Compost

In villages, some people dig a pit in the ground and dump their household waste in it. After some time, this waste turns into manure. It is used by the farmers in their fields. This method of waste disposal is known as composting. It is a very good method of disposing degradable waste.

Reduce, reuse and recycle

We can keep our surroundings clean by following the three `R’s.

Reduce

We can reduce waste when we use cloth bags instead of plastic bags for shopping. Plastic bags are non-degradable.

Reuse

We can reuse several things which we might otherwise throw away. For example, cardboard boxes can be used to store things. Plastic jars or aluminum cans can be made into pencil holders. Old bags can be returned into shopping bags or dusters.

Recycle

To treat and make new things out of used things is called recycling. Paper can be recycled. Newspapers are now printed on recycled paper. Old newspapers, magazines and books can be used to make new paper. Kabariwalas buy old newspapers and magazines from us. Then they sell it to the factories which make fresh paper from the old. Things made of glass and metals are also crushed and recycled into new products

So, Reduce, Reuse and recycle are the three `R’s of keeping the environment.

Now we know

a) Waste is two types-degradable and non –degradable.

b) Degradable waste like vegetable peels, leftover food, paper, etc., rot and mix with the soil easily.

c) Non-degradable waste like polythene bags, metals, glass, etc., do not rot and mix with the soil easily. It is very harmful for the environment.

d) Waste is disposed by burning, open dumping, dumping in and fills and by digging compost pits.

e) We can keep our environment clean by following the three `R’s –reduce, Reuse and Recycle.