What are the 3Rs?

Have you ever heard the term the "3Rs"? If you have, you might have wondered what it meant. 3Rs refers to three
terms often used when talking about waste: Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. Reducing is cutting back on the amount
of trash we make, reusing is finding a new way to use trash so that we don't have to throw it out, and recycling is
using trash to remake new goods that can be sold again.

Why do we use 3Rs?

Why should we use the 3Rs? It's not like we need to worry about what happens to our trash after we put it in the
trashcan, right? Wrong! Think about how much you toss out each day. If you multiply that by the 6.7 billion people
on our planet... That's a lot of trash! Our landfills can only hold so much garbage. If we keep producing so much
waste, we'll run out of room. Using the 3Rs will help us cut back the amount of trash we throw away.

What is reducing?

Reducing is simply creating less waste. It's also the best method for keeping our earth clean. Why? Because it stops
the problem at the source. By making less waste in the first place, there's less mess to clean up.

Here are a few ways you can help reduce the amount of waste you make:

Pack your lunch in a lunchbox instead of a disposable bag. Although it might be easier to throw away a paper or
plastic bag than to carry around a lunchbox, disposable bags create much more trash. If you attend a regular
American school that meets 180 days a year, and bring your lunch every day in a reusable lunchbox, you could save
180 bags. If all kids did that, think of how many less bags there would be in landfills! Also, pack your lunch items in
reusable containers instead of disposable ones. Instead of putting your peanut butter and jelly sandwich in a
plastic bag, try using some Tupperware that you can use again and again. Ask your parents to bring their own bags
when shopping. Many grocery stores now sell canvas bags that can be brought and reused over and over when
shopping. Think about all the plastic or paper grocery bags that could be saved if everyone reused the same canvas
bags to carry their groceries in! Turn off lights when you're not using them. Even though you might not be able to
see the waste made from leaving on the lights, it wastes electricity and energy. Cutting back on the amount of
electricity you use will not only help the environment, but it will save your parents money too.

What is reusing?

Reusing is taking old items that you might consider throwing away and finding a new use for them. Reusing helps in
situations where it isn't possible to reduce.

Here are ways you can reuse items to prevent trash from being created:

Donate clothes that no longer fit you. Instead of throwing away clothes that don't fit, or that you don't like
anymore, give them to someone who will want them. Your friends may have younger brothers or sisters who
would be able to fit things you've outgrown, or maybe your parents have friends with children who could use
them. Even if you don't know anyone who needs your old clothes, you could donate them to a consignment store
or a charity so that your clothes will find a home. You can also donate toys you no longer want. Just like with
clothes, unwanted toys can be donated to charities or friends who could use them. Use plastic groceries bags as
trash bags. If your parents often bring home bags from the grocery store, you can ask them to save them instead of
throwing them away. Grocery bags can be used as trash bags for small trashcans instead of being thrown away.
Have your parents use worn clothing as cleaning rags. For old clothes that may be too ripped or worn to give away,
ask your parents to use those to clean up the house instead of buying cleaning rags. Old t-shirts work well for
dusting.

What is recycling?

Recycling is the most often advertised of the 3Rs, so it's likely you've heard of it before. Recycling is changing old
products into new ones so they can be resold. For example, when you set out bottles and cans to be recycled, they
are taken to a plant where they can be reprocessed into many new things. They may be changed in to new bottles
or cans, or they could be changed into things like bicycles or asphalt.

What can be recycled?

The most well-known recycled materials are glass, paper, plastic, and aluminum. Other recyclable materials include
batteries, biodegradable waste (like plants and kitchen waste), concrete, electronics, ferrous metals (like steel and
iron), textiles (materials like cotton), and timber.

What is the recycling loop?循环

The recycling loop describes the entire recycling process. First, recycling starts when you or your parents drop
materials to be recycled, like bottles and cans, on the curb. Secondly, collectors come to pick up the materials and
take them to a processing plant where they are sorted and processed into raw materials (or materials that can be
used to make new items.) Next, the materials from the plant are sold to manufacturers, or people who make the
things you buy. These manufacturers make new items from them. Finally, you or your parents buy items made
from recycled materials, so the process can start all over again.

Conclusion
By the end of this unit you will be an expert learner on the topic of recycling! You will have done extensive and
various research on many elements in recycling, you would have had a chance that not many people have by
visiting a local recycling facility and talking to some experts and you will have a chance of sharing with your friends
the knowledge you acquired and your creative piece of art!

You are strongly advised to share your knowledge with people beyond the classroom and encourage people
to recycle by being a role model and by enlightening them on ways people can recycleand the benefits
of recycling!
 In a lovely green meadow, there lived a family of hares. The young hares loved to
play. All day long, they would run and jump and hop around the meadow merrily.
One of the young hares could run very fast. He boasted to his to his brothers and his
sister. “ I bet I can run faster than any of you. Let’s have arace and I ‘ll show you”
So they had a race. The boastful hare won the race. He was indeed the faster of them
all. How proud he felt.
One day, as the boastful hare was running across the meadow, he met a tortoise. The
tortoise was walking very slowly. “Hello, Tortoise! What are you doing? Asked the hare.
“Oh hello, Hare! I am just taking an afternoon walk.”
“ You are an ugly and slow fellow. Look at me, I am handsome and I can run as fast as
the wind.’
“You are a slowcoach! Tortoise is a slowcoach, Ha Ha Ha!.” said the hare.
The tortoise was very sad and went away. He cried bitterly near a sea. Suddenly, his
best friend, Mr. Turtle appeared. The turtle consoled the tortoise and encouraged him to
have a race with the hare.
The next day, the tortoise told the hare about the race to se who the slowcoach is !”
“What? You want to race with me ? Ha !Ha! Ha! All right. We shall have a race tomorrow
morning. I am sure to win !”
The hare laughed all the way home. He told his mother that he would be racing with
Tortoise. “Tortoise is such a slowcoach . I will win the race easily. “
“Don’t be too sure of that. Pride comes before a fall.” Said his mother.
That night, the hare could not sleep. He was too excited. He could not wait to show
off at the race the next day. It was nearly dawn when he finally fell asleep. When the
hare woke up the next morning, the sun shining brightly. All the other hares were already
up and about. They were ready to watch the big race.
“Oh, my goodness! I shall be late for the race if I do not hurry.” Quickly, he ran to
look for the tortoise.
Hare found Tortoise and his best friend, Mr Turtle and other friends waiting for
him. “ I thought you were not going to show up .” said the tortoise.
 “ I would not miss this race for anything. Let’s start the race. We shall see who can
run faster.”
“On your marks, get set, go!’
Hare ran swiftly and Tortoise crawled as fast as he could, but soon the poor
Tortoise was left far behind. He tried to crawl faster. He tried harder and harder.
After a while, the hare stopped and looked behind him. The tortoise was nowhere
in sight. “Tortoise will never catch up with me. I think I have time for a rest before I
finished the race. Why worry, I’m sure to win the race.”