week 1 study plan introduction to environmental...

EVS STUDY MATERIAL (WEEK 1 TO 7)

SHREY TYAGI shreytyagi.weebly.com

WEEK 1 STUDY PLAN

INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

1.1 INTRODUCTION (VIDEO)

1.2 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (Article)

1.3 IMPACTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES (Article)

1.4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCENARIO IN INDIA (Article)

1.5 DISCUSSION

1.6 MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (Article)

1.7 SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE OF THE STUDY (Article)

1.8 UCEE- A CASE STUDY OF UTTRANCHAL (Case study)

1.9 IMPORTANCE AND PUBLIC AWARENESS - (SlideShare)

http://www.slideshare.net/ruchispandey/introduction-to-environmental-studies?related=2

1.10 WEEK 1 TEST



1.2 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Our environment is constantly changing with a massive influx of natural disasters. Increasing awareness

about the environmental problems surrounding us is the need of the hour. We are on the brink of a

severe environmental crisis as the current environmental problems are making us vulnerable against the

disasters and they also pose a risk in the future. Basically we are in a state of planetary emergency with

environmental problems piling up high around us.

The environmental problems that require urgent attention are in the following:-

1. Global Warming: Climate changes like global warming is the result of human practices like emission

of Greenhouse gases. Global warming leads to rising temperatures of the oceans and the earth’ surface

causing melting of polar ice caps, rise in sea levels and also unnatural patterns of precipitation such as

flash floods, excessive snow or desertification

2. Pollution: Pollution of air, water and soil require millions of years to recoup. Industry and motor

vehicle exhaust are the number one pollutants. Heavy metals, nitrates and plastic are toxins responsible

for pollution. While water pollution is caused by oil spill, acid rain, urban runoff; air pollution is caused

by various gases and toxins released by industries and factories and combustion of fossil fuels; soil

pollution is majorly caused by industrial waste that deprives soil from essential nutrients.

3. Ozone Layer Depletion: The ozone layer is an invisible layer of protection around the planet that

protects us from the sun’s harmful rays. Depletion of the crucial Ozone layer of the atmosphere is



attributed to pollution caused by Chlorine and Bromide found in Chloro-floro carbons (CFC’s). Once

these toxic gases reach the upper atmosphere, they cause a hole in the ozone layer, the biggest of which

is above the Antarctic. The CFC’s are banned in many industries and consumer products. Ozone layer

is valuable because it prevents harmful UV radiation from reaching the earth. This is one of the most

important current environmental problems.

4. Acid Rain: Acid rain occurs due to the presence of certain pollutants in the atmosphere. Acid rain

can be caused due to combustion of fossil fuels or erupting volcanoes or rotting vegetation which

release sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides into the atmosphere. Acid rain is a known environmental

problem that can have serious effect on human health, wildlife and aquatic species.

5. Natural Resource Depletion: Natural resource depletion is another crucial current environmental

problem. Fossil fuel consumption results in emission of Greenhouse gases, which is responsible for

global warming and climate change. Globally, people are taking efforts to shift to renewable sources of

energy like solar, wind, biogas and geothermal energy. The cost of installing the infrastructure and

maintaining these sources has plummeted in the recent years.

6. Climate Change: Climate change is yet another environmental problem that has surfaced in last

couple of decades. It occurs due to rise in global warming which occurs due to increase in temperature

of atmosphere by burning of fossil fuels and release of harmful gases by industries. Climate change has

various harmful effects but not limited to melting of polar ice, change in seasons, occurrence of new

diseases, frequent occurrence of floods and change in overall weather scenario.

7. Loss of Biodiversity: Human activity is leading to the extinction of species and habitats and and loss

of bio-diversity. Eco systems, which took millions of years to perfect, are in danger when any species

population is decimating. Balance of natural processes like pollination is crucial to the survival of the

eco-system and human activity threatens the same. Another example is the destruction of coral reefs in

the various oceans, which support the rich marine life.

8. Deforestation and desertification: Our forests are natural sinks of carbon dioxide and produce fresh

oxygen as well as helps in regulating temperature and rainfall. At present forests cover 30% of the land

but every year tree cover is lost amounting to the country of Panama due to growing population demand

for more food, shelter and cloth. Deforestation simply means clearing of green cover and makes that

land available for residential, industrial or commercial purpose.

9. Ocean Acidification: It is a direct impact of excessive production of CO2. 25% of CO2 is produced

by humans. The ocean acidity has increased by the last 250 years but by 2100, it may shoot up by 150%.

The main impact is on shellfish and plankton in the same way as human osteoporosis.



10. Overpopulation: The population of the planet is reaching unsustainable levels as it faces shortage

of resources like water, fuel and food. Population explosion in less developed and developing countries

is straining the already scarce resources. Intensive agriculture practiced to produce food damages the

environment through use of chemical fertilizer, pesticides and insecticides. Overpopulation is one of

the crucial current environmental problems.

11. Waste Disposal: The over consumption of resources and creation of plastics are creating a global

crisis of waste disposal. Developed countries are notorious for producing an excessive amount of waste

or garbage and dumping their waste in the oceans and, less developed countries. Nuclear waste disposal

has tremendous health hazards associated with it. Plastic, fast food, packaging and cheap electronic

wastes threaten the well being of humans. Waste disposal is one of urgent current environmental

problem.

12. Water Pollution: Clean drinking water is becoming a rare commodity. Water is becoming an

economic and political issue as the human population fights for this resource. One of the options

suggested is using the process of desalinization. Industrial development is filling our rivers seas and

oceans with toxic pollutants which are a major threat to human health.

13. Urban Sprawl: Urban sprawl refers to migration of population from high density urban areas to low

density rural areas which results in spreading of city over more and more rural land. Urban sprawl

results in land degradation, increased traffic, environmental issues and health issues. The ever growing

demand of land displaces natural environment consisting of flora and fauna instead of being replaced.

14: Public Health Issues: The current environmental problems pose a lot of risk to health of humans,

and animals. Dirty water is the biggest health risk of the world and poses threat to the quality of life and

public health. Run-off to rivers carries along toxins, chemicals and disease carrying organisms.

Pollutants cause respiratory disease like Asthma and cardiac-vascular problems. High temperatures

encourage the spread of infectious diseases like Dengue.

15. Genetic Engineering: Genetic modification of food using biotechnology is called genetic

engineering. Genetic modification of food results in increased toxins and diseases as genes from an

allergic plant can transfer to target plant. Genetically modified crops can cause serious environmental

problems as an engineered gene may prove toxic to wildlife. Another drawback is that increased use of

toxins to make insect resistant plant can cause resultant organisms to become resistant to antibiotics.



1.3 IMPACTS DUE TO CHANGES IN THE ENVIRONMENT

1. Climate change is changing our economy, health and communities in the following diverse ways.

(a) Global warming - Global Warming is the increase of Earth's average surface temperature due

to effect of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels or

from deforestation, which trap heat that would otherwise escape from Earth.

(b) Global dimming - Global dimming is defined as the decrease in the amounts of solar radiation

reaching the surface of the Earth. The by-product of fossil fuels which are tiny particles or

pollutants which absorb solar energy and reflect back sunlight into the space. This phenomenon

was first recognized in the year 1950.

(c) Impacts of fossil fuels - Fossil fuels release carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide,

carbon monoxide etc. when burnt that can have severe consequences on the habitats.

(d) Sea level rise - As climate change increases ocean temperatures, initially at the surface and

over centuries at depth, the water will expand, contributing to sea level rise due to thermal

expansion. Thermal expansion is likely to have contributed to about 2.5 cm of sea level rise

during the second half of the 20th century.

(e) Increase in natural and anthropogenic disasters - global warming is the root cause for the

increase in natural disasters and the change in the environment is triggered by increasing

differences in heat and cold. As industry injects more greenhouse gasses and particles into the

atmosphere, there is a double edged sword effect of increasing temperature combined

with global dimming.

2. Environmental degradation and pollution - Environmental degradation can happen in a number

of ways. At the point when environments are wrecked or common assets are exhausted,

the environment is considered to be degraded and harmed.

(a) Habitat destruction - Habitat loss affects over 2,000 mammal species around the world, and

is considered the greatest threat to species across the globe. Habitat can be destroyed directly

by many human activities, most of which involve the clearing of land for other uses such as

agriculture, mining, logging, hydroelectric dams and urbanization.

(b) Invasive species - These species adversely affect the habitats and bioregions they invade

economically, environmentally, and/or ecologically. Such invasive species may be either plants

or animals and may disrupt by dominating a region, wilderness areas, particular habitats, or wild

land-urban interface land from loss of natural controls (such as predators or herbivores).

(c) Environmental Pollution - Pollution of air, water and soil require millions of years to recoup.

Industry and motor vehicular exhaust, toxic chemicals, municipal solid waste and burning of

fossil fuels are the major areas of concern responsible for pollution. Besides this water pollution

is caused by oil spill, acid rain, urban runoff; air pollution is caused by various gases and toxins

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Invasive_species

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destruction

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_dimming

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_change

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_dimming

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuels

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_degradation

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_warming

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_level_rise



released by industries and factories and combustion of fossil fuels; soil pollution is majorly

caused by industrial waste that deprives soil from essential nutrients.

(d) Ozone depletion - An invisible layer of protection around the planet that protects us from the

sun’s harmful rays is being depleted by chlorine and bromide found in Chloro-floro carbons

(CFC’s). Once these toxic gases reach the upper atmosphere, they destroy this layer of

protection, the biggest of which is above the Antarctic. Ozone layer is valuable because it

prevents the high energetic ultra violet radiation from reaching the earth’s surface.

(e) Photochemical Smog – Photochemical smog is a type of air pollution produced when sunlight

acts upon motor vehicle exhaust gases to form harmful substances such as ozone (O3),

aldehydes and peroxy acetyl nitrate (PAN).Photochemical smog formation requires two

conditions: a still, sunny day and a temperature inversion (pollutants accumulate in the lower

inversion layer). Ozone causes breathing difficulties, headaches, fatigue and can aggravate

respiratory problems. The peroxy acetyl nitrate (CH3CO-OO-NO2) in photochemical smog can

irritate the eyes, causing them to water and sting.

(f) Land degradation – Soil degradation has been defined as a process that leads to decline in the

fertility or future productive capacity of soil as a result of human activity. It occurs whenever

the natural balances in the landscape are changed by human activity through misuse or overuse

of soil. Degraded soils which result in poor or no production are also called problem soils.

(g) Eutrophication and algal blooms - Eutrophication is when the environment becomes enriched

with nutrients. This can be a problem in marine habitats such as lakes as it can cause algal

blooms. Fertilisers are often used in farming, sometimes these fertilisers run-off into nearby

water causing an increase in nutrient levels.

(h) Ocean acidification - It is the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans, caused by the

uptake of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere. An estimated 30–40% of the carbon

dioxide from human activity released into the atmosphere dissolves into oceans, rivers and

lakes.

(i) Groundwater contamination – Groundwater pollution occurs when pollutants are released to

the ground and make their way down into groundwater. Groundwater contaminants come from

two categories of sources: point sources and distributed, or non-point sources. Landfills, leaking

gasoline storage tanks, leaking septic tanks, and accidental spills are examples of point sources.

Infiltration from farm land treated with pesticides and fertilizers is an example of a non-point

source.

(j) Thermal pollution – Thermal pollution is the act of altering the temperature of a natural water

body, which may be a river, lake or ocean environment. Many organisms are killed instantly

by the hot water resulting into a high mortality. It may bring other disturbance in the ecosystem.

The egg of fish may hatch early or fail to hatch at all. It may change the diurnal and seasonal

https://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/default.asp?lang=En&n=6A7FB7B2-1#nopoint

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Temperature

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_acidification

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermal_pollution

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eutrophication

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundwater_contamination

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smog



behaviour and metabolic responses of organisms. It may lead to unplanned migration of aquatic

animals. Macro-phytic population may also be changed. As temperature is an important limiting

factor, serious changes may be brought about even by a slight increase in temperature in a

population.

(k) Loss of biodiversity - Human activities are leading to the extinction of species, habitats and

ultimately there is a loss of bio-diversity. Eco systems, which took millions of years to perfect,

are in danger when any species population is decimating. Balance of natural processes and

biogeochemical cycling is crucial to the survival of the eco-system and yet human activity

threatens the same.

3. Health Concerns - Environmental factors are a root cause of a significant disease burden that can

be attributed to poor water quality, availability, and sanitation; vector-borne diseases; poor ambient

and indoor air quality; toxic substances; and global environmental change.. Below are estimates of

deaths globally from the most significant environmentally-related causes or conditions, and from

certain diseases with a strong environmental component:

Unsafe water, and poor sanitation and hygiene kill an estimated 1.7 million people

annually, particularly as a result of diarrhoeal disease.

Indoor smoke – primarily from the use of solid fuels in domestic cooking and heating –

kills an estimated 1.6 million people annually due to respiratory diseases.

Malaria kills over 1.2 million people annually, mostly African children under the age of

five. Poorly designed irrigation and water systems, inadequate housing, poor waste disposal

and water storage, deforestation and loss of biodiversity, all may be contributing factors to

the most common vector-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue and leishmaniasis.

Urban air pollution generated by vehicles, industries, and energy production kills

approximately 800 000 people annually.

Road traffic injuries are responsible for 1.2 million deaths annually; low- and middle-

income countries bear 90% of the death and injury toll. Degradation of the built urban and

rural environment, particularly for pedestrians and cyclists, has been cited as a key risk

factor.

Lead exposure kills more than 230 000 people per year and causes cognitive effects in one

third of all children globally; more than 97% of those affected live in the developing world.

Climate change impacts – including more extreme weather events, changed patterns of

disease and effects on agricultural production – are estimated to cause over 150 000 deaths

annually.

Unintentional poisonings kill 355 000 people globally each year (3). In developing

countries – where two-thirds of these deaths occur – such poisonings are associated strongly



with excessive exposure to, and inappropriate use of, toxic chemicals and pesticides present

in occupational and/or domestic environments.

4. Overpopulation - Human overpopulation is among the most pressing environmental issues,

silently aggravating the forces behind global warming, environmental pollution, habitat loss,

the sixth mass extinction, intensive farming practices and the consumption of finite natural

resources, such as fresh water, arable land and fossil fuels, at speeds faster than their rate of

regeneration.

5. Resource depletion - Due to the rise in population, deforestation is introduced for forests to make

way for housings and other human uses. As a result of deforestation, presently about one half of the

forests that once covered Earth have been destroyed. An estimated 18 million acres of forests are

destroyed each year. Since deforestation is so extensive, it has made several significant impacts on

the environment, including Soil erosion, Global Warming caused by the rise of greenhouse gases,

Extinction of species and loss of biodiversity, flooding and drought. One of the most pressing issues

that deforestation creates is soil erosion. The removal of trees causes higher rates of erosion,

increasing risks of landslides, which is a direct threat to many people living close to deforested

areas. As forests get destroyed, so does the habitat for millions of animals. It is estimated that 80%

of the world’s known biodiversity lives in the rainforests, and the destruction of these rainforests is

accelerating extinction at an alarming rate.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resource_depletion

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpopulation_(biology)

http://www.everythingconnects.org/fossil-fuels.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth

http://www.everythingconnects.org/mass-extinction.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/pollution.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/global-warming.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/intensive-farming.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/finite-earth.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/habitat-loss.html

http://www.everythingconnects.org/finite-earth.html



1.4 ENVIRONMENTAL SCENARIO IN INDIA

In India the environmental problems are becoming serious because of the interacting effects of

increasing population density, industrialization and urbanization, and poor environmental management

practices. Open burning of waste and landfill fires are a major source of air pollution in India’s large

cities. They are the largest source of air pollution in Mumbai which do not add to the city’s economy

and contribute about 20% of the pollution due to particulate matter, carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons.

They also emit 10,000 grams TEQ of dioxins/furans every year in Mumbai alone.

An average of 32,000 people will be added to urban India every day, continuously, until 2021. This

number is a warning, considering how India’s waste management infrastructure went berserk trying to

deal with just 25,000 new urban Indians during the last decade.

India appears to be digging its own grave deeper and quicker than the rest of us, nearly 30% of India's

gross agricultural output is lost every year due to soil degradation, poor land management and counter

productive irrigation.

The wetlands and lakes are also being hit hard. Mainly by the industrial boom that hit India a decade

ago, the main problems being improper disposal of industrial waste like chemicals etc. It is predicted

that almost 5.3 Million hectares of forest have been destroyed since the independence. Most of it being



chopped down for housing, industrialisation and river projects. It is estimated that the number of

Mangrove Forests have more than halved in the last 20 years. Unless stringent regulatory measures are

taken, environmental systems will be irreversibly degraded. Lack of political commitment, lack of a

comprehensive environmental policy, poor environmental awareness, functional fragmentation of the

public administration system, poor mass media concern, and prevalence of poverty are some of the

major factors responsible for increasing the severity of the problems.



1.6 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.

Environmental science is also referred to as an interdisciplinary field because it incorporates

information and ideas from multiple disciplines. Within the natural sciences, such fields as biology,

chemistry, and geology are included in environmental science. When most people think of

environmental science, they think of these natural science aspects, but what makes environmental



science such a complex and broad field is that it also includes fields from the social sciences and

the humanities.

The social science fields that are incorporated into environmental science include geography,

economics, and political science. Philosophy and ethics are the two fields within the humanities

that are also included in environmental science. By combining aspects of the natural sciences, social

sciences, and the humanities, the field of environmental science can cover more concepts and also

examine problems and topics from many different points of view.



Scope of the study

Environmental studies describe the interrelationships among organisms, the environment and all the factors, which influence life on earth, including atmospheric conditions, food chains, the water cycle, etc. This 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 non renewable 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 analysed 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 minimize 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.

Importance for the study

• World population is increasing at an alarming rate especially in developing countries.

• The natural resources endowment in the earth is limited.

• The methods and techniques of exploiting natural resources are advanced.

• The resources are over-exploited and there is no foresight of leaving the resources to the future generations.

• The unplanned exploitation of natural resources lead to pollution of all types and at all levels.

• The pollution and degraded environment seriously affect the health of all living things on earth , including man.

• The people should take a combined responsibility for the deteriorating environment and begin to take appropriate actions to space the earth.



• Education and training are needed to save the biodiversity and species extinction.

• The urban area, coupled with industries, is major sources of pollution.

• The number and area extinct under protected area should be increased so that the wild life is protected at least in these sites.

• The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the environment and need for the people to adapt appropriate activities and pursue sustainable development, which are harmonious with the environment.

• The study motivates students to get involved in community action, and to participate in various environmental and management projects.

• It is a high time to reorient educational systems and curricula towards these needs.

• Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions with the natural environment. It integrates different approaches of the humanities, social sciences, biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these approaches to investigate environmental concerns.

• Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about the changes in the knowledge, values, behaviours and lifestyles required to achieve sustainability and stability within and among countries.



Environmental Education’s Role in Sustainable Development: Case Study of India

The Rio Summit in 1992 produced Agenda 21. This international agreement developed a strategy for addressing sustainable development throughout the world by calling for increase community participation in addressing environmental, social, and economic concerns that affect their community. Although there was much debate about approaches for sustainable development, there was near universal support for the need to provide improved educational opportunities for students that allows them to develop valuable life skills such as communication and critical thinking.

Case Study

Uttarakhand Environmental Education Center (UEEC) – Uttaranchal, India The Area Uttaranchal is a state in northern India, bordered by Nepal in the east and China to the north. The state area is approximately 51,000 km2 and consists primarily of mountain ridges and valleys, with some peaks having an altitude of over 7,800 meters. Uttarakhand Environmental Education Center (UEEC) works with some of the nine million inhabitants who live in the state, primarily in the zones between 1,000 and 3,500 meters. The area in which UEEC works is forested primarily by oak (Quercus incana) and is part of the upper watersheds of many large river systems of the Asian sub-continent, principally the Ganga and Yamuna Rivers.. UEEC History In 1986 the government of India decreed the importance of teaching environmental education in schools throughout the country, in reaction to an increased awareness of unsustainable practices throughout the country, particularly in agriculture. The government hoped to use environmental education programs in schools and communities as a conduit to increase awareness about the environment, and give citizens the knowledge and skills to respond to environmental issues UEEC & Environmental Education The UEEC was created to meet these goals as a non-governmental organization (NGO). The mission of UEEC “works to develop cohesive communities empowered to create personally and ecologically rich, sustainable lives for themselves and future generations, using ‘the village as an ecosystem’ as an organizing concept” .In order to advance the mission of UEEC the concept of “the village as an ecosystem” became the dominate strategy for promoting their goals. This concept and corresponding curriculum, uses the village as the unifying model, focusing on the local village ecosystem and the human/environment interactions taking place. Rather than observing their surroundings in a form of “nature-study”, students use their village ecosystem as a practical laboratory in which to apply ideas learned in the classroom to their lives within the village . UEEC and the government identified three possibilities for implementing the concepts of environmental education into schools: infuse environmental education themes into (1) pre-existing curriculum, (2) an extra-curricular class or club, or (3) a separate class. After the three



alternatives were tested, the third option was chosen as the most beneficial and holistic for students. Continued development and improvements of the class has led it to be a mandatory subject for students during their grades 6 through 10 . As a separate long-term class, ideas and skills from several other subject areas can be incorporated and gives students ample time to develop these skills in a practical setting. However, to effectively teach the necessary concepts and skills development, a new curriculum was needed. Existing materials were often too broad and difficult for students to relate with or understand such as worldwide deforestation . Because of these factors, a curriculum that addressed the “…concepts of sustainability and the carrying capacity of the village ecosystem” was needed . Collaboration between teachers, ecologists, and community members enabled the development of a curriculum entitled Our Land, Our Life for the class. The concepts of Our Land, Our Life are geared toward promoting an increased student understanding of ideas through practical skills development, idea exploration, and how these concepts relate to and interact with the village. A final consideration of the curriculum focuses on successful teacher development in using the curriculum by way of practical and effective trainings . The student investigations gather data from numerous sources such as community members, local government officials, as well as personal quantitative experiences. A final step gives students opportunities to share their investigations and potential solutions in community forums . For example, 6th graders would study the natural vegetation of their village, while 7th through 10th graders would use those preliminary experiences in forest-area rehabilitation practice. Our Land, Our Life is taught to over 35,000 students within the Uttaranchal state by 600 UEEC trained teachers in 318 schools. The government and UEEC have plans to increase the number of participating students and schools throughout the region . However,UEEC is faced with challenges in maintaining the course’s overall effectiveness, development, and teacher retention. Conclusion The unique approach taken by UEEC to address environmental and community concerns can

attribute its success to a long-term commitment toward community improvement, its

adaptability, and developed community trust (Hollweg, 2007). The expansion of these

attributes allowed UEEC to promote their goals, and contribute positively to improving

community resources in the villages in which they work. By creating opportunities for students

to experience and learn first-hand about their village resources, UEEC is able to influence

sustainable development and resource management in the region of Uttaranchal through

improved educational techniques that use the village environment as a unifying theme.



REVIEW OF WEEK 1





WEEK 2 STUDY PLAN

NATURAL RESOURCES

2.1 INTRODUCTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES (VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZglxQGOZos

2.2 NATURAL RESOURCES (Article)

2.3 RENEWABLE RESOURCES (Article)

2.4 NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES (Article)

2.5 NATURAL RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS (VIDEO)

1. FOOD DEGRADATION SCENARIO OF ARABIC COUNTRY –CASE STUDY VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z02i9TuSUOw

2. WORLD WATER CRISIS -- VIDEO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9OGvcVA3Gw

2.6 DISCUSSION

2.7 ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF

NATURAL RESOURCES (Article)

2.8 FUTURE CHALLENGES (Article)

2.9 SAVING THE RESOURCES

CHIPKO AANDOLAN MOVEMENT (VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CijcBKDDKuE

A DAY IN THE HISTORY : CHIPKO MOVEMENT BY DD NEWS (VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqwns1tyN0M

EARTH WILL EXPIRE BY 2050- A UK NEWS REPORT (NEWS BASED CASE STUDY)

2.10 WEEK 2 QUIZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hqwns1tyN0M

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z02i9TuSUOw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CijcBKDDKuE



2.1 INTRODUCTORY VIDEO ON NATURAL RESOURCES





2.2 NATURAL RESOURCES

Natural resources are the resources available in nature like air, water, sunlight, soil, minerals, fossil

fuels, forests, wild life etc.

On the basis of origin, resources may be divided into:

Biotic – Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere (living and organic material), such as

forests and animals, and the materials that can be obtained from them. Fossil fuels are also

included in this category because they are formed from decayed organic matter.

Abiotic – Abiotic resources are those that come from non-living, non-organic material.

Examples of abiotic resources include land, fresh water, air and heavy metals including ores

such as gold, iron, copper, silver, etc.

On the basis of their availability, resources may be divided into:

Renewable and Non-renewable resources

Renewable resources are ones that can be replenished naturally. Some of these resources, like

sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not noticeably affected

by human consumption.

Non-renewable resources are resources that form extremely slowly and those that do not

naturally form in the environment. Minerals are the most common resource included in this

category. By the human perspective, resources are non-renewable when their rate of

consumption exceeds the rate of replenishment/recovery; a good example of this are fossil fuels,

which are in this category because their rate of formation is extremely slow (potentially millions

of years), meaning they are considered non-renewable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ores

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biosphere

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-renewable_resources

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fossil_fuels

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silver

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forests

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animals

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/land

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Air



2.3 RENEWABLE RESOURCES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIj8EuEJ8FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIj8EuEJ8FY



2.4 NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES

Non-renewable resources are resources for which there is a limited supply. The supply comes from the

Earth itself and, as it typically takes millions of years to develop, is finite. Non-renewable resources can

generally be separated into two main categories; fossil fuels and nuclear fuels.

(a) Fossil fuels are derived from organic matter which has been trapped between layers of sediments

within the Earth for millions of years. The organic matter, typically plants, have decomposed and

compressed over time, leaving what are known as fossil fuel deposits. These deposits, and the

materials produced from them, tend to be highly combustible, making them an ideal energy

source. They are difficult to obtain as they are typically retrieved through drilling or mining, but

fossil fuels are worth the effort for the sheer amount of energy they produce. Crude oil is a non-

renewable resource that builds up in liquid form between the layers of the Earth’s crust. It is

retrieved by drilling deep into the ground and pumping the liquid out. The liquid is then refined and

used to create many different products. Crude oil is a very versatile fuel and is used to produce

things like plastics, artificial food flavourings, heating oil, petrol, diesel, jet fuel, and propane. The

top three oil-producing countries are Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United States.

(b) Natural gases gather below the Earth’s crust and, like crude oil, must be drilled for and pumped

out. Methane and ethane are the most common types of gasses obtained through this process. These

gasses are most commonly used in home heating as well as gas ovens and grills. Russia, Iran, and

Qatar are the countries with the largest recorded natural gas reserves. Coal is the last of the major

fossil fuels. Created by compressed organic matter, it is solid like rock and is obtained via mining.

Out of all countries, China produces the most coal by far.

(c) Nuclear Fuels - The other form of non-renewable resource used to produce energy, nuclear

fuels, is primarily obtained through the mining and refining of uranium ore. Uranium is a

naturally occurring element found within the Earth's core. Most uranium deposits occur in

small quantities which miners gather together, refine, and purify. Once gathered, the

uranium is brought together and compounded into rods. The rods are then submersed into

tanks of water. When it reaches critical mass, uranium begins to break down and release

energy which heats the water it is immersed in. This is known as "fission." The heated

water then creates pressure and it is this pressure which drives the turbines that generate

the electricity we use every day. Nuclear fuels are key to maintaining the Earth's

environment since they are the cleanest of all non-renewable resources.

(d) 2.5 NATURAL RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATED PROBLEMS

http://answers.yourdictionary.com/articles/what-are-advantages-disadvantages-nuclear-power.html



(e) Human population is growing day-by-day. Continuous increase in population caused an increasing

demand for natural resources. Due to urban expansion, electricity need and industrialization, man

started utilising natural resources at a much larger scale. Non-renewable resources are limited.

They cannot be replaced easily. After some time, these resources may come to an end. It is a

matter of much concern and ensures a balance between population growth and utilisation of

resources. This overutilization creates many problems. In some regions there are problems of

water logging due to over irrigation. In some areas, there is no sufficient water for industry and

agriculture. Thus, there is need for conservation of natural resources.

(f) There are many problems associated with natural resources:

(g) Forest resources and associated problems

(h) 1. Use and over-exploitation.

(i) 2. Deforestation.

(j) 3. Timber extraction.

(k) 4. Mining and its effects on forest.

(l) 5. Dams and their effects on forests and tribal people.

(m) Water resources and associated problems

(n) 1. Use and overutilization of water.

(o) 2. Floods, droughts etc.

(p) 3. River water conflicts.

(q) 4. Dams and rehabilitation problems.

(r) Mineral resource and associated problems

(s) 1. Use and exploitation.

(t) 2. Environmental effects of extracting and using minerals.

(u) Food resources and associated problems

(v) 1. World food problems.

(w) 2. Changes caused by agriculture and over grazing.

(x) 3. Effects of modern agriculture.

(y) 4. Fertilizer-pesticide problems.

(z) 5. Water logging and salinity.



(aa) Energy resources and associated problems

(bb) 1. Growing energy needs.

(cc) Land resources and associated problems

(dd) 1. Land degradation.

(ee) 2. Man-induced landslides.

(ff) 3. Soil erosion and desertification.



WEEK 3 STUDY PLAN

ECOSYSTEM

3.1 INTRODUCTORY VIDEO ON ECOSYSTEM (VIDEO)

3.2 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF AN ECOSYSTEM (Article)

3.3 ENERGY FLOW IN THE ECOSYSTEM (Article)

3.4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEB (slide share)

http://www.slideshare.net/saksheebhaiswar/food-chainfood-web-and-ecological-

pyramids?related=1

3.5 ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS (Article/slideshare )


pyramids?related=1

3.6 DISCUSSION/ ASSIGNMENT

3.7 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES (Article)

3.8 ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION (Article)

3.9 IMPORTANCE OF ECOSYSTEMS (video)

BEES ARE IMPORTANT TOO

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaaQUGPXtnU

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES : BENEFITS TO HUMANS (CASE STUDY NEWS)

SAVING TIGERS FOR ECOSYSTEM (NEWS ARTICLE)

MINAMATA –CASE STUDY (VIDEO)

3.10 WEEK 3 QUIZ




3.1 INTRODUCTORY VIDEO ON ECOSYSTEM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWPj2IkeklI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWPj2IkeklI



3.2 STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION OF AN ECOSYSTEM

On the basis of structure, an ecosystem can be classified in the following two components:

Biotic components

Abiotic components

Biotic components: The biotic components include all type of living beings. They are further

categorized into autotrophs and heterotrophs. Heterotrophes are further of two types -

consumers (herbivores and carnivores) and decomposers. Different biotic components are

connected to each other through food and other relations.

Food is synthesized by the plants only by chlorophyll in the presence of sunlight by the

absorption of water from soil through their roots and carbon-di-oxide from atmosphere. Plants

can prepare their food by themselves that is why; they are called autotrophes (producers). The

abiotic components include non-living substances and other physical and chemical factors of

the environment.

Producers (autotrophs) :

These are the chlorophyll containing autotrophic organisms, which prepare their food from

from the inorganic raw materials with the help of sunlight through the process of

photosynthesis. In terrestrial ecosystem, the autotrophs are rooted plants ( herbs, shrubs and

trees), whereas in the deep aquatic ecosystem floating plants called Phytoplankton’s are the

major producers. In shallow waters rooted plants are called macrophytes, are the dominant

producers. When the environmental conditions are optimum, the phytoplanktons can produce

as much food as produced by the larger shrubs and trees on unit area (land or surface water)

basis.

H2O + CO2 + Sunlight + Chlorophyll→ carbohydrates + O2

During photosynthesis autotrophs convert solar energy into chemical energy of

the organic compounds. Producers are called converters and transducers. Heterotrophs are

dependant for their food and energy requirements on the producers.

Consumers:

Consumers are the heterotrophic animals, which generally ingest and swallow their food. The

food of consumers consist of organic compounds produced by autotrophes. Consumers are also

known by name phagotrophes. Consumers are of two types.

Herbivores: herbivores are the animals which are dependant for their feed directly on the plants.

They are called first order consumers. For example grasshopper, deer, rabbits, goat, cattle etc.

are herbivores of terrestrial ecosystem. Protozoa, Molluscs, crustaceans etc. are some examples

of aquatic ecosystem. ELTON (1927) called primary consumers as ‘Key Industry Animals’,

because they convert the plant material into the animal material.

Carnivores: these are the organisms which are dependant for their feed upon the flesh of other

animals. The carnivores take their feed from the herbivores, so they are called primary

carnivores or second order consumers for example-frog, birds, fox, cat etc. The secondary



consumers are preyed upon by any other larger carnivores; they are called tertiary consumers

and so on. The larger carnivores such as lion tiger etc. which cannot be preyed upon further,

they are called top carnivores and occupy top position in the food chain.

Decomposers: These are the microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi etc. which take their food

from the dead bodies of producers (plants) ,consumers ( animals) and their organic wastes.

Decomposers are also known by name micro-consumers or reducers because of their small

size. They secret the digestive enzymes in the surrounding medium to digest the organic

material (extracellular digestion). They consume a part of the decomposition product for their

own nourishment. The remaining substances add materials and minerals to the substratum. This

process is called Mineralization. The discharged minerals are utilized as nutrients by the

producers. Decomposers are also known by name Saprophytes (sapro-to decompose).

Decomposers are of two types-scavengers and parasites. Scavengers are the animals which take

their feed from the dead bodies of the organisms. For example-termites, beetles, worms’ etc.

parasites the organisms which take their feed from the body of organisms called host. Parasites

belong to all the category of organisms for example bacteria, fungi, viruses, protozoa, worms

etc.

Abiotic Components:

The abiotic components of an ecosystem include the non-living constitutes of an ecosystem i.e

habitat. Habitat is a specific set of physical and chemical conditions that surrounds a species, a

group of species or a larger community.

Soil and water forms the important abiotic factors in an ecosystem. In addition to these

there are a number of other abiotic factors which can be categorized into two categories.

Physical Factors:

Some of the important physical factors are listed below:

o Light: The natural source of light id solar radiations. The quality and intensity of light

varies in the major habitats depending upon the cover, transparency and other factors.

Green plants by utilizing solar energy convert the inorganic raw materials (nutrients,

CO2 and H2O) into the complex carbohydrates, which is further passed through the food

chain.

o Temperature: Temperature is a measure of intensity of heat. It controls the climate of a

place in co-ordination with evaporation and precipitation. Consequently it has a direct

control on the distribution of species in any geographical area.

o Evaporation and precipitation: Evaporation and precipitation along with temperature

are the main parameters which govern the climate in any geographical area and drive

the water cycle. In terrestrial ecosystem they modulate the development of biomass in

an ecosystem.

o Pressure: Pressure is an important parameter which governs the climate of an area.

Pressure decreases with altitude by a factor of 10 for every 15 km above the sea-level,

and increases by 1 atmosphere for every 10 m depth in the water. Animals have

undergone required adaptations to this change in the pressure. Thus pressure limits the

growth of population at the high altitudes and at different depths in the sea.



o Humidity: It is defined by the moisture content in the air. It is controlled by the

temperature and wind in an area. Transpiration by the plants and water absorption by

the animals is influenced by atmospheric humidity.

o Gravity: Gravity determines the movement of matter to and from the system. It shows

distinct effect on the structure, general orientation and distribution of animals. Gravity

controls the rock material and the hydrological cascade system.

o Air and water currents: air and water currents are direct expression of pressure changes.

In response to change in this parameter, organisms have undergone several changes.

For example crabs in the beaches emerges with receding tide for feeding and return to

their burrows as the waves sweep over the shore. Air currents are associated with the

weathering of rocks which is linked with cycling of nutrients. Air and water currents

are involved in the process of ‘overturn’ of water which helps in enriching deeper

water with oxygen.

Chemical Factors:

Some of the important chemical factors are listed below-

o Carbon-dioxide: Carbon-dioxide is an important raw material for the process of

photosynthesis. It controls the other chemical factors like pH, carbonate and

bicarbonates of the medium in which the organisms live.

o Oxygen: Oxygen is the most important chemical factor which governs the distribution

of species in any geographical area. Oxygen is being continuously used in the

respiration of organisms in an ecosystem and replenished through the process of

photosynthesis by producers.

o Minerals (nutrients): Nutrients are important to carryout and maintain life.

Macronutrients are those which are required in large quantities for example-carbon,

hydrogen, nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and sodium. They occur

in the simple forms like carbon-di-oxide, water and nitrates in the nature. On the other

hand micronutrients are the nutrients which are required in small quantities for

example- iron, manganese, magnesium, cobalt, zinc and molybdenum etc. The source

of these nutrients in the terrestrial ecosystem is soil and in the aquatic ecosystem is

water.

Organic matter: carbohydrates, proteins, fats constitute the living organisms. When

organisms die their bodies decay and become organic detritus which is taken by the

decomposers that help in the cycling of elements.



3.3 ENERGY FLOW IN THE ECOSYSTEM

The functioning of the ecosystem depends on the flow of energy through matter. Energy enters the

ecosystem from the solar radiations and is converted into chemical form by the producers. From here

the energy passes from one trophic level to another through the food chain. The flow of energy in the

ecosystem is governed by two basic laws of thermodynamics:

o Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but can be transformed from one state to another,

or transformed from one component to another.

o Every transformation or transfer of energy is accompanied by some dispersion or loss of

energy in the form of heat.

There are two aspects with respect to energy flow in the ecosystem:

o There is unidirectional or one way flow of energy in the ecosystem i.e. from producers to

herbivores and from herbivores to carnivores. There is no backflow of energy in reverse

direction. i.e. energy captured by the autotrophs does not revert back to solar input or energy

which passes to the herbivores does not revert back to the autotrophs.

o The amount of energy flow decreases with the successive trophic levels.

Energy flow : THE FLOW OF ENERGY IS SHOWN BY THE RED ARROWS



3.4 FOOD CHAINS AND FOOD WEB

(slide share LINK )


pyramids?related=1



3.5 ECOLOGICAL PYRAMIDS (Article/slideshare )

http://www.slideshare.net/saksheebhaiswar/food-chainfood-web-and-ecological-pyramids?related=1

ARTICLE

In 1927, scientist Charles Elton observed that the number of animals present at the top of the trophic

level is much less compared to the number of animals present at the base of the food chain. He also

plotted his findings on a graph to get a pyramid like structure. He called this pyramid the Eltonian

Pyramid after his name. It is also known as ecological pyramid. Thus an ecological pyramid is the

graphicaL representation of the trophic structure and function at successive trophic levels. The base of

the pyramid consists of the food producer level. The successive levels make the tiers, with the top

carnivores forming the apex.

The ecological pyramids are of three types:

(i) Pyramid of energy

(ii) Pyramid and

(iii) Pyramid of numbers.

1. The Pyramid of Energy

The energy pyramids give the best picture of the overall nature of the ecosystem.

There is decrease in energy flow from autotrophs on\ at successive trophic levels. In the course of energy

flow from one organism to the other, is considerable loss of energy in the form of heat. More energy is

available in the autotrophs t in the primary consumers. The least amount of available energy will be in

the tertiary consumer. Therefore, shorter the food chain, greater is the amount of energy available at the

top.

o The energy pyramid always upright and erect.

o It shows the rate of energy flows at different trophic levels.

o It shows that energy is maximum at producer level and minimum at the carnivores' level.

o At every successive trophic level there is a loss of energy in the form of heat, respiration etc.

o The Ten percent law for the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next was

introduced by Lindeman (1942). According to this law, during the transfer of energy from

organic food from one trophic level to the next, only about ten percent of the energy from

organic matter is stored as flesh. The remaining is lost during transfer, broken down in

respiration, or lost to incomplete digestion by higher trophic levels.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Lindeman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trophic_level



Flow

of

energy

PYRAMID OF ENERGY

CARNIVORES

HERBIVORES

PRODUCERS

2. The Pyramid of Biomass

They are comparatively more fundamental, as they, instead of the geometric factor, show j the

quantitative relationships of the standing crops. Here there will be gradual decrease in the biomass from

the autotrophs to the higher trophic levels. This may be illustrated by studying the trophic levels in a

pond.

The biomass in autotrophs like algae, green flagellates, green plants etc. is the maximum. The biomass

is considerably less in the next trophic level occupied by secondary consumers like small fishes. The

least amount of biomass is present in the last trophic level.

o This pyramid shows the total biomass at each trophic level in a food chain.

o Pyramid in erect.

o It indicates a decrease in the biomass at each trophic level from the base to apex of pyramid.

o Example: Total biomass than herbivores, which is again more than carnivorous.

PYRAMID OF BIOMASS FOR FORESTS/GRASSLANDS

CARNIVOR

ES

HERBIVORES

PRODUCERS



PYRAMID OF BIOMASS FOR AQUATIC ECOSYSTEM

LARGE FISH

SMALL FISH

PHYTOPLANKTON

3. The Pyramid of Numbers

They show the relationship between producers, herbivores and carnivores at successive trophic levels

in terms of their number. Here there will be a gradual decrease in the number of individuals from the

lower to the higher trophic levels. This may be studied by taking the example of trophic levels in

grassland.

The grasses occupy the lowest trophic level and they are abundantly present in the grassland ecosystem.

The deers occupy the second level; their number is less than compared to the grasses.

The wolves, which feed upon the deers, are far less in number when compared to the number of deers.

The lions, which occupy the next trophic level, feed upon wolves, and the number of individuals in the

last trophic level is greatly reduced.

In the parasitic food chain, the pyramid of numbers is founds to be inverted. Here, a single plant or tree

might support varieties of herbivore. These herbivores like birds in turn, support varieties of parasites

like lice, bugs that outnumber the herbivores.

Subsequently each parasite might support a number of hyperparasites like bacteria and fungi, which

will outnumber the parasites. Thus from the producer level onwards, towards the consumers, in the

parasitic food chain there is a gradual increase in the number of organisms, instead of the usual decrease.

As a result of this, the pyramid becomes inverted in the parasitic food chain. There is a gradual increase

in the numbers of individuals from autotrophs to the higher trophic levels.

o It shows the number of organism at different levels.

o The pyramid is erect.

o The smaller animals are preyed upon larger animals and smaller animals increase faster in

number of organism at each stage of food chain, makes a triangular figure that is known as

pyramid of number.



PYRAMID OF NUMBERS FOR GRASSLANDS

HAWKS

SNAKE, LIZARD

RABBIT, GRASSHOPPER

GRASSLANDS

PYRAMID OF NUMBERS FOR FOREST ECOSYSTEM

LIONS,TIGERS

SNAKES,BEERS,WOLF

ALL ANIMALS DEPENDING UPON TREES

TREES

PYRAMID OF NUMBERS FOR PARASITIC FOODCHAIN

PARASITES

ALL HERBIVORES

PLANTS



3.7 BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES

Biogeochemical cycles are pathways for the transport and transformation of matter within four

categorical areas that make up planet Earth (biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and the atmosphere).

Biogeochemical cycles are components of the broader cycle that govern the functioning of planet

Earth. The Earth is a system open to electromagnetic radiation from the sun and outer space, but is a

virtually closed system with regard to matter. This means that the planet has minimal flux of matter,

other than meteorite collisions and minor amounts of intergalactic particle trapping (or loss) by the

upper atmosphere. Therefore, matter that Earth contained from the time of its birth is transformed and

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Biosphere



circulated geographically. This is in line with the law of conservation of matter which states that

matter cannot be created nor destroyed but can be transformed including the transformation between

matter and energy

The transfer of matter involves biological, geological and chemical processes; hence the name

biogeochemical cycles derives. Biogeochemical cycles may also be referred to as cycles of nature

because they link together all organisms and abiotic features on earth. Matter is continually recycled

among living and abiotic elements on earth. Biogeochemical cycles facilitate the transfer of matter

from one form to another and from one location to another on planet earth. Additionally,

biogeochemical cycles are sometimes called nutrient cycles, because they involve the transfer of

compounds that provide nutritional support to living organisms.

Pathways of biogeochemical cycles

Parts that comprise planet earth have been categorized into four spheres (regions). One is the sphere

which has life and it is called the biosphere (it is the region occupied by living organisms such

as plants, animals, fungi) and the other three spheres are largely devoid of life, they include;

lithosphere (region occupied by soil, land and the earth crust), atmosphere (air and space) and

hydrosphere (areas covered by water such as rivers, lakes and oceans). However, where the biosphere

overlaps the lithosphere, atmosphere or hydrosphere, there is a zone occupied by living organisms.

Categories and examples of biogeochemical cycles

Biogeochemical cycles differ in their pathways, and on this basis the biogeochemical cycles have

been categorized into two:

Sedimentary cycles: these cycles involve the transportation of matter through the ground to water;

that is to say from the lithosphere to the hydrosphere. Common examples of cycles under the

sedimentary category are:

Phosphorus cycle: Phosphorus is commonly found in water, soil and sediments. Phosphorus cannot

be found in air in the gaseous state. This is because phosphorus is usually a liquid at standard

temperatures and pressures. Phosphorus is mainly cycled through water, soil and sediments. However,

very small particles in the atmosphere may contain phosphorus or its compounds. Phosphorus moves

slowly from deposits on land and in sediments, to living organisms, and much more slowly back into

the soil and water sediment. The phosphorus cycle is the slowest one of the sedimentary cycles.

Sulphur cycle: Sulphur in its natural form is a solid, and restricted to the sedimentary cycle in this

form. It is transported by physical processes like wind, erosion by water, and geological events like

volcanic eruptions. However, in its compounds such as sulphur dioxide, sulphuric acid, salts of

sulphate or organic sulphur, sulphur can be moved from the ocean to the atmosphere, to land and then

to the ocean through rainfall and rivers.

Gaseous cycles: these involve the transportation of matter through the atmosphere. Common example

of gaseous cycles are:

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Phosphorus_cycle

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Phosphorus

http://www.eoearth.org/article/River

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Plant

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Soil

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Biosphere

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Organism

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Wind

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Earth's_tmosphere



Carbon cycle: Carbon is one of the most important elements that sustain life on earth. Carbon

dioxideand methane gases (compounds of carbon) in the earth's atmosphere has a substantial effect on

earth's heat balance. It absorbs infrared radiation and hence may contribute to global

warming and climate change.

Nitrogen cycle: Nitrogen gas is the most abundant element in the atmosphere and all the nitrogen

found in terrestrial ecosystems originate from the atmosphere. The nitrogen cycle is by far the most

important nutrient cycle for plant life.

Oxygen cycle: The oxygen cycle describes the movement of oxygen within and between its three

main reservoirs: the atmosphere, the biosphere, and the lithosphere. The main driving factor of the

oxygen cycle is photosynthesis and because of this, oxygen and carbon cycles are usually linked and

the two cycles are collectively called oxygen-carbon cycle.

Hydrological cycle: This is some times called the water cycle. Water is the most important chemical

of life for all living organisms on earth. Water in the atmosphere is usually in form of vapor but

condenses to liquid water and can solidify when temperatures are 00C to form ice. Ninety three

percent of water on earth is in solid state mainly comprising the ice caps and glaciers of Polar

Regions.

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Methane

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_dioxide

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Oxygen

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Glacier

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Climate_change

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_dioxide

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nitrogen_cycle

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Nitrogen

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon_cycle

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Carbon

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Global_warming

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Global_warming

http://www.eoearth.org/article/Photosynthesis



3.8 ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION (VIDEO/ARTICLE )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V49IovRSJDs

ARTICLE

In 1916, Frederic Clements published a descriptive theory of succession and advanced it as a general

ecological concept. His theory of succession had a powerful influence on ecological thought. Clements'

concept is usually termed classical ecological theory. According to Clements, succession is a process

involving several phases:

1. Nudation: Succession begins with the development of a bare site, called Nudation

(disturbance).

2. Migration: It refers to arrival of propagules.

3. Ecesis: It involves establishment and initial growth of vegetation.

4. Competition: As vegetation became well established, grew, and spread, various species began

to compete for space, light and nutrients. This phase is called competition.

5. Reaction: During this phase autogenic changes affect the habitat resulting in replacement of

one plant community by another.

6. Stabilization: Reaction phase leads to development of a climax community.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frederic_Clements

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Classical_ecological_theory&action=edit&redlink=1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V49IovRSJDs

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Propagule



SEP TEM BER -O CTO BER 2010

Ecosystem Services: How People Benefit from Nature

by Rebecca L. Goldman

What do the blue jeans you wear, the hamburger you have for lunch, and the sheet you make

your bed with have in common? They all take copious amounts of water to produce. One pair of

blue jeans takes 2,900 gallons or about 78 bathtubs of water. Even your morning cup of coffee takes 37 gallons

(about one bathtub) of water—not just the one cup you consume.1 But we don't pay for all the water that goes

into our morning cup of coffee. The price of the coffee is based on production and transportation costs (among

other costs), but it's much more difficult to value where all the water in one cup of coffee comes from. This

difficulty arises from the fact that natural ecosystems are responsible for the retention, release, and regulation of

water, but how does a person value a natural ecosystem and the services it provides and put that into the cost of

a cup of coffee?

Caption: Your morning cup of coffee takes 37 gallons (about one bathtub) of water to produce—not just the

one cup you consume.

Ecosystem services, or the benefits that nature provides to people,2 have, in the past decade or two, become a

growing focus for the conservation movement, both its science and its policy; see, for example, the

ecosystem services are water purification, water retention, soil fertility, carbon sequestration, and coastal

protection, among many others.

What are some examples of how ecosystem services are already a part of our lives, how might

ecosystem service considerations change daily decisions, and why is this behavior change

important? In this article, I answer these questions using three examples—pollination services, flood and

natural disaster protection services, and water services—to illustrate the interrelationship between nature and

people.

Ecosystem Services Important for Sustainable Development?

The human population is expected to reach 9 billion people by 2050, and with that increase will come a greater

demand for many natural resources. Look at freshwater needs, for example. Research has estimated per person

per day dietary needs of 2,000–5,000 liters of water, and this does not include water needed for cleaning and

other activities.4 Hand in hand with this growing demand for resources is the conversion of native ecosystems to

meet growing needs; this is where a tradeoff assessment in terms of ecosystem services might be useful.

Agricultural and pasture lands represent about 40 percent of global land surface.5 If people continue to depend

on agricultural products as they have in the past, then by 2050, scholars estimate that 109 hectares of natural

ecosystems will be converted to agriculture. This conversion would include a 2.4–2.7-fold increase in nitrogen-

and phosphorus-driven eutrophication of numerous waters with similar increases in pesticide use.6 Agriculture

already accounts for 70 percent of water withdrawals from lakes, rivers, and aquifers.7



Caption: Agricultural and pasture lands represent about 40 percent of global land surface. If people continue

to depend on agricultural products as they have in the past scholars estimate that by 2050, 109 hectares of

natural ecosystems will be converted to agriculture.

How might ecosystem services save your life or affect the house you buy?

As with the food we buy in the market, the houses and property we buy may be more or less valuable depending

on the impact we have on nature. Nature can provide services that help to mitigate or at least diminish some

potentially catastrophic impacts from weather events. Perhaps the most recent and often discussed example of

this is the value that mangrove ecosystems have in protecting against coastal flooding and storms. These

protection services can enhance or detract from the value of coastal property, and in the case of severe storms like

tsunamis, can help save people's lives.



Caption: Mangrove ecosystems, like this one in the Florida Keys, are some of nature's most effective protections

against coastal flooding and storms.

Mangroves are coastal forest systems and make up about 0.4 percent of the world's forests. They are among the

most endangered ecosystems on the planet, yet they are frequently cleared so people can make use of the space

they occupy for rice paddies, shrimp farms, or other productive activities.

What do ecosystem services mean for the water you drink?

People rely on clean, regular supplies of water for survival, whether for drinking or for the production of other

goods and services (agriculture, electricity, etc.). Water users have an incentive to find the lowest cost options for

accessing clean water. Interestingly, nature may provide the lowest-cost, longest-term means of providing such

water services. Conservationists are increasingly recognizing the value in thinking about these low-cost

approaches for financing conservation.



Caption: June 2010 – Pichincha Province, Ecuador. School children from Sangolqui participate in activities

designed to teach them about the environment at Parque Ecológico Cachaco in Amaguaña. Administered by

Fundacion Ecológica JASDUC, the park includes watershed restoration for the Río San Pedro.

How Are Ecosystem Service Approaches Being Leveraged?

The last five years have seen the proliferation of ecosystem services strategies, not just in on–the-ground actions

but also in the emergence of new offices, new projects, and new strategies within conservation NGOs,

governments, and multilateral donor agencies. This increased attention started with books such as The New

Economy of Nature40and interdisciplinary scholarly investigations such as the Millennium Ecosystem

Assessment (MA) demonstrating the ecosystem alternatives to resource problems.



BEES ARE IMPORTANT TOO





Why is it important to save Tigers?

1) Saving tigers is equivalent to conserving the Ecosystem

Tiger is symbol of wilderness and well-being of the ecosystem. By conserving and saving tigers the entire wilderness ecosystem is conserved. In nature, barring human beings and their domesticates, rest of the ecosystem is wild. Hence conserving wilderness is important and crucial to maintain the life support system. So saving tiger amounts to saving the ecosystem which is crucial for man's own survival. Tigers play a pivotal role in the health of the ecosystem. Tigers constitute the top carnivores in the ecosystem and is at the apex of the food chain. The removal of a top carnivore from an ecosystem can have an impact on the relative abundance of herbivore species within a guild. Along with other major carnivores as leopard it acts as a control mechanism for herbivores or consumers. The interdependency of living forms in a food chain is obvious as the wild tiger is dependant upon herbivores for its survival where he maintains there population which in turn prevents the grasslands from being overgrazed. The herbivores depend upon the producers as grasses, herbs, shrubs, algae, fungi and large trees for survival and they in turn maintian a balance in vegetation by controling the extent of vegetation or flora. Birds survive on herbs, shrubs and trees on fruits and nector and in turn act as seed dispersal agent for them to spread the population of the floral elements in an ecosystem. Thus all life forms including tiger are interlinked with each other in an ecosystem and their survival depends upon how intact the ecosystem is. Top carnivores, tigers, have an important role to play in the structuring of communities and ultimately of ecosystems. Thus, the preservation of tigers becomes an important consideration.



2) India's national animal - TIGER

Tigers occupy an important place in the Indian culture. Since ages, it has been the symbol of magnificence, power, beauty and fierceness and has been associated with bravery and valor. The tiger also has a significant place in Hindu mythology as the vehicle of Goddess Durga.

3) Tigers are so cute.

Besides everything else Tigers are also living beings like you and me, they also feel the pain, they also need their family.Please save tigers, stop their brutal killings. We must make an effort to save the tiger population in our



country as well as in the world. No matter how big or small the effort is, each and every effort counts.

http://savetigersaveecosystem.weebly.com/your-contribution.html

http://savetigersaveecosystem.weebly.com/your-contribution.html



WEEK 4 STUDY PLAN

BIODIVERSITY AND ITS CONSERVATION

4.1 INTRODUCTION-DEFINITION: GENETIC, SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEM

BIODIVERSITY (Article)

4.2 VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY (Article)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7tgNamjTRkk

4.3 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY (Article)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA3xNMJnFuo

4.5 HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY (Article)

http://www.slideshare.net/DevikaAntharjanam/seminar-11507892?next_slideshow=1

4.6 ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF INDIA (VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VokqA4cuwtc

4.7 CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY: IN SITU AND EX SITU CONSERVATION OF


http://www.slideshare.net/akhilkollipara7/biodiversity-and-its-conservation

4.8 BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA (Article)

http://www.slideshare.net/GhassanHadi/session-9-biogeographical-classification (Article)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HA3xNMJnFuo

4.5 HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY (Article)


4.6 ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF INDIA (VIDEO)





4.8 BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA (Article)

http://www.slideshare.net/GhassanHadi/session-9-biogeographical-classification

4.9 WEEK 4 QUIZ




4.1 INTRODUCTION-DEFINITION: GENETIC, SPECIES AND ECOSYSTEM

BIODIVERSITY

Biological diversity refers to the variety and the number of living organisms present in an

ecosystem. Biodiversity refers to that part of nature which includes all forms of life such as plants,

animals and microorganisms. These life forms vary in shape, size and color.

The Convention on Biological Diversity defines biodiversity as:"the variability among living organisms

from all sources including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological

complexes of which they are a part; this includes diversity within species, between species, and of

ecosystems." Diversity is a rule of nature and the policy of the habitat. So, there is difference of genes

within and between the species and also diversity of ecosystems. It is impossible to have a species with

nil diversity.

The diversity can be divided into:

(i) Genetic diversity

“The genetic variation existing within a species is called genetic diversity”. Each species of living

beings store an immense amount of genetic information. The number of genes present in a species

differs from those present in another species. For eg. The number of genes in Eschirichia coli (colon

bacteria) is about 4000, 13000 in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly), 32000-50000 in Oryza sativa

(rice) and 35000-45000 in Homo sapiens (man).A population is able to adapt to its environment and

respond to its natural selection due to its genetic diversity. A species with more genetic diversity can

adapt better to the changing environmental conditions. A species with lesser genetic diversity results

into uniformity.

(ii) Species diversity

Species diversity refers to the variety of species within a region. It includes the full range of species in

the region, from microorganisms to macro organisms. Species are distinct units of biodiversity, each of

which have specific role in an ecosystem. Therefore, loss of a species affects the ecosystem as a whole.

(iii) Ecosystem diversity

Ecological diversity or ecosystem diversity is the variety of biological communities, such as forests,

deserts, grasslands and streams that interact with one another and with their physical and chemical

(nonliving) environments. It relates to the different forms of life which are present in any one particular

area or site, in more precise terms, it concerns the different species of a particular genus which are

present in an ecological community.



4.1 VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY





4.1 HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY

The concept of biodiversity hotspots was originated by Norman Myers in two articles in “The

Environmentalist” (1988 & 1990), revised after thorough analysis by Myers and others in “Hotspots:

Earth’s Biologically Richest and Most Endangered Terrestrial Ecoregions”. To qualify as a biodiversity

hotspot on Myers 2000 edition of the hotspot-map, a region must meet two strict criteria:

1. It must contain at least 0.5% or 1,500 species of vascular plants as endemics, and

2. It has to have lost at least 70% of its primary vegetation.

India has two biodiversity hotspots namely The Eastern Himalayas and the Western Ghats.





4.1 ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF INDIA


The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) has categorized

wild flora and fauna into the following categories:

Summary of 2006 IUCN Red List categories

The list containing these categories is known as the Red List. The data recorded in the Red Data Book

is updated every 4 years. According to the Red Data Book, a threatened species is one whose natural

habitat is disturbed.

As per Schedule I, of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972 of India, a species is considered endangered

when its number reduces to a critical level. Species are classified by the IUCN Red List into nine groups,

set through criteria such as rate of decline, population size, area of geographic distribution, and degree

of population and distribution fragmentation.

Extinct (EX) – No known individuals remaining.

Extinct in the Wild (EW) – Known only to survive in captivity, or as a naturalized population

outside its historic range.

Critically Endangered (CR) – Extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

Endangered (EN) – High risk of extinction in the wild.

Vulnerable (VU) – High risk of endangerment in the wild.

Near Threatened (NT) – Likely to become endangered in the near future.

Least Concern (LC) – Lowest risk. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread

and abundant taxa are included in this category.

Data Deficient (DD) – Not enough data to make an assessment of its risk of extinction.

Not Evaluated (NE) – Has not yet been evaluated against the criteria.

Endemic species: Species that have very restricted distribution and are found over relatively small

ranges are called endemic species. Endemic species once lost, it is a loss of biodiversity of these species

forever. In India there are about 1272 species of endemic angiosperms out of 3800 species occurring in

Kerala, which is 33.5% of its flora. Out of 5725 endemics in India, endemics of Kerala constitute 22.6%

of Indian endemics.

There are 44 endemic species of mammals, confined to a small range within the Indian Territory. The

Western Ghats have been identified as the abode of four of these endemic species:

(i) Lion Tailed Macaque (Macaca silenus)

(ii) Nilgiri Leaf Monkey (Trachypithecus johnii)

(iii) Brown Palm Civet (Paradoxurus jerdoni)

(iv) Nilgiri Tahr ( Hemitragus hylocrius)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Data_Deficient

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Endangered_species

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Critically_endangered_species

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulnerable_species

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Threatened


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Not_Evaluated

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Least_Concern




BIODIVERSITY


Conservation is the protection, preservation, management, or restoration of wildlife and natural

resources such as forests and water. Through the conservation of biodiversity the survival of many

species and habitats which are threatened due to human activities can be ensured.

(A) In-situ: The basic principle of in-situ conservation is the protection and management of

components of biological diversity through a network of protected areas in their natural habitat. In-

situ conservation is a cheap, convenient and natural way of conservation. The species is allowed to

grow in their own habitat with the protectors playing an important role in the whole process. The

species actually face the natural calamities such as floods, rain, droughts and snowfall etc and

thereby get a better adaptation in the long run. For this reason, the wild species are more resistant

to the changing environmental conditions than the domesticated or the hybrid ones.

Drawback – The only drawback of in situ conservation is that it requires a large area for the complete

protection of biodiversity.

National parks: These are the small reserves for the protection and conservation of a few species in

their habitat. A national park has a well defined boundary.

Wildlife Sanctuaries: These are the small reserves that are meant for the protection of the wildlife in

their natural habitat. Sanctuaries do not have a well defined boundary and tourists are allowed inside a

sanctuary.

Biosphere reserves: These are large, protected areas where the entire biotic spectrum of the climatic

zone is preserved. The Indian government has established 18 Biosphere Reserves of India, which

protect larger areas of natural habitat (than a National Park or Animal Sanctuary), and often include one

or more National Parks and/or preserves, along buffer zones that are open to some economic uses. A

biosphere reserve is classified into 3 zones:

Core zone- it is meant for the conservation of biodiversity and is totally secured.

Buffer zone- This zone surrounds the core zone and is used for activities such as environmental

research, education, monitoring and recreation etc.

Transition zone- It surrounds the buffer zone and may be used for agricultural activities,

settlement of tribal people, cultural people, local people and government authorities for the

sustainable development of the region’s resources and other purposes.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Sanctuary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Park



Ramsar Sites: The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, called the Ramsar

Convention, is an intergovernmental treaty that provides the framework for national action and

international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The

Ramsar Convention is the only global environmental treaty that deals with a particular ecosystem. The

treaty was adopted in the Iranian city of Ramsar in 1971 and the Convention's member countries

cover all geographic regions of the planet.

(B) Ex-situ: The conservation of elements of biodiversity out of the context of their natural habitats is

referred to as ex-situ conservation. Zoos, botanical gardens, nurseries, laboratories and seed banks

are all example of ex-situ conservation. In-situ conservation is not always possible as habitats may

have been degraded and there may be competition for land which means species need to be removed

from the area to save them.

Drawback – Ex-situ conservation is rarely enough to save a species from extinction. It is to be used

as a last resort or as a supplement to in-situ conservation because it cannot recreate the habitat as a

whole.



4.1 BIOGEOGRAPHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA


Biogeographic classification of India is the division of India according to biogeographic characteristics.

Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species (biology), organisms, and ecosystems in

geographic space and through geological time. The biogeographic zones of India are as follows:

(i) Trans-Himalayan Region:.

(ii) The Himalayas

(iii) The Desert

(iv) Semi-Arid region

(v) Western Ghats

(vi) Deccan Peninsula

(vii) North Eastern region

(viii) The Gangetic plain

(ix) Islands

(x) Coasts

Fig. Biogeographic classification of India




Eight endangered species of India

http://youtu.be/VokqA4cuwtc

http://youtu.be/VokqA4cuwtc



WEEK 5 STUDY PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION

5.0 INTRODUCTION (VIDEO)

5.1 TYPES OF POLLUTION (Article)

5.2AIR POLLUTION (VIDEOS)

5.3DELHI’S AIR POLLUTION –A STUDY (VIDEO)

5.4WATER POLLUTION (VIDEO/ARTICLE)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0fiV-u052c

water pollution in India

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IG3thzNUIdY

5.5 YAMUNA – A DEAD RIVER ( NEWS STUDY)

5.6 ASSIGNMENT

5.7 LIGHT POLLUTION (Article/VIDEO) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjsFC2Q77FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdIGJNVUwmE (DOCUMENTARY)

5.8 NOISE POLLUTION ( NEWS STUDY)

5.9 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT (PPT)

5.10 DO’NT WASTE YOUR WASTE (VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kr_DGf77OhM

WEEK 5 QUIZ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdIGJNVUwmE




POLLUTION AND ITS TYPES

Introduction

Pollution, we hear it every other day at school, college and read about it in newspapers. So what is it?

Pollution occurs when pollutants contaminate the natural surroundings; which brings about changes

that affect our normal lifestyles adversely. Pollutants are the key elements or components of pollution

which are generally waste materials of different forms. Pollution disturbs our ecosystem and the

balance in the environment. With modernization and development in our lives pollution has reached

its peak; giving rise to global warming and human illness.

Pollution occurs in different forms; air, water, soil, radioactive, noise, heat/ thermal and light. Every

form of pollution has two sources of occurrence; the point and the non-point sources. The point

sources are easy to identify, monitor and control, whereas the non-point sources are hard to control.

The different types of pollutions, their causes and effects on mankind and the environment as a whole

are being discussed below:

Types & Causes of Pollution

Air Pollution is the most prominent and dangerous form of pollution. It occurs due to many reasons.

Excessive burning of fuel which is a necessity of our daily lives for cooking, driving and

other industrial activities; releases a huge amount of chemical substances in the air everyday;

these pollute the air.

Smoke from chimneys, factories, vehicles or burning of wood basically occurs due to coal

burning; this releases sulphur dioxide into the air making it toxic.

The effects of air pollution are evident too. Release of sulphur dioxide and hazardous gases into the

air causes global warming and acid rain; which in turn have increased temperatures, erratic rains and

droughts worldwide; making it tough for the animals to survive. We breathe in every polluted particle

from the air; result is increase in asthma and cancer in the lungs.

Water Pollution has taken toll of all the surviving species of the earth. Almost 60% of the species

live in water bodies. It occurs due to several factors; the industrial wastes dumped into the rivers and

other water bodies cause an imbalance in the water leading to its severe contamination and death of

aquatic species. .

Also spraying insecticides, pesticides like DDT on plants pollutes the ground water system and oil

spills in the oceans have caused irreparable damage to the water bodies. Eutrophication is another big

source; it occurs due to daily activities like washing clothes, utensils near lakes, ponds ,or rivers; this

forces detergents to go into water which blocks sunlight from penetrating, thus reducing oxygen and

making it inhabitable.

Water pollution not only harms the aquatic beings but it also contaminates the entire food chain by

severely affecting humans dependent on these. Water-borne diseases like cholera, diarrhoea have also

increased in all places.

Soil pollution occurs due to incorporation of unwanted chemicals in the soil due to human activities.

Use of insecticides and pesticides absorbs the nitrogen compounds from the soil making it unfit for

plants to derive nutrition from. Release of industrial waste, mining and deforestation also exploits the

soil. Since plants can’t grow properly, they can’t hold the soil and this leads to soil erosion.



Noise pollution is caused when noise which is an unpleasant sound affects our ears and leads to

psychological problems like stress, hypertension, hearing impairment, etc. It is caused by machines in

industries, loud music, etc. So an excess of noise in the outdoors leads to “Noise Pollution”.

This can be experienced by too many vehicles honking at the roads, heavy machinery being operated

in the open (for ex, a jackhammer), trains, clubs, over populated crowds and many more.

Radioactive pollution is highly dangerous when it occurs. It can occur due to nuclear plant

malfunctions, improper nuclear waste disposal, accidents, etc. It causes cancer, infertility, blindness,

defects at the time of birth; can sterilise soil and affect air and water.

Thermal/heat pollution is due to the excess heat in the environment creating unwanted changes over

long time periods; due to huge number of industrial plants, deforestation and air pollution. It increases

the earth’s temperature, causing drastic climatic changes and extinction of wildlife.

Light pollution

Most people can't imagine living without the modern convenience of electric lights. For the natural

world, though, lights have changed the way that days and nights work. Some consequences of light

pollution are:

Some birds sing at unnatural hours in the presence of artificial light.

Scientists have determined that long artificial days can affect migration schedules, as they

allow for longer feeding times.

Streetlights can confuse newly hatched sea turtles that rely on starlight reflecting off the

waves to guide them from the beach to the ocean. They often head in the wrong direction.

Light pollution, called sky glow, also makes it difficult for astronomers, both professional and

amateur, to properly see the stars.

Plant's flowering and developmental patterns can be entirely disrupted by artificial light.

Turning on so many lights may not be necessary. Research published by International Journal

of Science and Research estimates that over-illumination wastes about 2 million barrels of oil

per day and lighting is responsible for one-fourth of all energy consumption worldwide.

Effects of Pollution

1. Environment Degradation : Environment is the first casualty for increase in pollution weather in air

or water. The increase in the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere leads to smog which can restrict

sunlight from reaching the earth. Thus, preventing plants in the process of photosynthesis. Gases like

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can cause acid rain. Water pollution in terms of Oil spill may lead

to death of several wildlife species.

2. Human Health : The decrease in quality of air leads to several respiratory problems including

asthma or lung cancer. Chest pain, congestion, throat inflammation, cardiovascular disease,

respiratory disease are some of diseases that can be causes by air pollution. Water pollution occurs

due to contamination of water and may pose skin related problems including skin irritations and

rashes. Similarly, Noise pollution leads to hearing loss, stress and sleep disturbance.

3. Global Warming : The emission of greenhouse gases particularly CO2 is leading to global

warming. Every other day new industries are being set up, new vehicles come on roads and trees are



cut to make way for new homes. All of them, in direct or indirect way lead to increase in CO2 in the

environment. The increase in CO2 leads to melting of polar ice caps which increases the sea level and

pose danger for the people living near coastal areas.

4. Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is the thin shield high up in the sky that stops ultra violet rays

from reaching the earth. As a result of human activities, chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons

(CFCs), were released int to the atmosphere which contributed to the depletion of ozone layer.

5. Infertile Land : Due to constant use of insecticides and pesticides, the soil may become infertile.

Plants may not be able to grow properly. Various forms of chemicals produced from industrial waste

is released into the flowing water which also affects the quality of soil.

6. Mental Stress: Noise pollution is known to cause mental stress and depression. It can also cause

damage to the ear drum which can cause deafness. Noise pollution has more of a psychological effect

rather than a physical one. -

Conclusion

Pollution not only affect humans by destroying their respiratory, cardiovascular and neurological

systems; it also affects the nature, plants, fruits, vegetables, rivers, ponds, forests, animals, etc, on

which they are highly dependent for survival. Therefore it is important to prevent all these forms to

look forward to a greener cleaner and much more pleasant living experience.

Reference:

http://worldwildlife.org/threats/pollution



WATER POLLUTION (video/ARTICLE)




ARTICLE

In this article, the students will learn about the different types and sources of water pollution. You

will gain an understanding of both surface water and groundwater pollution and the similarities and

differences between them.

What Is Water Pollution

Nothing is quite as refreshing as a glass of water. On a hot summer day, some ice water really does

the trick. On a cold winter day, a nice cup of hot tea will take away the chill. Do you drink coffee in

the morning? You need water for that, too!

We take for granted that we have easy access to clean water for drinking, washing dishes and cleaning

our clothes, but water isn't always clean. A body of water, such as a lake, stream, river, pond, ocean

and even the water underground in the soil, can become polluted when it's contaminated by sewage

leaks, agricultural runoff or chemical spills. When water is polluted, it becomes unsafe for human

consumption because the water contains dangerous or toxic substances and disease-causing bacteria

and organisms.

Water pollution is the second most imperative environmental concern along with air pollution.

Any change or modification in the physical, chemical and biological properties of water that will

have a detrimental consequence on living things is water pollution.

Two Sources of Water Pollution

Though water pollution may occur from a variety of sources, there are two terms used to describe how

the water became polluted.

When water is polluted from point sources, this is pollution from a discrete location. This discrete

location could be a factory, a sewer pipe or a runoff from a single farm. The BP oil spill in 2010 is an

example of point source pollution, because the massive amount of oil leaked from a single point of

origin.

Water pollution may also be from non-point source pollution, which is when several points of

contamination over a large area contribute to the pollution of a water body. For example, one water

body may be contaminated by multiple sources like agricultural runoff, city street runoff, construction

sites and residential lawns.

Surface Water Pollution

Surface water pollution is the pollution of aquatic systems that are above ground, such as streams,

lakes and rivers. These waters become polluted when rainwater runoff carries pollutants into the

water. The pollutants transported by runoff are things like salts and chemicals from city and highway

roads and nutrients and fertilizers from farms and lawns.




When pollution is caused by nutrients and fertilizers, this is called nutrient pollution, and it leads to an

overproduction of algae and other aquatic plants. This overabundance of plants and algae causes

problems, because they cover the water surface and prevent sunlight from reaching the plants

underwater. This then leads to less oxygen production, which causes harm to oxygen-breathing

organisms in the water, like fish.

Surface water may also be polluted with pathogens and waterborne diseases, which is usually the

result of sewage leaks and runoff from animal factories. These viruses and bacteria that pollute the

water may cause dangerous human health problems such as giardia, typhoid and hepatitis.

Interestingly, one way to monitor for this type of pollution is checking the water for fecal coliform

bacteria, which comes from the waste of people and other animals. If the water is contaminated with

this type of bacteria (which itself is not harmful to human health), it indicates that other types of

bacteria that are very dangerous to humans may also present, because they often come from the same

sources.

2. Ground Water Pollution

When humans apply pesticides and chemicals to soils, they are washed deep into the ground by rain

water. This gets to underground water, causing pollution underground.

This means when we dig wells and bore holes to get water from underground, it needs to be checked

for ground water pollution.







CASE STUDY ON DELHI’S AIR POLLUTION

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4AmRtelWbc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mm0VN3kqPgw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4AmRtelWbc



1. DISTURBING AND SCARY POLLUTING IMAGES OF CHINA

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTAkVghzPQ0

2. WORST SMOG OF THE YEAR CHOKES BEIJING

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bHihGr0RfY

3. WAYS TO TACKLE POLLUTION IN CHINA

a. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cOFf962PDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bHihGr0RfY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4cOFf962PDc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTAkVghzPQ0



Yamuna a dead river, says report, even as focus

on Clean Ganga Chetan Chauhan, Hindustan Times, New Delhi

Updated: Apr 18, 2015 09:53 IST

A-child-showing-polluted-water-flowing-into-the-Yamuna-river--HT-Photo

The Yamuna is almost dead, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has said, even as the

government single-mindedly pushes to clean the Ganga and overlooks the filthy river at its

doorstep. It’s not just the Yamuna, whose water quality is as bad as sewage, but many rivers

across the country are reeling under an unprecedented load of urban waste and industrial

effluents, says a CPCB report.

“These rivers are getting polluted because of the increasing flow of untreated waste water from

cities,” said Shashi Shekhar, pollution board chairman and special secretary in the environment

ministry.

About 66% of stretches monitored during a three-year study of water in 290 rivers have high

organic pollution, measured in terms of biological oxygen demand (BOD).

The decline in the quantity and quality of water flow has reduced the productivity of many

terrestrial, aquatic, and coastal zone ecosystems and led to loss of biodiversity, the report says.

This means, 8,400km of these rivers are badly polluted and not fit to support aquatic life.

The bad news goes much beyond that: the number of polluted water zones in India has

increased manifold over the past two decades.

In addition, the pollution load on rivers has been rising constantly. The report says over 370

major towns and cities are contributing to river pollution as the country has the

wherewithal to treat only 30% of its urban water waste.



The Yamuna is choking to death primarily because untreated waste is flowing into it from several

cities along its banks in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh.

The river’s contamination starts in Haryana and continues in Delhi, ultimately making it almost

invisible in Uttar Pradesh where it merges with the Ganga in Allahabad.

Yamuna is not the lone black spot. The Mithi in Mumbai is treading the same path with

organic pollution increasing from Powai to Dharavi while the Hindon river is getting the

same treatment from industrial waste between Saharanpur and Ghaziabad.

The CPCB has put these two along with Sabarmati, Gaggar in Punjab and Umkhrah in

Shillong as the most-polluted river stretches in India.

“There may not be even a single river in India which is clean throughout its length and the recent

years have seen pollution increasing because municipal bodies do not have any plan to clean

waste water flowing into the rivers,” a senior CPCB scientist said.

India has less than 2% of the world’s freshwater sources, sustaining 5% of the world’s

population.

The CPCB report warns of far-reaching consequences if India fails to enhance its capacity to

treat urban waste — which stands at 38,000 million tonnes a day.



5.7 What light pollution?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjsFC2Q77FY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UdIGJNVUwmE

ARTICLE

Light pollution is the excessive and prolonged use of artificial lights, in a way that

results in brightening of night skies, disrupting natural cycles and activities

of wildlife, health probelms in humans, as well as preventing humans from

observing stars and other planets.

In other definitions, it does not only have to do with the sky, but anywhere that

artificial lights are used, where they are not intended to.

Other terms often used for light pollution are ‘photopollution’ and'luminous

pollution'.

Note that this is not only a city center problem. There is also light pollution when you

use too much light in your compound that affects the comfort and health of your

neigbours.

This could be your outdoor light ‘s intrusion into other people’s bedrooms. This can be

called nuisance. Too much light indoors also is classified as indoor light pollution if it

is wasteful and it has effect on the health of people living in that room.



www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article New study warns 'dangerous' levels of noise pollution in New Delhi are causing age-related hearing loss 15 years earlier than normal By NEETU CHANDRA PUBLISHED: 00:01 GMT, 2 June 2013 | UPDATED: 00:54 GMT, 2 June 2013

Delhiites have started complaining of age-related hearing loss as early as 60 years of age, says a study conducted by the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health at Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC).

Presbycusis (age-related hearing loss) is the cumulative effect of ageing on hearing. It is a progressive age-related hearing loss which generally sets in after the age of 75 years. In Delhi, however, such cases are being reported at the age of 60. "The ENT department at MAMC observed symptoms of presbycusis in people at the age of 60, which should ideally begin at 75.

Deaf trap: Connaught Place is covered under the Delhi Pollution Control Committee, but many areas in the city are found to be well above the healthy noise level "We scanned the data of last 10 years and observed that the age for the medical condition has actually come down by almost 15 years," said Dr T K Joshi, director of the Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, MAMC. Researchers studied thousands of cases of presbycusis reported at MAMC over the past 10 years and came to the conclusion that one out of four patients developed hearing-related problem in early 60s. "This is happening due to very high pollution levels in the city even in residential areas. Noise trauma is one of the major reasons triggering Presbycusis among people. Other reasons triggering the problem are poor diet, smoking and hypertension among others," said Dr Joshi. MAMC conducted noise mapping studies across Delhi for three years to measure the levels of noise pollution in different areas.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/article

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/search.html?s=&authornamef=Neetu+Chandra



The study was commissioned by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPPC). Residential areas where the noise levels were recorded to be dangerously high are central Delhi, Rohini, Pitampura, Dwarka and IGI Airport.

Norms not met "We measured noise levels all over Delhi and didn't find a single area where the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) norms were met. The levels when measured were found anywhere between 80 decible (dB) and 93 dB at different times day and night. For instance, in Dwarka we found the noise levels were as high as 93 dB. This level is deafening," said Dr Joshi. In residential areas, 40 to 50 dB is considered moderate noise level during the day. At night, the limit comes down by five notches to 40 to 45 dB. Sixty to 80 dB is considered loud noise, while anything above 90 dB is dangerous and can cause damage to ears if continued for a long time. "We also noticed noise induced hearing loss in some patients. It happens due to exposure to either a sudden, loud noise or exposure to loud noises for a long period of time. A dangerous sound is anything that is 85 dB or higher," said Dr Joshi.

"Higher noise can precipitate heart problems too. Stress hormones are released when a person is exposed to noise pollution. During the study, we found that Delhi is a highly uncivilised city. Unnecessary honking adds to noise pollution," said Dr Joshi. Experts say Delhi is in dire need of acoustical solutions. Not only people on roads but also those working or dwelling on higher floors (as high as 10th floor) in traffic- heavy areas face high noise levels that can cause health problems. The Transport Planning Division, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Central Road Research Institute (CRRI) and Department of Civil Engineering, Jamia Millia Islamia, recently conducted noise mapping in the Capital and found noise levels at various locations scaling up to 83 dB. They have given recommendations for the noise barriers at various busy areas in the city. "Increasing noise level due to road traffic is a major concern for the quality of life in urban areas. It can be reduced to some extent by adopting mitigating measures such as providing noise barriers and proper traffic management," said Nasim Akhtar, Transport Planning Division, CSIR-CRRI. CSIR, CRRI and Jamia University conducted two types of noise mapping - vertical and horizontal. It gave them a clear picture of exposed areas and the number of people exposed to varying noise levels.



"At Nehru Place, on the road, the noise levels varied between 80 and 82.6 dB(A), while till the10th floor, noise levels were more than 70 dB(A). This means people who are staying till that floor are exposed to that level of noise," Akhtar said.

Solid Waste Management

Waste- Definition & Classification

Any material which is not needed by the owner, producer or processor.

Classification

• Domestic waste

• Factory waste

• Waste from oil factory

• E-waste

• Construction waste

• Agricultural waste

• Food processing waste

• Bio-medical waste

• Nuclear waste

Solid Waste

Classification of Wastes

• Solid waste- vegetable waste, kitchen waste, household waste etc.

• E-waste- discarded electronic devices like computer, TV, music systems etc.

• Liquid waste- water used for different industries eg tanneries, distillaries, thermal power plants

• Plastic waste- plastic bags, bottles, buckets etc.

• Metal waste- unused metal sheet, metal scraps etc.

• Nuclear waste- unused materials from nuclear power plants

Solid Waste in India

• 7.2 million tonnes of hazardous waste

• One Sq km of additional landfill area every-year

• Rs 1600 crore for treatment & disposal of these wastes

• In addition to this industries discharge about 150 million t

onnes of high volume low hazard waste every year, which

is mostly dumped on open low lying land areas.

Source: Estimate of Ministry of Environment & Forest

Growth of Solid Waste In India

• Waste is growing by leaps & bounds

• In 1981-91, population of Mumbai increased from 8.2 million to 12.3 million

• During the same period, municipal solid waste has grown from 3200 tonnes to 5355 tonne, an increase of 67%

• Waste collection is very low for all Indian cities

• City like Bangalore produces 2000 tonnes of waste per annum, the ever increasing waste has put pressure on hygienic condition of the city

Source: The Energy & Resources Institute, New Delhi

Waste Collection in India

• Primarily by the city municipality

-No gradation of waste product eg bio-degradable, glasses, polybags, paper shreds etc

-Dumps these wastes to the city outskirts

• Local raddiwala / kabadiwala (Rag pickers)

-Collecting small iron pieces by magnets

-Collecting glass bottles

-Collecting paper for recycling

• MCD- Sophisticated DWM (Delhi Waste Management) vehicle

How solid waste affected us in recent years?

• Cloudburst in Mumbai (2005) clogged the sewage line due to large no. of plastic bags

• Blast in the Bhusan Steel factory at Noida, caused due to imported scrap from Iran

• Reduction in the number of migratory birds due to consumption of contaminated foods

• Stray animals dying on streets and farmland due to consumption of plastic bags, which blocks the food movement in their stomach

Hazardous / Toxic Waste & Dumping Site

• Industrialised countries have waste manage

ment problems

• Developed countries have strict environme

nt regulation norms

• Most attractive option for them- to dump in

to developing countries

Major Polluting Industries in India

• Around 2500 tanneries discharge 24 million cu m of waste water containing high level of dissolved solids and 4,00,000 tonnes of hazardous solid waste

• 300 distilleries discharge 26 million kilo-litres of spend wash per year containing several pollutants

• Thermal power plants discharge huge waste materials

Collection & Recycling of Waste Materials

Managing Waste

Recycling: Processing of a waste item into usable forms.

Benefits of recycling:

-Reduce environmental degradation

-Making money out of waste

-Save energy that would have gone into waste handling & product manufacture

Saving through recycling:

-When Al is resmelted- considerable saving in cost

-Making paper from waste saves 50% energy

-Every tonne of recycled glass saves energy equivalent to 100 litres of oil

Recycling not a solution to all problems!

Recycling is not a solution to managing every

kind of waste material

For many items recycling technologies are un

available or unsafe

In some cases, cost of recycling is too high.

Solution: More Profit With Zero Waste

• Exchanging output that are considered wast

e

• Waste of one could be input or raw material

for others

• Evolving a closed system- matter & energy

circulate within

• System was not designed to be so

• The system of exchange evolved in 10 year

s

Problems in Dealing With Solid Waste

• Education & voluntary compliance

• Collection of waste

• Technological interventions

• Institutions & regulatory framework

• Absence of mandatory standards for waste reduction

• Market action for waste reduction

Source: The Energy & Resources Institute

French aircraft carrier Clemenceau

http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/ghost-ship-121205

French aircraft carrier Clemenceau

• December 12, 2005, Clemenceau, Ghost ship nobody wants

• 27,000-ton warship full of asbestos, PCBs, lead, mercury, and other toxic chemicals

• Indian scrapyard of Alang (Bhavnagar district, Gujarat) , a place where environmental regulations are lax and workers' rights are practically nonexistant

• In most shipbreaking nations proper waste management is absent. There are no rules and regulations. And where rules exist, they're unlikely to be enforced.

• Basel Convention (1989) is an international treaty which prohibits the export of hazardous waste from rich to poor countries

• Greenpeace raised awareness campaigned against the ship in India as well as in France

• French President Chirac has announced a dramatic recall of the asbestos-laden warship Clemenceau

References

• Environmental Studies-R Rajagopalan

• www.greenpeace.org

• www.teri.res.in

http://www.teri.res.in/

http://www.greenpeace.org/

Presentation By Group 13

• Praful Ranjan Roll No.-28

• Rajat Kumar Roll No.-33

• Rakesh Panda Roll No.-34

• Rohit Arya Roll No.-40



WEEK 6 STUDY PLAN

SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT

6.1 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (PPT)

http://www.slideshare.net/dulwichticks/sustainable-development-27286531

6.2 NEED FOR SUSTAINABILITY (Article)

6.3 CLIMATE CHANGE & ITS IMPACTS (NEWS STUDY/VIDEO )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekEzlNJzGkc

6.4 IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATION (Article/VIDEO)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSENolWbyYQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQYSK9MfZE0 (SHORT FILM)

6.5 DISCUSSION

6.6 RAIN WATER HARVESTING IN INDIA (article/ slide share)

http://www.slideshare.net/sagarian/rain-water-harvesting-complete?related=2

6.7 TIHAR JAIL –RWH (case study)

6.8 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT (SLIDESHARE)

http://www.slideshare.net/reddevil04/rainwater-harvesting-and-watershed-management

6.9 PROBLEMS WITH RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION (Article)

http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/138941-Resettlement-Rehabilitation-

reasons.aspx

6.10 WEEK 6 QUIZ


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQYSK9MfZE0



SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (slide share)

http://www.slideshare.net/farha451288/sustainable-development-l-01?qid=a7e765f8-

1957-4591-8d76-44f9cd88bc60&v=&b=&from_search=6

Rio –de-janerio

http://www.slideshare.net/ISciences/road-to-rio20-un-conference-on-sustainable-

development-2012/8-Background_Rio5_1997Rio5_June_2327

http://www.slideshare.net/farha451288/sustainable-development-l-01?qid=a7e765f8-1957-4591-8d76-44f9cd88bc60&v=&b=&from_search=6

http://www.slideshare.net/farha451288/sustainable-development-l-01?qid=a7e765f8-1957-4591-8d76-44f9cd88bc60&v=&b=&from_search=6



6.1Need for sustainable development

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present,

without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own

needs."

The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many different ways, but at its core

is an approach to development that looks to balance different, and often competing, needs against

an awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations we face as a society.

All too often, development is driven by one particular need, without fully considering the wider or

future impacts. We are already seeing the damage this kind of approach can cause, from large-

scale financial crises caused by irresponsible banking, to changes in global climate resulting from

our dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sources. The longer we pursue unsustainable

development, the more frequent and severe its consequences are likely to become, which is why

we need to take action now.

So is it all just about the environment?

Living within our environmental limits is one of the central principles of sustainable development.

One implication of not doing so is climate change.

But the focus of sustainable development is far broader than just the environment. It's also about

ensuring a strong, healthy and just society. This means meeting the diverse needs of all people in

existing and future communities, promoting personal wellbeing, social cohesion and inclusion, and

creating equal opportunity.

If sustainable development focuses on the future, does that mean we lose out

now?

Not necessarily. Sustainable development is about finding better ways of doing things, both for the

future and the present. We might need to change the way we work and live now, but this doesn't

mean our quality of life will be reduced.

A sustainable development approach can bring many benefits in the short to medium term, for

example:

Savings - As a result of SDC scrutiny, government has saved over £60m by improving efficiency

across its estate.

Health & Transport - Instead of driving, switching to walking or cycling for short journeys will save

you money, improve your health and is often just as quick and convenient.

How does it affect me?

The way we approach development affects everyone. The impacts of our decisions as a society

have very real consequences for people's lives. Poor planning of communities, for example,

reduces the quality of life for the people who live in them. (Relying on imports rather than growing

food locally puts the UK at risk of food shortages.)

Sustainable development provides an approach to making better decisions on the issues that affect

all of our lives. By incorporating health plans into the planning of new communities, for instance,

we can ensure that residents have easy access to healthcare and leisure facilities. (By encouraging

more sustainable food supply chains, we can ensure the UK has enough food for the long-term

future.)



How do we make it happen?

We all have a part to play. Small actions, taken collectively, can add up to real change. However,

to achieve sustainability in the UK, we believe the Government needs to take the lead. The SDC's

job is to help make this happen, and we do it through a mixture of scrutiny, advice and building

organisational capacity for sustainable development.



Chennai floods a climate change wake-up call for world

By Sreedhar Potarazu

Updated 2208 GMT (0608 HKT) December 19, 2015

People walk through a flooded street in Chennai, India, Thursday, December 3,

2015. Heaviest rain falls in more than 100 years have devastated swathes of the

southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, with thousands forced to leave their

submerged homes and schools, offices.

.



Story highlights

Sreedhar Potarazu: Even as climate change pact was being hammered out,

flooding was devastating Chennai, India

He says it's a wake-up call on what happens when climate changes meet

poor urban planning

Sreedhar Potarazu, an ophthalmologist and entrepreneur, is the founder

of Enziime, a software company focused on providing data science applications

to assess health care delivery. He is the author of "Get Off the Dime: The Secret

of Changing Who Pays for Your Health Care." The opinions expressed in this

commentary are solely those of the author.

(CNN)On November 30, nearly 150 world leaders gathered in Paris to discuss

the global impact of climate change and the responsibility that emerging nations

like India and China have to help slow or reverse it. Nearly two weeks later,

representatives of 196 nations reached a historic agreement to limit the rise in

worldwide temperatures by reducing and ultimately eliminating greenhouse gas

emissions.

What went largely unnoticed during that time was that just two days into the

talks, on December 2, the city of Chennai, India -- named one of the "hottest

cities of 2015" by the BBC and one of the "52 places to go in 2014" by The

New York Times -- went underwater. A rainfall of epic proportions triggered

the region's worst flood in over 100 years, drowning a city of 4.8 million.

Sreedhar Potarazu

Three hundred people died, but they weren't killed by ISIS and they weren't the

victims of a mass shooting. The headlines were buried along with the victims.

http://enziime.com/



November was the rainiest month in Chennai's history, so the land was saturated

when the skies burst, pounding the city with 11 inches of rain, 34 times the

daily average. Scientists say an El Nino of unprecedented strength dramatically

raised temperatures in the Indian Ocean and was the cause of all the rain.

GOP, don't lose out on the energy revolution (Opinion)

Millions were left without food and clean water and some of India's largest

industries were devastated -- all while the leaders of the world were talking

about climate change in Paris.

The countries that negotiated the deal now have a responsibility not only to talk

about stemming climate change, but to help countries recover from the

devastation it has already caused and will continue to cause.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/14/opinions/schwarzenegger-stoknes-renewable-energy/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/14/opinions/schwarzenegger-stoknes-renewable-energy/index.html



Flooding forces airport in Chennai, India to close 01:04

They want India to step up. But who is stepping up for India?

As the waters recede in Chennai, the metropolitan area -- the 36th largest in the

world -- risks epidemics of malaria, cholera, hepatitis and skin infections. And

to complicate matters,

Chennai hosts one of the largest artistic festivals in the world every December.

COP21: We have a Paris climate agreement. Now what?

Millions of people from all over the world come to the city for a full month of

cultural performances. They could be visiting a cesspool of diseases and

bringing them back home. If an epidemic breaks out in Chennai over the next

30 days, it could easily become a pandemic.

If this is not a wake-up call to the world, then what is?

The Chennai disaster is being called a "perfect storm," a shining example of

what can happen when climate change meets poor urban planning.

Chennai allowed development near its waterways to go unchecked for decades,

dooming the city when it confronted a 100-year storm, just as New Orleans

failed to meet the challenge of Hurricane Katrina.

But everyone knows about Katrina. Chennai, on the other hand, has barely hit

the global radar screen. The worst flooding in the world this year, the economic

loss from which is expected to amount to $3 billion, has received remarkable

inattention.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/14/opinions/sutter-cop21-climate-5-things/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/14/opinions/sutter-cop21-climate-5-things/index.html



India battling deadly floods in Chennai 02:10

The Prime Minister has visited the city and declared it a major disaster area, and

the Indian government has provided major funding, but you'd never know it

here in the United States. You have to search very hard on the Indian Embassy's

website to find so much as a clue that something happened in Chennai. There's

nothing on the Embassy's Facebook page, either, and the Indian ambassador

hasn't said a word. That's astonishing. It's inexcusable when help is needed.

Chennai has always been the cultural capital of India, and hundreds, if not

thousands, of artists who live there have dedicated themselves to preserving and

advancing the nation's cultural heritage.



COP21: Obama praises Paris climate change agreement

Many of them had to be airlifted from their homes when over 12 feet of water

came in. Hundreds of musicians and talented artists lost their homes, their

instruments, their paintings, their sculptures. Some lost their lives.

But Chennai is proving resilient -- not because of assistance from other

countries or international charitable organizations, but because of the spirit and

character of the community itself. It is creative, determined and passionate.

Hindu, Muslim and Christian. The people of Chennai have come together to

help each other.

In the midst of global calamities where people are truly suffering, Chennai's

resilience demonstrates the power of the human spirit.

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/12/world/global-climate-change-conference-vote/index.html

http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/12/world/global-climate-change-conference-vote/index.html



6.4 IMPORTANCE OF WATER CONSERVATION

SAVE WATER (SHORT FILM )


IMPORTANCE OF WATER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSENolWbyYQ (VIDEO)

ARTICLE

Water is probably the most important substance for preserving life. In fact, scientists looking

for evidence of life on other planets regard the presence of water as a vital clue. In developed

nations we tend to take water for granted because it flows easily out of the tap. But we are

rapidly depleting the global supply of fresh water, and this reality could potentially have dire

consequences.

The Importance of Water

Our bodies need water to function properly. According to Water.org, humans can survive for

weeks without food, but for only a few days without water. The plants and animals we eat

require water as well, so water crises inevitably become food crises. We also use water for

cleaning our bodies and our homes, and for producing power such as in hydroelectric dams.

The World Water Council reports that the human population of the planet is on track to grow

40 to 50 percent within the next 50 years, putting additional pressure on our already shrinking

supply of fresh water.

Water is so much important to us. we all need to work for diff. area. Rain water harvesting,

usage of water with water meters, awareness of limited drinkable water out of 70% covered

area of earth. Let make people aware.

TWO WAYS TO CONSERVE WATER

1. RAIN WATER HARVESTING

2. WATERSHED MANAGEMENT





6.6 Why do we need water harvesting?

http://www.slideshare.net/sagarian/rain-water-harvesting-complete?related=2 (slide share)

ARTICLE

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man's needs, but not a single man's greed.” -

Mahatma Gandhi

Water scarcity is the lack of sufficient available water resources to meet the demands of

water usage within a region.

According to United Nations Development Programme, this currently affects around 2.8

billion people around the world, on all continents, at least one month out of every year and

more than 1.2 billion people lack the access to clean drinking water.

Over-consumption/excessive or unnecessary use of resources, Overpopulation, Slash and

burn agricultural practices in developing countries, Technological and industrial

development, Erosion, Habitat degradation leads to the loss of Biodiversity (i.e. species and

ecosystems with its ecosystem services), Irrigation, Mining for oil and minerals, Aquifer

depletion, Pollution or contamination of resources are the major factors responsible for the

eminent water crisis.

SO WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?......... WATER HARVESTING TECHNIQUES

Water Harvesting refers to collection and storage of rainwater and also other activity such as

harvesting surface water extracting ground water , prevention of loss through evaporation and

seepage. Rainwater harvesting has been practiced for more than 4,000 years, it is also a good

option in areas where good quality fresh surface water or ground water is lacking. In doing

so, water harvesting assures a continuous and reliable access to water. The role of rainwater

harvesting systems as sources of supplementary, back-up, or emergency water supply will

become more important especially in view of increased climate variability and the possibility

of greater frequencies of droughts and floods in many areas.

MULTIPLE BENEFITS 1. Improvement in the quality of ground water

2. Rise in the water levels in wells and bore wells that are drying up

3. Mitigation of the effects of drought.

4. Attainment of drought proofing

5. An ideal solution to water problems in areas having

6. inadequate water resources

7. Reduction in the soil erosion as the surface runoff is reduced

8. Decrease in the choking of storm water drains and flooding of roads

9. Saving of energy, to lift ground water. (One-meter rise in water level saves 0.40-kilowatt

hour of electricity)

http://www.slideshare.net/sagarian/rain-water-harvesting-complete?related=2



TIHAR JAIL'S RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM

RAINWATER AVAILABLE FOR HARVESTING Total area (Ward 1 and Ward 13): 4125 square meters (Sq m) Average annual rainfall in Delhi: 611 millimeters (mm) Total volume of water harvested: 1280 cubic meter (m³) or 12,80,000 litres This represents 50.78 per cent of total rainwater harvesting potential. WATER SUPPLY SOURCE Water supply in these wards is fulfilled by two borewells located inside the

jail premises. RAINWATER HARVESTING SYSTEM Rooftop rainwater and runoff from unpaved areas: Ward 1 In Ward 1, the rooftop rainwater from the barracks and the surface runoff

from the unpaved area are collected in a low-lying area between the

buildings. This water is collected by a collection chamber measuring 0.5m x

0.5m x 0.5m, which is covered by a perforated RCC slab. The water collected

in the chamber is diverted to recharge well measuring 1m x 1m x 2m with a

recharge bore of 150mm diameter and 10m deep. The recharge well is filled

with layers of pebbles and coarse sand, which act as filtering media to

improve the quality of the water harvested. Ward 13 The rooftop rainwater from the buildings and the surface runoff from the

open areas are collected in a low-lying area located at southwest corner of the

ward. This water is collected in a collection chamber measuring 0.5m x 0.5m

x 0.5m, which is covered by a perforated RCC slab. The water collected in

the chamber is diverted to a recharge well measuring 1m x 1m x 2m in size

with a recharge bore of 150mm diameter and 10m deep. The recharge well is

filled with layers of pebbles and coarse sand, which act as filtering media to

javascript:;



improve the quality of the water harvested. The implementation was completed in November 2002 and the water level on

February 2003 was recorded at 9.40m below ground level (bgl). The cost of the entire rainwater harvesting system was Rs 0.2 lakh IMPACT Water level data Thsi project demonstrated that rainwater harvesting can help solve the

problem of water logging. Tihar Jail's barracks used to remain flooded for

hours after every rainfall. The water level in the jail was 14m below ground

level (bgl) in April 2003. Concerned with flooding in the barracks and with

sharply declining water levels in the area, the Tihar Jail authorities decided

adopt rainwater harvesting in Central Jail No. 4.

Results of monitroing Water level 2006 Water level 2005 Water quality 2005 Water level 2003-2004 Water quality 2004

Water Level 2006

Top...

Water Level 2005

http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/tihar.htm#04


http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/tihar.htm#w5

http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/Urban/tihar.htm#top





Water Quality 2005



.

Water quality 2004




.

Water Level 2003-2004

For details: Mr.Subhash Sharma Deputy Jail Superintendent Central Jail No 4, Tihar Jail New Delhi Telephone: (011) 25553404, 25555305, 25508755, 25551589; Mobile: 9810157115

http://www.rainwaterharvesting.org/People/Yodha-MODEL.htm#ssharma




6.8 WATERSHED MANAGEMENT (ARTICLE/ SLIDESHARE)


ARTICLE

1. What is a watershed?? • Watersheds can be defined as a geo-hydrological unit draining to a

common point by a system of drains. All lands on earth are part of one watershed or other.

Watershed is thus the land and water area, which contributes runoff to a common point. • For

example, the watershed of a lake would include not only the streams entering that lake but

also the land area that drains into those streams and eventually the lake.

2. Classifications of Watersheds Macro Watershed (> 50,000 Hect) Sub-Watershed (10,000 to 50,000 Hect) Milli-Watershed

(1000 to10000 Hect) Micro-Watershed (100 to 1000 Hect) Mini-Watershed (1-100 Hect)

3. Watershed Mangement Definition •

The process of creating and implementing plans, programs, and projects to sustain and

enhance watershed functions that affect the plant, animal, and human communities within a

watershed boundary. •

Watershed management is the integrated use of land, vegetation and water in a geographically

discrete drainage area for the benefit of its residents, with the objective of protecting or

conserving the hydrologic services that the watershed provides and of reducing or avoiding

negative downstream or groundwater impacts. Fresh water, and freshwater ecosystems, is the

most basic components of watershed management.

4. Need for Watershed Management. •

In spite of sufficient rainfall, people have to depend upon tankers for their domestic water

supply in summers in most of the areas. This is mainly due to large runoff which is

responsible for water loss as well as soil loss of the land. • A raindrop, when flows along the

slope, carries the loose soil along it. In this case the topmost layer of soil is lost rapidly. Due

to high intensity rainfall, it is estimated that, more than 100 tons of soil is lost .

5. Objectives of Watershed management • To control damaging runoff and degradation and

thereby conservation of soil and water. • To manage and utilize the runoff water for useful

purpose. • To protect, conserve and improve the land of watershed for more efficient and

sustained production. • To protect and enhance the water resource originating in the

watershed. • To check soil erosion and to reduce the effect of sediment yield on the

watershed. • To rehabilitate the deteriorating lands. • To moderate the floods peaks at

downstream areas. • To increase infiltration of rainwater. • To improve and increase the

production of timbers, fodder and wild life resource. • To enhance the ground water recharge,

wherever applicable.

6. Watershed Mangement Practises •

Conserving soil and water. • Improving the ability of land to hold water. • Rainwater

harvesting and recharging. • Growing greenery – trees,




6.11 PROBLEMS WITH RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION (Article)

http://www.indiastudychannel.com/resources/138941-Resettlement-Rehabilitation-

reasons.aspx



WEEK 7 STUDY PLAN

ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS AND HUMAN POPULATION

7.1INTRODUCTION TO LEGISLATION (SLIDESHARE)

http://www.slideshare.net/ShubhranshuUpadhyay/environmental-legislations-in-india

7.2 ENFORCEMENT OF ENV LAWS (Article)

7.3 OVER POPULATION & ENVIRONMENT (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lrCMoZKUU

7.4 ASSIGNMENT/DISCUSSION

7.5 IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH (SLIDESHARE)

http://www.slideshare.net/bazesak/human-population-and-environment?related=2

7.6 FAMILY WELFARE PROGRAMMES (ARTICLE)

7.7 WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE (ARTICLE)

7.8 ROLE OF IT IN ENVIRONMENT & HEALTH (VIDEOS/ARTICLE)

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS BENEFICIAL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmgNMfrSha4

TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE IN SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev-vFoaVEes

7.9 WEEK 7 QUIZ




7.1 INTRODUCTION TO LEGISLATION

(SLIDESHARE)

http://www.slideshare.net/ShubhranshuUpadhyay/environmental-legislations-in-india



7.2 Three Issues Involved in Enforcement of Environmental Legislation in India by Puja Mondal Environment

Some of the important issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation in India are as

follows: 1. The precautionary principle, 2. The polluter-pays principle, 3. Freedom of information!

The environmental issue in India looks gloomy despite so many Legislations and Acts. The

rivers and lakes continue to be choked with industrial waste and sewage. The air in many

cities of India is heavily polluted. Deforestation takes place quite normally. The protection of

wildlife is not carried out in its true spirit, despite the enforcement of Acts.

The presence of legislation to protect the air, water, soil etc., doesn’t necessarily mean the

problem is addressed.Once the legislation is made at the global, national or state level, it has

to be implemented

But Environmental litigation is more expensive than other types of disputes, as it involves

expert testimony and technical evidence central and state boards must be able to afford the

expertise and the administrative backing.

So, efforts are made to share the costs of anti-pollution measures taken by the industry to

avoid state sponsored expensive and lengthy legal battles. The laws enacted by the

government should be made very stringent and harsh so that every citizen may not dare

to play with the environment and instead he/she should protect it.

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

http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/category/environment/



does not prevent problems but may reduce their occurrence and helps ensure contingency

plans are made.

The application of this principle requires either cautious progress until a development can be

judged ‘innocent’, or avoiding development until research indicates exactly what the risks

are, and then proceeding to minimize them.

Once a threat is identified, action should be taken to prevent or control damage even if there

is uncertainly, about whether the threat is real. Some environmental problems become

impossible or costly to solve if there is delay, therefore waiting for research and legal proof is

not costless.

2. The polluter-pays principle:

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.

There is, thus, debate as to whether the principle should be retrospective. Developing nations

are seeking to have developed countries pay more for carbon dioxide and other emissions

controls, arguing that they polluted the global environment during the Industrial Revolution,

yet enjoy the fruits of invention from the era.This principle, in fact, is more a way of

allocating costs to the polluter than a legal principle.

3. Freedom of information:

Environmental planning and management is hindered if the public, NGOs or even official

bodies are unable to get information. Many countries have now begun to release more

information, the USA has a Freedom of Information Act, and the European Union is moving

in this direction.



But still many governors and multinational corporations fear that industrial secrets will leak

to competitors if there is too much disclosure, and there are situations where authorities

declare strategic needs and suspend disclosure.



7.2 OVER POPULATION & ENVIRONMENT (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7lrCMoZKUU



7.5 IMPACTS ON HUMAN HEALTH (SLIDESHARE)

http://www.slideshare.net/bazesak/human-population-and-environment?related=2



Family planning in India – Its History, Programmes, Importance and Impact July 27, 2014

by Rumani Saikia Phukan

India’s population has already reached 1.26 billion in the current year and considering

the present growth rate, by 2028, the country’s population will be more than China,

according to a recent report from the UN. Though, the report has clearly mentioned

that the rate of population growth has slowed down in recent years, due to effective

implementation of family planning and family welfare programmes, yet the rate is

growing at a much faster rate compared to China. The national fertility rate is still

high which is leading to long-term population growth in India.

However, the family planning programme in India cannot be ignored. Let us discuss

below about family planning in India and how it has played a major role in solving the

problem of population growth in India to a certain extent:

History of Family Planning in India

Population growth has been a cause of worry for the Government of India since a very

long time. Just after independence, the Family Planning Association of India was

formed in 1949. The country launched a nationwide Family Planning Programme in

1952, a first of its kind in the developing countries. This covered initially birth control

programmes and later included under its wing, mother and child health, nutrition and

family welfare. In 1966, the ministry of health created a separate department of family

planning. The then ruling Janata Government in 1977 developed a new population

policy, which was to be accepted not by compulsion but voluntarily. It also changed

the name of Family Planning Department to Family Welfare Programme.

Family Planning / Family Welfare Programme (FWP) by the Government in India

This is a centrally sponsored programme, for which 100% help is provided by the

Central to all the states of the country. The main strategies for the successful

implementation of the FWP programme are:

FWP is integrated with other health services.

Emphasis is in the rural areas

2-child family norm to be practiced

Adopting terminal methods to create a gap between the birth of 2 children

Door-to-door campaigns to encourage families to accept the small family norm

Encouraging education for both boys and girls

Encouragement of breast feeding

Proper marriageable adopted (21 years for men and 18 years for women)

Minimum Needs Programme launched to raise the standard of living of the people.

http://www.mapsofindia.com/my-india/author/rupunkel



Monetary incentives given to poor people to adopt family planning measures.

Creating widespread awareness of family planning through television, radio, news

papers, puppet shows etc.

Impact of Family Planning Programme in India

The initiatives taken by the Government in implementing the Family Planning

Programme have significant impact on the country as a whole. India was the first

country in the world to establish a government family planning program way back in

1952. According to 2011 Family Welfare Programme, some major achievements are

as follows:

Increase in the use of FAMILY WELFARE SCHEMES.

Increased knowledge about contraceptive pills.

Fertility rate low among educated women.

Fertility rate low among higher income groups.

Family Planning in India: More Success Expected

The family planning programmes are successful to a great extent but India still has a

long way to go. Family planning has always been the main emphasis in population

policies adopted by the Government of India. However, there is a need of more public

awareness and public participation. Gender inequality, preference of sons over

daughters, low standard of living, poverty, traditional thought processes of Indians,

age-old cultural norms continue to cause poor family planning practices all across the

country.



7.7 Women and Child Welfare Schemes in India

by Puja Mondal

Women and Child Welfare Schemes in India!

Women constitute 48 per cent of the total population of the country. They suffer many

disadvantages as compared to men in literary rates, labour participation rates and earnings.

The development of women has been receiving attention of the Government of India

from the First Plan. But it was treated as a subject of ‘welfare’ and clubbed together

with the welfare of the disadvantaged groups like destitute, disabled, aged, etc. In 1953,

the Central Social Welfare Board was set up which acts as an Apex Body at the Centre to

promote voluntary action at various levels, especially at the grassroots, to take up welfare-

related activities for women and children.

The Second to Fifth Plans continued this strategy, besides giving priority to women’s

education, and launching measures to improve material and child health services,

supplementary feeding for children and expectant and nursing mothers.

In the Sixth Plan, there was a shift in the approach from ‘welfare’ to ‘development’ of

women. The Sixth Plan adopted a multi-disciplinary approach with special emphasis on the

three core sectors of health, education and employment.

The Seventh Plan stressed on raising their economic and social status and bringing them into

the mainstream of national development. One of the significant step in this direction was to

identify/promote the ‘Beneficiary Oriented Schemes’ in various developmental sector which

extended direct benefits to women.

The strategy also included the generation of both skilled and unskilled employment through

proper education and vocational training. The Eighth Plan ensured that the benefits of

development to women should flow from other development sectors and enable women to

function as equal partners and participants in the development process.



The Ninth Plan made two important changes in the strategy of development of women. The

first was the ‘Empowerment of Women’. Its aim was to create an enabling environment

where women could freely exercise their rights both within and outside home, and are equal

partners along with men.

The second was the convergence of existing services available in both women-specific and

women-related sectors To this effect, a special strategy of ‘Women’s Component Plan’ was

adopted through which not less than 30 per cent of funds/benefits now flow to women from

all the general development sectors.

For social and economic development of women, the Centre has set up the Department

of Women and Child Development which has been implementing the following schemes:

1. Swayamsidha:

Swayamsidha is an integrated scheme for the development and empowerment of women

through self-help groups. It covers services, access to micro-credit and promotes micro-

enterprises.

2. Swashakti Project:

Swashakti Project aims at increasing women’s access to resources for better quality of life

through the use of time reduction devices, by providing health and education services and by

imparting skills to women for income generating activities.

3. Child Development Services Scheme (CDS):

The scheme started in 1975 with the objective to give special coverage to slums in urban

areas. The scheme also envisages delivery of an integrated package of services consisting of

immunization, health check-ups, nutrition and health education and refreshment services to

child and pregnant women.



4. Support to Training and Employment Programme for Women:

It provides new skills and knowledge to poor assetless women in agriculture, animal

husbandry, dairying, fisheries, sericulture, handlooms, handicrafts and khadi and village

industry sectors of employment.

5. Swavlamban:

This scheme provides training and skills to women to enable them to obtain employment or

become self-employed. The trades in which training is imparted include computer

programming, medical transcription, electronic assembling, electronics, radio and TV repairs,

garment making, handloom weaving, handicrafts, secretarial practice, embroidery and

community health.

6. Creche/Day Care Centres for the Children of Working and Ailing Mothers:

It aims at providing day care services to children (0-5 years) of parents whose income does

not exceed Rs. 1,800 per month. The services include sleeping and day care facilities,

recreation, supplementary nutrition, immunisation and medicine.

7. Hostels for Working Women:

Under this scheme, financial assistance is provided for construction and expansion of hostel

buildings for working women. It also includes provisions for safe and affordable

accommodation to working women (single or married), those getting training for employment

and girl students studying in professional courses.

8. Swadhar:

This scheme provides integrated services to women without support from their families such

as widows living at Vrindavan and Kashi; prisoners released from jail; survivors of natural

calamities; women/girls rescued from brothels and other places; victims of sexual crimes, etc.

The scheme includes such services as food, clothing, shelters, health care, counselling and



legal aid and rehabilitation through education awareness, skill formation and behavioural

training.

9. Rashtriya Mahila Kosh:

The National Credit Fund for Women is meant to facilitate credit support or micro-finance to

poor women to start such income generating schemes as agriculture, dairying, shop-keeping,

vending and handicrafts.

10. Welfare of Street Children:

With the objective of weaning away street children from a life of deprivation and vagrancy

and rehabilitating them, An Integrated Programme for Street Children is being implemented

with a wide range of initiatives like 24 hour drop-in shelters, night shelters, nutrition,

healthcare, sanitation, hygiene, safe drinking water, education, recreational facilities and

protection against abuse and exploitation.

Currently, 190 organisations have been operating in 22 states benefiting 1.58 lakh street

children. The special initiative of the Child-line Service, a toll free telephone service is

available to children in distress which responds to the emergency needs of the children

and provides referral service. This facility is now operating in 34 cities.



7.8 ROLE OF IT IN ENVIRONMENT & HUMAN HEALTH

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS BENEFICIAL


TECHNOLOGY’S ROLE IN SOLVING ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ev-vFoaVEes

ARTICLE:

Information technology (IT) is one of the fastest growing recent technology. Various

software have been developed for environment and health care which are user friendly

and help in better understanding for the topic. A lot of techniques are used under IT for

development andapplication of computational tools to acquire, store, analyze and

visualize satellite data which is used for observation, and protection of environment Due

to the development of the internet and information through the satellites a wide database

is generated which is the collection of various interrelated articles.

Role of IT in environment:

· Remote Sensing and GIS (Geographic Information System) provides data

and knowledge concerning the global environment as it is used for mapping and

monitoring various natural resources.

· Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) and Government of India (GOI)

have created an Environment Information System (ENVIS). Different

ENVIS centers are set up in different organizations for information collection,

storage which work towards boosting the relationship between trade and

environment

· IT is used for computer based modeling and simulation of environmental

scenarios for analysis and prediction.

· It enables environmental scientists and researchers around the world to

communicate, collaborate and coordinate.

Role of IT in in human health

· IT can be used for audio, visual and data communications for medical

consultation, diagnosis, treatment, nursing and medical education.

· IT is used for testing of DNA, creating DNA database and genetic

information about population. Medical records and finger prints which are used

by investigating agencies to identify missing persons and criminals.

· IT helps in spreading awareness about endemic, epidemic and communicable

diseases. With the help of Remote Sensing and GIS there is identification of




several infested areas which are prone to some diseases like malaria etc. based

upon mapping of such areas.

week 1 study plan introduction to environmental...

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