The Truth About Recycling

1. Set Focus
Pose these essential questions to guide discussion: What is our responsibility to the natural world? What is our responsibility to future generations for protecting the environment?

2. List Vocabulary
Share with students some of the challenging vocabulary words in this article. Encourage them to use context to infer meanings as they read.

• diligently (p. 11)
• leach (p. 11)
• disposable (p. 12)
• initiatives (p. 12)
• theoretically (p. 12)
• sustainable (p. 13)

3. Engage
Have students share their thoughts about how damaging they think disposable plastic is to the environment. Then ask: On a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 as the best, how well do you think recycling has addressed the plastic problem?

4. Read 
Have students read the article, marking the text to note key ideas or questions.

5. Discuss
Distribute or project Up Close: The Truth About Recycling, a close-reading activity for students to work on in small groups. (Note: The questions on the PDF also appear on the facing page of this lesson, with possible responses.) Follow up with a class discussion. If you’re short on time, have each group tackle one or two of the questions. Collect students’ work or have each group report its findings to the class.

• Consider the title of the article: “The Truth About Recycling.” What does the title suggest is the author’s purpose in writing the article? What is the truth about recycling? (Author’s purpose, central idea)
  (The title suggests that the author’s purpose is to educate people on what really happens with recycling. The truth is that hardly any of the plastic that can be recycled is actually recycled, even if people put it in recycling bins.)

• At the beginning of the article, how does the author introduce the idea that people have a misunderstanding of recycling? Why do you think the author introduces this point in this way? (Text structure, development of ideas) 
  (The author introduces this idea by having people imagine a common scenario they have likely acted out in real life—putting a plastic water bottle in a recycling bin—and how that makes them feel good. The author then explains what really happens to the plastic. Introducing this idea in this way helps personalize the topic and engage the reader in the article.)

• According to the article, why do most Americans have a misunderstanding of recycling? (Cause & effect) 
  (The article explains that the plastics industry has put much effort into marketing recycling as a way of being environmentally conscious so that people don’t feel guilty about using plastic and continue buying it. Furthermore, the chasing arrows sign on plastic products is a visual cue to people that the plastic product can and will be recycled if put in a recycling bin, even though it likely will not be recycled and will instead end up in a landfill or as litter.)

• Why and when did plastic start to became widely used? Why do you think the author includes this information in the article? (Sequence, author’s purpose)
  (Plastic started to become widely used during World War II as part of a convenient “throwaway lifestyle” heavily marketed by companies that made plastic plates, cups, and other plastic products. The author likely includes this information to help the reader understand why Americans use so much disposable plastic today, as well as why there is so much plastic trash in the environment.) 

• What does Mitch Hedlund mean when she says “Recycling has been dysfunctional for a long time.” Which details in the article support her point? (Word meaning, claims & evidence)
  (Hedlund means that recycling as a solution to the problem of plastic waste has not been effective or practical for a long time. The details about how five of the seven types of plastic never get recycled despite being put in recycling bins; how companies often find it cheaper to manufacture new plastic products rather than making items out of recycled plastic; and how recycling facilities find it cheaper to send the plastic to landfills all support Hedlund’s point.) 

• Based on the article and the two sidebars, what do you think is the best solution to the recycling problem? (Integrate sources, problem & solution)
  (Students’ responses will vary, but they should support their points with text evidence from the main article and the sidebars. For example, students may advocate for the removal of the chasing arrows sign from the types of plastic that are actually never recycled as a way of helping consumers make better purchasing decisions.)

6. Writing Prompt
Which photograph in the article do you think would make the most effective central image for a public service poster promoting a reduced use of plastic? Why?

7. Video
Watch the video about plastic waste in the ocean. What does it add to your understanding of the issues discussed in the article?

8. Classroom Debate
Should disposable plastic products be banned?

9. Quiz & Skills
Use the quiz to assess students’ comprehension and Be the Editor to review grammar skills.