An Etwinning Project: Recycling In Our City

An eTwinning project: Recycling in our city

What is eTwinning?

eTwinning is a framework for schools to collaborate on the Internet with partner schools in other European countries. eTwinning is the main action of the European Union's eLearning programme. It promotes school collaboration in Europe through the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by providing support, tools and services to make it easy for schools to form short or long term partnerships in any subject area.

How to get started?

Register •

First, you have to register your school. In the registration form, you are asked to give details about you, your school and your project idea.

•

It is important to fill in the form carefully so that you can be contacted by suitable partners. Once registered, you will receive a username and password which will allow you to access the eTwinning Desktop.

2. Find a partner To set up an eTwinning partnership, you need to find a partner and define together the topic of your project. When looking for a suitable partner, be sure to take the following criteria into consideration: • You share the same objectives and you agree on a topic for your collaborative project; • Your partner communicates regularly and openly; • Age, number and language level of your pupils are comparable; • ICT equipment in your schools should allow for an efficient collaboration.

3. Register your project Once you have found a partner and decided on the project you will run together, you can then register the partnership. You then have granted access to the collaborative tools in the TwinSpace as well as the eTwinning Label, which you can print off and post in your school, and the Progress Card, which allows you to communicate with your National Support Services (NSS) on your project’s progress.

This year we have been working an enviromental project with a Polish school: RECYCLING IN OUR CITY

RECYCLING IN OUR CITY

In this project both partners had to carry out a survey on recycling in our city. After that we put the results into graphs, commented on them and suggested solutions for the future. Looking for partners was no so easy as we expected. After a month we joined a Polish school and a Portuguese School, but the latest couldn’t finish the project. Our National Support Service accepted our projecct and granted us a partnership label

Teachers began knowing each other by exchanging internal messages, sharing ideas and adapting the project kit to our students needs (number, age group, language skills, etc.). We learned to use the tools needed for the project. After that we explained the project to our class.

The first task to be done by pupils was writing an introductory message about them, their school and their city. Pupils worked in groups of three (a reporter, a photographer and a webmaster). Reporters were mainly responsible for editing texts, photographers for taking pictures and webmasters for dealing with technical issues.

Our Polish partners “In our school is swimming pool, tennis-courts, large gymnastic and sports ground”

Hello!We're Adrian Marcinkowski(web master), Natalia Masiaca (reporter) and Błażej Więtczak (photographer).We're 14 years old. We study in high school in Zgierz, it names is "Adama Mickiewicza". We're in the second year of education. We want " give the Earth one more chence" with you. We like music, meet with friends etc. We enjoy that we will  work together.

Every team writes its own blog on the internet

One of the teams prepared a presentation about our school

Our high school

Our classroom •We’re 500 students. •And 50 teachers.

THE COURTYARD

» In the breaktime we play football and basketball » It is not a big courtyard, but we always have a goodtime

AND OUR HIGH SCHOOL HAS …

A classical theater group

An instrumental group

AND…..

……students like us

• Daniel Romero • Fran Cazorla • Joan Falomir

Students also prepared a presentation about their city

After a brain storm activity in class, we decided to write a ten question survey about recycling. In the next week, every group interviewed ten different people (friends, family, neighbours) and the photographer took pictures relevant to the topic.

After a week we compiled in class the results of our survey and put them into graphs in Excel. We discussed our results and wrote some suggestions which could improve recycling in our city.

We wrote a report of the project and our teacher uploaded it in a PowerPoint presentation

SURVEY : RECYCLING IN OUR CITY

3TH YEAR ESO STUDENTS VICENTA FERRER ESCRIVÀ SECONDARY SCHOOL

Who did we ask? A total of 58 people were interviewed. • Gender: – 48% men – 52% women

• Age: – 24% under 20 years old – 31% between 20 and 40 years old – 45% older than 45 years old

•

1- In your opinion, how clean is Valencia? • 1. Very clean • 2. Clean enough • 3. Not clean enough • 4. Very dirty

Question one

56.9 60.0 50.0 40.0 22.4

30.0

13.8

20.0

6.9

10.0 0.0

is of the opinion that our city is very clean

clean enough

not clean enough

dirty/very dirty

Analysis / Suggestions

•

Only 30% believe that Valencia is a clean city.

•

Over 70% are of the opinion that Valencia is a dirty city

•

This is a serious cause of concern! What can we do?

2- At home, do you and your family recycle...? (yes/no) * Paper * Glass * Batteries * Medicines * Plastic * Metal

90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0

82.8 72.4

69.0 62.1 55.2

50.0

37.9

40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0

1

Paper

82.8

glass

69.0

batteries

55.2

Medicines

62.1

Plasric

72.4

metal

37.9

Paper glass batteries Medicines Plasric metal

Analysis / Suggestions

A large amount of people recycle at home, especially paper, plastic and glass because they have containers near their houses. Over half also separate medicines and batteries for recycling. Excellent results: It seems they are concerned about this problem. However, we are of the opinion that these results are a little too optimistic. Maybe, these people don’t actually recycle everyday.

3- At school / at the office, do YOU recycle (yes/no) Paper • Glass • Plastic • • Ink cartridges

At work/school, we recycle...

80.0

72.4

70.0 60.0 50.0 34.5

40.0 30.0

27.6 20.7

Glass Plastic

20.0

Ink cartidges

10.0 0.0

Paper

1

Paper

72.4

Glass

20.7

Plastic

34.5

Ink cartidges

27.6

Analysis / Suggestions At school or at the office, things don’t work out as well as they do at home. Only a limited amount of people recycle paper at work/school, and they don’t separate other kinds of waste Maybe they consider that it is not their duty, or that they haven’t enough time. A campaign to increase public awareness must be launched.

4- What do you demand of your Council in order to improve the waste problem? • More recycling containers in the streets • A Recycling point to put other kinds of waste •More recycling consciousness campaigns •Fines for people who litter the streets

Question four 50,0 50,0 45,0 40,0 35,0 30,0 25,0 20,0 15,0 10,0 5,0 0,0

36,2 29,3

27,6

What do you demand of your Council in order to improve the waste problem??

More recycling containers in the streets More recycling conciousness campaigns

A Recycling point to put other kinds of waste Fines for people who get dirty the streetst

Analysis / Suggestions People ask for more waste containers near their houses. They want more facilities to put their rubbish in different containers. Sometimes, these containers are full and waste accumulates beside the containers.

Quite a few people are of the opinion that some citizens are not aware of the waste problem and don’t make appropriate use of the waste containers. Instead they tend to put all their waste in the nearest container, it doesn’t matter what kind of waste they are throwing away. Some of the people we interviewed say that they’ve asked the Local Council to fine these irresponsible citizens.

5- How well do you think your Council deals with the waste problem? • Very well • Well enough. But it could be better • Badly • Very badly

Question five 39,7

39,7

40,0 35,0 30,0 25,0 20,0

10,3

15,0

10,3

10,0 5,0 0,0 How well do you think your Council deals with the waste problem? Very well

Well enough. It could be better

Badly

I don't care about it

Analysis / Suggestions In this question we find two conflicting viewpoints: Half of the interviewed people think that the local authorities deal with waste in an appropriate way. The other half believes that the authorities deal with it in an inappropriate way: Who is right?

6- Why do you recycle materials? • I’m seriosly concerned about the environment • It’s my duty • I think it’s a good thing, but it’s hard to do, so I don’t recycle • I don’t recycle. I don’t care

Question six 55,2 60,0 50,0 40,0 30,0

22,4

19,0

20,0

3,4

10,0 0,0

Why do you recycle materials? IÕm seriosly concerned about the environment ItÕs my duty I think itÕs a good thing, but itÕs hard to do, so I donÕt recycle I donÕt recycle. I donÕt care

Analysis / Suggestions

Over 75% of people are concerned about recycling waste, 20% believe that they should recycle but they find it difficult. Only a small percentage of people (3%) consider that recycling is a load of tosh.

7- What kind of items do you throw into the plastic bank (yellow container) • Every kind of plastic and metal including batteries and electronic devices • Plastic containers , cans and juice/milk cartons • Every kind of plastic and metal, except batteries and electronic devices • Only plastic containers and cans: I throw juice/milk cartons into the paper bank

5 6 ,9

6 0 ,0 5 0 ,0 4 0 ,0 3 0 ,0

1 7 ,2 1 9 ,0

2 0 ,0 1 0 ,0 0 ,0

6 ,9

1

A

6 ,9

B

5 6 ,9

C

1 7 ,2

D

1 9 ,0

A B C D

•A: Every kind of plastic and metall including batteries and electronic devices • B: Plastic containers , cans and juice/milk cartons •C: Every kind of plastic and metall, except batteries and electronic devices • D: Only plastic containers and cans: I throw juice/milk cartons into the paper bank

Analysis / Suggestions Many people (45%) don’t know how they are supposed to use the plastic container. They are of the opinion that all kinds of plastic and metal should be thrown in there together. But that is not the truth: In our city only plastic bottles, aluminum and steel cans or milk/drink cartons are recyclable. Other kinds of plastic or metal must be sent to a separate recycling point

8- What do you do with the remaining oil after cooking?

• I throw leftover oil into the sink • I throw leftover oil into the dustbin • I re-use oil several times and after that I put it into a glass/plastic bottle and I throw it into the green/yellow container • I re-use oil several times and after that I put the oil in a newspaper and throw this into the dustbin

Question eigth

25,9

30,0

25,9

27,8 20,4

25,0 20,0 15,0 10,0 5,0 0,0

qWhat do you do with the remaining oil after cooking?

I throw oil into the sink I throw oil into the dustbin I reuse oil several times and after that I put it into a glass/plastic bottle and I throw it into the green/yellow container I reuse oil several times and after that I put the oil in a newspaper and throw this into the dustbin

Analysis / Suggestions It was a tricky question for many: Only 20% of the interviewed people knew how to deal with oil correctly. Special containers should be provided by the authorities to make disposing of oil easier for people. We believe that people should be more informed on this subject in order to avoid throwing in the kitchen sink. As it is harmful for the cycle of water.

9- Near your house, are there enough recycling banks for the different kinds of waste? • Organic (general) Grey colour • Plastic and metal (yelllow) • Paper (Blue) • Glass (green)

Question nine 93,1 100,0 90,0 80,0 70,0 60,0 50,0 40,0 30,0 20,0 10,0 0,0

58,6

56,9

58,6

Near your house, are there enough recycling banks for the different kinds of waste? Organic (general) grey colour

Plastic and metal (yelllow)

Paper (Blue)

Glass (green)

Analysis / Suggestions

The vast majority of people have a grey waste container near their home. Only half of people have other kinds of waste containers near their houses. Local authorities should be aware of this lack of containers and provide a solution

10- Do you know the destination of the waste generated in your city? • Sure, I do • I’m not very sure • I have never thought about this before • I’ve got no idea. I don’t care

Question ten

41,4 45,0 40,0

33,8

35,0 30,0 25,0 20,0

11,2

13,6

15,0 10,0 5,0 0,0 Sure, I do

Do you know the destination of the waste generated in your city? IÕm not very sure I have never wondered this question

IÕve got no idea. I donÕt care

Analysis / Suggestions Only a third of the population know the next steps of the waste process. Most people don’t know that: •Waste can be dumped, buried or burned. •Waste is collected from houses and taken to landfills or incinerators. •Incinerators produce harmful emmissions. •The dump releases unpleasant odours •There is the possibility of contracting diseases from waste piles •Waste can contaminate public water supplies

We chatted with our partners by the internet and we could learn a lot of thing about Poland. To close the project, pupils wrote a farewell email to their partners by using the TwinSpace messaging system. We sent them a photograph of our team and our best wishes

THE END