Goodbye, plastic. Let's learn to reduce its use and take care of the planet.

Did you know that plastics can take hundreds of years to degrade in nature? That's why it's very important that we learn to reduce their use to protect our planet.

Plastics are materials used to make many objects that we use in our daily lives, such as bottles, bags, toys, and food containers. But after we use them, many of them end up in the trash or in nature and can cause damage to animals and ecosystems.

That's why we're sharing some ideas for reducing plastic use in our daily lives:

1- Use cloth bags: Instead of using plastic bags, carry a cloth bag with you when you go shopping. You can find them in stores or even make one at home.

2- Avoid plastic bottles: Instead of buying plastic water bottles, carry a reusable bottle with you and fill it with water. This not only reduces plastic use, but also saves money.

3- Use paper, glass, or metal containers: When you buy food, look for products that come in paper, glass, or metal containers. These materials are much easier to recycle than plastic.

4- Say no to straws: Plastic straws are one of the most polluting objects in the environment. You can use paper or metal straws, or simply drink your drinks directly from the glass.

5- Recycle: If you use plastics, make sure to recycle them properly. Many communities have recycling programs that allow you to separate the materials and take them to a collection center.

Small actions can make a big difference. Together we can take care of our planet and ensure that future generations can also enjoy it.

Activities to do in the classroom or at home

After reading this Eco-note, we invite you to keep learning with simple and fun activities to do in the classroom or at home. With small actions and big ideas, together we can help take care of our planet.

1. Let’s Talk

• What is plastic?
• What things do we use plastic for every day?
• What happens to plastic when we throw it away?
• Why can plastic be a problem for the planet?
• What alternatives can we use instead of plastic?

2. Let’s Observe

Observe in the classroom or in your backpack how many plastic objects you use (bottles, wrappers, school supplies).

3. Let’s Create

Transform waste into something useful!
Look around your home for containers, bottle caps, cardboard tubes or clean bags and create something new, such as a pencil holder, a flowerpot, a toy or a work of art. Use your imagination to discover how many things can be reused before becoming trash.
Giving materials a second life helps reduce plastic use and protect the planet.

4. Let’s Color

Download the coloring page and color it.

DOWNLOAD COLORING PAGE

5. Let’s Take Action

Avoid using single-use plastics during the day (bags, disposable bottles).
Use reusable bottles or your own containers.
Collect and separate plastics correctly for recycling.

6. Let’s Play

Try an EcoKids eco-game about recycling or caring for the environment.

• Recycle and Learn
• Choose the correct option

EcoKids Tip

Many plastic objects are used for only a few minutes, but they can remain in nature for many years. Whenever you can, use reusable bottles, cloth bags and avoid unnecessary plastic use.