Environmental Pondering - Puzzle Ball

Green Greetings Boys & Girls!

Uppity Owl is all about finding ways to keep our beautiful planet free of harmful things. One way to do this is to think and talk about finding solutions to our environmental problems. Here is the Environmental Pondering of the week.
Be sure to talk about it with a friend or parent...or better yet, think about what you can do to help solve the problem and ask an adult to help you take action!

Environmental Pondering of the Week

My preschooler LOVES to go bowling. So it was only appropriate to go to his cousins bowling party! The music was bumping and the bowlers were cheering for their friends! I, for one, was having a great time cheering for my husband who made 3 strikes in a row!

After a fun evening of throwing 10 pound balls down oil slick lane, we said our good byes and headed out to the truck. But, there was an obstacle in the way...guess what was right by the exit door...vending machines of course! Guess who wanted a toy...my sweet 3 year old! To keep him from having a melt down I decided I'd let him get a bouncy ball. The odd thing is when his toy came out it wasn't a bouncy ball. It was an odd plastic puzzle ball that broke into pieces when he tried to bounce it.

I wondered how long this plastic puzzle toy would keep my son happy. Then I wondered if there were any recycling symbols on the ball just in case my 3 year old lost interest in it quickly. More importantly, I wondered how many toys just like this one would end up in the trash.

Questions

• What kind of toys do you love to get from vending machines?
• Would you be willing to give up your favorite vending machine toys if they were not recyclable?
• How long do the toys from vending machines keep you entertained?

Hint

I did not see any of these symbols on the plastic pieces to the puzzle ball:

 "These symbols stand for different kinds of plastic that can be recycled."

Photo Evidence

"Having a great time bowling!"

 

 "Plastic ball puzzle pieces next to my bowling ball. Isn't she a beauty!"

 

 "Did you see any recycling symbols?"

Environmental Pondering - Red Robin

Good Day Boys & Girls!

Uppity Owl is all about finding ways to keep our beautiful planet free of harmful things. One way to do this is to think and talk about finding solutions to our environmental problems. Here is the Environmental Pondering of the week.
Be sure to talk about it with a friend or parent...or better yet, think about what you can do to help solve the problem and ask an adult to help you take action!

Environmental Pondering of the Week

When I was shopping at the mall today, I noticed there were some plastic cups thrown away in a trash can. Not a recycling bin. I was saddened to think those cups might end up in a landfill. Then I wondered where they came from. They were clear plastic cups with cool graphic print, red lids and red straws. They looked familiar to me but I wasn't sure where they came from.

As my 3 year old told his daddy goodbye, he told me he was hungry and that his tummy was empty. Well, then, I just had to make sure he had something to eat. We stopped in one of our favorite restaurants, Red Robin. When the waitress gave my son his drink, I recognized the cup. It was the same cup I saw in the trash earlier.

Questions

Why were the cups thrown in the trash instead of a recycling bin? 

What could be done to keep this from happening in the future?

Hint

The cups could of been recycled because they had this marking on the bottom:

"The PP stands for Polypropylene which is a type of plastic."

Photo Evidence

 "My 3 year old enjoying his menu at Red Robin."

  

 "The evidence. The same exact cups I saw in the trash earlier. I took my sons cup home. I will reuse it until it's too weak to function, then I will throw it into a recycling bin."

 

 

 "Proof that this cup could of been recycled."