Cycling Back to Nature Presented by: Jeannie Mueller

Aluminum cans rather than glass bottles Plastic instead of paper bags Styrofoam packing to protect food Convenient water bottles rather than water from a faucet

A Little History… 1964 Royal Crown Cola bottles soda in cans 1964 Royal Crown Cola bottles soda in cans 1970 First Earth Day 1970 First Earth Day Recycle symbol Recycle symbol Plastic bags (1 st introduced in 70’s) now account for four out of every five bags handed out at the grocery store. Plastic bags (1 st introduced in 70’s) now account for four out of every five bags handed out at the grocery store.

Soy ink used successfully in printing newspapers (95% now use) Soy ink used successfully in printing newspapers (95% now use) 1990 – McDonalds bows to consumer demand and environmental groups and begins phasing out polystyrene packaging 1990 – McDonalds bows to consumer demand and environmental groups and begins phasing out polystyrene packaging in favor of paper in favor of paper 1990s - Hand held cell phone and the disposable plastic water bottle 1990s - Hand held cell phone and the disposable plastic water bottle

Aluminum Cans It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than to create it from raw materials. It takes 95% less energy to recycle aluminum than to create it from raw materials. Recycling one can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours or a Recycling one can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours or a 100-watt light bulb for four hours. 100-watt light bulb for four hours. Recycling 40 cans conserves the same energy as one gallon of gasoline. Recycling 40 cans conserves the same energy as one gallon of gasoline.

Plastic Bags   Estimates say that somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.   Americans use 100 billion plastic shopping bags a year -- that’s more than 330 a year for every person in the country.   A plastic bag can take as long as 1,000 years to break down in a landfill.

Water Bottles 1.5 million barrels of petroleum are used to produce plastic water bottles in the U.S. each year. This is enough oil to heat 250,000 homes or provide gas for 100,000 cars for a year 1.5 million barrels of petroleum are used to produce plastic water bottles in the U.S. each year. This is enough oil to heat 250,000 homes or provide gas for 100,000 cars for a year 86% of water bottles are land- 86% of water bottles are land- filled, incinerated or littered filled, incinerated or littered

Paper/Styrofoam About 14% of land-fill content is newspaper; paper in packaging another 15-20% About 14% of land-fill content is newspaper; paper in packaging another 15-20% 1960s newspapers still readable 1960s newspapers still readable 35 of every 100# of trash is paper 35 of every 100# of trash is paper A ton of recycled paper saves 7,000 gallons of water and trees A ton of recycled paper saves 7,000 gallons of water and trees 2508 – plastics and Styrofoam might still be around 2508 – plastics and Styrofoam might still be around

Talking Trash… Talking Trash… Americans generate about #4 pounds per day per person of trash – 600,000 tons per day or 210 million tons per year Americans generate about #4 pounds per day per person of trash – 600,000 tons per day or 210 million tons per year Almost twice as much as most other major countries Almost twice as much as most other major countries How is trash handled How is trash handled 27% recycled or composted 27% recycled or composted 16% burned 57% buried

Cycling Back to Nature

Compost Recipe Ingredients Air Air Water Water Brown Stuff – dead dried plant parts like leaves and pine needles (carbon) Brown Stuff – dead dried plant parts like leaves and pine needles (carbon) Green Stuff – fresh living parts like grass clippings, kitchen vegetable scraps, and other plants (nitrogen) Green Stuff – fresh living parts like grass clippings, kitchen vegetable scraps, and other plants (nitrogen)

Build the Compost Pile Brown Stuff Dried leavesDried leaves Pine needlesPine needles NewspaperNewspaper SawdustSawdust Brown Stuff Dried leavesDried leaves Pine needlesPine needles NewspaperNewspaper SawdustSawdust Green Stuff Food scrapsFood scraps Grass clippingsGrass clippings Coffee groundsCoffee grounds Green Stuff Food scrapsFood scraps Grass clippingsGrass clippings Coffee groundsCoffee grounds

Don’t Use Meat Meat Bones Bones Cheese Cheese Pet Droppings Pet Droppings Milk Milk Fats Fats Oils Oils Diseased plants Diseased plants

Soil + Water Add the Soil Use garden soil not potting soil since garden soil contains the microorganisms needed to break down the ingredients into humus Sprinkle with Water Mixture should be kept moist but not soggy! but not soggy!

Finished Compost Dark, earthy smelling Dark, earthy smelling Rich in nutrients Rich in nutrients Teaming with living things Teaming with living things Use as a potting mix Use as a potting mix Use as a mulch Use as a mulch

Reasons Not to Compost It's too much work. (Mowing the lawn and washing the car are work, too, but we choose to do these activities because they're satisfying - so is composting! And composting has a positive impact on the environment, which can make us feel good.) It's too much work. (Mowing the lawn and washing the car are work, too, but we choose to do these activities because they're satisfying - so is composting! And composting has a positive impact on the environment, which can make us feel good.) You'd have to run outside every time you eat an apple or peel a potato. (Just place the scraps into a plastic container with a lid. Keep the container in or under the kitchen sink, then take the waste to the compost pile whenever the container is full. It is good exercise, too!) You'd have to run outside every time you eat an apple or peel a potato. (Just place the scraps into a plastic container with a lid. Keep the container in or under the kitchen sink, then take the waste to the compost pile whenever the container is full. It is good exercise, too!) There's no place. (Start small and grow…) There's no place. (Start small and grow…)

Benefits of Composting Doesn't require the purchase of expensive plastic bags often used for disposing household and yard wastes. Doesn't require the purchase of expensive plastic bags often used for disposing household and yard wastes. Saves the cost of transporting wastes to and handling wastes at the landfill or incinerator. Saves the cost of transporting wastes to and handling wastes at the landfill or incinerator. Reduces pollution from landfill (leachate and methane gas) or incinerator. Reduces pollution from landfill (leachate and methane gas) or incinerator. Creates nutrient-rich humus you can use to improve the texture of your yard and garden soil; saves money you might spend on mulch. Creates nutrient-rich humus you can use to improve the texture of your yard and garden soil; saves money you might spend on mulch.

Recycling Survey Do you know the meaning of the term "recycle"? Do you know the meaning of the term "recycle"? Do you recycle? Why? Do you recycle? Why? Why don't you recycle? Why don't you recycle? Do you think you should recycle? Do you think you should recycle? What materials do you recycle? What materials do you recycle? How do you recycle? How do you recycle? Where do you recycle? Where do you recycle? Do you get paid for recycled materials? Do you get paid for recycled materials? How much time is devoted to recycling each day or How much time is devoted to recycling each day or week? week? Do you think you could recycle more? Do you think you could recycle more?

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