ENVIRONMENT Environment refers to the sum total of surroundings and the totality of resources that effect our existence and the quality of our life. "Environment includes water, air and land and the interrelationship which exists among and between water, air, land and human beings and other creatures, plants, micro- organisms and property." - Environment Protection Act 1986 Components of Environment Abiotic Elements Biotic Elements e Biotic Elements: These elements include all kinds of living creatures like plants, human beings, animals as well as micro- Organisms which impact human life. Abiotic Elements: These elements include all non-living things like water, air, mountains, climate, minerals and other resources which nature has provided us.SIGNIFICANCE(FUNCTIONS) OF ENVIRONMENT e Environment Offers Resources for Production: Environment includes all physical resources such as coal, petroleum, water, soil, minerals, etc. which are used as inputs for production. Environment Sustains Life: Environment includes air, water, sun, soil which are essential ingredients for the sustenance of human life. Environment Assimilates Waste: Activities of production and consumption generates waste. Environment absorbs this waste. Environment Enhances Quality of Life: Environment includes rivers, oceans, mountains and deserts. We enjoy these surroundings and it improves our quality of life. Recourses are classified as Renewable and Non-renewable Renewable resources are those which can be used repeatedly and are not likely to be exhausted on use. For example: Solar energy, wind energy, water, etc. Non-renewable resources are those which are likely to be exhausted or depleted on use. For example: Petroleum.ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS ‘Environmental crisis' occurs when carrying capacity of the environment is challenged through excessive exploitation of natural resources or when generation of wastes exceeds the absorptive capacity of environment. 1, Carrying Capacity of the Environment: It refers to the state of balance between the rate at which natural resources are exploited and the rate at which these resources are regenerated. 2. Absorptive Capacity of Environment: It refers to ability of the environment to absorb wastes occurring due to production and consumption activities in the economy. ‘Environmental crisis’ led to global warming, climatic change, ozone depletion and depletion of certain resources. CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS 1. Population Explosion: Pressure of population on land is continuously increasing and therefore land has been exploited. Due to increasing population forest land is converted into residential buildings and industries. 2. Poverty: A large section of our country is living below poverty line. These people cut trees selling fuel wood to earn their living. 3. Increasing Urbanisation: It causes pressure on land and other civic amenities. It results in increasing demand for land and exploitation of natural resources.CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS 4, Increasing use of Insecticides, Pesticides and Chemical Fertilizers: It causes water pollution and decreases fertility of land making it unfit for cultivation. 5. Rapid Industrialisation: Industrialisation causes air, water and noise pollution. Industrial smoke causes various respiratory problems. 6. Multiplicity of Transport Vehicles: Smoke emitted by motor vehicles causes air pollution and increasing transport is contributing towards noise pollution. 7. Disregard for the Civic Norms: General public often disregard the civic norms. They often use loudspeakers indiscriminately, roads are littered and dump off waste in water bodies. Q. ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HAVE HIGH OPPORTUNITY COSTS. EXPLAIN. ¢ Opportunity cost is the sacrifice made for enjoying an opportunity. This opportunity cost is avoidable as well as unavoidable. Environmental crisis have high opportunity costs because: ¢ Unsustainable development practices have polluted water bodies and dried up some rivers, which has made water an economic good. ¢ Excessive extraction of resources has exhausted some of the important resources. Now huge amount of money is spent on research and development to explore new resources.© Degradation of environment increases the cost of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Air and water pollution causes respiratory and water borne diseases. ¢ Increasing emission of greenhouse gases causes ozone depletion, global warming and climatic changes. So, financial commitments of the government are rising. GLOBAL WARMING Global warming is a situation of gradual increase in Earth's temperature due to emission of Green House Gases like carbon dioxide, methane, hydrochlorofluorocarbons, pollution and deforestation. ¢ Earth's surface is becoming warmer. Major Reasons for Emission of Greenhouse Gases: ¢ Deforestation leading to increase in the amount of CO2. ¢ Burning of coal and petroleum products causes emission of CO2, methane, nitrous oxide. ¢ Increased cattle production and animal waste is a source of methane. Main Effects of Global Warming: ¢ This increasing temperature is melting polar ice due to which sea level is rising. ¢ This is a serious threat as it is disturbing ecological balance and contributes to natural calamities like coastal flooding. ¢ Poor countries are to be the first and worst sufferers.OZONE LAYER DEPLETION It refers to reduction in a ozone in the atmosphere. This is a protective layer which protects us from harmful ultraviolet radiations. Due to excessive presence of chlorine and bromine compounds like chlorofluorocarbons (cooling substances like air conditioners and refrigerators) and bromofluorocarbon (used in fire extinguishers) this layer is depleting. This is an issue of global concern. Main Effects of Ozone Depletion: ¢ It results in serious health issues among humans, such as skin diseases, sunburns, cancer, cataract, quick ageing and weak immune system. ¢ Direct exposure to ultraviolet radiations leads to skin and eye cancer in animals. STATE OF ENVIRONMENT IN INDIA ¢ India has abundant natural resources. India has most fertile regions in the world suitable for cultivation of food crops. The black soil is suitable for growing cotton. We have rich deposits of gold, lead, bauxite, copper, zinc, manganese, diamonds. ¢ Indiais the habitat of nearly 18% of the world's population. ¢ It is just occupying 2.5% of the world's geographical area. © 21.9% of our population is living below poverty line. So, environmental degradation is the obvious cause. © Resources are excessively exploited beyond the rate of regeneration.¢ Production and Consumption activities generate a lot of waste which is beyond the absorption capacity of our environment. ¢ Air pollution, water pollution and noise pollution is increasing rapidly. > Poverty is the principal cause of environmental degradation in rural areas. Poor people cut trees for fuel wood which they sell to earn their livelihood. They also make use of natural resources like wood for domestic activities. > Expanding production activity is the principal cause of environmental degradation in urban areas. ¢ Industrial smoke pollutes air and industrial waste pollutes water. © Vehicles cause noise pollution, air pollution and global warming. e Expanding production activity leads to overuse of resources. Natural resources are excessively exploited to achieve higher rate of growth. ¢ Poverty leads to misuse of resources. Resources are diverted to wrong use causing environmental degradation. . . Degradation pollane Principle Concerns cand _ (issues), —- pion ProgPRINCIPLE CONCERNS (ISSUES) 1,.Degradation of Land: Degradation of land means loss of productivity or loss of fertility of land due to soil erosion, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and water logging. Causes/Reasons of Degradation of Land: Excessive grazing causes loss of vegetation. Soil erosion by tree-felling. Shifting cultivation causes deforestation. Forest fires causes deforestation. Inadequate soil conservation measures leading to loss of soil fertility. Encroachment of forest lands, leading to deforestation. Indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers. Improper planning and management of irrigation system. Excessive extraction of groundwater, lowering water table and challenging the productivity of land. © Improper crop rotation. 2. Air Pollution The presence of harmful substances in the air that makes it unfit for humans, plants and animals is called air pollution. These harmful substances include gases like ozone, carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, methane, sulphur dioxide, etc. Air pollution causes hypertension, asthma, respiratory and cardiovascular problems.PRINCIPLE CONCERNS (ISSUES) Causes of Air Pollution: 1. Vehicular Emissions: This is the main cause of air pollution in India. Motor vehicles in India have increased from about 3 lakh in 1951 to 30 crore in 2019. 2. Industrialisation: Smoke emitted by the industries, particularly coal industries and poisonous gases emitted by plastic and leather industries has led to an increase in the level of air pollution. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has identified 17 categories of large and medium scale as significantly contributing to air pollution. 3. Water Pollution and Management of Fresh Water: Water pollution happens when toxic substances enter water bodies such as lakes, rivers, oceans, etc. Use of polluted water leads to diseases like diarrhoea, cholera, typhoid and polio. Causes of Water Pollution: 1. Domestic sewerage that flows into streams and rivers. 2. Industrial chemicals streaming into the rivers. 3. Agricultural run-off mixed with insecticides and pesticides that runs into the rivers and other water bodies. 4, Thermal power house discharging ash mixed with water. 4. Loss of Biodiversity Increasing pressure of population, changing land use pattern, degradation of land and deforestation are the major factors threatening biodiversity in India.The Living Planet Report 2020, by the World Wide Fund for Nature, observes that over 12% of the wild mammal species, 3% of the bird species and 19% of the amphibians are critically endangered in India. For example: Bengal Tiger, Asiatic Lion, snow leopard, etc. 5. Solid Waste Management ¢ The unplanned development of township and urbanization has led to massive problem of waste management. It is estimated that volume of waste is projected to increase from 64-72 million tones at present to 125 million tonnes by 2031. Out of the total waste generated, 43 million tonnes is collected, 11.9 million tones is treated and 31 million tonnes dumped in landfill sites. CHIPKO MOVEMENT AND APPIKO MOVEMENT ¢ Chipko movement was launched in Uttarakhand in 1973. Appiko movement was launched in Karnataka in 1983 and was inspired by Chipko movement. ¢ The words 'Chipko' and 'Appiko' mean ‘hugging’. ¢ Chipko movement was started by Sunderlal Bahuguna in the Garhwal forests. The movement aimed at stopping the ¢ felling of trees for commercial purposes. The movement was non-violent and the villagers hugged trees to stop them from being felled.CHIPKO MOVEMENT AND APPIKO MOVEMENT ¢ Appiko movement was inspired by the Chipko movement. The villagers around the Salkani forests in Sirsi district hugged the trees to save them from felling. Villagers saved 12,000 trees from commercial felling. > Local people should be consulted before cutting trees. Trees within 100 meters of water source and on a slope of 30 degrees or above should not be felled. € SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Sustainable development is that process of economic development which aims at raising the quality of life of both present and future generations, without threatening natural resources and environment. ¢ Inthe process of economic growth and development we are making indiscriminate use of our natural resources. ¢ Diverse crops are growth on land which led to a decrease in soil fertility. « Excessive mining of coal, iron, gold, silver and extraction of crude oil has led to the depletion of natural resources. ¢ Smoke emitted by factories and motor vehicles led to air pollution. Environmental degradation is an emerging challenge to the quality of life. So, there is a great need of sustainable.STRATEGIES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 1. Reliance on Non-Conventional Sources of Energy We are dependent of conventional sources of energy like thermal and hydro power plants. Thermal power plants emit large © quantities of greenhouse gases. India should focus on generating power from solar energy and wind energy which are cleaner sources of energy. 2. LPG, Gobar Gas in Rural Areas Use of non-commercial sources of energy like wood and dung cake as fuel has several adverse implications like deforestation, reduction in green cover, air pollution, etc. LPG and gobar gas should be used instead of these non-commercial sources of energy. -= — © Ujjwala Yojana - Subsidised LPG to women below poverty line. 3. CNG in Urban Areas Public transport networks should run on CNG. Use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) has contributed to lowering air pollution in Delhi. ¢ Haryana has introduced CNG buses in Faridabad. © Rajasthan has introduced CNG buses in Jaipur. 4. Wind Power Wind power can be harnessed without any adverse impact on the environment. Cost of installing wind mills is very high, but its benefits are welfare-oriented. Wind turbines move in wind and generate electricity without harmful emissions. 5. Solar Power through Photovoltaic Cells India has abundant sunlight which is a good source of energy. It is environment-friendly as well as non-exhaustible source of energy. But we do not possess the required technology to convert solar energy into electricity. India is leading an international body called International Solar Alliance which has pushed India's bid to increase Power Generation through solar power.STRATEGIES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 6. Mini-hydel Plants ¢ It is an environment-friendly way to generate electricity in the mountainous regions. In mountains, perennial streams are found almost anywhere. Mini-hydel plants use energy of these streams to move small turbines. These turbines generate electricity to meet the local demand. 7. Traditional Knowledge and Practices Traditional farming practices are sustainable and innovative. They are environment-friendly and avoid degradation of land. India has 15,000 floral species out of which 8,000 have medicinal properties. Focus on traditional health system will promote growth of medicinal plants and promote biodiversity. 8. Biocomposting After green revolution, use of chemical fertilizers has increased. This has led to degradation of land. Government is taking steps to promote organic farming. Farmers are trained in vermicomposting and use of biofertilizers is being promoted. 9. Biopest Control Use of chemical pesticides contaminate soil, ground water and food products. Several types of pest chemicals have been extracted from Neem and their use is being encouraged. Mixed cropping and crop-rotation should be done to control pest-attack.