Lesson Plan: Plastic Recycling and Climate Change

How to teach your students about plastic recycling and its impact on climate change

Based on this article from MIT Technology Review by By  Douglas Mainarchive

Objectives:

• Students will understand the history and environmental impact of plastic pollution.
• Students will learn about the different types of plastics and their recyclability.
• Students will explore the role of plastic recycling in climate change mitigation.
• Students will develop an action plan to reduce their personal plastic consumption.

Plastic recycling is often seen as a way to reduce plastic waste and protect the environment. However, recycling itself can have negative consequences, such as releasing microplastics into the water and air. Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic that can harm wildlife, human health and the climate. In this lesson plan, you will learn how to use an article from Technology Review to help your students understand the problem of plastic recycling and microplastics, and explore possible solutions.

The article, titled “Think that your plastic is being recycled? Think again.”, explains how most of the plastic we use ends up in landfills, incinerators or the ocean, where it breaks down into microplastics. It also discusses how microplastics can affect the climate by absorbing or reflecting heat, altering cloud formation and influencing precipitation patterns. The article provides some examples of innovative ways to reduce plastic consumption and waste, such as biodegradable plastics, reusable packaging and circular economy models.

The lesson plan consists of four steps:

1. Pre-reading: Before reading the article, ask your students to brainstorm what they know about plastic recycling and microplastics. You can use questions such as: What are the benefits and drawbacks of recycling plastic? What are microplastics and where do they come from? How do you think microplastics affect the environment and the climate? Write down their answers on the board or a flipchart.
2. Reading: Have your students read the article individually or in pairs. You can provide them with a glossary of key terms, such as microplastics, incineration, biodegradation, etc. You can also ask them to highlight or underline any words or phrases they don’t understand or find interesting.
3. Post-reading: After reading the article, have your students share their reactions and opinions. You can use questions such as: What did you learn from the article? What surprised you or challenged your assumptions? What do you think are the main causes and consequences of plastic recycling and microplastics? What do you think are some possible solutions to this problem? How can you apply what you learned to your own life and behavior? Encourage them to refer to specific evidence from the article to support their arguments.
4. Extension: For further exploration of the topic, you can assign your students one or more of the following activities:
   – Research: Have your students research more about plastic recycling and microplastics in their local context. They can use online sources or conduct interviews with experts, such as waste management workers, environmental activists or scientists. They can present their findings in a report, a poster or a podcast.
5. Experiment: Have your students conduct an experiment to observe how different types of plastics degrade in different environments. They can use plastic bottles, bags or wrappers and expose them to water, soil, sunlight or heat. They can measure and record the changes in size, shape, color and texture over time. They can also collect samples of microplastics using a microscope or a filter.
   – Action: Have your students design and implement an action plan to reduce their plastic consumption and waste. They can choose one or more strategies, such as using reusable bags, bottles or containers; avoiding single-use plastics; buying products with less packaging; composting organic waste; participating in clean-up campaigns; educating others about the issue; etc. They can document their actions with photos, videos or journals.

   Developing a Personal Action Plan (20 minutes):

   • Have students reflect on their own plastic consumption habits.
   • Encourage them to identify areas where they can reduce their plastic use.
   • Brainstorm a list of actions and strategies to reduce plastic consumption.
   • Help students develop a personal action plan to implement their strategies.

This lesson plan aims to raise awareness and critical thinking about plastic recycling and microplastics among your students. It also aims to inspire them to take action and make positive changes for themselves and the planet.