Recycling



Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

[|Recycling] is the process of collecting and processing materials that would otherwise be thrown away as trash and turning them into new products. Recycling can benefit your community and the environment.

[|How Trash Is Recycled] (video 6:23) - Did you know that 70% of our trash can be recycled? Join Reading Rainbow while we celebrate Earth Day in this video field trip all about the life cycle of recycling.

[|Recyling] (video) - a scientist talks about why recycling is important
 * [|aluminum cans] - how they are made - recyclability is important

[|Recycling symbols] - now the symbols associated with recyclable items. It helps a lot if you put recycling in the appropriate bin.

Some examples of recycling specific materials
 * [|Recycling glass bottles] - Putting crushed-up glass into roadways was previously the go-to option for what to do with the stuff, since it was just about impossible to separate broken glass from the other stuff in the recycling bin in a cost-effective way. Now, however, better sorting technologies mean recycling companies can isolate clear glass—that's the stuff you want, if you want to turn it back into bottles--through a hi-tech series of automated processes.
 * [|Reuse-A-Shoe] - Turn old sneakers into places to play. Nike Reuse-a-Shoe takes worn out athletic shoes and grinds them down to create a new material, which is used to make high-quality sports surfaces including courts, turf fields, tracks and more.

Recycling services - many more people recycle if it is easy or cost effective.
 * [|Wecyclers] - Nigeria - Many households in developing countries lack reliable access to waste management. Low-cost cargo bicycles and an SMS-based incentives platform offering convenient household recycling services in densely populated, low-income neighborhoods. 3,000 households in Lagos, Nigeria, registered for service. As one of the [|The Tech Awards 2013 Laureates] this project has been recognized as providing an innovative solution to a problem with significant social impact.


 * What's the problem?**
 * **Ask** -  Why is recycling important? What are some of the resources that we will use up? Why is this a problem?
 * **Imagine** - What are some of the steps being taken to encourage recycling?
 * **Design, Build** - What would help you remember to recycle? Is this a practical solutions?
 * **Improve** - Is current recycling worth the bother?


 * That's engineering**
 * Strong [|magnets] are used to separate out ferrous metals (tin-plated or steel cans), while non-ferrous metals are ejected by magnetic eddy currents.
 * [|ferrous] - indicate the presence of iron, mostly in metallurgy or related industries.
 * non-ferrous metals - metals that have no iron in them at all.

> collection, sorting, reprocessing
 * Engineering ideas**

Here are some challenges for you to work on...
 * Do it**
 * Find some facts about recycling that are interesting.


 * News, updates**


 * Learn more...**
 * [|U.S. Government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)]

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