Many people are quick to throw things away. They do not reuse things. Reusing means using old things in new ways.
In developing countries, people waste less. They are better at recycling materials. They often repair and reuse old equipment.
When people reuse or recycle, there is less waste. Less waste means less harm to nature.
This old freezer creates waste and can poison the air.
People in developed countries have money to spend on expensive goods such as cars or computers. We like to bud new things when the old ones break or go out of fashion. All this causes waste and pollution. Scrapped TVs, cookers, fridges and cars may give off chemicals which pollute the natural world.
People reuse the cardboard boxes that this man sells.
In poor communities, people often repair or reuse broken equipment, so less is wasted. Some people sort through rubbish heaps for bottles, tins, plastic, bricks and cardboard that can be sold for recycling. Wood and metal sheets are reused to build shacks.
Packaging can make products look nice but it causes waste.
In the United Kingdom, a lot of our rubbish is packaging. This is the paper, card and cellophane used to wrap products or to keep foods fresh. Colourful packaging also helps to sell products. But when we get home, most of this packaging is just thrown away, which is a waste.
Some packets have lots of layers!
Next time you visit a supermarket, examine the layers of packaging used on different foods.
Are all the lagers really necessary? Individually wrapped foods are fun, but use a lot of extra packaging. They use up valuable materials, such as paper and plastic, which cost money.
Picture Credit : Google