Plastic is an incredibly popular material due to its low cost, versatility, and durability. It is used widely as packaging, in drinks bottles, furniture, and toys and we have become heavily reliant on it worldwide.
Did you know?
Recycling a single plastic bottle can conserve enough energy to light a light bulb for up to 6 hours. [Source: Recycle More]
Recycling a single plastic bottle can conserve enough energy to light a light bulb for up to 6 hours. [Source: Recycle More]
However, plastic can be detrimental to the environment as it isn’t biodegradable. It doesn’t rot, like paper or food, and so instead hangs around in the environment for hundreds of years.
Bioplastics and compostable packaging are becoming widely used but do cause a lot of confusion when it comes to disposal. For background information on this topic, check out our bioplastics blog.
What's the problem with single-use plastic?
What really happens to the plastic you throw away?
9 ways to reduce plastic in your school
What's the problem with single-use plastic?
The Pod have designed an assembly on the life cycle of plastic, and why we need to avoid single-use plastics at all costs. The presentation includes speaker notes.
Did you know?
North London residents throw away over 46 million pieces of plastic a week. If each piece of plastic was a person, there would be a crowd big enough to sell out Arsenal Football Club’s Emirates Stadium more than 769 times over! [Source: NLWA]
North London residents throw away over 46 million pieces of plastic a week. If each piece of plastic was a person, there would be a crowd big enough to sell out Arsenal Football Club’s Emirates Stadium more than 769 times over! [Source: NLWA]
External source: The Pod
BBC Bitesize has also designed a mini-site that you can use to teach pupils what the problem with plastic is. The site has engaging top tips and a quiz to test pupil’s knowledge.
External source: BBC
Learning about plastic
The Environment Agency have compiled a pack of teacher resources consisting of four workshops aimed at different key stages, each including a presentation and teacher notes on how to deliver the workshop.
External source: The Environment Agency
What really happens to the plastic you throw away?
A quick 5-minute TED-Ed video on the journey of disposing of plastic.
External source: Ted-Ed
Plastic oceans
Here is a useful hub consisting of resources about plastic consumption and reduction from Our Planet, endorsed by David Attenborough!
There are various activity ideas within for all ages, which aim to teach pupils about the delicate conditions of our planet through key themes like interdependency. From discussion topics to creative activities, it provides useful whole-classroom activities that work on improving pupils’ collaboration and communication as well as teaching important messages.
Consider playing snippets (or more!) of Our Planet, on Netflix, to teach how the different planetary systems connect and support each other and give a sense of connectivity to nature which has been shown to correlate to more sustainable waste behaviours!
External source: Our Planet
A Plastic Wave
A documentary film on plastic pollution, explaining the importance of reducing plastic waste and the impact plastic has on the environment.
External source: James Roberts
A Whale's Tale
This short video can be shown either in class or during an assembly to demonstrate the impact of plastic on the ocean. It is aimed at younger children.
External source: CBC Kids
9 ways to reduce plastic in your school
Take some handy tips away from Less Plastic who have set out the most impactful ways plastic can be reduces in your school. You could also download and display as a poster around the school to serve as a reminder to others!
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External source: Less Plastic
A Plastic Tide
A longer, 45-minute documentary on plastic disposal and impacts on the environment. It is more suitable for KS3 and can be paused at significant points to allow breaks.
External source: Sky News
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