1. EcoEd Upper Elementary Research Program April 3 rd, 2014 Presented by Michelle Laura Zeliph

2. What is waste? Waste are items we don’t need and discard. Who produces waste? Individuals Offices Schools Industries Hospitals All living things- but they make a lot less than humans!

3. Liquid Solid Hazardous Organic Recyclable Electronic

4. Where does it go? Solid waste goes primarily to landfills

6. Problems with landfills Running out of space to build new landfills Filling up existing landfills faster than we can build new ones Sometimes they leak and can cause pollution problems Trash in landfills breaks down REALLY slowly!

7. Video Clips Staten Island Landfill Landfill Problems

8. Incineration Waste-to-energy plants Recycling Composting

9. What’s the difference between an incinerator and a waste-to-energy plant? Incinerators Do not create energy Do not always remove hazardous or recyclable materials Cause air pollution Waste-to-Energy Plants Burn waste to create heat Heat used to make steam Steam used to make energy Filters air

10. Only 2% of waste in the U.S. is recycled! Recycling helps us- Conserve natural resources Save energy Protect the environment

11. Composting 40% of our garbage is made up of compostable kitchen and garden waste! Advantage of composting- Composted materials enrich the soil and plants It can be done safely in your own backyard It saves space in landfills by reusing organic materials Closed Loop of Compost

12. Rethink Waste