Sustainable use of resources and recycled materials
Sustainable and unsustainable use of resources, and businesses that work with recycled materials. Read one part at a time and tap “I know this”. Then test yourself in the quiz.
Know it already? Jump straight to the quiz
Sustainable or not?
| Unsustainable | Sustainable |
|---|---|
| Cutting a forest without replanting | A sawmill plants new pines for every tree cut |
| Animals eat grass faster than it regrows (overgrazing) | Crop rotation keeps the soil healthy |
| Dam water used faster than rain refills it | Guests reuse towels: water, power and soap saved |
| Leaving machines on when nobody works | Solar panels on the roof |
Petrol is not renewable. Sustainable use is good for the economy in the long run: businesses can keep producing for years.
Waste becomes a product
- Garden pots from old car tyres; candle holders from old glass jars; egg trays from recycled paper.
- An eco-brick is a plastic bottle packed tight with clean plastic waste.
- Used cooking oil can become fuel: waste as a raw material.
- “Made from recycled materials” helps a product sell.
Check that old tins have no sharp edges before you use them for Entrepreneur’s Day.
Recycling and jobs
Waste pickers help the economy: they collect recyclable waste and sell it. The more is recycled, the more jobs are created in collecting waste.
Remember this and test yourself
- Sustainable development: meeting today’s needs without harming the future.
- Unsustainable: cutting a forest without replanting; overgrazing; catching too many fish.
- Sustainable: crop rotation, replanting, solar panels, leaving part of the rooibos bush.
- Fishing quotas limit the catch; the SASSI green list helps shoppers choose.
- Recycled materials are cheap or free, but must be sorted and cleaned.
Write these points in your book. Read them again the night before the test.
Take only the interest, not the capital: harvest from the bush, but leave the bush standing.
Important words
First say what the word means, then turn the card over.
Match column A to column B
Tap a word in column A, then its meaning in column B. You can also start in column B.
True or false?
Read the question and the answer. Is the answer right? Tap True or False.
Now the real quiz!
The quiz has many more questions on this topic. Every question shows straight away whether you are right and explains why.
Take the quiz: Sustainable use of resources and recycled materials- Read one part together and ask your child to tell it back in their own words.
- The ticks (“I know this”) are saved on this device only. We never ask for names or emails.
Follows CAPS for Grade 7 Economic and Management Sciences (EMS). Always check your teacher’s notes and textbook too.