Help with homework, please

[emsiewill]

I was wondering if there is anyone out there who can throw some light on something for me.
Dd1 has been given the task of finding things in the home that have been recycled. Now I know that things with the 3 arrow (triple mobius? ) symbol on it come into this category, but I've noticed that a lot of things have on the packaging a circular symbol containing 2 arrows. Is this something to do with recycling? My guess is that things with the 3 arrows have been recycled, and the things with 2 arrows are suitable for recycling, but that's based on nothing but my guesswork. We've only found 3 things with the 3 arrows, so I was wondering if I could add the "2 arrow" things to the list?
I have tried to search on this, and there's loads on recycling, but not much on the symbols etc....
So once again, I come to you lot for help.
Thanks in advance. Sorry if this is a bit confusing.

[SueW]

Have a look at |linkwww.recycle-more.co.uk|Recycle-More{}. After entering the site, go to the household section where there's a link to a piece on symbols.

I think you mean the 'green dot' (as they call it). From the site: This shows that a fee has been paid for the recovery of the packaging in some European countries. Valpak Ltd administer the use of this symbol in the UK for which a fee must be paid.

FWIW, water has been recycled....!

[WideWebWitch]

Looks like there's no one symbol which shows whether something has been recycled. Those mobius symbols can mean that something is recyclable, not that it's been recycled. Think you might therefore have a job on your hands! But This site looks useful.

[SueW]

LOL - that'll teach me not to preview :

Recycle-More .

[ionesmum]

I always thought that the three arrows meant that the object was made out of recyclable material, not that it was recycled.

It is so hard to find things that have been recycled. Perhaps some creative thinking might be in order. You have a dd1, so presumably dd2 has some of her clothes that she has grown out of - they are being recycled. Do you use yoghurt pots for storing freezer food, or reuse old jam jars? Do you have any charity shop or jumble sale finds? Water is also recycled - I was once told that we drink the same glass of water six times.

[ionesmum]

Oooh, all these messages appeared when I was typing!

[MandyD]

Try this:

www.earthodyssey.com/symbols.html#recyclable

It seems that if the arrows are in a circle it contains recycled material but if they're not it can be recycled. Basically...

[emsiewill]

Oh, I knew you wouldn't let me down! Thanks for the link SueW and www (did you know they both lead to the same place? ), yes, that is the symbol I mean (or v. similar). Great idea about the water, and yes, ionesmum, we certainly do recycle clothes - dd2 wears nothing but hand-me-downs!
I don't think there's any need for any other site in my world.

[emsiewill]

MandyD, you were typing at the same time as me. Thanks for your link - surely homework for a 5 year old shouldn't drag me in so deep! Maybe I need to get a life of my own.

[WideWebWitch]

emieswill, they don't lead to the same place I don't think, just looked and they seem to be diff. sites!

[emsiewill]

OK, so I clicked on the same one twice - good job dds get their brians from their dad.

[Lucy123]

emieswill - the two arrows does mean "recyclable" I'm afraid, not recycled (a bit of an advertising scam if you ask me). That is, I'm 99% positive it means that - I think this because it's on almost all plastic containers and is usually followed by the name of the particular plastic.

Remember newspapers (not magazines) are always made from some recycled paper. Also do you have any furniture/clothes bought second-hand? That's recycling too! (although your dd may not like to admit clothes in front of her friends). I'm trying to think of other things, but not having much luck (I'm proud to say our house is full of home-recycled things though!)

[Lucy123]

hmmm - that's how long it took me to type that! (was interrupted)

[MABS]

If only my dd had come home with this type of homework...she's just started Latin and I can't cope. She just keeps calling us 'Mummius and Daddius' and thinks its hilarious. Anyone an expert?

[Lucy123]

MABS - sounds like she has a good teacher anyway if she's that enthusiastic! (but hasn't learned "mater" and "pater" yet??). I did Latin at school and the teacher was so covered in cobwebs we could barely see him...

[Snugs]

emsiewell - more things to add to your list of 'recycled' - these will all have been recycled at least once before you even purchase them ...

all coloured glass
aluminium foil (usually)
brown paper
cardboard

Also, it is good to gets kids into the 'reduce, reuse, recyle' method of thinking:

REDUCE all waste to the bare minimum by compression, after first REUSING everything you can (bottles, boxes etc) and RECYLING as much as possible (glass, paper and card, plastics, aluminium, iron, kitchen waste for compost).

Sorry for the waffle .. I'm trying to be more green plus I worked for the the UK's major waste company for 5 years so I'm turning into a bit of a recyling bore

[emsiewill]

Thanks for that Snugs - sometimes I wonder if other families put as much effort in as me. Maybe I should chill out, although I'm not feeling particuarly mellow at the moment. (see "bad day (3)" )

[helenmc]

what about re-using the plastic bags at the supermarkets. I use them as bin liners. My mum recycles the clothes...so that's why she was dusting with a pair of dad's old Y fronts!!

[pluto]

Hello Emsiewill. Are you happy with your 5 year old getting homework in the first place?!

[XAusted]

What about toilet tissue, isn't that often made of some recycled material?

If you look at cardboard packaging (on things that you've bought) there's often some small print saying that it's been made partly with recycled material.

What about woollen clothes - first the sheep wore them, now we do?? OK, sorry, being silly now.

[Lollypop]

Are you sure that the teacher didn't ask for thiings that could be recycled? Often kids get the wrong idea aboout what is needed, is the H/W written down somewhere? I'm sure the teacher setting the H/w didn't expect too much detail from a 5yr old if the question is correct. Probably something about newspaper, b'day cards and plastic bags.

[helenmc]

My dds are in Year 1 and have homework (about 5-10 mins of writing, playing number games etc) and 5 mins reading a night.

[pluto]

I'm getting really agitated now. You've a bad enough weekend without having to worry about your child's homework. If she was in secondary school, of course she would need to do her hw to consolodate her learning but I'm staggered that she's expected to do anything more than play and rest at the weekend. Our poor overtested, overschooled children. They wouldn't even be in school at 5 years old in many European countries. I totally support teachers and I suppose if my child had hw at 5 yrs old then I'd make sure it was done. But the climate that's driving reception or Year 1 teachers into setting it is difficult to understand.

[emsiewill]

Pluto. thanks for getting agitated on my behalf! The homework is written on a sheet and says "Would it be possible for you to show recycling amenities to your child that are close to your home?" Then it says "Look for things that have been recycled in your home. Remember to look for this symbol (the three arrow thing) ". Draw pictures of your collection below." And on the other side of the sheet is a handwriting exercise.
I have to say that it's mostly been me getting stressed about this - dd doesn't seen bothered one way or the other. She also has a book that we're supposed to read together, but that won't start for another week. In my (limited) experience, this is not unusual for Year 1. In fact, my friends with children in the local English schools (dds go to the Welsh (speaking) school) seemed to have much more homework to contend with from Reception onwards. I'm sure they're not expecting much from them, but it's not in me to just do things half-heartedly. Anyway, I'd rather talk to her about recycling than try and explain why people steal from others (sorry, just feeling a bit bitter)

[ionesmum]

emsiewill Hope that things get better soon.

I have to admit that I don't like the idea of little children having homework, I don't even think that under 6's should be in school. The way things are going every child will be judged purely on their academic ability.

[SueDonim]

Gosh, I think that's a bit heavy for a 5yr old, too. Surely teachers must realise that it's the parents who end up doing most of the work?? Apart from reading, I don't think homework should be given to young children. They need time to play and explore other things.