student asking question

Does "divert" also mean "decrease"?

teacher

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

No, "divert" and "decrease" are verbs with different meanings. "Divert" means to "redirect" or "reroute," meaning to cause something or someone to change from one direction to another. In relation to the topics of waste and climate change, "divert" is commonly used to refer to the redirecting of waste that normally goes to landfills, usually though recycling, reusing, and composting. Ex: The plan aims to divert 50% of city waste away from landfills, through the recycling and reuse of waste materials. Ex: The pipe diverted the water away from the lake.

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