SDG 2 : Zero Hunger.

In 2012, at the United Nations (UN) Conferences on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, world representatives created the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The purpose of creating SDGs was to produce a set of universal goals that meet the urgent environmental, political and economic challenges facing our world, according to the UN Development Programme. There are 17 SDGs that the UN hopes to meet by 2030, the second of which is Zero Hunger. More than 800 million people around the world are hungry. The United Nations’s second Sustainable Development Goal, Zero Hunger, aims to end world hunger by 2030.

Hunger is not caused by food shortage alone, but by a combination of natural, social, and political forces. Currently, natural resources that are necessary for human survival—like freshwater, the ocean, forests, soils, and more—are dwindling. Climate change is contributing to the degradation of precious resources, as severe weather events, like droughts, become more common and affect harvests, leading to less food for human consumption. Poverty and inequality are also two drivers of hunger, affecting who can buy food, as well as what kind of food, and how much, is available. Hunger is also a product of war and conflict. During periods of unrest, a country’s economy and infrastructure can become severely damaged. This negatively affects civilian access to food by either driving up food prices, interfering with food production, or forcing people from their homes. Some governments and military groups have even used starvation as a war tactic, cutting off civilians from their food supply. In 2018, the UN declared this tactic a war crime.

The total number of persons suffering from severe food insecurity has been on the rise since 2015, and there are still millions of malnourished children. The economic slowdown and the disruption of food value chains caused by the pandemic are exacerbating hunger and food insecurity. In addition, the upsurge in desert locusts remains alarming in East Africa and Yemen, where 35 million persons already experience acute food insecurity. Owing to the pandemic, some 370 million schoolchildren are missing the free school meals that they rely on. Measures to strengthen food production and distribution systems must be taken immediately to mitigate and minimize the impacts of the pandemic.

The world is not on track to achieve Zero Hunger by 2030. If recent trends continue, the number of people affected by hunger would surpass 840 million by 2030. According to the World Food Programme, 135 million suffer from acute hunger largely due to man-made conflicts, climate change and economic downturns. The COVID-19 pandemic could now double that number, putting an additional 130 million people at risk of suffering acute hunger by the end of 2020.

Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the method of growing plants without soil. It generally uses less water as compared to traditional soil system. It allows faster growth and higher yield.

William Frederick Gericke is known as father of hydroponics. He grew tomato vines in his backyard in nutrient solution.

The nutrients used in hydroponics include fish and poultry excreta , duck manure, chemical fertilizers, artificial nutrient solution etc.

Plants are commonly grown hydroponically in a greenhouse, on inert media, include tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, strawberries, lettuces, and cannabis, usually for commercial use, and Arabidopsis thaliana, which serves as a model organism in plant science and genetics.

Advantages:

  • Does not require soil for cultivation.
  • Promotes faster and efficient plant growth.
  • It uses less water as compared to conventionally grown plants. Hence, helps to save water.
  • It does not depend on climate for favourable growing conditions.
  • Saves labour due to automatic watering and fertilizing capability.
  • Have fewer pest can can be grown closely.
Photo by Pragyan Bezbaruah on Pexels.com
  • The plant has less root and nutrient competition than grown in soil.

There are six main types of hydroponic system for garden: wicking, deep water culture (DWC), nutrient film technique (NFT), ebb and flow, aeroponics, and drip systems.

Disadvantages:

  • Involves high installation cost.
  • Need to test the solution frequently to avoid infection and damage.
  • System are prone to equipment failure and power outage.
  • Prone to water borne infection.
  • Requires constant monitoring and assistance.

Some systems, known as aquaponics involves use of nutrient-rich wastewater from aquaculture to fertilize hydroponic plants. Freshwater fish, such as tilapia, and crayfish are common aquatic animals utilized for these hybrid systems.

Nowadays, hydroponics is being implemented in large scale as a start up to meet the demand of fresh leafy vegetables as is a part of urban farming.

The rising burden of E- waste

E- waste or electronic waste refers to the waste created by discarding the electronic devices which is rather caused due to its end of useful life, high repair cost , outdated technologies etc. which makes it underrated for further use. These waste includes TV, mobile phones, computer/ desktop, electronic items, wires, machineries etc. This is one of the fastest waste generated.

Everyday lakhs and lakhs of e-waste is generated. The country’s e-waste output is growing at over 30 per cent year on year, and stood at over 10 lakh tonnes in 2019-20, according to government data, comparable to about one lakh six-wheeled truckloads of waste.

It is the third largest in volume globally and growing at a rate ten times faster than its plastic waste output.

Mountains of e-waste pile up, which are as much a threat to the environment as they are to the health of their handlers .It proves vulnerable as people are sifting and processing the waste of the privileged without knowing that it could cause them cancer, reproductive disorders, endocrine disruption and other health complications.

Problems:

The most alarming aspect of e-waste is that less than a quarter of it is being processed.It possess hazardous metals and can contaminate soil, air, water, posing significant risk to human health by entering the food chain.

Unsafe disposal of e waste: About 95% of e waste is recycled by informal sectors and scrap developers without knowing the hazardous effect and use of safe handling practice.

Concern : Majority of e waste are imported to developing countries like India, China, Ghana etc from developed countries for recycling purpose.

With advancement in technologies, standard of living people are more inclined towards use of more gadgets, phones and tend to change them more frequently.

Way forward

E waste clinics for proper segregation, processing and disposal of e waste. Effective ways to implement proper and safe handling of waste.

Initiative taken by government includes: Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the LiFE or Lifestyle for Environment movement in June—a concept that he said is borrowed from the past and focuses on the future.

The right to repair is introduced to reduce the e waste and it’s proper management as it is environmental friendly too. But this also concerns the major industries involved in sector as it could lead to their loss and some technologies can’t be added to existing devices .

DREAM ON…..

N kavya

Dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep.

The content and function of dreams have been topics of scientific, philosophical, and religious interest throughout recorded history. Dream interpretation was practiced by the Babylonians in the third millennium BCE and even earlier by the ancient Sumerians. .Dreams figure prominently in major world religions. The dream experience for early humans, according to one interpretation, gave rise to the notion of a human ‘soul’ as a central element in much religious thought.

Psychologist Calvin S. Hall considered dreams part of the cognition process or a type of thinking that happens as you sleep. Hall believed dreams could offer important insight into how you view yourself and others, your problems and conflicts, and the world in general. Many psychologists believed dreams played an important role in cognitive processes including memory and emotion regulation. Domhoff also noted that, although dreams may shed some light on heavy concerns, they might not have any real purpose, because he stated normally human beings forget most of their dreams. William Dement, who helped found the field of sleep medicine, suggested that, while dreams may lack a clear purpose, they can still convey meaningful messages.

Many experts do not believe dreams have much meaning but believe they still serve a purpose. The existing theories outline a few of these purposes.

1. Threat simulation theory
2. Activation-Synthesis theory
3. Dreams as emotional regulation
4. Continual-activation theory

Psychotherapist, Eliza Boquin, states “For vivid dreamers, our body can often experience what is happening in the dream.”
Certified dream analyst and speaker Lauri Loewenberg says while you are sleeping your brain is conjuring up around five dreams per night. That is a lot of subconscious thoughts to unpack. And although every dream is unique, they do tend to follow certain symbolic patterns.

How to examine your own dreams -:


1. Make sure you are getting proper sleep –: Research says that if we get enough sleep (7 to 9 hours) each night. This may, in turn, boost dream recall.


2. Review the dream –: when you wake up from the dream, lie calmly and analyze the visions, emotions, people, and places and mainly pay attention to small details because it would play a significant role in examining the dream.


3. Write it down –: Have a journal and start writing what all you saw the colors and visions, also your moods and feelings.


4. Make connections to your own life -: connecting these facts to your everyday life, would connect to your past life experiences and in some cases might even show some glimpses of your future. There are also many dreams interpretation books that you can interpret and gain more insights into.

Dreaming and sleep are intertwined. Dreams occur mainly in the rapid-eye movement (REM) stage of sleep when brain activity is high and resembles that of being awake. No one knows for certain what purposes dream serve. But at the end of the day, their true function might not really matter. It depends on each individual If you find them meaningful, then they add value to you or do not concern you.

Image credits- Google

Millets: Future Superfood

Millets are one of the oldest food known to mankind.These are group of highly variable small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food.

Types of millet: Sorghum (jowar), Pearl millet (bajra), Foxtail millet (kangni), Finger millet (ragi), Barnyard millet, Kodo millet, Little Millet, Proso Millet are amongst the healthiest millet grains available.

Nutritional value: They are good sources of proteins, carbohydrates, dietary fibre and essential amino acids.

Millets have 65% carbohydrates, 9% proteins, 3% fat, and 2-7% crude fibre.

They are rich in various vitamins such as vitamin A, C and B-complex vitamins and minerals such as magnesium, manganese, phosphorus and also iron.

Major producers include Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Haryana.

Significance: Release of 13 High Yielding varieties including 4 bio-fortified varieties of millets. declaring 2023 as International Year of Millets (IYOM).

This proposal of India was supported by 72 countries and United Nation’s General Assembly (UNGA) declared 2023 as International Year of Millets on 5th March,2021.

Photo by Deep Malik on Pexels.com

Millets are climate resilient crop as they can be grown in rainfed area and are resistant to climatic stress, pest and disease as well. So it plays major role in sustainable agriculture.

People possess a perception of millet being poor man food but owing to it’s nutritional value it is rich in dietary fibres, amino acid, calcium, zinc, folate and various nutrients. It can even be easily consumed by diabetic people as it possess low glycemic index. Nowadays, being consumed by many more people it helps to provide food security.

They even provide economic security to farmers growing millet in dry, low fertile, rainfed area as it requires less investment and involves less cost of cultivation.

Initiatives are taken by government to promote millet production by farmers as they promote sustainable agriculture as well as generate employment opportunities by promoting value addition of millets.

Menstruation & It’s Taboos

N kavya

The menstrual cycle is a part of your reproductive system. Menstruation is the monthly shedding of the lining of your uterus. The menstrual blood which is partly blood and partly tissue from the inside of your uterus flows from your uterus through your cervix and out of your body through your vagina.

It has been said that during those days the tradition started for a good reason as women go through heavy cramps, PMS (premenstrual syndrome), headaches, stomach aches, mood swings, etc. Women were being isolated from their family and given complete rest in a separate room, as time passed the traditions became aggressive and gave more stress associated with myths, or misconceptions and taboos to women than being supportive to them during their menstrual cycle. Women are not allowed to enter the temples, in many households’ girls are subjected to many superstitious practices such as; prohibition from entering the kitchen and prayer room, being made to stay in a separate room, being forced to eat in separate utensils, and in some houses, the girl is provided the left-over food. Not being allowed to touch certain kinds of food because they could get spoilt, and tagging the girl as impure and unclean. The stigma associated with a woman bleeding every month leads to poor hygiene among a large section of rural women who use wood husk, leaves, paper, and other such materials instead of sanitary napkins when on their periods. The temple in Assam ‘Maa Kamkhaya’ where the main deity is the uterus of a woman signifies the importance of reproduction and the menstrual cycle is completely natural. In India, some school girls were allegedly forced to remove their underwear to prove they were not menstruating. The girls also reported that they were barred from touching other students during their menstrual cycle.

These social stigmas isolate the girls from family and friends which increases their stress levels and impacts their mental health. As per the survey in India, only 48% of adolescent girls are aware of what menstruation is before getting their first period, which is unhygienic for their health due to a lack of proper sanitation facilities. Young people do not have access to reliable and correct information about their reproductive health and rights. The lack of acceptance and the taboo associated with it leads the girls to stay at home due to anxiety and embarrassment… An overall lack of scientific knowledge about menstruation also gives way to myths and misconceptions. During previous centuries, there were many rules followed due to some circumstances but following those rules in this period seems unreasonable.

Girls must be given proper menstruation knowledge before they get their first period because many girls do not have the knowledge about how their body works and provide free napkins to the government schools. The main development goals must include an equal opportunity for education for girls and boys and access to proper sanitation. The media creating public awareness regarding these issues would break the taboo prevailing in society. The movie ‘Pad Man’ starring Akshay Kumar and Radhika Apte which speaks about the importance of women’s menstrual health is notable. To cross these barriers government, NGOs, corporate companies, and media and entertainment industries must collaborate and take advantage of each other’s capability and influence to achieve this vision.

Image credits- Google

Horticulture

The word horticulture is derived from Latin word -‘ hortus’ meaning garden and ‘ cultura’ meaning culture or growing.

Horticulture is the branch of plant agricultural science involving cultivation of fruits, vegetables, flowers, ornamental plants, medicinal plants, gardening etc. It even involves landscaping and gardening.

It includes components like:

Olericulture : production of vegetables; Pomology: production of fruits ; viticulture: growing of grape vines for wine making and good quality grapes production; Floriculture: production of flowers and ornamental plants; production of aromatic plants, spices, medicinal plants , Arboriculture: cultivation of herbs, shrubs, woody plants for landscape and beautification. It even involves nursery management of plants by using techniques like grafting, cutting, pruning etc, bonsai etc..

Fruits

Scope of horticulture:

It involves propagation of plants, landscaping and garden designing, cultivation of exotic and indigeneous fruits and vegetables, nursery production, topiary { it is an art of training, cutting, trimming trees or shrubs into various shape for ornamental purpose}, growing plantation crops like rubber, tea, coffee, coconut etc, production of spices like black pepper, cardamom, ginger, turmeric etc ,cultivation of aromatic and medicinal plants like patchouli, stevia, aloe vera, tulsi, lemon grass, rosemerry etc. , cultivation of flowers, involves greenhouse cultivation of crops too, bonsai ( Japanese art to cultivate small tree that mimicss large tree) , turf and lawn preparation etc.

Importance of Horticulture:

It helps us to meet the nutritional aspects through consumption of fruits and vegetables.

It provides us medicinal plants, herbs to cure ailments. It too provides spices that adds aroma and flavour.

It increases asthetic value through landscaping and beautification.

Gardening helps us to destress and relax and can be done as a habit too.

Urban gardening through use of nursery and kitchen gardening to meet everyday kitchen needs.

It can be used to beautify our indoor places in house and adds asthetic value to it.

Helps to increase income and generate employment opportunities through value addition and food processing industry.

So, it serves as an all purpose as well as recreational activities in our daily life.

Agriculture

The word “Agriculture” has no rigid definition. It has been explained by many people very comprehensively. Agriculture has been defined as the science and art of cultivating the soil, and this definition emphasizes the primary nature of plant production in agriculture.Moreover, it is so frequent that the same person performs both the primary functions of growing plants and the secondary one of feeding the plants to livestock that these two industries are grouped together as agriculture. Therefore, it may be said that agriculture includes not only the production of crops by the cultivation of the soil, but also the rearing of livestock.
Thus, milk, meat and wool are as much agricultural products as are wheat, rice and cotton. In the words of George O’Brien, therefore, the word agriculture includes, “every industry which aims at producing vegetables or animals by the cultivation of the soil.”So, agriculture is the business of raising products from the land. The products raised may either be plants and their products or animals and their products. The former are the direct products while the latter are the indirect products of the land. Agricultural products are complex and diverse, in nature, and as such, agriculture may be regarded as complex industry.Modern agriculture is such broader in scope than merely the art and science of cultivating the land. It is the whole business of supplying food and fiber for a growing population at home and abroad. Again in agriculture we include all forms of soil production, from forestry to glass-house culture, from fishery to artificial insemination, and from breeding to horticulture.

Primi­tive men must have begun as food gatherers, eating whatever fruits, leaves and roots they could obtain. Nature must have been bountiful in those days when human numbers were so small and wild plants grew everywhere. As time passed and human numbers grew, fishing and hunting became increasingly im­portant in supplementing what was lacking in the field, and an endless search for food ensued.It was soon realized that some form of food pro­duction was necessary if men were to live long and secure. Animals were tamed, first to provide meat, milk and skin; later for use as draught animals. Seeds were sown in ploughed fields, carefully tended and harvested when the time came.Men were then able to live in settled communities. Because they were no longer continually moving they had time to develop the various arts, crafts and skills that formed the basis of modern industries and also evolved religious and political ideas. Without a settled agriculture, a meas­urable degree of civilization is not possible.


Agriculture
is not farming
it’s feeding

The evolution in the Life Insurance industry post pandemic.

Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.com

The global pandemic of covid-19 has created a atmosphere that have made humans realize the value of one’s life. Pandemic has made potential risks to human life and business starkly visible, forcing the entire civilization and economies to reorient their way of living. The life insurance sector has also seen this impact, the industry settled more claims in the year 2021 than in 2020 due to this global event. A sudden demand for life insurance policies and increased claims induced operational changes for the insurance industry.

The recent trend in the life insurance sector can been seen in below mentioned five points.

  • Increase in the policy holders.

There has been a noticeable shift in who and how life insurance solutions are being consumed. A particular increase was witness among the young insurer those in the age group of 20-30 years have become more conscious about life insurance.

  • Implementation of technology in operation.

Insurance advisors earlier engaged potential customers in face-to-face conversations due to the challenges posed due to social distancing. They had to change to online meetings quickly. The advantage of online video conversations is that they can be done at any convenient time or even on-the-go.

  • Offering of wider range of policies by insurance companies.

With the increase in the demand, it has made mandate for the insurance companies to offer a wide range of policies that can cater to the need of the groups of people. Introduction of specific policy for health care workers, for younger generations, for the one who have been got in the disease of covid are some of the different segment that have got been introduced amid pandemic.

  • Sustainability and Environment, Social and Governance.

Among financial services companies, life insurers are better positioned to invest based on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) principles under the broader theme of sustainability. The long-term capital that they hold is an enabler. They can invest in businesses that commit to environmental goals, sustainability, and better governance.

  • Restoring customers faith by Insurers.

In 2022, insurers will have to make efforts to restore customers’ faith in the industry, as well as minimizing customer losses in the wake of premium rises. Insurers will no doubt focus on improving the customer experience by increasing transparency and simplifying the claims process in order to boost retention rates and strengthen consumer brand loyalty.

This year also like the preceding one will be a difficult year for many insurers, with some industries still predicting losses a year ahead. Hopefully, many of the changes insurers can make to automate and streamline their workflows in the coming years can mitigate these losses in the wake of the pandemic.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the science that deals with drugs.Pharmacology consists of detailed study of drugs, particularly drugs action on living animals, tissues or organs. The action of drugs may be beneficial or harmful.Pharmacology is the science in which we study the response of living animals to chemicals drug Pharmacology is defined as the study of the effects of drugs on the structures and metabolism of natural tissues.Pharmacology can be defined as the study of the manner in which the functions of living system is affected or influenced by chemicals.This subject deals with the properties and effects of drugs and in broad sense, it can be defined as the study of interactions between chemical substances and biological systems.While defining in broad sense, it includes the knowledge of the history, source, physical and chemical properties, compounding, bio-chemical and physiological effects, mechanism of action, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and therapeutic and other effects of drugs.

Diseases are as old as man. Fighting disease with drugs is an endless task that originated from existence of mankind. Drugs have its origin with illness and the later has been associated with evolution. Just imagine about the nomads, the primitive man, who was wanderer, a food gatherer and shelter seeking. There was no concept of family.There were no clothes, men and women were wandering naked. Gradually the notion of family started and he lived together with so called his family members. If any of them died the pain of death he might have felt. He must have thought about death. Why some person dies? And then fear of death might have occurred to him. He must have started thinking about death.Homosapiens being the intelligent most among the species evolved, based on the principles of “necessity” and “trial” could observe effectiveness of many plants in relief for his pains and sufferings. The primitive (early) history of the causative agents of diseases included wrong Gods, spirits witches and other evil influences.
The form of therapy was incantation, prayer and ceremony designed to appease the evil agents of the diseases. They were using sacrifice of animals, individuals and prayers.The tribal leaders were known as medicine men or the expert or witch doctors (Ojha), were very powerful men and leader in such all ceremonies. In addition, they had knowledge about certain plants and animal products to be used in the treatment of certain diseases. The first treatise on medicine was undoubtedly the Ayurveda in India and that is at least 500 years ahead of the Greek Medicine.The medical literature was related to metaphysics, hypnotism etc. and belief in supernatural agencies as the cause and cure of diseases. Thus, in India, this was originally a part of the fourth Veda called the Atharva Veda. The real father of Indian Medicine was Atrya with his distinguished disciples-Agnivesha, Bhala, Jatukarana, parasara, Harita and Ksharapani.

Started with Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921). He was excellent teacher of Pharmacology and attracted many persons to study this subject. Like other experimental sciences, Pharmacology, too, is highly dependent upon development in other branches of science.Spectacular developments in physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and molecular biology have greatly contributed in advancement of pharmacology. Conversion of the old pharmacology into modern pharmacology is fairly recent and probably started taking shape following introduction of experimental procedures in animals by Francois Megendie (1783-1855) and Claude Bernard (1813-1978).Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921) introduced the technique of per-fusing isolated organs and study the effects of drugs on them. Abel, Cushny, Gottlieb and a galaxy of his other students popularized the expertise in their respective, countries. Thus Oswald become popular as ‘Father of modern Pharmacology’.


Pharmacology is benefited by the prepared mind. You need to know what you are looking for.

Pharmacology

Pharmacology is the science that deals with drugs. Pharmacology consists of detailed study of drugs, particularly drugs action on living animals, tissues or organs. The action of drugs may be beneficial or harmful. Pharmacology is the science in which we study the response of living animals to chemicals or drugs. Pharmacology is defined as the study of the effects of drugs on the structures and metabolism of naturaltissue.Pharmacology can be defined as the study of the manner in which the functions of living system is affected or influenced by chemicals.This subject deals with the properties and effects of drugs and in broad sense, it can be defined as the study of interactions between chemical substances and biological systems. While defining in broad sense, it includes the knowledge of the history, source, physical and chemical properties, compounding, bio-chemical and physiological effects, mechanism of action, absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and therapeutic and other effects of drugs.

Homosapiens being the intelligent most among the species evolved, based on the principles of “necessity” and “trial” could observe effectiveness of many plants in relief for his pains and sufferings. The primitive (early) history of the causative agents of diseases included wrong Gods, spirits witches and other evil influences.
The form of therapy was incantation, prayer and ceremony designed to appease the evil agents of the diseases. They were using sacrifice of animals, individuals and prayers.The tribal leaders were known as medicine men or the expert or witch doctors (Ojha), were very powerful men and leader in such all ceremonies. In addition, they had knowledge about certain plants and animal products to be used in the treatment of certain diseases. The first treatise on medicine was undoubtedly the Ayurveda in India and that is at least 500 years ahead of the Greek Medicine.The medical literature was related to metaphysics, hypnotism etc. and belief in supernatural agencies as the cause and cure of diseases. Thus, in India, this was originally a part of the fourth Veda called the Atharva Veda. The real father of Indian Medicine was Atrya with his distinguished disciples-Agnivesha, Bhala, Jatukarana, parasara, Harita and Ksharapani.Works of Bhala and Harita are still available in fragments and those of Agnivesha were edited by Charaka which stand unsurpassed as a standard and authoritative book on Ayurveda even to day, other works are yet untraced. The next outstanding personality in Indian medicine was Susrutha whose works stand second to Charaka (a surgeon). He mentioned many instruments and techniques.

Started with Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921). He was excellent teacher of Pharmacology and attracted many persons to study this subject. Like other experimental sciences, Pharmacology, too, is highly dependent upon development in other branches of science.Spectacular developments in physiology, biochemistry, organic chemistry and molecular biology have greatly contributed in advancement of pharmacology. Conversion of the old pharmacology into modern pharmacology is fairly recent and probably started taking shape following introduction of experimental procedures in animals by Francois Megendie (1783-1855) and Claude Bernard (1813-1978).Oswald Schmiedeberg (1838-1921) introduced the technique of per-fusing isolated organs and study the effects of drugs on them. Abel, Cushny, Gottlieb and a galaxy of his other students popularized the expertise in their respective, countries. Thus Oswald become popular as ‘Father of modern Pharmacology’.


Pharmacology is benefited by the prepared mind. You need to know what you are looking for.

Psychology

Psychology has become a very important and popular subject today. It deals with many problems of everyday life. Psychology helps us to understand the behaviour of people around us, to find out why they behave differently and what forces are responsible to make them so different from others.It tries to explain wide array of factors involved in what we human beings do. The principles explained by psychology give us a rational basis of understanding of what we and others do. Psychology has been defined in many ways. In ancient days people were analysing the behavioural aspects on the basis of philosophy. They believed that there is a soul in every individual and this is responsible for all our activities.
This view led to the opinion that the subject matter of psychology must be the study of soul. But this definition could not answer the questions regarding the existence of soul and its accessibility for study. This condition led to a new definition by Greek philosophers who defined psychology as a ‘science of mind’. But this definition was also rejected on the same grounds as soul was rejected.

Gradually, as a result of the development of scientific outlook people started thinking on scientific basis and began to define psychology as a science of behaviour. Finally, it is JB Watson (1913) defined psychology as a science of behaviour of human as well as animal beings.Today this is the most accepted definition. In this definition the term behaviour includes the cognitive activities like thinking, reasoning, intelligence, imagining, memory, etc., co-native activities like walking, dancing, fighting, attacking and other action tendencies and also the affective activities like feeling, joy, happiness, sympathy, anger, jealousy, etc. in a person. This definition also includes the behaviour not only of human beings and animals, but also all living organisms and their mental processes.

Psychologists do experiments and make observations which others can repeat; they obtain data often in the form of quantitative measurements which others can verify. Like any other positive science psychology is also systematic in its approach. Measurement in psychology is often more difficult of course, than it is in other sciences.However, psychologists have devised many ingenious tests to assign numbers to data. Psychology is following all the principles of science like principles of behaviour,objective experimentation, analysis of data and behaviour, formulation of hypothesis, verification and generalization, etc.As a result of such a scientific approach many theories have been developed to explain the behaviour. Psychology believes in cause and effect relationship in behaviour. It is considered as a behavioural science as it deals with behaviour of the organism.

However, because of its objectivity in analysis of behaviour through experiments, it may be considered as a developing positive science of behaviour.


Psychology has a long past, but only a short history

Genral issues on Environmental ecology

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution, global warming, greenhouse gas, and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air, water, soil, and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind. Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth. Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought, landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Development recognises that social, economic and environmental issues are interconnected, and that decisions must incorporate each of these aspects if there are to be good decisions in the longer term.For sustainable development, accurate environment forecasts and warnings with effective information on pollution which are essential for planning and for ensuring safe and environmentally sound socio-economic activities should be made known.


THE EARTH IS WHAT WE
        ALL HAVE IN COMMAN

General issues on Environmental ecology

The environment plays a significant role to support life on earth. But there are some issues that are causing damages to life and the ecosystem of the earth. It is related to the not only environment but with everyone that lives on the planet. Besides, its main source is pollution, global warming, greenhouse gas, and many others. The everyday activities of human are constantly degrading the quality of the environment which ultimately results in the loss of survival condition from the earth.There are hundreds of issue that causing damage to the environment. But in this, we are going to discuss the main causes of environmental issues because they are very dangerous to life and the ecosystem.

Pollution – It is one of the main causes of an environmental issue because it poisons the air, water, soil, and noise. As we know that in the past few decades the numbers of industries have rapidly increased. Moreover, these industries discharge their untreated waste into the water bodies, on soil, and in air. Most of these wastes contain harmful and poisonous materials that spread very easily because of the movement of water bodies and wind. Greenhouse Gases – These are the gases which are responsible for the increase in the temperature of the earth surface. This gases directly relates to air pollution because of the pollution produced by the vehicle and factories which contains a toxic chemical that harms the life and environment of earth. Climate Changes – Due to environmental issue the climate is changing rapidly and things like smog, acid rains are getting common. Also, the number of natural calamities is also increasing and almost every year there is flood, famine, drought, landslides, earthquakes, and many more calamities are increasing.

Development recognises that social, economic and environmental issues are interconnected, and that decisions must incorporate each of these aspects if there are to be good decisions in the longer term.For sustainable development, accurate environment forecasts and warnings with effective information on pollution which are essential for planning and for ensuring safe and environmentally sound socio-economic activities should be made known.


THE EARTH IS WHAT WE
ALL HAVE IN COMMAN

History of India & Indian National Movement.

Early times the Indian subcontinent appears to have provided an attractive habitat for human occupation. Toward the south it is effectively sheltered by wide expanses of ocean, which tended to isolate it culturally in ancient times, while to the north it is protected by the massive ranges of the Himalayas, which also sheltered it from the Arctic winds and the air currents of Central Asia. Only in the northwest and northeast is there easier access by land, and it was through those two sectors that most of the early contacts with the outside world took place.

Within the framework of hills and mountains represented by the Indo-Iranian borderlands on the west, the Indo-Myanmar borderlands in the east, and the Himalayas to the north, the subcontinent may in broadest terms be divided into two major divisions: in the north, the basins of the Indus and Ganges (Ganga) rivers (the Indo-Gangetic Plain) and, to the south, the block of Archean rocks that forms the Deccan plateau region. The expansive alluvial plain of the river basins provided the environment and focus for the rise of two great phases of city life: the civilization of the Indus valley, known as the Indus civilization, during the 3rd millennium BCE; and, during the 1st millennium BCE, that of the Ganges. To the south of this zone, and separating it from the peninsula proper, is a belt of hills and forests, running generally from west to east and to this day largely inhabited by tribal people. This belt has played mainly a negative role throughout Indian history in that it remained relatively thinly populated and did not form the focal point of any of the principal regional cultural developments of South Asia. However, it is traversed by various routes linking the more-attractive areas north and south of it. The Narmada (Narbada) River flows through this belt toward the west, mostly along the Vindhya Range, which has long been regarded as the symbolic boundary between northern and southern India.

India’s movement for Independence occurred in stages elicit by the inflexibility of the Britishers and in various instances, their violent responses to non-violent protests. It was understood that the British were controlling the resources of India and the lives of its people, and as far as this control was ended India could not be for Indians.

On 28 December 1885 Indian National Congress (INC) was founded on the premises of Gokuldas Tejpal Sanskrit School at Bombay. It was presided over by W.C Banerjee and attended by 72 delegates. A.O Hume played an instrumental role in the foundation of INC with an aim to provide Safety Valve to the British Government.
A.O Hume served as the first General Secretary of INC.
The real Aim of Congress is to train the Indian youth in political agitation and to organise or to create public opinion in the country. For this, they use the method of an annual session where they discuss the problem and passed the resolution.
The first or early phase of Indian Nationalism is also termed as Moderate Phase (1885-1905). Moderate leaders were W.C Banerjee, Gopal Krishna Gokhale, R.C Dutt, Ferozeshah Mehta, George Yule, etc.
Moderates have full faith in British Government and adopted the PPP path i.e. Protest, Prayer, and Petition.
Due to disillusionment from Moderates’ methods of work, extremism began to develop within the congress after 1892. The Extremist leaders were Lala Lajpat Rai, Bal Gangadhar Tilak, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Aurobindo Ghosh. Instead of the PPP path, they emphasise on self-reliance, constructive work, and swadeshi.
With the announcement of the Partition of Bengal (1905) by Lord Curzon for administrative convenience, Swadeshi and Boycott resolution was passed in 1905.


ONE INDIVIDUAL MAY DIE; BUT THAT IDEA WILL, AFTER HIS DEATH, INCARNATE ITSELF IN A THOUSAND LIVES.

-Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose