Environmental Awareness

Payel Bera

ID: GYV11-371

Environmental AwarenessBy:

Payel Bera

ID: GYV11-371

What is Environment ??

• Environment means our surrounding• Environment includes air water soil Biological environment- flora, fauna noise aesthetics cultural, socio-economic, political conditions

“Environment” Photo. Gev.com 18 April. 2011.

30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.gev.com>

Why Care for Environment ??

It affects our ability to live on Earth

It affects our health, our economy, our existence

“Environment” Photo. CTSonline.ca

30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.CTSonline.ca>

Threats to Environment

Air pollution

• Tonnes of pollutants dumped in air by industries, vehicles

• Green coverage decreasing day by day

Air Pollutants

• CO2

• CO

• Nitrogen oxides (NOx)

• Sulfur oxides

• Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

• Particulate Matter

• Toxic metals- lead, cadmium

Effects of Air Pollution

• Dust Particles of small sizes damages lungs– causing respiratory symptoms like cough, wheezing, asthma etc

• Excess Carbon Monoxide can cause death

• Excess CO2 , CH4 (Green house gases)

causing Global warming

Polar ice caps melting

Higher sea levels floods“Environment” Photo. Gabicilla.blogspot.com 19 Oct. 2011. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.gabicilla.blogspot.com>

“Flood” Photo. Southasia.oneworld.net 26 June. 2009. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.southasia.oneworld.net>

Contd

• Cancer causing potential of diesel exhaust is very high

• Poly aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and particulate matter of diesel exhaust 10 times more potent to cause mutation

• NOx reduces oxygen carrying capacity of blood, can cause cancer, emphysema

• NOx Ozone respiratory problems

Protect Environment(What can we do?)

• Preventive action is the best

• Spread the awareness among people

• Conduct epidemiological studies– how air quality affects health????????

• Pressurize governments for proper policies for e.g.

- prevent dieselization of private vehicles

• Promote usage of bicycles

“Bicycle Cycling” Photo. bicyclecycling.com

30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.bicyclecycling.com>

Contd.

• Zoning and transport infrastructure planning

• Introduction of cleaner engines and cleaner fuels like CNG (compressed Natural Gas)

• Stricter regulations for vehicular and industrial emissions and regular compliance checking

• Stop burning of wastes

Water Pollution

Stop misuse and wastage of water!!!

Causes

Dhobi Ghat on river plastics and garbages

dumped into river“Washing of our sins and clothes at Ganges” Photo. indianimages.com 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.indianimagescom>

“Rag pickers collect plastic wastes on the banks of river Yamuna” Photo. 2space.net 19 Oct. 2009. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.2space.net>

Contd.

Clay idols discarded into river

Human corpse discarded into river

“Human corpse” Photo. Forums.earthnetworks.com

30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.forums.earthnetworks.com>

Ecofriends.org 30 Aug. 2011 <http://www.ecofriends.org>

Oil Spills

A bird covered with oil Oil spill cleaning process“Oil Spill” Photo. En.wikipedia.org

30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.en.wikipedia.org>Anand, Rajat “Oil Spill” Photo. Globalcrisisnews.com 22 May. 2010. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.globalcrisisnews.com>

Water Pollutants

• Heavy metals--- chromium, nickel, copper etc

• Inorganic chemicals– acids, alkalis, inorganic salts

• Nutrients- Nitrogen, Phosphorus

• Disinfection byproduts– trihalomethanes etc

• Microorganisms

Effects

• Cadmium causes Itai Itai disease

• Mercury causes Minamata disease

• Microorganisms causes diseases like dysentry, diarrohea

• Excess nutrients cause eutrophication

Decreases dissolved oxygen concentration

Affects aquatic life

Itai Itai disease

Minamata disease

Thijssen, Sandy.“Itai itai disease”

Physiology.be 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.physiology.be>

Shareef, Rishan M..“Minamata disease” mrishaanshareef.blogspot.com 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.mrishaanshareef.blogspot.com>

Soil Pollution

It is the degradation of Earth's land surfaces by human activities and

misuse of land resources.

Causes

• Haphazard disposal of urban and industrial wastes

• Exploitation of minerals

• Harmful agricultural practices

Population increasing

Higher food demand

Intensive agriculture

Forest converted to agricultural fields

monoculture

Excessive use of fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides

Contd.

Urbanization

Construction, destruction of forests Informal settlements,

poorly maintained sewage pipes

Construction debris

More land required for landfill sites

“Urbanization” Photo. Lv-staff.francisparker.org. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.blog.newscollective.com>

Effects

• Can seriously disrupt the balance of nature

• Pesticides can damage crops

• Some pollutants can get into our systems indirectly from eating vegetables grown in contaminated soil.

• Reduced aesthetic appeal

What can we do?

• Three R– Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

• Collect degradable and non degradable waste in separate bins

Contd.

• Soil remediation for polluted soil

• Plant more trees

Afforestation reduces soil erosion

Worst Environmental disasters

1)Bhopal Gas Tragedy• Dec 2, 1984

• 45 tonnes of poisonous Methyl isocyanate escaped from Union Carbide Plant

• Thousands died within hours

Sinha, Arpita. “Justice still eludes Bhopal gas survivors” Photo. Blog.newscollective.com 14 June. 2010. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.blog.newscollective.com>

2) Chernobyl Disaster

• April 26, 1986

• One reactor of chernobyl power plant of Ukraine exploded

• Massive radiation sent into the atmosphere

Loup, Kibiloki. “Chernobyl Disaster” Photo.

Electrodes.wordpress.com 12 July. 2009. 30 Aug. 2011.

<http://www.electrodes.wordpress.com>

3) Kuwait Oil well fire• After Gulf War around 600 oil wells were

put ablaze intentionally

• They burnt for 7 months

• Smoke, soot, black rain

• Lakes of oil created

• Animals died

“Kuwait oil well fires 1991” Photo backwoodsweb.com

Aug.1991. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://wwwbackwoodsweb.com>

Sustainable Development

Development in a way so that resources are able to meet the demands of future generations

“Sustainable Development” Photo. Sthelens.gov.uk. 30 Aug. 2011. <http://www.sthelens.gov.uk>

About Green Yatra Green Yatra is a registered non-profit trust and a non-government organization (NGO) dedicated to

the protection and conservation of our Mother Earth and it’s environment. Green Yatra was started and

run by individuals who share a strong love and passion for protecting and respecting our only

source of life—Mother Nature. visit us @: www. greenyatra.org

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