PITCH-IN CANADA
Resource Centre

The Green Shopper Program
Environmentally Sound Packaging Activities

Video and Discussion about Packaging

The "We can Make a Difference Video" (VHS, 15 min.) is an excellent, high energy video for elementary and secondary school levels which tells the story of Jenny, an aspiring song-writer, and her friend Steve, who suggests she compete in an environmental song writing contest. Jenny works at a supermarket, where she learns about The Green Shopper program, an initiative to educate consumers on packaging choices. Jenny eventually decides to make "environmentally smart shopping" the subject of her song, culminating with her and Steve performing their song in a rock video.

To obtain information about obtaining the "We can make a Difference" video please click here.

Preparing to watch the Video

Discuss the following issues:

• What is packaging? What are its positive and negative factors?
• Introduce key terms such as the 3R's Hierarchy
• How does packaging affect the waste in our landfills?
• What can we do to reduce packaging as a form of solid waste?

Think of all the ways we can use and buy less packaging. Look for these ideas in the video.

Look for examples in the video of products which use wasteful packaging, and those which are packaged sensibly.

Discussions following the Video

Review the suggestions made for reducing packaging waste prior to viewing the video. Have your ideas changed? In what ways?

Discuss environmentally smart shopping. What products do you buy which are good and poor examples of packaging? Discuss how you can change your habits and shopping practices to bring about changes in packaging.

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