How do you think our rubbish has changed over the years? Which are the most common materials we throw away today? How was this different in the past?
Find out how waste has been managed over the years by reading the ‘History of Waste’ information sheet. Then, download the activity sheet to create a ‘History of Waste’ timeline by cutting out the statements and placing them in order.
Think about your history curriculum. Encourage students to think about what would have been the main items of waste in different periods of history and how it would have been disposed of. Think about why waste became a problem.
Print out the “waste timeline” activity sheet. Cut it into sections and ask your group to put it into a timeline order.
Check your answers against the “history of waste information sheet”.
Individuals will be able to explain that people have always made waste but that it has become a problem due to:
