NCERT Solutions for Class 3 EVS Chapter 12: Taking Charge of Waste – Free PDF Download

Chapter 12 of Our Wondrous World (Class 3 EVS) is Taking Charge of Waste. It looks at where waste comes from, how to reduce it, and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s mission to keep India clean. These Class 3 EVS Chapter 12 solutions are also useful as quick revision notes before exams.

Where Does Waste Come From?

Q: What are the children and teacher doing in the park, and where does this waste actually come from?
A: The textbook shows a picture of children and a teacher taking part in National Cleanliness Day (Swachh Bharat Abhiyan) activities, cleaning up their surroundings. Waste builds up through carelessness in our daily activities — when we use things like plastic bags, wrappers or old toys, they eventually become useless and turn into waste, which can harm the environment.

Cleanliness at School and Nearby

Q: How does seeing a pile of garbage make us feel, and can we do something about it?
A: According to the textbook, a pile of garbage smells very bad and does not look good either. To improve this, we need to change the habit of throwing rubbish here and there, and always use a dustbin instead. In a clean school, there should be no litter lying around anywhere, inside or outside the classrooms or on the playground.

Ways to Reduce Waste

Q: What changes can we make to our habits to reduce waste?
A: The textbook explains that using cloth bags instead of plastic bags, and avoiding wrapper-packed food and plastic bottles, are simple ways to reduce waste. Other good examples of reducing waste (reuse) include giving old toys and books to other children, writing on both sides of paper, repairing broken items, and using a steel bottle instead of plastic for drinking water.

Swachh Bharat Abhiyan

Q: What is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, and how have villages and towns changed their surroundings?
A: The Swachh Bharat Abhiyan (Clean India Mission) is a major national campaign to make India clean and healthy, encouraging every person to keep their roads, villages and towns tidy. The textbook explains that villages and towns which used to be full of litter everywhere have now become some of the cleanest places in the country, by adopting clean roads, taps/hand pumps for fresh water, sewage systems to drain dirty water, and proper waste-disposal arrangements.

Green and Blue Dustbins

Q: Why are two separate dustbins, green and blue, used?
A: The blue dustbin is for things that can be recycled, such as paper, plastic bottles, light bulbs and used plastic bags. The green dustbin is for kitchen waste, such as leftover food, leaves, and fruit and vegetable peels. Sorting waste correctly into these two bins makes waste management much easier.

Ways to Keep Home and School Clean

Q: What can we do to keep our home and classroom clean, and what tools are used for cleaning?
A: According to the textbook, keeping our room tidy, putting toys back in their place after playing, using a dustbin for wrappers and paper, and helping to sweep the floor or wipe the table are all simple ways to keep home and classroom clean. Common cleaning tools seen at home and school include a mop, broom, dustpan, duster, toilet brush, dustbin and bags.

Let’s Reflect (a) Discuss

Q: How does waste build up, and how should we manage it?
A: Waste is created when we use things like plastic, paper or food and then throw them away. It can be managed by finding new ways to use old items and by recycling waste into something useful again.

(b) Write

Q: What safe materials can be used instead of plastic items, and what goes into the green and blue dustbins?
A: Stainless steel or glass reusable bottles can be used instead of plastic water bottles, and cloth bags made of cotton, wool or jute can be used instead of plastic bags. The blue dustbin takes broken plastic items, cardboard, and used plastic bags, while the green dustbin takes leaves, fruit and vegetable peels, and pencil shavings.

(c) Draw, (d) Act Out, and (e) Think and Share

Q: How can a poster for a clean city be made, how can a birthday party be made waste-free, and what happens to animal waste and dry leaves in nature?
A: A poster for a clean city or village can show clean roads, green parks and dustbins placed in the right spots, along with a good title. To make a birthday party waste-free, washable cloth napkins can be used instead of paper napkins, reusable plates instead of disposable plastic ones, and cloth or paper bags instead of shiny plastic gift wrap. In nature, waste doesn’t pile up — over time, with the help of rain and tiny organisms in the soil, animal waste and dry leaves break down into useful nutrients, which keep the soil healthy and help plants grow.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the green and blue dustbins?
The green dustbin is for kitchen and plant waste (leftover food, leaves, peels), while the blue dustbin is for recyclable items (paper, plastic, glass, metal).

What is the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan?
A national campaign to make India clean and healthy by encouraging clean roads, proper waste disposal, and better sanitation across villages and towns.

Name two ways to reduce waste at home.
Using cloth bags instead of plastic bags, and repairing or reusing old items instead of throwing them away.

Written by Satish

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