Vocabulary and
Vocabulary Actitivies
Project Zero Waste OC
Service Learning
Program
www.insidetheoutdoors.org
(714)708-3885
VOCABULARY
Biodegradable
A product made of natural materials that will decompose without
hurting the environment
Compost
A soil-like material, made of rotting yard and food scraps
Conservation
The protection and wise use of natural resources
Decomposer
A living thing that breaks down wastes and dead organisms
Endangered Species
A group of plants or animals whose survival is in danger
because the population size is small. Human waste can affect
plants and animals causing or adding to the dcrease in their
population size
Household Hazardous Waste
Waste which can harm people, other living organisims, and the ecosystem and should be seperated from household trash Examples of HHW are electronics (tv, cell phone, batteries,
flourecent lightbulbs)
Landfill
A place in a community where solid waste is placed
Natural Resource
A material found in nature that is useful or necessary for living
things
Recycle
The process of changing waste into new materials,products
and packaging
Reduce
The process of buying and using less
Reuse
A product or material which is used again and again, instead of
being thrown away or recycled
Sustainable
The use of resources without permantly depleting or damaging the resource
Upcycling
The practice of converting waste into useful products (turning
candy wrappers into a bag)
Waste
Items that have been used by people or buisness and are
considered useless
Waste Stream
The total waste produced by a group or community
VOCABULARY WORD MATCH
Match the words with their definitions. Place the letter of the
definition to the left of the word with which you match it.
____ Biodegradable
____ Compost
____ Conservation
____ Decomposer
____ Endangered Species
____ Household Hazardous
Waste
____ Landfill
____ Natural Resource
____ Recycle
____ Reduce
____ Reuse
____ Sustainable
____ Upcycling
____ Waste
____ Waste Stream
* After you have used this paper,
brainstorm with class how you can
reuse it.
Here are some suggestions:
•Print on the back
•Fold it into an envelope
•Make oragami
•Make scratch paper notebooks
A. Items that have been used by people or buisness and
are considered useless
B. Waste which can harm people, other living
organisims, and the ecosystem and should be
seperated from household trash. Examples of HHW
are electronics (tv, cell phone, batteries, flourecent
lightbulbs)
C. A group of plants or animals whose survival is in
danger because the population size is small. Human
waste can affect plants and animals causing or
adding to the decrease in their population size
D. A soil-like material, made of rotting yard and food
scraps
E. A product made of natural materials that will
decompose without hurting the environment
F. The protection and wise use of natural resources
G. A living thing that breaks down wastes and dead
organisms
H. The process of changing waste into new materials,
products and packaging
I. The practice of converting waste into useful products
(turning candy wrappers into a bag)
J. A place in a community where solid waste is placed
K. The total waste produced by a group or community
L. The process of buying and using less
M. A product or material which is used again and
again, instead of being thrown away or recycled
N. The use of resources without permantly depleting or
damaging the resource
O. A material found in nature that is useful or
necessary for living things
VOCABULARY WORD MATCH ANSWER KEY
Match the words with their definitions. Place the letter of the
definition to the left of the word with which you match it.
____
E Biodegradable
____
D Compost
____
F Conservation
____
G Decomposer
____
C Endangered Species
____
B Household Hazardous
Waste
____
J Landfill
____
O Natural Resource
____
H Recycle
____
L Reduce
____
M Reuse
____
N Sustainable
____
I Upcycling
____
A Waste
____
K Waste Stream
* After you have used this paper,
brainstorm with class how you can
reuse it.
Here are some suggestions:
•Print on the back
•Fold it into an envelope
•Make oragami
•Make scratch paper notebooks
A. Items that have been used by people or buisness and
are considered useless
B. Waste which can harm people, other living
organisims, and the ecosystem and should be
seperated from household trash. Examples of HHW
are electronics (tv, cell phone, batteries, flourecent
lightbulbs)
C. A group of plants or animals whose survival is in
danger because the population size is small. Human
waste can affect plants and animals causing or
adding to the decrease in their population size
D. A soil-like material, made of rotting yard and food
scraps
E. A product made of natural materials that will
decompose without hurting the environment
F. The protection and wise use of natural resources
G. A living thing that breaks down wastes and dead
organisms
H. The process of changing waste into new materials,
products and packaging
I. The practice of converting waste into useful products
(turning candy wrappers into a bag)
J. A place in a community where solid waste is placed
K. The total waste produced by a group or community
L. The process of buying and using less
M. A product or material which is used again and
again, instead of being thrown away or recycled
N. The use of resources without permantly depleting or
damaging the resource
O. A material found in nature that is useful or
necessary for living things
Project Zero Waste OC Word Puzzle
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
1. When you _______ 1 aluminum can you save 95% of the energy needed to make a brand new
can from raw aluminum.
6. 1 million _______ bags are used every year in the US.
7. Another word for waste or garbage.
2. To turn trash is into something you can use such as a 8. To use an item over and over again.
chip bag being turned into a folder.
9. This type of metal is 100% recyclable.
3. These are examples of this type of waste: batteries,
paint, cleaners. These items need to be disposed of at 10. When food waste is broken down by decomposers
special locations.
and made into material which is great for plants.
4. When you reduce, reuse, recycle. You
________ natural resources.
11. Plants, animals, metal, and coal are all examples of
natural _________.
5. When you buy less, or buy products with little
packaging you will ______ your trash.
12. #1 item thrown away in schools.
Answer Key
Project Zero Waste OC Word Puzzle
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6
7
8
9
10
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12
1. When you _______ 1 aluminum can you save 95% of the energy needed to make a brand new
can from raw aluminum.
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6. 1 million _______ bags are used every year in the US.
7. Another word for waste or garbage.
2. To turn trash is into something you can use such as a 8. To use an item over and over again.
chip bag being turned into a folder.
9. This type of metal is 100% recyclable.
3. These are examples of this type of waste: batteries,
paint, cleaners. These items need to be disposed of at 10. When food waste is broken down by decomposers
special locations.
and made into material which is great for plants.
4. When you reduce, reuse, recycle. You
________ natural resources.
11. Plants, animals, metal, and coal are all examples of
natural _________.
5. When you buy less, or buy products with little
packaging you will ______ your trash.
12. #1 item thrown away in schools.
Project Zero Waste
Word Search
N L A R
A I Y A
T J M E
U NWD
R Y A U
A E N I
L V C X
R R T Y
E D E B
S X P C
OWK B
U PWF
R CMK
C ON S
E K Z F
Q MWV
Z U B G
S WA S
E H Z E
C B X A
E D U C
LWV O
K N J M
OQH P
L J CO
KQN S
V AWT
E M S R
C S UM
S L VQ
UO E H
E A K T
J U F C
E R V A
LWH E
D Y X T
D S E L
T E S T
F P G Y
F B I O
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J
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D
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L
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K A C
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J HO
R Z J
C Y K
MWU
U R N
I E L
QU A
H S M
L E N
B DO
B S B
I ON
B A H
L P L
E R K
E AM
GQG
E G R
U D R
Y C L
T L O
VQ I
S E H
I O S
L A U
O T S
J P T
R I A
H N I
L F N
D Z A
E U B
P Y L
PWE
MDO
K C A
B S Z
ADA
G
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V
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G
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F
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CW
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N Z
Z P
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MU
S I
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L B
X P
QG
M L
R X
T R
F G
O F
EW
QA
D V
L E
BIODEGRADABLE
COMPOST
CONSERVATION
LANDFILL
NATURAL RESOURCE
REDUCE
RECYCLE
REUSE
SUSTAINABLE
UPCYCLING
WASTE STREAM
After you have used this paper, think of another way
you can reuse it. Here are some suggestions: Print on
the back, Brainstorm with class what item could be
made into, or Recycle it.
Project Zero Waste
Word Search Answer Key
N L A R
A I Y A
T J M E
U NWD
R Y A U
A E N I
L V C X
R R T Y
E D E B
S X P C
OWK B
U PWF
R CMK
C ON S
E K Z F
Q MWV
Z U B G
S WA S
E H Z E
C B X A
E D U C
LWV O
K N J M
OQH P
L J CO
KQN S
V AWT
E M S R
C S UM
S L VQ
UO E H
E A K T
J U F C
E R V A
LWH E
D Y X T
D S E L
T E S T
F P G Y
F B I O
E
I
F
S
J
Y
S
D
T
T
K
C
I
T
D
S
I
R
L
D
K A C
U P C
J HO
R Z J
C Y K
MWU
U R N
I E L
QU A
H S M
L E N
B DO
B S B
I ON
B A H
L P L
E R K
E AM
GQG
E G R
U D R
Y C L
T L O
VQ I
S E H
I O S
L A U
O T S
J P T
R I A
H N I
L F N
D Z A
E U B
P Y L
PWE
MDO
K C A
B S Z
ADA
G
I
V
X
G
E
F
V
O
L
J
S
F
Y
E
R
T
B
U
B
CW
NG
N Z
Z P
H Z
MU
S I
E Y
L B
X P
QG
M L
R X
T R
F G
O F
EW
QA
D V
L E
BIODEGRADABLE
COMPOST
CONSERVATION
LANDFILL
NATURAL RESOURCE
REDUCE
RECYCLE
REUSE
SUSTAINABLE
UPCYCLING
WASTE STREAM
After you have used this paper, think of another way
you can reuse it. Here are some suggestions: Print on
the back, Brainstorm with class what item could be
made into, or Recycle it.