Lesson 3 Small Things Matter
Wishful Recycling
Most people agree with the idea that recycling is an easy ____ to make a positive impact on the planet.
It makes you feel ____ about yourself, too.
But your efforts may sometimes be harming ____ environment instead.
How can this be? Well, it is because you ____ be a wishcycler.
What ____ Wishcycling?
Imagine the ____ situation.
On your way home from school, someone hands you a piece ____ paper.
You glance at the shiny flyer advertising a new ____ café.
As you are about to throw it into the garbage, you ____ to put it into the recycling bin instead.
You think flyers can be ____ because they’re made of paper.
____ just happened is a case of wishcycling.
It is ____ act of trying to recycle something that should not be recycled.
Wishcycling is ____ done with good intentions, but it often causes more harm than good.
____ Is It a Problem?
The biggest ____ with wishcycling is that it creates more waste.
For example, if you wishcycle a greasy ____ box, it can soak clean paper products with oil.
Then everything in the recycling bin will become non-recyclable and end up in ____ landfill.
____ more waste is not the only problem, however.
Wishcycling also ____ to costly delays.
To process recyclable ____ non-recyclable items must be sorted out first.
The more non-recyclable items are mixed with recyclable items, the longer it will take to pick ____ out.
Wishcycled items can ____ damage the sorting machines, causing them to be temporarily shut down for repairs.
How Can We Stop Wishcycling?
With a little ____ we can put an end to wishcycling.
First, make sure your recyclables are empty, ____ and dry.
____ out any remaining liquid from bottles and jars.
After that, wash them out and wait ____ them to dry.
You also need to remove ____ labels.
Now they are ready to be tossed in ____ recycling bin.
____ simple process will ensure that all the items in the recycling bin can be recycled.
____ learn about the meanings of various recycling symbols.
They tell you about the material of the ____ and whether it can be recycled or not.
Have ____ ever seen a recycling symbol with the number “7” and the word “other” under it?
This symbol means the ____ is made of two different materials and will be difficult to recycle.
Checking the recycling symbols like this ____ help you stop wishcycling.
Third, check the recycling guidelines for your local ____
Different areas have different rules on what can be ____
____ can easily learn about the guidelines for your area by visiting your local government website.
You can ____ look for recycling posters near recycling bins.
Lastly, don’t recycle ____ item when in doubt.
Even after you check the symbols and guidelines, you might still be unsure ____ it is recyclable.
In that case, ____ should put it in the trash.
You ____ feel bad that you may be throwing away a recyclable item.
____ doing so may actually be better for the environment.
Take comfort in ____ fact that you are not wishcycling.
We all know that living without producing trash is ____
The good news is that about 75 percent of our waste can be recycled when it ____ done properly.
This is why we ____ to stop wishcycling and start recycling.
So hop on the #stopwishcycling ____ and help keep our planet green!