Is Recycling Still Worth It Anymore in 2021?

• This video by NowThis Earth breaks down plastic recycling, showing the true social and environmental costs of "recycling" some plastics. 

Positives

• This video outlines the environmental injustice of the global plastic recycling system. Much of the plastic that is "recycled" in the United States (except #1 and #2) is shipped to the Global South and may not be recycled.
• This video is dynamic and features excellent graphics.

Additional Prerequisites

• This may change the narrative in your classroom or school, showing that plastic recycling is not what you think it is.
• Students can engage in any number of higher-priority climate actions at school, including advocating for more plant-based food, reducing food waste, or creating no-idle zones to reduce emissions from cars and buses.
• One way to fix the broken plastic recycling system is simply to consume less plastic in the first place. So if students ask what they can do, suggest a personal action they can take for the climate: buy less stuff.

Differentiation

• After students watch the video, students could pivot to a different environmental campaign, such as Meatless Mondays or the installation of School Hydration Stations.
• Students could research local recycling systems to learn what can actually be recycled in their town.
• Note that paper, cardboard, glass, and aluminum are recycled domestically and are very important to reduce our impacts on the planet.  Students can look to purchase products made from 100% recycled material and can look for paper, glass, and aluminum as alternatives to plastic packaging/items.
  

This resource addresses the listed standards. To fully meet standards, search for more related resources.