Our Environment and Natural Resources

Our Environment and Natural Resources

There are so many things around us  like plants, animals, soil, rocks and  water . These living and non living things form our surrounding. The surrounding in which we live is called our environment .

Pollution

 The harmful changes  made in the environment due to various human activities is called the pollution.  The harmful substances that cause pollution are called pollutants. There are mainly four types of pollution -Air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and  noise pollution 

Air Pollution 

Causes : Air Pollution is mainly caused by  burning  of fuels like  petrol, diesel and coal. vehicles and the industry is the main sources of air pollution . Burning of garbage , bursting of fire crackers  and  volcanic eruptions also make the air polluted.

 

Effect of air Pollution

Air pollution causes  a number of  diseases  like  asthma , bronchitis and lung cancer. It also causes acid rain, depletion of ozone layer and global warming .

Water Pollution 

Causes : Water is polluted mainly by the sewage and toxic waste products. The main sources of water pollution are industries , homes and  hospitals , bathing of animal, washing clothes in river water  and oil split from the ship also cause water pollution.

 

 Effect of Water Pollution 

Drinking polluted water  may causes diseases like dysentery, Jaundice  and typhoid. aquatic animals often die  due to the water pollution.

Soil(or  Land ) pollution 

Causes :  Dumping of solid wastes such as plastic bags, glass bottle  and metal container causes  land pollution, excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides in the crop  fields also causes land pollution .

 

Effect of Land Pollution 

Land pollution make the soil infertile . It harms the soil microorganism and slows the growth of plants 

Noise Pollution 

Causes : Noise is an pleasant , loud  or an undesired  sound . loud sound from the vehicle, 

aeroplane , loudspeakers and machinery causes noise pollution 

 .

Effect of noise pollution

Hearing loud  sound over a long time can cause deafness, high blood pressure and depression in humans .

Green house effect

Green house is a term given to glasshouse made to keep delicate  and rare plants  that need  warmth and protection from the weather . the house is construed by panels of glass  glass panels allow sun rays and heat to pass through the glass house . The heat enters the glass house  cannot escape  because  the glass panels  send  back the heat inside  the glass house . This make the glass house warmer  than the outsides  environment . This is called  greenhouse effect .Similarly, you see that a car parked in the sun  with all door s and window closed gets heated up. this is also because of  the green house effect . our earth's atmosphere  also cats as a glasshouse . there are different gases around the earths. some of these gases like carbon dioxide , Ozone , methane , nitrogen oxides, CFCS (chlorofluorocarbons) and  Water vapor  have property to trap heat energy from the sun. these gases ae called green house gases. They do not allow the earth's atmospheres due to trapping  of heat energy reflected  from the earth's surface  by carbon dioxide  and other gases in the atmospheres is called  greenhouse effects .human activities like burning of fossils fuels in automobiles and industries , deforestation( Cutting down the forest) are putting  a lot of carbon dioxide and many other  harmful gases in  the atmosphere. This  has resulted in increase greenhouse effect.

Global warming 

Increase in the earth's temperature due  to increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the  atmosphere  is called global warming . Global warming causes climatic change on the earths. This results  in melting of polar ice , rise  in sea level and submerging of low-lying areas  near the sea .

The temperature of the earth increased 2.5  degree celcious  in the last hundred year's  and scientist expect that in  the next century, it may rise by 3.4 degree celcious . This  increase in the temperature  may adversely affect    all the living  Organisms.

 

Measure to check global warming

1.Reduction in the use of fossils fuels 

2.Developing renewable sources of energy like solar energy and wind energy.

3.Increase in the forest areas to utilise carbon dioxide by plants during photosynthesis 

4. Using energy efficient devices 

Global warming is called serious damages  to the environment and ultimately affects  human lives  . it is the time  when serious steps   need  to be taken to control global warming .

Many countries have  signed agreement aimed at reducing  greenhouse gases . one Such agreement is Kyoto protocol.

Natural resources 

The Substance  that we  utilize  in our  daily life  to make  things  of our need are called resources . Our life depends on these useful things . The resources that we get from nature are called natural resources . Plant animals , air , water , minerals , soil, and fossils fuels are some natural resources . 

 

Types of natural resources 

Natural resources  are classified  into two groups - renewable resources and non-renewable resources .

1.Renewable resources : The resources  that either never get exhausted or replaced naturally within a reasonable  time period are called renewable resources . Sunlight , water and  wind are some  examples of renewable resources .

2.Non-renewable resources :The resources that cannot be replaced  within a reasonable time  period  if  used up are called non-renewable  resources . these are  limited  and will be exhausted one day due to  their unlimited  use , Coal, petroleum , top fertile soil and mineral   are some examples  of non-renewable resources ,

 

Conservation of natural resources

1. We should plants more and more tee so that forest cover  does not decrease .

2. Cleaner  fuels like CNG should be used in vehicles.

3.We should reduce the wastage  of water by never leaving the tap opened or by never  using  hose pipe to wash vehicles 

4. We should prevent water pollution  to keep our rivers clean

5.Rainwater harvesting  should be adopted . in this , the rainwater is collected , filtered , and then allowed  to get absorbed in the ground 

6. We should use renewable sources of energy like solar energy, wind  energy and hydro-energy to conserve the fossil fuels 

7. Minerals can be conserved by using  them again by recycling , for examples , glass, bottle  and metallic  can be recycled and used again.