Name: Heather Herring Date: February 21, 2017

Mini-Teach (12-15 minutes) topic: Cultural Comparison of Waste Management - Nicaragua vs.
Portland

IMPLEMENTATION

Powerpoint:
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/18HTHg9zIPi3B_LK5yPUfYgn0DszgiV-cZFAKubiA9l
Y/edit?usp=sharing

Motivator: 2 minutes

How do we, in the Portland metro area, generally deal with our trash? On your own or with a
partner, list/draw/mindmap/brain dump your understanding of the life of garbage (anything that
no longer serves you) from your possession to its final resting place.

Procedures: 10 minutes

Have students share ideas as a class, then ask these questions, as well as any probing or
follow-up questions that arise.
What are some of the similarities of the ideas presented?
Is the way waste is managed different elsewhere? Have you been places where it is
different?
What do you think are some determining factors for how waste is dealt with within
communities?
Why do we have a system for waste management?

Briefly review some of the Nicaragua stats the class has already discussed in our previous study
of the Central American SPanish-speaking country.

Poorest country in this hemisphere after Haiti.

Unstable politics since independence in 1838
Recent civil war 1978
Marxist Sandinista guerillas still hold much power despite democratic institutions
Devastating hurricane in 1998, earthquake in 1972 - slow to rebuild
29% of children complete primary schooling

Prepare to show 2 minute video clip by mentioning: This is a little overdone and playing on
emotions, as it is a crowdfunding campaign, but it communicates the essential information
quickly (we would take more time to look at real pictures and footage in a longer class). Also,
ignore the music and typo. Pay special attention to what their waste management system
generally consists of.

Link to video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpj3bqsJ71k

After video clip: How does our process of waste management compare to Nicaraguas? What are
some similarities? Some differences?

Stats for further evaluation and discussion

Solid waste collection is performed in 75 of the 153 municipalities in garbage trucks
administered by the mayors of each municipality
Waste goes to open dumps or is burned
Only four in ten households eliminate waste through a collector or depositing it in a
landfill or in an approved container truck
Most households, 56.6%, burning, burying, throws a vacuum or property, spear into a
river or stream
Hospital waste does not receive special treatment
(http://dlca.logcluster.org/display/public/DLCA/3.7+Nicaragua+Waste+Management+and+Disp
osal+Providers;jsessionid=98380F67E704DEA9C2649AD2CB1ECB9B)
(https://nacla.org/article/garbage-health-and-well-being-managua)

Take 30 sec - 1 min to think about what might contribute to those differences? Turn and talk
(~1min).

If time remains, ask about possible solutions we can be a part of in our daily routines or solutions
on a bigger scale.

Conclusion: 1 minutes

I know this is a bit of an extreme example, but it reminds us of all that is happening behind the
scenes in something we may do mindlessly on a day-to-day basis. There are a number of
campaigns in progress to remedy Nicaraguas trash problem, especially in the city, but there is a
long way to go. There is a lot to be done there and always more we can do here - we share the
planet!

Exit ticket: Sometimes these kinds of discussions leave me feeling helpless, but they shouldnt!
Baby steps matter. Lets own this and make it personal. What is one thing (small or big) you can
do today to be a part of the solution? Email me or write on small piece of paper or post to Slack.