Environment

D’code…. The total amount of greenhouse gas emissions caused by an individual, event, organisation or product and expressed as CDE (carbon dioxide equivalent). It has been defined by Wright, Kemp and Williams as a measure of the total amount of carbon dioxide and methane emissions of a defined population, system and activity. Most of these carbon footprint emissions come from indirect sources like fuel burned to produce goods far away from the final consumer. Then there are direct sources of consumer’s carbon footprint like in one’s car or stove.

Top up…. Carbon footprint can be measured by undertaking a GHG* emissions assessment or other calculative activities denoted as carbon accounting. Several free online carbon footprint calculators exist. Usually a carbon footprint is calculated for the time period of a year.

XL Info…. Everyone has a responsibility to reduce their individual carbon footprint. This can be done by

• Driving better by maintaining a steady speed.


• Keeping the car maintained by replacing oil and fuel filters.


• Make energy efficiency a main consideration when choosing a new AC, refrigerator or dishwasher.


• By turning off the lights when not needed and replacing incandescent light bulbs with LED ones.


• By using solar panels.


• By reusing and recycling.


• By using wind, solar, geothermal energy products in place of fossil fuels.

D’code…. The earth has various forms of life on it. But the most common and easily seen are plants and animals. They are spread across the world and are called the flora and fauna. These are words originating from Latin. Flora is derived from the word floral which means relating to flowers. Fauna refers to the goddess of fertility. Fauna is also referred to as Fauns which means forest spirits. By definition it is a group of indigenous animals of any geographical region. All in all flora is collective plant life and fauna is collective animal life.

Top up.... Both flora and fauna are essential to life. Their importance is manifold. They maintain ecological balance without which humans cannot survive. Flora generates and releases oxygen and fauna releases carbon dioxide which is needed by flora. Humans derive food and medicines from both flora and fauna. They add to beauty and contribute to the world economies.

XL Info.... India has a very rich flora and fauna. There are over 500 species of mammals, 200 plus species of birds and about 30,000 species of insects. There are also many species of fish and reptiles. Indian wildlife includes the Asian elephant, the Royal Bengal Tiger, single horned Indian Rhino, the Indian bison, leopards and cat species. Indian flora has varieties of coniferous and ever green, from scrubs to deciduous forests and thick tropical jungles to temperate woods - all of which provide amazing variations in habitats.

D’code…. Energy that is not generally used and is environmentally safe such as solar or wind energy is the alternative source of energy. All these do not consume fossil fuels. They cause little or no pollution and are renewable. Many countries have been running alternative energy projects to reduce dependence on traditional fossil fuels.

Top up…. Some of the alternative energy sources include

• Solar energy - It is used to generate light and heat. About 70% of the sunlight gets reflected back into space and only 30% is used to meet up our energy demands. Solar panels are used to harness this energy. However, it cannot be used at night and in very cold regions.


• Wind energy - Windmills are used to power crop irrigation, water pumping needs and electric lights. They are largely put to industrial use. It can only be used in areas which experience high winds.


• Geothermal energy - It is the energy drawn or harnessed from beneath the earth. The earth contains a molten rock called magma. Heat is continuously produced from there. This heat is used to boil water and produce steam which is captured by geothermal heat pumps. It turns turbines and activates generators. However, it is suitable only in particular regions and requires high installation costs.


• Hydroelectric energy - The energy of moving water is captured and called hydroelectric power. It moves turbines and converts mechanical energy into electrical energy. Dams around the world have been built for this purpose. However, they require huge costs to build and may affect aquatic life.

XL Info…. Besides these forms of energy we also have ocean energy which uses waves that can go a long way in reducing the world’s energy problems, hydrogen energy can be used to power up homes, vehicles and even space rockets but is expensive to produce, biomass energy whose common sources include wood, crops, landfills but it releases methane which can be harmful for the environment.

D’code…. A change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns when that change lasts for an extended period of time, from decades to millions of years, is known as climate change. It can be a change in average weather conditions or the time variation of weather. While natural conditions such as biotic processes*, variations in solar radiation received by the earth and volcanic eruptions cause the climate to change, a number of human activities are now identified as the primary cause of climate change also called global warming.

Top up…. Carbon dioxide is an important gas that is released into the atmosphere through a number of activities such as burning fossil fuels and cutting trees. Today the atmosphere contains 42% more carbon dioxide than it did before the industrial era. The atmosphere is now like a thick, heat trapping blanket. Hence, the atmospheric balance has been disturbed and extreme temperature changes have taken place. It has affected the eco system, economies and communities. It not only means lesser winters but has caused some regions to be extremely hot while others have cooled slightly. It has led to floods and drought. Water resources have been affected and our children are likely to face threats to health. The sooner action is taken the less severe impacts we will see.

XL Info…. It is clear that to reduce the impacts of climate change, we need to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases that are emitted into the atmosphere. Particularly the emission if carbon. This is possible only if we develop less polluting energy generation, transport and other industry, develop new agricultural methods, start re-forestation, use less animal products, use less energy at home (like avoid ACs). The bottom line is that taking action now is likely to increase our cost of living. However, we don’t really have a choice, do we?

D’code….  Our Common Future, also known as the Brundtland Report says, “Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. It gives priority to the essential needs of the world's poor and works on the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organisation on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”

In simple words sustainable development looks to balance different needs against an awareness of the environmental, social and economic limitations that we face as a society. Usually development fails to fully consider future impacts. It can cause financial crisis or changes in global climate.

Top up…. The focus of sustainable development is definitely environment but there is definitely more to it. It is also about having a strong, healthy and just society. The way development is approached affects everyone. And that is the role of sustainable development. We all have a part to play in it.

The goals of sustainable development include no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, responsible consumption and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institutions, partnership for the goals.

XL Info…. This whole world is one. Although we have many continents and countries, the development of each part of the world should go hand in hand. For example, in case of pollution many pacts are made which help to unite on a global scale. The idea of sustainable development is rooted back to many generations. The problems of today have been created by us. Through sustainable development we will use natural and other ecosystem services. It tells us to set a limit on the resources we use so that future generations can fulfil their needs too.

D’code…. Wind energy is the second fastest growing source of electricity in the world. It is a very popular choice as harnessing energy from the wind and turning it into renewable electricity has many advantages. Wind is simply air in motion. It is caused by the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the Sun. During the day, the air above the land heats up more quickly than the air over water. The warm air over land expands and rises and cooler air rushes in to take its place. At night the process is reversed. This energy in wind is used for practical purposes such as generating electricity, charging batteries, pumping water and grinding grain.

Top up…. Mechanical or electrical power is created through the kinetic energy of the wind. Wind power available is proportional to the cube of its speed, which means that the power available to a wind generator increases by a factor of eight if the wind speed doubles. Wind turbines use this power to generate electricity. The first modern wind turbine was built in 1940s in Vermont. The turbine’s blades rotate and this action turns a generator, which creates electricity. Wind turbines are mounted on a tower to capture more energy as the wind’s speed increases with height. The largest turbines can harness energy to power as many as 600 homes. It causes minimum pollution.

XL Info…. Wind turbines do have a few drawbacks. They are said to cause noise and disturbance. They are said to harm birds in the area. It is also said to be variable -- if there is no wind, the generation of electricity stops. However, this industry is progressing by leaps and bounds. The most installed capacity of wind energy is in Germany followed by Spain. It is also unique because it does not use any water. Wind farms can be constructed in off shore locations. The largest wind turbine in the world is located in US in Hawaii. The major drawbacks of this form of energy are high installation costs, change in wind speed and not suitable for all areas.

D’code…. The water present beneath the Earth's surface in soil and fractures of rock is called groundwater. Technically it is thought of as water flowing through shallow aquifers* but it can also contain soil moisture, immobile water in very low permeability bedrock* and deep geothermal or oil formation water. This form of water is considered cheaper, more convenient and less prone to pollution. It is, therefore, commonly used for public water supplies. Though, as mentioned, it is less likely to be polluted but polluted groundwater is more difficult to clean up than rivers and lakes. Groundwater pollution is caused by industrial and household chemical waste, excessive fertilisers, industrial waste lagoons, leaking underground oil storage tanks and pipelines and sewage systems.

Top up.… Groundwater accounts for about twenty percent of the world's fresh water supply. It is an important resource and acts as a natural storage that can help against shortages of surface water during droughts. It can be replenished from streams, rivers and precipitation. It can act as a long term reservoir of natural water cycle. The evaporation of groundwater can play an important part in the local water cycle, specially in dry regions.

XL Info.... Groundwater has been known to humans for thousands of years. It is one of the most important natural resources. It is used in wells and also for crop irrigation. If contaminated, it can cause pollution of surface water as well. There is interaction between groundwater and surface water.  Groundwater flows in to meet surface water, though it moves slowly compared to surface water. Groundwater crisis has now resulted due to human actions like agriculture, industry etc. It is contaminated due to garbage excess. Therefore, it is important to integrate conservation and development activities that include water extraction and water management.

D’code…. A remedy is a kind of solution that we look for when we are confronted with a problem. It involves rework, repair or additional services to ensure satisfaction. A corrective measure is adopted and sometimes preventive actions are taken. Environmental remedial action is often undertaken by water specialists in the case of infected supply. Since the 1980s these plans have been adopted to manage the impact of various businesses on the environmental health of our water bodies.

Top up.… If we talk about remedial action for the environment, we refer to the removal of pollution from soil, groundwater, sediment or surface water. It depends on assessment of human health as well as ecological risks. In some countries like America, there is a mechanism for taxing polluting industries to form a superfund to remediate the contaminated sites. In other countries such sites are given higher value so that the cleanup cost can be deducted. However, remediation may lead to noise, dust, odour and incremental health risk which a receptor faces from (the lack of) a remediation project. But this risk is often less compared to the risk faced from other operations.

XL Info.... Besides remedial action there is also a removal action. Removal actions are immediate, short term responses to protect people from immediate threats posed by hazardous waste sites. Remedial actions, on the other hand, are long term clean ups to prevent the release of harmful substances and reduce the risk to health and environment. Remedial actions follow a remedial design. For example to remove hazardous material from groundwater pump and treat technology is used.