L–19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable
Development
Contributors
Dr. A.K. Sarathe
(Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering)
Dr. A.K. Jain
(Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering)
Editor: Dr. Joshua Earnest, Professor of Electrical Engineering
National Institute of Technical Teachers’ Training and Research
Shamla Hills, Bhopal M.P. - INDIA 462 002
Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Lesson – 19
Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Learning Outcome: At the end of this lesson, you will be able to plan for the
management of the 5Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle for
sustainable development to save this planet earth.
Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................... 3
2.0 CONCEPT OF 5Rs ......................................................................................................................... 3
3.0 REFUSE......................................................................................................................................... 4
4.0 REDUCE ........................................................................................................................................ 5
5.0 REUSE ........................................................................................................................................... 5
6.0 REPAIR .......................................................................................................................................... 7
7.0 RECYCLE........................................................................................................................................ 7
8.0 SUMMARY ................................................................................................................................... 8
BIBLIOGRAPHY ......................................................................................................................................... 8
AICTE–NITTT Module 2-Professional Ethics and Sustainability NITTTR, Bhopal Page 2
Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Lesson – 19
Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
1.0 INTRODUCTION
It is quite alarming indeed to see how the different types of wastes are piling up across the
cities, towns and villages all over the world. In order to save this planet earth from
hazardous effects of these wastes, it is high time, all people join hands and come together to
take some concrete actions to address this issue. Cities and towns are expanding and space
is becoming scarce to dump the refuse. It is the youth of this country, who must be made
aware of this issue first. No other than the technical teachers is one such group of people
who can and has the opportunity to influence the students whom they are teaching for 4
years of their stay on the college and university campuses. Therefore, in order to encash this
opportunity, it becomes essential that the teachers first understand about these 5Rs are and
other related aspects of these and only then, will be able to decide how to manage them.
Once the teachers are convinced, then the message could be passed on to the young minds
enmass, who would join the bandwagon to lend their helping hands to this noble cause of
managing them.
2.0 CONCEPT OF 5Rs
Bea Johnson (Johnson, 2016) one of the successful activists has been practicing ‘zero to
waste’ and the promoter of the concept of 5Rs for sustainable environment. The 5Rs stand
for Refuse (also called ‘Reject’), Reduce, Reuse (also called ‘Repurpose’, or ‘Rethink’), Repair,
and Recycle (also called ‘Recover’). These 5Rs need to be addressed and managed well for
sustainability.
Every year, lakhs of tons of wastes generated in various forms such as waste plastics, food
waste, wrappings, bottles, boxes, cans, furniture, clothing and many more. Abella asks
‘Where does it all go? Some 85% of our garbage is sent to landfills, where it can take from
100 to 400 years for things like cloth and aluminium to decompose. Glass has been found in
perfect condition even after 4,000 years in the earth!’ (Abella, 2019). So, the question is,
what should be done? Table 1 shows the time required to decompose some of the daily use
items.
As a technical teacher what should be our next move to tackle this problem? Not taking
action is also a sin. Sensitise the engineering students about this issue by asking this question
to them. Organise group discussions, seminars, debates amongst the students about
solutions of this problem. Old and new ideas will come up that could make a change at least
in some of the students. Therefore, what actions are to be taken is attempted to be
explained in this lesson.
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Table 1
Time Required for Decomposition of Some Sample Items
S. Item Time S. No. Item Time
No.
1 Tissue paper 2- 4 weeks 8 Plywood 1-3 years
2 Banana peel 2- 4 weeks 9 Leather shoe 25-40 years
3 Paper bag 1 month 10 Thermocol cups 50 years
4 Newspaper 1.5 months 11 Rubber material 50-80 years
5 Cardboard 2 months 12 Plastic bottles 450 years
6 Cotton glove 3 months 13 Aluminium 200- 500 years
7 Orange peel 6 months
3.0 REFUSE
For environmental sustainability, the very first action to be taken regarding the use of
anything is Refuse (or Reject) or delay in procuring that thing which are not needed. If that is
not there in your life to start with, you’ll never have to worry about how to get rid of them,
or what to do when they are no longer fit for purpose. The best message that speaks louder
than words is ‘practice what you preach’. Therefore, the engineering teacher has to ‘walk-
your-talk’.
There is a difference between ‘want’ and ‘need’. Many things you may want but, it may not
be needed in your life, as it may finally end up in the trash bin. Always, ask the question to
yourself before buying anything, “Why am I purchasing this item?” or, “Do I want it or do I
really need it now?” or, ‘Can I delay it from buying as I already have an alternative for that
item’?
Refuse to buy or accept products that can harm you, your organisation and the environment.
For example, if you have a pen, do not buy a second pen till the current pen’s life is over.
Another example could be to stop using paper towels in the washrooms. Stop using plastic
bags and always have spare cotton bags. Following are some other examples:
a) Refuse chemical solvents and use alternatives that are water based.
b) Say no to plastics wherever you can avoid. Use paper bags or cloth bags.
c) Refuse to accept materials from your store with unnecessary packaging that you will
later have to pay for to dispose e.g. toothpaste inside a cardboard box and such
others.
d) Refuse the freebies that companies give away, if you do not need it.
e) Refuse to buy a second vehicle (scooter or car), if you can manage with one. Or, if the
public transportation is good, you can even avoid buying the first vehicle.
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Think about everything and REFUSE what isn’t necessary or defer their procurement for
some time which may not be required later at all.
ACTIVITY 1
List some examples related to Refuse at your workplace.
4.0 REDUCE
For the cause of sustainability, as a technical teacher, the next step that you should take is to
propagate the concept of Reduce. Reduce is to limit the amount of waste you create in the
first place. This includes buying products with less packaging. Always ask the question to
yourself, “What is the minimum amount necessary for anything?” Why would you wrap a
pallet with 100 feet of stretch wrap if 80 feet will do the job? “Can I drink tea with half a
teaspoon full, instead of one teaspoon full of sugar or drink tea without sugar at all”? And in
the process, save your health as well. Reduce the amount of electrical energy you use and
save MONEY in the process.
Consume less of everything. When you go to the market, buy your food with no plastic
packaging. Avoid fast fashion and food waste. The quantity of electronic waste (E-waste) is
increasing day-by-day. Before buying a new electronic gadget, stop and think. When an
upgrade or new cell phone is launched in the market, think if you can continue with the
current cell phone. Not buying extra new things is good for you, good for your family, good
for the environment and you save a lot of money. Think what you can use less?
As technical teacher, think how you can inculcate this habit of ‘reduce’ in your students. First
you need to ‘practice what you preach’. Following this plan at regular intervals organise
activity or the other to remind the students about it. You could put up some cartoons or
posters in the class, in the department and at several other places. Another strategy could
be to show some relevant video clips time-to-time. Some debates, seminars and the like
could also be organised.
ACTIVITY 2
List some examples related to managing Reduce at your workplace.
5.0 REUSE
Reuse (also known as ‘Re–purpose’ or ‘Re–think’) means to use something again either for
its original purpose or to fulfil a different function (creative reuse) that could have been
normally thrown away (e.g. Glass jars for food, plastic bags and so on). This requires a bit of
thinking and creativity, but may not be all the time beautiful, but the purpose may be
served. Often, reuse helps to save time, money, energy and resources. In broader economic
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
terms, it could make quality products available to people and organisations with limited
means, while creating jobs and business activities that contribute to the progress of the
economy locally and or globally as well.
Avoid using 'one time use and throw' articles. Choose items that have a longer shelf life, that
can be repaired, and can be used again and again till its shelf life is over such as reusable
electric kettles, coffee cups, cutlery, water bottles, shopping bags and such others. Use your
tooth brush as a hair dye brush. Use torn clothes as foot mats, to clean shoes, as mops to
clean the floor and so on. Use coffee mugs with broken handles as vases for aloe-vera plants
and so on. Old bed sheets can be turned into small cotton shopping bags and handkerchiefs.
Wood crates would be used to make different types of wooden items, such as benches and
such others. Condensed water discharged by air conditioning units could be a good source of
distilled water. Old buckets could become flowerpots and so on. Use your imagination to
reuse before deciding at the end of product life.
Another way of reuse is to gift (Figure 1) to some
people or to some organisation who would gladly
continue to use it. For example, if you brought a
high-end computer for your work, you may gift your
still working old computer to some person or
organisation who will use it happily. Or you could
gift your old cell phone to some needy person and
so on. In this way, E-waste could also be reduced.
You may also donate your things to some school,
NGOs, non-profit organisations so that the under-
privileged are also benefitted. Figure 1 Example of Reuse. Small mobile
could be gifted
ACTIVITY 3
Organise some ‘reuse tech fests’ as a technical teacher every year in the college, to
spread the need and innovative techniques of reuse of various things.
Reuse has several advantages such as, reducing the same product being manufactured thus
saving energy and raw materials, less disposable things and also the cost to dispose them
off. Some old things may fetch more appreciable value because of better refurbishing.
Refurbished things are much cheaper leading to cost savings and hence it could become a
good business proposition creating jobs as well.
However, reuse has some demerits also such as sorting, cleaning and preparing of items take
time. Some special skills are required to establish the functional throughput of the things
when put to new uses. But when given to students, these demerits may even vanish
depending on the enthusiasm of the students.
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
6.0 REPAIR
If the above mentioned 3Rs are not possible with the things that are required, then repair
(figure 2) is the next option that should be taken up for a sustainable environment
protection to continue. The only hitch is that it may take some time to get the things
repaired. In earlier years, repairing of things was
quite common. Repair shops were quite common
in all cities, towns and villages. Most of the
mechanical and electrical and electronic items
were repaired and re-used thus reducing waste
and saving the environment. But, currently, when
more of one-time use items are being produced
Figure 2: Repair Work
more and more, such repair shops are becoming
less and less. However, the flip side is that, in this internet age there are several ‘do-it-
yourself’ websites which if wisely tapped and if people are positively prodded (guided step
by step), more citizens would repair the faulty items on their own and continue to use the
things. This practice or habit if propagated is not only good for the environment, but also
empowers people, and often saves money as well.
Every engineering student could be encouraged to harness the repair skills to some extent
for the cause of sustainability. For this to happen, the teacher needs to take some extra
efforts. Different types of 3-5-day training workshops could be conducted in the institute
such as, ‘electronic gadget repair’, ‘electrical gadget repair’, ‘water pump repair’ and so on.
This will spread the ‘repair culture’ in the community/society.
ACTIVITY 4
List some examples related to managing Repair at your workplace.
7.0 RECYCLE
Recycle (recover also comes in this category) means the breaking down of those things from
which raw materials emerge out for the manufacture of new products. It means that such
products go through a mechanical or chemical process to change their form. Recover is to
convert waste into resources (such as electricity, heat, compost and fuel) through thermal,
biological or some other means. However, this ‘R’ should be taken up only when the above-
mentioned 4Rs have been attempted. Following are some of the things, which can be re-
cycled.
a) Paper can be recycled up to seven times, but after that the fibres lose their strength.
b) Plastic can only be recycled a few times before it is frequently broken down and must
be sent to landfill.
c) Metal and glass can be broken down and recycled indefinitely.
d) food wastes into composted soil or as a food for a local farm.
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
e) All types of fabric dirty or otherwise.
f) All electronic items recover metals and other materials for reuse.
Recycling will help everyone to realise about all that you put into the trash bin and a chance
to rethink your future purchases.
ACTIVITY 5
List some examples related to managing Recycle at your workplace.
8.0 SUMMARY
The 5Rs: Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repair, Recycle, issues strictly in this sequence need to be
addressed and managed for sustainability. Earlier, there were only first 3Rs. Now the
remaining 2Rs are also considered for the cause of sustainability. The first 3Rs - refuse,
reduce, and reuse - are targeted for zero waste, which is all about limiting consumption in
order to stop exploiting the Earth’s resources. So, if the first 3Rs are not manageable, only
then you may go in for adapting the remaining 2Rs. ‘The remaining 2Rs- repair and recycle -
target the second goal, which is only consuming goods that can be fully recycled, either back
into the ecosystem itself, or back into the economy’(Johnson, 2016). If every citizen focuses
on taking limited things of everyday life, when things are purchased, keeping in mind this
hierarchy of the 5Rs, they will realise how much things that they really DID NOT need. This
way the waste produced can be drastically reduced. Making even a single change in your
life with regard to the ‘5Rs’ will make a big difference to the whole world.
ACTIVITY 6
Read the case given in Appendix A and justify to which of the 5Rs does the case belong
to.
*******
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[1] Tatiana Antonelli Abella (2013). Follow the Rs: Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Recycle, Recover,
Refuse and Reject, Rethink;
http://en.envirocitiesmag.com/articles/pdf/waste_management_eng_art2.pdf accessed on
27 August 2019
[2] Bea Johnson (2016) -Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life; Penguin
Publishers
[3] The 5 Rs of Sustainability (2018) https://www.worthwhyle.com/blogs/news/the-5-rs-of-
sustainability
[4] www.life.se
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
Appendix A
Case of ‘Buy Nothing Project’
[Courtesy: Dr. Samuel N. Mathew Ph.D. former Director of National Institute of Speech & Hearing (NISH),
Trivandrum, Kerala]
Buy Nothing Project–Giveaway what you have and ask for what you want with no strings
attached. Few days back I saw a large plastic box kept on the front steps of our home in
Delaware, USA. It had some baby Abby’s (my granddaughter) clothes too small for her now. I
asked Mary, my daughter-in-law, why was it kept outside. She said it was meant for someone
and they will come and pick it up soon. Again, two days later, I again saw another box on the
front steps of our home again with a different set of stuff. I asked Mary, what this is for and she
said it is meant for someone else and they will come and pick it up. Then she explained that she
is part of the local “Buy Nothing Project Facebook Group” and explained how it works. To say
the least, I just admired the idea behind and the greatness of the hearts who started this
movement!!This was a classic example of sustainability. Following are some links.
https://buynothingproject.org/ and their Facebook page,
https://www.facebook.com/BuyNothingProject/.
This venture started as a small Facebook group formed by two women from Washington in 2013
to give away what they have freely to their neighbourhood families. Just an act of unconditional
giving. This has become a movement and has spread to over 15 countries worldwide with
hundreds of local groups. It is catching on like wild fire. No selling, bartering – just giving
between individuals who live nearby within a short driving distance. Very fascinating concept.
Giving is an act that stimulates everything good in both the giver and the receiver. In world of
selfish grabbing and racing to overtake others, giving is about being considerate of others and
willingness to share what we have.
After Airbnb and Uber, where common people are involved in sharing what each has for a price,
this is just free giving from the abundance of what you have with no strings attached. On the
website it reads “Buy Nothing Groups = Random Acts of Kindness All Day Long”. In each of the
US states there are large number of groups. In Delaware USA where we live (which is the one of
the smallest states in the US) there are 16 groups and the local group where Mary is a member
there are 294 members. In India, currently there are only 4 groups currently in Bangalore
Electronic City (68), Vizag (19), Thane, Mumbai (78) and Navi Mumbai (15) with a total of 180
members.
Coming back to our situation, Mary was giving away stuff she was not using anymore. In
addition, she described how one could borrow stuff for short periods. She got some heavy
winter clothing for the Mammoth Mountain trip from a neighbour, which she returned as soon
as she came back. She showed a child’s football goal post she got from the group. This whole
idea makes sense. In a world of consumerism, we all have so many stuffs that we do not need
any more and we just keep it because we spent money on it. We do not want to throw it away
in trash. This is one good way of making good use of it.
They have guidelines for starting a new group https://buynothingproject.org/start-a-group/. The
rules are all laid out very well to facilitate interaction in a very regulated civilised manner
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Unit 5: Approaches for Sustainable Development L19: Role of 5Rs for Sustainable Development
DISCUSSION FORUM
Start a discussion on social media on some idea of yours to implement any one of 5Rs and ask
for suggestions from students/peers.
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