# Taking Charge of Waste

## Overview

In this chapter, students explore the importance of managing waste responsibly. It begins by making children aware of how daily activities generate waste and why waste management is essential. Through observation, discussions, and examples of clean villages and waste management strategies, the chapter promotes the 3Rs — Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle — while instilling respect for sanitation workers and encouraging students to take action for a cleaner environment.

## Key Topics Covered

### 1. How Waste is Created
- Everyday activities such as peeling fruits, using plastic, and throwing away bottles or batteries create waste.
- Improper disposal of waste results in visible garbage piles around homes, schools, and neighbourhoods.
- The chapter begins with reflective questions to make children think about how waste is generated through their own actions.

### 2. Managing Waste
- Waste management is a shared responsibility that begins at the individual level.
- Learning from places that manage waste well can inspire better practices.
- Cleanliness impacts health — uncollected garbage attracts animals, increases mosquitoes, and spreads disease.

### 3. Ways to Manage Waste
- People suffer when waste is mismanaged: burning plastic releases harmful gases; animals can die from eating mixed waste.
- Cleanliness prevents disease and keeps environments healthy and beautiful.
- Children are encouraged to observe and evaluate the cleanliness of their surroundings.

### 4. Reduce
- The first rule is to **reduce** the amount of waste created.
- Strategies:
- Avoid food and drinks in plastic wrappers.
- Use cloth bags instead of plastic ones.
- Buy only what is needed and use things till they wear out.
- Share old toys and books with others.

### 5. Reuse
- The second rule is to **reuse** items:
- Make quilts and bags from old clothes.
- Use newspapers for gift wrapping.
- Reuse single-sided paper for rough work.
- Carry reusable bottles made of steel or copper.
- Make decorative items or toys from old boxes, bottles, and calendars.

### 6. A Place of Pride

- **Examples of successful waste management**:
- *Silluk* in Arunachal Pradesh is a **zero waste village** with no visible trash, clean streets, and tree-lined roads. It has won awards for its cleanliness.
- *Chhota Narena* became one of the first villages to go waste-free.
- Cities like *Indore* and *Mysuru* are also known for their high cleanliness standards.
- Encourages children to inquire about clean places and the *Swachh Bharat Mission*.

### 7. Separation of Waste

- Two coloured dustbins are used:
- **Green Dustbin**: for biodegradable waste like fruit peels, vegetable waste, dried leaves, and eggshells. This type of waste becomes compost.
- **Blue Dustbin**: for recyclable materials such as plastic, metal, paper, and glass. These can be processed and reused.
- Some villages have separate bins for different materials to simplify recycling.

### 8. Taking Action

- Students are encouraged to reflect on:
- Keeping their surroundings clean.
- Listing tools used for cleaning at home and in school.
- Drawing or creating something from waste as a token of appreciation for sanitation workers.
- Promotes celebrating **National Cleanliness Day** (30 January) and taking a cleanliness pledge.

## New Terms

| Term | Definition |
|--------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Waste | Unwanted materials thrown away after use |
| Reduce | To create less waste by avoiding unnecessary items |
| Reuse | To use things again instead of throwing them away |
| Recycle | To convert waste into reusable materials |
| Biodegradable | Waste that can rot and mix with the soil naturally |
| Compost | Natural fertilizer made from biodegradable waste |
| Zero Waste | A situation or place where almost no waste is generated or left unhandled |
| Dustbin | A container for holding waste |
| Sanitation Worker | A person who helps keep places clean by collecting and handling waste |
| Swachh Bharat | A government mission to clean streets, roads, and infrastructure in India |

## Practice Questions

### Easy
1. **What colour dustbin is used for food waste?**
*Green*
> Explanation: Green dustbins are used for biodegradable waste like fruit peels.

2. **Name one item that can be reused.**
*Old clothes*
> Explanation: Old clothes can be made into bags or quilts.

3. **What is one thing you can do to reduce waste?**
*Use a cloth bag instead of a plastic one*
> Explanation: Replacing single-use items helps reduce waste.

### Medium
4. **What is the difference between reduce and reuse?**
> *Reduce* means to use fewer resources, while *reuse* means using items again.
> Explanation: Reducing stops waste from being created; reusing prevents items from being discarded.

5. **Why should waste be separated?**
> So that biodegradable and recyclable waste can be handled properly.
> Explanation: Separating waste allows for composting and recycling.

### Difficult
6. **What would happen if people keep burning plastic?**
> It would release harmful gases and cause health problems.
> Explanation: Burning plastic pollutes the air and is dangerous for living beings.

7. **Describe one way villagers manage their waste.**
> Villagers like those in Silluk separate their waste and avoid using plastic.
> Explanation: They maintain cleanliness by managing waste properly.

8. **How can you help in your classroom to keep it clean?**
> By throwing trash in the correct bin and reusing paper.
> Explanation: Small actions like this prevent mess and reduce waste.

### Very Difficult
9. **Imagine your birthday party. How can you make it zero-waste?**
> Use reusable plates and cups, make handmade decorations, and avoid plastic.
> Explanation: Thoughtful planning can reduce waste at events.

10. **What can we learn from clean cities like Indore and Mysuru?**
> That everyone’s effort counts in keeping a place clean and healthy.
> Explanation: Collective responsibility and discipline help maintain cleanliness.
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