In our last Beyond Recycling lesson, Lucerne students learned about the life cycle of common products- soccer balls, pop cans, pencils, and light bulbs. Students researched these products, and presented their findings to the class. The students were surprised to find that many raw materials from around the world were used to make a single product. At the end of the class we discussed how information the students learned could affect choices they make. Some students said that they needed to take better care of their things, as they now know how much energy and resources it takes to make something like a soccer ball. Other students said that they would use their pencils until they were right down to the eraser, as it is wasteful to use new ones which require taking more resources from the earth. When they found that to make pop cans manufacturers need 5 raw materials which come from more than 8 countries around the world, students said they would be sure to recycle!
