Tag: Environment

Is Climate Change happening now?

 The effects of climate change are very evident with the temperature rise experienced globally. Change in temperature, frequent forest fires, melting of ice, extreme and unusual rainfall, should be a wake up call for us to consider the phenomenon of climate change seriously. 

In 2020, the number of fire alerts for wildfires went up by 13% globally as per the World Wide Fund for nature (WWF). The planet became 5 degrees warmer in 5,000 years, but the predicted rate of warming in the next century is 20 times faster. The matter of concern is that a 3 degrees celsius rise in temperature can affect upto 43% of the glaciers of the Himalayan mountains. As a consequence of losing the glaciers, the region can suffer from water scarcity. 


Climate Change in India

In a recent report in the Indian Express, the director general of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), Mr. Mrityunjay Mohapatra had explained the causes and projections of extreme weather conditions in India. Heavy rainfall was seen in states like Gujarat, West Bengal, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Whereas a low rainfall was seen in Kerala, Jharkhand and some other areas. But the total amount of rain received remained constant. This indicates that in some places, either it rained to an extreme extent or there was no rain at all. 

The reason for this extreme weather condition was cited to be the rise in temperature. The Global rise in temperature has gone up by 1.2 degrees Celsius as compared to the past hundred years. In India, it has increased by 0.6 degrees Celsius. It has mostly affected the Northern, Central and Eastern parts of the country. 

This rise in temperature not only affects the surface but also the troposphere. The moisture holding capacity of the atmosphere increases, as a result of which extreme rainfall is experienced. The recent trends show that light and moderate rainfall has decreased and heavy rainfall has increased. 

This extreme weather leads to an increase in floods, rainstorm, thunderstorm and lightning. A rise in the intensity of cyclones from the Arabian Sea has also been reported. The current projection by IMD is frequent and intense weather events. According to the weather bureau chief, the probability of experiencing heavy rainfall has increased. 

The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had also expressed his concern over the issue of climate change recently. On 25th July 2021, he called for the leadership of G20 to address the issue of climate change.  Climate Change and extreme weather conditions are a raging concern for the world right now and also predicted to be in the future.


HOW DDMP: 2041 ADDRESS THE ISSUE OF POLLUTION

Master Plan is a dynamic long term planning document which kays down guidelines for regulating and guiding the future growth and development of cities. Master Plan provides actions and strategies for meeting the social and economic needs of the current and future population. It includes analysis, recommendations, economy, housing, transportation etc. depending on the social, economic and environmental conditions of the are The purpose of a Master Plan is to promote growth and guide and regulate present and future development of towns and cities with a perspective of 20-25 years. It is an instrument to work out land and infrastructure requirements for various urban and rural uses, and allocate land for various uses to result in harmonious and sustainable distribution of activities. The plan guides the physical development of the community with the help of its long-term planning visions. This provides long ranged, comprehensive strategies which consists of all functions and make the community function.

DRAFT DELHI MASTER PLAN (DDMP)

The Master Plan of Delhi is the key instrument that facilitate and regulate Delhi’s development by assessing and analyzing the present condition and will guide how sustainable and balanced development can be achieved. The apex body of the master plan is the Delhi Development Authority and the implementation of this plan is the collective responsibility of all agencies involved in the development of Delhi.

The Draft Delhi Master Plan (DDMP)- 2041. focuses to take measures for reducing the tackling the air, water and noise pollution level in the city with the help of measures, such as ‘refuge points and self-sustained isolated residential areas to deal with the challenges of pandemic. Greener environment, Yamuna cleaning, economy focusing on areas such as IT, service sector and hospitality, enhanced mobility promoting cleaner fuels, addressing housing needs of the poor, and rejuvenation of the heritage fabric of the city are among the key features of the draft Master Plan of Delhi 2041.

DDMP aim to address issues of pollution

  1. Strategies to address Vehicle Pollution: The key strategies for achieving this include:  adoption of mix-use transit-oriented development (TOD), migration to greener fuels for public transport. The main aim of mix-use and transit-oriented development (TOD) is the reduction in average trip length and bringing jobs and homes closer to transit networks. With the help of using clean fuels the plan tries to encourage clean travel and green mobility by “improving pedestrian, cycling and EV infrastructure”.
  2. Strategies for Improvement of Water Quality: The improvement of water quality in the Yamuna and various natural drains, lakes and baolis by assigning different agencies with specific tasks, such as checking the outfall of untreated wastewater from surrounding developments.
  3. Strategies for large housing requirements: The plan tries to meet the future housing requirements through large scale greenfield development using “the land pooling method”.
  4. Strategies for low density housing requirements: The DMP tries to address the development of low density and low floor area ratio (FAR) residential areas within Green Development Area. It will also focus on regeneration of existing areas through “improvement of existing stock and creation of new units”.
  5. The second volume contains “Spatial Development Strategy and Action Plan” which highlighted major strategies and provisions covering both green field and brown field development in the city.

INSECTS -THE LITTLE SUPERHEROES

10,000,000,000,000,000,000

10 quintillions, this gigantic figure represents the total population of insects flying, swimming, slithering, creeping, or crawling across the Earth’s surface, each one serving a critical role. It translates to almost 1.2 billion insects per person.  There are more than 1.5 million known insect species, more than three times the total of other animals on the planet.

Even if their look repels us, a world without them would be uninhabitable. Insects are the unsung heroes of the ecosystem, and they need to be acknowledged.

But as per the findings, more than 40% of bug species are dwindling, with a third facing extinction. Insects have an extinction rate eight times higher than mammals, birds, and reptiles. Insects’ overall mass is decreasing at a rate of 2.5 percent every year, hinting that they may go extinct within a century.

What if all of the World’s insects simply vanished? 

The results would be dire & catastrophic.

It would be a summer without singing cicadas and shimmering fireflies are over, and grocery stores with empty shelves. There will be no humming bees to pollinate apple, cherry, peach, or almond trees. Without pollination from mother nature’s bustling pollinators, harvests, flowers, and plants would be unable to generate seeds. The fields would be devastated.

Insects are crucial due to their diversity, ecological relevance, and impact on agriculture, health impacts, and natural assets. Insects provide the biological foundation for all terrestrial ecosystems. They recycle nutrients, pollinate plants, disseminate seeds, maintain soil structure and fertility, regulate other species’ populations, and serve as the primary food source for others.

They play a vital role in the food chain, providing a direct food source for a variety of species, including humans. Insects enjoy an infinite variety of meals. Plants, fungus, animal carcasses, dead bodies, decomposing organic detritus, and practically everything else they stumble upon in their environment are all devoured by these insects.

Nobody likes those obnoxious, crippling cockroaches, but without them, the entire ecosystem would collapse. With approximately 4400 identified species, they are widely distributed all over the world. But, These despised cockroaches are protein-rich meals for birds, rodents, and even people, in certain parts of the globe.

There are over 3,000 mosquito species, all of which feed birds, bats, frogs, and other creatures. Without mosquitoes, the Creatures that feed on them would famish.

Caterpillars and grasshoppers nibble plant leaves, aphids and planthoppers suck off the plant fluids, honeybees collect pollen and imbibe nectar, while beetles and flies eat the fruits. The larvae of wood-boring bugs devour the wood.

There are over 350,000 beetle species, and many of them, notably dung beetles, are thought to be dwindling. Without the dung beetle, one of the Planet’s top recyclers, the planet would face the worst feces problem. Nitrogen-rich poop could stack up, suffocating vegetation and hindering fresh growth. Earth would be a nasty mess without those little heroes.

Farms, forests, and wilderness would all crumble, leaving a trail of dead. That’s where flesh-eating beetles and other corpse-eating insects come into play. They feast on dead flesh until only bones are left. Insects have a critical role as primary and secondary decomposers. Without insects to efficiently decompose and eliminate waste, dead plants and animals would pile up, making things very messy.

Insects overlooked for their relevance in the food web serve as the primary food source for many amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Land-dwelling birds like purple martins, barn swallows, vireos, warblers, ickers, whippoorwills, and swifts rely predominantly on insects to survive. Insects like beetle grubs, termites, and honeybees, are often consumed as a source of nourishment.

The silkworm, Bombyx mori, is the only source of commercial silk. The scale insects Datylopius coccus (Dactylopiidae) endemic to Mexico and Kermes vermilio (Kermidae) endemic to Europe provide red cochineal dye for fabrics and cosmetics. Bees produce honey.

Laccifer lacca (Lacciferidae), native to India, secrete shellac (a resin) used to make phonograph records and varnish. Salt cleaned by brine shrimp tastes better than salt that still contains the organism that the brine shrimp devour.

Parasites and predators, the bulk of which are insects, play a key role in maintaining the natural equilibrium. Many parasitic and predatory insects feed on plants or other insects or animals, or even humans. These insects are vital to keeping the pest population (insects or plants) in check.

Despite their many pleasant aspects, some insects can pose problems. Like the Arthropods, which spread various diseases like- malaria, yellow fever, dengue, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, ehrlichiosis, tularemia, Q fever, Colorado tick fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, plague, typhus, etc.

But it’s crucial to keep in mind that the good done by a vast variety of critical insects significantly surpasses any harm done by a few species.

2020-21: Fires, Heat and Rains

2020 started with forest fires in Canada, Brazil and bush fires across Australian coast, causing the death of at least two billion animals.

Tourism Australia Bites Back On 'Viral Bushfire Misinformation'
The Australian Bush fires

Come 2021, Greek, Turkish and Italian people experienced one of the hottest summers in history in 2021. In the Hellenic Republic of Greece, the temperatures reached 45 degree Celsius on 4th August. While this might be a pretty regularly recorded temperature in the tropic, the Balkans and the Anatolian peninsula recording such temperatures is worrisome. The temperatures led to a spontaneous spread of forest fires in and across Europe, Canada and Turkey – and people across the globe shared the plight of Turkey on social media since Turkey is not habitual with these fires and hence lacks the number of helicopters and jets to control these fires.

Sicily wildfires, August 2021
Turkey battles wildfires for 6th day, EU to send planes
Turkish Wildfires have been unprecedented for the country

China recorded floods it had never seen in the last 50 years of its history in 2021. A very worst form of excessive rainfalls was recorded in central and western Europe in July 2021 with countries like Germany completely overwhelmed by floods. This is in addition to the already burning Amazons and even Asian countries recording instances of Forest fires in a time not traditionally identified with the same. Russia and Finland and US are also heading towards a quite imminent diplomatic crisis given that the Arctic has already lost more than 50% of its ice opening up the once frozen Tundra and permafrost to petroleum and uranium explorations with the obvious geopolitical control over the area being a chief topic of contention.

Arctic cold war: climate change has ignited a new polar power struggle
Climate change has ignited a new proxy struggle for the domination of the ocean.
Climate change: Polar bears could be lost by 2100 - BBC News
These might be one of the last generation of the polar bears.

China and India claim to have planted at least a billion trees in the last 5 years with China keen on developing technologies that are associated with building forest towns – a human enclosure built within an artificial forest as the future of dwelling. France announced a closing of all its coal plants 2 years ahead of schedule. But is that all? Global statistics show a massive increase in demand for coal in 2020 and ’21.

Liuzhou Forest City | Stefano Boeri Architetti
The Liuzhou city might be the first forest city on the planet.

The images of environment recovering due to COVID might be fairly short lived.

Is work from home approach the best for the environment?

This pandemic has forced us to switch onto the online mode of work, since going to office is a near impossible task during these difficult times. Most of the corporate offices have adapted to the WFH trend. But the major question arises is the environment benefited from this choice.

For the roughly 20% to 40% of employees who can work from home, many companies are announcing that post-pandemic work won’t necessarily take place at work – at least not five days a week. Microsoft, Spotify, Salesforce, Google, Facebook, Nationwide insurance, Capital One and Citigroup, among others, have embraced hybrid configurations combining remote work and time in the office. There soon could be four times as many people working from home as did pre-Covid.

Shopify’s CEO declared in May of last year that remote work would become a permanent fixture. Accounting for the energy consumption of its nearly 6,000 employees working from home in 2020, Shopify’s emissions dropped 29%, according to Kauk. But “last year isn’t typical remote work,” she said. “It’s remote work during Covid.” What happens when the world opens back up?

Kauk posed the dilemma to Watershed, a software outfit that helps companies track and reduce their carbon footprints.

When workers’ homes become their offices, commutes may fall out of the carbon equation, but what’s happening inside those homes must be added in. How much energy is being used to run the air conditioner or heater? Is that energy coming from clean sources? In some parts of the country during lockdown, average home electricity consumption rose more than 20% on weekdays, according to the International Energy Agency. IEA’s analysis suggests workers who use public transport or drive less than four miles each way could actually increase their total emissions by working from home.

The Noises of Modern World

 While everyone is concerned about environmental issues like air pollution and deforestation, there is another issue that has arised in our modern civilization- Noise Pollution. The sound of machines during construction and most importantly the honking in traffic are all contributors of noise pollution. These loud noises have become a part of our daily life. 

Noise pollution is an undesirable sound which generates discomfort to the ears and interferes with our peace of mind. The urban population is the most affected because vehicles contribute the most to noise pollution. WHO describes it as the most hazardous pollution after air and water, and has also listed some of its impacts on health. Not only humans, it also affects the wildlife of land as well as the water bodies. 


Impact on health

Noise pollution has many negative implications on our health. Exposure to noise pollution can cause psychiatric disorders,  anxiety, hypertension, stress, hormonal dysfunction, nausea, changes in mood and makes the person argumentative. Its effect on health also depends on the duration of exposure. 

Extremely disturbing sounds created by the machines disrupt the peace of mind of the person. It can also affect the ear and in adverse conditions may also lead to hearing impairment. In a few cases, exposure to noise can also lead to cardiovascular diseases. 

Sleep disturbance is a major problem associated with noise pollution. Chronic disturbance in sleep such as difficulty in sleeping, frequent awakening, waking up too early etc.can impact the overall well being of a person. 

Not only health, but also our social behaviour gets impacted by it. It can lead to negative social behaviour because noise builds stress and annoyance. It impacts and changes our everyday behavior and causes aggressiveness and unfriendly behaviour. 

Ways to reduce noise pollution

First step is to stop honking unnecessarily on the road. Most of the noise pollution is caused by honking in the traffic. Avoid playing Radio or Television at an extremely high volume as it can cause noise pollution inside the house as well as in the nearby areas. Try to use appliances with a low noise and turn it off when not in use. 

Planting trees can help to reduce noise because they act as a natural barrier to sound. Some trees have the quality of absorbing sound from the surrounding. A study by the US Department of Energy Study report states that trees can cut the noise levels by 50%. Not only noise, the trees can help to curb other forms of pollution also. 

In the wake of modernization, we have replaced the positive sound of birds and trees swaying in the breeze with a loud morning alarm and honking in the traffic. Some minor steps can help us to reduce the noise around us and restore peace of mind.


BIO GEO CHEMICAL CYCLE

 

 BIO GEO CHEMICAL CYCLE

We live in the environment where there are both biotic and abiotic components. Abiotic components are the air, water, light and temperature. Biotic is the living components which include human beings. This kind of ecological complex is called as the ecosystem. It deals with the relationships between the organisms and ecology. Thus, the interaction is both dependent on the ecology.


WATER CYCLE

Water is the important source of all living beings. Oceans are the biggest storehouses of water as they evaporate for the formation of clouds. The evaporation process is also due by rivers, lakes and ponds. Condensation is a process in which the watervapour converts to rain. Now the rain water flows and fills all the water resources. 

A huge amount of water is recycled directly without the involvement of biotic components. The sun’s heat and wind movement help to evaporate water from the exposed surface of the oceans. So, the rivers and lakes act as a reservoir here, which finally collects water to the oceans.


NITROGEN CYCLE

Living organism requires both proteins and nucleic acids for their survival. The atmosphere consists of 78 percent of ammonia and plants and animals can only use in the form of ammonia, nitrates or amino acids. This conversion is called the nitrogen cycle. 

The steps involve Nitrogen fixation, assimilation, Ammonification, Nitrification and Denitrification.

Nitrogen fixation is done by Nitrogen fixing bacteria and algae that converts ammonia into nitrates. Nitrogen Assimilation is done by Nitrates that are absorbed by plants are utilized for making organic matter such as proteins and nucleic acids. The process of urea, uric acid, which is released by amines and ammonia is released by the action of bacteria or fungi and it is called ammonification. Ammonia is then converted to nitrites, it is called as Nitrification and then denitrification occurs by reducing nitrate ions into gaseous nitrogen which returns to the atmosphere.


CARBON CYCLE

All living organisms are made up of carbon. The atmospheric carbon dioxide enters into the living world followed by photosynthesis and the carbon is passed. Carbon dioxide is returned back to the atmosphere through the decomposition of dead organic materials and volcanic activities.


OXYGEN CYCLE

Oxygen is important for respiration which contributes 20% of the air in the atmosphere. Enters into the living world through respiration and produces energy. 


Now-a-days we get climatic changes quickly due to the change in one of these cycles. Burning fossil fuels, using limestone for making concrete and more things. If any one of the cycle is disrupted it would be really difficult for the humans. It is purely our responsibility to save the nature!



Why is wildfire smoke potentially worse than other pollutants in the air?

Wildfires in the Western United States have spread smoke across the landscape, posing a rising hazard to public health. The 2020 fire season was so terrible, because of climate change, that it nearly quadrupled the previous record for acres burned in California, and at-home monitoring of the smoke’s impact on air quality became practically ubiquitous. This year’s season is off to a disastrous start, with smoke from West Coast wildfires already darkening skies on the East Coast.

Smoke isn’t your typical form of pollution. According to studies published in the journal Nature earlier this year, the small particles present in smoke can be up to ten times more hazardous to human health than soot from other sources such as tailpipes and factories.

Fine particles, also known as PM2.5, are 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair follicle and were studied by researchers. When a fuel, whether it’s gas or plant, burns, tiny particles are released into the air and occasionally into our bodies. According to the study, fine particles from wildfire smoke resulted in 10% more respiratory hospitalizations than they would have been without the smoke. While pollution from other sources is also hazardous, it only increased hospitalizations by around 1%.

Rosana Aguilera, the study’s primary author and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of California, San Diego, spoke in an interview. She explained what she and other academics are doing to learn more about the effects of wildfire smoke on human health.

The interview was slightly altered for clarity.

What are “fine particles,” and why are they a concern?

Fine particles were investigated by the research group I work in since they are one of the primary components of wildfire smoke. These particles are distinct from others. Their chemical makeup varies depending on the items being burned. There are a variety of chemicals that may be found in wildfire smoke and fine particles, including carbon and heavy metals.

We’re concentrating on these small particles found in wildfire smoke right now because wildfire smoke is becoming increasingly prevalent as a source of emissions in various parts of the United States and the world. It’s one form of air pollution in California that appears to be on the rise in the foreseeable future. Some articles support the notion that wildfire smoke will be one of the primary sources of fine particulate matter in areas such as the Western United States.

What kind of impact may such tiny particles have on people’s health?

Because it’s tiny enough to infiltrate our respiratory system and reach deep into the lungs, it’s one of the air pollutants to be concerned about. It might enter the circulation and spread to other organs from there. It can make breathing difficult. It can irritate the skin and aggravate illnesses such as asthma and other respiratory and cardiopulmonary problems.

We mostly deal with acute impacts, which are the reactions that occur after being exposed to wildfire smoke for a few days. My study group isn’t focusing on long-term impacts right now, but I believe it’s an issue that needs to be explored more. Long-term exposure is more difficult to study since it requires following individuals who have been exposed to several wildfires.

So, how does wildfire smoke compare to other sources of pollution like vehicles, trucks, and industry?

When comparing wildfire smoke to non-smoke fine particles, we discovered that wildfire smoke is more hazardous in terms of increased hospitalizations.

The mix of traffic emissions and wildfire smoke may be extremely different. We haven’t looked at the chemical makeup of these tiny particles concerning their origins. However, several toxicological studies have delved into this further and shown that wildfire smoke toxicity may be enhanced. If it passes through a structure, it may pick up pollutants from homes and other structures.

What do you want to achieve with your research?

We’d like to investigate these differential effects of fine particles concerning emission sources, as well as try to learn more about the chemical makeup of various wildfires.

If wildfire smoke has a higher impact, and if it will be one of the primary sources of this sort of pollution in the future — or if it currently is — we need to learn more about why it is more damaging. Then, what kind of long-term impact can we expect?

Environment conservation day

Environment conservation day , it reminds us two thing firstly that we need to put efforts into environment conservation at global level and secondly, how bad have things been in the past few decades in context to environment because definitely we can not ignore all the forest fires, land slide, floods, heat waves, tsunami, earthquakes and all the disasters that have occurred worldwide, the damage it caused and these are only the problems we can see, the ones which we can not are even more deadly, the human breed is effected by it indirectly for instance – ocean acidification, ozone layer depletion and so many other problems.


The statistics can be more scary, the biggest reason behind all this is when the human breed decided to be selfish about itself as a result, we opted for insane killing and initiated the destruction process, and now when things are slowly going out of the hand. We are thinking why all this is happening to earth?


Nature conservation, in schools we are always taught how are we dependent on earth, and the term mother earth is not a joke also the organisms and creatures that live on earth they are a part of family it is not like humans are the only one who have the right to live.
Every year a theme is decide on nature conservation day, this year it is forest and livelihoods: sustaining people and planet. The wrath of nature can be more worst in coming future, so its better that we understand that environment conservation is the need of the hour. As the theme says sustainability is the goal with conservation so that the resources can be preserved for the future generation as well. Basically we should work on improving the current situation by taking effective steps and keeping in mind the need of future generation we can save their future as well.


Environment conservation can begin from home by implementing few changes in our life and stop wasting the resources unnecessarily. Even a small size plastic bag is harmful if left unrecycled for e.g. milk packets, the sanitary pads that we use every month is a form of plastic so it is better to use recyclable or reusable pads. Similarly, there are many such small changes that can be implemented and can bring the much-needed change in the world. Spreading awareness among the people who are unaware about all this is also an effort that can be made towards environment conservation.
In COVID crisis the tons of bio medical waste were generated which again is a cause of concern. Biomedical waste can be hazardous for both human and animals.
If all the people can come together to answer and find solution or environment friendly alternatives of the ongoing problems then the aim of sustainability and environment conservation can be met. We have the vision, capacity, and ability to plan the betterment of earth. It is not possible to keep extracting and using whatever nature has given us, it will all end soon if not used carefully, it is our duty to give back to the planet as responsible residents of planet earth

Climate change

Climate change is influencing each country on each mainland. It is upsetting public economies and influencing lives. Climate designs are changing, ocean levels are rising, and climate occasions are turning out to be more limit.

Albeit ozone depleting substance outflows are projected to drop around 6% in 2020 because of movement forbids and monetary log jams coming about because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this improvement is just brief. Climate change isn’t on stop. When the global economy starts to recuperate from the pandemic, emanations are required to get back to more elevated levels. Saving lives and livelihoods requires pressing activity to address both the pandemic and the climate crisis.

The Paris Agreement, embraced in 2015, expects to reinforce the global reaction to the danger of climate change by keeping a global temperature rise this century well under 2 degrees Celsius above pre-modern levels. The understanding likewise intends to reinforce the capacity of nations to manage the effects of climate change, through proper monetary streams, another innovation system and an upgraded limit building structure.

Climate change incorporates both global warming driven by human-prompted outflows of ozone harming substances and the subsequent enormous scope shifts in climate designs. However there have been past times of climatic change, since the mid-twentieth century people remarkably affect Earth’s climate framework and caused change on a global scale. Prior to the 1980s, when it was muddled whether warming by ozone harming substances would overwhelm airborne instigated cooling, researchers frequently utilized the term coincidental climate adjustment to allude to humanity’s effect on the climate. During the 1980s, the terms global warming and climate change were advocated, the previous alluding just to expanded surface warming, the last portraying the full impact of ozone depleting substances on the climate.[21] Global warming turned into the most famous term after NASA climate researcher James Hansen utilized it in his 1988 declaration in the U.S. Senate. During the 2000s, the term climate change expanded in prominence. Global warming ordinarily alludes to human-instigated warming of the Earth framework, though climate change can allude to normal just as anthropogenic change,The two terms are regularly utilized conversely.

Solid Waste Disposal

The piled up garbage dumps and the landfills as huge as a mountain that we see in our daily life is a clear indicator for us to consider eco-friendly waste disposal methods. Waste disposal and management is a highly ignored subject, as a result of which cities like Delhi produce 9,000 metric tonnes of garbage everyday. 

Efficient waste disposal methods and recycling can lead us to a bright “Zero-Waste-Future”. The eco-friendly methods of waste disposal require proper facilities for disposal of waste along with awareness among the masses.  


E-Waste Management

E- waste refers to obsolete electronic waste and managing these wastes is an emerging task as the number of electronic items are increasing day-by-day. The major problem is that people are not aware of disposal methods for E-waste and separate collection of E-waste is not easily accessible. This leads to dumping of it in the landfill with the normal garbage. It can adversely affect our environment and public health. 

 E-waste like batteries and cartridges have toxic chemicals in them like Lead, Mercury, Hexavalent Chromium etc. The groundwater near the landfill can get polluted with harmful chemicals like Lead. If it is burnt, then it can lead to toxic fumes in the air. 

Eco-friendly waste disposal methods

Firstly, reducing the amount of waste from our households is a crucial step. This can be ensured by some small changes on a daily basis. For instance, using a cloth bag while buying things instead of collecting many small polythene bags. Because these polythene bags bring in more plastic waste inside the house and it again becomes difficult to get rid of it in an eco-friendly manner. 

 

If the provision of two separate garbage collections is available, then the household should use two dustbins. One for the recyclable items and the other for the non-recyclable items. Making a product out of recycled goods takes much less energy than making a product with new items from scratch. If there is a separate hazardous waste disposal site in the vicinity, then the hazardous items like paint cans, tyres, and bulbs should be disposed of there and not mixed with the other wastes. 

Composting is a very easy and beneficial way of waste disposal. Waste from the kitchen like vegetable peels can be used as manure for the plants. Vegetable wastes have nitrogen rich minerals which makes the soil fertile and plants help to lower the greenhouse gases. It can be used for one’s own garden or can be donated as manure for a nearby park. It is one of the best ways for disposal of waste. Similarly, the green wastes such as trimmed grass from the garden can be used to feed the animals. 

The huge landfills are a result of the excess of waste generated. Hence it is important to act responsibly and promote efficient waste disposal methods. Some small steps taken in our everyday life can make an impact on the overall environment.

Economic Benefits of Biodiversity

All of us live in a world where we depend on each other for our needs. Almost all of our needs are met through biodiversity, directly or indirectly. Biodiversity refers to the variability among living organisms from all sources including terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the ecological complexes of which they are part, this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems. Biodiversity in short is our whole environment including flora, fauna, microbes, gases and everything that constitutes our planet earth. It is the foundation of life.


Biodiversity is of great importance when it comes to its economic benefits. Here are some of the economic benefits of biodiversity.


(1) Biodiversity provides us with potential raw materials – Biodiversity provides a great diversity of materials for the construction and fuel including wood, biofuels and plant oils that are directly derived from wild and cultivated plant species.


(2) Food and fresh water – The most important services for the survival of human beings like food and water are provided by the biodiversity. Biodiversity regulates the flow and purification of water.
(3) Organic waste disposal – Biodiversity acts as an organic disposal ground for waste materials, as many things are naturally decomposed in the environment with the help of microbes present in the soil.


(4) Climate and air quality control – Trees provide shade while forests influence rainfall and water availability both locally and regionally. They also play an important role in regulating air quality by removing pollutants from the atmosphere.


(5) Nitrogen fixation – Nitrogen fixation is essential for plant growth and an insufficient quantity of it frequently limits biomass production in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. To increase production of crops, a process called biological nitrogen fixation is implemented through chemical uses, however natural biological nitrogen fixation proves to be healthier and more yielding than the commercial one.


(6) Moderates natural disasters – Extreme weather events or natural hazards include floods, storms, tsunamis, avalanches and landslides. Ecosystems and living organisms create buffer against natural disasters, thereby preventing possible damage. E.g. wetlands can soak up floodwater while trees can stabilize slopes.


(7) Species Habitat – Habitats provide everything that an individual plant or animal needs to survive. Each ecosystem provides different habitats that can be essential for species’ lifecycle.


(8) Medicinal Resources – Ecosystems and their biodiversity provide many medicinal plants used in traditional medicine and as well as provide raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry.


(9) Pollination – Insects and wind pollinate plants and trees, which is essential for propagation and development of fruits, vegetables and seeds.


(10) Biotechnology- Biodiversity has led to an important field of study in science known as biotechnology. Biotechnology refers to the technologies produced from animals, plants and microbes. Biotechnology is of utmost importance because it provides us with various beneficial products and inventions that lead to an advance in our economy and in human life.

(11) Tourism – Ecosystems and biodiversity play an important role for many kinds of tourism, which in turn provides considerable economic benefits and is a vital source of income for many countries.


These are only a few important economic benefits of biodiversity. Biodiversity as a whole has a lot more benefits and is our main sustainer of life. Therefore, we must strive to conserve our biodiversity.

WHAT THE WORLD'S LONGEST LIVING PEOPLE EAT AND DRINK?

 

THE IKIGAI DIET – A REVIEW

According to the World Health organization’s report, Japan is the country which has the highest life expectancy of the people.  Okinawa, an area in Japan has the highest life expectancy of overall an average. Okinawa is said to be the most affected area in the World War II.  People were affected by hunger due to lack of resources during 1940s. They recovered themselves from the huge destruction and now they have the longest living citizens.

What they actually do? What makes them special in terms of their life expectancy?

Okinawa is a place in Japan where there is no train and people living there either use cycle or prefer to walk while travelling. This is followed by the Japanese people as it is the province, which is managed by the government.

MIRACLE DIET


People in Japan eat a wide variety of vegetables. They consume at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables. Minimum 7 types of fruits and vegetables on their daily basis. 30% of their calories comes from the vegetables. Their tables consist of colorful varieties of vegetables.
However, their primary food is White rice, which they consume on their daily basis. They also add noodles sometimes to their diet. 
Their foundation for a diet is grains. They rarely eat sugar if they consume sugar it is only cane sugar. Sugarcane has the several benefits on dietary effects as they have antioxidant property. Eating a bit of sugar after meal avoids tooth decay.

STUDIES OF MAKATOO SUZUKI

  • Sugars are less on their diet. i.e. One third of their diet.
  • Salt 7grsms per day.
  • Few calories food intake.
  • Fish 3 times per week.
  • Lot of legumes and beans.


SANPIN-CHA

Sanpin cha  – a mix of green tea and jasmine flowers. In addition to the antioxidant property of green tea, Jasmine has varied benefits such as they strength immune system and relieve stress. Studies says that Jasmine tea reduces blood cholesterol levels. They drink on an average of three cups of jasmine tea.

GREEN TEA & WHITE TEA 

Green tea plays an important role in longevity. It protects from UV damage, promotes good bone health and prevents against bacterial infection.

White tea has a high concentration of polyphenols which prevents aging. It has the greatest antioxidant power with is equal to dozen of fruit juices. 

Drinking either green tea or white tea everyday reduces free radicals in the body which keep the body young.

SHIKUWASA

Shikuwasa, a citrus fruit which is widely found in Ogimi, a village in Okinawa. Shikuwasa juice is taken after diluting it with water. Their taste lies between lime and orange. As all citrus fruits have high levels of nobility which is a flavnoid, consuming nobiletin protects cancer, type 2 diabetes and obesity.

They also contain Beta carotene, vitamin C & B1 and minerals. They are used in many dishes and widely used in parties as they also serve as a cake.

SO EAT LESS, LIVE LONGER!

Calorie restriction is a very effective way to keep your body younger. Eating more calorie rich food makes one to be lethargic and body is unable to digest the food frequently. Though we don’t have any accurate study on calorie restriction based on longevity, but the data increasingly give information on adequate calorie restrictions will be a protective effect against obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart diseases. Mountain 5:2 is his best way, i.e., fasting one or two days every week and eating normally for the remaining five days.

The Internet boom and its effects on our environment

On the fifteenth of August 1995, the internet was made available to the public in our country. Today we have billions of active users. The Internet has now become a mere necessity rather than the comfort of luxury. Back then in 1995, internet speeds were just in a couple of kilobytes, but today we are blazing past the net at speeds almost at gigabytes. The cost of the internet has also drastically changed for a speed of 9Kb/s for 250 hours it was charged at almost 2500 rupees!! Now we can suffice all our internet needs at amazing speeds for almost months at the same price. The irony is since then prices of land, water, fuels, precious stones have skyrocketed; but that of communication and the internet have decreased exponentially.

In the year 2015 India had over 300 million users, thanks to the severe competition between network providers and the ever-competitive network battle. Now India has over 9 billion users, not only the network rage has caused this; the pandemic also is a major reason for this. Everyone was forced into their house with no other option but to adapt to this new technology. According to Nasscom since the pandemic hit our nation the network traffic has increased by almost ten manifolds. Companies had to install several servers and network infrastructure to support this erratic change in the consumer market. Although the prices have reduced, connectivity is now at home, comfort at the tips of your hands. We are unaware of the harms of what this could cause.  

We are seriously obsessed with the speed provided by network companies, we frequently complain and crib about the services offered. Forcing companies to either increase their spectrum range or increase their frequency at existing cell towers or construct new towers. This causes serious damage to small birds and insects, sparrows, pigeons all small birds are adversely affected by these rays. We must ensure that these birds must not be affected due to our comforts. We must give them their place on our planet. I agree we need the internet to survive in our daily lives, but we also need to think of the harm we are doing to our environment.

In our foreseeable future do we have more forests or deserts?

Forests make up nearly 33% of the land area on our planet. 1.6 billion People rely on the benefits that forests offer, that include food, fresh water, medicinal herbs and shelter. Most o the world’s threatened and endangered animals live in forests.

Forests also counter the negative effects of climate change. They serve as carbon stores, taking in the carbon dioxide that would be left in the atmosphere.

Every year 58 thousand square miles are lost — the equivalent to one football field every two seconds. The study, from the nonprofit research organization Center for Global Development, predicts that as much as 2,890,000 square kilometers — or over a million square miles — of tropical forest could be lost to deforestation due to land being cleared for industrial agriculture. Jonah Busch, a coauthor on the report, said they found a pattern to the destruction.

“That amount of loss will have a big impact on the climate because trees store a lot of carbon,” Busch said, “and when they’re burned, and cleared for soy or beef pastures, or palm oil, all that the carbon that’s stored in the trees goes up to the atmosphere.” Busch and his colleagues estimated that 169 billion tons of carbon-di-oxide could be released, which is the annual quantity of pollution emitted from about fifty thousand coal-burning power plants. Busch also said that half of the projected deforestation could happen in Latin America, with the other half split between Asia and Africa.

The forest cover of the world will increase by at least 10 percent of its original value today in the next 5–10 years. A few countries will increase their forest cover drastically like northern parts of Africa and Mongolia. As far as the United States is concerned the forest cover has increased, at this point of time they have more trees now than what they had hundred years ago. The Indian and Chinese government will continue to implement their schemes unless they have reached their country’s goal. Hope other countries start to implement schemes and programs to improve their forest cover.