Educational TED Talk

We Can Recycle Plastic, and Educational TED Talk

1. What is the purpose of this media/information resource?

The purpose of this video is to educate the general population of the possibility of recycling discarded plastic from land fills and garbage dumps into plastic pellets to be able to produce new plastic products. Resulting in a 80 - 90% in reduction of energy use, as well as, reduction in cost.

2. How is this produced?

It is a live conference by the Mike Billings that was recorded in Austria. He used a power point to support his points

3. Who created it?

Mike Biddle, “the plastic man” Created the presentation, but TED recorded the talk and and shares it with viewers through their website..

4. Who is the intended audience? How do you know?

European World at large, specifically the European market where there is electronic waste regulation exists, where as in the United Stated it doesn’t not. This regulation allows his company to access a stream of materials to exploit.

We know this because of his commentary directly related to this point in his actual talk (“here in Europe...not in place in the U.S”. Additionally, looking at Mike’s biography which is included on the TED website, this is also clarified - Mike has plants in Austria and India, with plans to build more in Europe due to wast regulations already in place in Europe that support this project.

5. What is the main message?

Plastic can be wisely recycled with increased savings, lower energy use and decreased negative effect on human health. Biddle’s intention is to let Americans and Europeans (really, the world) know that plastic is even more valuable than metal can be, and that is possible to recycle it instead of down-cycling, which only leads to more waste (not a real solution). He wants to change the way people perceive plastic and how we can consume it wisely in their daily lives

6. Who benefits and what do they gain?

Ideally, everyone would benefit because it would reduce the amount of chemicals released into the air that increases global warming and affects the human health. It reduces the use of energy, which is energy savings for the world and its economically viable.

7. What would have been my information needs that would have led me to this video?

I am concerned about the overuse for plastic consumtion and our throw away attitude with our students who don’t understand the negative effects on the environment of plastic in our dumps and landfills. We want to show them there is a solution a and they can be a “part of it.”

8. How would I understand, organize and assess the information found?

We trust the source, TED is a “non-profit educational devoted to ideas worth spreading.” “There mission is to spread ideas that will change peoples attitudes and ideas. They offer free knowledge from inspired thinkers and people who have created positive change in the world.” (Ted.com) Speakers on TED are recognized industry and world-issue leaders providing solutions and insight on their specialty.

9. Identify and explain the Big6 steps you're applying in this activity.

a). Task Definition.- Taking a look on opening the Ted Site and understanding what we are supposed to do. Realizing we are providing a final product by way of a Google doc with appropriate and insightful answers to questions provided.
b). Information Seeking Strategies.- Browsing in ted.com and identifying some video that resonated with our interests
c). Location and Access.- We watched the review of three Ted videos and decided on the one that looked better and more suitable for us.
d).Use of Information.- Hear the video and watch it carefully. Maybe even watching it twice.
e). Synthesis.- This information can be shown to ASF students in relation to our own plastic recycling efforts and to show them that there are leading who are looking for solutions to problems, like the problem of recycling plastic. This also shows them that they can be part of the solution of plastic recycling in their own country.
f). Evaluation.- How we processed the information and did we do a good job. Did we find something relevant to our teaching? Yes, we found something that is relevant to our teaching and to our school. We were excited to find this video and learn of Mike Biddle’s success with this patented process that solves the plastic problem that is burying our world. We are so excited to share this with our students!