Chapter 16

The method of preparing compost with the help of earthworms is called

• (a)composting
• (b)vermicomposting
• (c)manuring
• (d)decomposing

If you dump kitchen waste in a pit, it may, after sometime

• (a)convert into compost.
• (b)convert into vermicompost.
• (c)remain as such.
• (d)remain forever in its dried form.

Which of the following activities does not reflect responsible behaviour with regard to waste disposal?

• (a)Goods carried in paper bags or cloth bags.
• (b)Waste collected in polythene bags for disposal.
• (c)Waste separated into those that degrade and those that do not.
• (d)Making handicrafts with used up notebooks.

Paheli gave the following ill effects of the practice of burning dried leaves and other plant parts (i) Burning degrades the soil. (ii) Burning produces harmful gases/fumes. (iii) Precious raw materials to obtain manure at low cost is lost. 96 E XEMPLAR PROBLEMS (iv) Lot of heat is generated unnecessarily. The correct reasons of why we should not burn leaves are

• (a)i, ii and iv only
• (b)i, ii, iii, and iv
• (c)ii and iii only
• (d)ii, iii, and iv only

A garbage collector separate items mentioned below in the garbage into red, green and blue containers for their transfer to landfill, composting pit, and recycling unit respectively. Items: (i) Plastic bags (ii) Newspaper and journals (iii) Screw and nuts (iv) Vegetable peels (v) Metal chips (vi) Egg shells Which item were transferred to which bin? RED GREEN BLUE

• (a)(i) and (iv) (ii) and (iii) (v) and (vi)
• (b)(i) and (iii) (ii) and (v) (iv) and (vi)
• (c)(i), (iii) and (v) (iv) and (vi) (ii) only
• (d)(i) and (v) (ii) and (iv) (iii) only

The steps required for conversion of kitchen garbage into manure are given below in a jumbled form. (i) Put garbage in a pit (ii) Cover the bottom of the pit with sand (iii) Cover the pit loosely with a gunny bag or grass (iv) Add worms G ARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT 97 Which of the following shows the correct sequence of the above steps?

• (a)(ii); (i); (iii); (iv)
• (b)(i); (ii); (iii); (iv)
• (c)(ii); (iv); (i); (iii)
• (d)(iv); (i); (ii); (iii)

Read the items mentioned in Columns I and II and fill in the related process in the Column III COLUMN I COLUMN II COLUMN III (a) Organic waste Earthworms

• (i)............... (b) Garbage Dig pit and fill with
• (ii)............... garbage (c) Old newspaper Paper bags
• (iii)...............

Correct the definitions of certain terms given below by changing only one word.

• (i)Compost: Substances converted into manure for use in industries.
• (ii)Landfill: Garbage buried under water in an area.
• (iii)Recycling: Reuse of unused material in the same or another form.

Provide the suitable term that expresses the meaning of each of the following statements.

• (a)Greeting cards made from newspaper.
• (b)Contents of the waste bins.
• (c)Worms converting certain kinds of waste into manure.
• (d)An area where a lot of garbage is collected, spread out and covered with soil. 98 E XEMPLAR PROBLEMS

To what use can you put the following kinds of garbage and how?

• (i)rotting smelly garbage
• (ii)dry leaves collected in a garbage
• (iii)old newspapers

Paheli was writing a letter to her friend. She crumpled and threw the first draft of her letter on the floor as it had become untidy. Similarly she crumpled and threw 6 more papers on the ground. In the end, she picked them up and put them in a polythene bag and threw it on the road outside her house. Do you think Paheli’s action were responsible? What would you have done if you were in her place?

Read the poem written below and then answer the questions from the information gathered from the book or elsewhere. Blue and Green Two bins, you mean? Yes, they are there to throw your waste. But not in a hurry Nor in a haste. Select from waste, sieve if seems muddy Separate all items and when they are ready Place in a blue bin, or one that is green For a voyage to the landfill, or for composting. (i) Name the two kinds of waste that need to be separated from each other in two different waste bins. (ii) Name two items of waste each that need to be sent to a

• (a)landfill,
• (b)for composting. G ARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT 99

Beera, a farmer would clear his field everyday, and burn dry leaves fallen on the ground. After sometime he found that those living in huts near his field were suffering from cough and breathing problems.

• (i)Can you explain why?
• (ii)Also suggest an environment friendly way to dispose the dry leaves.

Put a tick (√) against the garbage items given in Table 16.1 which could be converted into manure. Put a cross (×) against the others. Garbage Items Make manure or not

• (i)Egg shells
• (ii)Straw
• (iii)Dry flowers
• (iv)Pebbles (v) Broken pieces of glass (vi) Nails and screws (vii) Plastic bangles (viii) Left over food (ix) Steel broken vessel (x) Dead animals Table 16.1 100 E XEMPLAR PROBLEMS

The pie charts A and B shown in Fig. 16.1 are based on waste segregation method adopted by two families X and Y respectively. Fig. 16.1 Which of the two families X or Y do you think is more environmentally conscious and why? G ARBAGE IN, GARBAGE OUT 101

This question refers to a figure in the original PDF.

Given below are steps in vermicomposting and each step has been given an alphabet. Rearrange the steps in the correct sequence and write the alphabets on the chart provided. One step is done for you. F Dig a pit in a suitable place in your garden. C Spread sand on the floor of the pit. E Add vegetable peels and fruits waste in the pit. A Sprinkle water to keep it moist. D Place red worms in the pit. B Cover with a gunny bag or grass. Step 1 - F 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 -

Write 3 sentences on what comes to your mind when you chance to see the following.

• (a)A rag picker.
• (b)A cow eating a polythene bag.
• (c)Foul odour emanating from garbage at the entrance of your house.

Beautiful hand crafted articles like boxes and toys are made of paper pulp in our country. Can you explain how paper pulp which is made from paper can be used to make hard boxes and other articles? 102 E XEMPLAR PROBLEMS

Recently, a ban on plastic bags has been imposed in many places? Is the ban justified? Give reasons in three sentences.

Why should we not burn plastic items?

What happens when

• (a)Cooking medium is made to flow down a drain.
• (b)Insecticides, motor oil, paints are poured down the drain.
• (c)Tea leaves, cotton swabs and old soft toys are thrown into the drain.

Answer the following questions in one or two words or sentences:

• (a)Why should we prefer to use paper bags rather than polythene bags?
• (b)Who, out of the following should properly dispose of the garbage – father, mother, elder brother, younger sister?
• (c)Which one out of beetles, roundworm and earthworm are used for vermicomposting and why?