Overview
How often do you recycle? Is there value to it or is it a waste of time and resources? In this segment, John Stossel digs into recycling and analyzes whether the effort is more harmful than beneficial to the environment. He also explores other ways of disposing of trash and material waste and poses questions: Should the government mandate this activity? Should individuals have the freedom to decide for themselves if recycling is worth their time and effort?

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Grade level and subjects
• Recommended for grades 6-12
• Subjects: Science / Technology
• Works in Classroom, Hybrid, and Homeschool settings

What students will learn
By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
• identify current ways of disposing of waste;
• discuss the basic principles of recycling, including the importance of separating recyclable materials from trash and the common types of materials that are recycled;
• analyze whether recycling is worth the time, energy, and labor by comparing recycling myths vs realities; and
• assess the regulations on waste disposal and recycling.

Key concepts and terms covered
Circular Economy, Landfills, Sacrament, and Single-Stream Recycling.

Sample discussion questions
• In this video, recycling is referred to a “sacrament of the green religion.” What does that mean? Do you agree? Why / Why not?
• Do you think recycling helps the environment? Is there anything people can do to impact the environment or “save the planet,” or is it more about control?
• To reduce the amount of plastic waste, would you and your family be willing to switch to reusable containers for things such as shampoo and laundry detergent? If yes, why? In no, would any changes be needed to get you to agree to reuse/refill those containers?
• Consider the resources that go into recycling. For example, how many times a month is recycling picked up? Are there two separate trucks that come by, one for trash and one for recyclables? Is recycling worth the resources, energy, and time used for recycling? What makes you so sure of your answer?
• What if there were an invention that would allow all waste to be broken down and reused? Would that make recycling more appealing? How would you weigh the costs versus the benefits?

What’s in the free teacher’s guide
This printable 10-page Teacher's Guide includes a lesson description, learning objectives, key vocabulary, a fill-in viewing guide with answer key, discussion and analysis questions, and classroom activities.

Standards alignment
Aligned to state standards — use the SITC Standards Tool to match this video to the standards in your state.