Garbage In And Garbage Out
1. Garbage -
ü Waste is any substance, which is discarded after primary use, or it is worthless, defective and of no use.
ü All the non useful materials and other household separations produced on a daily basis are termed as garbage.
ü Example - plastic packaging of a chips pack, peel off of vegetables etc.
ü Waste or garbage is of two types viz - Biodegradable (can be digested by microbes naturally) and non-biodegradable (can not be naturally digested by microbes, accumulate of earth and cause pollution).
2. Waste Segregation -
ü The process in which biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste is separated primarily is called segregation.
ü Segregation is performed after collection of waste from rural, urban and industrial zones.
ü The process of segregating also refers to dividing the wastes into dry and wet waste.
ü The dry waste includes wood and related products, metals and glass.
ü The wet waste includes organic waste usually generated by eating establishments and are heavy in weight due to dampness.
3. Reduce -
ü We need to reduce the amount of waste generated by consuming more and throwing away less.
ü We often buy more things than we really need.
ü Nowadays, disposable items have become popular, for example, ballpoint pen, plastic bag, disposable napkins etc.
ü We are using them frequently without giving a thought to their hazardous effects.
ü Here are some tips for reducing wastes -
n Use cloth napkins in place of disposable ones.
n Use a fountain pen in place of a ballpoint pen,
n Use old newspapers for packaging, and
4. Reuse -
ü We can reuse certain things for more than one purpose. If we reuse them for other purposes, we can help in reducing waste.
ü Here are some of the tips for reusing things:
n Old clothes can be made into other usable items like cushion cover, handkerchief, etc.
n Old mobile phones can be donated to friends or family.
n Small jars and bottles can be cleaned to keep some other kitchen stuff.
n One should prefer glass bottle to metal can when buying juice or soft drink. The bottles can be refilled.
5. Recycle -
ü The process by which waste materials are used to make new products is called recycling.
ü Materials like glass, metal, plastic, and paper are collected, separated, and recycled to make new things.
6. Composting -
ü Since biodegradable or organic wastes like vegetable peels, waste food, leaves, dead flowers, and egg shells can be recycled, they are converted into manure by burying them in compost pits.
ü Recycling of organic wastes like vegetable peels, waste food, leaves, etc., by burying them in compost pits is called composting. Composting is a simple and almost effortless process of recycling.
ü The biodegradable wastes are degraded by the action of small organisms like bacteria and fungi.
ü There is also a different kind of composting where a kind of earthworm called red worms (or red wrigglers) act on wastes and degrade them.
ü This type of composting with the help of a type of earthworm called red worms, is called vermicomposting.
ü Red worms break down the organic matter into nutrient-rich manure which increases soil fertility.
ü Vermicompost can be made in 3-4 weeks and it appears as loose soil-like material. One should not put animal product or oily substance in the pit as it could lead to the growth of disease-causing organisms.
7. Landfills
ü Large areas used for waste disposal are called landfills.
ü The landfill is another method to manage a huge amount, of biodegradable waste. In a landfill, garbage is buried in such a way that it does not damage the environment.
ü Garbage buried inside landfills stay here for a long time as it decomposes very slowly. After a landfill is full, it can be converted into a park.
ü For example, Indraprastha Park in New Delhi is built on a landfill site.
NCERT PRACTICE QUESTIONS
1. Answer the following questions -
(a) Which kind of garbage is not converted into compost by the red worms?
(b) Have you seen any other organism besides red worms, in your pit? If yes, try to find out their names.
Ans. - a) Plastic bag, electronic waste, tin glass and aluminum foils are not converted by compost by the red worms. b) Earthworms, small insects like ant, millipedes.
2. Discuss -
(a) Is garbage disposal the responsibility only of the government?
(b) Is it possible to reduce the problems relating to disposal of garbage?
Ans. - a) No, it is not just responsibility of the government, but everybody is responsible for garbage disposal. We should collect wet and dry waste separately. b) Yes, it is possible to reduce the problems of garbage by scientific disposal of garbage. Reduce, reuse and recycle are the 3R’s which can make it possible.
3. Answer the following questions -
(a) What do you do with the leftover food at home?
(b) If you and your friends are given the choice of eating in a plastic plate or a banana leaf platter at a party, which one would you prefer and why?
Ans. - a) Preserve them in the refrigerator and use them before they get spoiled. B) Easy to dispose and Environment friendly.
4. Answer the following questions -
(a) Collect pieces of different kinds of paper. Find out which of these can be recycled.
(b) With the help of a lens look at the pieces of paper, you collected for the above question. Do you see any difference in the material of recycled paper and a new sheet of paper?
Ans. - a) All kinds of paper can be used except plastic paper. b) Recycled paper is thick when compared to a new sheet of paper.
5. Discuss -
(a)Collect different kinds of packaging material. What was the purpose for which each one was used?
(b) Give an example in which packaging could have been reduced?
(c) Write a story on how packaging increases the amount of garbage.
Ans. - (a) Different kinds of packaging materials used commonly are: Cardboard – used as shoe, soap, bulb and other boxes. Plastic Bags – Toys covers, sarees bags, shopping bags, etc. Wooden Boxes – Fruit baskets and boxes for hardware. Jute Bags – School bags, shopping bags, vegetable bags, etc.
(b) By reusing the packaging material, we can reduce the accumulation of garbage.
(c) The basic purpose of packaging is to protect the product from tampering and to maintain its freshness and purity. However, most of the packaging material is used to beautify the boxes and make them look attractive on the shelves. Unfortunately, a large volume of packaging material goes waste and is thrown into the dustbin. For example, in most of the places, the dustbins are full of chips and biscuit wrappers.
6. Do you think it is better to use compost instead of chemical fertilizers? Why?
Ans. - Compost is environment friendly as it does not cause any health issues in humans and animals. Compost will not cause pollution. Compost increases soil fertility.Compost is biodegradable.
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