Lesson 59:
Let's Look at Garbage!Sort It!
Jenny has emptied two bags of garbage onto the floor.
That's a lot of garbage!says Danny.
Can I help you sort it?
Yes,please,says Jenny.
I'm putting the glass here,the metal here,the plastic here,and

the paper here.
What are these other things?asks Danny.
That's everything that isn't glass,metal,plastic or paper,says

Jenny.
Thanks for your help Danny!
You're welcome!A Mountain of Garbage
How much garbage does a person in North America throw away each

year?
Every year,each person in North Americamakes about 1,000

kilograms of garbage.
That's the same weight as a small car!What's in it?
160 kilograms of paper
125 kilograms of grass and leaves
50 kilograms of food
45 kilograms of glass
25 kilograms of metal
25 kilograms of plastic
20 kilograms of cardboard
10 kilograms of wood
10 kilograms of diapers
5 kilograms of clothes
other things
Babies wear diapers.
Many families in North America use diapers made of paper and

plastic.
What makes the most garbage?Packaging.What's packaging?
When you buy something it might come in a box or a plastic bag.
The box or bag might have words and pictures on it.
That's packaging.About one-third of North American garbage

comes from packaging!
People don't even use packaging!People just throw it away!
Why is packaging a problem?About ten percent of packaging is

plastic.
Most garbage turns into soil.
But not plastic!Plastic is plastic for years and years after

you throw it away.
What doesturn intomean?A boyturns intoa man.
Springturns intosummer.Now do you know?
FASCINATING FACT
In just one day,Americans throw out 136 million kilograms of

packaging.
This would fill about ten thousand trucks!