Does Recycling Help Fight Climate Change?
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Provided by: The Climate Question|Published on: August 9, 2022
PodcastsScientist Reviewed
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Scientist Reviewed This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- Is recycling good for the environment, or is it actually counteractive to our efforts to reduce carbon emissions? In this podcast, the presenters investigate this question as they track down the places where our recycled items end up.
- Listeners will learn about global waste, the effectiveness of recycling certain items, deceiving marketing strategies, and the benefits of aiming for a more circular economy.
Subjects: Economics, English Language Arts
Authors: The Climate Question
Region: Global, Oceania
Languages: English
Teaching Materials
Positives
- This podcast challenges a common misconception about recycling and the environment that many people have.
- Students can learn about the importance of reducing waste and reusing items.
Additional Prerequisites
- The podcast switches to climate news at 22:23.
- The podcast makes references to the idea of a circular economy. It may be helpful to introduce students to this concept before listening to the podcast.
Differentiation
- Students in social studies classes learning about economics can use this podcast to investigate the pros and cons of a "linear" economy.
- A possible extension activity could include asking students to share what they learned about recycling and the climate with others, by making a video, infographic, or flyer, or by writing an essay.
- Related resources include this video or this video about recycling, and this activity about trash.
Scientist Notes
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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