GREEN SKILLS-I NOTES

  GREEN SKILLS-I

 Society and Environment People live together in villages, cities, states and countries, thus forming a ‘Society’.

The interaction of society with the environment sometimes affects the ecological balance in the environment.

With the increase in population and economic activities, people’s interference with nature has started destroying the environment.

The industrial development and intensive agriculture that provides the goods for our increasingly consumer-oriented society

use up large amounts of natural resources, such as water, minerals, petroleum products, wood, etc.

Environment means anything that surrounds us. It can be living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic) things. It includes physical, chemical, and other natural forces. ... In the environment there are different interactions between animals, plants, soil, water, and other living and non-living things.

NATURAL RESOURCES

A resource can be defined as any natural or artificial substance, energy or organism, which is used by human being for its welfare which includes include water, land, soils, rocks, forests, animals, fossil fuels and minerals.

We use these resources to survive and also to function properly. Natural resources can be consumed directly or indirectly.

(i) Land Resources: Human beings thus, use land as a resource for production as well as residence and recreation. It is a finite resource which is subject to agricultural and non-agricultural uses, such as infrastructure development.

(ii) Forest Resources: A forest is a natural, self-sustaining community characterised by vertical structure created by presence of trees. Wood is used for making furniture, tool-handles, railway sleepers, matches, ploughs, bridges, boats, etc. and as a source of energy for cooking purpose and for keeping warm. Tannins, gums, drugs, spices, insecticides, waxes, honey, horns, musk, ivory, hides, etc. are all provided by the flora and fauna of forests.

(iii) Water Resources: Water covers about threequarters of Earth’s surface and is a necessary element for life. Water resources include rivers, lakes, oceans, and underground aquifers, etc. Water is a vital resource in agriculture, industrial, household and recreational and environmental activities.

Mineral Resources: A mineral deposit is a concentration of naturally occurring solid, liquid, or gaseous material, in or on the Earth’s crust in such form and amount that its extraction and its conversion into useful materials or items are profitable now or may be so in the future. Mineral resources are non-renewable and include metals (e.g., iron, copper, and aluminum), and non-metals (e.g., salt, gypsum, clay, sand, phosphates).

(v) Food Resources: Resources that are used as food, or provide food for organisms are called food resources. Plants serve as food resources for herbivores and omnivores. Animals and birds are the source of food for many organisms who are carnivores and omnivores. Agriculture is the main source of plant food resource for human beings.

Energy Resources: An energy resource is something that can produce heat, power life, move objects, or produce electricity. There are 5 fundamental sources of energy: (i) Nuclear fusion in the Sun (solar energy), (ii) Gravity generated by the Earth and Moon, (iii) Nuclear fission reactions, (iv) Energy in the interior of the Earth, and (v) Energy stored in chemical bonds. Most of the energy we use today comes from fossil fuels (stored solar energy). But fossils fuels have a disadvantage in that they are non-renewable on a human time scale, and causes other potentially harmful effects on the environment.

NATURAL RESOURCES

(a) Inexhaustible Resources: The resources which cannot be exhausted by human consumption are called inexhaustible resources. These include energy sources like solar radiation, wind power, water power and tidal power, etc.

(b) Exhaustible Resources: There are some resources, which are available in limited quantities and are going to be exhausted as a result of continuous use. For example, the stock of coal in the earth is limited and one day there will be no more coal available for our use, if we keep on using it excessively.

(c) Renewable Resources: Renewable resources arethose that are constantly available (like water) or can be reasonably replaced or recovered, like vegetative lands. Even though some renewable resources can be replaced, they may take many years to form and that does not make them renewable.

(d) Non-renewableResources: Non-renewableresourcesare those that cannot easily be replaced once they are destroyed For example, fossil fuels. Minerals are also non-renewable because even though they form naturally in a process called the rock cycle, it can take thousands of years, making it non-renewable. Non-renewable resources can be called inorganic resources if they come from non-living things. For example, minerals, wind, land, soil and rocks.

Non-renewable and Renewable Resources

Coal-Coal is one of the cheapest sources of fuel. It is used in power houses, factories and houses for cooking and heating.

Water-Only about 2.5 % of water on earth is fresh water. Energy from rivers is used to make electricity. Energy produced by tides in sea and oceans can also be converted into electricity.

Petroleum-It includes petrol, diesel and mineral oils. It is used to run motor vehicles, furnaces and power-houses.

Sun-Sun’s energy can be used to generate electricity. These are used in calculators, street lamps, and even in room heaters and water heaters.

LPG-Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is made from petroleum gas. LPG is used for cooking and also for running vehicles.

Wind-The energy from the force of the wind is wind energy. This energy can be used for work as grinding grain, pumping water, etc. This energy can also be converted to electricity.

Natural Gas-It is formed by decomposition of dead animals and plants that are buried under lakes and oceans. It is found above the oil in the oil wells. Compressed natural gas (CNG) is used for running vehicles.

Biomass-Energy can be produced by wastes from plants and animals. It can be used for any heating purpose, such as cooking. It can also be used to produce electricity and heat.

Nuclear Plants

Nuclear energy is made available to us with the help of nuclear power plants. Nuclear energy is becoming a common source of electricity throughout the world. It has the danger of causing great harm in case of an accident.

Soil

Nutrients in the soil help plants grow. Soil is used to provide shelter. Soil quality gets damaged due to the addition of harmful chemicals, land pollution, construction activities, and cutting down of trees.

Minerals

The earth contains minerals like gold, bauxite, mica, iron-ore and many others. They are reducing as larger and deeper mines are being dug to obtain these minerals. Mining these minerals causes damage to the earth.

Forests

Forests are necessary to preserve ecology. They play an important role in providing clean air and attracting rain clouds. They also provide the wood, fruits, and plant products which have medicinal value.

Pollutants that can decompose

Pollutants that break down into simpler, harmless substances naturally (by the action of moisture and bacteria) are called

biodegradable pollutants.Examples: vegetable waste, sewage waste, paper, wood, cattle dung, agricultural waste from organic farms, etc.

Pollutants which cannot be broken down into simpler and harmless substances are called non-biodegradable pollutants. The harmful effect caused by these pollutants will be there for hundreds of years. Examples: plastics, insecticides, pesticides, chemicals like mercury or lead, aluminum, glass, etc.

Pollutants that cannot decompose

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reduce: Do not use what you do not need. If we reduce at source, there is a lesser chance of waste generation and the pressure on our already stretched natural resources is reduced.

Reuse: Reuse the materials for other purposes

Recycling: Recycling is reusing some components of the waste that may have some economic value. Recycling has readily visible benefits, such as conservation of resources reduction in energy used during manufacture and reducing pollution levels.

Conserving Natural Resources

Conservation is the proper management of a natural resource to prevent its exploitation, destruction or degradation. Conservation is the sum total of activities, which can derive benefits from natural resources but at the same time prevent excessive use, which may lead to destruction or degradation.

Soil conservation

Soil conservation means checking soil erosion and improving soil fertility by adopting various methods.

Soil conservation can be useful for the following:

1. Maintenance of soil fertility: The fertility can be maintained by adding manure and fertilizers regularly as well as by rotation of crop.

2. Control on grazing: Grazing should be allowed only on specified areas.

3. Reforestation: Planting of trees and vegetation reduces soil erosion.

4. Terracing: Dividing a slope into several flat fields to control rapid run of water. It is practiced mostly in hilly areas.

5. Contour plowing: Ploughing at right angles to the slope allows the furrows to trap water and check soil erosion by rainwater.

Water conservation

Conservation and management of water are essential for the survival of mankind, plants, and animals. This can be achieved by adopting the following methods:

1. Growing vegetation in the catchment areas, which will hold water in the soil and allow it to percolate into deeper layers and contribute to the formation of groundwater.

2. Constructing dams and reservoirs to regulate the supply of water to the fields, as well as to enable generation of hydroelectricity.

3. Sewage should be treated and only the clear water should be released into the rivers.

4. Industrial wastes (effluents) should be treated to prevent chemical and thermal pollution of freshwater.

5. Judicious use of water in our day-to-day life.

6. Rainwater harvesting should be done by storing rainwater and recharging groundwater.

7. Watershed, which is a single unit of land with its water drainage system includes soil and water management for developing vegetative cover in the area.

Energy conservation

Switch off lights, fans, TV, and other electrical items, when not in use

• Use tube lights and energy-efficient bulbs that save energy rather than bulbs.

• Keep the bulbs and tubes clean.

• Remove dust on the tubes and bulbs to improve lighting levels by 10 to 20%.

• Use a pressure cooker to save energy required for cooking.

• Keep vessels covered with a lid during cooking. It is useful in cooking food faster and saving energy.

• Electric items like air conditioners geysers, heaters, and dryers use a lot of electrical power. Use them when necessary

• Do not keep the door of a refrigerator open for a long time.

• Cool hot food before putting it in the refrigerator.

• Use methods of cooking that use less energy, like using a pressure cooker or solar cooker to cook food.

• Travelling in a bus or traveling in a group in a carpool is better than going alone in

Food conservation

Food conservation and storage have been practiced to feed mankind in times of shortage. Food is stored in warehouses on large scale and in refrigerators at home. Food is also preserved through various methods to prevent the spoilage due to harmful bacteria and other microorganisms.

Forest conservation

Forest conservation means the retention of existing forest or the creation of new forest at the levels prescribed by the State or local authority. Participation of the community living in and around the forest is important for the success of the forest conservation programme.

Sustainable Development and Green Economy

Sustainable development is defined as ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

For example, sustainable agriculture consists of environment-friendly methods of farming that allow the production of agricultural crops or livestock without damage to human or natural systems. It also involves preventing the use of chemicals so as to avoid adverse effects on soil, water, and biodiversity.

Sustainable development includes the following:

• reducing excessive use of resources and enhancing resource conservation.

• recycling and reuse of waste materials.

• scientific management of renewable resources, especially bio-resources.

• planting more trees.

• green grassy patches to be interspersed between concrete buildings.

• using more environment-friendly material or biodegradable material.

• use of technologies, which are environmentally friendly and based on efficient use of resources.

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), otherwise known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

Green Economy

The term ‘Green Economy’ was first coined in a 1989 report for the Government of the United Kingdom by a group of leading environmental economists, entitled Blueprint for a Green Economy. UNEP has defined the green economy as “one that results in improved human well‐being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.

A ‘Green Economy’ is a system that helps in economic growth while at the same time, taking care of the environment

Components of a Green Economy

• Renewable energy from renewable resources like wind, water, sun, earth, biomass, etc., are available in large quantities and cause less pollution. India ranks amongst the top 10 countries for the production of renewable energy through solar, wind, and biomass.
• Green buildings are buildings that cause minimum damage to the environment during their construction and operation. They use energy, water, and other resources wisely, with minimum waste.
• Sustainable means what is good for the economy as well as the future of the environment. A sustainable transport system will cost less, help more people to move quickly, and cause less or no damage to the environment.
• We need to avoid water pollution and not wastewater. We should not waste water, rather we should recycle it for various purposes.
• All wastes result in loss of resources and increases land, water and air pollution. You can prevent this by separating waste before throwing. Using the 3Rs—Reduce, Reuse and Recycle will help in managing waste material.
• The land is used for farming, forests, factories, homes, roads, etc. In a green economy, the land is used in a way that it meets the requirement of people without causing damage to the environment.

 Green skills

Green skills are those skills required to adapt processes, services and products to climate change and the environmental rules and necessities related to it. They embrace the information, abilities, values, and attitudes required to live in, develop and support a sustainable and resource-efficient society.

Some of the areas in which green skills contribute to sustainable development are as follows:

• using renewable energy (example, using solar power and wind energy)

• water and waste management

• rainwater harvesting

• conserving energy

• reducing pollution

What are green jobs?

A ‘green job’ is employed in an industry that contributes to preserving or restoring environmental quality in that sector and allowing for sustainable development. It includes jobs that help protect ecosystems and biodiversity and reduce energy, materials, and water consumption through high-efficiency strategies.