Environment PDF

12 Otir EnviFonment CHAPTER Warm-Up to keep our earth greenand Look at the picturesbelow. Make a smiley face O which help environmentclean (eco-friendlyactivi...

12 Otir EnviFonment CHAPTER Warm-Up to keep our earth greenand Look at the picturesbelow. Make a smiley face O which help environmentclean (eco-friendlyactivity) and a sad face for the ones which we should not do (non-friendlyactivity) 126 Ourenvironment comprises both living and cause harm or discomfort not only to the non-living things. Livings things include human beings but also to other living plants, animals and microorganisms and organisms is called pollution. The harmful non-living things consist of air, temperature, substances which pollute air, water and water,land and soil. There is always an land are called pollutants, interaction between living and non-living There are four main types of pollution: things. As a result of these interactions, air pollution, water pollution, land ourenvironment is changing continuously. pollution and noise pollution. IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT Air Pollution We depend on the environment for our The addition of pollutants in the air is basic r eds.We get food, furniture, clothes, called air pollution. Natural phenomena water,air and many more things from the which are responsible for air pollution are: environment. Animals also depend on volcanic eruptions, the environment for their basic needs. pollen dispersal, and However,in making our lives comfortable, o forest fires. we have damaged our environment.Many Human activities responsible for air of our activities have adversely affected pollution are: the environment. Smoke coming out from factories and More and more trees are cut down vehicles adds harmful gases such as to make the land available for setting carbon dioxide into the air. industries and houses to meet the needs of growing population. Smoke and harmful gases from the factories and vehicles are making the air polluted. Wasting resources such as water, electricity and petrol. Smoke from factories World Environment Day is celebrated e Burning of fuels such as coal, petrol and Know? on 5thJune. diesel in vehicles and factories also add poisonous gases into the air. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION Burning of wood and waste materials Any undesirable change in the environment and firecrackers are other causes of air brought about by human beings that can pollution. SEARCH MIRROR interaction: direct involvementI adversely: harmfullyI eruption: explosion of smoke,fire, rocks and ash in the sky by a volcano I 127 Deforestation leads to lesser number of trees in the environment,thus lesser amount of oxygen available for living organisms and results in increase in carbon dioxide in air which is an air pollutant. Dumping of waste in water Washing clothes and bathing in the rivers also lead to water pollution as Smoke from burning of Smoke from burning the soap and detergents are added in waste material wood the water. Run off water from fields adds fertilisers Water Pollution and pesticides into the rivers and pollutes The addition of pollutants in water is called them. water pollution. It is caused by: Mixing of poisonous waste from industries Noise Pollution into the water bodies such as rivers and Loud and unpleasant sound is called noise. la kes. The noise pollution is caused by: Mixingof industrial waste into the river Noise from the bursting of crackers Dumping of domestic waste into water Do You bodies is one of the major causes of Know? Bursting of crackers causes both noise and air pollution. water pollution. 128 SEARCH MIRROR fertilizers: substances added to soil to increase its fertility I pesticides: substances used for destroying insects or other organisms,  Loud music from TV, radio and, rnue,ic Improper disposal of household waste system. such as throwing of cans and plastic bottles, littering of polythene bags causes land pollution, Loud music Loud sound from motor vehicles, aeroplanes, factories, etc. Heap of household waste Dumping of industrial waste on the land/soil also causes pollution. Improperly maintained landfills also adds to the existing land pollution. Loud sound from an aeroplane Land Pollution The addition of pollutants in the soil is called land pollution. It is caused by: Spraying of fertilisers, pesticides and insecticides on the crops adds harmful Landfill chemicals into the soil and causes soil pollution. Quick Check WriteT for true and F for false statemens. 1. Our environmentcomprises both living and non-living things. 2. We depend on our environmentfor food only. 3. World Environment Day is celebrated on 22nd April. 4. Smoke from the factories and vehicles is making land polluted. 5. Increase in population is the major Spraying of pesticide in a crop field cause of pollution. SEARCH MIRROR insecticides: substances added to soil oc water to kill insects I chemicais: substances which have been artificially prepared I latufftiEarea of land wheje large amounts of waste material get disposed by burying it  APFRNEO CONY EFFECTS OF POLLUTION MOBY 7 Air pollution causes breathing problems. 7The harmful gases coming out of the FOUUTICN l, roCHECi(ze factories mix with the water drops in clouds to form acid. These water drops fall to the earth as acid rain which damages plants and buildings. Drinking polluted water can cause Pollution check dangerous diseases such as typhoid, iarrhoea and dysentery. Tall chimneys should be fitted with Polluted water harms the aquatic life filters in factories. Ad kills fish and other water animals. Use lead free petrol or CNG in the vehicles. Animals and insects gather around Maintain proper drainage system to waste dumps and spread germs. These preventits leakage into water bodies. germs can cause various diseases. Burning of fuels release carbon dioxide Preventwashing of clothes and bathing gas. Increase in atmospheric carbon of animalsin rivers or ponds. dioxide leads to global warming. Treat the factory waste before disposal. Deforestation damages the soil and Use of loudspeakers near hospitals and leads to soil erosion. As a resultthe residential areas should be avoided. soil becomes less fertile. Airports must be away from the cities. Loud sound from vehicles, factories, and, bursting of crackers can cause Educating the people about the ill- hypertension hearing problems and effects of pollution. sleep disorder. Do You PREVENTION OF POLLUTION Know? Vanmahotsav is celebratedin the We cannot control the environmental monthof July for one week in India. pollution in a day or two but our efforts in making the environment clean over TYPES OF WASTE long time will have great effect. If all of The waste we throw on the us take things seriously and follow simple land is Of two types— biodegradable steps, we can enjoy a green and clean and non- biodegradable waste. environment. Biodegradable waste: The waste which Plant trees as they give out oxygen and decomposes and mixes with help to purify the air. the soil is biodegradable waste. Peels Locate industries away from cities. of fruits and vegetables, leather and wood are some By regular pollution check of vehicles. examples of bio-degredable waste. It SEARCH MIRROR deforestation:cutting down of trees on a large scale I hypertension: high blood pressureI decompose: break down of organic materials  enriches the soil and recycle the waste material. Quick Check Non-biodegradable waste: The waste that Tick (V) the correct answers. neverdecomposes but remains in the soil L (Air pollution/ Water pollution) causes for a very long time and pollutes it. Plastic, breathing problems. 2. The substance which can be degraded (plastic/ metal,glass, rubber and polythene bags are leather belt). someexamples of non-biodegradable waste. 3. (Jute bags/ Plastic bags) stop the flow of water in the drains. Disposalof Waste 4. Fruits and vegetables peels are (biodegradable/ It can be done by the following methods: non-biodegradable). 5. Vanmahotsavis celebratedin the month of Segregation of waste into biodegradable (July/ August) for one week in India. and non-biodegradable. Biodegradable waste can be used to SAVE ENVIRONMENT make manure by composting which can We can save our environment by following be used to make the soil rich. the 4R's mantra, i.e. reduce, reuse, recycle and refuse. Reduce the waste generation as much as possible, e.g., use steel plates instead of disposable plates. Reuse the things in different ways, e.g., empty jam bottle can be washed, dried and used to store things. Recycle the waste to make new things, Compost pit e.g., plastic items can be recycled to Cans, tins, glass bottles and old make buckets. newspapers can be given to recycler Refuse to accept the plastic bags. Take or kabadiwala. your own cloth or jute bag to go for shopping. 3 Symbol of Recycle Kabadiwala/ Recycler SEARCH MIRROR enriches: adds nutrients 131  Flowchart Environment Environmental Pollution Effects of Pollution Prevention of Pollution Types of Pollution Air Global warming Save Environment Water Soil erosion Acid rain. Follow 4R's Noise Recycle Diseases Land — Reuse — Reduce Types of Waste — Refuse Biodegradable Non-biodegradable Quick Scroll V Living and non-living things compriseour environment. V We are dependenton environmentfor our needs. V Pollution is any undesirablechange the environmentwhich causes harm to the human beings and other organisms. V There are four main types of pollution:air pollution,water pollution,land pollution and noise pollution. V Pollution can be prevented by educating the people, planting trees, segregating the waste, treating the factory waste before disposal, etc. V Biodegradable waste decomposes and mixes in the soil. V Non-biodegradable waste does not decompose. V Pollution can cause various diseases,acid rain, global warming and soil erosion. V To save our environment,we should follow reduce,reuse, recycle and refuse. 132