Your assignment is to count the number of trash bags that your household produces in an average week, and then to begin an intensive recycling program to see how much you could be saving. For an average week, recycle everything you can, and record the data on the following worksheet. Any non-recyclables should be itemized on the back. Count up the number of items in each category (Glass, Paper, Plastic, Metals, Organic, Other), break down this number into percentages (in the case of glass, how much is clear, brown, green, etc.) and make a pie chart indicating the distribution of recyclables. When you're done, you should have a better picture of what you could do to help reduce waste.

Download "Footprint" for Mac or Windows and calculate the toll you place upon the Earth.