UNIT-1

NATURE AND SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

INTRODUCTION

The word ‘ENVIRONMENT’ is derived from the French word ‘Environner’ which means to encircle,
around or surround. The biologist Jacob Van Uerkal (1864-1944) introduced the term ‘environment’ in
Ecology. Ecology is the study of the interactions between an organism of some kind and its environment. As
given by Environment Protection Act 1986, Environment is the sum total of land, water, air, interrelationships
among themselves and also with the human beings and other living organisms.
Environmental Science is the interdisciplinary field and requires the study of the interactions among the
physical, chemical and biological components of the Environment with a focus on environmental pollution and
degradation. Environment studies is a multidisciplinary subject where different aspects are dealt with in a
holistic approach. The science of Environment studies comprises various branches of studies like chemistry,
physics, life science, medical science, agriculture, public health, sanitary engineering, geography, geology,
atmospheric science, etc. It is the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies the sources,
reactions, transport, effect and fate of a biological species in the air, water and soil and the effect of and from
human activity upon these. Environmental Science deals with the study of processes in soil, water, air and
organisms which lead to pollution or environmental damages and the scientific basis for the establishment of a
standard which can be considered acceptably clean, safe and healthy for human beings and natural ecosystems.

DEFINITIONS OF ENVIRONMENT:

Some important definitions of environment are as under:

1. According to Boring, ‘A person’s environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation
which he receives from his conception until his death.’ Indicating that environment comprises
various types of forces such as physical, intellectual, mental, economical, political, cultural,
social, moral and emotional.
2. Douglas and Holland defined that ‘The term environment is used to describe, in aggregate, all
the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior and the
growth, development and maturity of living organisms’.

MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES:

The environment is complex and actually made up of many different environments, including natural,
constructed and cultural environments, environmental studies is the inter disciplinary examination of how
biology, geology, politics policy studies, law, geology, religion engineering, chemistry and economics combine
to inform the consideration of humanity’s effects on the natural world.
This subject educates the students to appreciate the complexity of environmental issues and citizens and
experts in many fields. By studying environmental science, students may develop a breadth of the
interdisciplinary and methodological knowledge in the environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the
definition and solution of environmental problems.
It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach and its components include Biology, Geology, Chemistry,
Physics, Engineering, Sociology, Health Sciences, Anthropology, Economics, Statistics and Philosophy. It is
essentially a multidisciplinary approach.
An Understanding of the working of the environment requires the knowledge from wide ranging fields.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Environmental education is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in
problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper
understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

The need of the hour is to prepare suitable strategies of environmental education for saving our environment.
Environment education denotes a study of environment and its dynamics environmental degradation and it
various forms, factors degrading environment and its impact on man’s life. It’s is a process to promote the
awareness and understanding of the environment, its relationship with man and his activities.

Environment education is education ‘about’ the environment, ‘from’ the environment and ‘for’ the
environment.

According to the report of a Conference of African Educators at Nairobi (1968) “Environmental Education
is to create an awareness and understanding of the evolving social and physical environment as a whole, its
natural, man-made, cultural, spiritual resources together with the rational use and conservation of these
resources for development.”

The IUCN Commission of Education (1970) stated that “Environmental Education is the process of
recognizing values and clarifying concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary to understand and
appreciate the interrelatedness among man, his culture and his bio-physical surroundings.”

National Policy on Education, 1986 has laid great stress on the need for introducing environmental education
at all educational levels. It states that, “There is a paramount need to create a consciousness of the environment.
It must permit all the ages and all sections of the society”.

According to UNESCO, “Environmental education is a way of implementing the goals of environmental

protection. It is not a separate branch of science but lifelong interdisciplinary field of study.” It means
education towards protection and enhancement of the environment and education as an instrument of
development for improving the quality of life of human communities.

The components of environmental education are:

 Awareness and sensitivity to the environment and environmental challenges.

 Knowledge and understanding of the environment and environmental challenges.
  Attitudes of concern for the environment and motivation to improve or maintain environmental
quality.
 Skills to identify and help resolve environmental challenges.
 Participation in activities that lead to the resolution of environmental challenges.

Environmental education does not advocate a particular viewpoint or course of action. Rather, environmental
education teaches individuals how to weigh various sides of an issue through critical thinking and it enhances
their own problem-solving and decision-making skills.

DIMENSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Scholars Of the environment have suggested that environmental education is to be accepted as meaningful
education which needs to include three dimensions. National Environmental Education Act of 1990 requires
EPA to provide national leadership to increase environmental literacy. EPA established the Office of
Environmental Education to implement this program.

Environmental education can be thought of as comprising three linked components:

• Education about the environments (Knowledge).

• Education for the environment (Values, Attitudes & Positive actions).

• Education through the environment (A Resource).

This implies that environmental education has to assume the roles of helping the individual develop knowledge
about his/her environment which he/she can get through interacting with the environment and finally he/she
can use the knowledge and skills to conserve or take care of the environment.
Environmental education is a process that aims at the development of environmentally literate citizens who
can compete in global economy, who have the skills and knowledge and inclinations to make well informed
choices concerning the environment, and who exercise the rights and responsibilities of the members of a
community. Environmental knowledge contributes to an understanding and appreciation of the society,
technology and productivity and conservation of natural and cultural resources of their own environment.

Environmental education has an ability to solve the societal needs, the needs of a community problem and their
solutions and workforce for tackling cooperative minds. We need the school children to share and develop the
motivation from school about various environmental issues, which are the challenges of today and
prepare them for the future. Environmental education must become a vehicle for engaging young minds in
the excitement of first hand observation of the nature and understanding the patterns and processes in the
natural and social worlds in order to take care of the habitat and its surroundings which becomes a major part
of EE in both primary and upper primary stages of school education. In the secondary and senior secondary
stages also some of the major issues such as environmental protection, management and conservation are to be
dealt in more detail.

OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The following are the objectives of environmental education:

1. Awareness: To help the social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of pollution and environmental
degradation:
2. Knowledge: To help social groups and individuals to acquire knowledge of the environment beyond the
immediate environment including distant environment.
3. Attitudes: To help social groups and individuals to acquire a set of values for environmental protection.

4. Skills and Capacity Building: To help social groups and individuals to develop skills required for making
discriminations in form, shape, sound, touch, habits and habitats. Further, to develop ability to draw
unbiased inferences and conclusions.

5. Participation: To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be actively involved at all
levels in environmental decision making.

SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Environmental studies discipline has multiple and multilevel scopes. This study is important and necessary not
only for children but also for everyone. The scopes are summarized as follows:
1. The study creates awareness among the people to know about various renewable and nonrenewable
resources of the region. The endowment or potential, patterns of utilization and the balance of various
resources available for future use in the state of a country are analyzed in the study.
2. It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause and effect relationships.
3. It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the potential dangers to the species of
plants, animals and microorganisms in the environment.
 4. The study enables one to understand the causes and consequences due to natural and main induced
disasters (flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclones etc.,) and pollutions and measures to the effects.
5. It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before deciding an alternative
course of action.
6. The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the environmental acts, rights, rules,
legislations, etc.) to make appropriate judgments and decisions for the protection and improvement of
the earth.
7. The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc. and the role of arts, science
and technology in eliminating/ minimizing the evils from the society.
8. The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous eco-friendly skills and technologies
to various environmental issues.
9. It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these resources are inherited
from our ancestors to the younger generating without deteriorating their quality.
10. The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple uses of environment.

GUIDELINES FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

The report of the First-Inter-Governmental Conference on Environmental Education, Tbilisi, USSR (1977)
provides the following broad guidelines for Environmental Education.

Environmental education should be

i. Be interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary in its approach.

ii. Consider the holistic environment.
iii. Be continuous, beginning at the pre-school level and continuing through all the formal and non-formal
stages.
iv. Examine the major environmental issues critically from the local, regional, national and international point
of view;
v. Dwell on the current and future environmental trends and scenarios;
vi. Help learners discover the symptoms and real causes of environmental problems and plan accordingly.

Curriculum for Environmental Education:

The Government of India announced a National Policy on Education in 1986. While recognizing the guidelines
for imparting environment education, it emphasizes that, “there is a paramount need to create an environmental
consciousness.”
NCERT approach for environmental education NCERT lays emphasis upon the following aspects:

(i) Population
(ii) Land and its uses
(iii) Different types of resources and their uses
(iv) Food and nutrition
(v) Pollution
(vi) Man and Nature relationship.

Environmental education at the Pre-primary and primary level:

The environmental education in India has a traditional base and its starts from early childhood at home and in
immediate neighborhood. During early childhood manipulative skills are developed through helping in the
home and at play. Knowingly and unknowingly one receives informal training in personal hygiene, problems
of food and water contamination.

At the pre-primary level the basic objectives should be to address the child’s emotional orientation to nature
and to the environment of home and neighborhood. However, at the primary level the students should be
molded to understand the importance of environmental protection and should be exposed directly to the nature
and environment.

Hence, formal environmental education can be introduced with the subjects like hygiene, study of nature,
population education and values.

Environmental Education at the Secondary Level:

Education at the secondary level must emphasize at least one of the following approaches to study nature and
environment:
(a) Involving children in out-of-school activities, problem solving and community activities related to
environmental problems.

(b) Giving those inputs on basic environmental factors such as ecology, resource distribution, population
dynamics, population balance, and the problems of hunger and starvation.
Methods-The diagram shows the methods to teach environment education:

At University level:
Different kind of courses related to science, commerce, humanities should cover this subject as a compulsory
subject which is specially meant for sensitization of our individual needs which is part of society.
India is a highly diverse country in terms of its climate, geography, geology, ethnicity, flora and fauna, society
and economy. Therefore, environmental education in the country has to be location-specific.

Education at university level relating to ‘environmental’ science studies’ aims at improving the quality of
environment and creating an awareness regarding environmental problems and conservation. At the level of the
university, environmental education is looked after by the University Grants Commission. A high-powered
committee has been set up to suggest areas of environmental education to be taught at postgraduate level. Ten
universities currently teach courses in environmental areas.

There are other research institutes and professional institutions like the premier Indian Institute of Technology
(IIT) and engineering colleges and schools of planning and architecture which have courses in environmental
engineering. The post-graduate courses include environmental engineering, conservation and management,
environmental health and social ecology.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests launched the Environment Education, Awareness and Training
Scheme in 1983-84 to enhance people’s understanding regarding the human- environment relationship and to
enhance skills and capabilities to protect the environment and improve it. It gives importance to promotion of
non-formal environmental education and creating environmental awareness among the people through
seminars, workshops, symposia, training programmes, the National Green Corps and eco- clubs.

The National Museum of Natural History, New Delhi, set up in 1978, promotes non-formal education in
various aspects of environment through exhibitions and educational programmes and activities for children and
people in general.

The Indian Council for Forestry Research and Education is the focal point of forestry education and extension
development in India. The Forest Survey of India, the Wildlife Institute of India and others offer training on
various aspects of environmental education and conservation.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests has set up nine centers of excellence to increase’ awareness, research
and training in areas of environmental science and management.
In the context of environmental education, it needs to be pointed out that environmental education opens up
many Career opportunities. With increasing awareness and stress on study of environment and on its impact at
various levels, there is a growing need for environmental educators and professionals.

Professionals to deal with hazardous waste problems, lawyers and other specialists to develop government and
industry policy, laws and regulations to protect the environment, engineers to develop technologies and
products to prevent environmental degradation are the need of the hour.

Increasingly, economists, geographers and social scientists would be required to evaluate the costs of
environmental pollution and depletion and come up with solutions that are socially, economically and in other
ways suitable for the world.
 CHAPTER- 3

BIO-DIVERSITY

INTRODUCTION

The biosphere constitutes a vital life support system for man. Its existence in a healthy functional state is
essential for the existence of human race. It is the complex collection of innumerable organisms- the bio-
diversity- which makes our lives both pleasant and possible. No one knows exactly how many species occur on
our planet. Scientists believe that the total number of species on earth between 10 million to 80 million, we
have been able to enlist only 1.4 million species so far. The existence of human race depends on health and
well being of other life forms in the biosphere. However, we are losing this accumulated heritage of millions of
years at a very fast rate. The onset of biological poverty or reduction in diversity of life forms is bound to have
grave consequences for the entire living world.

 WHAT IS BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY (BIODIVERSITY)

The term Biodiversity was popularized by Edward Wilson, Socio biologist. Biological diversity is the total
variety of life on our planet. The total number of races, varieties or species, i.e., the sum total of various types
of microbes, plants and animals present in a system is referred to as biological diversity or simple as
biodiversity. The term biodiversity to the variety of life on Earth at all its levels, from genes to ecosystems, and
can encompass the evolutionary, ecological, and cultural processes that sustain life.

 IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity is important to most aspects of our lives. We value biodiversity for many reasons, some
utilitarian, some intrinsic. This means we value biodiversity both for what it provide to humans, and for the
value it has in its own right. Utilitarian values include the many basic needs humans obtain from biodiversity
such as food, fuel, shelter, and medicine . Further, ecosystems provide crucial services such as pollination,
seed dispersal, climate regulation, water purification, nutrient cycling, and control of agricultural pests.
Biodiversity also holds value for potential benefits not yet recognized, such as new medicines and other
possible unknown services. Biodiversity has cultural value to humans as well, for spiritual or religious
reasons for instance. The intrinsic value of biodiversity refers to its inherent worth, which is independent of
its value to anyone or anything else. Finally, the value of biodiversity can also be understood through the
lens of the relationships we form and strive for with each other and the rest of nature. We may value
biodiversity because of how it shapes who we are, our relationships to each other, and social norms. These
relational values are part of peoples’ individual or collective sense of wellbeing, responsibility for, and
connection with the environment. The different values placed on biodiversity are important because they can
influence the conservation decisions people make every day. Biodiversity plays a major role in maintaining
the ecological balance of the ecosystem. It refers to the number of different species belonging to a particular
region. In biodiversity, each individual species has a major role to play in the ecosystem.
  Ecological Role of Biodiversity:
Apart from providing ecological balance to the environment, each individual species of biodiversity
has a major function to play in the ecosystem. They play a major role in the production and
decomposition of organic wastes, fixing atmospheric gases and regulation of water and nutrients
throughout the ecosystem. The stability of the ecosystem increases with the diversity of the species.
 Economical Role of Biodiversity:
Biodiversity acts as a source of energy and has a major role in providing raw materials for industrial
products such as oils, lubricants, perfumes, dyes, paper, waxes, rubber; etc Importance of plant species
for various medicinal use has been known since ages. According to reports, more than 70 % of the anti-
cancer drugs are derived from plants in the tropical rainforests.
 Scientific Role of Biodiversity:
Each species of the ecosystem contributes to providing enough evidence as to how life evolved on this
planet and the role of each species in maintaining the sustainability of the ecosystem.

INDIA: A MEGADIVERSITY NATION

Mega diversity countries are a group of Countries that are home to a wide variety of plant and animal species.
This category includes countries that have an extremely rich biodiversity. The 17 mega diversity countries
according to the World Conservation Monitoring Centre Australia, Brazil, China, Columbia, Democratic
Republic of Congo, Ecuador, India, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mexico, Papua New Guinea, Peru,
Philippines, South Africa, USA, Venezuela.

India is the one of the four mega diversity nations of Asia. It is rich in biodiversity and possesses all the natural
resources required for sustenance of every kind of living organisms. In addition to the vast diversity of animal,
our country is extremely rich in cultural diversity, geographical diversity and climatic diversity.

Geological events of landmass of India have provided conditions for high level of biological diversity. A split
in single giant continent around 70 million years ago let to the formation of northern and southern continents,
with India as a part of Gondwana land- the southern landmass, together with Africa, Australia and the
Antarctic. Later, tectonic movements shifted India northwards across the equator to join the Northern Eurasian
continent. As the intervening shallow Tethys Sea dried up, plants and animals that had evolved both in Europe
and in the Far East migrated into India before Himalayas had formed. A final influx came from Africa
Ethiopian species, which were adapted to the savannas and semi arid regions. Thus India’s special geographical
position or niche between three distinctive centers of biological evolution and radiation of species is
responsible for our rich and varied biodiversity.

Among the bio rich nations, India is in the top 10 or 15 countries for its great variety of plants and animals,
many of which are not found elsewhere. India as 410 great mammals (rated the 8 th highest in the world) , 1301
species of birds( rated 8th in the world), 518 species of reptiles(5th in the world), and 50000 plants species, most
of which are angiosperms( 15th in the world). These include high species diversity of ferns (1100 species) and
orchid (20000 species). India has 5.5 million species of insects. It is estimated that the number of unknown
species could be several times higher.
Apart from high biodiversity in Indian wild plants and animals, there is also a great diversity of cultivated
crops and breeds of domestic livestock. This is a result of several thousand years during which civilizations
have grown and flourished in Indian sub continent. The traditional cultivars included 30000- 50000 varieties of
rice and a number of serials, vegetables and fruits. The highest diversity of cultivars is concentrated in high
rainfall areas of the Western Ghats, Eastern Ghats, northern Himalayas and the north eastern hills.

Gene banks have collected over 34000 cereals and 22000 pulses grown in India. India has 37 indigenous breeds
of cattle, 40 breeds of sheep, 0 breed of goat and 10 breed of buffalos. Many of these today have dies out or are
dying out due to our misguided adoption of all things foreign- Jerseys and Holsteins have largely replaced
Indian cattle like the Brahma bull, high yielding cultivars have eaten away into centuries- old land races of
crops, cash crop have replaced food crops, eucalyptus and wattle plantation have replaced the mix shoal
forests. The Indian landscape is slowly beginning to lose its individuality and resemble any other scenery in the
world.

TYPES OF FOREST IN INDIA

Increase in forest are,very dense forest,mangroves,carbon stock and growing stock

GLOBAL BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS OF INDIA
 FLORAL DIVERSITY

Angiosperms with 18,386 species i.e., a little over 37% of the identified floral species from the largest group in plant
diversity. Fungi come next accounting for 31% at 15,115 species. Table shows number of known species( including
algae, fungi, and lichens), their endemism and threat status.

FAUNAL SPECIES

Of the 1,01,167 species identified so far by ZSI, about 28,537 have been reported as endemic to the country comprising
28.2% of the known animal diversity of the country. Table shows the known faunal species, thier endemism and treat
status.
  BIODIVERSITY AT GLOBAL LEVEL

Different regions of the Earth harbour differebt varieties of plants and animal species qwing to wide variations in
climatic, atmospheric, topographic, and edaphic factors. Biodiversity at the global level is vast and widespread. At the
global level, there are about 82 million known species of living organisms, whereas the expected total is about 50
mllion soecies. More diversity occur in tropics( tropical rain forests and coral reefs) than elsewhere.
Climati zone plays an important role in delimiting the biodiversity at the global level. On the basis of climatic and
geographical conditions, Earth can be divided into the floowing four vegetation belts:
 Artic Zone- This zone is near the poles. Some algae, annual flowering plants, mosses, and lichens as thr chief
components of vegetation. Ground vegetation is constituted by some pteridophytes, orchids, insectivorous
plants, etc.
 Northern Temperate Zone- It consists of parts of United States Of America and Canada. The forests are
dominated by several gymnosperms tall trees, oak, maples, and chestnuts. At hugh altitude, trees are replaced
by grassy vegetation with some herbaceous floweing plants.
 Southern Temperate Zone- This region consists of southern regions of Africa, Australia, New Zealand. In
Africa, the vegetation is chiefly made up of ferns and gymnosperms. The forests in New Zealand are moslty
made up of conifers along with ferns. The country appears to be the richest in bryophytes. Palms, nuts, and
varieties of Acacia and Casurina are common vegetation of Australia.
 Tropical Zone- This region includes tropical Africa, tropical Asia, Mexico and large areas of South America. In
mexico, xerophytes are the most common form of vegetation. At higher altitudes, tress are commonly found,
while on mountain peaks, grasses are the most common. Tropical Asia includes common trees such as orange,
mango, banana, etc.

On the basis of the type of fauna found ina region, the world is divided into the following five geographical
regions:
 Oriental Region- Tiger, neelgai, rabbit, flying fox, gharial, hedgehog, peacock, etc., are the animals
found in this region. The region is characterizes by plain forests as well as elevated areas. Rainfall is
suffiecient in most parts of this region.
 Audtralian Region- The region consists of Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, etc. there are deserts and
dry plains in this region, but freshwater ecosystems are rare. Kangaroo, honey eaters, crowned pigeons,
owl, parrots, scale-footed lizards, etc., are important fauna of this region.
 Neotropical Region- This region includes South America, Central America, some parts of Mexico,
West Indies, etc. mail fauna of this region includes American monkeys, dogs, deer, cattle, squirrels,
electric eel, monkey birds, humming birds, etc.
 Nearctic Region- This region covers Greenland and North Americs except Mexico. There are
coniferous forests, islands, lakes, and seas, coniferous forests, and tundra in this region. The fauna of
this region includes flying squirrels, vultures, kingfishers, ducks, flamingo, alligators, rattle snake,
cranes, pelicans, etc.
 Paleartic Region- This is the largest geographical region and includes Europe, northern part of Africa,a
nd Asia. Fauna is representes by 135 families of terrestrail vertebrates.
  CAUSES AND CONSEQUENCES OF DEGENERATION OF BIO- DIVERSITY

Bio-diversity means existence of various types of species of animals, vegetation and microorganisms in a habitat. This
diversity of living creatures makes the habitat biologically diverse in resources. It contains various species, sub-species,
and types. Different species and sub-species have different types of nature and qualities. These nature and qualities are
exploited by mankind for benefit and progress, e.g., we use some types of vegetation for food purpose and some types
of animals for transportation and some others for food also. But, this bio-diversity gets degenerating due to some or the
other reasons as narrated below:
 Over exploitation of a particular type of species gets them reduced to such a lower number to sustain.
 Some species of birds are in danger due to hunting and/or loss of their natural habitats.
 Some animals are also on the verge of extinction because of hunting, loss of their natural home in forests etc.
 Some species of animals and birds are used for medicinal and experimental purposes.
 Some vegetation has lost their existence due to clearing of forests for mining, setting up of
industries/agricultural or human dwelling purposes.
 Some forests are being destroyed for urbanisation and with them gets destroyed habitation of many species of
living beings.
 Climate change also destroys species because some species cannot adapt to such changes.
 Sometimes some natural calamity or sudden change in geographical set-up may destroy species.

CHAPTER- 3

ECOSYSTEM

An ecosystem can be visualized as a functional unit of nature, where living organisms interact among themselves and
also with the surrounding physical envornment. Ecosystem varies greatly in size from a small pond to a large forest or
a sea. Amny ecologists regard the entire biosphere asa global ecosystem, as a composite of all local ecosystems on
Earth. Since this system is too much big and complex to be studies at one time, it is convenient to divide it into two
basic categories, namely the terrestrial and the aquatic. Forest, grassland and dessert are some examples of
terrestrial ecosystems; pond, lake, wetland, river and estuary are some examples of aquatic ecosystems. Crop frilds
and an aquarium may also be considered as man-made ecosystems.

 COMPONENTS OF ECOSYSTEM
An Ecosystem includes all of the living things (plants, animals and organisms) in a given area, interacting with each
other, and also with their non-living environments (Weather, Earth, Sun, Soil, Climate, Atmosphere).

Ecosystems are of two types: "A biotic" and "Biotic"

ABIOTIC COMPONENTS BIOTIC COMPONENTS

 Sunlight  Primary producers
 Temperature  Herbivores
 Precipitation  Carnivores
 Water or moisture  Omnivores
 Soil or water chemistry  Detrivores or decomposers

 TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ECOSYSTEMS

An ecosystem consists of all the living and non-living things in a specific natural setting. Plants, animals,
insects, microorganisms, rocks, soil, water and sunlight are major components of many ecosystems. All
types of ecosystems fall into one of two categories: terrestrial or aquatic. Terrestrial ecosystems are land-
based, while aquatic are water-based. The major types of ecosystems are forests, grasslands, deserts, tundra,
freshwater and marine. The word “biome” may also be used to describe terrestrial ecosystems which extend
across a large geographic area, such as tundra. Keep in mind, however, that within any ecosystem, specific
features vary widely – for instance, an oceanic ecosystem in the Caribbean Sea will contain vastly different
species than an oceanic ecosystem in the Gulf of Alaska.

 Forest ecosystems

Forest ecosystems are classified according to their climate type as tropical, temperate or boreal. In the
tropics, rainforest ecosystems contain more diverse flora and fauna than ecosystems in any other region on
earth. In these warm, moisture-laden environments, trees grow tall and foliage is lush and dense, with
species inhabiting the forest floor all the way up to the canopy. In temperate zones, forest ecosystems may be
deciduous, coniferous or oftentimes a mixture of both, in which some trees shed their leaves each fall, while
others remain evergreen year-round. In the far north, just south of the Arctic, boreal forests – also known as
taiga – feature abundant coniferous trees.

 Grassland ecosystems

Different types of grassland ecosystems can be found in prairies, savannas and steppes. Grassland
ecosystems are typically found in tropical or temperate regions, although they can exist in colder areas as
well, as is the case with the well-known Siberian steppe. Grasslands share the common climactic
characteristic of semi-aridity. Trees are sparse or nonexistent, but flowers may be interspersed with the
grasses. Grasslands provide an ideal environment for grazing animals.

 Desert ecosystems

The common defining feature among desert ecosystems is low precipitation, generally less than 25 cm, or 10
inches, per year. Not all deserts are hot – desert ecosystems can exist from the tropics to the arctic, but
regardless of latitude, deserts are often windy. Some deserts contain sand dunes, while others feature mostly
rock. Vegetation is sparse or nonexistent, and any animal species, such as insects, reptiles and birds, must be
highly adapted to the dry conditions.

 Tundra ecosystems

As with deserts, a harsh environment characterizes ecosystems in the tundra. In the snow-covered,
windswept, treeless tundra, the soil may be frozen year-round, a condition known as permafrost. During the
brief spring and summer, snows melt, producing shallow ponds which attract migrating waterfowl. Lichens
and small flowers may become visible during this time of year. The term “tundra” most commonly denotes
polar areas, but at lower latitudes, tundra-like communities known as alpine tundra may be found at high
elevations.

 Freshwater ecosystems

Freshwater ecosystems can be found in streams, rivers, springs, ponds, lakes, bogs and freshwater swamps.
They are subdivided into two classes: those in which the water is nearly stationary, such as ponds, and those
in which the water flows, such as creeks. Freshwater ecosystems are home to more than just fish: algae,
plankton, insects, amphibians and underwater plants also inhabit them.

 Marine ecosystems

Marine ecosystems differ from freshwater ecosystems in that they contain saltwater, which usually supports
different types of species than does freshwater. Marine ecosystems are the most abundant types of
ecosystems in the word. They encompass not only the ocean floor and surface but also tidal zones, estuaries,
salt marshes and saltwater swamps, mangroves and coral reefs.
CHAPTER-

WATER CONSERVATION
“Water is the driver of Nature”
- Leonardo DaVinci

“The earth, the air, the land, and the water are not an inheritance from our forefathers but on loan from our
children. So, we have to handover to them at least as it was handed over to us.” – Gandhi

“Water is such a lifesaver into which we cannot breathe but without taking it into us we cannot live” ―
Munia Khan

IMPORTANCE OF WATER
Water is the most important component of all life forms and necessary for sustaining life. It regulates climate,
generates electricity and is also useful in agriculture and industries. About 97% of the water on earth is saline
in nature, which is found in seas and oceans. The remaining 3% is fresh water, and most of which is stored in
ice caps and glaciers, and just about 0.36% is distributed in lakes, rivers, ponds, etc. Sea water supports
marine life and contributes to the production of fish and sea foods and several other commercial products
(iodine, agar, coral, pearls, etc.). Fresh water is needed by humans for their personal use (drinking, cleaning,
sewage disposal), It is also used by other animals, in agricultural, and for industrial purposes. Fresh water is a
renewable resource as it is continuously being produced through hydrological cycle (evaporation,
condensation and precipitation).

DEGRADATION AND DEPLETION OF WATER RESOURCES

On global scale water availability is not a problem itself, but it’s availability in right form, right time and right
place is a problem. Irregularities in duration and intensity of rainfall cause floods and droughts. Out of the
total water reserves of the world, about 97% is salty water (marine) and only 3% is fresh water. Due to
increased demands overuse of groundwater for drinking, irrigation and domestic purposes has lead to rapid
depletion of groundwater in various regions leading to lowering of water table.
Degradation of water is the decrease in quality and quantity of water on the earth surface. With increase in
population and industrial growth, water is being degraded day by day. The main reasons for the degradation
and depletion of water are:
1. To meet the need of increasing population, surface water (water from ponds, lakes, rivers, etc) and
ground water are overdrawn.
2. Sewage i.e., wastes water from domestic and municipal use makes fresh water unfit for use by human
beings and animals.
3. Waste water, from all industries flow downs the surface water bodies and ground water bodies and they
get polluted.

ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF WATER

Conservation and management of water are essential for the survival of mankind, plants and animals.
This can be achieved adopting the following methods:
1. Rain gardens: A rain garden is a garden of native shrubs, perennials, and flowers planted in a small
depression, which is generally formed on a natural slope. It is designed to temporarily hold and soak in
rain water runoff that flows from roofs, driveways, patios or lawns. Rain gardens are effective in
removing up to 90% of nutrients and chemicals and up to 80% of sediments from the rainwater runoff.
Compared to a conventional lawn, rain gardens allow for 30% more water to soak into the ground.

Because rain gardens will drain within 12-48 hours, they prevent the breeding of mosquitoes. Rain
gardens collect rainwater runoff, allowing the water to be filtered by the vegetation and percolate into the
soil, thereby recharging groundwater aquifers. This process filters out pollutants. Advantages offered by
rain gardens include:
- Improvement of water quality by filtering pollutants
- Pleasing appearance to the building
- Preservation of native vegetation
 - Storm water and flood control
- Attraction of bees, birds, and insects

2. Judicious use of water: Minimum amount of water should be used for all domestic purposes.
- While brushing, switch off the tap after wetting the tooth brush rather than letting it run till you finish
brushing.
- Similarly take a bucket bath rather than shower as it uses less water.
3. Checking wastage of water: Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets and repair them promptly.
4. Re-using water: - Reuse the soapy water, after washing clothes, for washing off the courtyards, drive
ways, etc.
- Attach a wash basin outlet to your flush , and every time you wash your hands, your flush will be
recharged and that can be used further for flushing,
- Always rinse vegetables in a bowl of water instead of under the running tap. Save the water and use it
in your garden.
- When you water your flower pots, excess water usually drains out. Place plastic buckets under the
flower pots to capture this excess water and reuse it in your garden.
5. Rainwater harvesting system: Rainwater harvesting (RWH) is a simple method by which rainfall is
collected for future usage. The collected rainwater may be stored, utilized in different ways or directly
used for recharge purposes. With depleting groundwater levels and fluctuating climate conditions, RWH
can go a long way to help mitigate these effects. Capturing the rainwater can help recharge local aquifers,
reduce urban flooding and most importantly ensure water availability in water-scarce zones. Some
ancient rainwater harvesting methods followed in India include madakas, ahar pynes, surangas, taankas
and many more.
6. Gray water recycling: Water used in homes has long been thought of in terms of clean drinking water
(known as potable water) coming into the house from the mains and sewage going out. However, the
wastewater from baths, showers, washing machines, dishwashers and sinks fits somewhere in-between
and this is referred to as grey water, which typically makes up between 50-80% of a household’s waste
water. If recycled properly, grey water can save approximately 70 liters of potable water per person per
day in domestic households, therefore grey water recycling is one of a number of water solutions that we
should look to in order to decrease our usage.
7. Watering of plants in the evening: To minimize the evaporation losses irrigate the crops, the plants
and the lawns in the evening, because water application during day time will lead to more loss of water
due to higher rate of evapo-transpiration.
8. Improve water efficiency: By using optimum amount of water in washing machine, dishwashers and
other domestic appliances, etc.
9. Install water saving toilets which use less water per flush.
ENERGY CONSERVATION

We have always been using different form of energy obtained from various sources for our daily activity like
cooking, heating, plugging, transportation, lighting, etc. For example, heat energy required for cooking
purpose is obtained from firewood, kerosene oil, coal, and electricity or cooking gas. LPG (liquefied
petroleum gas) we use animal power (horse, bullock, etc.) for transportation and for running minor
mechanical devices like the Persian wheel for irrigation or for running a “kolhu” for extracting oil from
oilseeds. Different forms of these energies are obtained from various sources.

TYPES OF ENERGY SOURCES

(i) Conventional Sources of Energy, which are easily available and have been in usage for a long
time.
(ii) Non-Conventional Sources of Energy, that are other than the usual, or that are different from
those in common practice.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND SCENARIO IN INDIA

India, energy is consumed in a variety of forms such as fuel wood; animal waste and agricultural residues are
the traditional sources of energy. These non-commercial fuels are gradually getting replaced by commercial
fuels i.e. coal, petroleum products, natural gas and electricity.

Out of total energy, commercial fuels account for 60% where as the balance 40% is coming from non-
commercial fuels. Of the total commercial energy produced in the form of power or electricity,
69% is from coal (thermal power),
25% is from hydel power,
4% is from diesel and gas,
2% is from nuclear power, and
Less than 1% from non- conventional sources like solar, wind, ocean, biomass, etc.
Petroleum and its products are the other large sources of energy. In a developing country like India, in spite
of enhanced energy production, there is still shortage due to increased demand of energy. In spite of the fact
that there is a phenomenal increase in power generating capacity, still there is 30% deficit of about 2,000
million units.
ROLE OF INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF ENERGY
Some methods to conserve energy are:

1. Emphasis on use of renewable sources of energy:

- Use solar heater for cooking your food on sunny days, which will cut down your
LPG expenses.
- Under Mukyamantri Solar power scheme, residents of Delhi who install roof-top solar
will get a generation based incentive of Rs.2 per unit of solar electricity generated. It was
valid from 2016-17 to 2020-21.
2. Stop wastage of energy:
- Switch off lights, fans and other appliances when not in use.
- Use pressure cooker always. A pressure cooker can save up to 75 percent of energy
required for cooking. It is also faster.
- People spend about 10.4 hours a year staring at an open fridge.
- "Vampire" appliances use electricity even when they are "off" by going into standby
mode. According to the Department of Energy, vampire appliances and electronics
account for 10% of energy used in an average home.
- Keeping the vessel covered with a lid during cooking, helps to cook faster, thus
saving energy.
3. Creating awareness among people regarding wise and judicious use of energy: As
individuals we should spread awareness regarding multiple ways in which we can save energy
and why it is so important for us do so.
4. Efficient heating and cooling:
- Close all windows and doors while cooling or heating, this will help save energy
- Use blinds/ curtains to keep the heat out during summers.
5. Plant trees: Grow trees near your houses and this will give a cool breeze and shade.
6. Harvesting energy from natural resources: Try to harvest energy from natural resources to
obtain heat for example drying the cloths in sun and avoid drying in washing machine.

7. Using energy efficient appliances: Although they usually cost more to buy, most front-loader
washing machines save you money over time and are kinder to the environment because they use
less power, water and detergent than top loaders.

- Use tube lights and energy efficient bulbs that save energy rather than bulbs. A 40 watt
tube light gives as much light as a 100 watt bulb.
8. Efficient designing: Design the house with provision for sunspace to keep the house warm and to
provide more light.
9. Minimise use of transportation: Avoid misuse of vehicles for transportation and if possible,
share car journey to minimise use of petrol/diesel. For small distances walk down or just use bicycles.
10. Minimize the use of air conditioner to save energy.
11. Cleaning bulbs and tubes: Keep the bulbs and tubes clean. Dust on tubes and bulbs decreases
lighting levels by 20 to 30 percent.
CONSERVATION OF FOOD RESOURCES

We are able to produce much more food than ever before by over-exploiting our natural resources. Food
production depends on a number of factors, not all of which are available everywhere on our planet. These
factors include availability of appropriate biotic resources, land and fertile soil which supply nutrients,
availability of fresh water, suitable conditions of environment and technical skill.

Food sources
The majorities of people obtain food from cultivated plants and domesticated animals. Although some food is
obtained from oceans and fresh waters, but the great majority of food for human population is obtained from
traditional land-based agriculture of crops and livestock.
Food crops
It is estimated that out of about 2, 50,000 species of plants, only about 3,000 have been tried as agricultural
crops. Under different agro-climatic condition, 300 are grown for food and only 100 are used on a large scale.
Livestock:
Domesticated animals are an important food source. The major domesticated animals used as food source by
human beings are ‘ruminants’ (e.g. cattle, sheep, goats, camel, reindeer, llama, etc.). Aquaculture: Fish and
seafood contributes 17 million metric tons of high quality protein to provide balance diet to the world.
Presently aquaculture provides only small amounts for world food but its significance is increasing day by
day.

World Food problems

As per estimates of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 840 million people remain chronically
hungry and out of this 800 million are living in the developing world. In last decade, it is decreasing at the rate
of 2.5 million per year, but at the same time world’s population is increasing. Target of cutting half the
number of world’s chronically hungry and undernourished people by 2015 will difficult to meet, if the present
trend continues. Due to inadequate purchasing power to buy food, it is difficult to fulfill minimum calorific
requirement of human body per day. Large numbers of people are in India are poor which can be attributing to
equitable distribution of income. Food insufficiency can be divided into two categories into under-
nourishment and malnourishment. Both of these insufficiencies are global problems.

Role of Individual in conservation of food resources

1. Cook as per need: Cook required amount of food. Also don’t over-serve friends and family which
leads to wastage of food. One way to help with this use of small plates.
2. Avoid wastage of food: Don’t waste the food, give it to someone before spoiling.
Check wastage of food in parties and picnics.
3. Avoid hoarding food: Don’t store large amount of food grains and protect them from damaging insects.
4. Kitchen garden: Maintain a kitchen garden/ backyard kitchen. A kitchen garden is where herbs and
vegetables are grown around the house for household use. Since early times a small plot near to the house
has been used for growing a variety of vegetables according to the season. Local varieties such as radish,
broad leaf mustard, chilli, beans, pumpkins etc. are all grown in the kitchen garden This help individuals
 grow food by themselves and not be dependent upon outside sources for buying food. The food thus
grown will be healthy and safe from harmful pesticides and fertilizers.
5. Alternate food sources: Use of alternate food sources, such as Nagli, unused food sources such as sea
weed can be popularized. Today, the Danish biotechnology company Unibio grows bacteria from natural
gas and sells it as livestock feed. The same livestock could feed some people after a catastrophe. More
people could be fed by adapting the Unibio process for direct human consumption—as odd as it might
seem, getting food from bacteria could keep many people alive in a catastrophe.
6. Use of food preservatives: Use of food preservatives to preserve perishable items. Good preservation is
the process of treating and handling food in such a way as to stop or greatly slow down the spoilage of
food and also extends its shelf-life. It involves preventing the growth of micro-organisms specially
bacteria, fungi (such as yeast), or other microorganisms, as well as slowing the oxidation of fats that
cause rancidity in the food. Over the years many food preservation methods have been improved to
increase the shelf-life of foods while minimizing changes to the quality and nutritional content. Most of
the people preserve fruits and vegetables by drying and freezing for short period of time. Food can be
preserved by using different methods, for example Refrigeration and freezing, canning, Dehydration,
Freeze-drying, Pickling, Pasteurizing, Fermentation etc.

7. Refrigeration: It can be used to preserve food. Increased use of refrigeration would make it possible to
substantially reduce post-harvest losses. Refrigeration already plays a key role in many food supply
chains by preserving the initial quality of foodstuffs, thus providing consumers with foodstuffs that are
both wholesome and safe. Refrigeration is still insufficiently and unequally used to ensure food safety
and security, as illustrated by the lack of suitable refrigeration infrastructure in many countries, above all
in the least-developed countries where undernourishment is of the greatest concern and the population is
growing the fastest
Since it is not possible to store perishable products at home, the population of these countries is forced to
buy food daily in open markets, in which there is often no concern for hygiene, much less with
maintaining them at suitable temperatures. That is, along with the problem of scarcity, there is also the
consumption of food that can cause health damage.
8. Shop smart and realistically: When going shopping try not to buy too much food. This may mean going
to the grocery store more often, and buying less food each time. Making a shopping list with ingredients
which one might need and sticking to that list might help.
9. Proper organization of the refrigerator: If we forget something's there until it's no longer good to
consume, that's a huge waste. Keep things neat and visible, and use the "first in, first out" principle: After
you buy new groceries, move the older products to the front so you consume them first.
 INTRODUCTION TO POLLUTION

All of the organic and inorganic components surrounding us, as well as the events, conditions and
processes of their interactions are known as environment. Any undesirable change in the
environment is known as environmental pollution. A pollutant is a containment that adversely alters
the physical, chemical or biological properties of the environment. Literally, pollution means – to
make or render unclear.

DEFINITION
Environmental pollution is defined as the undesirable change in physical, chemical and biological
characteristics of our air, land and water. As a result of over-population, rapid industrializations, and
other human activities like agriculture and deforestation etc., earth became loaded with diverse
pollutants that were released as by-products.
Odum(1971) defines, ‘pollution is an undesirable change in the physical, chemical or biological
characteristics of our land, air, or water what may or will harmfully affect human life or that of
desirable species.

TYPES OF POLLUTION
The rapid growth and development in science and technology has created an array of environmental
issues which are contributing to the fast deterioration of Earth's environment. Therefore,
environmental pollution is the biggest problem that the world is facing today. There are different
types of environmental pollution. It is important to understand that the various kinds of
environmental pollutions are interrelated to each other and one cannot be controlled independent of
others. In fact all parts of the environment- air, water and soil- depend on each other and on the flora
and fauna within the environment.
The substances which cause pollution are known as 'pollutants'. Entry of pollutants causes
disturbances in an ecosystem which manifest themselves into a chain of adverse reactions often very
complex in nature. The degradation of the environment does brought about can be grouped into
various categories based on the nature and type of environment being affected on the nature and type
of pollutant causing the problem.
Following are the various types of pollution:-
1. Air pollution
2. Water pollution
3. Soil or land pollution
4. Noise pollution
5. Thermal pollution
6. Radioactive pollution or nuclear pollution
7. Marine pollution
8. Industrial pollution
9. Acid rain pollution
10. Oil pollution
11. Chemical pollution
Out of these types of pollution, we will be discussing air pollution and water pollution in detail in
this paper.
 AIR POLLUTION

INTRODUCTION
The earth's atmosphere is a layer of gases that is held together by earth's gravity. Atmosphere forms a
protective cover around the earth. It contains a number of gases that are present in definite
concentrations and ratios, and it also regulates all the processes of biosphere. However the increasing
industrial growth has not only altered the ratio of these gases but has also increased the concentration
of many undesirable gases in the atmosphere. Air pollution refers to the presence of certain
contaminants or pollutants in the atmosphere, which may possess undesirable characteristics, may be
present in large quantities, or may remain suspended in the atmosphere for long periods of time and
hence may have detrimental effects on the survival and normal functioning of human beings, plants
and animals.

DEFINITION
According to U.S. Public Health Service, " Air pollution may be defined as the presence in the
outdoor atmosphere of one or more contaminants or combination thereof in such quantities and of
such duration as may be, or may tend to be injurious to human, plant or animal life, or property, or
which unreasonably interfere with the comfortable enjoyment of life, or property, or the conduct of
business."

MAJOR AIR POLLUTANTS AND THEIR SOURCES

1. Carbon monoxide (CO): It is a colorless odorless gas that is produced by the incomplete
burning of carbon-based fuse including petrol, diesel and wood. It is also produced from the
combustion of natural and synthetic products such as cigarettes.
2. Carbon dioxide (CO2): It is the chief greenhouse gas released in the atmosphere as a result
of human activities such as the burning of coal, oil and natural gases.
3. Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC): These are the gases that are released from air conditioning
systems and refrigeration. When released into the air, CFCs rise to the stratosphere and
destroy the ozone molecules in the ozonosphere leading to the depletion of ozone layer that
protects the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.
4. Lead (Pb): It is present in petrol, diesel, lead batteries, paints, hair dye products et cetera.
5. Ozone (O3): It occurs naturally in the upper layers of the atmosphere. This important gas
shields the earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun. However at the ground level it
 is a pollutant with highly toxic effects. Vehicles and industries are the major source of
ground-level ozone emissions.
6. Nitrogen oxide: This gas causes smog and acid rain. It is produced from burning fuels
including petrol, diesel and coal.
7. Suspended particulate matter (SPM): It consists of solids in the air in the form of smoke,
dust, and vapor that can remain suspended for extended periods, and is also the main source
of haze, which reduces visibility.
8. Sulphur dioxide (SO2): This gas is produced from burning coal, mainly in thermal power
plants. Some industrial processes such as production of paper and melting of metals produce
sulphur dioxide. It is a major contributor to smog and acid rain.

CAUSES OF AIR POLLUTION

Air pollution may be caused by a variety of simple and complex factors. It is not necessary that the
effects of air pollution are always felt in the immediate vicinity of the source. The principal causes of
air pollution are categorized into two types- natural causes and manmade causes.
1. Vehicle Exhaust Fumes: The number one source of air pollution in city environments is
vehicle exhaust fumes, which happen to release high amounts of carbon monoxide. Millions
of vehicles are operated on a daily basis, each one leaving its own carbon footprint on the
environment. This is why hybrid and fully electric vehicles are making a splash in the
automobile marketplace. People are looking to rely less on fossil fuels to power their cars,
leading to less toxic emissions into the environment.
2. Fossil Fuel-Based Power Plants: In addition to vehicle exhaust pollution, fossil fuels also
present a wider scale problem when they’re burned for energy in power plants. Chemicals
like sulfur dioxide are released during the burning process, which travel straight into the
atmosphere. These types of pollutants react with water molecules to yield something known
as acid rain. This is one of the reasons that alternative energy sources, such as nuclear, solar,
and wind are being explored in greater detail. They tend to release much less pollutants into
the environment to produce equivalent amounts of energy.
3. Exhaust from Industrial Plants and Factories: Similar to exhaust being released from
vehicles, heavier machinery located inside big factories and industrial plants also emit
pollutants into the air. Industrial plants can be found pretty much everywhere in the world, so
the spreading of air pollution is basically global.
4. Construction and Agricultural Activities: On a daily basis, dirt and dust is kicked up into
the atmosphere from excavating and demolition type construction activities. Switching the
focus to agricultural activities, ammonia is a frequent byproduct that just so happens to be one
of the most dangerous gases in our environment. There are also plenty of nasty chemicals that
get placed into the atmosphere from pesticides and fertilizers, which are being used at
increasingly higher rates.
5. Natural Causes: When people think pollution, they almost always blame other people. Let’s
not forget that the Earth is one of the biggest polluters itself, though. Volcanoes, forest fires,
and dust storms are nature-born events that dump massive amounts of air pollution into the
environment.
 6. Household Activities: Forget about outdoor pollution. What about the pollution that takes
place inside our own homes? Common household chemicals notably bleach, without proper
ventilation is a primary source of indoor air pollution.
7. Daily Activities: Smoking tobacco through the use of cigarettes and cigars also releases toxic
pollutants into the air. Also, using air conditioners and refrigerators are also contributing into
the current air pollution levels because they produce chlorofluorocarbons. It’s often easier to
think of outdoor pollution as the primary danger on a wide scale level, but don’t dismiss the
little everyday activities that also impact our health.

EFFECTS OF AIR POLLUTION

Now that we know the culprits of air pollution, let’s start discussing the harmful effects. There are
many different types of effects that air pollutants can cause.

1. Accelerated Global Warming: Earlier on, you learned about the Ozone layer and its role in
protecting our planet. Air pollution directly accelerates the rate at which global warming happens by
depleting the Ozone layer. Global warming refers to the increased temperatures Earth continues to
experience. These higher temperatures lead to the melting of the polar ice caps and icebergs, which
elevates sea levels and creates concern for the human race.

2. Human Respiratory and Heart Concerns: Air pollution is known to cause irritation in the eyes,
lungs, nose, and throat. It creates respiratory problems and exacerbates existing conditions such as
asthma and emphysema. When continually exposed to air pollution, humans become at higher risk
for cardiovascular disease. Air filled with toxins can have a number of adverse effects on the arteries,
and have even been a contributor to heart attacks.

3. Wildlife Endangerment: Most diseases and conditions that humans are susceptible to, animals
are as well. Air pollution creates many of the same issues that humans face. Heavily polluted areas
force inhabitants to seek new homes, which can negatively impact the ecosystem. Toxic chemicals,
which we’ll discuss in the next bullet, also deposit over surfaces of water that can lead to the
endangerment of marine life animals.

4. Acid Rain: When air pollution, specifically sulfur oxides and nitrogen oxides, are released into
sky through fossil fuel burning, it creates the phenomenon known as acid rain. Water, high in the
atmosphere, combines with these chemicals and becomes acidic in nature. It then scatters the ground,
disguised as normal rainfall. Acid rain has been known to cause harm to humans and animals alike,
and even damage crops.
PREVENTION AT INDIVIDUAL LEVEL
Enough has been talked about prevention of air pollution at a collective level or and the level of the
society, but our focus in this paper would be on the things we can do at an individual level to prevent
air pollution. Following are few of the basic things that a person can do at the individual level and
contribute in the prevention of air pollution in the environment:-

1. Minimal wastage of resources

Individuals should minimize wastage of resources such as electricity. Every unit of electricity
saved is equivalent unit of electricity produced as it not only saves the fuel that would be used
to produce that electricity, but also help to prevent pollution that is accompanied by burning
of that fuel. Therefore, person should always switch off appliances when not in use.
2. Eco-friendly modes of transportation
Individuals should prefer walking or use cycles instead of using motor vehicles, especially
when distances to be travelled are small.
3. Use public transport
Individuals can make considerable contribution by using mass transport (buses, trains, etc)
instead of using personal vehicles.
4. Prefer carpooling
When going to workplace, colleagues from nearby localities should pool vehicles instead of
going in individual personal vehicles.
5. Periodic Pollution checks for vehicles
Taking personal vehicles for periodic pollution checks at centers approved by authorities
really help in prevention of pollution. There is also an added bonus of getting saved from
paying that extra amount in the form of a fine.
6. Reuse
Individuals should try their best to reuse items whenever possible. It will help in decreasing
the amount of and number of items that we throw out, which will decrease the amount of
waste material, ultimately decreasing the pollution.
7. Recycle
Products that are made of recycled material should be given preference. They should also be
made available, accessible as well as affordable to everyone so that even the people
belonging to lower economical class can start using them, in turn leading to less pollution.
8. Stop using Plastic
Use gunny bags made of jute instead of plastic bags. Plastic bags are a real danger to our
environment. They are non-biodegradable, which is why it is extremely harmful to the
environment.
9. Plant more trees
Take part in environment conservation drives such as tree planting drives. If there is anything
that can save our air from being completely polluted, it is more trees. More trees mean more
clean oxygen, which in turn means a healthy air and environment.
10. Using renewable resources
Use renewable resources by installing equipment such as solar heaters and using solar
cookers. Renewable sources are based on natural sources of energy like sunlight, wind etc.
which is why they are better suited for our environment.
11. Proper disposal of products
Dispose potentially harmful products such as cells, batteries, pesticide containers, etc
properly. If we don’t do that, harmful products like the above mentioned things will mix up
with the different elements of environment, like air, water, soil, and will therefore create
pollution.
12. Minimal use of Refrigerators
Use of refrigerators should be minimized wherever possible as they are main source of CFC,
which is responsible for Ozone layer depletion.
13. Family Planning
Follow and promote family planning, as more population means more resources utilized and
more resources utilized imply more pollution.
14. Use handkerchiefs
We should have a habit of using handkerchiefs instead of paper tissues. This is so because,
more paper use means more trees need to be cut, which leads to deforestation. We all know
that trees are the only thing which can make oxygen, and can ultimately lead to a fresh air and
clean environment.
15. Spread Awareness
We should spread awareness and inspire other people to prevent pollution. Individuals should
be encouraged to acquire information and innovations from world over and implement them
locally.
 WATER POLLUTION

INTRODUCTION
What is the most valuable natural resource on this planet and the presence of water is one of the
major factors responsible for the existence of life on earth. Human beings are constantly polluting
water bodies such as rivers, lakes and oceans by disposal of waste materials into them. Today, many
of the major lakes and rivers have become polluted. River Ganga which was once considered to be
the purest and most sacred river in India is now one of the most polluted rivers of the world going to
the continuous discharge of sewage and industrial effluents into the river.

DEFINITION
Water pollution refers to the addition of any substance to water that may cause changes in its
physical and chemical properties and interfere with its use for legitimate purposes. The changes in
the physical and chemical characteristics of water may have detrimental effects on the living
organisms dependent on it and also impose restrictions on the ways in which this water may be used.

IMPURITIES IN WATER
Different types of impurities are found in water, which make it unfit for human consumption. Some
of these impurities are classified below:
● Physical Impurities: These impurities are mainly caused due to soil erosion including dust,
soil particles, pollens, microorganisms etc. Generally, these impurities are separated by
filtration.
● Mineral Impurities: These are mainly the minerals present in soil, which get dissolved in
groundwater or surface water. These are also known as total dissolved solids (TDS).
● Organic Impurities: Surface water is subjected to these organic impurities comprising both
plant and animal residuals and microorganisms, which are found on the surface of the earth.
Fertilizers and pesticides are the chief organic contaminants found in water.

CAUSES OF WATER POLUTION

There may be many causes of water pollution ranging from position of sediments to disposal of
sewage and runoff of fertilizers into the water bodies. Following are few of the major causes of water
pollution:-

1. Natural causes: Soil erosion due to rains, deposit of dead and decaying remains of plants and
animals, high speed winds, floods etc. are some of the natural phenomena that contribute to
water pollution.
2. Sewage Disposal: Sewage wastes include human excreta, paper, cloth, soap, detergent etc.
the may be biodegradable or non-biodegradable and may release a number of chemical
substances into the water rendering it unfit for use.
 3. Industrial Waste: Effluents released from industrial units contain a wide variety of both
inorganic and organic pollutants such as oil, grease, plastic, metals, acids, and other toxic
chemicals, many of which are not readily susceptible to degradation and lead to serious
pollution problems.
4. Agricultural Waste: Modern agricultural practices required the use of large amounts of
fertilizers, pesticides, biocides, and other soil additives. A variety of fertilizers and pesticides
such as DDT, slowly move two water bodies through irrigation, rainfall, and poor drainage,
and cause pollution.
5. Human Activities: Human activities such as bathing, washing clothes etc. In towns and
villages lead to water pollution.
6. Customs and Traditions: Disposal of dead bodies and immersion of idols of gods and
goddesses into water bodies during various festivals in India degrade the quality of water.

EFFECTS OF WATER POLLUTION

The effects of water pollution are varied and depend on the toxicity of the chemicals that are dumped
and on the location of the site of disposal. The various effects of water pollution are described as
follows:
1. Diseases: In humans, drinking or consuming polluted water in any way has many disastrous
effects on our health. It causes typhoid, cholera, hepatitis and various other diseases.
2. Destruction of Ecosystems: Ecosystems are extremely dynamic and respond to even small
changes in the environment. Water pollution can cause an entire ecosystem to collapse if left
unchecked.
3. Eutrophication: Chemicals in a water body encourage the growth of algae. These algae form
a layer on top of the pond or lake. Bacteria feed on this algae and this decreases the amount of
oxygen in the water body, severely affecting the aquatic life there.
4. Affects the food chain: Disruption in food chains happens when toxins and pollutants in the
water are consumed by aquatic animals (fish, shellfish etc) which are then consumed by
humans.

PREVENTION AT INDIVIDUAL LEVEL

Enough has been talked about prevention of water pollution at a collective level or and the level of
the society, but our focus in this paper would be on the things we can do at an individual level to
prevent water pollution. following are few of the basic things that a person can do at the individual
level and contribute in the prevention of water pollution in the environment:-
(1) Keep out oils, fat, or grease from the sink. Desist from pouring cooking oil, fat or grease
down the kitchen sink. Instead, keep a jar that collects all the fats, grease or oil then discard in
solid waste.
(2) Abstain from flushing contaminated liquids, pills, drugs, or medications down the
drain. These substances contain scores of toxic materials that destroy the quality of natural
water systems. Instead, use the recommended disposal methods.
(3) Desist from using the toilet as a bin. Most people discard dust clothes, paper wastes,
synthetic materials, and wrappers in the toilet. The destructive elements of these materials
may finally end up in the oceans, lakes or rivers. Desisting from this habit can
considerably prevent water pollution.
(4) Ensure minimal use of bleach or detergents. During cleaning of laundry or cutleries, it is
vital to minimize the use of bleach and detergents. Instead, you can persist on only using
phosphate-free detergents and soaps.
(5) Reduce the use of herbicides, pesticides, and fertilizers. Excessive use of herbicides,
pesticides, and fertilizers leads to water pollution as the chemicals contained in the products
often find way into the water systems through surface runoff or infiltration into the soil.
 Minimizing their usage or using organic methods for pest, weed, and disease control can
appreciably reduce water pollution.
(6) Proper sewage treatment and management. Proper sewage treatment is required to limit
the amount of toxic substances that normally end up in water systems such as lakes, rivers,
and oceans. Also, individual homes that use septic tanks or cellar drains need to ensure proper
management of their home sewage to avoid pollution.
(7) Dispose trash properly. When trash is not disposed properly some of the non-degradable
products such as diapers and sanitary towels may end up destroying the process of sewage
treatment, especially when they are flushed down the toilet. At times, poor disposal of solid
non-degradable materials such as plastics normally ends up littering the beaches and river
banks.
(8) Avoid direct dumping into water systems. By all means possible, we should desist from
disposing rubbish or any other waste products into lakes, rivers, streams or oceans. Still, you
can do the best to clean your local water body whenever you notice rubbish littering the
beaches or banks.
(9) Always conserve water. Play an active role in reducing water pollution by conserving water
at all time. You can achieve this by ensuring the taps are always turned off when they are not
in use. Conserving water reduces the amount of contaminated water that needs to be treated.
(10) Insist on using environmentally safe products. Whenever you purchase household
products such as cleaning material, medical supplies, paints, insect/ant repellants, or chemical
substances; always persist on obtaining and using products that are less harmful to the
environment.
(11) Practice tree planting. Planting trees reduce the speed of surface water runoff and as
such, lessens erosion and prevents toxic substances and chemicals from washing into water
systems. If you live next to a water body, please take this initiative today and plant trees and
vegetation covers such as flowers, grass, and shrubs.
(12) Re-use automobile oil as much as possible and keep your vehicle well
maintained. Re-using automobile oil reduces the amount of used oil that is discarded which
may end up polluting water bodies. Also, it is essential to keep your vehicle well maintained
so as to prevent the leakage of deadly fluids like oil and antifreeze.
(13) Support green-oriented companies. These are the companies that take creative
initiatives to reduce water pollution. For instance, some green cleaning product companies
make the packaging materials by using recycling plastics collected from the oceans. Also,
some sewage treatment firms now clean wastewater without the use of chemicals. Supporting
and using the services of such companies can greatly help reduce water pollution.
(14) Use super energy saving washing machines. When purchasing washing machines,
ensure you buy energy star approved washing equipment which can save energy and up to 60
litres of water. Eventually, it reduces the amount of wastewater that needs treatment.
(15) De-clog your drains naturally. The typical drain cleaners contain several noxious
chemicals such as sodium hydroxide. You can instead use natural methods such as pouring
equal portions of white vinegar, boiling water and baking soda and let it stay in the drain for
30 minutes before rinsing.
(16) Always opt for recyclable and reusable options. Reusable and recycled materials
avoid the unnecessary use of water. By using these options, it, therefore, means you are
conserving water. At the same time, you are minimizing the amount of waste water produced
during production and processing. This should also include re-using dishware and linens such
as towels and bed sheets.
(17) Skip the use of plastics. Plastic leftovers such as used plastic water bottles,
disposable plastic plates, and plastic bags frequently end up in the oceans, lakes, streams and
rivers, contaminating natural habitats and destroying aquatic life.
(18) Dispose motor oil, batteries or antifreeze at specially assigned collection
points. Ensure each and every time you want to dispose used engine oil, batteries or
antifreeze you do so at designated collection points to avoid the unnecessary contamination of
ecosystems which may end up polluting surface and ground waters.
(19) Keep your boat well maintained if you have one or in charge of any. Ensure your
boat is in good condition at all times to avoid toxic substances from leaking into the water.
(20) Only wash when you have a full load. By washing only when you have full loads of
laundry and dishware, you can save tons of water while also reducing the amount of
contaminated water that has to be treated.
(21) Pick up pet waste. Pet waste might contain harmful bacteria which can flow into
storm drains and contaminate water systems.
(22) Practice organic farming. Organically grown crops reduce the quantity of herbicides
and pesticides used in farming. It also promotes the use of organic fertilizer which promotes
natural growth and eliminates the use of toxic chemicals found in synthetic fertilizers, which
can penetrate into the ground and pollute water supplies.
(23) Contact the local water protection and conservation authority whenever you
notice any pollution activities. Take the initiative of promptly contacting the relevant local
water conservation office when you notice any kind of pollutant or chemical being discharged
or injected into water bodies.
(24) Install water-efficient household appliances. In our homes, we have several
appliances used for cleaning and sanitary purposes such as dishwashers, washing machines,
toilets, and shower heads. When we persist on installing these types of appliances that are
water efficient, we end up saving millions of litres of water which would have been
contaminated. Next time you want to install any of these products, first, look at their water
efficiency rating.
(25) Take action by actively participating in water pollution prevention. You can make
monetary contributions or donations to water conservation agencies. Also, you can actively
sensitize your peers and community on how to prevent water pollution and how they can
ensure water conservation.
 EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

The term ‘equitable’ means dealing fairly and equally with all concerned.

Scarcity of resources is the burning problem of modern technology. The twenty-first century will see
growing human needs for resources since many parts of the world are using natural resources at a
rate faster than the natural processes can replenish it.

There is an urgent need for Sustainable use of resources to meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."Sustainability” is the
foundation for today’s leading global framework for international cooperation – the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development and it’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Each of the 17 SDGs has specific targets to be achieved by 2030. The goals and targets are universal,
meaning they apply to all countries around the world, not just poor countries. Reaching the goals
requires action on all fronts – governments, businesses, civil society and people everywhere all have
a role to play.
In last 50 years, the consumption of resource in the society has increased many folds. There is a big
gap in the consumers lifestyle between developed and developing countries. Urbanization has
changed the life style of middle class population in developing countries creating more stress on the
use of natural resources. It has been estimated that More Developed Countries (MDC) of the world
constitute only 22% of world’s population but they use 88% of natural resources. These countries use
73% of energy resources and command 85% of income and in turn they contribute very big
proportion of pollution. On the other hand less developed countries (LDCs) have moderate industrial
growth and constitute 78% of world’s population and use only 12% of natural resources, 27% of
energy and have only 15% of global income.

There is a huge gap between rich and poor. In this age of development the rich have gone richer and
the poor is becoming poorer. This has led to unsustainable growth. There is an increasing global
concern about the management of natural resources. The solution to this problem is to have more
equitable distribution of resources and income. Two major causes of unsustainability are over
population in poor countries and over consumption of resources by rich countries. A global
consensus has to be reached for balanced distribution of natural resources.

CAUSE OF UNSUSTAINABILITY AND WHAT CAN WE DO?

The two basic causes of unsustainability are over population in poor countries who have under
consumption of resources and over consumption of resources by the rich countries, which generate
wastes. In order to achieve sustainable life styles it is desirable to achieve a more balanced and
equitable distribution of global resources and income to meet everyone's basic needs. The rich
countries will have to lower down their consumption levels while the bare minimum needs of the
poor have to be fulfilled by providing them resources.

A fairer sharing of resources will narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor and will lead to
sustainable development for all and not just for a privileged group. Sustainable Lifestyles require
love and respect for the nature. We have to develop sentiments among people to care for our mother
earth. The beautiful wilderness, magnificent natural forests, the expanse of green grassland, the clean
water of a hill stream, etc. are wealth of the nature which need to be protected for sustainable
livelihoods.

STEPS TO UNDERTAKE FOR EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES FOR

SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS

1. Instead of converting forest land to an agricultural land. Make the use of existing multiple
cropping patterns for sustainable agriculture.
2. Make judicious use of fertilizers, pesticides and chemicals for production and processing of
agricultural products.
3. Irrigation opportunities should be encouraged.
4. Rainwater harvesting should be installed.
5. No tillage agriculture should be promoted.
6. Control flow of irrigation water to reduce erosion of soil. Using sprinkler irrigation will help in
conservation of soil.
7. Use organic manure or compost waste to maintain soil fertility.
8. Design landscape of lawn in large area to bind soil to avoid erosion.
9. Provide vegetation cover by growing of ornamental plant, herbs and trees in your garden.
10. Use vegetable waste to prepare compost to use in kitchen gardening.
11. Avoid burning crop residues that emit C02.
12. Ensure proper storage of food grains for minimizing the losses.
13. Adopt post harvest technologies for value addition.
14. Instead of non-recyclable plastic bags prefer using paper and jute bags.
15. Turn off lights and fans if no one is in the room.
16. Switch over to energy efficient bulbs and lights.
17. Clean the bulbs, tubes and other lighting sources regularly.
18. Switch off the television or radio as soon as the program of interest is over.
19. Cooking in pressure cooker can also save a lot of energy used for cooking.
20. Using a lid to cover the vessel during Cooking will help faster cooking, and saving energy.
21. Make green purchases.
22. Improve water efficiency by using optimum amount of water in washing machine, dishwashers
and other domestic appliances etc.
23. Install water saving toilets which use less water per flush.
24. Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets.
25. Don't keep water taps running while you are not using them.
26. Do not drain water used for washing. Instead use it for gardening.
28. Use of solar cookers for cooking will help in conserving LPG.
29. Avoid using vehicles for transportation for small distances.

SUSTAINABILITY HAS CERTAIN KEY COMPONENTS

 First major component of sustainability is natural capital that is the natural resources and the
natural services that keep us and other forms of life alive and support human economics.
They are materials and energy in nature that are essential or useful to humans.
 Second component of sustainability is to recognize that many human activities can degrade
natural capital by using normally renewable resources faster than nature can restore them. For
example in some parts of the world we are clearing mature forests then we can renew them,
 we are also loading some rivers, lakes and oceans with chemicals, animal wastes etc. faster
than these bodies of water can clean themselves.
 The third component of sustainability is solutions. Well environment scientist search for
solutions to problems such as unsustainable degradation of forest and other forms of natural
capital their work is limited to finding the scientific solutions the political solutions are left to
political processes. For example a scientific solution to the problems of depletion of forest is
stop burning or cutting of biologically diverse mature forest’s and allow nature to replenish
itself. To implement search solutions however government would probably have to enact and
enforce laws and regulations.

OBJECTIVES

It is essential to sustain the natural resources. We should conserve natural resources so that it may
yield sustainable benefit to the present generation while maintaining its potential to meet the needs of
the future generation. There are three specific objectives to conserve living resources:
1. To ensure that any utilization of the ecosystem is sustainable.
2. To preserve biodiversity and
3. To maintain essential ecological processes.
4. To build a healthier ecosystem for future generations.

REASONS FOR INEQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCE ARE MENTIONED

BELOW:

1. Inequality in physical location of resource : nature has not distributed the resources evenly
in some areas one resource is abundant while it is scarce in other areas. Cherapunji receives
the highest rainfall while there is scarcity of rainfall in desert areas. Some areas are rich in
flora and fauna while others are rich in minerals.
2. Inequality in existing population and population growth : population in some countries
like Australia is limited which provides a very low density of 2 per square kilometre whereas
the population in India is more than 250 persons per square kilometres .The land and water
resources availability is no less in India .
3. Inequality in income distribution across nations and within nation : there is a big
difference in the income level of underdeveloped and developed countries. The average
income of a person in a country like India is around Rs.30 while it is as high as Rs.7000 in
developed countries like Japan and Canada etc. this variation in income provides unequal
excess to resources to people in these countries.
EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT:

Scarcity of resources is the burning problem of modern technology. The twenty-first century will see
growing human needs for resources since many parts of the world are using natural resources at a
rate faster than the natural processes can replenish it.
Sustainable development basically means that the process of development needs to be sustained or
the development of a region should be planned in such a manner that it should go on for a quite long
time. Therefore, it calls for planned or judicious utilization of available limited resources with least
possible degradation of environment while maintaining quality of life at the same time.
For equitable use of natural resources more developed countries/rich people have to lower down their
level of consumption to bare minimum so that these resources can be shared by poor people to satisfy
their needs. Time has come to think that it is need of the hour that rich and poor should make
equitable use of resources for sustainable development of mankind. The rich countries will have to
lower down their consumption levels while bare minimum needs of the poor have to be fulfilled by
providing them resources. A fairer sharing of resources will narrow down the gap between the rich
and the poor and will lead to sustainable development for all and not just for a privileged group.
ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION: AWARENESS AND ISSUES INVOLVED IN
ENFORCEMENT

The word ‘Environment’ is derived from the French word ‘Environner’ which means to encircle,
around or surround. The biologist Jacob Van Uerkal (1864-1944) introduced the term ‘environment’
in Ecology. Ecology is the study of the interactions between an organism of some kind and its
environment. As given by Environment Protection Act 1986, Environment is the sum total of land,
water, air, interrelationships among themselves and also with the human beings and other living
organisms. Environmental Science is the interdisciplinary field and requires the study of the
interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the Environment with a
focus on environmental pollution and degradation. An environment study is a multidisciplinary
subject where different aspects are dealt with in a holistic approach. The science of Environment
studies comprises various branches of studies like chemistry, physics, life science, medical science,
agriculture, public health, sanitary engineering, geography, geology, atmospheric science, etc. It is
the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies the sources, reactions, transport,
effect and fate of a biological species in the air, water and soil and the effect of and from human
activity upon these. Environmental Science deals with the study of processes in soil, water, air and
organisms which lead to pollution or environmental damages and the scientific basis for the
establishment of a standard which can be considered acceptably clean, safe and healthy for human
beings and natural ecosystems.
The environment is something you are very familiar with. It's everything that makes up our
surroundings and affects our ability to live on the earth—the air we breathe the water that covers
most of the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us, and much more.

DEFINITIONS OF ENVIRONMENT:

Some important definitions of environment are as under:

1. According to Boring, ‘A person’s environment consists of the sum total of the stimulation which
he receives from his conception until his death.’ Indicating that environment comprises various types
of forces such as physical, intellectual, mental, economical, political, cultural, social, moral and
emotional.
2. Douglas and Holland defined that ‘The term environment is used to describe, in aggregate, all the
external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior and the growth,
development and maturity of living organisms’.
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT EDUCATION
The environment studies make us aware about the importance of protection and conservation of our
mother earth and about the destruction due to the release of pollution into the environment. The
increase in human and animal population, industries and other issues make the survival cumbersome.
A great number of environment issues have grown in size and make the system more complex day
by day, threatening the survival of mankind on earth. Environment studies have become significant
for the following reasons:
1. Environment Issues are being of Global:
It has been well recognized that environment issues like global warming and ozone depletion, acid
rain, marine pollution and biodiversity are not merely national issues but are global issues and hence
require international efforts and cooperation to solve them.
2. Development and Environment:
Development leads to Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Telecommunication and Transportation
Systems, Hi-tech Agriculture and Housing etc. However, it has become phased out in the developed
world. The North intentionally moves their dirty factories to South to cleanse their own environment.
When the West developed, it did so perhaps in ignorance of the environmental impact of its
activities. Development of the rich countries of the world has undesirable effects on the environment
of the entire world.
3. Explosive Increase in Pollution
World census reflects that one in every seven persons in this planet lives in India. Evidently with 16
per cent of the world's population and only 2.4 per cent of its land area, there is a heavy pressure on
the natural resources including land. Agricultural experts have recognized soil health problems like
deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil salinity and damage of soil structure.
4. Need for an Alternative Solution
It is essential, especially for developing countries to find alternative paths to an alternative goal. We
need a goal as under:
 A true goal of development with an environmentally sound and sustainable development.
 A goal common to all citizens of our planet earth.
  A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from the over-consuming
wasteful societies of the “developed” world.
 It is utmost important for us to save the humanity from extinction because of our activities
constricting the environment and depleting the biosphere, in the name of development.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION

Environmental legislation is the collection of laws and regulations pertaining to air quality, water
quality, the wilderness, endangered wildlife and other environmental factors. The umbrella of
environmental legislation covers many laws and regulations, yet they all work together toward a
common goal, which is regulating the interaction between man and the natural world to reduce
threats to the environment and increase public health.

ENVIRONMENT LAWS IN INDIA

The need for protection and conservation of environment and sustainable use of natural resources is
reflected in the constitutional framework of India and also in the international commitments of India.
The Constitution under Part IVA (Art 51A-Fundamental Duties) casts a duty on every citizen of
India to protect and improve the natural environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and
to have compassion for living creatures. Further, the Constitution of India under Part IV (Art 48A-
Directive Principles of State Policies) stipulates that the State shall endeavor to protect and improve
the environment and to safeguard the forests and wildlife of the country.

Several environment protection legislations existed even before Independence of India. However, the
true thrust for putting in force a well-developed framework came only after the UN Conference on
the Human Environment (Stockholm, 1972). After the Stockholm Conference, the National Council
for Environmental Policy and Planning was set up in 1972 within the Department of Science and
Technology to establish a regulatory body to look after the environment-related issues. This Council
later evolved into a full-fledged Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF).

MoEF was established in 1985, which today is the apex administrative body in the country for
regulating and ensuring environmental protection and lays down the legal and regulatory framework
for the same. Since the 1970s, a number of environment legislations have been put in place. The
MoEF and the pollution control boards ("CPCB", ie, Central Pollution Control Board and "SPCBs",
i.e., State Pollution Control Boards) together form the regulatory and administrative core of the
sector.
Some of the important legislations for environment protection are as follows:

 The National Green Tribunal Act, 2010

 The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981
 The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974
 The Environment Protection Act, 1986
 The Hazardous Waste Management Regulations, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIONS AND THEIR RELEVANCE IN URBAN PLANNING

Constitutional Provisions & Environment

• Art 21 “Right to pollution free environment.”

• Art 48-A “The state shall endeavor to protect & improve the environment and to safeguard
the forests and wildlife of the country.

• Art 51-A (g) “duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural environment
including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife and to have compassion for living creatures.”

Environmental Legislations

1. General

2. Forest and wildlife

3. Water

4. Air

 General

• 1986 - The Environment (Protection) Act authorizes the central government to protect and
improve environmental quality, control and reduce pollution from all sources, and prohibit or
restrict the setting and /or operation of any industrial facility on environmental grounds. •
1989 - The objective of Hazardous Waste (Management and Handling) Rules is to control the
generation, collection, treatment, import, storage, and handling of hazardous waste.

• 1998 - The Biomedical waste (Management and Handling) Rules is a legal binding on the
health care institutions to streamline the process of proper handling of hospital waste such as
segregation, disposal, collection, and treatment.
• 2000 - The Municipal Solid Wastes (Management and Handling) Rules, 2000 apply to
every municipal authority responsible for the collection, segregation, storage, transportation,
processing, and disposal of municipal solid wastes.

• 2002 - The Noise Pollution (Regulation and Control) (Amendment) Rules lay down such
terms and conditions as are necessary to reduce noise pollution, permit use of loud speakers
or public address systems during night hours on or during any cultural or religious festive
occasion.

 Forest and wildlife

• 1927 - The Indian Forest Act and Amendment, 1984, is one of the many surviving colonial
statutes. It was enacted to ‘consolidate the law related to forest, the transit of forest produce,
and the duty leviable on timber and other forest produce’.

• 1972 - The Wildlife Protection Act, Rules 1973 and Amendment 1991 provides for the
protection of birds and animals and for all matters that are connected to it whether it be their
habitat or the waterhole or the forests that sustain them.

• 1980 - The Forest (Conservation) Act and Rules, 1981, provides for the protection of and
the conservation of the forests.

• 2002 - The Biological Diversity Act is an act to provide for the conservation of biological
diversity, sustainable use of its components, and fair and equitable sharing of the benefits
arising out of the use of biological resources and knowledge associated with it.

 Water

• 1974 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act establishes an institutional
structure for preventing and abating water pollution. It establishes standards for water quality
and effluent. Polluting industries must seek permission to discharge waste into effluent
bodies. The CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) was constituted under this act.

• 1977 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Act provides for the levy and
collection of cess or fees on water consuming industries and local authorities.

• 1978 - The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Cess Rules contains the standard
definitions and indicate the kind of and location of meters that every consumer of water is
required to affix.
• 1991 - The Coastal Regulation Zone Notification puts regulations on various activities,
including construction. It gives some protection to the backwaters and estuaries.

• 2010 – Wetland Rules Air

 AIR

• 1982 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Rules defines the procedures of the
meetings of the Boards and the powers entrusted to them.

• 1987 - The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Amendment Act empowers the central
and state pollution control boards to meet with grave emergencies of air pollution.
Environment Protection Act, 1986

 Environment Protection Act, 1986

• "environment" includes water, air and land and the inter- relationship which exists among
and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants,
microorganism and property

• "environmental pollutant" means any solid, liquid or gaseous substance present in such
concentration as may be, or tend to be, injurious to environment;

• "environmental pollution" means the presence in the environment of any environmental

pollutant;

• "handling", in relation to any substance, means the manufacture, processing, treatment,

package, storage, transportation, use, collection, destruction, conversion, offering for sale,
transfer or the like of such substance

• “hazardous substance" means any substance or preparation which, by reason of its

chemical or physio-chemical properties or handling, is liable to cause harm to human beings,
other living creatures, plant, micro-organism, property or the environment;

• "occupier", in relation to any factory or premises, means a person who has control over the
affairs of the factory or the premises and includes in relation to any substance, the person in
possession of the substance;
  Requirements under EPA

• Sec 7- no person carrying on any industry, operation or process shall discharge or emit or
permit to be discharged or emitted any environmental pollutant in excess of such standards as
may be prescribed

• Sec 8 – no person shall handle or cause to be handled any hazardous substance except in
accordance with such procedure and after complying with such safeguards as may be
prescribed

ISSUES INVOLVED IN ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATIONS

Three issues that are especially important for environmental legislation are:

1. The precautionary principle: - This principle has evolved to deal with risks and
uncertainties faced by environmental management. The principle implies that an ounce of prevention
is worth a pound of cure— it does not prevent problems but may reduce their occurrence and helps
ensure contingency plans are made
2. In addition to-the obvious—the polluter pays for the damaged caused by a development—this
principle also implies that a polluter pays for monitoring and policing. A problem with this approach
is that fines may bankrupt small businesses, yet be low enough for a large company to write them off
as an occasional overhead, which does little for pollution control.
3. Freedom of information: Environmental planning and management is hindered if the public,
NGOs or even official bodies are unable to get information.
4. Red tapism and corruption: In India, corruption of government officials is practiced daily, which
adversely affects the effective enforcement law. The officials when prosecuted usually escape giving
the plea that the wrongful emissions had been tolerated for a long time by the enforcement agents.
Granting rights of action to environment groups is one possibility which is miss utilized for their
own personal favors.
5. Insignificant or Ineffective penalties: Mid sanctions as punishments for perpetrators of
environmental crimes adds to the load of obstacles in the effective enforcement of environmental
law.
6. Individual attitude: The attitude of individual in environment also matters for the regulation and
implementation of the environment acts. The individuals also have to take up the environmental
issues seriously for the future generations.
7. Lack of active media in this particular aspect : Media awareness in this field is also required for
the proper implementation of the law and order. The media should also highlight he ill practices and
the corruption taking place in this field also. it’s the need of the hour to focus on regulations related
to malpractices against the environment and environmental laws by media.

A number of laws have been enforced for safeguarding the environmental quality. However, these
laws and acts could not be enacted successfully in light of the following problems.
1. Drawbacks of wildlife protection act, 1972
 Since this act has been enacted just as fallout of Stockholm conference held in 1972,
it has not included any locally evolved conservation measures.
 The ownership certificates for some animal articles (Ex: Leopard and Tiger skins)
often serve as a tool for illegal trading.
 Jammu and Kashmir have their own wildlife acts, therefore, hunting and trading of
many endangered species, prohibited in other states are allowed in Jammu and
Kashmir.
 The offenders of this act are not subject to any harsh fines. The fine is only Rs. 25000
or imprisonment for up-to three years.
2. Drawbacks of the Forest (conservation) Act, 1980
 This act only transfers the powers from state to centre to decide the conversion of
reserve forests to non-forest areas.
 The power has been centralized at the top and local communities have been
completely ignored from the decision making process regarding the nature of forest areas.
 Tribal people living in forests are totally dependent on forest resources. If they are
stopped from exploiting forests for their livelihood, they resort to criminal activities like smuggling,
killing, etc.
 This law is concentrated on protecting trees, birds and animals but not on protecting
poor people
 The forest dwelling tribal communities have a rich knowledge about forest resources,
their importance and conservation. However, their role and contribution is not acknowledged.
3. Drawbacks of pollution related acts
 The power and authority has been given only to the central government with little
power to the state government. This hinders effective implementation of the act in the states.
 The penalties imposed by this act are very small when compared to the damage
caused by big industries due to pollution.
 A person cannot directly file a petition in the court.
 Litigation, related to the environment is expensive, since it involves technical
knowledge.
 For small industries, it is very expensive to install an individual custom-made effluent
treatment plant
 The position of chairman of the board of most industries is occupied by a political
appointee. Hence it becomes difficult to implement the act without political interference.

CHAPTER –

ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA IN ENVIRONMENT

AWARENESS / CONSCIOUSNESS
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Information technology (IT) is the use of computers to store, retrieve, transmit, and manipulate data
or information.

According to Information Technology Trends in 2019:

“Information technology refers to anything related to computing technology. The Internet, for
example, comes under the umbrella term IT. So does computer hardware, software, and networking.”

Either small or big business, they will need to scale out a plan to utilize opportunities brought by
Information Technology. We use IT in four ways to support (1) information-processing tasks, (2)
decision making, (3) shared information through decentralized computing and (4) innovation.

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Environmental awareness means being aware of the natural environment and making choices that
benefit the earth, rather than hurt it. Some of the ways to practice environmental awareness include:
using safe and non-toxic building supplies, conserving energy and water, recycling, activism, and
others.
Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our environment and the importance of its
protection. Promoting environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental steward
and participate in creating a brighter future for our children.
I feel that environmental awareness make us realize the pressing need to take immediate action to
stop harming the environment and start restoring the damage we have done to it. Unless there is
awareness, there is no action or at least no proper action. And this action must start from the
individual level and spread through the people and organizations we know.
Once we have a thorough understanding of the environmental issues such as deforestation,
environmental pollution, water crisis, global warming and climate change, loss of biodiversity etc.
Every one of our actions will come out of a place of concern for our surroundings, out of love for
mother nature, out of the willingness to contribute towards sustainable development and make a
positive change in the world.

INTEGRATION OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL

AWARENESS
Over the past few decades, technologies have made a few great contributions to the environmental
protection. Renewable technologies have reduced the demand of fossil fuel; computer technologies
have enabled paperless office into reality and thus decreasing the number of trees used to produce
paper. Therefore, I have come in to believe that technologies will serve as a major role in protecting
the environment, both in the present and future. IT plays a vital role in the field of environment
education and dissemination of information.
Environmental technology(envirotech), green technology (greentech) or clean technology
(cleantech) is the application of one or more of environmental science, green chemistry,
environmental monitoringand electronic devices to monitor, model and conserve the natural
environment and resources, and to curb the negative impacts of human involvement. The term is also
used to describe sustainable energy generation technologies such as photovoltaics, wind turbines,
bioreactors, etc. Sustainable development is the core of environmental technologies.

MEDIA AND ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

As far as the environmental issues are concerned, media either as a risk communicator, or as a
promoter of data, information and good practices of any kind, should smooth the progress of people
to become more environmentally responsible and cultivate an environmental awareness.
Additionally, media could help people associate reasons and effects, thus to get informed and to
reflect upon the given information, in order to understand the origins and the causes of the major
environmental problems. Mass Media plays an important role for creating environment awareness
among people.

All the aforementioned could be accomplished by the use of digital media, and especially the
Internet. Firstly, the blending of text and multimedia contributes to the presentation and decoding of
complicated situations and events, and secondly, the proper choice of internet-based approach could
be low cost and “green”. The power of pictures and videos to illustrate, captivates or shock, is
undoubtedly, linked to understanding. Via the Internet, people have an instant, cost free and
unlimited access to a great number of environmental documentaries or professional and amateur
videos regarding nature and its protection via apposite websites, like [Link] or similar.
Blogs, Wikis, Forums and educational portals : such websites, on the one hand give access to an vast
amount of information regarding the planets and its protection, without any consumption of paper
and ink, and on the other hand, provide a virtual space of communication and exchanging of
information and ideas, without the burden of traveling. Virtual environments and e-museums: which
represent an attractive alternative for the enhancement of the environmental awareness, as the user
has the opportunity to navigate and sometimes interact with the presented environment.

In India, Newspaper, Radio and television has a major role to play in environmental awareness as
they are most widely used modern mass media.

TYPES OF MEDIA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

• RADIO- Radio happens to be the cheapest and easily accessible. The signals and frequencies of
radio are covering almost the whole country. Thus it can be used as a significant medium of
creating environmental awareness. The latest drive of radio channel FM 93.5 “MOUNT
GHAZIPUR” has created awareness among Delhites regarding the hazards of culminating waste
on our environment. The weekly half-hour radio magazine Living Planet tells environment stories
from around the world, digging deeper into topics that touch our lives every day.

• TELEVISION:- Television is another very good mode to communicate environmental issues

among the society. Certain television channels like Discovery Channel, National Geographic
Channel, animal planet Channel broadcast exclusively on endangered species, wild and sea life.
Doordarshan Channel is being telecasted all over India and has regular programs on Environment.
“Earth Matters” focuses on one special environmental problem. It offers information on the sources
explains the consequences of the problem considered and gives suggestions for the solution by
changing individual behavior. ECO COMPANY, SESAME STREET, etc are some green TV
shows for children

• PRINT MEDIA- Print media is a powerful ally in educating the public on environmental matters.
Newspapers, journals, magazines, etc. play a key role in providing relevant information with
required facts and pictures to the community. Articles and analyses explore the environmental
awareness in the common man about environmental problems. Sometimes separate column is there
for environmental issues.

• SOCIAL MEDIA- Today’s young generation makes ample of use of social media and internet
platforms. They have emerged altogether as a new form of media. Face book, Twitter, What’s App
are connecting today’s generation. Certain global environmental issues can be discussed on these
platforms continuously. Government agencies and industries are also utilizing social media a s a
preferred tool of communication with the mass. Green on Face book: One Page for Eco Resources,
Adopt a Tiger through the World Wildlife Fund, etc are some face book pages on environment.

ROLE OF MEDIA FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

1. PROVIDES GEOGRAPHICAL KNOWLEDGE - Newspapers, radio, television and even

internet is providing comprehensive understanding of geographical knowledge to people. What is
happening in the world today, which place has been ignored and the relevant representations made
through different forms of media produces deep effects on the people.

2. IDENTIFICATION OF FORCES AFFECTING NATURE - Currently human beings are

building an artificial man made environment by over utilizing the natural resources in the name of
 economic and social development. Media can report and educate people about certain forces and
activities that adversely affect our environment.

3. CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES-Our primary target is not only controlling

the wastage of various sources of energy like oil, gas, coal, etc. the main focus should be on
certain relative aspects which serve as a means of environmental protection.

4. DISSEMINATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION- Electronic media and print

media are a major medium of spreading information about environment among the population.
Media educate people about various environmental concerns and ways to address them.

5. VOCATIONAL INFORMATION-Media also helps in providing vocational and professional

information to a larger group of the community. Recent programs on guidance about conversion of
waste and garbage into compost by households to save environment is an illuminating illustration.

6. SPREADING AWARENESS AND CIVIC RESPONSIBILITY-Media create awareness

among people and enlightens them about different problems of society. Media educates people
about their roles in changing society through certain events and programs. Helps to know how
people can contribute towards environmental protection and sustainability and build healthy
environment.

ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS

Information technology has tremendous potential in the field of environment education and health as
in any other field like business, economics, politics or culture. Development of internet facilities,
Geographic Information System (GIS) and information through satellites has generated a wealth of
up-to-date information on various aspects of environment and health. A number of software have
been developed for environment and health studies which are used friendly and can help an early
learner in knowing and understanding the subject.

• Database on Environment System:

Database is the collection of interrelated data on various subjects. It is usually in computerized form
and can be retrieved whenever required. In the computer the information of database and can be very
quickly retrieved. The comprehensive database includes wildlife database, conservation database,
forest cover database etc. database is also available for diseases like HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Fluorosis,
etc.
 National Management Information System (NMIS):
NMIS of the Department of Science and Technology has compiled a database on Research and
Development Projects along with information about research scientists and personnel involved.

• Environmental Information System (ENVIS):

The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India has created an information System
called Environmental Information System (ENVIS). With its headquarters in Delhi, it functions in 25
different centres all over the country.

The ENVIS centres work for generating a network of database in areas like pollution control, clean
technologies, remote sensing, coastal ecology, biodiversity, western Ghats and eastern environmental
management, media related to environment, renewable energy, desertification, mangroves, wildlife,
Himalayan ecology, mining etc.

• Remote Sensing and Geographical Information System (GIS):

Satellite imageries provide us actual information about various physical and biological resources and
also to some extent about their state of degradation in a digital form through remote sensing. Satellite
imageries provide us actual information about various physical and biological resources We are able
to gather digital information on environment aspects like water logging, desertification,
deforestation, urban sprawl, river and canal network, mineral and energy reserves and so on.
 FEATURE IMAGE
EXTRACTION PROCESSING

SURFACE DIGITALIZATIO
MODELING N
REMOTE
SENSING
PATTERN DATA
ANAYSIS EXTRACTION

DEM
LAND COVER
EXTRACTION
DATA
ANALYSIS

• Geographical Information System (GIS):

GIS has proved to be a very effective tool in environmental management. GIS is a technique of
superimposing various thematic maps using digital data on a large number of inter-related or inter
dependent aspects. Several useful soft-wares have been developed for working in the field of GIS.

GIS also helps in identifying some deadly and chronic diseases that come from the infested areas
which are very much prone to vector-borne diseases such as schistosomiasis, malaria, etc. based on
the geographical map of that area. There are some distribution information centers (DICs) in India
that are interrelated with each other and with the central information network getting its access to the
international database.

• The World Wide Web (WWW)

With the availability of resources on every aspect, things like classroom activities, digital files of
photos, web-exercises, animations, PowerPoint lecture presentations, and quiz competitions have
proved to be more helpful for both the students as well as the teachers who pursue environmental
studies.
RECENT RESEARCHES IN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA FOR
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

1. WATER PRODUCTIVITY OPEN-ACCESS PORTAL (WAPOR)

The WAPOR monitors and reports on agriculture water productivity over Africa and the Near East.
The database uses satellite data to help farmers achieve more reliable agricultural yields. This tool
provides open access to the water database over underlying maps - the tool allows queering of data;
time series analyses, area statistics related to water and land use assessments. The database searches
through satellite data and its computation-intensive calculations are powered by Google Earth
Engine.

2. SWALIM FLOOD RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FRRMIS)

The FRRMIS is web-based information dissemination and sharing platform that brings together the
essential information on floods under a single user interface. The system is based on GIS Major
flood years in Somalia and web technology and contains various types of flood information. It
promotes flood preparedness and contingency planning, as well as rescue and response operations

3. CHINA AND CHINA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY - CASE STUDY ON

ICT APPLICATION FOR RURAL GROUNDWATER MANAGEMENT
The case study focuses on the application of I Cards in groundwater irrigation management in China.
This is against a problem being facing China –a country with scarce per capita freshwater resources.
This research focused on four townships in Sanhe City, Hebei Province, China as research sites and
conducted fieldwork studying groundwater management in six villages using the I Card and two
villages without I Card use. The research suggested that Information and Communication
Technology (ICT) is promising with significant economic benefits when applied in the management
of rural groundwater.

4. NANO GANESH – A REVOLUTIONARY ICT TOOL FOR FARM

IRRIGATION
Nano Ganesh is an electronic modern simple and low-cost solution in e-irrigation that empowers
farmers to control water pumps with the help of a mobile phone. “After installing the Nano Ganesh
unit at the pump end, a farmer can switch it on or off with the help of a mobile phone from any
distance. His phone also displays the availability of the power supply at the pump end as well as
on/off status. Hence, farmers are not needed to physically visit sometimes hazardous pump sites in
remote locations all the time (FAO, 2015) .Nano Ganesh was developed by Santosh Ostwal.