SAMPLE ANSWERS

• What do you notice about the materials in your home? Are most of them natural, synthetic, or a mix of both? Why do you think that is?
  • Most things in my home are synthetic, like plastic containers, polyester curtains, and vinyl flooring. I think it’s because synthetic materials are cheaper and easier to mass-produce.
  • There’s a mix of both. My wooden furniture and cotton bedding are natural, but my electronics and kitchen tools are synthetic. It seems like natural materials are chosen for comfort, while synthetic ones are for convenience.
• Which material do you think is the most eco-friendly? Why?
  • I think glass is eco-friendly because it’s durable, reusable, and doesn’t pollute the environment as much as plastic.
  • Wood seems eco-friendly because it’s renewable and biodegradable. If forests are managed well, it’s a great material.
• Imagine a world where only one material (e.g., wood, plastic, glass) is used for everything. What would that world look like?
  • If everything was made of plastic, it would be lightweight and cheap, but the world would have a huge pollution problem since plastic doesn’t decompose.
  • A world with only wood might look beautiful and natural, but it wouldn’t be practical for things like electronics or food storage.
• What material do you use the most every day? How could you reduce its environmental impact?
  • I use a lot of plastic bottles. I could switch to a reusable metal bottle to reduce waste.
  • I rely on paper for schoolwork. Using digital notes or reusing scrap paper could reduce its impact.
• Think about something you recently threw away. What was it made of? Could it have been reused or recycled?
  • I threw away a plastic milk jug. It could have been recycled, but I didn’t clean it, so I just threw it in the trash.
  • I tossed an old T-shirt. Looking back, I could’ve turned it into cleaning rags or donated it.
• If you could invent a new material, what properties would it have? How would it help the environment?
  • I’d invent a biodegradable plastic that breaks down in weeks instead of years. It would help reduce pollution.
  • I’d create a material as strong as steel but as lightweight as plastic, made entirely from renewable resources like bamboo.
• What do you think happens to items in your home after you throw them away? Where do they go?
  • Most of them probably end up in a landfill, where they stay for decades or even centuries.
  • Some items might get recycled, like glass jars or paper, but only if I sort them properly.
• What material do you think will be most important in the future? Why?
  • I think renewable materials like bamboo will be important because they’re fast-growing and sustainable.
  • Recycled materials might be the future because we’ll run out of new resources if we don’t reuse what we already have.
• Do you think some materials are overused (like plastic)? How can we change that?
  • Plastic is definitely overused. We could reduce it by banning single-use plastics and switching to reusable alternatives.
  • Fast fashion uses too much synthetic fabric. Buying fewer, better-quality clothes would help.
• Which material from the lesson surprised you the most? Why?
  • I was surprised by how much water is needed to grow cotton. I thought it was eco-friendly, but now I know it has downsides.
  • Glass surprised me because it doesn’t pollute the environment much, even if it’s not recycled.