This sample chapter is for review purposes only. Copyright The Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. All rights reserved.

95

o
How t then All
Streng bilities!
Your A
Objectives

ent
r
e
f
f
i
d
What ces do
resour
?
I have

After studying this chapter, you will be able to

u
u
u

identify your personal and material resources.

describe the ways you can use your resources.
apply the decision-making process in your
daily life.

Words to Know
management
resource
personal resources
abilities
material resources
natural resources
recycling
decision
decision-making process
alternatives
evaluate
consequences
responsible

Vocabulary: Look up the terms in the glossary and discuss their

meanings.

96
Management is using your resources to
reach a goal. Your resources are whatever
you use to help reach your goals. When you
manage, you work to get something done in
the best possible way. To be a good manager
you must be aware of all your resources. You
must also understand how you can use each
resource.
Making decisions is an important part of
management. Good managers understand
the decision-making process. They know
themselves well enough to make the decisions
that are right for them.
You have already learned about your needs,
wants, personal priorities, goals, and standards.
The way you make decisions will be based on
these concepts as well as your resources.

Your Resources
Anything that can help you reach a goal is
a resource. For instance, your endurance and
ability to run quickly are resources that can
help you reach the goal of winning a race. You
may have never thought about all the resources
available to you. These resources can be either
personal or material.

Part Two Managing Your Life

valuable resource. When you have a positive

attitude, you see the good in situations, not
just the bad, 8-1. Positive people have fewer
problems managing and making decisions.
They know that all decisions are important.
They try to manage their lives in the best
possible way. A positive attitude helps you get
more use from your resources.
Friends, family, and other people are
valuable personal resources. They can help
you achieve goals and manage your life. These
people can combine their own resources with
yours to reach a goal.
Maybe math is a stronger subject for your
friend than it is for you. Perhaps you could
ask your friend to help you study for the next
test. Your friend is a resource for knowledge
about math.
Your family members are valuable
resources. They love you, care for you, and help
you when needed. They are there for you when
you have a problem and when you need to talk
to someone. They may help you x your bike or
pick you up after ball practice.

Personal Resources
Many of your resources come from within
yourself or from your relationships with other
people. These are called personal resources.
Your abilities and attitudes are personal
resources. Other people, time, and energy are
also valuable personal resources.
Your abilities are what you do well.
For instance, you may be able to solve math
equations quickly and easily. You can use this
resource to learn algebra with little difculty.
Other abilities may not come so easily. You can
develop these abilities through hard work. For
instance, you can learn to play the trumpet by
practicing each day.
Your attitudes are your ideas and opinions
about life. Attitudes affect the way you think,
feel, talk, act, and look. A positive attitude is a
Discuss: Have you ever been in a store or restaurant in which there
was poor management? Describe the experience. Compare these
establishments to properly managed ones. How does this relate to
principles of personal management?

8-1 A positive attitude is a denite asset in life.

Resource: My Personal Journal, reproducible master 8-1, TR
Activity: Make a list of your own personal resources. How do these help
you reach your goals?

97

Chapter 8 Managing Your Resources

Your teachers are an important resource for

you to use. They share their knowledge and
skills with you each day, 8-2. Talking with them
may help you solve problems.
Time is a personal resource that is limited
to 24 hours each day. Everyone has an equal
number of hours in a day. You must decide the
best way to use those hours. Young people have
the freedom to spend many of these hours as
they wish. How do you use your free time?
Do you develop new skills, or do you spend
all your time watching television? Having fun
is important, but you also need to spend time
learning and growing.
Your energy is an important personal
resource. The amount of energy you have varies
throughout the day. Your age, what you eat,
how long you sleep, and what you do each day
affects your energy level. You probably have

98

more energy at a certain time of the day. Some

people do their best work in the morning while
others do their best at night.

Material Resources
Material resources include money,
community resources, and possessions.
Although everyone has some of these resources,
different people have different amounts.
Making wise use of your material resources
will help you reach your goals.
People use money to buy goods and
services. You may need money to buy your
friend a birthday gift or to go see a movie.
This money may come from your allowance, a
paper route, or a babysitting job. People your
age usually have a small amount of money and
limited ways of making money.
As you get older, you will have the chance
to make more money. You will spend your
money in different ways. You may begin to save
money for special goals, such as your education
or a car. Money is an important resource to
people of all ages.
Community resources are all around you.
Many people share them. Schools, libraries,
stores, theaters, parks, zoos, and museums are
all community resources, 8-3. Your school is a
resource for knowledge. You can use the library
to borrow books instead of buying them. Using
your community resources can be both fun and
educational.
Your possessions are another material
resource. Possessions include anything
you own. A radio and clothing are typical
possessions. Many possessions belong to more
than one person. Your home, TV, or computer
may be shared with other family members.

8-3 A city park is a community resource shared by members of that community.

Computers and the Internet

Teachers are pleased when they can

serve as a resource for students.

Computers are another type of material

resource. They have become an important part
of everyday life. Many people use them both
at home and work, 8-4. Knowing how to use a
computer is called being computer literate.
So many jobs use computers that this skill is
very important.

Resource: Your Resources, Activity A, SAG.

Reect: What do you think are your biggest time-wasters? Since time is
a limited resource, how can you manage your time better?

Reect: Where do you get your money? How do you spend it? Why is it
important to save money?
Enrich: Prepare a pamphlet of local community resources.

8-2

Part Two Managing Your Life

8-4

The ways you can use a computer are

unlimited. How might you use a computer as a
resource?

Enrich: Survey people you know about computer literacy. Interview

adults, teens, and children. Of the groups you surveyed, what percentage
are computer literate?

Computers are found in homes and

workplaces everywhere. They help control
the functions in household appliances such as
dishwashers, sewing machines, and microwave
ovens. Most retail stores use computers to
read product codes and add up your total
bill. Libraries use computers to track the
books. Many teachers use computers to record
students grades.
Personal computers are the type of
computer you are likely to use at school or
home. A computer is a resource that can help
you manage your other resources, 8-5. Doing so
will help you reach your goals.
Computers use software to run different
programs. You can buy software on CD-ROMs.
CD-ROM stands for Compact DiskRead Only
Memory. You cannot save information on a
CD-ROM. However, you can now save les
to CDs using a rewritable drive, or CD-RW.
You can buy computer programs to do
almost anything for you. Some programs help
you budget your income and expenses. There
Enrich: Visit a store that sells computers. What are the newest features
available?
Discuss: How do you use the Internet in managing your life? Share hints
with one another on how the Internet can be a useful part of your life.

99

Chapter 8 Managing Your Resources

How Can You Use a Computer?

u

Keep a list of important dates. Include

when class assignments are due, birthdays
of friends and family, school events, and
jobs to earn income.
Use a computer program to help you
develop a budget. Youll need to know
your income and sources of income.
Youll also need to know your expenses
such as lunch, savings, transportation,
gifts, and clothing.
Keep a record of your babysitting jobs.
For each job, list the familys address
and phone number and the names of
the parents and children. List any other
important facts about the family.
Keep a weekly list of jobs to do. For each
day of the week, list your jobs to do at
home, at school, and to earn income.
Use a computer program to analyze the
food you eat and to help you plan nutritious
meals. You can use a computer to store
your favorite recipes.
Use a computer program to rearrange your
bedroom furniture on screen. You wont
have to physically move anything.
Use a computer to create designs and
banners to use for clubs and school
projects.

8-5 Certain computer programs can be a

great help with your schoolwork.

are programs that analyze your diet to see

if youre getting all the nutrients you need.
Encyclopedias, if not included on your hard
drive, are very easy to purchase on CD-ROM.
Word processing programs help you write
school reports and make charts. Using a
computer to write makes it easier to see what
changes you need to make. Then you can
correct your work before it is printed. Usually
a word processing program will include a
dictionary, grammar check, and thesaurus.

Note: Teen Web sites are a valuable resource. However, teens should
never give out personal information, such as names, phone numbers,
addresses, etc. Teens should also be cautioned to NEVER agree to meet

100

Part Two Managing Your Life

The Internet is also a valuable resource. Web

sites contain information and services such
as maps, insurance costs, airline reservation
information, and computer game demos.
Research on any topic can be done quickly and
conveniently without ever leaving your home or
workplace.
Some Web sites are designed specically
for teens. These sites may give information
about teen-related issues. One might include
reviews of recent movies, while another will
give current statistics of interest to teens. Other
sites may help you understand a subject you are
having trouble with in school. You may even be
able to receive tutoring online.

Natural Resources
Natural resources are material resources
that include air, water, soil, petroleum products,
plants, and minerals. Natural resources are
shared by everyone.
Because most natural resources are limited,
federal laws have been passed to help keep
our air and water clean. The Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) was created to enforce
these laws.
Recycling is one way you can help
conserve natural resources. Recycling means
reprocessing resources to be used again. It
involves reusing materials in order to conserve
resources. Nearly 84 percent of all household
waste is recyclable. Items that are often recycled
include those listed in 8-6. Recycling centers are
located in many communities. Some cities and
counties require that trash be separated into
paper products, bottles, and cans so that they
can be recycled, 8-7.

World View
Americans live in a xed-price society.
Other cultures such as the Asian, Latino,
and Middle Eastern negotiate prices until the
contract is signed. This practice is considered
part of the process of nding the best bargain.

with someone they have met online.

Enrich: Research the most recent federal laws enforced by the
Environmental Protection Agency.

Whats Recyclable?
84 percent of household waste including:
u Aluminum, corrugated cardboard, glass,
paper, plastics, tin cans. These can be
taken to recycling centers and made into
new items.
u Clothing. Service and religious
organizations will pick up used clothing.
u Yard waste. Cut grass, leaves, and other
yard waste is about 20 percent of all landll
waste. Check with your library to learn how
to build a backyard compost.
u Old oil, batteries, and tires. Most service
stations will accept these items for safe
disposal.

8-6 Pollution can be reduced by recycling

household items.

How Resources Can

Be Used
Because most of your resources are limited,
you should learn how to manage them. You
have the freedom to manage your resources in
the way you see best. Use each resource in the
way that will benet you the most.
Discuss: Describe local recycling efforts in the community. What types
of items are recycled? How is recycling accomplished?
Reect: Think about your resources. Which can be combined, shared,

8-7

By participating in your communitys

recycling efforts, you are helping to conserve
natural resources.

You will be able to manage your resources

better when you understand all the ways you
can use them. You may choose to use a resource
alone or to combine it with another resource.
Personal and material resources can often be
combined to get better results. Combining the
computer with your ability to write well will
help you nish a book report quickly. You can
share your resources with others or exchange
them. You can substitute one resource for
another. Some resources can also be used to
produce other resources.
You may use the same resource for different
purposes at different times. One day you might
use your free time at school to complete your
homework. Another day you might use that
time to talk to friends.

Sharing Resources
Many of your resources are shared, especially
with your family, 8-8. Family members take
turns using cooking supplies and appliances.
Other resources, such as living space and
or exchanged?
Discuss: Describe some experiences you have had as a volunteer. Why
are volunteers so important?

101

Chapter 8 Managing Your Resources

In the Headlines
President Challenges Citizens
to Volunteer
Why is helping others important?
What qualities do you have that could help
others?
How could you volunteer or make a
contribution to your school or community?

money for goods and services every day. If you

have a lawn-mowing job, you are exchanging
your time and skills for money.
Personal resources are also exchanged.
You might agree to teach a friend to ice skate
if she teaches you to play tennis. You would be
exchanging your abilities as resources.
Originally published in Lowes Creative Ideas magazine. Copyright 2006
SPC Custom Publishing

8-8

Family members share many resources

when cooking or cleaning a kitchen together.
furniture, are shared by everyone in the family
at all times. You also share your abilities and
attitudes with each other every day.
A good example of shared personal
resources is a band. Each person shares musical
abilities with the group. Everyone enjoys this
sharing. When band members share their
resources, the bands sound improves and
everyone feels satised.
Natural resources, such as air, water, and
land, are shared by everyone in the world.
Because these resources are limited, we must be
careful not to waste them. Community resources
are also shared. Many people use the banks,
stores, zoos, and libraries in your community.

Exchanging Resources
One resource that is often exchanged is
money. When you buy frozen yogurt, you are
exchanging your money (one resource) for food
(another resource). Consumers exchange their
Reect: Have you exchanged resources with your friends? If so, which ones?
Discuss: What are the advantages of substituting one resource for
another? Give examples.

Substituting One Resource

for Another
If you have very little of one resource, you
may be able to use another resource in its place.
If you dont have the money to buy a shirt, you
might be able to use your sewing skills to make
one. If you werent born with a natural athletic
ability, you can substitute time and energy.
Being willing to learn and practice hard can
help you develop athletic ability.

102
Effects of Technology on Resource
Management
The purpose of technology is to improve
the way we live. To achieve that objective,
technology research is constantly moving
forward. New technologies will continue to aid
the management of resources in the future.
One concern is the preservation of natural
resources. Natural resources such as air, water,
and oil wont last forever. Scientists work to
create appliances that dont require as much
energy for use. Inventing machines that dont
pollute the environment is another goal.
Personal resources can be managed using
technology. People are able to save time and
energy by shopping and paying bills from
their own home over the Internet. Money can
be managed using budgeting programs. Small,
handheld computers aid in keeping track of
daily schedules, addresses, telephone numbers,
and shopping lists. The world of tomorrow
will be much different from today, due mostly
to technological changes. Many of these
innovations will be designed to help people
manage their resources more effectively.

Using the
Management Process

You can use some of your resources to

produce others. For instance, you may have the
ability to play the piano. Having this musical
resource might make it easier for you to learn
to play other musical instruments, too. Your
musical resource could help you get into a
band. By playing at parties, your musical
resource could produce the resource of money.
Maybe you have good personal qualities as
a resource. You are friendly, trustworthy, and
eager to help others. Resources like these could
produce a new resourcefriends.

Reaching goals can be difcult sometimes.

You might set a goal for yourself, but you may not
be sure about how to achieve it. The management
process is a method used to solve problems using
available resources. The following steps in the
management process can help you determine the
best ways to reach your goals.
First, identify and set the goal. For example,
Mark and Shellys goal is to be able to send
their children to college. When their baby,
Maggie, was born, they knew they needed to
start saving money for her education.
Next, plan how to achieve the goal using
available resources and organize the plan.
Mark and Shelly both worked, so they could
save money from their salaries. Shelly knew
how to sew, so she decided to make some crafts
in her spare time. Because babysitting was an

Discuss: Describe other instances of when you could use resources to

produce other resources.
Activity: Brainstorm ways that technology will aid in resource
management 10 years from now and 20 years from now.

Activity: Give examples of ways technology has helped you manage

your resources in the past 24 hours.
Resource: The Management Process, reproducible master 8-2, TR.

Using Resources to Produce

Other Resources

Part Two Managing Your Life

Expre

ativity
e
r
C
r
u
Managing
s s Yo

your resources can

be fun if you make the process
creative. Put a big poster board on your
wall listing each hour of the day for one week.
Take Post-It Notes and record each of the
things that you need to do during the week.
Paste the notes on the poster board in each
of the time slots. Note the time where you
are not scheduled. If you could do something
creative in that time slot, what would it be? Do
you have time to learn to play an instrument
or the piano? Would you have time to
volunteer at the community
hospital?

expense, Mark asked his mother to babysit for

Maggie while he and Shelly worked. In return,
Mark would do some maintenance work at his
mothers house on the weekends. Mark and
Shelly would use both personal and material
resources to reach their goal.
Mark and Shelly then put their plan into
action. They deposited some funds into a
money market account. They agreed to put a
certain amount of money from their paychecks
into a savings account. The money they would
have paid a babysitter monthly was also
deposited. Shelly worked on craft projects on
Saturday while Mark was at his mothers house
doing odd jobs.
Mark and Shelly made sure to monitor and
evaluate their plan to make sure it was working.
After ve years, they had saved $8,000. When
the time came, they were sure to have enough
money for Maggies college fund.

Making Decisions
Now you are aware of your resources and
how you can use them. You are ready to move
on to another part of managementlearning to
make decisions.
Reect: What goals are you having trouble reaching? Try applying the
management process to reach your goals.

103

Chapter 8 Managing Your Resources

Step 1. State the problem to be solved or decision to be made.

SuzyQ: Im good at basketball and want to go out for the team. The problem
is theres a paper route position open, and I could make money after school.
I cant do both, but which should I choose? How do I decide?

8-9

If your relationship with a friend is

important to you, you will take the time to listen
to her when she needs to talk.
Resource: The Decision-Making Process, transparency master 8-2, TR.

Part Two Managing Your Life

The Decision-Making Process

Instant Message Linkup

A decision is a choice. It is making up your

mind what you will do or say. Your values,
goals, standards, needs, and wants all affect
your decisions, 8-9. If honesty is one of your
values, you will decide not to cheat on a test.
If buying a pet is one of your goals, you may
decide to mow lawns to earn the money to buy
it. If your grade in science class does not meet
your standards, you may decide to spend more
time studying. If your body needs food, you
will have to decide what foods to eat. If you
want a telephone in your room, you will decide
how to get money to afford it.
Managing your resources is an important
part of decision making. Many decisions
concerning your resources affect your daily
life. They relate to your food, clothing, and

104

Buddy List
Jogger421
SuzyQ
Skipper227
ARTSnCRAFT
Moderator 1

relationships with family and friends. You

decide whether to go to the mall with one
friend or to a concert with another. You decide
whether to use your time to decorate the gym
for a pep rally or work on a term paper.
Whether your decisions are simple or
complex, you can use the decision-making
process to help you reach a goal or solve a
problem, 8-10. The following step-by-step
approach can help you make the best decisions.
Step 1State the decision to be made. Some
decisions involve just making a choice.
Others also involve solving a problem.
Be sure you understand what needs to be
done. The best way to do this is to state
your decision or problem as a goal. That is a
positive approach to making decisions.
Step 2List all possible alternatives. Your
alternatives are your options. They are the
possible ways you might reach your goal.
For most decisions you will have more than
one option. Always try to list at least two
alternatives. Other people may be able to
help you think of ideas.
Step 3Think about your alternatives.
Take a good look at each alternative. Think
through the options and see what would
happen if you chose each one. Think of the
pros and cons of each alternative.
Step 4Choose the best alternative.
After you have thought through all the
alternatives, you are ready to choose one or
more. Sometimes you will only be able to
use one. Other times you may be able to try
a few at the same time.

Suppose your problem is that you are failing science. Your goal could be to improve your science grade to a C
by the end of the semester.

Step 2. List all possible alternatives.

Before you think of ways to reach your goals in science class, you recall your study habits. You have
basketball practice after school and get home too late to study before dinner. Then you talk to friends on the
phone for an hour or so. You nally study while you watch your favorite television shows. With this in mind, you
begin to list your alternatives.
u
u

You could quit the basketball team and then you would not have practice after school.
You could study right after dinner when you usually talk to friends.

u
u

You could give up some of your television shows and study in your room where it is quiet.
You could study late at night after your television shows are nished.

u
u

You could ask a friend who gets As in science to help you study.
You could ask your teacher for ideas on how to improve your study habits and your grades.

Step 3. Think about your alternatives.

u
u
u

u
u

Cutting out basketball practice is a possible alternative. It would give you time to study before dinner.
Since you are a starter on the team, however, basketball practice is very important to you.
Not talking to your friends after dinner is a good option. You will see your friends the next day in school
anyway. Besides, if you study rst, you might have extra time to talk with friends later.
Giving up some of your television shows and studying in your room could have some good effects.
It would give you more time to study and a quieter study area. You wouldnt have to give up all your
television shows.
Studying late at night when you are through watching television and talking with friends seems like a good
option. You wouldnt even have to give up any fun time. However, you remember that you need lots of
sleep. Whenever you go to bed late, you are sleepy in class the next day.
Asking your friend to help you study might turn out to be a good option. You would have to be careful to
study and not to just talk. You might also want to think of a way to repay your friend.
Asking your teacher for suggestions could also be a good alternative. Your teacher may have extra work
you can do and may be able to clear up some ideas you dont understand.

Step 4. Choose the best alternative.

You decide two of your alternatives wont work. You dont want to quit the basketball team. You dont want to
study late at night when you need to sleep, either. You feel the situation is serious. You decide the best action
to take is to quit talking to your friends after dinner and stop watching some of your television shows. You can
study in your room after dinner. It will be quiet there. You may still be able to watch a show or call a friend
if you nish studying in time. At the same time, you also decide to ask your teacher for suggestions. If your
grades dont improve in a few weeks, you might still want to ask your friend to help you study.

Step 5. Act on your decision.

The action you will take is to spend less time watching television and talking with friends. You will spend more
time studying. You will ask your teacher for ideas and will act on those ideas.

Step 6. Evaluate your decision.

Did this decision help you reach your goal? By the time you take your next science test, you will have been
studying the new way for several weeks. Take a look at your test score and your homework. Are you scoring
higher and understanding your work better? If so, you should be congratulated for moving toward your goal.
If not, you may need to think of some other alternatives. Maybe your friend could help you study or you could
have an older student tutor you.

8-10 Using this process will help you make decisions that lead you toward your goal or solve your
problem.

Resource: Its Your Decision, Activity B, SAG.

105

Chapter 8 Managing Your Resources

Step 5Act on your decision. Now you are

ready to take action. This can be the most
difcult step in the decision-making process.
You will need to do whatever is necessary to
follow through on your decision.
Step 6Evaluate your decision. To evaluate
your decision means to decide whether you
have made a good decision. You will decide
whether that decision helped you reach
your goal.
You can also use the decision-making
process for problem solving. Suppose your
aunt from out of state is coming to visit for
the weekend, but youve already made plans
to go camping with your friend. To use the
problem-solving process, rst consider your
alternatives. You can go camping, but you will
miss your aunts visit and you might upset your
family. If you stay home, you will get to see
your aunt. However, it may not be as much fun
as camping, and you may anger your friend
by changing your plans. You must choose the
best alternative. If you choose to visit with your
aunt, evaluate whether it was a good decision.
Are you glad you stayed, or are you sorry you
missed the camping trip?

Accepting Responsibility for

Your Decisions
The results of a decision are called
consequences. Being a responsible person
involves accepting the consequences of your
decisions. When you carefully follow the
decision-making process, you will be prepared
to take responsibility for the consequences of
those decisions, 8-11.
Sometimes your evaluation may tell you
that you have made a wrong decision. This
decision may have negative consequences. For
instance, you may decide not to study for a test.
A negative consequence of this decision might
be a low grade on the test.

Reect: What are some consequences you have experienced as a

result of a good decision? What are some consequences you have
experienced as a result of a bad decision?

106

Looking Back
You are on your way to becoming a good
manager. You are aware of the personal and
material resources available to you.
The decisions you make depend on the
way you manage your resources. Using the
decision-making process can help you make
the decisions that are best for you. The rst
step in this process is to state the problem to
be solved or decision to be made. Second, list
all possible alternatives. Third, think about
your alternatives. Fourth, choose the best
alternative. Fifth, act on your decision. Finally,
evaluate your decision. Good managers take
responsibility for their decisions. They accept
the results of each decision they make.

Review It

8-11

Deciding to study and complete

assignments brings the positive consequences
of learning and doing well on tests.

Whether your decisions are good or poor, you

must be willing to accept the consequences. When
the consequences are positive, you can enjoy the
credit you deserve. When the consequences are
negative, you can learn from them to help you
make better decisions in the future.

1. True or false. You can be a good manager

without being aware of your resources.
2. List four personal resources and four material
resources.
3. A __________ attitude helps you get more out
of your resources.
4. True or false. A resource can be used in only
one way.
5. Match the following ways to use resources
with the appropriate situations.
Sharing resources.
Exchanging resources.
Substituting one resource for another.
Using one resource to produce another.

Life View
It was Jonahs turn to make dinner for
the family. He wanted to try a new recipe
for meatloaf instead of preparing the family
favorite. He thought about his alternatives. If
he followed the new recipe, the family might
discover a delicious new dish. On the other
hand, the family might not like the new recipe.
After weighing his options, Jonah decided to try
something new.

A. You agree to help your brother learn his

spelling words if he will do the dishes
for you.
B. You let your younger sister borrow your
favorite sweater.
C. You use your sewing skills to make
pillows and sell them at a craft show.
D. Because you are out of brown sugar, you
use white sugar in its place.
6. Resources that many people share are known
as __________.
A. personal resources
B. community resources
C. transferable resources
D. renewable resources

Part Two Managing Your Life

7. Describe four ways you could use the

computer as a resource.
8. What factors affect the decisions you make?
9. A positive approach to decision making is to
state your problem or decision as a ______.
10. List the six steps in the decision-making
process.

Apply It
1. Computers are an important resource today.
Invite someone familiar with practical
applications of computers to speak to the
class. Discuss how you can use computers to
manage your other resources and your life.
2. Describe a big decision that you and your
classmates will face in the next few years.
Think of several alternatives and list the pros
and cons of each. Choose the best alternative.
Then share your decision with the rest of the
class. Explain why you made that choice.

Think More About It

1. What can be done about recycling resources
in your home? in your community? in the
world?
2. What can you do to accept responsibility for a
bad decision?
3. Should there be laws censoring information
on the Internet?
4. If you could donate any resource to benet
your community, what would it be?

Get Involved
Research your communitys current
recycling efforts. Using the decision-making
process, plan a group recycling or cleanup
project. Ideas might include painting over
grafti, cleaning roadsides, collecting discarded
paper and aluminum cans, or helping raise
money for a local environmental improvement
organization.