Del Currie loved crisps but also wanted to help the environment by not using single-use plastic. His daughter encouraged him to start his own crisp company that didn’t use plastic packaging. So he did! He started Spudos, which supplies crisps to special shops that don’t use packaging. People can bring their own containers and fill them with Spudos crisps. When Spudos packages their crisps for internet orders, they use biodegradable and plastic-free packets. People can also order a tub that they can reuse again and again.
Many companies still use plastic packets for their crisps, but smaller companies like Spudos, Humble Potato Chips, and Two Farmers are trying to use more eco-friendly packaging. Shelie Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan, says that plastic crisps packets are not typically recyclable because they are made of a mixture of materials that are hard to separate. However, Del Currie believes that big brands should try harder to use eco-friendly packaging.
Original news source: Crunch time as crisp makers adopt plastic-free packets (BBC)
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Group or Classroom Activities
Warm-up Activities:
– DISCUSS AND PREDICT
Instructions: Ask students if they like crisps and if they think it’s important to use eco-friendly packaging. Then, read the article and ask them to predict what Del Currie did to solve this problem. Finally, ask them if they would buy Spudos crisps.
– DRAW YOUR OWN ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGE
Instructions: Provide students with a blank piece of paper and markers. Ask them to draw their own eco-friendly package for crisps. Encourage them to be creative and use different materials. After they finish, ask them to present their package to the class and explain why it is eco-friendly.
– WRITING PROMPT
Instructions: Ask students to imagine they are starting their own crisp company that only uses eco-friendly packaging. Ask them to write a short paragraph describing their company and the type of packaging they use. Remind them to use vocabulary and sentence structures they have learned in class.
Comprehension Questions:
1. What did Del Currie love?
2. Why didn’t Del Currie want to use single-use plastic?
3. Who encouraged Del Currie to start his own crisp company?
4. What is the name of Del Currie’s crisp company?
5. Where can people buy Spudos crisps?
6. What kind of packaging does Spudos use for internet orders?
7. Can people reuse the tub when they order from Spudos?
8. Are big brands using eco-friendly packaging?
Go to answers ⇩
Listen and Fill in the Gaps:
Del Currie loved crisps but also wanted to help the (1)________ by not using single-use plastic. His daughter encouraged him to start his own (2)________ company that didn’t use plastic packaging. So he did! He started Spudos, which (3)________ crisps to special shops that don’t use packaging. People can bring their own containers and fill them with Spudos crisps. When Spudos packages their crisps for (4)________ orders, they use biodegradable and plastic-free packets. People can also order a (5)________ that they can reuse again and again.
Many companies still use plastic packets for their crisps, but smaller companies like Spudos, Humble Potato Chips, and Two Farmers are trying to use more eco-friendly (6)________. Shelie Miller, a professor at the University of Michigan, says that plastic crisps packets are not typically recyclable because they are made of a mixture of materials that are hard to separate. However, Del Currie believes that big brands should try harder to use (7)________ packaging.
(1)environment
(2)crisp
(3)supplies
(4)internet
(5)tub
(6)packaging
(7)eco-friendly
Go to answers ⇩
Discussion Questions:
Students can ask a partner these questions, or discuss them as a group.
1. Do you like eating crisps?
2. Why did Del Currie start his own crisp company?
3. What is special about the shops that sell Spudos crisps?
4. How can people get Spudos crisps if they don’t live near a special shop?
5. What kind of packets does Spudos use for internet orders?
6. Can people reuse the tubs that Spudos offers?
7. Do many companies still use plastic packets for their crisps?
8. What are some other companies that are trying to use eco-friendly packaging?
9. Why are plastic crisps packets not typically recyclable?
10. What does Del Currie think big brands should do about eco-friendly packaging?
11. Have you ever tried eco-friendly packaging before?
12. Do you think it’s important to help the environment?
13. What are some other ways we can help the environment?
14. Can you think of any other foods that use hard-to-recycle packaging?
15. Would you consider buying crisps from Spudos or another company that uses eco-friendly packaging?
Individual Activities
Vocabulary Meanings:
Match each word to its meaning.
Words:
1. crisps
2. plastic
3. packaging
4. containers
5. eco-friendly
6. recyclable
7. brands
8. orders
Meanings:
A) Things used to hold or carry something else
B) Not harmful to the environment
C) Names of products made by a particular company
D) Objects used to store things in
E) Thin slices of potato that are cooked and eaten as a snack
F) Able to be used again or made into something new
G) A material that is often used to make single-use items
H) The way in which products are wrapped or put into boxes for transport.
Go to answers ⇩
Multiple Choice Questions:
1. What did Del Currie want to do about using single-use plastic?
(a) use more of it
(b) recycle it
(c) sell it
(d) not use it
2. What is the name of Del Currie’s crisp company?
(a) Crispies
(b) Spudos
(c) Crunchy
(d) Chipsters
3. How do people get Spudos crisps from special shops?
(a) in packaging
(b) in a tub
(c) in their own containers
(d) in plastic bags
4. What kind of packets does Spudos use for internet orders?
(a) plastic
(b) reusable
(c) recyclable
(d) biodegradable and plastic-free
5. What can people order from Spudos that they can reuse again and again?
(a) a plastic bag
(b) a glass jar
(c) a tub
(d) a paper box
6. Why are plastic crisps packets not typically recyclable?
(a) They are too heavy.
(b) They are too expensive.
(c) They are made of a mixture of materials that are hard to separate.
(d) They are too small.
7. What are other smaller companies doing to use more eco-friendly packaging?
(a) They are still using plastic packets.
(b) They are not doing anything.
(c) They are trying to use more eco-friendly packaging.
(d) They are using paper bags.
8. What does Del Currie believe that big brands should do?
(a) try harder to use eco-friendly packaging
(b) use more plastic packaging
(c) stop using packaging
(d) sell their crisps in jars
Go to answers ⇩
True or False Questions:
1. Del Currie wanted to help the environment by using more plastic.
2. Del Currie started his own crisp company called Spudos.
3. People can bring their own containers to fill with Spudos crisps.
4. Spudos only packages their crisps in plastic packets.
5. Many companies still use plastic packets for their crisps.
6. Spudos is the only company trying to use eco-friendly packaging.
7. Plastic crisps packets are not typically recyclable.
8. Del Currie thinks big brands should try harder to use eco-friendly packaging.
Go to answers ⇩
Write a Summary:
Write a summary of this news article in two sentences.
Writing Questions:
Answer the following questions. Write as much as you can for each answer.
1. What did Del Currie want to do when he loved crisps?
2. What did Del Currie’s daughter encourage him to do?
3. What is the name of Del Currie’s crisp company?
4. What can people do when they buy Spudos crisps from special shops?
5. Why are big brands not typically using eco-friendly packaging for crisps?
Answers
Comprehension Question Answers:
1. What did Del Currie love?
– Del Currie loved crisps.
2. Why didn’t Del Currie want to use single-use plastic?
– Del Currie wanted to help the environment and single-use plastic can be harmful to the environment.
3. Who encouraged Del Currie to start his own crisp company?
– Del Currie’s daughter encouraged him to start his own crisp company.
4. What is the name of Del Currie’s crisp company?
– The name of Del Currie’s crisp company is Spudos.
5. Where can people buy Spudos crisps?
– People can buy Spudos crisps at special shops that don’t use packaging.
6. What kind of packaging does Spudos use for internet orders?
– Spudos uses biodegradable and plastic-free packets for internet orders.
7. Can people reuse the tub when they order from Spudos?
– Yes, people can reuse the tub when they order from Spudos.
8. Are big brands using eco-friendly packaging?
– No, big brands are not using eco-friendly packaging very much, but some smaller companies are trying to use more eco-friendly packaging.
Go back to questions ⇧
Listen and Fill in the Gaps Answers:
1. environment
2. crisp
3. supplies
4. internet
5. tub
6. packaging
7. eco-friendly
Go back to questions ⇧
Vocabulary Meanings Answers:
1. crisps
Answer: E) Thin slices of potato that are cooked and eaten as a snack
2. plastic
Answer: G) A material that is often used to make single-use items
3. packaging
Answer: H) The way in which products are wrapped or put into boxes for transport.
4. containers
Answer: D) Objects used to store things in
5. eco-friendly
Answer: B) Not harmful to the environment
6. recyclable
Answer: F) Able to be used again or made into something new
7. brands
Answer: C) Names of products made by a particular company
8. orders
Answer: H) The way in which products are wrapped or put into boxes for transport.
Go back to questions ⇧
Multiple Choice Answers:
1. What did Del Currie want to do about using single-use plastic?
Answer: (d) not use it
2. What is the name of Del Currie’s crisp company?
Answer: (b) Spudos
3. How do people get Spudos crisps from special shops?
Answer: (c) in their own containers
4. What kind of packets does Spudos use for internet orders?
Answer: (d) biodegradable and plastic-free
5. What can people order from Spudos that they can reuse again and again?
Answer: (c) a tub
6. Why are plastic crisps packets not typically recyclable?
Answer: (c) They are made of a mixture of materials that are hard to separate.
7. What are other smaller companies doing to use more eco-friendly packaging?
Answer: (c) They are trying to use more eco-friendly packaging.
8. What does Del Currie believe that big brands should do?
Answer: (a) try harder to use eco-friendly packaging
Go back to questions ⇧
True or False Answers:
1. Del Currie wanted to help the environment by using more plastic.
Answer: False
2. Del Currie started his own crisp company called Spudos.
Answer: True
3. People can bring their own containers to fill with Spudos crisps.
Answer: True
4. Spudos only packages their crisps in plastic packets.
Answer: False
5. Many companies still use plastic packets for their crisps.
Answer: True
6. Spudos is the only company trying to use eco-friendly packaging.
Answer: False
7. Plastic crisps packets are not typically recyclable.
Answer: True
8. Del Currie thinks big brands should try harder to use eco-friendly packaging.
Answer: True
Go back to questions ⇧
