In most economics classes we focus on the production and consumption of goods and services, but what happens to the product and its packaging after it’s consumed? Waste disposal is a crucial step in the production process and as the theme of this month’s World Environment Day is #BeatPlasticPollution, we use the example of plastic bottles.
This teaching pack introduces students to the full production process, including both extraction and waste disposal. They are then placed in the position of managers in a soft drinks company to help them understand these new concepts, and to practice applying them to a scenario. The timings in this guide are for a 30-minute exercise, but if you wanted to you could spend longer on these activities and give students more time to discuss amongst themselves.
You can request the Instructor's Guide on the Economy Studies Website.
This teaching material was designed by Economy Studies and is part of the "This Month in the Economy Exercises" series.
Go to: Production and Waste: Plastic Pollution – Economy Studies