Math Project:

The Benefits of Recycling

Most communities across the country have recycling programs. In

many, newspapers, glass, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles are
collected and transported to recycling centers where they can be
processed and used again in some for or another. While recycling
has been supported from the beginning by environmentalists, on-
ly in recent years have the true benefits of recycling been real-
ized.
Goal: Research recycling to determine who or what benefits
from recycling programs. Write a one-page summary of your con-
clusion and present your findings to your family and or class. Sug-
gested time:
6-8 hours over a two week period.
Math Skills to Highlight:
1. Using data as a basis for making decisions about recycling
2. Analyzing and simplifying numbers to choose an appropriate
scale for a graph
3. Reading and creating graphs, tables, and /or charts
4. Using math and writing as a means to communicate ideas
 Math Project:
The Benefits of Recycling

Special Materials / Equipment:

Reference books and articles about recycling; markers; felt-tipped
pens; poster paper; rulers; compasses; protractors; scissors;
paste; tape. Optional: Computer and printer to produce spread-
sheets, graphs, and tables.

Development:
Before beginning this project, talk about recycling with your chil-
dren. If your community is like most through out the country, it
has recycling programs and your students will be familiar with
them. Most people assume that recycling is beneficial. But who
actually benefits and in what ways? At the very least, recycling
programs reduce stress on the environment by cutting the de-
mand for natural resources. In addition, recycling programs create
jobs {recycling companies have become thriving businesses}, save
money and spur the development of new technologies.
 Math Project:
The Benefits of Recycling

 For this project, focus on the main areas of recycling—

newspapers, glass, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. While
some communities also recycle tings like grass clippings and
used motor oil, information on the first four will be easier to
find.
 Be sure they understand what they are to do. Point out that
students should concentrate their research efforts not only on
the benefits recycling offers people, but also its benefits for the
environment.
 Mention that this project is quite broad, and that there maybe
many different conclusions. Finding should be supported with
facts.
 Make sure to give students ample time at the library or online
to research and reserve books on recycling.
 Encourage students to spend some of their own time research-
ing.

Wrap-Up: Student present their findings to the family, or class.

 Math Project:
The Benefits of Recycling
Student Handout

The Benefits of Recycling

Situation/ Problem:
Most communities across the county maintain recycling programs in which
newspapers, aluminum cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles are recycled. Most
people assume recycling is beneficial. But who actually benefits? For example,
does recycling reduce stress on the environment? Does it improve the quality of
life for people? Does it create new jobs, save money, or promote the development
of new technology?
For this project, you will attempt to answer the question: What are the benefits
of recycling? You will write a one-page summary of your conclusion, and then pre-
sent your finding to your family.
Possible strategies:
1. Tasks will include researching, analyzing and organizing information, creating
materials such as graphs, posters, and other displays to support your conclu-
sions to your family.
2. After gathering research, analyze your information and draw conclusions.
 Math Project:
The Benefits of Recycling
Student Handout

The Benefits of Recycling

Special Considerations:
 During research, look for the benefits recycling offers to people, companies,
and the environment. Support your findings with facts.
 Keep an accurate list of your sources by suing a standard bibliographical for-
mat. Specific page numbers where information was found should also be noted
Your English text or a writers stylebook has information on bibliographies.
 After you have gathered all your information, analyze it and make conclusions
about the benefits of recycling. Explain your conclusions in a one-page sum-
mary. Your summary should contain three parts— an opening in which you pro-
vide your results, a body which offers details supporting your results, and a
closing in which you reemphasize the main point of your summary.
 Illustrate your results with graphs, charts, tables, or posters.
 If you have access to computers, consider using them to create graphs and ta-
bles from speadsheets.
 Consider how you will present your findings. Rehearse your presentation so
that you are able to conduct it smoothly. Be ready to answer questions.
 The Benefits of Recycling

Some FUN Facts about Recycling

Student Handout
* Each person creates about 4.7 pounds of waste every single day
* In the US 33.4% of solid waste is either recycled or composted, 12.6% is
burned in combustion facilities and 54% makes it's way into landfills
* In 2007 99% of lead acid batteries were recycled, 54% of paper and paper-
board were recycled, 64% of yard trimmings are recycled and nearly 35% of met-
als were recycled
* The amount of recycling in 2007 saved the energy equivalent of 10.7 billion
gallons of gasoline and prevented the release of carbon dioxide of approximately
35 million cars
* The number of landfills in the US are decreasing while their size is increasing.
In 1998 there were 8,000 landfills but only 1,754 in 2007
* Each ton of mixed paper that is recycled can save the energy equivalent to
185 gallons of gasoline
* Approximately 8,660 curbside recycling programs exist in the United States
* There are about 3,510 community composting programs in the United States
* Disposal of waste to landfills has decreased from 89% in 1980 to 54% in
2007
* Recycling 1 ton of aluminum cans conserves the equivalent of 1,665 gallons
of gasoline
* In 2007 the United States recycled and composted 85 million tons of the 254
million tons of municipal solid waste created