Classroom Questions

Questions for ‘Circular cities go ‘green’ by reusing things over and over again’ 

an illustration showing a stylized city in green and orange with a prominent recycling symbol in the middle

Circular cities’ initiatives go beyond traditional recycling concepts. They loop in products’ whole life cycles to minimize waste.

Man As Thep/iStock/Getty Images Plus

By Science News Explores

To accompany ‘Circular cities go ‘green’ by reusing things over and over again’  

SCIENCE

Before Reading:

  1. What is a cycle? Write a one-sentence definition for this word.
  2. Consider the following statement: Modern society is wasteful. Do you strongly agree, somewhat agree or disagree with this assertion? Briefly explain your answer.
  3. Briefly describe your local region or city, including the typical climate, what kinds of industries or businesses it has and whether people tend to live in suburban, rural or urban areas. Based on these features, what is one type of trash or pollution that your region likely produces a lot of? Explain your answer in one sentence.

During Reading:

  1. What is Austin Resource Recovery’s goal?
  2. Give one example of how a landfill might pollute surrounding regions.
  3. Explain how engineers in the Netherlands use rainwater to cool artificial grass. Use the word evaporation in your answer.
  4. How did 8-year-old Matilda Redding contribute to her local fundraiser?
  5. What is “fast fashion”? How might reliance on fast fashion harm the environment more than other fashion choices?
  6. Where do Rummage Studio’s materials come from? What does Rummage Studio do with these materials?
  7. What is one way that electric vehicle batteries might be repurposed?
  8. Give one example of a “rescued” material that often has higher value than newer materials of its type.
  9. What is one reason recycled steel is often of lower quality than new steel? How might scientists address this problem?
  10. In no more than two sentences, describe how Mike Colarossi’s proposed idea might improve the efficiency of recycling processes.

After Reading:

  1. What is one item or material you discard frequently that might be reused? Give an example of how a person might extend the usefulness of this item. Feel free to be creative. The person might fix it and reuse it as-is. Or they might reuse its materials. What is an obstacle that might keep a person from actually taking this action? If a peer used this obstacle as an excuse, what might you tell them to encourage them to take action for the environment?
  2. We can always improve how we handle trash and reduce waste. However, many places are already taking positive steps to help the environment. What is one way people in your local area are already reusing materials or extending the life of everyday items? Describe the benefit of this practice. If this practice suddenly didn’t exist anymore, what would be the impact? Do you think it is important to acknowledge the impacts of the people and projects that are already working toward a more sustainable future? Explain why or why not.