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Solid Waste and Recycling


How Much Garbage Do We Make?

Are you a "trash talker?" Let's see what you REALLY know about garbage…

THE TRASH TALKER CHALLENGE

1. In King County in 1999, not including Seattle, we threw away about _______ pounds of garbage.

275,000 pounds
510,000 pounds
760,000 pounds
930,000 pounds

2. That equals approximately ________ pounds per person per day. Smelly Garbage Can

1
2
3
4

3.Of all the waste we generate, we now recycle about _______ percent.

25%
40%
60%
75%

4.Estimates indicate that we have the capability to increase our recycling rate to approximately __________ percent.

45%
50%
60%
75%
90%

5. To reach this increased level, we would need to engage more in which of the following behaviors?

composting
using worm bins
recycling paper, glass, plastic, aluminum and tin
reusing items or taking them to local thrift stores for others to use
all of the above

6. In the last four years, we have __________ the PERCENT of waste that we recycle.

greatly increased
slightly increased
kept the same
greatly decreased Trash Bag
slightly decreased

7. In the last four years, we have __________ the amount of garbage that each person in King County creates.

greatly increased
slightly increased
kept the same
greatly decreased
slightly decreased

8. _________ percent of homes in King County now have curbside recycling.

56%
74%
89%
96%

9. Back in the late 1970's, just before many of you were born, we created _________ waste as/than we do today.

half as much
slightly less
about the same
slightly more
twice as much
Garbage Can with Bags

10. Waste from businesses like schools, restaurants and offices makes up 60% of our waste stream, whereas garbage from our households and apartments makes up 40%.

true
false

11. You can significantly reduce the amount of garbage you create with several minor actions like buying recycled or recyclable products, buying bulk products or products with less packaging, or bringing a reusable bag to the grocery store.

true
false



 

Updated: August 16 , 2000

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