Taking Charge of Waste Chapter Notes | EVS Class 3: The World around us (Our Wondrous World) PDF Download

Introduction

In our daily lives, we generate a significant amount of waste through various activities. This includes old clothes, tins, bottles, paper, peels of vegetable and fruit, plastic wrappers, pencil shavings, and old batteries. Managing this waste is crucial for maintaining a clean and healthy environment. This chapter explores how we create waste, the importance of managing it effectively, and practical ways to reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.

Explanation 

Why Is Waste Created ?

Everyday activities lead to the creation of waste, which can often be seen in garbage piles around homes, schools, and neighborhoods. Disposing of waste properly is essential to prevent these unsightly and unhealthy piles.

At Home

• Food Waste: Peels from fruits and vegetables, leftover food, and spoiled food.
• Packaging Waste: Plastic wrappers, cardboard boxes, cans, and bottles from groceries.
• Old Stuff: Broken toys, old clothes, and worn-out shoes.
• Paper Waste: Used notebooks, newspapers, and magazines.
• Other Waste: Pencil shavings and old batteries.

• Paper Waste: Used worksheets, old notebooks, and paper scraps.
• Stationery Waste: Empty pens and markers.
• Food Waste: Leftover lunch and snack wrappers.

• Littering: Trash like plastic bottles and wrappers thrown on the ground.
• Events: Waste from parties and festivals, like decorations and food containers.
  

Managing Waste

Effective waste management is the responsibility of each individual. Learning from places that manage their waste well can provide valuable insights. Effective waste management prevents harm to animals, reduces illness caused by garbage, and helps keep surroundings clean.

Importance of Waste Management

• Managing waste is crucial for maintaining a clean and healthy environment.
• Each individual has a role in managing waste, and learning from communities that excel in waste management can provide valuable insights.

Ways To Manage Waste 

• Minimize  waste created by avoiding products with excessive packaging and using reusable items like cloth bags instead of plastic bags.
• Buy only what is necessary and use items until they are no longer usable.

Reuse

• Find new uses for old items, such as making quilts from old sarees, bags from old clothes, or using old newspapers for wrapping gifts.
• Reusing items creatively helps conserve resources and reduces waste.

Recycle

• Separate waste into different categories for recycling. 
• Use green dustbins for organic waste that can decompose and enrich the soil, and blue dustbins for materials like metal, glass, plastic, and paper that can be recycled into new products.

Impact Of Improper Waste Management

• Pollution: Waste can make our surroundings dirty and harm animals.
• Health Risks: Piles of waste can attract bugs and cause sickness.
• Resource Waste: Throwing away things that could be reused or recycled wastes resources.

A Place of Pride

• Communities like Silluk in Arunachal Pradesh and Chhota Narena have implemented effective waste management practices and become models of cleanliness.
• Cities like Indore and Mysuru are recognized for their cleanliness and waste management efforts.

Separate Different Types Of Waste

Separating waste means putting different types of trash into different bins. Here’s how to do it:
Two Bins

• Green Bin: For food and plants.
• Blue Bin: For plastics, glass, metal, and paper.

Green Bin

• What Goes In: Fruit peels, veggie scraps, leaves, and eggshells.
• Why: This waste rots and becomes compost, which helps plants grow.

Blue Bin

• What Goes In: Plastic bottles, glass jars, metal cans, and paper.
• Why: These items can be recycled and turned into new things.

Why Separate ? 

• Keeps Earth Clean: Less trash in landfills and oceans.
• Saves Resources: Recycling uses less energy than making new stuff.
• Healthier Environment: Reduces pollution and keeps our surroundings tidy.

Keeping Our Surroundings Clean

On National Cleanliness Day (January 30th), pledge to keep yourself and your surroundings clean.

Here are some key actions:

Personal Cleanliness: Regularly wash hands, bathe, and wear clean clothes.

Clean Surroundings: Keep your home, school, and community litter-free. Join community clean-up drives.

Waste Management:

• Reduce Waste: Minimize waste by reusing and recycling.
• Proper Disposal: Use designated bins and separate recyclables.
• Composting: Compost organic waste like food scraps and garden waste.
• Educate Others: Encourage clean habits and waste management.

Sustainable Practices: Use resources wisely. Opt for reusable bags, bottles, and containers.

By following these values, we can help create a cleaner, greener world.

Points To Remember

• Waste is created from everyday activities like using packaged products and throwing away old items.
• Managing waste is important to keep our surroundings clean and healthy.
• Reducing waste is the first step—use fewer plastic items and more eco-friendly options like cloth bags.
• Reuse items whenever possible, like making crafts from old newspapers and refilling bottles.
• Green dustbins are for organic waste like fruit peels and vegetable scraps.
• Blue dustbins are for recyclable materials like metal, glass, plastic, and paper.
• Composting is a way to turn organic waste into food for plants.
• Recycling helps make new products from old materials, reducing the need for new resources.

Difficult Words

• Waste – Unwanted or unused material.
• Compost – Organic material used to enrich  soil.
• Recycle – To make new things from old materials.
• Eco-friendly – Something that is good for the environment.
• Organic – Natural material from plants or animals.
• Sanitation – Cleanliness and hygiene, especially related to waste.
• Compost – Food for plants made from rotting organic waste.