Colorado Reader November 2018: Taste It, Don't Waste It!

olorado Reader Taste It, Don't Trash It! Do you ever think about what’s in your trash? It’s sometimes stinky and icky, and maybe one of the chores you have to do often is to take out the trash. There are ways to lighten that load. We CAN reduce our waste! What percent of food that is grown is never eaten? A) 10% B) 25% C) 30% Community Solid Waste in Landfills 2015 - After Recycling and Composting D) 50% List three food items that you’ve seen thrown away at school or home that were still edible. GLASS 5% PLASTICS 19% ____________________________________ ____________________________________ How much stuff do we throw away? The answer is A LOT. Experts estimate the average person around the world tosses 2.6 pounds of trash EVERY SINGLE DAY. In the United States alone, we throw away about 262 million tons of trash per year. The amount of garbage is growing. Experts say that by 2025, the world will produce nearly two billion tons of trash annually! RUBBER, TEXTILES & LEATHER 11% WOOD 8% ____________________________________ OTHER 5% METALS 9% PAPER 13% This graphic shows the different types of trash that are thrown away. Think about the types of materials in your garbage, and what might be recyclable or compostable. Connecting Colorado educators and students to their food, fiber, fuel, and natural resources. FOOD 22% YARD TRIMMINGS 8%