Identifying alternatives to plastics

This activity focuses on identifying alternatives to the most commonly used disposable plastic products while making young people aware of the harm caused by disposable plastics.

1. The facilitator should introduce the concept of disposable plastic.
2. Following the introduction of the concept, the facilitator should ask the participants to name any disposable plastic products they can think of. One of the participants can be responsible for writing the names of these products on the board.
3. Initially, each participant should be asked to name only one product so that each participant can contribute to the board's list.
4. After all the answers are on the board, the facilitator should discuss whether and why any products must be removed from the list.
5. The facilitator should begin the second round. Could you take each item on the list and ask participants to suggest an alternative to that product and explain why the option is better? If the group agrees that this product is a better alternative, then erase that product from the list. Could you go through the entire list in this way?
6. The facilitator should check all the products have disappeared from the list. If not, then how many remain?
7. The young people could then be asked to think it over, in their own time and see if they can come up with an alternative to those products for which no choice could be found.

Conclusion

Participants should understand that while plastics are extensively used, they can find alternatives for most of them. For those products for which options have yet to be found, the participants should be reminded that such products must be disposed of appropriately in the bin marked for dry waste.

Evaluation

Could you please assess if every participant has thoroughly understood the concept of disposable plastics and whether alternatives are available?

For future reference

Think about some commonly used single-use plastic objects. You may have thought of the following examples.

1. A plastic bottle. What would be a good alternative for it? Free text answer
2. A plastic bag. What would be a good alternative for it?
3. Free text answer
4. Take away plastic containers for food. What would be a good alternative for it?
5. Free text answer
6. Liquid soap plastic containers. What would be a good alternative for it?
7. Free text answer
8. Plastic toothbrush. What would be a good alternative for it?
9. Free text answer
10. Plastic utensils. What would be a good alternative for it?
11. Free text answer