Garbage
Every day we throw away mountains of food, plastic wrappers, and broken toys. But there is no magical away! Everything we throw out has to go somewhere, and it stays right here on our planet. Let us dive into the messy science of waste and discover how we can reduce the massive piles of garbage we leave behind.
Where Does All Our Trash Go?
It turns back into soil! Natural items are biodegradable, meaning tiny living organisms will eat them and break them down perfectly to feed the Earth.
Hundreds of years! Plastic is a human made material that natural bacteria cannot easily eat, so it just sits buried in the dirt almost forever.
Put Your Instincts to the Test
Think about what you already know about recycling and rubbish. Pick an answer for each question, then see if your instincts were right.
It can be broken down naturally by living organisms! Fungi and bacteria act as natures clean up crew, turning natural waste back into usable nutrients.
A huge hole designed to safely bury human garbage! We pack the trash tightly into the ground, cover it with dirt, and permanently seal it away.
Reduce the amount of stuff we use! If we simply buy less and use less, we stop the garbage from existing before it is even created.
Understanding the Science
Let us break down the science of decomposition, toxic waste, and the amazing power of recycling with Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Key Concepts
Waste
Tap to learn moreWaste is any leftover physical material that is no longer needed or wanted by human beings.
Biodegradable
Tap to learn moreBiodegradable items are natural materials that can be broken down easily by tiny living organisms like bacteria and fungi.
Landfill
Tap to learn moreA landfill is a massive, specially designed hole in the ground where human garbage is buried, crushed, and permanently sealed away.
Recycle
Tap to learn moreTo recycle is the scientific process of taking old waste materials like aluminium cans and melting them down to create completely new products.
Compost
Tap to learn moreCompost is a completely natural recycling process where food scraps and dead leaves rot down into incredibly rich, dark soil for plants.
Toxic Waste
Tap to learn moreToxic Waste consists of highly dangerous chemicals and materials that can cause severe harm to plants, animals, and human beings if they leak into the environment.
Ecosystem
Tap to learn moreAn ecosystem is a perfectly connected community of living things interacting with their physical environment. In a healthy ecosystem, nothing is ever wasted!
Conservation
Tap to learn moreConservation is the practice of carefully protecting and managing our natural resources so they do not get destroyed or completely run out.
Try It: The Interactive Biodegradation Timeline
Take control of a virtual testing ground! Below, we have dropped four different items into the dirt: a natural apple core, a newspaper, an aluminium soda can, and a human made plastic bottle.
Use the slider to speed up the clock by hundreds of years! Watch very closely to see which natural items decompose and dissolve quickly to feed the soil, and which human made items stay buried in the dirt almost forever.
Live Decomposition Data
Apply Your Knowledge
Let us see if you can match these waste management concepts to their correct definitions.
Match the Concepts
Click an object to select it, then click the matching description to place it.
Real World Challenge
Imagine you are the manager of a massive school cafeteria. Every single day, hundreds of students throw away untouched food, plastic forks, and paper trays. Using your knowledge of recycling and composting, how would you radically redesign the cafeteria waste system to stop all this garbage from going to a landfill?
What Has Changed Since This Episode Aired
This episode first aired in the 1990s. While organic material still breaks down the exact same way, modern science has uncovered new dangers and brilliant new solutions for our global waste!
Updated: Yes! Scientists have discovered that old plastic breaks down into tiny, invisible pieces called microplastics. These tiny particles are now found absolutely everywhere, from the deepest ocean trenches to the water we drink!
Updated: Electronic waste! Millions of discarded mobile phones, computers, and highly toxic batteries are thrown away every single year. Modern engineers are scrambling to find safe ways to recycle these incredibly valuable but dangerous parts.
Updated: Brilliant engineers are trying to change that by building a circular economy! They specifically design new products so that every single piece can be endlessly recycled and reused, meaning nothing ever becomes permanent garbage.
Test Your Understanding
Answer these questions and get instant feedback. How many can you get right?
Results
Your score:
Reflection
Think about all the different things you have thrown into the bin today. If you had to carry all your own garbage around in a backpack for an entire month, what specific habits would you change immediately to make your backpack lighter?
Episode Discussion
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