Question 1. (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. Draw pictures of these.
Solution 1. a) Pieces of cloth, broken glass, nails, polythene bags, aluminium wrappers and broken toys are not converted into compost by the red worms.
b) Earthworms, small insects like ant, millipedes are found in pits.
Question 2. Discuss:
(a) Is garbage disposal the responsibility only of the government?
(b) Is it possible to reduce the problems relating to the disposal of garbage?
Solution 2. a) No, garbage disposal is not the responsibility of only the government but of all the citizens. We all should feel responsible for this and contribute to the garbage disposal at our level like we can segregate wet and dry waste material before disposing of it. We can recycle non-biodegradable waste like plastic bottles, glass bottles etc.
b) Yes, by scientific disposal of garbage, it is possible to reduce the problems of garbage. We can do it by segregation of different waste and also by recycling non-biodegradable waste materials.
Question 3. (a) What do you do with the leftover food at home?
(b) If you and your friends are given the choice of eating on a plastic plate or a banana leaf platter at a party, which one would you prefer and why?
Solution 3. a) Leftover food can be used to form compost which produces nutrients that are necessary for the growth and development of plants.
b) We would prefer to eat food on a banana leaf platter because it does not cause any harm to the environment because it is biodegradable and can be helpful in making compost. Plastic plates are non-biodegradable, hence can remain in the environment and cause many problems.
Question 4. (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?
Solution 4.
(a) Papers that can be recycled easily are newspapers, notebooks, magazines. However, papers that are shiny and coated cannot be easily recycled.
(b) Recycled paper is usually rough or thick as compared to a new sheet of paper.
Question 5. Collect different kinds of packaging material. What was the purpose for which each one was used? Discuss in groups.
(b) Give an example in which packaging could have been reduced?
(c) Write a story on how packaging increases the amount of garbage.
Solution (a) following are the different kinds of packaging materials that are used commonly:
Cardboard – used as shoes, soap, bulbs 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) packaging could have been reduced by reusing the packaging material.
(c) Packaging is done to protect the product from any tampering and maintain its freshness and purity and make it last longer. However, most of the packaging material is used to give the product an attractive look. Unfortunately, a large volume of packaging material is thrown into the dustbin after the unpackaging of the product.
For example, in most of places, the dustbins are full of packets of chips and biscuit wrappers and plastic bottles and cans.
Unnecessary packaging increases the amount of garbage as well as the cost of products. So, we should focus on how to control this unnecessary packaging.
Question 6. Do you think it is better to use compost instead of chemical fertilizers? Why?
Solution 6. Yes, it is better to use compost instead of chemical fertilizers because of the following reasons:
- The preparation of compost is very easy.
- Compost is environmentally friendly as it does not affect human health.
- Compost will not pollute our environment.
- Compost enhances soil fertility.
- Compost is biodegradable