Each year everyone in Scotland throws away more than half a tonne of waste, the weight of a baby elephant.

How does the amount of waste we produce affect our Ecological Footprint?

• Waste is made up of many different materials (for example paper, aluminium, plastic) made from natural resources. Throwing things away is a waste of the natural resources and energy which have been used to make the product.
• Most of the energy to make the materials comes from fossil fuels that are not only non-renewable resources but also release carbon dioxide when burnt.
• Waste has to be put somewhere. Most is sent to landfill sites or incinerated (burnt), using up land and releasing greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide.

Follow the navigation buttons at the top of the page to complete this section, to help you to understand the environmental impact of your waste and how you can reduce your school’s impact.