It wouldn't be healthy to live in a garbage can, but people are treating the Earth like a big waste container. The more waste people create, the more it ends up polluting the air and water. When you breathe and drink polluted air and water, you can become polluted, too.

Wastewater

Landfills are built like big swimming pools. They have special thick walls that are supposed to keep the garbage from leaking into groundwater. Still, oftentimes, over time the walls start cracking and garbage juice leaks out. You can demonstrate how this happens by creating your own miniature leaky landfill. Fill a jar with about an inch of water. Find a small plastic container, like a small yogurt container, that will sit in the mouth of the jar without falling in. Poke a little hole in the bottom of the container. Now start filling the landfill. What kinds of things end up in the garbage? Candy wrappers, old socks, dirty diapers, and much more. Using colored paper and markers, have the children draw tiny pictures of the different garbage items, or put in tiny bits of real trash. Just make sure you don't pack it in too tight.

When the landfill is full, put in a few drops of a dark-colored dye. This represents toxic substances such as paint and old oil that end up in the garbage. Now slowly pour in some water. This is the rain that falls on the garbage and the moisture that ends up in the landfill from old food. Watch what comes out of the hole. What happens to the water below the landfill? Did you know that many people's drinking water comes from groundwater? What could happen if your drinking water had some garbage juice in it?

Don't Make It, Don't Breathe It

Reducing the amount of “stuff” people use will reduce all kinds of pollution, including air pollution. When China wanted to clean up the air for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, it shut down factories that were creating “stuff.” Those factories were creating air pollution that could make it hard for athletes to breathe. Sometimes that stuff is important, but many times it's not so important — like plastic straws or plastic disposable forks. When people don't use these things, no one will make them and the factories that make them won't create pollution.

You and your students can reduce pollution by reducing your use of disposable items. Have each student create a reduce-use box by decorating a small box and filling it with reusable utensils, washable straws, small cups, salt and pepper shakers, and other items you typically get at a fast food restaurant when you're out and about.

Have them bring their boxes home to their parents to keep in their car. They can reduce waste and save money by ordering a large drink and splitting it up into the cups. They can also stuff rags under the seats of their car for cleaning windshields and headlights. Can your students think of other items to keep in the car to reduce waste?