Q1. [2] § 13.2.2 Managing the Garbage we Produce
Kulhads (disposable cups made of clay) and disposable paper cups both are used as an alternative for disposable plastic cups. Which one of these two can be considered as a better alternative to plastic cups and why?
Previously asked in CBSE board exam
2022 31/3/1 Q1(a)
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-15 06:43 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Disposable paper cups are a better alternative to plastic cups.
- Kulhads, though biodegradable, require large amounts of fertile top-soil to produce on a large scale, leading to soil loss.
- Paper cups are biodegradable and do not deplete top-soil.
- Plastic cups are non-biodegradable and persist in the environment for a long time, harming the ecosystem.
Source: Chapter 13, Section 13.2.2 (Think it over — Disposable cups in trains)
---
Explanation
The textbook's "Think it over" box directly addresses this comparison. The examiner expects you to mention both the drawback of kulhads (loss of fertile top-soil on large-scale production) and the advantage of paper cups (biodegradable, no soil depletion) over plastic (non-biodegradable). Simply saying "paper cups are better because they are biodegradable" without explaining the kulhad problem will likely cost you a mark. Stick to what the passage says — do not bring in outside points.
If a question refers to an image, map, graph or diagram that is not shown here, find the actual CBSE question paper on the CBSE website:
cbse.gov.in.