- How
Do We Decide?
- Adapted from Recycling Study
Guide, by Hallowell et. al, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources
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- Back to Trash Goes to School
- GRADE LEVELS:
7-8
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- SUBJECT AREAS:
social studies
mathematics
language arts
home economics
marketing
environmental education
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- CONCEPT:
Advertisements are used to make products appeal to consumers.
Sometimes we buy products because of this appeal, even if the
products are not environmentally responsible choices.
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- OBJECTIVE:
To have students quantify the number of times television and
radio ads try to sell products for reasons not related to product
quality, and list some of the techniques advertisers use to promote
products.
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- MATERIALS:
- copies of advertisements
for various products
- handout: Survey on Use of Disposable
Products
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- KEYWORDS:
advertising, packaging
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- PROCEDURE:
- 1. Find samples of different advertisements
for the same type of item (soda, detergent, potato chips). Select
ads for different name-brands and types of packaging. Discuss:
- - Which product would you buy? Why?
- What is advertising? What is the purpose of advertising?
- Does advertising influence what you buy? How?
- Which advertisement do you like best? Why?
- Do your reasons have anything to do with the quality or function
of the product?
- Do you purchase name-brand items instead of generic items?
Why?
- 2. Discuss ways in which products are
promoted on television, radio and in print. Analyze at least
25 ads. Note the following:
- - Does the advertisement mention the
packaging?
- Is the packaging recyclable or reusable?
- Does the ad suggest what you should do with the packaging?
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- 3. Design a chart to help analyze characteristics
of these ads. A sample follows (feel free to add other categories):
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- Name of Name of
Product #1 Product #2 .......
- Television__________________________________________________________
- Radio______________________________________________________________
- Print (magazines, newspapers) _______________________________________
- Others_____________________________________________________________
- Status_____________________________________________________________
- New and Improved__________________________________________________
- Convenience________________________________________________________
- Sex Appeal_________________________________________________________
- Symbols____________________________________________________________
- Self-Image__________________________________________________________
- Flashy Packaging____________________________________________________
- Band Wagon________________________________________________________
- Vague Pronouns_____________________________________________________
- Keeping up with the Joneses__________________________________________
- Other______________________________________________________________
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- 4. Show the results of the surveys
done by the students. Discuss:
- - Which marketing strategies were used
most often to promote packaged product?
- What strategies were used that were not listed on the sample
form?
- What usually happens to the packaging?
- Do you think the manufacturer of the product should be responsible
for what happens to the packaging once it is bought?
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- FOLLOW-UP:
- Name three reasons you buy one type
of packaged product instead of another.
- How often are your reasons based on
the quality or function of the product?
- Discuss ways in which advertisements
may influence what you choose to purchase.
- Complete the Survey on Use of Disposable
Products
- Survey on Use of Disposable Products
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- 1. What types of products do you buy?
- Durable products: (example: cassette
tapes, pens, mechanical pencils, combs, appliances, etc.)
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- Disposable products: (examples: shampoo
bottles, fast food containers, toothpaste pumps, plastic packaging,
juice boxes, razors, plastic bags, etc.)
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- 2. How much of these types of products
do you buy? (be specific)
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- How often?
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3. Do you consider buying alternatives to disposable products?
(examples: reusable canvas bags rather than plastic or paper
ones, unpackaged products versus packaged ones, washable dishes
rather than disposable ones)
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- 4. What do you do with disposable products
when you are finished with them?
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- 5. Are you aware of opportunities for
plastic recycling in your community?
- Yes ____ No _____
- Do you save plastics for recycling?
- Yes ____ No _____
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- 6. How often do you buy clothes? (number
of items per week, month or year)
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- How do you decide what to buy? (Are
you conscious of fashion, etc.? Be specific.)
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- What do you do with clothes you don't
want anymore?
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- 7. What types of things do you recycle
and why? (example: to claim deposit, for environmental reasons)
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- Survey written by Ann Gouldin, High
School Senior 1990
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