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Sustainability and Environmental Protection

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Sustainability and Environmental Protection

Read the canteen scenario, then solve the challenges. Think about how choices affect people, wildlife and the environment.

The lunchtime plan

Isla, Nikau and Tui are helping their school canteen reduce its environmental impact. They notice that many lunches come in single-use packaging, some edible food is thrown away, and the recycling bin is often contaminated with food. They suggest three changes: offer a reusable-container discount, put a clearly labelled food-scraps tub beside the rubbish bins, and let students choose a smaller serving first, with seconds available. The canteen will also check what packaging its suppliers use. Sustainability means meeting needs today while caring for the natural systems and resources that people and future generations depend on. No single action solves every problem, so it helps to consider evidence and possible trade-offs.

1.Which explanation best matches sustainability in the lunchtime plan?

Using resources now without considering what happens next
Meeting needs while protecting resources and natural systems for the future
Avoiding every product that comes in packaging

2.Match each canteen action to its main purpose.

Offer a discount for reusable containers
Put a food-scraps tub beside the bins
Check supplier packaging

Separate organic waste for suitable processing
Consider impacts earlier in the supply chain
Prevent waste before it is created

3.True or false: If an item has a recycling symbol, it can always go into the school recycling bin, even when it has food on it.

TrueFalse

4.Complete the statement with reduce, reuse or recycle: Choose a smaller first serving to food waste.

5.Complete the statement with reduce, reuse or recycle: Bring the same lunch container again to it.

6.Complete the statement with reduce, reuse or recycle: Put accepted, clean materials in the correct collection to them.

7.Explain one way that offering smaller first servings, with seconds available, could help the canteen and its students.

8.Why does protecting native plants and animals matter in Aotearoa New Zealand? Give one reason linked to ecosystems or biodiversity.

9.The canteen is considering a reusable-container discount. Describe one possible environmental benefit and one practical challenge the canteen might need to manage.

10.Two lunch packages are available. Package A is made from recycled material but is used once and put in rubbish. Package B is a sturdy container used many times and then recycled if the local system accepts it. Which option is likely to create less waste over many lunches? Explain your reasoning.

11.The group wants to find out whether the new food-scraps tub reduces food scraps in the rubbish. Describe what they should measure before and after introducing it, and name one thing they should keep the same to make the comparison fair.

12.Write one realistic action the canteen group could try next, and explain how they could check whether it helps the environment.