NCERT Solutions Class 3 The World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste

F R E E S T U D Y M AT E R I A L F O R E V E R Y S T U D E N T

CLASS 3 · THE WORLD AROUND US

NCERT Solutions

Chapter 12: Taking
Charge of Waste

NCERT Textbook — Our Wondrous World

BOOK PAGES SECTIONS QUESTIONS MEDIUM

149 – 162 22 35 English

Every question Step by step Exam ready
Activities, in-text questions The working shown, not Written to match how
and all exercises. just the final answer. marks are awarded.

Solutions, notes, sample papers & more at 26 pages

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

C L A SS 3 · T HE WORL D A ROUN D US · OUR WON D ROUS WORL D
NCERT So ut ons — C apt r 12: Ta n C ar o Wast
l i h e ki g h ge f e

Chapter 12 is the last chapter of Our Wondrous World and closes Unit 4, Things Around Us. It opens with a
park being cleaned on National Cleanliness Day. You find out how waste is made at home and in school,
what dirty surroundings do to people and animals, and the three things people who manage waste well
always do — Reduce, Reuse and separate the waste for recycling. You meet Silluk, a ‘zero waste villageʼ in
Arunachal Pradesh, learn what goes into the green dustbin and what goes into the blue one, and end with the
Let us reflect set.

T E XT B OOK B OOK PAGE S
Our Wondrous World Class 3 149  162

S EC T I ONS QU E ST I ONS
22 35

M EDI UM
English

D s uss — Pa
i c ge 150

Page 1 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Nat ona C an n ss Day
i l le li e

DISCUSS

Q1 Wha a e he child e a d he eache d i g i he ic e?
t r t r n n t t r on nt p tur

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION
Nat ona C an n ss Day
i l le li e

30 January

The picture printed across pages 149150 a park, a banner on the fence, children and their
teacher at work, and two dustbins at the side.

They are cleaning the park together.
Some children sweep dry leaves with brooms.
Two children fill a sack with litter.
Some carry baskets of waste.
The teachers pick up waste too.
They put the waste into a blue dustbin and a green dustbin.

Page 2 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Q2 Wh a e he clea i g he a k?
y r t y nn t p r

SWACHH BHARAT MISSION
Nat ona C an n ss Day
i l le li e

30 January

The picture printed across pages 149150 a park, a banner on the fence, children and their
teacher at work, and two dustbins at the side.

They are cleaning the park for National Cleanliness Day 30 January). The banner in the
picture says so.
A clean park is safe for people and animals. Garbage makes people ill, and animals can die by
eating plastic.

Q3 Have you ever seen piles of waste lying around your home or school?

Sample answer: Yes, I have. There is a pile of waste at the corner of my street. Wrappers and
paper lie outside my school gate too.

Why Ga bage ile
: r p s up w hen people throw waste in the open, not in a dustbin.

Page 3 of 26

as e
l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste
a g l A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Have you ever thought about how this waste is created? co m
m.
Q4
m as e
.co a g l
A NSW E R m
se
a ste comes from the things we do every day. We throw away old clothes, tins, bottles,
esg.lWa
Ya
paper, peels of vegetables and fruits, plastic wrappers, pencil shavings and old batteries.
Sometimes this waste ends up in garbage piles. m
. co ag
em
g l as
a
A t v ty 1 — Pa 150
m
c i i ge

co
m.
Nat ona C an n ss Day
e
i l le li e

m l as
.co g
ACTIVITY

em a
a s
a glQ1 Recall diffe e ac i i ie ha r nt ad
tvt st t you n your a
elders do during the d y. How do these
ac i i ie c ea e a e? Fi all , ha d o we do with the w ste? a
s
tvt s r t w st n y w t

m a
m .co agl
se
g l a
Sample answer: a
ACTIVITY WASTE IT MAKES mITH IT
WHAT WE DO W
co
m .
m as e
.co l
Brushing and bathing
g
Empty tube, soap wrapper Blue dustbin

eCm ki g f d a
a s
gl
oo n oo Peels of vegetables and fruits Green dustbin

a
m
Sharpening a pencil
se
Pencil shavings Dustbin in the class

com g l a
Eating a packed snack
. a
em
Plastic wrapper Blue dustbin

a s
Drinking milk
a gl plastic milk packet
Used Blue dustbin

com
Sweeping the house Dust and dried leaves Green dustbin

Finally we put peels in the green dustbin and wrappers packets asnedm
.
m a
tins in the blue dustbin
co gl
, , , .

. a
a sem − Exp anat on
agl
l i

How to do it: List what you and your elders do from morning to night Next to each work .c
e m
. ,

m a s
agl
write the waste it makes and where that waste goes.
. co
e m
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co

a g l Page 4 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

For parents and teachers: The book s teacher note asks you to remind children of
ʼ

common waste-making things, such as packaged products, take-away food, plastic and
decorations.

Q2 Sha er your a a
findings with your cl ssm tes.

Sample answer: “My family makes vegetable peels every day. We also throw away plastic
wrappers and milk packets. We put the peels in the green dustbin.ˮ
Many friends named the same things, because most homes make the same kind of waste.

In-t xt Qu st ons — Pa
e e i ge 151

Page 5 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

How s Wast Cr at
i e e ed ?

Q1 How do you feel about it?

The picture on page 151 a dustbin that has overflowed, with more waste lying on the ground
around it.

I feel sad when I see a garbage pile like this. It smells bad and looks ugly Flies and
.

mosquitoes sit on it. Cows eat the plastic in it. People living near it fall ill.

Page 6 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Q2 Do you think we can do something about it?

The picture on page 151 a dustbin that has overflowed, with more waste lying on the ground
around it.

Yes, we can. Managing waste is in our own hands.
Reduce — make less waste. Carry a cloth bag.
Reuse — use things again.
Separate — peels in the green dustbin; paper, plastic, glass and metal in the blue dustbin.
Never burn plastic.

A t v ty 2 — Pa
c i i ge 152

Page 7 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Ways to Mana Wast ge e

ACTIVITY

Q1 Ob e e
s rv your surroun dings.

Do this: Walk round your school and your street Note the clean places and the dirty places
. .

Sample answer: My school ground was clean. The drain behind the wall had wrappers and a
broken slipper. People throw them over the wall.

D s uss — Pa
i c ge 152
Ways to Mana Wast ge e

DISCUSS

Q1 How clean are the surroundings of your school?

Sample answer: The ground and corridors of my school are clean. They are swept every
morning. But wrappers and paper cups lie outside the gate after the break.

Why A lace a clea
: p st ys l
n on y w hen someone cleans it and no one litters it again.

Q2 Do you find waste lying in or outside your classrooms or on the school grounds?

Sample answer: Yes. Pencil shavings and bits of paper lie under the desks. Wrappers lie in the
corner of the ground after lunch.

Tip: Keep a dustbin in the class and empty it every day.

Draw — Pa ge 153

Page 8 of 26

ase
l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste
a g l A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Ways to Mana Wast
co m
m.
ge e

DRAW
m as e
.co a g l
em
Q1 laDsraw or paste a picture of a locality. Identify the places where there is garbage or
ag a e ae
w st w t r or smo T
ke by circling them in red. ry to find out how the w ste gets there. a
com
m . ag
se in red any garbage, wastewater or smoke.
Draw your street or paste its photo. Cliarcle
ag

co m
e m.
m l as
m .co a g
l a se
a g
m a s
m .co agl
l a se
a g

co m
m .
e
.co
m laresnt.
A model sketch — your own drawing will look diffe
ag
a sem
agl Sample answer :

Garbage heap
se m
a
the dustbin is far away.
Wastewater — the drain is choked .wciothmplastic. l
—

ag
Smoke — someone burns leavseesm
a
agl
and plastic.

In-t xt Qu st ons — Pa 153 co m
m .
e
e e i ge

R
com g l as
. a
educe

a s em
agl Q1If bel g a lace ha a age i a e ell, a k he elde h i i done.
c
you on to p t tm n s ts w st w s t rs ow t s

Sha e findings in the cl ss. a m .
s e
r your

m a
m . co agl
se
la her told me these things.
Sample answer: My grangdmot
a
We keep two buckets — one for peels, one for paper and plastic.
co m
m .
m as e
.co

a g l Page 9 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

The peels go into a pit in the yard and become compost.
A cart takes the paper and plastic away every morning.
Nobody in our lane burns plastic.

Q2 Many people avoid food and drinks packed in wrappers or plastic bottles and use
cloth bags in place of plastic bags to reduce waste .

Have you ever tried doing this?

Sample answer: Yes. I carry a cloth bag to the shop. I take a steel bottle to school. I do not buy
snacks in wrappers.

Why A cl h bag i
: ot s us ed again and again. A plastic bag is used once and thrown
away.

A t v ty 3 — Pa
c i i ge 153
Reduce

ACTIVITY

Q1 How can you help in reducing waste?

I can help to reduce waste in these ways:
Carry a cloth bag, not a plastic bag.
Carry a steel or copper bottle.
Say no to food packed in wrappers.
Buy only what I need.
Give my old toys and books to those who need them.

In-t xt Qu st ons — Pa
e e i ge 154

Page 10 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Reduce

Q1 Be a part of the Cleanliness Drive by sharing your old toys and books with those who
need them but cannot afford to buy them.
a a a
In wh t other w ys c n you help?

Other ways I can help:
Give clothes that have become small to a younger child.
Pass on last yearʼs books to the next class.
Join the cleaning drive in school.
Teach younger children to use the dustbin.
Make a gift from waste material instead of buying one.

A t v ty 4 — Pa
c i i ge 155
R us
e e

ACTIVITY

Q1 How can you REUSE things to reduce waste?

Reuse means using a thing again.
Use paper written on one side for rough work.
Refill a steel or copper bottle.
Wrap gifts in newspaper or old cloth.
Make quilts and bags from old clothes.
Make toys and a paper bag from old newspaper.

Page 11 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

1 2 3

4 5 6

7 8

Steps to make a paper bag

A t v ty 5 — Pa
c i i ge 156
S ow your Grat tu
h i de!

ACTIVITY

Q1 Create an item using waste material that you can give as a gift to someone.

Sample answer: I made a pen stand. I washed an empty tin and wrapped an old calendar sheet
round it. I wrote “Thank Youˮ on it. I gave it to the person who cleans our street.

− Exp anat on
l i

How to do it: Find a clean empty tin bottle box or old newspaper at home Make one
, , .

simple thing — a pen stand, a paper bag or a flower vase. Cover it with old calendar paper
and colour it.
Show your gratitude: The book asks you to give the gift to the person who helps to keep
your locality or home clean. Tell them you made it to reduce waste and their workload, and
say a big ‘Thank Youʼ.

Page 12 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Why A hi g ha a g i g i
: t n t tw s on nto t he dustbin became a gift. That is reuse.

In-t xt Qu st ons — Pa
e e i ge 156
APa l ce of Pr ide

Q1 How did the people of these places change their surroundings?

The people all worked hard together. They stopped throwing waste on roadsides, in corners
and in open spaces. They reduced their waste and reused things. They kept waste apart in
green and blue dustbins and sent it for recycling.

− Exp anat on
l i

The places the chapter names:
Silluk, a village in Arunachal Pradesh, has received an award for managing its waste in
the best possible way. It is called a ‘zero waste villageʼ.
Chhota Narena was one of the first villages to become waste-free.
Indore and Mysuru stand out for being clean cities.

Why O e e : n p rson cannot clean a whole village. When everybody changes, the
v illage changes.

F n out — Pa
i d ge 157
APa l ce of Pr ide

FIND OUT

Q1 Ask your elders, if there is any village, town or city that they know about, which is
a Y a a a a
known for its cle nliness. ou c n sh re the inform tion you le rn from your elders in
your cl ss. a
Sample answer: My father told me about Indore. Waste is picked up from every house every
morning. People keep two dustbins at home. Nobody throws waste on the road.

Page 13 of 26

as e
l he

a g l
World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

corsmmay
Tip: The chapter names Silluk, Chhota Narena, Indore and Mysuru. Your elde
.
m
m ase
e another place.
agl
nam

. co
e m
g l as
a
Q2 Find out from your parents or teachers about the Swachh Bharat Mission.
com
m . ag
l a se
Sample answer The Swachh Bharaagt Mission is a cleanliness drive of our country People clean
: .

their homes, schools, streets and public places. Dustbins are kept so waste does not lie in the
m
.co
open.
The banner at the start of the chapter shows the Swachh Bharat Mission anedmNational
s
coDmay together.
Cleanliness . gla a
m
ase
agl
In-t xt Qu st ons — Pa 158 s
m a
.co agl
e e i ge

se m
g l a
a

co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
ase
agl

com
m .
m as e
.co a g l
se m
g l a
a c
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
g l as
a

co m
m .
m ase
.co

a g l Page 14 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

S parat D
e e ifferent Typ s o Wast
e f e

Q1 Wh a e he e
y r t s two kinds of dustbins used?

The two dustbins shown on page 158.

Two dustbins are used so that two kinds of waste do not get mixed.

DUSTBIN WHAT GOES IN IT WHAT HAPPENS TO IT

Green Dried leaves or branches, fruit They rot easily, mix with the soil and become compost
peels, vegetable waste, egg shells — food for plants and for the tiny animals in the soil

Blue Things made of metal, glass, New objects are made from them. This is called
plastic and paper recycling

Kept apart, one kind becomes compost and the other can be recycled. Some villages even
keep a separate bin for each material.

A t v ty 6 — Pa
c i i ge 159

Page 15 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

S parat Your Wast
e e e

ACTIVITY

Q1 Two a
dustbins re dr wn below. a W i e he a e f he a e a e ial hich ill g
rt t n m so t w st m t r w w o

a
into e ch of them.

P ast
l ottles, leaves, onion peels, light bulbs, rotten
ic b

ruit, paper, eggshells, used plastic milk packets, cloth.
f

The two dustbins drawn on page 159, with the list of waste given above them. Write each
name on a line.

Green dustbin: leaves onion peels rotten fruit eggshells
, , , .

Blue dustbin: plastic bottles light bulbs paper used plastic milk packets cloth
, , , , .

Page 16 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

P ast
l ic b ottles, leaves, onion peels, light bulbs, rotten
fruit, paper, eggshells, used plastic milk packets, cloth.

Leaves Plastic bottles

Onion peels Light bulbs

Rotten fruit Paper

Eggshells Used plastic milk packets

Cloth

The same two dustbins, now filled in.

− Exp anat on
l i

Why Lea e : eels, rotten fruit and eggshells rot easily and mix with the soil.
v s, p

Bottles, bulbs, paper and milk packets are made of plastic, glass or paper —
new things can be made from them.

Cloth: the book does not name cloth under either dustbin Old cloth is best reused If it
. .

must be thrown, put it in the blue dustbin.

Tip: A light bulb is made of glass. If it breaks, wrap the pieces in cloth and
e
pap r, so t hat sanitation workers are not hurt.

Write — Page 160

Page 17 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Keeping our Surroun n s C an
di g le

WRITE

Q1 List t a a a a
he things th t you c n do to keep your home nd cl ssroom cle n? a
Sample list:
I can keep my room tidy.
I can put wrappers and paper in the dustbin.
I can put my books and bag back in their place.
I can pick up my pencil shavings.
I can help to sweep the floor at home.

Q2 Make a li f l
st o too s you a
h ve seen being used in your school or neighbourhood for
clea i g.
nn

Sample list:
 Broom ( a ) jh doo

 Long-handled broom
 Dustpan
 Spade
 Rake, for dry leaves
 Basket and sack
 Dustbin on wheels
 Gloves

Tip: The picture at the start of the chapter shows brooms, a spade, a dustpan,
baskets, sacks and two dustbins.

Q3 Have you ever observed the tools that are used in your home for cleaning? Make a list
f hese tools.
o t

Sample list:
 Broom

Page 18 of 26

ase
l he

a
World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste
g l A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

 Mop or wet cloth (p a)
co m
m.
och

e
 Bucket
 Dustpan om
g l as
 Dusteerm .c a
ash for the washing place
for the shelves
 gBlrus
a
 Dustbin with a lid
o m
Why Each tool does one job A broome
. c
mlifts dry dust a wet cloth lifts what the broom ag
a s
: . ;

agl
leaves behind .

co m
Draw — Pa m 160 em.
co
ge

g l as
m . a
e
K S C a
s
eeping our urroundings n

DgRlAa
le

a
W

omgiven below. a s
agl
Draw pictures of these tools in the bcox
Q1
m .
ase
A NSW E R agl
Draw four or five tools from your list. Colour them and write each name below.
co m
m .
m as e
.co a g l
sem
g l a
a
se m
com g l a
m . a
gl ase
Broom
a
Long broom Dustpan Bucket Mop

co m
Some cleaning tools you can draw in the box.
m .
o m l a se
c le answer I drew a broom a long broom a dustpan aabgucket and a mop
Sa.mp
se m
a
: , , , .

agl c
Tip: Draw each handle as a straight line first.
m .
m a s e
e m . co agl
Let us reflec las
t — Pa ag161
ge

co m
m .
m ase
.co

a g l Page 19 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

A. D s uss
i c

L E T US R EF L EC T DISCUSS

Q1 How is waste created?

Waste is created by the things we do every day. We throw away old clothes, tins, bottles,
paper, peels of vegetables and fruits, plastic wrappers, pencil shavings and old batteries. The
more we buy, the more we throw away.
Waste thrown in the open forms garbage piles.

Q2 How can we manage waste?

We manage waste in three ways, in this order:
FIG_3R

 Reduce — make less waste; use a cloth bag.
 Reuse — use things again, like paper for rough work.
 Separate and recycle — leaves and peels in the green dustbin; metal, glass, plastic and
paper in the blue dustbin.
Never burn plastic.

Let us reflect — Page 161
B. Wr t i e

L E T US R EF L EC T WRITE

Q1 T a id e f la ic bag a d b le , l k a h e a d ch l cl el . Li all
o vo us o p st s n ott s oo t your om n s oo os y st

the i e f la ic a e ial a d i e h
t ms o p st m t r he e c ld be e laced b he afe
n wr t ow t s ou r p y ot rs

a e ial .
m t r s

Sample list (look around your own home and school too):

Page 20 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

PLASTIC ITEM SAFE MATERIAL INSTEAD

Plastic water bottle Steel or copper bottle, refilled

Plastic carry bag Cloth bag

Plastic lunch box Steel tiffin box

Plastic plates and glasses Steel plates and glasses, or leaf plates

Plastic spoon Steel spoon

Plastic gift wrapper Newspaper or old cloth

Plastic bucket and mug Steel bucket and mug

Plastic broom Broom made of grass or coconut sticks

Why S eel a d cl h hi g ca be ed agai a d agai Leaf la e
: t n ot t n s n us n n n. p t s rot an d mix
wt i h the soil. A plastic bag is used once and then lies about for a long time.

Q2 Na e h ee hi g i
m t r t n s n your s a a
chool nd home th t you would put in the green dustbin
a d h ee hi g ha
n t r t n st t you would put in the blue dustbin.

GREEN DUSTBIN BLUE DUSTBIN
Fruit peels from my tiffin Paper torn out of my notebook

Dried leaves from the school ground Used plastic milk packet

Vegetable waste from the kitchen Empty tin or glass jar

Why G ee bi hi g
: r n- easily and mix with the soil. Blue-bin things do not rot,
nt n s rot

but new objects can be made from them.

Let us reflect — Page 161

Page 21 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

C. Draw n your not
i ebook

L E T US R EF L EC T DRAW

Q1 Make a e h a illage
post r to s ow v or town t a aa a
h t is m n ging its w ste well. Give your
e a i able i le.
post r su t tt

Sample titles: Our Zero Waste Village · Clean Village, Happy Village

Our Zero Waste Village

Green bin for peels. Blue bin for plastic.
Want not Waste not
, .

A model poster.

Draw clean roads with trees, a green and a blue dustbin, and a child putting waste in the right
one. Use only three or four bright colours.

Let us reflect — Page 162

Page 22 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

D. Ena t n pa rs
c i i

L E T US R EF L EC T ENACT IN PAIRS

Q1 Y ca be a clea
ou n n townad n a e a di
your p rtn r rty town. Engage in a short conversation
talki g ab hn out ow you feel ab out bei g he a
n t w y you a e.
r

Sample answer:
Clean Town: I feel happy. My roads are clean.
Dirty Town: I feel sad. Garbage piles smell, and mosquitoes make my people ill.
Clean Town: My people reduce, reuse and use the right dustbin.
Dirty Town: I will ask my people to do that too!

− Exp anat on l i

A longer version:
 Clean Town: I feel happy. My roads are clean and trees stand on both sides.
 Dirty Town: I feel sad. Garbage piles sit in my corners and the smell does not go.
 Clean Town: My people keep a green bin and a blue bin in every home.
 Dirty Town: My people throw waste on my roads. Cows eat the plastic and fall ill.
 Clean Town: Children play in my park. Nobody falls ill here.
 Dirty Town: Mosquitoes sit on my wastewater. Please tell me how to change.
 Clean Town: Reduce your waste. Reuse your things. Put the rest in the right dustbin.

Why A : i
town s on y as l clean as the people who live in it.

Let us reflect — Page 162
E. T n , R
hi k eflect an S ar
d h e

L E T US R EF L EC T T HI NK , R EF L EC T A N D S HA R E

Q1 Imagine you are having a birthday party at your home. What are some of the ways in
which you can try to have a zero-waste birthday party? For this, first think about what

a a a a a a
kind of w ste m y be cre ted in the birthd y p rty nd how you c n void or reduce it. a a
A party makes waste like plastic plates, wrappers, gift paper, balloons and leftover food. I
can avoid it like this:

Page 23 of 26

as e
l he

a g l
World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

co m
m.
WASTE WHAT I CAN DO INSTEAD

m ase
Plastic plates and
.co
Use steel plates and glasses from home
a g l
glasses
se m
g l a
aGift wrapping paper Wrap gifts in newspaper or old cloth

com
. ag
Plastic decorations Decorate with flowers and paper chains made at home; keep the cloth banner for next
year
se m
l a
Snack wrappers
ag at home, not packed snacks
Serve food cooked

Leftover food Cook only as much as needed and share what is left
co m
e m.
com l as
Return gifts Give a pen stand or a paper bag made from waste material

. a g
Keespeam
a
agl
green and a blue dustbin for the little waste that is left.

a s
Have you seen waste in nature? W.hcaot m
do you think happens to the waste of animals, agl
dried le ves nd so on in forseestm
Q2
a a ?ala
ag
Yes. In a forest, dried leaves, branches and animal waste fall on the groun.dc.oTm
m
hey rot slowly
and mix with the soil. They become food for plants and for tiny animaslsein the soil.
m a
Plam .cdooes not rot. Plastic thrown in a forest stays there for a vaerygllong time.
e
stic

g l as
a
sem
com g l a
m . a
C apt r at a an
gl ase
a
h e gl ce

Waste comes from the things we do every day We throw away old clothes tins bottles
. , , ,

comhome, school or
paper, peels of vegetables and fruits, plastic wrappers, pencil shavings and old batteries.
When this waste is not thrown properly, it makes garbage piles near.our
m a s em
o ste lying in the open harms people and animals. Cows galnd other animals can die by
neighbourhood.
. cWa a
a s em eating plastic mixed with food. Burning plastic releases harmful gases. Garbage makes
agl
.c
people fall ill, and wastewater on the road brings mosquitoes and germs.
m
mof plastic bags. The more we buy, the more we throw glase
The first rule is REDUCE. Many people avoid food and drinks packed in wrappers or plastic
bottles, and use cloth bags in placce
. o a
away — so we should buyswehm
gllea do is REUSE. Our grandparents made quilts from old sarees and
at we need and use it until it is not usable anymore.
The second thing peaop
bags from old clothes. Paper used on one side does for rough work. A steel or copper

com
m .
m ase
.co

a g l Page 24 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

bottle can be refilled. Newspaper and old cloth make good gift wrapping, and a paper bag
needs no scissors and no glue.
Waste is kept apart in two dustbins. The green dustbin takes dried leaves or branches,
fruit peels, vegetable waste and egg shells — these rot easily, mix with the soil and become
compost. The blue dustbin takes metal, glass, plastic and paper, from which new objects
are made. That is called recycling.
Whole villages and cities have changed. Silluk in Arunachal Pradesh has received an
award for managing its waste in the best possible way and is called a ‘zero waste villageʼ.
Chhota Narena became waste-free, and Indore and Mysuru stand out as clean cities. On
Wa Wa
National Cleanliness Day 30 January) we take the pledge: nt not, ste not.

Page 25 of 26

l he World Around Us Chapter 12 Taking Charge of Waste A aS m · NCERT So ut ons
gl e l i

Quick revision
WORD WHAT IT MEANS WHERE IT COMES IN THE CHAPTER PAGE

Waste The things we throw away after Old clothes, tins, bottles, paper, peels, 151

using them plastic wrappers, pencil shavings, old
batteries

Garbage pile A heap of waste lying in the open The piles you see around your home, 151

school or neighbourhood

Managing waste Making less waste, using things “Managing waste is in our own hands.ˮ 151

again, and putting waste in the right
dustbin

Reduce Making as little waste as possible People use cloth bags in place of plastic 153

bags

Reuse Using a thing again instead of Quilts from old sarees, bags from old 154

throwing it away clothes, a paper bag from newspaper 155

Green dustbin For dried leaves or branches, fruit These materials rot easily and mix with the 158

peels, vegetable waste, egg shells soil

Compost Food for plants, made when green It also feeds the tiny animals that live in the 158

waste is added to the soil soil

Blue dustbin For things made of metal, glass, New objects can be made from them 158

plastic and paper

Recycling Making new objects from material Some villages keep a separate bin for each 158

that was thrown away material

Zero waste A village that manages its waste in Silluk, Arunachal Pradesh — it has 157

village the best possible way received an award

Chhota Narena A village named in the chapter for One of the first villages to become waste- 157

becoming waste-free free

National 30 January — the day of the Our aim needs to be: Want not, Waste not 160

Cleanliness Day cleanliness pledge

Page 26 of 26