Introduction
Have you ever wondered where all of our trash goes when we throw it away? Every day, our country produces tons of waste in our homes, schools, and communities. Most of these end up in landfills or in the oceans polluting our environment and harming many species of animals and even humans themselves. Disasters such as overflowing landfills and water pollution begin with us not sorting trash correctly, throwing paper waste in the same pile as food waste, and even throwing plastic bottles with used tissues.
The best thing we could do as responsible citizens is to learn more about how to sort the waste materials correctly and help spread awareness to our own family, friends, and community that we live with.
As Community Waste Warriors, you will learn all about waste segregation and what to do with the trash we produce every day. You will be able to create a guide to be used by your community on how to sort waste appropriately, how it will benefit all of us, and the consequences of improper waste segregation. With that being said, we are going to learn everything we need to know about waste segregation so we can help our community, country, and Earth itself.
Task
You and your group are expected to make a Practical Waste Segregation Guide and Action Plan. This project must include the following:
1. The 4 different waste categories used in the Philippines.
2. Examples of these categories that may be found in our homes, schools, and communities.
3. The effect of throwing different waste together/sorting them accordingly.
4. How can we sort waste accordingly at home, school, and in our community.
5. A catchy slogan or poster for your campaign.
You may present this in the form of a digital brochure, infographic, or presentation. This is for your peers and community to view and follow!
Process
To do this WebQuest, you are required to work with a group of 3-4 students. Start by completing the tasks listed below.
Step 1: Learn the basics
Go through the following links and learn more about what is meant by proper waste segregation, and what rules we must follow. Make a list of all the different waste categories, and learn what different types of trash must go into what category.
Step 2: Go deeper
Discover the benefits of proper waste management. How will it benefit our country, community, government, and even us? What are the disadvantages of not throwing garbage accordingly? Discover the process of how waste from these categories is disposed of after segregation.
Step 3: Discover more!
Make a list of all the things we may encounter and throw away every day, such as: leftover food, paper wrappers, and batteries. Organize this list according to your findings in Step 1.
Step 4: Make a guide
Make a complete guide to proper waste segregation using the things you have discovered. You must present this in an informative and easy-to-understand manner. Make sure your presentation is understandable by all, and that it includes the actions we must take starting today to properly dispose of waste.
Step 5: Proofread & polish
Make sure to double-check all of your facts, and that your presentation is both attractive and understandable by all, and that it includes the actions we must take starting today to properly dispose of waste. Make sure your slogan or poster is catchy enough to get people to participate.
Evaluation
| Criteria | Excellent (5) | Good (4) | Fair (3) | Needs Improvement (1–2) |
| Accuracy of Information | All facts about the categories, rules, benefits, etc. of waste segregation are correct. | All facts about the categories, rules, benefits, etc. of waste segregation are mostly correct. | All facts about the categories, rules, benefits, etc. of waste segregation are incorrect. | All facts about the categories, rules, benefits, etc. of waste segregation are incorrect. |
| Completeness | Covers all the parts asked for in this guide. | Covers all the parts asked for in this guide, but is missing one small part. | Covers most of the parts asked for in this guide, but is missing a couple of them. | Covers half of the parts asked for in this guide. |
| Clarity & Usefulness | Very easy to understand | Easy to understand, but can be improved. | Hard to understand | Cannot be understood |
| Relevance & Creativity | Examples are related to the topics. Output is neat, presentable, and creative. | Examples are related to the topics. The output is very neat. | Examples are somewhat related to the topics. Output is average. l | Examples are not related to the topics. Output is messy. |
| Teamwork & Effort | Full participation was done by all members. The output is very neat. | Good effort was put in by all members. | Effort could have been better. Some members did not fully participate. | Members did not participate. |
Conclusion
Waste segregation is a very important responsibility that we all play a role in. Sorting the trash we produce every day is one of many ways we can help our country become a better place. We learn and practice this skill so we can help our community, country, and the world itself. As we finish this project, think about what you will do starting today to apply the knowledge you gained, and how you will encourage others to do so as well. Small contributions from all of us can lead to a great change for our country and our world.
Credits
The following websites are trusted and reliable resources that you can use to find more information regarding waste segregation and its effects.
1. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (Republic Act No. 9003). Retrieved from https://denr.gov.ph/index.php/legislation/republic-acts/668-republic-act-no-9003
2. National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC). Waste Segregation Guide and Classification of Wastes. Retrieved from https://nswmc.gov.ph/guidelines-and-resources/segregation-guide/
Local & Educational References
3. EcoWaste Coalition. (2023). Waste Segregation 101: A Guide for Filipino Students. YouTube. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eKz2q6R9XzY
4. Segregation Matters for Our Communities. Retrieved from https://wwf.panda.org/philippines/our-work/forests-and-oceans/waste-management/