Environmental Studies · General Awareness

Sustainability and Recycling

2,607 Questions

Sustainability and recycling practices focus on minimizing environmental impact through resource conservation. Topics include life cycle assessment, eco-friendly manufacturing, and the conversion of discarded items into new goods. These themes are common in environmental studies papers for various government exams.

Recycling of materialsEco-friendly textilesSustainable manufacturingWaste reduction strategiesLife cycle assessmentGreen packaging innovations

Sustainability and Recycling Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the following objects can be recycled? (a) Cooker handles (b) Plastic toys
(c) Plastic carry bags (d) Wooden chairs (e) Ballpoint pens

  1. a, c and d

  2. b, c, d and e

  3. both a and d

  4. both b and c

  5. a, b, c, d and e
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 Recycling is the process of recovering and reprocessing the material into useful products, sometimes completely different in form from their original state. Both plastic carry bags and toys can be recycled.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not biodegradable?

  1. Organism

  2. Plants

  3. Plastic materials

  4. None of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Plastic materials are synthetic polymers that cannot be broken down by natural biological processes, making them non-biodegradable. Unlike organisms and plants which decompose naturally, plastics persist in the environment for hundreds of years.

Multiple choice

‘Plastic and glass materials’ are which type of waste?

  1. Biodegradable and recyclable

  2. Non-biodegradable and non-recyclable

  3. Non-biodegradable and recyclable

  4. Biodegradable and non-recyclable
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

There are two types of wastes: (i) Biodegradable (ii) Non-biodegradable Biodegradable waste can be decomposed by bacteria. Plastics can be recycled. The recycling rate for plastic bottles is 57% and for pots, tubs and trays, it is 30%. Glass is one of the few materials that can be recycled infinitely without any loss in strength, purity or quality. 

Multiple choice

What is 4R principle?

  1. Reduce, Reproduce, Recycle and Recover

  2. Reduce, Recycle, Re-develop and Recover

  3. Reduce, Reproduce, Re-develop and Recover

  4. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The 4R principle refers to the wisest usage of the available resources. It does not deal with production or development of more resources. So, the correct option is 'Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover'. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following materials is not environment friendly?

  1. Paper

  2. Wood

  3. Plastic bag

  4. Cotton cloth

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

 Environment friendly materials are those, which are easily decomposed by the bacterial action. Paper, wood and cotton clothes are decomposed into simpler substances by bacterial action. Plastic bags are not decomposed and thus are not eco friendly. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following is not a non–biodegradable substance? 

  1. Plastic bag

  2. Woolen clothes

  3. Tin

  4. Aluminium

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Plastics cannot be decomposed by microbial action. Tin and aluminium are metals and the same is true for metals also. Woolen clothes are obtained from natural source and thus, are biodegradable. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following materials cannot be recycled again?

  1. Plastic bags

  2. Tin and aluminium

  3. Metal cans

  4. Cotton clothes

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Recycling means that the substance is moulded in one or the other way and is used in some alternate way. Plastics and metals can be recycled in various ways, while cotton clothes once used can be reused but cannot be recycled. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following practices is not environment friendly?

  1. Not throwing plastic bags in the water bodies.

  2. Keeping the switches on, even when not required.

  3. Taking a cotton or jute carry bag while going for shopping

  4. Minimising the use of plastic materials.

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

 Eco friendly practices lead to a safe environment by wise use of resources. Keeping lights on, when not in room does not lead to a proper use of resources and thus not eco-friendly. Plastic being non biodegradable should be avoided and should not be thrown in water bodies. 

Multiple choice

Directions: For this question, select the best of the answer choices given.

In an attempt to promote the widespread use of paper rather than plastic, and thus reduce nonbiodegradable waste, the council of a small town plans to ban the sale of disposable plastic goods for which substitutes made of paper exist. The council argues that since most paper is entirely biodegradable, paper goods are environmentally preferable. Which of the following, if true, indicates that the plan to ban the sale of disposable plastic goods is ill suited to the town council's environmental goals?

  1. Although biodegradable plastic goods are now available, members of the town council believe biodegradable paper goods to be safer for the environment.

  2. The paper factory at which most of the townspeople are employed plans to increase production of biodegradable paper goods.

  3. After other towns enacted similar bans on the sale of plastic goods, the environmental benefits were not discernible for several years.

  4. Since most townspeople prefer plastic goods to paper goods in many instances, they are likely to purchase them in neighboring towns where plastic goods are available for sale.

  5. Products other than those derived from wood pulp are often used in the manufacture of paper goods that are entirely biodegradable.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The ban aims to reduce plastic waste, but if residents can easily buy plastic goods in neighboring towns, the ban won't achieve its environmental goal. The leakage effect means people will still use and dispose of plastic goods, just purchased elsewhere, undermining the town's environmental objectives.

Multiple choice

Handmade paper is an eco-friendly product because

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question:

Did you know that around 270 eucalyptus trees or 460 bamboo plants per tonne of paper produced are saved by the manufacture of handmade paper? Are you aware that handmade paper helps in preventing water, land and air pollution because very small quantities of chemicals are used compared to the large quantity of polluting chemicals used by paper mills?  

Handmade paper is an eco-friendly product and the demand for it is growing rapidly in the world. It is considered the best form of recycled paper. Not only does it have an elegant and exquisite surface for writing but is very strong and almost indestructible. Artists find it has an unmatched texture for drawing.

Paper manufacturing is one of the traditional industries of the world and its invention in China dates back to 105 AD. Indians probably used paper made from cellulose fibres during the third century AD. Before this period the leaves of palm trees were used in India. Papyrus, a kind of paper made from a reed of the same name that grew on the banks of the River Nile, was used in Egypt.

The handmade paper industry, which flourished in India during the Mughal period, declined with the establishment of paper mills in the 18th and 19th centuries. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, it was revived during the freedom movement. Today it is a growing industry producing paper worth crores of rupees.

  1. it is a recycled product

  2. it requires fewer trees and plants

  3. only harmless chemicals are used in its manufacture

  4. it is indestructible
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The passage explicitly states 'It is considered the best form of recycled paper.' Being a recycled product is the core reason why handmade paper is eco-friendly - it reuses materials rather than consuming new resources. The other options mention benefits but are consequences or features, not the definition of eco-friendly.

Multiple choice

Which word in the passage can replace the word 'reprocessed'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and answer the given question:

Did you know that around 270 eucalyptus trees or 460 bamboo plants per tonne of paper produced are saved by the manufacture of handmade paper? Are you aware that handmade paper helps in preventing water, land and air pollution because very small quantities of chemicals are used compared to the large quantity of polluting chemicals used by paper mills?  

Handmade paper is an eco-friendly product and the demand for it is growing rapidly in the world. It is considered the best form of recycled paper. Not only does it have an elegant and exquisite surface for writing but is very strong and almost indestructible. Artists find it has an unmatched texture for drawing.

Paper manufacturing is one of the traditional industries of the world and its invention in China dates back to 105 AD. Indians probably used paper made from cellulose fibres during the third century AD. Before this period the leaves of palm trees were used in India. Papyrus, a kind of paper made from a reed of the same name that grew on the banks of the River Nile, was used in Egypt.

The handmade paper industry, which flourished in India during the Mughal period, declined with the establishment of paper mills in the 18th and 19th centuries. Inspired by Mahatma Gandhi, it was revived during the freedom movement. Today it is a growing industry producing paper worth crores of rupees.

  1. saved

  2. handmade

  3. recycled

  4. flourished
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The passage uses the word 'recycled' in the sentence 'It is considered the best form of recycled paper.' 'Recycled' means processed again or made into new products from waste materials, which is synonymous with 'reprocessed'. The other options do not carry the same meaning of processing something again.

Multiple choice

Toys that are considered eco-friendly are those that

Directions: Read the following passage and answer the question that follows:

Designing toys for children is challenging yet stimulating. Considering the low attention span of today’s kids, toys with higher play value are able to engage them longer. Young minds are also quite impressionable. So, toy design has to be conscious about ethics and values and also aid their cognitive, physical, emotional and social skills. But above all, fun is the primary objective of play. Fun is what makes them come back for more, makes them learn and remember. Another crucial factor is eco-friendliness.
Some of the best pro-environment design processes can actually be found in the Indian handicrafts industry. One such example is the lathe-turned toy craft of Channapatna, a town near Bengaluru. The age old craft uses wood and colours made completely from natural materials like turmeric, kumkum, indigo, etc. Creating modern designs based on such conventional techniques opens up a new range of products that are unique, educational and organic.

  1. promote interest in preserving the natural environment

  2. use natural materials

  3. help the development of social skills

  4. use high quality fibre
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Eco-friendly toys use natural materials and do not harm the environment.

Multiple choice

Which of these is non-biodegradable?

  1. Paper

  2. Plastic

  3. Fruit-peels

  4. Leftover food
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Plastic is synthetic and cannot be broken down by microorganisms in the environment, making it non-biodegradable. Paper, fruit peels, and leftover food are organic materials that naturally decompose over time.