Pollution

Environmental pollution is defined as any undesirable change in physical, chemical and biological characteristics of air, land and water. Pollution can be natural as well as man-made. The agents or substances that cause pollution are known as pollutants.

Environmental problem is known to exist in developed as well as developing countries and the problem is gradually growing day by day since the onset of industrial revolution. Population explosion and urbanization have made excess use of natural resources and natural wealth and have resulted in nature’s dreadful conditions.

The developments and the technical progress in the Industrial revolution have led to increased harmful effects by pollution on the surroundings. The discovery of oil and its universal use all through the country is a noted fact that natural resources have been stored practically unharmed in the earth’s crust from decades ago.

Due to advancement in man’s knowledge, man started cutting down forests for construction of buildings for making paper and for growing food like food grains and oilseeds. Since then all the waste accumulated during the course of construction of these buildings has caused serious damages in pollution and in depletion of natural resources.

Combustion of fuels has been far and wide recognized as the major cause of air pollution. There are other forms of natural resources too which are a cause of grave concern in terms of hazardous pollution environmentally. Fossil fuels are undoubtedly a major cause of environmental pollution and its effects that can occur on the environmental pollution have been quite often underestimated.

Pollution is causing a lot of harm to human and animal health, plants and trees as well as the wider environment and has harshly affected the entire ecosystems and has disrupted the marine life in lakes and streams and has in major effect cause depletion of the natural flora and fauna.

Our earth has provided us with so many natural resources. Air water and soil are all important for life on earth. It is our sole responsibility to conserve these resources existing on earth and environmentally most important for all the people across the masses. Any kind of degradation or defacing spoils the environment harshly.

Women have an integral relation with the environment. Therefore women are essential for any measure aimed at environmental protection and sustainable development. In fact women have contributed greatly to the conservation movements in the past.

The best example is the Chipko movement, when women lead by Gaura Devi protested determinedly against the commercial mistreatment of the Himalayan forests. The issue she led was of saving trees and planting ecologically appropriate trees.

Elsewhere also, women were active in agitations against deforestation, construction of large dams and mining activities. All wild animals were nourished with food and protected from intruders by the women of Bishnoi community. “Medha Patkar is the leading personality in ‘Narmada Bachao Andolan’. Arundhati Roy is also linked with Narmada Bachao Andolan.

Women have always played a significant role in the environmental protection. Furthermore too women can help control population explosion which has been one of the major factors in environments dreadful conditions. Women are in the best position to make maximum contribution in family planning.

Women have always played a critical role in meeting household and community energy needs. Inadequate energy resources and a lack of access to efficient technologies of energy utilization force the people to depend on their own labour, animal power and bio-mass energy to meet their daily requirements. With adequate environmental education and awareness women can conserve energy resources far more efficiently as compared to men.

Women are responsible fro the cleanliness of the household, on which depends the health and wealth of the family members. With proper education and training one can minimize the experiences and incidences of most of the water, food and airborne diseases.

Traditionally women were kept away from the powers of decision making. Their unequal access to education and lack of decision making authority at all levels has lowered their position in the society. As a result it has had adverse affects on income, nutrition, health, social support networks and domestic knowledge.

Practically being close to nature, women are always able to realize environmental issues better. Since women are the prospective users of the facilities, it is necessary to consider their views in planning to save the environment and implementing projects for the same.

Environment protection is not the responsibility of the government alone. All sections of the society have to participate in this endeavor. The role of every individual in environmental protection is of great importance because if every individual contributes substantially the effect will be visible not only at the community, city state or national level but also at the global level. It is ultimately the society that suffers due to environmental degradation.

Therefore the society has to play an important role in maintaining environmental standards. It is the responsibility of each individual to protect the earth and provide conducive environment for itself and innumerable other species which evolved on the earth. Each individual should change his or her lifestyle in such a way as to reduce environmental pollution.

If air and water resources in the area are unfit and do not meet the acceptable standards, the people of the area can organize themselves and force the responsible agencies to take necessary action. If suitable action is not forthcoming they can under the laws of the land, file a public interest litigation and can get their problems solved.

Society is made of individuals together. So it is the duty of each individual to see that his/her actions do not pollute the environment. Each individual must use paper or cloth bags instead of polythene. Use of eco-friendly products and CFC free refrigerators can help control pollution.

Groups of individuals together can make a huge difference in maintaining environmental standards. For example, group housing societies can initiate steps for waste management by making provisions for segregating wastes, taking measures for recycling wastes like making compost pits etc. They can also take measures for reducing the use of electricity and finding alternative sources of energy.

Saving electricity by not wasting it when it is not required because electricity saved is electricity generated without polluting the environment. For example, put on warm clothes rather than switching on a heater.

Air pollution especially vehicular pollution can be minimized by adopting car pool method. This will also save large amounts of money spend on importing petroleum from other countries. Adopting and popularizing renewable energy sources and promoting reuse and recycling wherever possible will help reduce the production of waste.

Societies can play a significant role in environmental protection by creating awareness and educating people about the need to conserve and manage natural resources. Social and individual consciousness if carefully graded is a step to transformation.

Problems arising due to the neglect of natural environment can be dealt with at various levels. There are things that you can do at individual or household level. Then there are things that can be done collectively at the community level. There are things which have to be addressed at the government level.

Steps that you can take at an individual or household level:

1. Insist that vehicles in your house have regular check ups for pollution.

2. Never wash vehicles with running water, instead use a bucket.

3. Do not pave your house front. Allow grass and shrubs to grow. It will keep your environment less hot.

4. If your near and dear ones are constructing a house, insist on a water harvesting technique to be built in.

5. Switch off fans and lights when not in use.

6. If you are going to buy electronic items buy such brands that are less damaging to the environment.

Steps that you can take at a community level:

1. Children from a colony can urge their parents to install a common vermicomposting system for handling garbage dumps, which are places that harbor diseases. By segregating your garbage you can do away with your colonies garbage dump by composting the biodegradable and recycling the nondegradable.

2. People traveling to the same office or locality can have car pools or still better use a public transport.

3. Avoid wastage of paper. Recycle used paper.

Steps that you can take at a government level:

1. Write letters in large numbers to ministers demanding clear river, clean air and so on. Insist that they spend public money on say water treatment plants rather than on avoidable beautification schemes.

2. Diesel generators are now commonly used for lighting hoardings at bus stops. This results in a lot of sound and air pollution. Write to the companies and government that they have to install solar powered illumination rather than diesel generators.

Finally for many problems there may not be immediate solutions. But solutions and alternatives emerge only when we question our present way of doing things. Solutions will never emerge if we keep doing things in the same old destructive ways. Just complaining never helps. It only promotes a cynical attitude.

The technological meaning of fossil fuels is “to some extent oxidized and decayed animal and vegetable materials, particularly coal, petroleum and natural gas”. The scientific definition of fuel is “matter that can be burned or else inspired to produce heat”.

In our updated western world, fossil fuels provide vast luxurious importance. We get back these remnant fuels from the ground and under the sea and have them transformed into electricity. Approximately 90% of the world’s electrical energy demand is generated from the use of fossil fuels.

There is a growing apprehension on the subject of the teamwork between fossil fuels and ecological pollution. Debates at the same time as regards this contamination have become ordinary in today’s attempt to sustain the earth’s health.

Fossil fuels are not well thought-out as a renewable energy source and aside from the environmental impact; the expenditure of retrieving and converting them is starting to demand notice. Seemingly this subject has many different angles that need to be addressed in order to make certain future generations a sustainable livelihood and source of revenue.

Proof of the ill effects of fossil fuels is never-ending, and can take on loads of forms. Some forms are not without doubt seen by the human eye, even though the devastating consequences such as the loss of marine life can be seen to some extent subsequent to the fact.

Converting fossil fuels may as well result in the buildup of solid waste. This type of growth has a overwhelming force on the surroundings. Throw away requires satisfactory land space for repression and treatment, as well as monetary support and monitoring for waste not effortlessly disposed of.

Use of unleaded gas has helped to decrease the let go of lead into the surroundings. Unfortunately for developing countries, the financial system and machinery available to them is to a certain extent behind what we are used to. With this in mind many environmental issues are treated at an international level, which allows for more well-organized treatment.

We have developed into a very energy greedy age bracket and our demands for electricity are very far above the ground. As far as reducing the harmful affects, we must first shrink our demand.

Science may be able to find substitute, improved sources, although not ones that meet the essential supply. These types of horrendous impacts are felt worldwide and should not be considered one countries problem.

Sometimes social limitations and/or economic steadiness can make the procedure of change very tricky. One thing is for sure, that by being more energy proficient and conservative, we will be helping to lessen the toll on environmental and human health.

Man owes accountability to his upcoming generation to safeguard natural history for a no of reasons:

1. Ecological value: All living creatures depend on each other for food and continued existence. If man’s going-on interferes with the nature’s systems, organisms will be wiped out and this will have grave implications on pollination, reproduction, decomposition etc.

2. Economic Value: If forests are wiped out many uncommon and precious species of plants, which have significant remedial value, may be nowhere to be found forever. Forest and wilderness areas also make available facilities for eco-tourism. Man must conserve these areas of picturesque beauty for himself and for the upcoming generation

3. Aesthetic and Ethical Value: Traditions, rituals and spiritual practices of many countries, on the whole India, hold in the highest regard various aspects of nature, including certain animals, birds and plants. Hinduism has a deep spiritual association with forests and sacred mangroves. Man must respect these traditions from the artistic point of view. Although he considers himself to be a ‘super consumer’ it is morally wrong of man to abuse nature’s free gifts. It is ethically wrong of man to abuse nature’s free gifts to him without conserving them for future generations.

Suggestions which may help in maintaining the ecological balance:

· Afforestation should be encouraged by planting additional trees.

· To stop the over-exploitation of the wooded area by government contractors for resin, medicinal herbs, timber, etc., there should be an overall ban on cutting of trees on mountain slopes and in catchment’s areas.

· Instead of big dams, small dams and hydro-electric power stations can be constructed. For a very small village a hydro-electric generator can be installed in the water mill.

· Promote horticulture and small-scale industry in the region, which will make available job opportunities to the local people.

· Promote sulabh sauchalaya and bio-gas plants for recycling eco-friendly material. To reduce the pressure of the growing population on natural wealth, they should be provided LPG gas, kerosene oil, and solar cookers.

· Precautionary measures have to be taken to keep away from the chances of forest fires.

• There should be a test out on quarrying, mining and blasting operations.
• Efforts should be made to expand more hill stations as tourist centers in the region to steer clear of the overcrowding of tourists in the well-known hill stations.

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Any kind of enlargement should be in accord with the surroundings, and renewable resources like ground water and forests should be used at a speed at which they are being replenished by environment

As part of environmental awareness it is interesting to get a glimpse of the history of man and nature. This will help you to see how man alone is the cause for the dangers that environmental interference has led us to. Earliest man depended on nature to help them survive with food and shelter. So they loved mother earth as goddess earth or Bhoomi mata. They also worshipped the forces of nature –fire, air, rain, the ocean, the sun and the planets.

Ancient races from Indians of the Vedic age to the Native American Indians believed in the unity of man, nature and god. They looked on a supreme god as the creator of all the beauty and power of nature. They believed that the mother earth was the body of the supreme lord. So they lived in great harmony with nature, respecting all forms of life.

Early Indians lived in forests that sheltered them from the suns and storms and gave them food, fuel for fire and building materials. Thus our civilization was born in the forests of our country. Our forefathers were bathed, fed, clothed and brought up by Mother Nature. Later on mighty empires came up but we always remember that our first in our native land was Mother Nature.

The western idea about nature has changed considerably in the last few centuries. We have began to think only of ruling the forces of nature. The west has come to believe that we live in a hostile world where everything has to be conquered and what man needed has to be forcefully taken from nature.

Indians thought of themselves as a part of nature. But the western idea is that the nature only includes lower beings like plants and animals and that man is separate from nature and superior.

So civilizations all our world began to cut down forests, clear valleys and change the course of rivers to make mighty empires. Science advanced and man’s conquest of nature grew. Cement jungles called cities came up everywhere.

But men were so busy showing their power that they did not realize that they were not only destroying nature but also destroying precious things that are important for human life on our planet like pure air and protective layers in the atmosphere that screen out harmful rays from the sun helping us to receive only the good rays, clean water, rain, forest and good food crops.

Suddenly all over the world people began to realize that something was going wrong in a big way. It began to rain less in various parts of the world. This happened because man had been destroying thousands of acres of forests for years. Today the very existence of the earth is threatened by problems of pollution of various kinds. We made the problem. Therefore we should correct it because only we can.

The role of learning environment is as important as the geographical location where the person is growing. The richness of materials and expressive learning teaching seems conducive to an enriched orientation towards ecology. The abundance of nature and the time and space for free exploration is a useful learning mode. The natural surroundings are vital to sensitized observation making environment awareness a natural learning from indigenous experiences.

This has to be achieved through frequent visits to the park, zoo supplemented with good literature. A rich exposure to the wealth of nature and innovative teaching learning modes enables all to be environmentally sensitive. In the absence of abundance of nature, the familiarity with the flora and fauna and cycles of nature has to be created through awareness of books and other forms of simulated experiences.

A persons learning has to be meaningful also. With the wide range of living habitats and life patterns the education for conservation and protection of the environment needs a contextual curriculum. The environment education has to be in relation with the local flora and fauna along with child-friendly methods. The relationship between classroom learning and the experiences the children encounter has to be meaningful.

A child has a different agenda as for him pollution and congestion has no real meaning. Generating a love for this essence of nature by concrete exercises such as group visits with an excitement for identifying stars would provide a child stimulating encounters with nature. Discoveries of a few of nature’s secrets would be enough to initiate a child- environment relation.

When people live in close proximity with of nature, the free time and the space and the flexibility in interactions across ages facilitates children’s natural adventures with the many phenomena in nature. Humanity is not alone and the earth is one of the issues of the environment movement. Scientific breakthrough with the power of being able to control and create, giving a short lived vision for success. Technology and scientific knowledge are not a replacement for the wonder of nature; this progress is a mode to unravel the wonder of nature and not to tamper with the rhythms and cycles.

Above all by learning about the environment meaningfully it would be half the battle won for laying the foundation for continued ecological sensitivity. It is the oneness with the earth that would harness people to revere the bounty of nature.

The central and the state governments own, control and develop a countries forests, dams, major irrigation systems, power stations, industries, means of transportation, railways, roads, ports etc. The government is not just the protector of the countries environment but also has a major responsibility for sustaining environmental conscience.

In India the ministry of environment and forests is the main nodal agency for generating environment consciousness and making and implementing schemes for environmental protection. The government’s environmental policy focuses to check degradation of land and water through wasteland management and restoration of river water quality programs.

The policy also focuses to provide for conservation of natural resources by direct action such as declaration of reserved forests, biosphere reserves, wetlands, mangroves, and protection of endangered species. It makes laws and cats for environment protection and initiates penal measures against those who violate the laws.

The government’s initiatives are to plan and execute a nationwide programme for the prevention, control of environmental pollution. It emphasizes to lay down standards for the quality of the environment in various aspects and for emission or discharge of environmental pollutants from different sources.

To protect wildlife the government of India has set up national parks, sanctuaries, and tiger and biosphere reserves.

As such the environment has a major role in environmental protection. It is the government’s duty to find out ways and means of improving efficiency of existing technologies and introduce new eco-friendly technologies.

Eco-friendly technologies are based on renewable sources as raw material as well as energy to produce environment friendly products. For example, to reduce vehicular

Pollution in Delhi, the government initiated the development and use of CNG kits in automobiles instead of petroleum. This step has reduced air pollution in Delhi to a considerable extent.

In order to minimize the adverse impact of a number of developmental projects on the environment, the government ensures that an environmental impact assessment is carried out before such a project is started. These plans are also strictly monitored for compliance.

The government has set up various committees to evaluate the impact of various projects on environment. Some of the issues which have been hotly debated in recent decades include the importance of constructing big dams, affect of pollution on monuments like Taj Mahal, protection of wildlife, especially endangered species like lions, tigers etc. The government also seeks public opinion on certain matters related to the environment.

Man has made improvement all over the world and this growth and advancement has endangered the environment in which man is living. Man lay down factories and big industries. The end result is that big cities came into life form and these cities have to provide accommodation to millions of people for the reason that they work in these factories.

This place to stay of large people in towns proved expensive to man. The forests were cleared; the trees were cut down to open new industries. They helped in making the environment dirt free and pure. They caused rain also. Now large areas are being rehabilitated into desert owing to the shortage of water. These are droughts and floods. Not only man but natural world also suffers. Man did not only make dirty the air he has also stained the river water. The waste materials of the industries and factories are thrown into the rivers as a result making the water contaminated. It affects the animals which drink the water of the rivers. When forests were cleared, the cattle were left to graze in the open fields. These animals transform the grassy land into the sandy lands. Industries and factories give off out smokes and gases. These things make the surroundings so bad that it becomes hard to breathe in the open atmosphere.

Our duty is to tell each person not to toss waste in the water but in the dustbins and to cover up the food and sweets as it should be so that flies do not stray on it. We should make banners and posters to show everyone. “Proper covering of the food will help to keep up healthy lifestyle” and “Throw your throw away material in the dustbin” We should tell each and every person not to cut the trees for it will make our earth more polluted. Not only adult’s children too ought to realize this problem and help to get to the bottom of this threat and promote solutions to pull off a green earth and a pollution free life.

So dear friends from now onwards each person should try to safeguard all the natural resources and try our best to productively help in making the environment clean and pure. In fact there would be need left to deal with the problem if each one of us starts thinking of eco-friendly unconventional ways of doing things. If practical steps are taken up sincerely we can look forward to to make some dent in the materialistic orientation of today’s world.