Chapter – 11

E for Environment

Back exercise question

Question 1: What is the difference between biodegradable waste and non-biodegradable waste?

Answer 1: Biodegradable waste materials rot easily and mix with soil. Examples are left over food, fruit and vegetable peels, paper and leaves. Non-biodegradable waste do not rot easily and take many years to decompose. They remain in the environment for a very long time. Example are plastic goods, silver foil, aluminium cans and parts of computers.

Question 2: How is open dumping different from landfills?

Answer 2: In open dumping, waste is first loaded in trucks and then taken far away from the town or city, where it is dumped in the open. In case of landfills, waste is dumped in the diches which are dug in the ground. After these dishes becomes full, they are covered with soil. Sometimes parks and gardens are built over them.

Question 3: What is compost? How is it produced?

Answer 3: Compost is a nutrient-rich food which is used as manure by farmers. Organic waste from kitchens and gardens is put in pits and bins. This waste turns into compost.

Question 4: What is recycling? What are its benefits?

Answer 4: Recycling is a process of producing a new product from used or waste material. Recycling saves raw materials, and also saves energy required to produce them.

Question 5: What should we do to protect our environment?

Answer 5: We should produce less waste and dispose waste properly. We should put our household waste in correct garbage bins. Kitchen waste can also be collected in compost pits. We should keep public places and water bodies clean. We should plant more trees and use only paper or cloth bags.

Think and answer

Question: Naina has two dustbins in her home. On one dustbin the letter R is written in green. On the other the letter R is written in blue. Why?

Answer: The dustbin with the letter R in green on it is the biodegradable waste. The dustbin which has the letter R in blue is for non-biodegradable waste.