Paper audit 
 One 60 foot tree weighs on average 1,610 pounds.  That same tree will yield 80,500 sheets of 8.5in X11in paper.  Now think of all the paper products you use.  Cereal boxes, news papers, toilet paper and much more it all adds up.  But perhaps one of the most annoying paper is junk mail.  The average households daily mail is about two thrids junk mail.  For the next 5 days collect any junk mail you may receive.  Then during next weeks lab you will have the opportunity to weigh your paper.
 

Purchase audit
 Waste also includes purchases you make, not so much the product itself but the packaging of it.  Think of a product or item you recently purchased which had excess packaging.  The average American throws out his own weight in packaging every month.  If you had the ability to alter the packaging of one product what would it be?  How would you change the product packaging to lower the amount of waste.  Use models, pictures or diagrams to make your point.  Share your thoughts with the class next week in lab.