LATEST – GREATEST INVENTOR LESSON … · Contributions of the Solid Waste Management Industry:...

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE THE LATEST - GREATEST INVENTOR?

One man’s trash has truly become every man’s treasure! The Solid Waste Management Industy is defined as a

system that provides for the collection, storage, transportation, transfer, processing, treatment, and disposal of

garbage, including separation and processing for recycling and composting.

What was once discarded as scrap or useless and

thought to be of no value is increasingly rethought,

reduced, reused and recycled!

Contributions of the Solid Waste Management Industry:

• A cleaner, healthier environment

• Protecting the environment and public health

• Landfill Gas - a source of renewable energy is

produced when organic matter such as food,

natural fibers, and plants decompose in the landfill.

Landfill gas is made up of methane (CH4) and carbon

dioxide (CO2). These gases are also greenhouse

gases. Landfill gas utilization is a process of

gathering, processing, and treating the gas in order

to produce electricity, heat, and fuel for cars and

trucks.

• Providing essential services and more; trash

removal and recycling.

www.just-think-inc.com

LATEST – GREATEST INVENTOR

LESSON PLAN

INDUSTRY: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT!

Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

LATEST – GREATEST INVENTOR - LESSON PLAN


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LOOK at Some of the Other Great Inventions! RESEARCH! RESEARCH! RESEARCH!

Photo courtesy of…

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio is one of 52 solid waste management districts

created under HB 592. The primary goal of a solid waste management district is to plan

for future disposal capacity and to reduce reliance on landfills in Ohio. Solid Waste

Authority of Central Ohio primarily services Franklin County, but also select parts of five

adjacent counties. In addition to providing solid waste planning for the District, Solid

Waste Authority of Central Ohio operates a sanitary landfill with a maximum daily

capacity of 4,000 tons per day. Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio also provides recycling programs, yard

waste composting services, public education programs, and other activities to reduce the generation and

disposal of trash within Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s territory.

THE SMALLER THE TRASH THE BETTER!

Compaction, or using force to make something

smaller, is another way to reduce the volume of our

trash and recyclables. The smaller we can compress it,

the more room we save.

Do you have a compactor in your kitchen to make

your household trash smaller? Compactors typically

use hydraulics (operated by fluids, especially water,

under pressure) as the force of pressure.

Back in 1941, M.S. Wells was the first person to

submit the patent for a basic trash compactor. Wells

wanted to use compactors in Pennsylvania to crush oil

cans that were used at local gas stations. However, it was not until 1971 that the first

compactor for in home use, known as the Kitchen Compactor, was patented by James

Boyd of Falls Church, Virginia. Kitchen compactors are small in comparison to some of

the giant compactors out there. Landfill compactors are vehicles with steel tooth

wheels that help shred, tear, and press together various items in the landfill so that

they consume minimal volume. The design of the machine, and more importantly, the

wheels and the teeth are very critical in compaction. The steel wheels are very wide

so that they can have as many teeth as possible.

Now, there are even solar compactors that are slowly replacing trash cans in parks

and on sidewalks. These machines require no electricity, and instead use energy

from the sun to reduce the volume of trash inside. The invention, called the

BigBelly, is the brainchild of James Poss and some of his business school classmates.

Source: http://whoinvented.org/who-invented-trash-compactor/

Source:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/07/26/solar_power_compactors_press_the_mess_in_boston/?page=1




THE MODERN SANITARY LANDFILL IS FAR FROM A GARBAGE DUMP!

Sometimes the best ideas come from improving on ones that already exist! Take for example the idea of sanitary

landfills. Instead of just burning trash or dumping it with no consideration given to the surrounding

environment, a modern sanitary landfill uses several liner systems to prevent soil and ground water

contamination. If a landfill is not properly lined, leachate or “garbage juice” can leach or leak into the soil and

potential ground water resources that surround the site. Leachate is produced when rainwater drips through the

trash and mixes with chemicals from house hold cleaners and other products. Another form of pollution, air

pollution, is also created when organic waste such as food, natural fibers, and plants decompose in the landfill.

This produces greenhouse gases such as methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2), which if not monitored, can

become explosive and/or contribute to air pollution.

The practice of sanitary landfills started in Great Britain in the 1920’s and was originally called “controlled

tipping,” but it wasn’t until Designer Jean Vincenz improved on the technology that it became truly successful.

Vincenz believed that a true sanitary landfill required different elements than those being used elsewhere,

including building trenches (holes for the trash), a deeper cover of dirt between layers of trash to reduce odor

and deter rodents, and compaction of both the earth cover and the waste. Due in large part to Vincenz’s great

improvements, the sanitary landfill became a universally-accepted disposal option after World War II in the

United States, and continues to be improved upon today.

Source: http://historicfresno.org/nrhp/landfill.htm

For a poster sized representation of a Modern Day Landfill poster visit:

http://www.Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.org/SmartKids/Presentations.aspx




Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s Mission for Kids: Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio helps people in

Columbus and Franklin County to rethink, reduce, reuse and recycle trash that would

otherwise clutter and hurt our planet. We also work on ways to turn trash into new

products that can make our environment a better place for us all to live. With your great

invention ideas, you can help change what is put in our trash cans by following four

important rules; Rethinking, Reducing, Reusing and Recycling. Practicing these “4 R’s”

every day will keep our environment healthy, clean, and green!

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio demonstrates Rethinking, Reducing, Reusing and Recycling practices every

day, but they also take the time to honor Green Leaders. Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s annual

EMERALD awards are designed to highlight the best green practices of Central Ohio businesses, non-profits,

schools and individuals. The ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION EMERALD recognizes educational programs that

focus on teaching the value of the natural world. Educational programs should include one or more of the

following emphases:

• Teaching environmental responsibility

• Fostering positive perceptions of the natural world and its short- and long-term viability

• Helping to develop eco-friendly habits

• Engaging others in environmental rejuvenation projects that help

develop a meaningful and lifelong appreciation and respect for nature

Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio also awards a “Young and Green” award

for high school students.

Learn more about Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio’s EMERALDS by

visiting:

http://www.Solid Waste Authority of Central

Ohio.org/SmartCommunities/EarnAward.aspx.

The Kitchen Compactor and Modern Sanitary Landfill won’t be the

last great inventions to help people Rethink, Reduce, Reuse or

Recycle…The next latest greatest “Solid Waste Management”

invention is waiting to be created!

There are many ways an inventor can contribute to the “Solid Waste Management” industry. Here are a few:

� Develop new ways to rethink, reduce, reuse, and recycle garbage.

� Invent new ways to generate renewable energy.

� Repurpose landfill trash, or old parts and pieces into new inventions. Special adaptations or

improvements that make it easier for others to recycle.

� Keep thinking…there are many more ways you can impact the “Solid Waste Management” industry!




Journal it!

Before you get started looking for a clever idea, let’s talk about inventing!

Inventors invent by following certain basic steps – just like many other things you do every day. Like following a

recipe while cooking, brushing your teeth or tying your shoes – inventing is a process. To help you get started

with YOUR invention – just follow the steps beginning on the next page!

FIRST – JUST THINK!!

The best way to come up with a clever idea or plan is to BRAINSTORM! Brainstorming is

thinking up lots of ideas. When you brainstorm for an invention – you think of everything you

possibly can about what problems there are, who has them, how to resolve them…just

everything that enters your mind. Don’t worry about every detail – just write down your

ideas. You can figure out the “how” and “what” later.

You can start by asking yourself the following questions (write down the answers in your

journal):

What are some problems you have noticed that impact the “Solid Waste Management” industry?

What problems have you seen reported in the news? Learned in school?

What about your friends, grandparents, teachers? Ask them to share problems they have noticed.

Now that you're thinking more about “Solid Waste Management”....brainstorming all kinds of ideas and on

your way to.... Rethinking, Reducing, Reusing and Recycling

...remember to pick a problem you think you can solve - and that fits this program's requirements. Here is

some information that will help you understand the basic requirements:

1. You'll need to BUILD a prototype....not just have an idea...or draw

a picture...or conceptualize a system. This is a “Gadget”, “Model”,

“Functional THING” program/competition.

2. Your idea does need to SOLVE something...even though some

inventions are just plain FUN. We're looking for SOLUTIONS that

have a measureable impact on the world.

3. Every inventor DOES THEIR RESEARCH on the problem: Who has

the problem? What may have already been started to solve this

problem? How is the problem measured? How could the impact

of the solution(s) be measured?

4. Every inventor puts time in COMMUNICATING their journey. A

solution is only as good as its ability to “GET REAL”....and that only

happens if you take the idea out of your head...and successfully

transfer it to others. Your Student Journal allows you to create a

documented record of your invention from start to finish and

provides you an effective way to communicate your idea to others.




While you were deciding on a “problem” and thinking about the basic requirements, were you already

beginning to think about some possible solutions?

Use the SCAMMPER technique to brainstorm! Take your idea – then SCAMPER!

Substitute – What else could you do instead? Could you use other materials?

Combine – How about a blend of two or more ideas/processes?

Adapt – What is there already that helps with this problem? Can you make it better?

Minify – Order, form, shape? Could you make it smaller? Miniature? Portable?

Magnify – Greater frequency? Bigger? Longer? Add something?

Put to other uses – How else could it be used? Or where? With who?

Eliminate – What can you get rid of? Subtract? Condense?

Reverse – Will it work backwards, inside out, upside down?

These are all important things to think about when getting ready to make your invention. There really is a lot to

think about – but just like anything else worth doing – if you just GET STARTED you’ll soon be on your way to

becoming an INVENTOR!

SECOND – JUST DESIGN!!

Once you have decided on your favorite idea – it is time to start designing YOUR invention. Start by defining the

PIECES AND PARTS you will need to actually make it. You will need to think about what it will look like, how you

will use it, does it need directions – all the things that will help others know what your invention is all about, so

they can use it and help others learn how.

Here are a few questions to answer to get you started:

Is it like anything you already know about? How is your idea different?

What are some names your invention might be called?

How will you use it? Who uses it?

What might it look like? How will it operate?

When would it be used? Night or day? Warm weather or cold?

How many people can use it at one time? One, many, both?

Does your invention need directions or instructions? What are they?

What problem/challenge does your invention help solve? How?

What materials will you need to make it? Where will you find them?

Is the invention simple? Cost effective? Durable?

Will you need help? What kind of help will you need?

You can draw or sketch your idea or simply describe it in your inventor’s journal. And if you need to, you can

make up a set of directions. Don’t worry - this is easier than it sounds. Remember - this is YOUR idea – so you

just have to explain what is in your brain. Write down everything people will need to know – and that’s all it

takes!




Journal it!

THIRD – JUST BELIEVE AND BUILD IT!!

Now – you need to actually make your idea into a prototype or a working model, so you can see what it really

looks like and show how it really helps to solve the problem. Remember, try to keep it simple, cost effective and

durable.

I D E A = S U C C E S S ! +

YOU CAN DO THIS! Your brilliant idea has come to life on paper – now JUST BELIEVE AND BUILD IT!

Don’t forget the first thing you should do EVERY DAY and EVERY STEP OF THE WAY is write

down what you’ve done in your journal. Include the improvements, changes, trials and

errors, including the dates you made them. Record your changes, and initial and date them.

Your prototype should be:

A model or representation of how your invention would work if it were real and should be:

• Able to adequately illustrate to those learning about it how it would work if real.

• No larger than 2 feet deep X 3 feet wide X 4 feet high.

• Able to run on batteries – if there is a power source needed at all.

Your prototype may not:

• Utilize electricity AT THE FINAL COMPETITION (there is no AC provided/allowed at IC)

• Be larger than stated requirements.

Once you have built your prototype – TRY IT OUT!

YOUR invention may be perfect the way it is - but it’s OKAY if you want to change it - fix it - make it better!

Inventors rarely get it right the very first try…sometimes an inventor may build many prototypes before they are

satisfied with their creation.

The most known example is Thomas Edison's light bulb. How he had an idea...tried it...but had to believe in it

enough to suffer over 1,000 "failed" tries - before it worked! What got Thomas Edison through it?

HE BELIEVED!

HE BELIEVED HIS LIGHT BULB WOULD WORK!

HE BELIEVED IN HIS ABILITY TO MAKE IT WORK!

AND - HE NEVER GAVE UP!

ID E A = +




How do you know if your prototype is ready?

Here are a few questions that will help you to decide:

Does MY invention work the way

I want it to? Can I make changes

to make it simpler to operate?

Make it to work better?

Does it look the way I want it to?

What can I do to improve the

way it looks?

Is it durable? Are there other

materials I can use to make it

more durable?

Can I enhance it in any way?

Make it larger or smaller?

Portable? Waterproof?

Remember the SCAMMPER

technique of brainstorming?

Look back at SCAMMPER

questions covered earlier in this

lesson to see if there are more

helpful questions.

If you decide to make changes make

sure to record your changes (failures

and successes) in your journal.

Once you have finished your prototype, make sure you congratulate yourself for bringing your idea to life and

for a job well done!

YOU ARE THE LATEST - GREATEST INVENTOR!

LATEST – GREATEST INVENTOR LESSON … · Contributions of the Solid Waste Management Industry:...

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