1. Talking Rubbish
LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To identify and understand elements of public speaking, with a specific focus on organising content in a coherent manner.

2. Can you give an example from your own life for one of the images?
Let’s start by thinking about the terms: ‘linear economy’ and ‘circular economy’
Images: ©All Around Plastics
What do you see? Can you and a partner find a way of describing the difference?
Can you give an example from your own life for one of the images?

3. linear economy circular economy
Images: ©All Around Plastics
In a linear economy, the money and resources travel in ONE direction through several steps.
In a circular economy we keep resources in use for as long as possible then recover materials at the end of each products life.

4. Linear Economy - pros and cons
Image: ©All Around Plastics
Invite the class to share their thoughts about the pros and cons of a linear economy and record on the board as they do so.

5. Linear Economy CONS PROS Massive amounts Keeps costs low of waste
Single-use
Pollution
Image: ©All Around Plastics
*Plastic is made from fossil fuels like oil, natural gas, and even coal. 1 in 10 barrels of oil now goes to make plastic and over the past few decades, there has been increased awareness that our dependence on a limited oil supply is a clear issue - least of all that the sources are not finite. The more plastic we make, the more of these petrochemicals we need. And the more petrochemicals we need, the higher the demand for gas, oil and coal.  Links between climate change and plastic are already known but a recent study has demonstrated that plastics actually release greenhouse gases after being created as they degrade (Parley).
‘Taking’ refers to the extraction of huge amounts of natural resources at the lowest cost possible. These are then made into products for consumers like me and you. When we are finished with the product, it is disposed of and becomes waste.
Running out of
natural resources*

6. Linear Economy
Using your resources, work together to create your own linear economy – this one focuses on a plastic bottle.
3. Finally, using the following words, can you label each step?
Raw Materials
Manufacturing
Packaging and transportation
Retail
Use
End of life
1. Using this sheet, carefully cut
out the rectangle, then fold
and crease along the dotted lines
to create an
accordion style booklet
2. After accurately cutting out each image, work together to sequence them correctly.

7. Circular Economy – pros and cons
Image: ©All Around Plastics
Invite the class to share their thoughts about the pros and cons of a circular economy and record on the board as they do so.

8. Circular Economy – pros and cons
Requires upfront investment
Much less waste generated
Substantially less need for natural resources
Requires developing and adopting new systems
Image: ©All Around Plastics
Less pollution
It’s not about recycling; it’s really about redesigning the entire product so that human beings get the things they need without negatively impacting the natural systems that are essential to us all.
More economical in
the long term

9. Circular Economy
Using your resources, work together to create your own circular economy – this one focuses on a plastic bottle.
4. Work out in which order the
wedges should be positioned to depict
a circular economy. Glue into place.
5. Position circle B over circle A and, with care, secure with a paper fastener.
6. Label each point in the sequence using the following words:
Manufacture
Sort
Retail
Recycle
Use
Collection
What differences between this and the linear economy are immediately apparent? Can students speculate what impact this type of economy would have on the environment on a long term basis? Check that they have understood that plastic can be made to make plastic, and that this is preferable to starting with natural resources each time virgin plastic is manufactured.
Both resources created by the students will provide the basis for their public speaking challenge in Activity 3.
1. Using this sheet,
carefully cut
out the circle (A).
2. Next, accurately cut out this circle (B).
3. Thirdly, cut out each wedge.

10. Can you draw a product lifecycle?
Think of an everyday, single-use item which is made, at least in part, from plastic.
Working in small groups, draw a possible lifecycle map of that product considering each of the six stages on your linear economy sheet.
Consider carefully the end point – the end of its life – what is MOST likely to happen to it? What is the likelihood of it being recycled now that you understand how it was made?
If time allows, research online will enable a greater depth of understanding, especially with regard to the complexity of the materials used and the manufacturing process for their item. However, if this is not possible they should be able to complete the mission to an effective degree.

11. Time to get vocal!
Now you can see the huge advantages of a circular economy over a linear one, you are going to prepare a short speech.
Use your speech to lobby either a business or organisation who you believe could do better and reduce waste.
Is there a business who could do a LOT better?
How about directing your
speech to someone
in your school, to stop
use of single-use plastic,
for example?
Perhaps focus on your
local council and ask them to set up a deposit return scheme?
In this section, students are challenged to make a short speech. They will film their speech and share on social media to lobby businesses and organisations (such as local councils) to think more in terms of a circular economy and move away from single use, building in systems such as the Deposit Return Scheme to capture plastic. If using social media in this way is not possible at your school, perhaps you could invite local business owners in to hear their speeches.

12. Public Speaking – Simple Steps to Success
Draft your speech, referring to these success criteria. Remember, if you are using social media, the camera effectively becomes your audience.
Use both the linear and circular economy you have created to sequence your thoughts and organise your content.
Rehearse and evaluate. Make improvements and then, when you are happy, record your speech.
Depending on which platform you have chosen, share your speech making sure it reaches its key audience!
First, establish success criteria for public speaking. If the children have previous experience then success criteria can be written as a class, otherwise refer to the supporting resource (Public Speaking – Simple Steps to Success). It may also help to watch a range of inspirational speeches such as these delivered by children as part of The Speakout Challenge.

13. PLENARY
Looking at these images, which do you think suggest a linear economy and which a circular economy?
Image: Surfers Against Sewage
Image: Morrisons Supermarket
Image: Gladstone
Image: The Real Farmhouse
Image: Pomeroys
Image: Michael Kemp/Corbis
Image: Pebble Magazine

14. PLENARY Can you explain what a circular economy is?
Why do people need to move away from linear economies to circular ones?
What changes could you make so that you have a less wasteful lifestyle?