Then and Now: Learning from Reuse

Many everyday items we use today were once reused instead of thrown away. In this lesson, you’ll interview someone from a different generation than you, like a parent, grandparent, or another adult, to learn how reuse was part of daily life in the past. You’ll gather real examples and compare them to how things are used today, noticing what has changed and why. This activity helps you see how past habits can inspire solutions for reducing waste today.

Materials:

• Paper
• Pencil
• An adult to interview

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Procedure:

1. Get Ready: Think about items you use every day, like bottles, bags, containers, or packaging.
2. Conduct Your Interview: Ask an adult (like a parent or grandparent) about how things were reused when they were younger. You can ask questions like: 
   1. What items did you reuse instead of throwing away?
   2. How were bottles, containers, or bags used more than once? 
   3. What has changed since then?
3. Take Notes: Write down at least 3–5 examples of reuse that you learn about.
4. Compare Then and Now: Think about how those items are used today. Are they still reused, or are they now single-use?
5. Share Your Thinking: Write a few sentences or discuss what you learned and what surprised you.