To consider how technology has helped the recycling process to become more efficient and to open up new ways to recycle previously non-recycled materials.

• Model recycling of paper with younger students.
• Investigate the impact on a landfill of waste that is not recycled.
• Design and Create a new product from previously non-recycled materials.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of their new product.
• Write a position statement on importance of technology to recycling.
• Contribute and work cooperatively in group and class discussions.

Part 1

Time
2 -3 Class Periods

Exploring Paper Recycling.

1. The product students create in this part of the challenge will be an example of paper made by recycling used paper with "low-tech" process. This sample will be used to compare to recycled paper made with modern technology.
2. Have students explore the on-line resources and answer the questions on the How is Paper Recycled? page. This will provide background for them when they help to set up a paper recycling activity for younger students.
3. For setting up a "low-tech" paper recycling effort have your students work with lower school students. Kindergartners have a great time making recycled paper and it is a great way to get older students to help get the younger ones excited about recycling in the classroom.
4. For setting up paper-making with the younger students there are a variety of ways to go about it. The following Web sites provide some variations from simple to complex ways to make recycled paper in the classroom. Choose the one that works for you and your students:

• Simple Way to Make Recycled Paper
• How to Make Recycled Paper
• Exploratorium - Handmade Paper

5. Be sure to have your students set-up as many of the steps in the modern recycle process as possible. Not all the steps will be present (for example, de-inking) but most of them can be discussed as part of the simple model they set-up. With a little imagination they should be able to model most, if not all, of the steps. Having them create signs for each station so the younger students know which station they are at in the recycling process will also help.

Part 2

Time
1 Class Period

Determining how discarded sports shoes might impact the landfill.

Note: This activity and the next use parts of the Air to Earth Curriculum developed by Eco-Educators for Nike. This excellent curriculum contains many more activities on the importance of developing products while keeping in mind the recycling idea of a "socially, ecologically, and economically sustainable society." We have only used parts of a couple of these activities to show how technology is an important part of improving the recycling process. The entire curriculum and kit is available at the Air to Earth Web site. You should also order the materials to conduct the activity in Part 3. They are free to teachers attending an Air to Earth workshop or at minimal cost (shipping and handling) if you order them on-line from the same Web site.

1. In this activity your students will create a bar chart using the shoes they wear to class.
2. The directions for this activity are found as Step 2 of Lesson 1 (It's a Closed System) in the Air to Earth Guide. This activity does not require the materials that come with the Air to Earth Kit.
3. Modify this lesson to have students measure the mass and volume of shoes in the classroom to answer the following questions:

• What is the capacity (volume) of your landfill (room).
• If everyone in your classroom threw out the mass and volume of shoes you measured every year, how many years would it take to fill your landfill?
• How many years would it take to fill your landfill if every class at your school threw out a similar mass and volume as your class?

4. Be sure to have them use the data and their answers to these questions when you discuss as a class why it might be important to find a use for shoes rather than throwing them out.

Part 3

Time

4 - 5 Class Periods

Note: This activity requires the materials contained in the Air to Earth Curriculum Kit available from Eco-Educators. Be sure to order the kit early enough to have it available for use in this activity.

1. In this activity your students will design and create a product using recycled shoe parts.
2. The directions for this activity are found in Lesson 5 Saving Humpty Dumpty (Parts 1 and 2) in the Air to Earth Guide.
3. Before doing this activity have students think about how their old shoes might be used rather than throwing them out. Discuss the idea that arguments NOT to recycle because there is no market for recycled materials can be seen as an opportunity by business and community minded people to come up with new ideas, technology, and ways to recycle.

   Rather than finding reasons not to recycle, people should look for ways to improve recycling and open new markets for recycled goods. Explain that the activity they are about to participate in shows how one company developed the technology and a plan to provide an innovative and positive way to recycle a product that had not been recycled before.

4. Follow the directions in the Humpty Dumpty activity to let your students create the sports surface from recycled sports shoes. Be sure to provide enough time between the making of the sport surface and its testing in Part 2 for the material to harden. This usually takes about 48 hours.
5. Show the Air to Earth video on how the recycling process works to recycle old sports shoes into new playground or other sport surfaces.
6. Conduct a class discussion after you test all the sports surface materials to help them when writing the class position statement on the importance of technology to recycling. The position statement should include the following:

• How technology has influenced paper recycling.
• How technology can open up new possibilities for recycling.

  The position statement and images (if you take pictures of these activities) should be made part of your final report.