LOCAL ISSUE - ENVIRONMENT - Plastic Pollution - Grade K-6 - Issue Card - Let’s Go Green

Oct 19, 2026

Uploaded by James

LOCAL ISSUE - ENVIRONMENT focuses on plastic pollution, showing how plastic is found everywhere—from waterways and oceans to distant places like the South Pole. It explains harms to animals from entanglement, ingestion, and the risks of microplastics. The material connects these concerns to Sustainable Development Goal 13 and provides practical ways to help: recycle properly, choose non-plastic products, and educate others. Key actions and discussion questions guide students to reduce plastic use at home and school.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages2

Reading Time5 min

AccessFree to download

LOCAL ISSUE

ENVIRONMENT

Discussion Questions

Go Deeper

Take Action

LOCAL ISSUE ENVIRONMENT Plastic is everywhere and the world makes so much of it. It is being blown around in the wind and washed in our waterways. We find it in the oceans and even as far south asthe South Pole. Plastic in its regular form, like bags and bottles, does great harm to animals. Not only can they get caught in it or get sick from eating it, but once it breaks down, the microplastics look like food and can be dangerous to the animals. You can help by making sure that plastic is thrown away properly - put in recycling bins. Or you can use products made from other things besides plastic. But one of the best ways to help is to tell people about the problem. Educate others about the harmful effects of plastic and encourage them to reduce their usage. Sustainable Development Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. We use 5 trillion plastic bags per year. That means every person on Earth uses over 700 a year. | A plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes, but it takes over 20 years to decompose . | | --- | | Almost 75% of plastic is not recycled. 40% ends up in landfill and 32% becomes pollution . | The website Earth911 . com will tell you where you can find recycling near you . LOCAL ISSUE ENVIRONMENT Plastic is everywhere and the world makes so much of it. It is being blown around in the wind and washed in our waterways. We find it in the oceans and even as far south asthe South Pole. Plastic in its regular form, like bags and bottles, does great harm to animals. Not only can they get caught in it or get sick from eating it, but once it breaks down, the microplastics look like food and can be dangerous to the animals. You can help by making sure that plastic is thrown away properly - put in recycling bins. Or you can use products made from other things besides plastic. But one of the best ways to help is to tell people about the problem. Educate others about the harmful effects of plastic and encourage them to reduce their usage. Sustainable Development Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts. We use 5 trillion plastic bags per year. That means every person on Earth uses over 700 a year. | A plastic bag is used for an average of 12 minutes, but it takes over 20 years to decompose . | | --- | | Almost 75% of plastic is not recycled. 40% ends up in landfill and 32% becomes pollution . | The website Earth911 . com will tell you where you can find recycling near you . Discussion Questions 1 2 3 If each person in a class of 20 students uses a plastic container each day, that is 7,300 containers per year. What could you do to reduce that number? How could you make a plastic-free lunch? Think of a room in your house. Name three plastic items you could replace with sustainable alternatives. For example, buy larger bottles of shampoo and refill the smaller ones instead of buying new ones. Go Deeper Check out more info in the Let’s Go Green Campaign at [https://educationplus.org](https://educationplus.org)[ ](https://educationplus.org)/initiatives Take Action Reduce your negative impacts and boost your positive ones with Let’s Go Green. Discussion Questions 1 2 3 If each person in a class of 20 students uses a plastic container each day, that is 7,300 containers per year. What could you do to reduce that number? How could you make a plastic-free lunch? Think of a room in your house. Name three plastic items you could replace with sustainable alternatives. For example, buy larger bottles of shampoo and refill the smaller ones instead of buying new ones. Go Deeper Check out more info in the Let’s Go Green Campaign at [https://educationplus.org](https://educationplus.org)[ ](https://educationplus.org)/initiatives Take Action Reduce your negative impacts and boost your positive ones with Let’s Go Green.

FAQs

What problems does the document say plastic causes in the environment?

It says plastic ends up blown around and washed into waterways, reaches oceans, and can harm animals. Animals may get caught, become sick from eating it, and microplastics can look like food.

What are the suggested ways to help reduce plastic’s impact?

Throw plastic away properly using recycling bins, use products made from other materials besides plastic, and educate others about the harmful effects to encourage less plastic use.

What questions does the document ask students to discuss to reduce plastic use?

It asks how to reduce the number of plastic containers used by a class, how to make a plastic-free lunch, and which three plastic items at home could be replaced with sustainable alternatives.

Oct 19, 2026

Uploaded by James