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NCERT Solutions for Class 4th The World Around Us Chapter 8 The effort that goes into making paper — Discuss

Book page 122 Updated on2026-09-19

Q1.
Do you think that we waste paper?
Answer

Yes, we waste a lot of paper every day, often without noticing it.

Here is how paper gets wasted:

  • We write on only one side of a page.
  • We tear out a fresh page for rough work.
  • We throw away notebooks that are still half empty.
  • We take paper cups, paper plates and paper napkins and use them once.
  • We throw away old newspapers and greeting cards instead of using them again.
Why it matters: making paper needs many trees, a lot of water and a lot of energy. Every wasted page means a part of a tree was cut for nothing.
Try this: for one week, keep every sheet of paper you would have thrown away. At the end of the week, look at the pile. That is the paper your class wasted.
Q2.
How can we reduce wastage of paper?
Answer

We can reduce paper wastage by using paper only when it is needed, and then using it again.

  • Write on both sides of every page.
  • Keep the blank pages of old notebooks for rough work.
  • Say no to paper cups and paper napkins. Carry a steel glass and a cloth napkin.
  • Use a slate or a small board for rough sums instead of paper.
  • Use old newspapers again — to wrap books, to make paper bags, toys and decorations.
  • Give old newspapers and books for recycling, so new paper can be made from them.
  • Pass your old books on to younger students.
Why it works: these are the 5Rs of waste management — Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle. Each one keeps paper out of the dustbin, so fewer trees have to be cut.
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