UNIT 23: ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND ITS CONSERVATION
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The
reduction in the quality of environmental factors or negative effects on these
resources due some external factors is environmental degradation.
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The degradation is mostly due to human
activities.
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The activity which causes the reduction in
quality of environment is called pollution.
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Pollution
can be categorized as
o
Air
pollution
o
Water
pollution
o
Sound
pollution
o
Soil or
land pollution
Air Pollution
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The activity which causes the reduction in
quality of air is called air pollution.
Causes of air
pollution
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Smokes and dust from vehicle.
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Smokes and dust from industries.
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Smokes from burning of fuel, waste materials,
plastics etc.
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Mining and construction.
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Throwing garbage improperly.
Effects of air
pollution
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Air pollution affects human health adversely by
causing diseases related with respiration, eye, lungs and chest etc.
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Air pollution causes loss in plants and damage
in cultural heritage manifested.
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Air pollution causes the disease like burning of
eye and asthma.
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Air pollution causes increase in the temperature
of the earth.
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Air pollution causes acid rain.
Controlling
measuring of Air pollution
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Responsibility and awareness.
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Management of waste.
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Modernization in vehicles and industries.
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Implementation of laws etc.
Water pollution
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The activity which causes the reduction in
quality of water is called water pollution.
Causes of Water
pollution
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Mixing of sewage line into water resources.
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Washing clothes, bathing etc. in water
resources.
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Throwing garbage.
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Mixing safety tank pipe.
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Fertilizer and pesticides.
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Hospital wastes.
Effects of Water
Pollution
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Polluted water causes diseases like cholera,
dysentery, jaundice, typhoid etc.
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Polluted water harms plants and aquatic animals.
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It affects the photosynthesis process of plants.
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Polluted water spreads bad smell.
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Due to polluted water some young plants as well
as aquatic animals die out.
Prevention of
water pollution
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Responsibility and awareness.
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Management of waste.
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Implementation of law.
Land Pollution
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Generally, the adverse change in quality of soil
is soil pollution.
Causes of soil
pollution
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Excess use of chemical fertilizers and
pesticides.
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Throwing of garbage and waste product in soil.
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Un-decomposed
materials like plastic, glass and metals in soil leads to land pollution when
they are thrown randomly.
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The un-decomposed waste material thrown by the
hospital, health post, lab, factories cause land pollution.
Effects of Land
Pollution
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Earthworm and microorganism that improve the
quality of soil die out.
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The fertility of soil is reduced.
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Decrease in crop production.
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Bad smell from polluted land causes stinking
environment.
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Damages the structure of land. The water
produced from them also gets polluted.
Prevention of land
pollution
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Responsibility and awareness.
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Implementation of laws.
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Proper waste management.
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Use of organic fertilizers.
Noise Pollution
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The loud sound in the environment is called
noise pollution.
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Production of unnecessary sound is also a sound
pollution.
Causes of Sound
Pollution
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Sound produced from vehicles, industries,
crowds.
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Construction.
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Loud speakers and DJ.
Effects of Noise
Pollution
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Loss of hearing capacity.
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High blood pressure.
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Insomnia, digestive disorders.
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Loss of concentration.
Prevention of
Noise pollution
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Responsibility and awareness.
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Implementation of laws against unnecessary
sound.
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Noise proof vehicles and industries.
Green House Effect
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The increase in the temperature of the earth due
to the trap of solar radiation in the atmosphere is known as Green House Effect.
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Some gases like CO2, Methane (CH4),
Water Vapor (H2O), Chloro Fluoro Carbon (CFCs) etc are responsible
for green house effect, so these gases are known as Green House Gases.
Reason of Increasing of Green house gas in atmosphere
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Burning of fossil fuels.
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Deforestation.
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Over population.
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Farming.
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Urbanization and Industrialization.
Adverse effects of green house effect
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It increases atmospheric temperature.
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It brings change in water cycle.
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It causes
adverse effect on human health.
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It decreases agricultural production and
fertility.
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It causes melting of ice of the Himalayas.
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Melting of ice results to rise in sea level
which causes problem to the people near sea-shore.
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It declines the biodiversity.
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It may cause desertification.
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It adversely affects ecosystem and imbalance it.
Climate Change
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The
average condition of weather over a long period of time is called climate.
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Nepal has geographical diversity.
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The climate is different in places which is very
cold somewhere and very hot in other places.
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Nepal is very sensitive in regard to the climate
change.
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It is the current major issue of climate change
for Nepal which has climatic diversity.
Causes of Climate Change
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Following are the some causes of climate change.
o Global
Warming (due to green house effect)
o Emission
of green house gases
o Deforestation
o Increased
rate of use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides
o Industrialization
o Volcanic
eruption
Effects of Climate Change
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Change in atmospheric temperature
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Impact in biodiversity and ecosystem
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Impact on human health
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Impact on agriculture
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Disasters
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Negative effects on water resources
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Energy crisis
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Impact on human settlement
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Impact on physical facilities
Measures of Climate Change Management
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Responsibility and Awareness
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Adopting afforestation as a special campaign
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Reduction
in production of greenhouse gases
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Minimum use of fossil fuels
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Promotion of alternative sources of energy
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Controlling pollution of industries and
factories
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Proper management of means of transport
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Proper management of waste materials
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Controlling unmanaged and unplanned
developmental activities
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Construction of
environmental friendly bridges and roads
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Conservation of natural environment
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Improving agricultural system
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Development of better and disease resistant
species
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Proper management and conservation of water
resources.
Disaster and
Disaster Management
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The situation that causes loss of life, health,
property and environment is known as disasters.
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Disaster is of two types:
o
Natural disasters
o
Human
induced disaster
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Natural
disaster:
o
Naturally occurring threats are natural disasters.
o
It includes flood, landslide, hurricane,
cyclone, earthquake, volcanic eruption etc.
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Human
induced disaster
o
Human activities may cause the occurrence of destructive
venture, known as human induced disaster.
o
These threats are epidemic diseases, vehicles
accident, desertification, accidents created from chemical industries etc.
Causes of Disaster
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Geographical structure.
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Unscientific and unplanned construction and
development.
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Population growth and deforestation.
Management of
Natural disaster
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Conduct awareness program and pre-preparation
carefully.
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Immediate actions should be taken to rescue
victims of hazard.
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Physical and economic support for hazard victims.
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Organizations which are established to help
victims of hazards should be regulated.
Management of
Human Induced disaster
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Criteria of age and ability should be maintained
for vehicle license.
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Minimize the use of atomic and chemical
industries or precautions should be taken.
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Emphasize on cleanliness and conduction of
awareness program.
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Maintaining the balance of soil fertility
capacity.
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Preservation of forest and afforestation program
should be conducted.
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Minimizing the unhealthy competition between peoples.
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Awareness program should be conducted at local
level via radio and television.
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Planning on use of land and its implementation.
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Earthing should be done while constructing home.
Disaster
Management Cycle (DMC)
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For better management to save life and property
from disasters, a systematic cyclic planning procedure to be followed, that is
known as Disaster Management Cycle.
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A hazard or disaster management cycle consists
of PRRM which is:
o
Preparedness:
§
These are the management procedure before hazard
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Pre-plan
§
Implementation
of effective measures like afforestation, dam construction, evacuation
of danger zones etc.
§
Prediction, forecasting and early warning system
of hazards.
o
Response
§
It is the step during hazard.
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A quick response to warning without delay.
§
Moving towards the safe zone, alerting to others
during hazard etc.
o
Recovery
§
This is the steps to be done after disaster.
§
Quick rescue, helping the victims, providing
first aid and health services etc.
o
Mitigation
§
This is the identification and analysis of
damage.
§
Planning of restoration.
§
Preparedness for minimization of future events.
Earth quake
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A sudden, violent shaking of earth is called
earthquake.
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Earthquake occurs due to different reasons.
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The earthquake causes loss of life of human and
animals, destroys the developmental infrastructure.
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Thus, different measures should be adopted to
protect life and property from earthquake.
Safety measures
before earthquake
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Construction of earth quake resisting building.
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Arrangement of open place for emergency.
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Properly fixing of cupboard, wracks etc.
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Knowledge of emergency safety.
Safety measures
during earth quake
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If the exit door is near, go to the safe place
outside the house.
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Remain in
the safe place of the house if you are inside.
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Move to
the open area if you are outside.
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Stop and stay in an open place if you are in a
vehicle.
Safety measures
after earth quake
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As soon as the earthquake stops, move to the
safe place outside the house and do not enter the house immediately.
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If you
are injured, go for treatment.
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If someone is trapped help them to come out and
inform the rescue team.
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Check the
basement, wall, window, door, etc. before entering the house.
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Listen to the emergency news broadcasted through
radio, television, etc. and follow it.
Flood and Its
Management
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The increase in volume of water than normal
situation in river is called flood.
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Heavy
rain fall, melting of glaciers, explosion of glacial lake, overflow of blocked
river by landslide cause flood.
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The falling a mass of land down the slope of a
mountain or hill is called landslide.
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Flood and land slide causes loss of property and
life.
During Flood
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Don’t cross the river, stay away at safe place.
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Helping and cooperation.
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Proper dumping of dead animals
Before and after
flood
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Embankment should be constructed at the side of
river and human settlement on the side of river should be removed.
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Plants such as bamboo that produce roots in
greater amount should be planted at the side of river.
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Terrace farming in a steep land should be
carried out.
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House and shed should not be constructed in
steep place and place with a loose soil.
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Manage water outlet around the house.
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Identify the places where flood and landslide
are prone to occur and stay on a alert.
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Provide necessary support to the most vulnerable
as far as possible.
Fire and Its
Management
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The objects like match, lighter should be kept
away from children.
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Do not smoke cigarette and extinguish cigarette
before throwing.
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Establish pond or water source near the village,
house.
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Keep fire engine and fire brigade in ready
condition.
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Keep a safe wiring in house and public building.
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Conduct awareness program for the precaution of
fire.
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If fire is set, inform society and fire brigade
as soon as possible.
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Try to
put out a fire if you can else stay away at safe place.
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If you are in a building, don’t use lift, use
ladder to come out.
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Rescue the people who are trapped in a fire
area.
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Provide first aid to injured person.
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Adopt measures to avoid the spread of fire.
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Provide necessary support to the victim.
Epidemics and
their Management
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A large number of cases of a particular disease
happening at the same time in a particular community due to the rapid spread of
the disease which affecting people health adversely is called epidemic.
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Management to be done by:
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Conduct awareness and educational programs.
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Run programs related to disease and hygiene.
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Keep environment clean.
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Pay attention in conservation and sanitation of
water resource
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In
epidemic situation provide treatment for patient
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Keep knowledge about cause, effect and
preventive measures of disease and apply caution for that.
Environment
conservation and management
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Public awareness and responsibility
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Plantation.
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Conservation of air, water and land.
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Pollution control
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Conservation of cultural heritage
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Environmental sanitation.
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Public Participation
National and
international organizations involved in the conservation and enhancement of
environment
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National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC)
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The world Conservation Union (WCU) or International
Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural resources (IUCN)
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World Wide Fund of Nature-(WWF) or World Wild
life Fund
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United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
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International Center for Integrated Mountain
Development (ICIMOD)
