Introduction - Section 2
Completion requirements
What types of waste result from human activity?
Targets
At the end of this unit, you should be able to answer the following questions:2. What types of waste result from human activity?
2.1 What is toxic waste?
2.2 How is waste disposed of in your community?
2.3 How can we protect our natural resources?
People produce various kinds of waste. Some waste is biodegradable—natural waste, which is garbage from food such as a banana peel or grass clippings from the lawn. These wastes will decompose naturally. Other waste comes from things that people make, such as packaging, tires, or newspapers, and these wastes can take a long time to decompose. Some may never decompose.
Often, we might not even realize how much waste we make! What about you? What kinds of waste do you make?
Often, we might not even realize how much waste we make! What about you? What kinds of waste do you make?
Video
Watch the video of the book The Lorax by Dr. Seuss as read by Ms. Linda. If you have a copy of the book, you can read it yourself. This book shows a fictional example of what people can do to the world with the waste we produce.
Environmental Connection
Throughout history, people have always produced waste. However, some things have changed that have made our waste more of a problem. The number of people in the world has increased, the way we do things has changed, and technology has become more complex. That means that our world has lots of people, cities, roads, buildings, cars, airplanes, boats, trains, pollution, etc. It is a busy place, and people are able to go just about anywhere, even into space! Unfortunately, that means that the waste and garbage that people produce go everywhere, too.
