Trash Sorting
What color bin should you use for paper and cardboard recycling?
Blue bin (in most systems). Always check local guidelines, as colors may vary by region.
This greenhouse gas is produced when humans and animals breathe out.
Carbon Dioxide
What are some better materials we can use instead of plastic?
We can use paper, bamboo, or bioplastics (plastics made from plants)
What is an everyday bathroom activity which can waste up to four gallons of water per minute?
Brushing your teeth!
This type of pollution comes from smoke, dust, and harmful gases released into the air.
Air pollution
Which of the following items should NOT go in the compost bin: apple core, paper napkin, plastic wrapper, banana peel?
Plastic wrapper. It's not biodegradable and belongs in the trash (or recycling if it's a recyclable plastic).
This powerful greenhouse gas is released from cow burps and rice fields.
Methane
What are some common environmentally harmful materials, and what alternatives exist for them?
Harmful materials include plastic, concrete, and non-recyclable packaging
In homes, this appliance usually uses the most water, about 30% of indoor water usage.
Toilet
When trash, chemicals, or sewage get into rivers, lakes, or oceans, it causes this type of pollution.
Water Pollution
Why should you rinse containers before putting them in the recycling bin?
To remove food residue and liquids that can contaminate recyclables, causing entire batches to be sent to the landfill.
One major effect of excess greenhouse gases is the rising of this global measurement.
Global warming/global temperature
What is bamboo used for?
Bamboo can be used to make straws, toothbrushes, floors, clothes, and more!
A device which should be used early in the morning or at night to prevent water waste?
Sprinkler
Acid rain forms when certain gases mix with rainwater, often damaging forests and buildings. These gases are mostly called ______.
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide
You have a juice box made of paper, plastic, and aluminum. Where should it go and why is it difficult to recycle?
Trash (in most areas). It's difficult to recycle because it's a composite material (also called a Tetra Pak), which requires special facilities to separate the layers.
There are many factors to the emission of greenhouse gases. What are two factors that contribute to their rise?
Burning fossil fuels (carbon dioxide), livestock farms (methane), landfills release methane, deforestation (reduces emission of oxygen)
What is something cool made from mushrooms?
People make mushroom packaging instead of foam. It can go back into the soil!
A system which collects rain from your roof to reuse later
Rain barrel
This phenomenon occurs when excess nutrients from fertilizers enter water bodies, causing algae blooms that deplete oxygen and kill aquatic life.
eutrophication
Explain the environmental consequences of incorrectly sorting e-waste into regular trash instead of proper hazardous waste collection.
E-waste contains toxic materials like lead, mercury, and cadmium that can leach into soil and water, harming ecosystems and human health. Proper disposal allows for safe handling and recycling of valuable components like metals.
Greenhouse gases absorb and re-emit this type of energy, which contributes to the warming of Earth’s surface.
Infrared radiation
What role do alternative materials play in reducing carbon emissions?
Many emit less CO₂ during production, or reduce the need for fossil fuel. Using them helps cut emissions from landfills and manufacturing.
Only some of the earth’s water is consumable. What percentage of earth’s water is actually consumable?
3% (most of this is frozen in glaciers though!)
This type of persistent pollution involves tiny plastic particles that accumulate in oceans, enter food chains, and are difficult to remove.
Microplastic pollution