks or bring a grocery sack from home. Take the children for a walk around the playground and the neighborhood, picking up human-made litter. Teachers record items and where they were found. On returning to the classroom, have the children empty their trash collections onto pieces of newspaper. Have each child talk about where each piece was found. Ask: What might have caused litter in that place? Why? How? Make a list of responses on the chalkboard. Have the children categorize the litter according to types of material and discuss whether it can be reused or recycled.

4. Have the children make a list of who, besides themselves, can prevent litter in their neighborhood and school. Students may want to make a map of the neighborhood, including the school grounds, indicating where the litter receptacles are located. After discussion, the children could indicate on their maps where they think litter receptacles should be located.

5. Many communities are recognizing the sources of litter and are developing program and educational material to teach people how to keep waste materials from escaping and becoming litter.

Home garbage - Use only trash containers with tight fitting lids. Paper or plastic bags can be opened by animals. Trash cans without lids or with loose lids can be knocked over by animals and the wind can move the trash several blocks, or even miles.

Business trash - Tight, closed lids and even locks are sometimes needed.

Truck loads - If loads are not tied down, many dangerous materials fall or are blown from the truck. Air pressures increase as trucks drive faster. Loose material is blown out of truck beds. Many people don't think about putting on tarps and some don't know that they are accidentally losing their load. Roads to the dumps are easy to follow because of all the litter along the roadway.

Construction and demolition sites - Fences around construction sites keep materials from blowing out into the neighborhood. Putting waste materials into proper containers and tarping truck loads keep construction sites clean and construction and demolition materials off our roads.

Loading docks - Keeping storage bins or dumpster tops closed and the area clean keep this material in place and away from the rest of the neighborhood.

Motorists - Car litter bags and litter containers at rest areas, gas stations, and fast food stores are both important to controlling auto littering.

Pedestrians - Sidewalk litter receptacles and good habits help control this source of litter.