Lesson 4.1 - Why So Much Waste?

Canadians produce very much waste.  Not all the waste we throw into the garbage should be thrown away, however.  For example, pop cans should be recycled because much less energy is required to recycle a pop can than to produce one from aluminum ore.  The energy that is saved from each recycled pop can will power a television for two hours. Also, aluminum is a non-renewable resource.

Much waste is brought to landfill sites.  This is not just dumping the garbage into a hole.  Plastic liners have to be installed at "the dump" to prevent toxic materials from reaching the water supply.  As well, any water that may leach through the garbage must be treated at a waste water treatment plant because all kinds of hazardous chemicals could be in the garbage. 

Read Why So Much Waste? on page 302 in the textbook. Then, answer the following questions.

 

Question 1. If 50 people each recycled a pop can instead of throwing it away, how many hours could a television be on with the resulting energy savings?

Question 2. Answer Reading Check on page 302 of your textbook.

Question 3. Answer question 1 of Check Your Understanding on page 303 of your textbook.

Check your answers with those that follow.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Answers to Questions:

Question 1. If 50 people each recycled a pop can instead of throwing it away, how many hours could a television be on with the resulting energy savings?

Because recycling one can will save enough energy to run a television for two hours, then recycling 50 pop cans could keep a television running for 100  hours with the energy that is saved.

Question 2. Answer Reading Check on page 302 of your textbook.

A landfill site is a place where garbage can be dumped and which was prepared in such a way as to prevent the materials in the garbage from harming the environment.

Question 3. Answer question 1 of Check Your Understanding on page 303 of your textbook.

1.    Where garbage goes after it is thrown out depends on where you send it.  For example, you may send it to a landfill site, or it may go to a recycling plant, or it may go into a compost bucket.  After this point, several routes are possible such as a recycling factory or fertilizer, depending on what happened at the earlier step.

 


Go to the next page to continue Lesson 4.