Syllabus of General Studies STD XI

Unit I Science and Society

Unit II Contemporary Problems of Indian Society

Unit III Cultural Heritage of India

Unit IV India’s Freedom Struggle

Unit V Constitutional Values

Unit VI Human Rights

Unit I Science and Society

I Application of Science in everyday life

The continued efforts and the struggle for expanding the horizons of systematic knowledge created a need for describing and understanding the nature and the events associated with it. This need led to the birth of what is known today as science. And today science has become an important subject. Besides, events like cooking, boiling of water, burning of candle, curdling of milk, electricity, motorized vehicles, cell phones etc. generally make us realize the presence of science in everyday life.

Computers: Computers is widely used by common people for recording their day-to-day transactions. It is also used in controlling and processing the activities of factories and plants.

Medical Science: Scientists have invented so many wonder drugs. The effects of these drugs are so miraculous. By means of these drugs, fatal diseases could be controlled. Many deadly diseases can be cured by the application of medicine in proper time.

Human heart-transplantation is a significant achievement in the field of surgery. In fact, transplantation of human organs is quite possible now to save the lives of men.

Radio: We listen to news and songs through our radio sets.

Television: Television has become a medium of the audio-visual method of learning. It remains one of the most significant contributions of science to the society.

Travelling: We use buses, trams, motor cars, trains and airplanes to travel from one place to another. Science has narrowed the vast distance of the world.

Newspaper: We read newspaper to get the news of the world. We stay in touch with the world.

Comfort during summer days: Electronic fans and air-conditioners gives us comfort during summer days.

Mobile Phones: We cannot think of living without our mobile phones. Apart from talking to a distant friend, we can browse internet on our smart phones.

Camera: When we go out on holidays, we can take photographs through a camera.

Distant images: Television photographs about the movement of astronauts on the moon were seen on earth. By the device of electromagnetic waves, photographs of Venus and Mars, millions of miles away, were transmitted by spacecrafts to the earth.

Power and Electricity: Adequate Power (Electricity) is a necessity for every one of us. Most of our everyday works are dependent upon electricity. The thermal, hydro and gas power plants are important mediums that allow uninterrupted supply of electricity to common people.

Nuclear energy: Nuclear energy is being harnessed by modern science to peaceful purposes to achieve many more wonders in life. Thus, atom is energy is producing electrical power and the radioactive isotopes and tracers are doing marvels in the fields of agriculture and industry.

Question and Answer

1.       Describe at least five Importance of Science in Our Daily Life

2.       Describe the five uses of Computer

3.       Name the five diseases and their cause

4.       How is science comfort us during summer and winter months

5.       Describe the five means of transport

6.       Describe the five uses of Internet

II Improving life through knowledge of Science

The constant and untiring pursuit for a better quality of life is one of the core driving factors of all human endeavors. With the kind of technological development that the world has seen in the last one century or so has made life easier, longer and better. However, there is an extreme flip-side to the whole case of life becoming easier because of technological advancements. Human bodies inherently have a very high capacity to expend a lot of energy for many hours by doing sustained physical activity. It is no news that physical activity has gone to extremely low levels in urban lifestyle, and as a result of which the so called “lifestyle disorders” have become so common a condition.

Diabetes, heart disease, metabolic syndrome, chronic renal failure, osteoporosis, stroke, depression, obesity, arthritis, atherosclerosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and list can go on. It’s no longer amusing that these diseases are also called the diseases of civilization. A combination of sedentary lifestyle and a disastrous dietary culture has brought about this modern day calamity.

Fill in the blanks

Cardiology, Hematology, Infectious disease, Oncology, Nephrology, Endocrinology, Depression, supply of blood, X-ray or radiography, Air conditioning

1.       ________dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels

2.       _______concerned with blood, the blood-forming organs and its disorders.

3.       __________concerned with disease caused by a biological agent

4.       ________dealing with identifying and  treatment of cancer

5.       ___________dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney

6.       __________dealing with disorders of hormones

7.       __________ is a mood disorder characterized by persistently low mood and a feeling of sadness and loss of interest.

8.       A heart attack (myocardial infarction or MI) is a serious medical emergency in which the ______ to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually by a blood clot.

9.       __________uses a very small dose of ionizing radiation to produce pictures of the body's internal structures.

10.   __________is the process of removing heat and moisture from the interior of an occupied space, to improve the comfort of occupants.

II Emerging technologies

Presently, we are living in 21st century where science and technology are given a first preference. In today’s world every person want to become a successful person for that man took the help of the new inventions which is being invented by man himself which is known as the new science and technology of 21st century. These new inventions i.e. the new discoveries in science and advanced technology changed the lives of the man. First man invented computer which took man into new heights, after that new software are invented through that man improved the industrial sector, education sector, health sector etc. Man improved the way of living by the use of this technology, within few seconds he can keep in touch with the whole world through the use of internet. On internet within few seconds we get to know everything, what is happening in the world, which improved the lives of the human beings mean while at the same time new discoveries in science changed the lives of the people. People became aware of the ill effects of the diseases and started taking the precautions against the diseases. Now-a-days every person has knowledge about the happenings of the world because of the science and technology.

I Green Technology:

Green technology is an encompassing term. It deals with using science and technology in order to protect the environment. A lot of techniques fall under this term such as the use of green chemistry, environmental monitoring, and more. All of these things have to deal with making sure that the environment remains protected. This technology is used to breathe life back into a damaged ecosystem. It is also referred to as environmental technology or clean technology.

The main goal is to conserve nature, and to remedy the negative impact that humans have on it. Since the 1990’s a lot of focus is being put on green technology. It offers a lot of benefits to not only nature itself but also for a clean and greener human lifestyle. Human beings need Earth to stay alive. This technology ensures that the Earth remains healthy for all life to continue existing.

Coming to the benefits of Green Technology, here’s a list of them!

Recycling

Green technology helps manage and recycle waste material. It allows it to be used for beneficial purposes. This technology is used for waste management, waste incineration, and more. A lot of recyclable material has allowed individuals to create plant fertilizer, sculptures, fuel, and even furniture.

Purifying of Water

Green technology purifies water. The scarcity of pure drinking water is a major concern. Through the use of various technologies a lot of campaigns have been successful in providing people with clean drinking water.

Purifying the Air

Dealing with carbon emission is another focus. While the human race is improving in terms of various technologies. The automobiles, factories, etc. are emitting a lot of carbon that is detrimental to the planet. Green technology helps to reduce carbon emission and purify the air. This allows people and other living things to breathe properly.

Conserving Energy

Energy is being conserved through the use of such technology. Alternatives to devices that use a lot of electricity or fuel are being introduced to the public. The use of electric cars is on the rise, especially in the UK. People using environment friendly devices and appliances is encouraged. While installation of such devices, namely solar panels, might be expensive for some people the benefits it offers with regards to reducing bill expenses are tremendous.

Rejuvenating Ecosystems

Green or Clean technology is also being used to breathe life into ecosystems that have sustained a lot of damage due to human involvement. Through the use of this technology tress are replanted, waste is managed and recycled. This ensures that the affected ecosystem is able to start again, and this time remains conserved. This helps to ensure that a lot of plant and animal species don’t go extinct.

The Earth needs protection and green technology can help in providing exactly that to the planet we all depend upon in order to live.

Question and Answer

Define the following

1.       Recycling

2.       Purifying of Water

3.       Purifying the Air

4.       Conserving Energy

5.       Rejuvenating Ecosystems

II Mechatronics :

Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary field that combines elements of engineering, machining, information technology, robotics, and electronics. It synergizes these diverse fields for the purpose of designing and field testing new and more efficient machine solutions to keep production lines and manufacturing floors working more smoothly. It began as a way to integrate pieces of machinery such as hydraulics, pneumatics, and other mechanical systems with computerized control systems.

The field of Mechatronics is changing the world one automated solution at a time. The benefits to consumers include more affordable and well-made products and faster production times. The most advanced technology depends on mechatronic applications to fabricate and machine consumer products that you use every day. Mechatronic solutions have been integrated into products in ways to enhance safety, such as anti-lock brake systems and medical imaging equipment. The impact on human health, wellness, and security that these innovations have brought cannot be understated.

Advantage of Mechatronics

There are many important objectives which enhance the importance of Mechatronics in the day to day life. they are flexibility, adaptation to rapidly growing environment, robotics and automation society and its growth drift.

·         Flexibility: It opens a wide field of businesses that one can enter. if anybody knows hands-on mechanical working, wiring, and programming, then it will give an enormous exposure to get secure and adapt rapidly growing technology.

·         Robotics and Automation Specialty: Mechatronics is devoted to the investigation and learning of Robotics and Automation which is unquestionably going to enter development in the forthcoming 2 decades.

·         Growth Potential: Mechatronics is as yet a generally little gathering contrasted with different fields in spite of how essential we are in assembling and robotization.

As we already know the objective of Mechatronics is to improve the efficiency of physical systems, reduce the cost of production, to achieve high accuracy and precision, for easy control of the system and lastly increase the customer satisfaction.

Scope of Mechatronics in Industrial sector

The scope of Mechatronics in manufacturing and industrial sector contains

1.       Best and flexible design of products

2.       Better process planning

3.       Reliability and quality oriented manufacturing.

4.       Intelligent process control.

5.       Economical product

6.       Time Management.

7.       Customer satisfaction.

Question and Answers.

1.       Name the Branches of Engineering involved in Mechatronics.

2.       Give the scope Mechatronics in Industrial sector

III Nanotechnology

There's an unprecedented multidisciplinary convergence of scientists dedicated to the study of a world so small, we can't see it -- even with a light microscope. That world is the field of nanotechnology, the realm of atoms and nanostructures. Nanotechnology i­s so new, no one is really sure what will come of it. Even so, predictions range from the ability to reproduce things like diamonds and food to the world being devoured by self-replicating nanorobots.

In order to understand the unusual world of nanotechnology, we need to get an idea of the units of measure involved. A centimeter is one-hundredth of a meter, a millimeter is one-thousandth of a meter, and a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter, but all of these are still huge compared to the nanoscale. A nanometer (nm) is one-billionth of a meter, smaller than the wavelength of visible light and a hundred-thousandth the width of a human hair [source: Berkeley Lab].

As small as a nanometer is, it's still large compared to the atomic scale. An atom has a diameter of about 0.1 nm. An atom's nucleus is much smaller -- about 0.00001 nm. Atoms are the building blocks for all matter in our universe. You and everything around you are made of atoms. Nature has perfected the science of manufacturing matter molecularly. For instance, our bodies are assembled in a specific manner from millions of living cells. Cells are nature's nanomachines. At the atomic scale, elements are at their most basic level. On the nanoscale, we can potentially put these atoms together to make almost anything.

Advantages of Nanotechnology

To enumerate the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology, let us first run through the good things this technology brings:

1. Nanotechnology can actually revolutionize a lot of electronic products, procedures, and applications. The areas that benefit from the continued development of nanotechnology when it comes to electronic products include nano transistors, nano diodes, OLED, plasma displays, quantum computers, and many more.
2. Nanotechnology can also benefit the energy sector. The development of more effective energy-producing, energy-absorbing, and energy storage products in smaller and more efficient devices is possible with this technology. Such items like batteries, fuel cells, and solar cells can be built smaller but can be made to be more effective with this technology.
3. Another industry that can benefit from nanotechnology is the manufacturing sector that will need materials like nanotubes, aerogels, nano particles, and other similar items to produce their products with. These materials are often stronger, more durable, and lighter than those that are not produced with the help of nanotechnology.
4. In the medical world, nanotechnology is also seen as a boon since these can help with creating what is called smart drugs. These help cure people faster and without the side effects that other traditional drugs have. You will also find that the research of nanotechnology in medicine is now focusing on areas like tissue regeneration, bone repair, immunity and even cures for such ailments like cancer, diabetes, and other life threatening diseases.

Disadvantages of Nanotechnology

When tackling the advantages and disadvantages of nanotechnology, you will also need to point out what can be seen as the negative side of this technology:

1. Included in the list of disadvantages of this science and its development is the possible loss of jobs in the traditional farming and manufacturing industry.
2. You will also find that the development of nanotechnology can also bring about the crash of certain markets due to the lowering of the value of oil and diamonds due to the possibility of developing alternative sources of energy that are more efficient and won’t require the use of fossil fuels. This can also mean that since people can now develop products at the molecular level, diamonds will also lose its value since it can now be mass produced.
3. Atomic weapons can now be more accessible and made to be more powerful and more destructive. These can also become more accessible with nanotechnology.
4. Since these particles are very small, problems can actually arise from the inhalation of these minute particles, much like the problems a person gets from inhaling minute asbestos particles.
5. Presently, nanotechnology is very expensive and developing it can cost you a lot of money. It is also pretty difficult to manufacture, which is probably why products made with nanotechnology are more expensive.

 VI Biotechnology

At its simplest, biotechnology is technology based on biology - biotechnology harnesses cellular and bimolecular  processes to develop technologies and products that help improve our lives and the health of our planet. We have used the biological processes of microorganisms for more than 6,000 years to make useful food products, such as bread and cheese, and to preserve dairy products.

Modern biotechnology provides breakthrough products and technologies to combat debilitating and rare diseases, reduce our environmental footprint, feed the hungry, use less and cleaner energy, and have safer, cleaner and more efficient industrial manufacturing processes.

Currently, there are more than 250 biotechnology health care products and vaccines available to patients, many for previously untreatable diseases. More than 13.3 million farmers around the world use agricultural biotechnology to increase yields, prevent damage from insects and pests and reduce farming's impact on the environment. And more than 50 biorefineries are being built across North America to test and refine technologies to produce biofuels and chemicals from renewable biomass, which can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Recent advances in biotechnology are helping us prepare for and meet society’s most pressing challenges. Here's how:

HEAL THE WORLD

Biotech is helping to heal the world by harnessing nature's own toolbox and using our own genetic makeup to heal and guide lines of research by:

1. Reducing rates of infectious disease;
2. Saving millions of children's lives;
3. Changing the odds of serious, life-threatening conditions affecting millions around the world;
4. Tailoring treatments to individuals to minimize health risks and side effects;
5. Creating more precise tools for disease detection; and
6. Combating serious illnesses and everyday threats confronting the developing world.

FUEL THE WORLD

Biotech uses biological processes such as fermentation and harnesses biocatalysts such as enzymes, yeast, and other microbes to become microscopic manufacturing plants. Biotech is helping to fuel the world by:

1. Streamlining the steps in chemical manufacturing processes by 80% or more;
2. Lowering the temperature for cleaning clothes and potentially saving $4.1 billion annually;
3. Improving manufacturing process efficiency to save 50% or more on operating costs;
4. Reducing use of and reliance on petrochemicals;
5. Using biofuels to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 52% or more;
6. Decreasing water usage and waste generation; and
7. Tapping into the full potential of traditional biomass waste products.

 FEED THE WORLD

Biotech improves crop insect resistance, enhances crop herbicide tolerance and facilitates the use of more environmentally sustainable farming practices. Biotech is helping to feed the world by:

1. Generating higher crop yields with fewer inputs;
2. Lowering volumes of agricultural chemicals required by crops-limiting the run-off of these products into the environment;
3. Using biotech crops that need fewer applications of pesticides and that allow farmers to reduce tilling farmland;
4. Developing crops with enhanced nutrition profiles that solve vitamin and nutrient deficiencies;
5. Producing foods free of allergens and toxins such as mycotoxin; and
6. Improving food and crop oil content to help improve cardiovascular health.

III Science and Technology in the social context

III Science and Technology in the social context

I Science: discussion on use & abuse

Uses and abuses of Science

First journey of science: The first scientist of the world was a prehistoric man. He used his brains to invent the simplest device to make his life less painful. Science started its humble journey from that day.

Science grew richer and richer and it has reached its golden age today. It has revolutionized man’s life so thoroughly that we like to cal this age the age of science. It is science that tells a modern man how to live.

Science is a mixed blessing. Though the basket of gifts of sciences is full to the brain, science has not been an unmixed blessing to man. If used property, science is helpful for us. If abused, science may become a threat to humanity.

Uses of science: We use countless gifts of science every day.

Science has modernized our homes. Pressure cooker, gas ovens, washing machine, refrigerator have changed the look of our kitchen.

Trains, buses, planes, motor cars, bicycles have made our journey quicker and more comfortable.

The radio, Television (TV) adds to our knowledge and pleasure.

Telephones, mobile-phones are important communication devices.

Electric light, fan, air-conditioners, cooler,etc. make our life comfortable.

Science has given us life saving drugs and medical facilities.

Science has taught us how to use the gifts of nature.

Abuses of science: Man uses science for the bane of his fellow beings too.

The industrial and vehicular pollution is a major harmful effects of the abusive usage of science.

Man has used science to make deadly weapons.

Two Great World wars killed a great number of people and destroyed big cities.

Nuclear bombs can put the entire cities out of existence. The nuclear bomb, explosives, the hydrogen bomb, poisonous gas, missiles, chemical warfare, etc. are extremely destructive application of science.

Man has become over-dependent on scientific equipment and devices.

Children and adults wastes immense time and energy watching television and surfing the internet.

Conclusion: On one hand, science has given us the physical comfort. But, on the other hand, it has caused many problems for mankind. People have begun to fight against the misuse of science.

II Uses and misuses of technology (in healthcare, agriculture, warfare, changing lifestyle etc.)

The emergence and gradual dominance of technology in our lives has left us all spellbound. Be it classroom, workplace or simply our homes, modern technology has gripped every aspect of our lives. One big advancement, the internet, is a potent source that has enabled the world to become a true global village. From learning to employment to routine house chores, all is made easier due to technological revolution.

Now information is a click away, kitchen appliances have made cooking interventions magical, and education has evolved to an incredible high – this is all due to technology and digitalization of the world. But sadly, there is a dark side to it. Technology is not itself bad though, its excessive use has made humans highly dependent upon it, causing us not only health hazards but also a lousy lifestyle.

The Use of Technology

Technology has wired our entire world into an unavoidable network. Call it social networking, or simply virtual hang-outs, it is the technological aura that keeps us going. We cannot imagine our homes without electronic appliances, such as TV, refrigerator, vacuum cleaner or cell phones, let alone vehicles for transport. Texting and social media updates keep us connected, and also help us stay organized and efficient.

Then in come major breakthroughs that have totally revolutionized our hospitals, workplaces, industries and businesses. The constant introduction of modern methods of medical interventions and better machines for quick and easier production of goods are some major blessing of technology.

The Misuse of Technology

Technology should not be used to do what can be done without using it. Walking a short distance instead of driving is an example. Our over-use and immense reliability over technology has enslaved us, and now, we cannot even imagine life without it. Due to digitalization of everything, our handwriting has become poor and slangs rule our language. Evil things like pornography and computer viruses take our youth to a forbidding path.

Creativity and smartness are compromised because home-works and other tasks are highly aided by technology. But bad effects seem dwarfed in front of the looming fear of nuclear technology that is prevailing these days.

The truth is, technology has turned our fiction into reality. It has made the impossible quite possible and will keep opening new vistas of wonder in future. But the dark side cannot be taken lightly, and needs to be curbed in order to enjoy this limitless blessing seamlessly.

III Assistive technology for the differently abled

Technology has changed the way learning is created and consumed in the 21st century. It has also brought in tremendous possibilities to create ‘inclusive’ learning that takes into consideration the special needs of differently abled learners as well – in educational institutes as well as corporate organizations. Computer-based programs have been developed to help these learners access learning material as well as contribute actively to gain an immersive experience. With the help of Assistive Computer Technology (AT) anybody – irrespective of any disability – can effectively interact with a computer. Assistive Technology has created visual as well as audio learning aids based on mobility, which help learners to not just access pertinent learning material but create avenues for two-way interaction and participation as well.

There are various challenges that learners with disabilities face. Some learners have physical disabilities or long-term illnesses that predominantly pose the challenge of accessibility where they are unable to travel to classrooms or other locations for trainings. For others with sensory disabilities like vision or hearing impairment, it is a challenge to utilize regular classroom tools or learning material. Many learners also have cognitive impairments, and have to learn in a different manner. While these challenges are real, with Assistive Technology it is possible to provide avenues of immersive learning for learners who deal with these challenges every day.

Here are a few examples of Assistive Technology and how it can help differently abled learners –

1. Text-to-speech software: With the help of this assistive technology, visually impaired learners can automatically ‘hear’ the text that appears on the computer screen. Once the software is installed on the learner’s computer, it can automatically ‘read’ anything onscreen – irrespective of the format. So be it learning material in Word or PDF, discussions on a forum or even emails or IMs – with text-to-speech converters, learners can access it all.
2. Speech recognition software: For learners with physical challenges who cannot type, or for learners with visual impairments, typing on the computer keyboard can be a tedious job – and these learners may often require help from fellow learners. But with speech recognition software, learners can independently type out their notes or assignments. With increasing technological finesse, this software recognizes enunciations and modulations of the voice to include punctuation in text as well. This produces high quality text that is a fair reflection of the learners’ understanding and puts the differently abled learners at par with other learners in the peer group.
3. Visual aids: Visual aids are of different kinds and can be utilized by learners with varied visual impairments. They include tools that convert on-screen text into Braille, magnify certain portions of the screen text, or even convert certain portions of the text into audio.
4. Audio aids: This category of assistive technology includes different tools for the hearing impaired learners. Sound amplification tools heighten the audio element of the learning content. Other alerting tools use flashing lights or icons to signal users instead of the usual sounds – to catch the focus of the hearing impaired learners. Transcripts of learning videos are made available with close-captioning to make sure that all learners can utilize them well.
5. Physical aids: For learners with difficulties of motor co-ordination, stability or other physical challenges, there are various assistive aids that can help them learn independently. These include audio books and adaptive keyboards that prevent mistypes from hand tremors.

World renowned physicist Stephen Hawking is probably the best example of how Assertive Technology has helped a talented mind overcome physical impairments to contribute productively to the world around him. So we can now look forward to a more inclusive way of learning, instead of the cloistered existence that most differently abled learners had to face in the past. Newer technology allows differently abled learners to learn with their peers as well as contribute fruitfully to the collaborative process of learning. This is indeed the new era of learning – truly learning for all.

UNIT II: UNDERSTANDING SOCIAL STRUCTURE

I Meaning and importance of society and social structure/s.

The notion of social structure as relationship between different entities or groups or as enduring and relatively stable patterns of relationship[3] emphasizes the idea that society is grouped into structurally related groups or sets of roles, with different functions, meanings or purposes. One example of social structure is the idea of "social stratification", which refers to the idea that most societies are separated into different strata (levels), guided (if only partially) by the underlying structures in the social system. This approach has been important in the academic literature with the rise of various forms of structuralism. It is important in the modern study of organizations, because an organization's structure may determine its flexibility, capacity to change, and many other factors. Therefore, structure is an important issue for management.

Social structure may be seen to influence important social systems including the economic system, legal system, political system, cultural system, and others. Family, religion, law, economy, and class are all social structures. The "social system" is the parent system of those various systems that are embedded in it.

India has diverse geography. At broadest level, the country can be divided into several regions viz. Himalaya, northern plains, plateau of central India and Deccan, Western & Eastern Ghats, Thar Desert etc. Each of them has different climate, temperature, vegetation, fauna, people and so on.

Despite of this diversity, India has been defined as a distinct geographical unit since ages. A sloka in Vishnu Purana defines Bharata as the land which is south of snowy mountains and north of ocean.  The country was time and again unified by different imperialist forces taking into consideration its geographical distinctness. There was a time two kings were known as Uttarapathapathi {Harsha} and Dakshinapathpathi {Pulkeshi}, thus giving a notion of only two parts of this vast country. The medieval sultans and mughals tried to consolidate their empire from north to south, geographically. British also did the same.

Religious Elements of Unity in Diversity

India has multitude of religions including majority Hinduism and minority Islam, Sikhism, Christianity, Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, Judaism, Bahá’í Faith and so on. The religious diversity has been one of the main divisive force in the country leading to problem of communalism, yet this diversity has many a times kept the country united in difficult times. Religious unity is particularly visible when a war or a disaster happens. Time and again, India has stood united in crisis, and that is what religious unity in diversity of India is.

This apart, we see everyday examples of religious harmony such as use of Ganapati Pandal as a makeshift mosque for Muslims; and Hindus participating in Eid festivities {reference}; Sikhs building mosques for Muslims; Muslims kids robed as Krishna for Janmasthmi festivals and so on. There are some religious centres in the country {Ajmer Sharif, Bodhgaya, Golden Temple in Amritsar etc.} which have acquired a character that goes beyond one religion.

Cultural Elements of Unity in Diversity

The Cultural unity in diversity of India is generally denoted with the phrase “Ganga-Jamuni Tahjeeb” or India’s composite culture. Despite of diversity, there are numerous cultural elements and factors that have shaped India’s composite culture. Some of them are as follows:

Indian Music

The best example of India’s composite culture is our music, particularly the Hindustani Classical Music. It has ancient origins, yet emergence of a highly developed and enriched music of northern India could not have been possible without Muslim contributions and its patronage. Emergence of Khayal from Dhrupad, Tabla from Pakhawaj / Mridangam are some of the key examples. Indian Veena and Persian Tambura merged to emerge as Sitar.  Similarly, Ghazals and Qawwalis have played a unifying factor between the people of Indian sub-continent.

Daily Life

Each religion has influenced other in its customs, manners, rituals, etiquettes, dress, consumes, cooking, fairs, festivals, games, sports and so on. For example, Nisbat, Mehendi, Haldi, Tel, Mandwa, Jalwa, Barat, Kangan etc. are the Muslim adaptation of Hindu ceremonies. Similarly, when lower Hindu caste people converted to Islam during Sultanate and Mughal era, they kept their livelihood / vocational practices attached to the caste, thus we have Muslim castes as well including Julahas, Ansaris and so on.

Religion – Bhakti & Sufi Movement

Bhakti Movement dissolved the separate religious identities to a great extent and provides a great contribution to India’s composite culture. It gave a rude shock to Brahamical influence over Hinduism as well as religious bigotry in Islam. It brought to fore the universal brotherhood, equality and oneness of God while rejected castes, rituals, idol worship etc.

Essence of both Bhakti and Sufi movements was that they are not purists. Purism brings bigotry. Both of them brought Hindus and Muslim closer and thus contributing in compote culture of the country. The early Sufi saints laid great emphasis on love and had a pantheistic approach that was inherently in conflict with orthodoxy. Some practices of Sufi saints such as penance, fasting and holding the breath are sometimes traced to the Buddhist and Hindu yogic influences. Also, other evidence suggests that Hindu and Buddhist rituals have been absorbed and assimilated by the Sufis. The similarities between Hinduism, Buddhism and Sufism provided a basis for mutual toleration and understanding. The Chishti and Suharwardi orders both helped create a climate of opinion where people belonging to different sects and religions could live in harmony.

For its part, the Bhakti movement preached against the caste system using the local languages so that the message reached the masses. The values preached by the Bhakti saints coincided with the Islamic ideas of equality and brotherhood preached by Sufi saints. Together, these saints called for unity between Hindus and Muslims. The goal of saints like Kabir and Nanak was to unite all castes and creeds. They denounced untouchability and emphasized the fundamental unity of man.

Literature

Different regions of India contributed to the promotion of literature and higher learning to the composite culture of India. For example, Vedas were developed in North-West {Sapta-Sindhu region}, Yajurveda and Brahmana in Kuru-Panchal region; Rajatarangini in Kashmir; Upanishads in Magadha; Gita Govinda in Bengal, Charyapadas in Odisha, West Bengal and Assam; Mahakavyas and dramas of Kalidasa in Ujjaini; Bhavbhut’s works in Vidarbha; Dasakumarcharita of Dandin in Deccan; Sangam Literature in South and so on.  Similarly, Taxila, Nalanda, Varanasi, Vallabhi, Vanvasi, Amaravati, Nagarjunkonda, Kanchi, Madurai and Odantapuri are shining examples of seats of higher learning in India.

Political Elements of Unity in Diversity

Though it is believed that India’s continuity as a civilization was social and cultural rather than political; yet idea of bringing entire country under one central authority has been dream of great kings, sultans, emperors and rulers. This idea was put into practice by Chandragupta; Asoka; Harsha; Akbar and British rulers. Despite this, India was never a well organized political unit. Even during British India, there were 600 princely states which were internally autonomous. Then, our current form of democracy and government draws its existence from different political parties, political ideologies and so on.

Linguistic Elements of Unity in Diversity

While three fourth of India speaks Indo-Aryan Languages, Dravidian languages are spoken by one fourth of Indians. India has 122 major languages and 1599 dialects, thus making it one of the most linguistically diverse nations around the world. The languages have been a divisive as well as adhesive force in the country. English emerged as lingua franca of the country and serves as medium of communication between two people who have different mother tongue. Similarly, Hindi has also, to a great extent, served to keep the country united. Despite major issues such as demand of linguistic states, status of minority, anti-Hindi movements etc. have posed major challenges to governments from time to time.

Institution of Pilgrimage as element of Unity in Diversity

One of the important source of unity in India is its pilgrimage culture, reflected in network of religious shrines and sacred placed. For example, Badrinath, Kedarnath in North, Dwarka / Somnath in West, Rameshwaram in South, Puri in Eas and holy rivers across the length and breadth of the nation have fostered the sense of India as one unit.

Accommodation within Hinduism as element of unity in diversity

Hinduism is not a homogenous religion with one God, one book, one temple and so on. It is a federation of faiths with multiple deities, multiple Holy Scriptures and multiple of faiths and philosophies including atheism. Its elastic character of Hinduism that has accommodated and adjusted with various faiths, religions etc. and has allowed coexistence of several faiths in India.

Tradition of Interdependence as element of unity in diversity

Despite the fact that ours is a caste ridden society, India has a remarkable tradition of inter-dependence, which has kept it united for centuries. One example is the Jajmani System or functional interdependence of various castes. Jajman or Yajman is the recipient of certain services. This system initially developed in the villages between the food producing families and the families which supported them with other goods and services. The entire gamut of social order developed with Jajmani links with multiple types of payments and obligations. None of the caste was self sufficient and it depended for many things on other castes. Thus, each caste worked as a functional group and was linked with other caste via the mechanisms of Jajmani system.

Though Jajmani system represented the inter-linking of Hindu caste yet, in practice this system crossed the boundary of religion and provided linkages between different religions also. For example, Hindu’s dependence on Muslim weaver or washer man or Muslim’s dependence on Hindu trader / tailor / Goldsmith etc. is a manifestation of that mechanism only, though not called so.

III Social institutions of Indian society

Social Institutions are the establishment in a society that makes the society function. They work as the backbone of a society. Without the social institutions a society cannot achieve fulfilment in terms of economy, academy or relationships. When there are no rules and regulations in a society, people are more likely to indulge in crime and other harmful activities. Social institutions help in taming such activities. They contribute in organizing a society and its people. There are different types of social institutions which come with a set of rules and norms and ask the people to follow them. The violation of such rules often results in condemnation and prosecution.

Five Basic Social Institutions

Politics As A Social Institution-

Politics is a significant social institution. It is the function of a society in which all the powers are given to a particular group of people chosen by the citizens through poles. From the type of food we eat to the type of security we get when we go out of our houses, everything is decided by that group of people in power. So, voting for a party is a crucial decision for every citizen. Every society has politics today by the name of government. The government makes rules namely laws for the entire country, and asks the people to follow them. Breach in those laws result in imprisonment and penalties. There are different parties in politics of a country. A country’s economy can be improved if the government complies.

The people in power often get involved in corruption. Corruption is one of the most negative factors of a society that prevents its growth. Politicians often give dishonest assurances to people and after they come into power,forget all about what they said. If a country gets to be corruption free, most of its issues can be resolved. It is the most anti-society factor and activity in a country.

Economy As A Social Institution-

Economy is that social institution which produces and distributes the goods and services and monitors their consumption. The goods and services are two of the basic things that the people of a country require. The two main economic systems are Capitalism and Socialism. The economy is an institution that keeps on changing. There are many economic trends like diversity in the work place, globalization, self- employment etc. The transaction of goods and services requires currencies as a medium. The introduction of currencies in today’s world has made the transactions much easier and advance. Before the currencies came into existence, the barter system was the only medium of transaction, barter system is where a person provides good and services in return of other goods and services.

Education As A Social Institution-

Education is another vital social institution. Just as economy and government, education also caters to the opportunities of growth in a society. If a child is given a proper and sufficient education, he gets an exposure to the worldly affairs and learns to judge situations better. He also passes his knowledge on and contributes to the betterment of his society.

Family As A Social Institution-

When we hear the word family, a house with a mother, father, brother and sister comes into our mind and it is the most general description of a family. But a family is actually the unity of two or more people through blood relation, marriage or adoption. Family in a society works as a social support for an individual. When a child is raised in a family with doting parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters he or she gets to experience a positive upbringing which continues when he or she actually grows up.

There are three main functions of a family-

 1. To get an identity.

 2. To rear future generation.

 3. To promote a culture.

Marriage As A Social Institution-

Marriage is that social institution which was created to keep a healthy regulation of a person’s life. It is in a close association with the institution of family. The norms of marriages vary from culture to culture. A marriage is the process of uniting two different people from different families together through a ceremony. It serves the purpose of finding companionship.

Religion As A Social institution-

A religion is that institution which studies, practices and believes the existence of God and the mystery of life and death. The world is diverse when it comes to religion. Different religions have different beliefs and practices. A religion in society is believed to be a dominant instrument to control the society.

So, given above are the basic social institutions that contribute in the well-being and growth of a society. Without these institutions a society cannot function. Although, these institutions sometimes add to the negative growth of a society as well, we as humans should use our own judgement and understanding and function accordingly.

IV Unity in diversity

Cosmopolitan cities and traditional villages have made this nation a global melting pot of religion, art, and aesthetics. Cultural streak of the country is exemplified by the presence of liberal forms of Islam known as Sufism to the birthplace of Srikrishna, the inspiration of Vaishnava cult. The multicultural mosaic of the country is organically built into the social morass. It is well exhibited in its gurdwaras, mosques and temples spanned across the nation. India is known for its cultural heritage and is home to musical maestros like Ravishakar to Tansen. The burning Diyas in the evening in the Holy river of Ganges in Beneras or Har-ki-Pouri symbolize a union of minds possible only in India.  The cultural landscape is strewn with Tribal festivities ranging from central India to the Northeast of the nation.

Culture is a system of liberation, which continues to absorb within itself and pass on the system to the society, all that is activated by different races and religions, who come in close proximity with each other, giving it a new flavour and colouring it in a spectrum of new colours, over period of time.

The land has absorbed many cultures within it. The invasions enriched the culture of the land. The earliest recorded and prominent invasion was that of Alexander. The major effect of this invasion was that his march produced a land route from Europe to India with the result that Greek and Indian civilizations came in close contact influencing each other to a large extent.  Civilization relating to India goes back to several millenniums and the earliest one on record is the Indus Valley Civilization. Hinduism owes its origin to Vedas and the Hindu Culture laid reverence for these Holy Scriptures scripted in the sacred language of Sanskrit. The salient features of Hinduism are the emphasis on rituals, belief in the Guru-Shishya tradition of learning. However, the most important aspect of Hinduism is the theory of Karma. Indian culture is guided by the theory of Karma. Most Indian philosophers believe in the theory of Karma, according to which, results of actions are always with us and marks the course of our life. Besides the Hindu religion, India is the birthplace of many other world religions like Jainism and Buddhism.  Islam was brought to India by the invaders. The Britishers who ruled for nearly two centuries brought Christianity into India. The French and the Portuguese also influenced the land to a large extend. Further to this, we have had a sprinkling of Jews and a good chunk of Parses. The various groups form the composite structure of the soil and make it a perfect model where unity in diversity can be seen together.  The amalgamated mixture of various religions and cultures is the special feature of the land. The present India is the result of the Bhakti movement in the Middle Ages. This socio- religious movement by the social reformers brought many positive changes in the land.  The socio-religious movement by Ramanuj, Nanak, Ramanand, Kabir, Namdeva, Tukaram and Ramdas, Jaidev and Chaitanya denounced the caste system and brought positive socio-religious reforms in the society.

The land is now a perfect blend of ethic and modern way of life. The younger generation has still its umbilical cord connected to their ethnic culture firmly even as they become progressively modern. The unique feature of the land makes it exceptional in the world. A perfect blend of tradition and modern culture can be seen in present India.

The social fabric of our country has developed over the centuries through varied cultures.  The country has a compound structure. The political setup of our country is based on the acceptance of this composite way of life. The freedom to practice one’s own religion and culture is the way of life in India. The specialty of the land is that it does not have an official religion.  The distinctive feature of the country is this unity among all diversities.

V. Continuity and change in Indian society

More striking than new opportunities for group mobility within the traditional status hierarchy has been the appearance in recent decades of new status hierarchies-new arenas for status competition. They have emerged from the impact of urbanization and westernization but are not independent of the traditional social organization in which they are based.

Urbanism is nothing new in India but rapid urbanization is new. The emergency of industrial employment, of easy communication over long distances, of increasingly efficient distribution of goods and services and of more effective centralized administration has made urban living a more accessible alternative to more people in India than ever before.

Urban life affords a measure of independence from the ties and constraints of membership in rural based social groups by granting a degree of individual anonymity and mobility quite unattainable in rural communities.Caste, religion, ritual, tradition and the social controls implicit therein are not as rigid or pervasive in the city. People are increasingly able to seek status and other rewards on an individual or small family basis largely independent of caste or the other larger social entities of which they are also a part. They do this primarily by going to the city although the values of the city also extend into the country-side and have loosened the hold of tradition even there.

To a great extent urban Indians can achieve status as a result of behaviors and attributes rather than simply as a result of birth. According to Harold Gould industrialization brought about the transfer of specialized occupations of all kinds from the context of the kin groups to factories organized on bureaucratic principles. This meant that occupational role and role occupant would be in principle separated and that the preponderant criteria for determining occupations would be performance qualities and that economic rewards and social mobility would constitute the principle standards for evaluating the worth or the status of any given role.

Traditional status -caste status does not disappear in the city. It remains important in the most private contexts; the family and neighborhood. Some neighborhoods essentially reproduce the village setting in personnel as well as social structure; others do not.

A very large proportion of city dwellers are in close touch with their native villages. Tradition and ascription are important in the city in those relationships upon which the day to day functioning and future composition of the family depends of which the epitome is marriage. In the city primary relationships occupy a diminishing proportion of most people's time, attention and energies. Much of the individual's interaction takes place on the basis of particular or even fragmented roles. He can often behave in a way consistent with the requirements of the situation without reference to his group membership. He is even able to pass if that is his desire by learning the superficial symbols of the status such as that of white collar worker, student, middle class householder or professional. In these statuses skill in handling the language, in pursuing the occupation or success in acquiring money or an appropriate life style may be socially recognized and rewarded irrespective of caste and family.

Contemporary urban life has available more means to mobility and suggests to those who seek it a greater likelihood of success that the highly structured closely controlled traditional village setting. Mobility occurs in all settings. Some low status groups have been victims of technological displacement with the result that their economic, political and social statuses have declined. They drift either into the status of rural landless laborers or into unskilled urban employment, both of which are overpopulated and underpaid. The result is underemployment, unemployment, poverty and lack of opportunity for improvement. For examples: water carriers comprise a caste whose members have been displaced in many parts of Northern India with the advent of handpumps.In some instances new occupations have been created and with them opportunities for enhancement of economic and social status thus allowing certain mobility.

UNIT III: PROTECTION OF ENVIRONMENT

I Natural resources - Renewable & Non renewable

All things that are useful to us are called resources. Air, water, land, soil, forest etc are all resources. Resources are useful raw materials that we get from nature. These are naturally occurring materials. They are useful for us in many ways, and we keep developing new ways to use them or convert them into useful things. Let us look at the classification of resources.

Classification of Resources

Natural resources are valuable to us. The broadest classification of resources is done on the basis of their replenishing ability. Let us take a look, at these two classifications.

Renewable resources

Non Renewable resources

Renewable resources

When talking about classification of resources, we will first see the renewable resources. Renewable resources are those resources that can be replenished or renewed naturally over time. Air, water, wind, solar energy etc are all renewable resources. Renewable resources can be easily renewed by nature.

1. Solar energy

Sun is a big source of energy. The energy that we get from the Sun is called solar energy. All the natural phenomenon like the flowing of wind, water cycle, photosynthesis etc are possible only due to solar energy. Now a day, solar energy is being used to cook food with the help of solar cookers, heat water, light streets, pump water for irrigating fields etc.

2. Hydro-Energy

Water is important natural resources. All living organisms need water to live. Humans need water for many purposes such as drinking, cleaning, cooking and for growing crops. Water flowing into the river or water stored in a dam is sources of hydro energy. The Simple method to use hydro energy is to convert it into electrical energy.

3. Wind energy

Winds are constantly being created in nature. The windmill is a source of electrical energy. These windmills are generally established only at places where most of the days in a year experience strong winds. The energy from this wind is used for grinding grain, pumping water and to produce electricity. In India, many windmills have been set up in different places such as Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Kerala, West Bengal and Gujarat.

4. Biogas

Biogas is a type of fuel which is a mixture of gases such as methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen etc which is obtained by decomposition of animal and plant wastes like animal dung, with the help of micro-organisms in the presence of water. It is used as fuel in gas stove especially in rural areas.

5. Wood

Wood is an ancient and traditional source of energy. It is mainly a mixture of many carbohydrate compounds. Wood is used to cook food. It leads to deforestation and pollutes air also. In India, still in many villages, they use wood chullas to cook food every day. While having ill effects on the environment, it is also harmful to human health

6. Hydrogen

It is a good source of energy because it does not create pollution and produce maximum energy on burning. Hydrogen has the potential to be the answer to all our energy and fuel troubles. Technology is currently being developed to fully utilize hydrogen efficiency.

7. Alcohol

Alcohol has many commercial and medical purposes. It can use for producing energy. It can be obtained while making sugar from sugarcane. Thus it is a very cheap source of energy. A mixture of petrol and alcohol is being used as a fuel in automobiles. This mixture is called ‘Gasohol’.

8. Air

All living things need air to breathe. Therefore, air is an important natural resource.

9. Water

All living things water in order to survive. And the water cycle means we will essentially never run out of the water. But we must be careful not to pollute water and make it unusable. Drinking and clean water are already scarce in the world.

10. Soil

It is an important resource as this is the layer where plants grow. We all need food in order to survive. We get most of our food from crops grown in the soil.

Non Renewable resources

The other classification of resources is non-renewable resources. Non-renewable resources are those natural resources that are available in limited quantity. These resources cannot be renewed or replenished in short duration. Therefore they are also known as exhaustible resources. Examples- coal, natural gas, petroleum etc.

1. Fossil fuel

Fossil fuels like coal and petroleum are non-renewable resources. They are found deep inside the earth and are made by natural processes over many centuries. Their quantity is limited and they take thousands of years to get renewed. Example of fossil fuels is coal, petroleum, natural gas etc.

Coal: It is also known as black diamond. Coal is used as a fuel, to generate electricity, and in factories and steam engines.

Natural gas: Natural gas is used as a fuel called Compressed Natural Gas or CNG. Some wells dug into the earth produce only natural gas. Natural gases are a good alternative to petrol and diesel and it is used as Compressed Natural Gas. It burns easily and produces a lot of heat. It is a good source of hydrogen.

Petroleum:  Petroleum is also known as mineral oil or crude oil. This liquid mineral is refined to make fuels such as petrol, diesel, cooking gas and kerosene. Plastic, cosmetics, and lubricants are also products of petroleum. It is found deep inside the Earth or under the sea floor. It is taken out by drilling wells deep into the Earth or under the seabed.

2. Nuclear energy

In the classification of resources, nuclear energy is classified as non-renewable. The fuel used for nuclear energy is generally uranium, which is in a limited supply. So we classify it as non-renewable. Production of electricity from nuclear energy does not release carbon dioxide. Thus, use of nuclear energy is safe for the environment.

II Factors causing environmental pollution and degradation

Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or deterioration of the environment through consumption of assets, for example, air, water and soil; the destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife. It is characterized as any change or aggravation to nature’s turf seen to be pernicious or undesirable. Ecological effect or degradation is created by the consolidation of an effectively substantial and expanding human populace, constantly expanding monetary development or per capita fortune and the application of asset exhausting and polluting technology. It occurs when earth’s natural resources are depleted and environment is compromised in the form of extinction of species, pollution in air, water and soil, and rapid growth in population.

Environmental degradation is one of the largest threats that are being looked at in the world today. The United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction characterizes environmental degradation as the lessening of the limit of the earth to meet social and environmental destinations, and needs. Environmental degradation can happen in a number of ways. At the point when environments are wrecked or common assets are exhausted, the environment is considered to be corrupted and harmed. There are a number of different techniques that are being used to prevent this, including environmental resource protection and general protection efforts.

Environmental-degradation

Environmental issues can be seen by long term ecological effects, some of which can demolish whole environments. An environment is a unique unit and incorporates all the living and non-living components that live inside it. Plants and creatures are evident parts of the environment, but it also includes the things on which they depend on, for example, streams, lakes, and soils.

Environmental surroundings get to be divided when technological advancement splits up areas of land. Some examples of this can include streets which may slice through woods or even trails which wind through prairies. While it may not sound all terrible on the surface, there are bad results. The biggest of these results are felt by particular animal and plant groups, the vast majority of which are specific for their bio-region or need a large area in order to make sure that their genetic lines are kept intact.

Causes of Environmental Degradation

Some environmental life species require substantial areas to help provide food, living space, and other different assets. These creatures are called area specific. At the point when the biome is divided, the vast patches of living space don’t exist anymore. It gets to be more troublesome for the wildlife to get the assets they need in order to survive. The environment goes on, even though the animals and plant life are not there to help sustain it properly.

1. Land Disturbance: A more basic cause of environmental degradation is land damage. Numerous weedy plant species, for example, garlic mustard, are both foreign and obtrusive. A rupture in the environmental surroundings provides for them a chance to start growing and spreading. These plants can assume control over nature, eliminating the local greenery. The result is territory with a solitary predominant plant which doesn’t give satisfactory food assets to all the environmental life. Whole environments can be destroyed because of these invasive species.

2. Pollution: Pollution, in whatever form, whether it is air, water, land or noise is harmful for the environment. Air pollution pollutes the air that we breathe which causes health issues. Water pollution degrades the quality of water that we use for drinking purposes. Land pollution results in degradation of earth’s surface as a result of human activities. Noise pollution can cause irreparable damage to our ears when exposed to continuous large sounds like honking of vehicles on a busy road or machines producing large noise in a factory or a mill.

3. Overpopulation: Rapid population growth puts strain on natural resources which results in degradation of our environment. Mortality rate has gone down due to better medical facilities which has resulted in increased lifespan. More population simple means more demand for food, clothes and shelter. You need more space to grow food and provide homes to millions of people. This results in deforestation which is another factor of environmental degradation.

4. Landfills: Landfills pollute the environment and destroy the beauty of the city. Landfills come within the city due the large amount of waste that gets generated by households, industries, factories and hospitals. Landfills pose a great risk to the health of the environment and the people who live there. Landfills produce foul smell when burned and cause huge environmental degradation.

5. Deforestation: Deforestation is the cutting down of trees to make way for more homes and industries. Rapid growth in population and urban sprawl are two of the major causes of deforestation. Apart from that, use of forest land for agriculture, animal grazing, harvest for fuel wood and logging are some of the other causes of deforestation. Deforestation contributes to global warming as decreased forest size puts carbon back into the environment.

6: Natural Causes: Things like avalanches, quakes, tidal waves, storms, and wildfires can totally crush nearby animal and plant groups to the point where they can no longer survive in those areas. This can either come to fruition through physical demolition as the result of a specific disaster, or by the long term degradation of assets by the presentation of an obtrusive foreign species to the environment. The latter frequently happens after tidal waves, when reptiles and bugs are washed ashore.

Of course, humans aren’t totally to blame for this whole thing. Earth itself causes ecological issues, as well. While environmental degradation is most normally connected with the things that people do, the truth of the matter is that the environment is always changing. With or without the effect of human exercises, a few biological systems degrade to the point where they can’t help the life that is supposed to live there.

Effects of Environmental Degradation

1. Impact on Human Health: Human health might be at the receiving end as a result of the environmental degradation. Areas exposed to toxic air pollutants can cause respiratory problems like pneumonia and asthma. Millions of people are known to have died of due to indirect effects of air pollution.

2. Loss of Biodiversity: Biodiversity is important for maintaining balance of the ecosystem in the form of combating pollution, restoring nutrients, protecting water sources and stabilizing climate. Deforestation, global warming, overpopulation and pollution are few of the major causes for loss of biodiversity.

3. Ozone Layer Depletion: Ozone layer is responsible for protecting earth from harmful ultraviolet rays. The presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere is causing the ozone layer to deplete. As it will deplete, it will emit harmful radiations back to the earth.

4. Loss for Tourism Industry: The deterioration of environment can be a huge setback for tourism industry that rely on tourists for their daily livelihood. Environmental damage in the form of loss of green cover, loss of biodiversity, huge landfills, increased air and water pollution can be a big turn off for most of the tourists.

5. Economic Impact: The huge cost that a country may have to borne due to environmental degradation can have big economic impact in terms of restoration of green cover, cleaning up of landfills and protection of endangered species. The economic impact can also be in terms of  loss of tourism industry.

As you can see, there are a lot of things that can have an effect on the environment. If we are not careful, we can contribute to the environmental degradation that is occurring all around the world. We can, however, take action to stop it and take care of the world that we live in by providing environmental education to the people which will help them pick familiarity with their surroundings that will enable to take care of environmental concerns thus making it more useful and protected for our children and other future generations.

III Understanding sustainable development

The World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Commission) in its report to the United Nations in 1987 defined sustainable development as meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.

Agenda 21, adopted during the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) called Earth Summit held in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil in 1992 is a blue print on how to make development socially, economically and environmentally sustainable.

Principles of Sustainable Development:

The Rio Declaration on Environment and Development fleshes out the definition by listing 18 principles of sustainability:

1. People are entitled to a healthy and productive life in harmony with nature.

2. Development today must not undermine the development and environment needs of present and future generations.

3. Nations have the sovereign right to exploit their own resources but without causing environmental damage beyond their borders.

4. Nations shall develop international laws to provide compensation for damage that activities under their control cause to areas beyond their borders.

5. Nations shall use the precautionary approach to protect the environment. Where there are threats of serious or irreversible damage, scientific uncertainty shall not be used to postpone cost-effective measures to prevent environmental degradation.

6. In order to achieve sustainable development, environmental protection shall constitute an integral part of the development process and cannot be considered in isolation from it.

7. Eradicating poverty and reducing disparities in living standards in different parts of the world are essential to achieve sustainable development and to meet the needs of the majority of people.

8. Nations shall cooperate to conserve, protect and restore the health and integrity of the Earth’s ecosystem. The developed countries acknowledge the responsibility of sustainable development.

9. Nations should reduce and eliminate unsustainable patterns of production and consumption and promote appropriate demographic policies.

10. Environmental issues are best handled with the participation of all concerned citizens. Nations shall facilitate and encourage public awareness and participation by making environmental information widely available.

11. Nations shall enact effective environmental laws and develop national law regarding liability for the victims of pollution and other environmental damages. Where they have authority, nations shall assess the environmental impact of proposed activities that are likely to have a significant adverse impact.

12. Nations should cooperate to promote an open international economic system that will lead to economic growth and sustainable development in all countries. Environmental policies should not be used as an unjustifiable means of restricting international trade.

IV Strategies for environmental conservation

1. In-Situ Conservation Strategies:

In situ conservation means ‘on-site conservation’. Here, the plant or animal species are protected in their natural habitat.

This is carried on by two methods:

(i) Either by protecting or cleaning up the habitat itself.

(ii) By defending the species from predators. Here stress is laid upon protection of total ecosystem. This leads to declaration of ‘Protected Areas’. For protecting such areas, legal or other effective strategies are used.

Protected Areas in India:

These include:

I. National Parks,

II. Sanctuaries, and

III. Biosphere Reserves.

I. National Parks:

A national park is an area which is strictly reserved for the betterment of the wildlife and where activities like forestry, grazing or cultivation are not permitted.

In these parks, even private ownership rights are not allowed.

There are about 66 national parks (in 1988) in India spread over an area of 33, 988, 14 square kilometres or nearly 1 per cent of the country’s geographical area.

Some National Parks of India:

1. Kaziranga National Park, District Sibsagar (Assam) – Rhinoceros, elephant, wild buffalo, bison, tiger, leopard, sloth, bear, sambhar, swamp deer, barking deer, wild boar, gibbon, python and birds like pelican, stork and ring tailed fishing eagles. This is a famous National Park of famous one-horned rhinoceros of India.

2. Sundarbans (Tiger Reserve) 24 Pargana (West Bengal) – Tiger, wild boar, deer, dolphin, eustuarine, crocodile.

3. Hazaribagh National Park, Hazaribagh (Bihar) – Tiger, leopard, hyaena, wild boar, gaur, sambhar, nilgai, chital, sloth, bear, peafowl.

4. Corbett National Park, Nanital (Uttarkhand) – Tiger, elephant, panther, sloth, bear, wild boar, nilgai, sambhar, chital, crocodile, python, king cobra, peafowl, partridge. This is the first National Park of India which is famous for tigers.

5. Gir National Park, District Junagarh (Gujrat) – Asiatic lion, panther, striped hyaena, sambhar, nilgai, chital, 4-horned antelope, chinkara, wild boar, langur, python, crocodile, green pigeon, partridge. This National Park is famous for Asiatic lions.

6. Kanha National Park, Mandla and Balaghat (Madhya Pradesh) – Tiger, panther, chital, chinkara, barking deer, blue bull, deer, langur, wild boar, black buck, nilgai, wild dog, sloth bear, sambhar, crocodile, grey horn bill, egret, peafowl.

7. Tandoba National Park, Chandrapur (Maharashtra) – Tiger, sambhar, sloth bear, bison, chital, chinkara, barking deer, blue bull, four-horned deer, langur, pea-fowl, crocodile.

8. Bandipur National Park, District Mysore (Karnataka) – Elephant, tiger, leopard, sloth bear, wild dog, chital, panther, barking deer, langur, porcupine, gaur, sambhar, malabar squirrel, green pigeon.

9. Desert National Park, Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) – Great Indian Bustard, black buck, chinkara.

II. Sanctuaries:

A sanctuary is a protected area which is reserved for the conservation of only animals and human activities like harvesting of timber, collection of minor forest products and private ownership rights are allowed so long as they do not interfere with the well- being of animals. There are about 392 (As on October, 1992) and 421 (As in 1993) sanctuaries in India (368 sanctuaries in 1988) which cover about 107,310 square kilometres or 3.2 per cent of country’s geographical area.

Some important sanctuaries of India are listed below:

1. Annamalai Sanctuary, Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) – Elephant, tiger, panther, gaur, sambhar, spotted deer, sloth bear, wild dog, barking deer.

2. Jaldapara Sanctuary, Madarihat (West Bengal) – Rhino, elephant, tiger, leopard, gaur, deer, sambhar, different kinds of birds.

3. Keoladeo Ghana Bird Sanctuary, Bharatpur (Rajasthan) – Siberian crane, storks, egrets, herons, spoon bill, etc. Drier parts of this marshy sanctuary have spotted deer, black buck, sambhar, wild boar, blue bull, python. This sanctuary is famous for birds.

4. Sultanpur Lake Bird Sanctuary, Gurgaon (Haryana) – Crane, saras, spotbill, duck, drake, green pigeon, wild bear, crocodile, phython.

5. Bir Moti Bagh Wildlife Sanctuary, Patiala (Punjab) – Nilgai, wild boar, hog deer, black buck, blue bull, jackal, pea-fowl, partridge, sparrow, myna, pigeon, dove.

6. Shikari Devi Sanctuary, Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) – Black bear, snow leopard, flying fox, barking deer, musk deer, chakor, partridge.

7. Dachigam Sanctuary, Srinagar (Jammu & Kashmir) – Hangul or Kashmir stag, musk deer, snow leopard, black bear, brown bear.

8. Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary, Nilgiri (Tamil Nadu) – Elephant, gaur, sambhar, chital, bar-king deer, mouse deer, four horned antelope, langur, giant squirrel, flying squirrel, wild dog, wild cat, civet, sloth bear, porcupine, phython, rat snake, monitor lizard, flying lizard.

9. Nagarjuna Sagar Sanctuary, Guntur, Kamool and Nalgonda (Andhra Pradesh) – Tiger, panther, wild bear, chital, nilgai, sambhar, blackbuck, foz, jackal, wolf, crocodile.

10. Periyar Sanctuary (Kerela) – Elephants, gaur, leopard, sloth, bear, sambhar, bison, black langur, hornbill, egret. It is famous for animals.

11. Chilka Lake Bird Sanctuary, Balagaon (Orissa) – An oasis of birds like water fowls, ducks, cranes, golden plovers, sand pipers, flamingoes.

12. Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, Kamprup (Assam) – Tiger, panther, rhino, gaur, wild buffalo, sambhar, swamp deer, golden langur, wild dog, wild boar.

III. Biosphere Reserves:

Under MAB (Man and Biosphere) Programme, UNESCO has established a number of biosphere reserves in the world. The concept of Biosphere Reserves was launched by MAB in 1975 for dealing with the conservation of ecosystems and the genetic resources contained therein. Under MAB programme, UNESCO has studied the impact of human interference and pollution on biotic and abiotic environments and conservation strategies for the present as well as future.

Definition:

A biosphere reserve is a specified area iii which multiple use of the land is permitted by dividing it into certain zones, each zone being specified for a particular activity.

Zones of a Biosphere Reserve:

A biosphere reserve is basically divided into three zones:

(a) Core Zone:

It lies at centre where no human activity is allowed. It is legally protected.

(b) Buffer Zone:

In this zone limited human activities are allowed. It surrounds core area.

(c) Manipulative Zone (Transition Zone):

In this zone multiple human activities are allowed but ecology is not permitted to be disturbed. It is the outermost part of biosphere reserve.

Biosphere Reserves in India:

In India, there are 14 biosphere reserves. The first biosphere reserve of the world was established in 1979. Till May 2005, there were 425 Biosphere Reserves located in 95 countries. The number assigned to a biosphere reserve is based on its date of declaration.

The purpose of declaration of biosphere reserve is to conserve bio-diversity in-situ along with its supporting system. Biosphere reserves with human beings as its integral parts are examples of natural biomes. First biosphere reserve established in India, was Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve (1986).

Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve was established in 1988.

Date of notification of Nilgiri Biosphere reserve is 01.8.1986 with area of 5520 square kilometers and cover the states of Kerala, Kamataka and Tamil Nadu. Dibru-Saikhowa Biosphere reserve is present in Dibrugarh and Tinsukia districts of Assam. Sunderbans Biosphere reserve with an area of 9630 square kilometers covers part of delta of Ganga and Brahmputra river system in West Bengal.

Panchmarhi covers an area of 4926 square kilometers and lies in Madhya Pradesh. Kanchanjanga Biosphere reserve with an area of 2619 square kilometers is present in Sikkim. Manas Biosphere reserve is in Assam. Nokrek Biosphere reserve is in Meghalaya. Nanda Devi Biosphere reserve with an area of 5860 square kilometers is present in Uttaranchal Gulf of Mannar Biosphere reserve is in Tamil Nadu.

Significance:

The concept of Biosphere Reserves is of immense value for conserving the gene-pool resources of flora and fauna in the country and to serve as bench-marks for future studies.

The concept of Biosphere Reserve has the following objectives:

(a) To conserve for present and future human race use, the diversity and integrity of biotic communities of plants and animals within natural ecosystems and to safeguard the genetic diversity of species on which their continuing evolution depends.

(b) To provide areas for ecological and environmental research.

(c) To provide facilities for education and training.

(d) To promote economic development.

Sacred Forests and Sacred Lakes:

Some forest patches are being protected by tribals due to religious sanctity are called sacred forests. Such forests have been found to be most undisturbed and they are usually surrounded by most degraded land scapes. Such sacred forests in India are present in states like Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerela and Meghalaya. In Sikkim, Khecheopalri lake is declared sacred lake by people, thus protecting the aquatic flore and fauna.

2. Ex-Situ Conservation Strategies:

Such strategies include establishment of botanical gardens, zoos, conservation strands and gene, pollen, seed, seedling, tissue culture and DNA banks. These facilities not only provide housing and care for endangered species, but also have educational and recreational values for the society.

Few noteworthy points of ex-situ conservation are:

1. Seed Gene Bank or Germplasm Bank:

This is the easiest way to store the germ plasm of plants at low temperature. The term seed bank also refers to cryogenic laboratory facility in which the seeds of some species can be kept viable for long period. Germplasm can also be preserved by in vitro culturing where cutting of plants and maintained under controlled conditions.

2. Field Gene Bank:

Genetic variability can also be preserved by field gene bank under normal growing conditions. The gene banks are used to store living sperms, eggs or embryos.

3. Cryopreservation:

This type of in vitro conservation is done at very low temperature i.e., -196°C in liquid nitrogen. This may be done with very rapid cooking (in storing seeds) or by gradual cooling and simultaneous dehydration (in tissue culture). Cryopreservation is highly successful in crops like potato.

4. Botanical Gardens:

In more than 1500 botanical gardens and arboreta (botanical gardens where particular shrubs and trees are grum) in world. In such gardens more than 80,000 species are found.

Many botanical gardens have the facilities of seed banks, tissue culture and other latest ex-situ technologies.

5. Zoos:

In world, there are about 800 zoos. Such zoos have about 3000 species of vertebrates. Some zoos have undertaken captive breeding programmes.

Limitations of Ex-Situ Conservation:

(i) It stops the natural evolution and adaptations processes. In cryogenic preservation of specimens, adaptations processes come to halt altogether.

(ii) Ex-situ conservation strategies are highly expensive.

(iii) If fails to recreate the habitat as a whole. A species may adapt to changed environmental conditions due to genetic variation of a species, its symbiotic counter parts or other elements.

(iv) Seed banks are not effective for few plant species with recalcitrant seeds do not show viability for long time.

V Lifestyle changes for environmental protection

Generating less waste

The absolutely best way to stop trash is to stop buying and using products that are not durable, reusable, or repairable. Reducing waste is easy if you follow some of the tips below. You'll also find lots of great info on our Reuse Tips Page.

Reduce Your Packaging Purchases

Avoiding products wrapped in plastic or excessively packaged in boxes and bags is a great way to generate less waste. You'll also save energy and natural resources.

Avoid packaging when possible. For example, use your own reusable bag or container.

Use products you already have for household chores. Avoid single-use cleaning products.

Buy large economy-sized products instead of individually wrapped items. Laundry soap, shampoo, dish-washing detergent, dry pet food, cat litter, and other non-perishable items are great examples. For food, buy the largest size you can use before spoiling.

Buy items in bulk, in concentrate, or in refillable packages. Bulk candy, for instance, will have much less wrapping than a bag of "Fun Size" candy bars. Mmm... reducing waste...

Reduce Toxicity

Whenever possible use nonhazardous or less hazardous materials at home and work. Instead of pesticides, for example, use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques to control insects and other pests. Other safety tips include:

If you do use hazardous materials, use only what you need. Share leftovers with neighbors or donate them to businesses or charities that need them.

Read product labels and follow all directions carefully.

If you have hazardous materials, such as motor oil, be sure to dispose of them properly. Visit our hazardous waste section for more information.

Reuse Bags, Containers, and Other Items

Bring your reusable shopping bag to the grocery store and beyond. If you do have single-use bags, use them again!

Bring a reusable mug to the coffee shop.

Bring reusable take-out containers with you to restaurants (it saves them money!).

Pack lunches in a reusable bag with reusable food and drink containers.

Reuse containers and other materials for storage and crafts.

Reuse single-sided printed pages for scratch paper.

Find new homes for clothing and linens, or use them for rags, patchwork, and other projects.

Borrow, Rent, and Share!

Many of us have tools and other items that we don't use on a regular basis. Consider sharing them with your neighbors and friends. Renting is also a great option. Good candidates include:

Power tools, ladders, garden tillers

Boats and other outdoor equipment

Formal wear

Party decorations and supplies (tables etc.)

Audiovisual equipment

Environment friendly transportation

We’ve experienced that the existing modes of transportation require enormous amounts of energy, for example, fossil fuels (natural gas, coal, oil) to power vehicles on the roads. Many recognize that these very automobiles cause a lot of pollution, which impacts the environmental and lead to health complications. Promising innovative technologies could be the ultimate solution, but before such innovations come to fruition, the world can play a significant role by utilizing eco-friendly modes of transportation obtainable.

Though it is much more comfortable and convenient to drive one’s own private vehicle to office or market every other day but being a responsible citizen one should opt for green transportation that are easily accessible to everyone. Let’s look at some of the modes of green transportation available in this age.

Bicycle

This is a no brainer. Using bicycle to commute is another great mode of green transportation. Riding a bicycle instead of driving a car enormously contributes to ridding the atmosphere of greenhouse gasses. Although walking is a great green transportation mode, a bicycle has far reaching benefits because it’s faster, plus it’s in itself a form of workout. You can buy a bicycle at really reasonable prices these days. Buying and maintenance cost is only fraction of that required for car.

Electric bike

Electric bikes are great modes of green transportation because they don’t release any harmful emission into the environment. With an electric bike, only light peddling is needed. The speed of electric bikes is greatly regulated by law, though. Some countries limit electric bike speeds at 20 mph. Still, in other countries, you must have a special registration, license, and insurance to be able to ride an electric bike.

Electric vehicles

Some notable kinds of electric vehicles include cars, motorcycles, Lorries, trains, boats, and scooters. Electric vehicles powered entirely by electricity do not emit any dangerous gasses, even though the toxic emissions might be produced by plants generating the electricity. Still, the power can be tapped from renewable technologies like geothermal, hydroelectric, solar power and wind turbines.

Opting for green vehicles powered by alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies puts less pressure on the environment as compared to conventional internal combustion engine vehicles running on petrol or diesel.

Green trains

With most world governments now dedicated to supporting green transportation than ever, trains are getting increasingly greener with hybrid locomotives and other innovative green technologies. The innovative hybrid locomotives utilize similar technologies applied in hybrid cars.

The modern electric trains make use of electrified third rail, overhead lines or devices that store up energy like fuel cells and batteries. The advantage of these electric trains is that they travel at tops speeds of more than 200 mph, yet maintaining high levels of safety.

Electric motorcycles

Like other electric vehicles, electric motorcycles do not give off emissions. They are typically battery powered. Nonetheless, pollution may occur as a result of generation of grid electricity utilized to charge electric bike batteries. Electric motorcycles, however, come with a huge price tag. The cheapest electric motorcycle could cost you about $7000. Some top range motorcycles even have their parts designed from recycled materials.

Some prototypes leverage fuel technology and experts are projecting that they may be mass produced in the near future.

Multiple occupant vehicles

The explosion of vehicles around the world has been due to the booming world economy. While this is a milestone many are happy about, pollution levels have significantly increased. Multiple occupant vehicles, also referred to as carpools, reduce the number of vehicles on roads, hence, minimizing levels of pollution. Multiple occupant vehicles are very eco-friendly and favorable mode of green transportation.

Groups of friends and colleges can make use one vehicle when habitually driving in similar direction. Instead of 5 individuals driving their own cars in similar direction, it’s a lot more economical (saves money and fuel) and ecologically sensible to make use of a single car to take all of you to the destination. Definitely a great way to save petrol and money!

Service and freight vehicles

These kinds of vehicles attribute to about 9% of the total toxic gas emissions. Utilizing electricity and biofuels instead of the regular fossil fuel sources in services and freight vehicles, administering travel demands and offering lots of travel alternatives will go a long way towards aligning the transportation sector to conform to green transportation.

Hybrid cars

Hybrid cars also rely on electricity. A vast majority of hybrid cars are designed to automatically recharge their batteries by converting energy in the course of braking. Greenhouse emissions in hybrid cars are extremely low; emissions can range from 26% – 90% lower compared to standard cars. According to experts, hybrid cars cut down health-threatening emissions by over 90%. While hybrid cars contribute little to no greenhouse emissions, they lack in some areas. The batteries have some environmental impacts. This means the caustic substances lighting up the batteries have to be carefully and well disposed of.

The new hybrid buses (Public Transportation)

Some of the best innovative green buses have already hit the market. A classic example is the Mercedes-Benz Ciatro G BlueTec Hybrid Bus, which utilizes 4 electrical wheel hub motors together with automotive lithium-ion batteries. The lithium-ion battery is regarded as the world’s largest. The battery has the capacity to store up vast amounts of energy derived from a diesel generator. The bus also generates energy in the course breaking.

Pedestrians

One should prefer to walk to the school, to work and to grocery shopping etc. Walking involves zero emission of any greenhouse gas, it’s free and an additional plus is it’s a good form of exercise for the body.

Recycle - Reduce - Reuse - Refuse - Renew - Recover

We are quickly running out of space. Each year, we generate millions of tons of trash in the form of wrappings, bottles, boxes, cans, grass clippings, furniture, clothing, phone books, and much, much, more.

Durable goods (tires, appliances, furniture) and nondurable goods (paper, certain disposable products, clothing) account for several million tons of the solid waste stream. Materials include glass, aluminum, plastics, steel and other metals, and paper and paperboard. Yard trimmings such as grass clippings and tree limbs are also a substantial part of what we throw away. More than 30% of our waste is packaging materials.

Where does it all go? Some 85 % of our garbage is sent to landfills, where it can take from 100 to 400 years for things like cloth and aluminum to decompose. Glass has been found in perfect condition after 4,000 years in the earth!

Find out what you can do to help make a difference in our environment everyday! Whether you're at home, on the go, in the office, or at school, there are many opportunities to make a change.

Follow the Rs:

Reduce, Replace, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Refuse and Reject, Rethink

Reduce:

Reducing the amount of waste you produce is the best way to help the environment. There are lots of ways to do this. For example:

→ Buy products that don’t have too much packaging. Some products are wrapped in many layers of plastic and paperboard even though they don’t need to be. You can also look for things that are packed in materials that don’t require a lot of energy or resources to produce. Some products will put that information right on their labels.

→ Instead of buying something you’re not going to use very often, see if you can borrow it from someone. Cars use a large amount of energy and cause pollution. Some ways to reduce the environmental damage caused by cars include carpooling with friends, walking, taking the bus, or riding your bike instead of driving.

→ Start a compost bin. Some people set aside a place in their yard where they can dispose of certain food and plant materials. Over time, the materials will break down through a natural process called decomposition. The compost is good for the soil in your yard and means that less garbage will go to the landfill.

→ You can reduce waste by using a computer! Most newspapers and magazines are available online. Instead of buying the paper versions, you can find them on the Internet. Also remember that you should print out only what you need.

Replace:

To substitute a thing that is broken or inefficient or lost or no longer working for another. To put in the place of another and switch seemingly equivalent items that can be interchanged:

→ Use water-based paints instead of solvent-based paints,

→ Use durable items instead of one-off disposable items (e.g. replace paper/plastic cups with mugs/glasses),

→ Replace paper towels with hand-dryers or cloth towels,

→ Choose environmentally friendly alternatives if available, such as biodegradable cleaners and garbage bags, also use less toxic chemicals,

→ Rent instead of buying equipment like copiers and computers to minimize unnecessary waste when systems need to be upgraded.

Reuse:

→ Bring cloth sacks to the store with you instead of taking home new paper or plastic bags. You can use these sacks again and again. You’ll be saving some trees! Plastic containers and reusable lunch bags are great ways to take your lunch to school without creating waste.

→ Coffee cans, shoeboxes, plastic food containers, and other types of containers people throw away can be used to store things or can become fun arts and crafts projects. Use your imagination!

→ Don’t throw out clothes, toys, furniture, and other things that you don’t want anymore. Somebody else can probably use them. You can bring them to a centre that collects donations, give them to friends, or even have a yard sale.

→ Use all writing paper on both sides.

→ Use paper grocery bags to make book covers rather than buying new ones.

→ Use silverware and dishes instead of disposable plastic utensils and plates.

Recycle:

Many of the things we use every day, like paper bags, soda cans, and milk cartons, are made out of materials that can be recycled.

In some towns you can leave your recyclables in bins outside your home, and a truck will come and collect them regularly. Other towns have recycling centers where you can drop off the materials you’ve collected. Things like paper and plastic grocery bags, and plastic and aluminum cans and bottles can often be brought to the grocery store for recycling. Whatever your system is, it’s important to remember to rinse out and sort your recyclables!

Recycled items are put through a process that makes it possible to create new products out of the materials from the old ones. Some materials such as aluminum and glass can be recycled indefinitely, as the process does not affect their structure. Other materials, such as paper, require a mixture of waste and raw material to manufacture a new product

Many goods produced with recycled content will end up in the shops as ordinary household products, such as bin bags, stationery, furniture, or even filling for duvets and pillows. In addition to recycling the things you buy, you can help the environment by buying products that contain recycled materials. Many brands of paper towels, garbage bags, greeting cards, and toilet paper, to name a few examples, will tell you on their labels if they are made from recycled materials.

Recover:

After collection, the residual waste is disposed of (either through landfill or incineration), the recyclables are remanufactured and/or energy is recovered (if energy is recovered from waste it is classed as recovery rather than disposal). To recover is a new technology that prepares and treats waste materials in order to generate energy. The energy produced by this special method is used as power.

Energy can be recovered from waste either by direct waste incineration (typically mass burn incineration plants, taking unsorted waste) or by using waste as a fuel substitute (either directly or as a “refuse derived fuel”).

The technology to burn waste has developed significantly over the past 50 years and incinerators are now much cleaner than they used to be. The energy released from burning the rubbish is often used to generate electricity.

Even greater benefits can be gained by using the extra heat to heat nearby housing or offices.

Refuse and Reject:

→ Refuse disposable plastics! Disposable plastics are the greatest source of plastic pollution. Plastic bags, straws, bottles, utensils, lids, cups and so many others offer a small convenience but remain forever.

→ Reject: you always have the choice. Do not buy anything you don’t really need.

Rethink.

It is ultimately up to us to really start thinking about what we buy, why we buy it and how we dispose of it.