Your Project mission this season is to make less trash or improve the way people handle the trash we make.
Ms. Norwood led the students in a brainstorming exercise on the Trash Trek project at our last meeting (9/2). She wrote their ideas on the white board, pictured above, and I've listed them below. These are good ideas, but I'm not sure they've come up with THE idea.
Cordless Ear Buds
Claw
Lego Bricks
Old Sports Equipment
Batteries
Buttons
Paper Plates
2 Liter Soda Bottles
Old Folders
Old Fabrics
Cardboard
Markers
Stuff Animals
Old Electronics
Socks
Plastic Utensils
Shoes
Paper
Plastics
Pencils
Lighters
Food
Ink Pens
Old Backpacks
1. The kids need to identify a trash problem.
"As a Team – Identify a problem with the way trash is handled and learn about it. You might
select a problem in one of these areas (or add your own):
● Collecting trash
● Finding new uses for old items (repurposing)
● Food waste
● Electronics waste (phones, computers, etc.)
● Hazardous waste (medical, chemical, etc.)
● How trash impacts your community
● Landfills
● Making zero-waste products
● Recycling process
● Sorting
As a Team – After you select a problem, find out about the current solutions. Why aren’t the current solutions working? Why
does this problem still exist?"
2. Then they need to design a solution.
"As a Team – Think about:
● What could be done better? What could be done in a new way?
● Could your solution make it more cool, fun, or easy to be responsible about trash?
● How can you reimagine disposing of trash to make it more efficient or safe?
● Could your solution prevent an item from becoming trash in the first place?"
3. They also need to share their solution.
"Once you design your solution, share it!
As a Team – Think about who your solution might help. How can you let them know? Can you present your research and
solution to people who recycle, transport, store, reuse, or create trash? Can you share with a professional or someone who
helped you learn about your problem? Can you think of any other groups of people who might be interested in your idea?
Consider including someone who could provide feedback about your solution.
Getting input and improving are part of the
design process for any engineer. Don’t be afraid to revise your idea if you receive some helpful feedback."
4. Then the kids present at regionals.
It would be great if trash could become a family topic of conversation at dinner, riding in the car, etc. What other trash items do the kids think is a problem. Do they have any ideas on how to improve the current solution, prevent the problem in the first place, etc.
Take for example fishing line. Fishermen would allow used line to get into waterways. This had negative impacts on animals and the environment. Then, someone came up with the idea of putting fishing line trash cans on docks and other places where people fish. The trash cans are made out of white PVC pipe which is cheap and durable. Usually a sign accompanies the tubes. We'd have to look up the numbers, but let's assume they are really decreasing the fishing line that isn't disposed of properly.
See if the kids can think of other recent changes that improved trash prevention or handling. Maybe that will lead them to other ideas and solutions.
Ms. Norwood and I are working on setting up a tour at the Sunoco recycling facility during trackout and possibly the Johnston County landfill. We'll keep you posted when we have more details.
