EcoSmart
It is a sad fact in the United States that, out of the 251 million tons of trash thrown out, only 82 million tons are recycled on average per year. For every 4.6 pounds of trash per person per day, only 1.5 pounds of this are recycled.[1] Researchers have noted that “people are most likely to continue recycling if they emphasize the sense of satisfaction that they get from contributing to the environment.”[2] This ties in neatly with the concept of operant conditioning, which is defined by Mirriam-Webster as “conditioning in which the desired behavior or increasingly closer approximations to it are followed by a rewarding or reinforcing stimulus.”[3] In layman’s terms, this simply means that if a positive action is rewarded, a person will continue to perform this action because they see that it has a positive effect. This is an incredibly effective tactic when it comes to teaching young children, as they are not mentally developed enough to understand the coercion. Therefore, it stands to reason that people who are taught to recycle as children are far more likely to continue to recycle into adulthood. This is why “EcoSmart” would be a huge asset to any classroom or family setting.
“EcoSmart” comes in three different adjustable sizes – circular, square, and rectangular. It attaches to the rim of the garbage can and locks on, weighted on two opposite sides so it does not tip the garbage can. On the front is a square attachment, reminiscent of a GPS, and the inside is a scanner, similar to the ones that stores use to ring up items. The scanner scans the barcode for whatever items you throw in to the garbage can, and instead of displaying the price, “EcoSmart” recognizes the chemical make-up of the item and displays this in the common terminology: aluminum, plastic, paper, etc. Then the automated voice gives a statistic about recycling. If there is no bar code – for example, a simple piece of paper – the automated voice just says something along the lines of “Thank you for saving our planet!” There would be about thirty different facts and twenty different forms of encouragement to provide positive reinforcement. There is also the option to mute the voice ad simply display the words across the screen. Overall, “EcoSmart” is designed to be a teaching aid and get children interested in recycling, whether they are learning these skills at school or at home. Children are more likely to continue to perform tasks into adulthood that they were taught at this age, and “EcoSmart” is intended to become a part of the child’s daily routine. The positive reinforcement will stay with the child, and the values it instills will continue to shape them into adolescence.
“EcoSmart” is intended for children age six to ten, and aims to teach both boys and girls. Though this was designed with teachers in mind to be used for science classes, it could also be used at home by environmentally friendly parents who wish for their children to inherit these core values. It would be advertised primarily on television, preferably stations like Nickelodean, Disney Channel, and Cartoon Network, which aim their content at children in the age bracket that the product is intended for. It would also be in parenting magazines, and magazines aimed at teachers.
The budget would be high at first. Most likely around $150, so it is understandable that parents might not want to buy it for their families, but I don’t believe that it is too steep of a price for schools, especially with the building interest in math and science. Potential sponsors include special interest groups concerning the environment, environmentally conscious celebrities interested in promoting the product, and maybe even the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a branch of the government charged with protecting human health and the environment.
Overall, I believe that this would be a great product for kids to learn more about the environment in a subtle, interesting way. The children would not realize that they were being conditioned to care because the information would be reaching them in a more hands-on way. Ultimately, “EcoSmart” has the potential to make a big difference in the world, and as the children are the ones who will inherit it, they should be aware of the effects humanity has on it.
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