Waste:

In our modern life we have become consumers of many goods. A lot of resources are used to produce products that will please and attract the consumer. Things are also made in such a way that we have to replace them frequently. In this linear production process waste is produced at all the stages. This waste needs to be disposed of and this often happens to the detriment of the natural environment: In contrast with this linear process, we find that in nature all animal or plant waste gets transformed into nutrients so that a natural cycle is followed.

In South Africa most of the waste that we produce is taken away by the municipality to be buried in a landfill. This process costs a lot of money, uses a lot of energy, and the landfills fill up very quickly. Sometimes the waste is poisonous or hazardous.

Closer to home in Mamelodi we have a huge problem with informal dumping sites. Informal waste collectors come to these sites to collect waste in very harsh and inhumane conditions. There is also the burning of waste which causes a lot of air pollution.

School Programmes:

Programmes for the Waste room focus on how to prevent waste as far as possible and secondly how to reuse or recycle waste.

The programmes for Grade 4-6 were developed by Delta Environmental Centre and sponsored by Buyisa-e-Bag:

Grade 4:
Learning areas: Natural Science, Mathematics, Arts and Culture and Languages

The learners start with a drama on the waste disposal cycle. Learners follow the route of a resource from its source to where it is disposed in the landfill. Learners play a little game and learn to sort their waste and how they can recycle their waste. Learners also play a game to become familiar with shapes like spheres and rectangles by using waste articles.

Grade 5:
Learning areas: Natural Science, Technology, Mathematics, Languages

Learners start by playing the Urban Jungle Enviro-picture game where they can see how to solve environmental problems in an urban environment. In nature waste is equal to food. Learners learn how plastic is produced but can also be recycled again. By using a crossword puzzle the learners take a tour around the school environment to see different ways how waste is put to work. Another exercise is where learners go to the buy back centre by weighing and selling their waste.

Grade 6:
Natural Sciences, Economic and Management Sciences, First Additional Language

Learners learn about the volume and amount of waste taken to the landfill everyday and how this volume could be reduced. The waste generation in a production and consumption chain is investigated by using the example of the different ingredients of a hamburger. The Landfill race teaches learners the elements in the disposal cycle and who pays for what within this cycle. This means that waste is costing us a lot of money. All these programmes are presented in such a way that learners can have fun..

Grade 7
Natural Sciences, Life Orientation and Arts and Culture

Learners are introduced to the concept of sustainability and learn about renewable and non renewable resources. By playing the waste separation game learners learn how to recycle their waste. A quiz helps the learners to make healthy choices about nutrition and waste. By creating a drama, three life styles are investigated and compared to see which one creates the most waste. There is the most traditional lifestyle of our grandparents, then there is a rural family and then there is the urban modern family. Lastly learners are invited to take part in a poster competition and must create a poster to create community awareness on waste.

Grade 9:
Natural Sciences, Life Orientation and Arts and Culture

We introduce the concept of the ecological footprint. We use this knowledge to investigate the manufacturing process of an article, from its extraction to its disposal. In this production to consumption chain there are inputs, outputs and waste generated which all contributes to the ecological footprint of such a product. How can we reduce our ecological footprint? In the Waste Room we learn how to shop wisely and learners take part in an exciting challenge to find more clues how you can reduce your footprint.

Collect a can: www.collectacan.co.za

Mondi Recycling: www.collectacan.co.za

Concol Glass: www.consol.co.za

Plastics Federation of South Africa: www.plasticsinfo.co.za

Buyisa-e-Bag: www.buyisaebag.co.za