Question

In the context of conservation of natural resources, explain the terms reduce, recycle and reuse. From among the materials that we use in daily life, identify two materials for each category.

Answer 1

• Reduce means to use a commodity or resource in less quantity. For example, switching off lights and fans when not in use and turn off leaking taps.
• Recycle means to collect used products instead of dumping them and synthesize new products from these used products. For example, glass and metallic items.
• Reuse is even better than recycle because the energy spent in recycling the used materials is eliminated while reusing the same product again and again. For example, envelopes and plastic bottles.