Waste Management
Exploration 3

Daily human activity produces waste. Although zero waste is the ultimate sustainability goal, recycling, reuse, and reduction are three strategies for addressing the human impact of waste disposal on the environment. Students will explore waste management strategies in Berlin and the global impact of waste management.

Waste Recycling

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Overview
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How can waste be managed?

Overview

Daily human activity produces waste. Although zero waste is the ultimate sustainability goal, reusing, reducing, and recycling are three strategies for addressing the human impact of waste disposal on the environment.

Present the main problem and inquiry question to students. Ask students to consider what they would need to know to answer the question. Ask students to frame their need to know in the form of a question.

Students will read Exploration 3: Part 1 – Waste Management of the Companion Reader below.

Exploration 3: Part 1 – Waste Management.(PDF, 32 KB)

After the reading, prompt students to discuss the similarities and differences between household waste management in Berlin and household waste management in their community.

Students will read Exploration 3: Part 2 – More about Waste Management in Berlin from the Companion Reader below.

Exploration 3: Part 2 – More about Waste Management in Berlin.(PDF, 38 KB)

To evaluate, students will:

Identify examples of sustainable practices used in waste management.
Explain why their examples represent sustainable practices.
Add examples of sustainability actions that they identified to the Chart of Berlin’s Sustainability Goals.

To investigate, students will:

Research waste management in their community.
Identify examples of sustainable practices.
Evaluate the effectiveness of waste management in their community.

Exploration 3: Activity – Waste Management (PDF, 26 KB)

Students will:

Identify a waste management problem in their school, home, or community.
Develop at least three possible solutions to the problem.
Use scientific principles to evaluate their solutions.

Students should then develop an argument using evidence to support implementation of the solution. Provide examples of arguments for students.

Optional: Invite a community member to come in and speak with the class about waste management in the community.

Students will use the argument that they developed in the activity. They should make a short film highlighting the issue and identifying appropriate solutions. Send the film to local authorities to ask them to make changes for the community.

Provide sentence starters for written and speaking arguments.
Use peer collaboration for research, idea refinement, and development of arguments.
Break writing tasks into chunks that build toward the final piece. Provide example arguments to students as needed.

Explore Germany’s recycling system, Der Grüne Punkt

Bouliane, N. (2018, June 6). How to sort your trash in Germany. Retrieved from allaboutberlin.com/guides/sorting-trash-in-germany
CareerOneStop. (2022). GetMyFuture. Retrieved from www.careeronestop.org/GetMyFuture/default.aspx
CNBC/Reuters. (2018, May 29). European Union moves to ban single-use plastics. Retrieved from www.cnbc.com/2018/05/28/european-union-moves-to-ban-single-use-plastics.html
Der Grüne Punkt. (2018, February 14). Design4Recycling. Retrieved from www.gruener-punkt.de/en/services/design4recycling.html
Der Grüne Punkt. (2017, November 17). A Pioneer of Closed-Cycle Economy. Retrieved from www.gruener-punkt.de/en/company/der-gruene-punkt.html
Koschyk, M. (2018, May 28). Germany’s waste problem: Recycling isn’t enough | DW Retrieved from www.dw.com/en/germanys-waste-problem-recycling-isnt-enough/a-43967997
Lehmphul, K. (2014, January 22). Plastics. Retrieved from www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/topics/waste-resources/product-stewardship-waste-management/plastics
My Next Move. (2022). What do you want to do for a living? Retrieved from www.mynextmove.org
Schulze, C. (2013). Municipal waste management in Berlin [pamphlet]. www.berlin.de/senuvk/umwelt/abfallwirtschaft/downloads/siedlungsabfall/Abfall_Broschuere_engl.pdf
Trenntstadt Berlin. (n.d.). Retrieved from trenntstadt-berlin.de
VerpackG. (2018, June 07). VerpackG auf dem neuesten Stand. Retrieved from verpackungsgesetz-info.de/en/#neuepflichten
World Bank. (2019, April 1). Solid Waste Management. Retrieved from www.worldbank.org/en/topic/urbandevelopment/brief/solid-waste-management
World Bank. (2012, June 6). “What a Waste” report shows alarming rise in amount, costs of garbage. Retrieved from www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2012/06/06/report-shows-alarming-rise-in-amount-costs-of-garbage

Worksheets

Exploration 3: Rubric Sustainability(PDF, 31 KB)
Exploration 3: Part 1 – Waste Management.(PDF, 32 KB)
Exploration 3: Activity – Waste Management (PDF, 26 KB)
Exploration 3: Part 2 – More about Waste Management in Berlin.(PDF, 38 KB)

Explore further units

Renewables: Feldheim
Climate Change: Bremerhaven
Ecosystems: Wadden Sea

Waste Management Exploration 3

Overview

Main Problem/Phenomenon

Engage – Introductory Activity/Hook

Explore – Gathering Information

Explain: Activity – Waste Management

Elaborate – Taking Informed Action

Modifications for Differentiation

Germany Related Learning Goals

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Waste Management
Exploration 3