Robbie’s

three R’s Activity Book

Robbie say’s:

Reduce

Reuse

Recycle This book belongs to:

____________________

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For copies of this activity book contact: North Burnett Regional Council PO Box 390 GAYNDAH QLD 4625 Phone: 1300 696 272 Website: www.northburnett.qld.gov.au Illustrations: Lee Dorahy, North Burnett Regional Council Editing, Design and proofreading: Lee Dorahy, North Burnett Regional Council Information in this publication may be copied for personal use or published for educational purposes only, provided that any extracts are fully acknowledged. Acknowledgement In February 2008, Burnett Inland North Local Government Cluster held an Environmental Kids Expo in Gayndah. Students from Gayndah schools participated in the expo and the competition held that day. The students were asked to create a logo and slogan for the North Burnett Recycling Program. Council thanks the students for their outstanding contributions to the slogans, characters and logo used in this activity book and the Recycling program.

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Contents Introduction 4

Section One: 5

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle 5 Definitions 6 Hidden message from Robbie, Bob and Betty! 7

Section Two: 8

Waste Reduction 8 School Lunchtime Litter Tally 9 Robbie is here to help you reduce your waste!! 10

Section Three: 11

Reuse 11 Grow your own mini herb garden! 12 What can you reuse in your home? 13

Section Four: 14

Recycling 14 What will you do with me? 15 Match up 16 Recycling Projects 17

Section Five: 18

Composting 18 Mini compost recipe 19 Compost at home 20

Section Six: 21

Teachers Resources 21 Answers 22 References 22

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Introduction Thank you for your interest in waste management. Waste is produced by everyone in their daily lives. It consists of unwanted items, remains or byproducts or household rubbish that traditionally we dispose of. This waste can often be reduced, reused or recycled. This activity book focus’s on these three principals of waste management. The principals of waste management start in your hands and often the cycle is completed at your local waste management site. Waste affects our daily lives and has social, economic and environmental impacts, degrading our natural resources. Communities and individuals are taking action to reduce the amount of waste, reuse where suitable and recycle the remaining items. Many innovations mean that we now can reuse or recycle almost everything. Contamination of products limits what can be recycled so it is important to clean and separate items that you put into recycle bins. The aim of this activity book is to help students, the decision makers of tomorrow, begin to learn the principles of waste minimisation and take key messages home to share with family and friends. So lets help the team; Robbie the Recycle bin, Bob the box and Betty the bottle. We hope you find this activity book useful and of course lots of fun.

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Section One:

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Waste Minimisation is a job that is completed by your Local Government called council. Council assists you in disposing of your waste. In the past most waste went to a landfill site. A big hole was dug and then it was filled up with tonnes of waste and covered over with soil. Some waste still goes to land fill, however waste management is changing and now we Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. If we all do this well only a little bit of waste will end up as landfill. When we reduce, reuse and recycle most of our waste goes on to be reused to the benefit of us and we also reduce the negative impacts on the environment. Landfill takes a long time to break down and can sometimes do harm to our environment. ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ means:

• reducing your use of products that draw on precious resources

• re-using things when you can, rather than throwing them away

• recycling what can no longer be used

• buying recycled goods We dispose of material as waste only when we think it is no longer useful or believe it cannot be reprocessed economically. A change by everyone in this thinking can reduce waste significantly.

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Definitions of the three R’s After reading the background information in this activity book you will now understand a bit about recycling and waste management. Test your knowledge by writing a short sentence on what each of the following words mean.

Reduce-

Reuse-

Recycle-

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Hidden message from Robbie, Bob and Betty! Find all the words hidden in the grid. They can be found in straight lines across or down. Arrange the leftover letters to reveal the hidden message.

R G B O T T L E C L E A N E P D B A G U C E A R E S B O O K P C U S S E R C E O W O R M F A R M A I E E C N P P S L D Y R C L O T I U B I N A S E D C L N E S T E R E U S E T F L B O X E S I O R E F U S E C A R E C Y C L E M

Recycle Can Book Clean Steel Reduce Waste Bottle Wormfarm Rinse Lid Compost Plastic Foam Reuse Bin Bag Oil Glass Boxes Paper Refuse

Solution:

R _ _ _ C _, R _ U _ _, R _ _ _ _ _ E

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Section Two:

Waste Reduction The aim is to stop waste before it is produced, and reduce its quantity and toxicity. There is a lot of unnecessary waste created. A lot of this waste comes in excess packaging. We rely on packaging to preserve, protect, store, move and sell goods. We can reduce this unnecessary waste by being careful about the products we buy and how they are packaged. To reduce waste through packaging:

• buy large containers or concentrated products

• buy in bulk (but be careful to buy only what you can use and note the use-by date)

• buy refillable products and avoid single-use disposable packages

• re-use packaging (plastic and paper bags, bottles for storage)

• don’t purchase over-packaged items; contact the manufacturer and state

your reasons for not purchasing these products.

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School Lunchtime Litter Tally At lunchtime get the class to put all their lunchtime litter in piles (or bins) so the class can calculate the details below. Be careful of glass and unclean waste.

Item day 1 day 2 day 3 day 4 day 5 Total soft

plastic

hard

plastic

glass

milk or

juice

carton

cardboard

paper

aluminum

foil

Which was the most common packaging thrown out? What could have been used instead? Which was the least common packaging thrown away? Why do you think this was so? How do you rate your lunchbox in regards to packaging (circle your answer)

Very good Good OK Bad Very bad

What can you do to reduce the packaging that you throw away at lunchtime?

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Robbie is here to help you reduce your waste!! In the boxes provided below draw a picture of an item which has too much packaging. Then draw something you could replace it with. E.g. small packets of chips in another big packet (your mum could buy one big packet and give you a smaller serving of chips in a re-useable container).

Describe why you replaced the first packaging with the second:

In this box draw an item that you can find in your home or classroom that you think has too much packaging.

In this box draw a package or item that could replace the first one with.

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Section Three:

Reuse

Reuse is an important part of waste minimisation. To reuse materials and products again we do not need to use energy or new materials to create a new product, we are simply reusing the original product again for the same use or for a new use. When we reuse materials we avoid the costs associated with recycling or making a new product and minimise demand for landfill space. Reusing materials can be fun and easy. You can reuse many materials from clothing to glass bottles or cardboard boxes. For example you could pass on your jumper that does not fit you anymore to a brother, sister or cousin that will be able to use it. This is reusing a product that may have ended up in the landfill, instead it is now keeping someone else warm.

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Grow your own mini herb garden! Using the materials listed below make your own mini herb garden to reuse a material that you might not use. In 3-4 weeks you will have small plants that you can use to cook with. Items you will need: 2 litre plastic soft drink or milk bottle 1 packet of seeds (Suggestion: seeds of herb such as basil will grow well in a small container) 2 cups of soil Water Method

1. Ask an adult to help you cut the top off the 2 litre plastic bottle.

2. Put the soil in the bottom of your plastic bottle. Fill up to 4 cms from the top

3. Next, sprinkle a few seeds on the soil.

4. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil. No more than 5mm.

5. Gently water the your seeds

6. Remember to water your pot every couple of days

7. Keep your plants in a safe place and out of the harsh drying sun. Put the

container in a partly shaded location where you can watch the plant grow. HINT: Maybe you can use the compost you make on page 19 to help your plants grow.

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What can you reuse in your home? Many materials that end up in your bin at home could be reused. Find five materials that you can reuse at home. Identify what they will replace. Material Use for product What will it replace E.g. Plastic shopping bag

Bin liner

New bin liners brought at supermarket

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Section Four:

Recycling

Once we have made the effort to reduce our waste and reusing materials where possible, the final step in the waste minimisation process is recycling. Recycling recovers materials used in the home or in industry for additional uses. There are many advantages of recycling. These include: Pollution prevention; environmental awareness; natural resource, energy and raw material conservation; and landfill reduction. Community drop-off recycling stations are available in the North Burnett, contact North Burnett Regional Council on 1300 696 272 to receive information on the locations and details on each drop off recycling station.

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What will you do with me? Robbie the Recycle Bin has sent you a secret message. Fill in the names of the items using the clues. The letters in the shaded boxes will reveal the message.

1 S D R B T

2 E C T

3 A M N M C

4 E P J

5 C B D

6 B T

7 S L C 8 M B E

9 B X

Clues

1. I am clear plastic and you drink a sweet fizzy drink out of me.

2. I am made of cardboard and you store eggs in me.

3. I am light, round you drink from me.

4. I had strawberry jam in me.

5. I am flat and come in many shapes, sizes and colours. I am often used to store

and transport things.

6. I can be tall or short and liquids are stored in me.

7. I am silver, round, magnets stick to me and come in many different sizes. I

store food.

8. I store milk.

9. There is more than one of me and I am square. You store things in me.

Secret message: R _ C _ C _ _ M _

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Match up Match up the piece of waste with the correct bin. Note: some bins have more than one piece of waste in them.

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Recycling Projects Now that you are more familiar with waste minimisation and recycling, it is time for you to do some of your own research and share this information with your peers and families. Project One: Research and Poster Presentation Choose a topic on waste management and recycling. Research this topic and present it on a poster to your class. Possible topics; History of recycling in Australia Recycling in your town How to recycle Innovations and new technology for recycling Recycling at home Project Two: Verbal Presentation Develop a Waste Recycling Plan for your classroom or your school. Complete this Project in a small group of 2 or 3 students. Your plan can include; any of the following and should be consistent with recycling in your town. A plan for your classroom, or; A plan for your school Can include one recyclable (For example just recycling paper), or; many recyclables (example steel, glass, plastic bottles and paper) Present your plan to your class or the whole school at assembly. Research suggestions School Library Public library Internet Contact your local council

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Section Five:

Composting

Composting is a cheap and hygienic method of turning kitchen and garden waste into clean-smelling material for use as soil conditioner or mulch. Composting reduces the amount of rubbish we throw away, decreases the need for landfill sites and as a bonus provides a soil conditioner for our gardens. Using compost in your garden:

• returns to the soil, nutrients which would otherwise be lost • improves soil structure

• Increases water-holding capacity

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Mini compost recipe Using the recipe below make your own mini compost to see how the process works. In 6 to 8 weeks your compost should be beautiful rich soil. Take it home to add to your favorite plant. Ingredients

2 litre plastic soft drink or milk bottle

A handful of small twigs and leaves

2 cups of food scraps

1 cup water

2 cups of soil

A fork to stir your mini compost

Method 1. Ask an adult to help you cut the top off the 2 litre plastic bottle. Use the piece

you have removed as a lid 2. Put a thin layer of soil in the bottom of you plastic bottle 3. Next, add another thin layer of twigs and food scraps. HINT: If you cut up

your scraps into smaller pieces, it will speed up the composting process. 4. To keep your compost moist, add some water. Just enough to make it damp. 5. Continue to add different layers of soil as well as your garden and food

scraps until your bottle is ¾ full. 6. Remember to continue adding water to keep your mini compost damp and

most importantly. Stir it with you fork regularly.

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Compost at home Bettie and Bob are here to help you make a compost at home. Now that you know how composting bins work. Design a big compost bin that you can use at home, so you can compost all your garden and kitchen scraps. Draw your design in the compost bin below. Don’t forget to use all the ingredients. Refer to page 19 for suggestions.

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Section Six:

Teachers Resources North Burnett Regional Council www.northburnett.qld.gov.au 1300 696 272 Environmental Protection Agency QLD www.epa.qld.gov.au/environmental_management/waste Planet Ark www.planetark.org Reduce Your Rubbish www.reducerubbish.govt.nz

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Answers Page Answers

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Dictionary definition: Reduce- to bring down to a smaller size, amount or number Reuse- to use again Recycle- to treat or process (used or waste materials) so as to make suitable for use.

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Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

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Recycle Me 1. soft drink bottle 2. egg carton 3. aluminium can 4. empty jar 5. cardboard 6. bottle 7. steel can 8. milk bottle 9. boxes

References Landcare Queensland brochure ‘ Reduce, Re-use, Recycle’ Planet Ark website EPA Wastewise

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