Natural Resources and Associated problems

Life on this planet earth depends upon a variety of goods and services provided by the nature, which are known as Natural resources. Thus water, air, soil, minerals, coal, forests, crops and wildlife are all examples of natural resources. Any stock or reserve that can be drawn from nature is a natural resource. The natural resources are two kinds:(i) Renewable resources --- which are in exhaustive and can be regenerated within a given span of time. Example- forests, wildlife, wind energy, biomass energy, tidal energy, hydro power. Solar energy is also a renewable energy form of energy as it is an in-exhaustible source of energy. (ii) Non-renewable resources --- which cannot be regenerated. Example- Fossil fuels like coal, petroleum, minerals etc. Once we exhaust these reserves, the same cannot be replenished. Even our renewable resources can become non-renewable if we exploit them to such extent that their rate of consumption exceeds their rate of regeneration. It is very important to protect and conserve our natural resources and use them in a judicious manner so that we do not exhaust them. It does not mean that we should stop using most of the natural resources, but we should use the resources in such a way that we always save enough of them for our future generations. So now we shall discuss some of major natural resources:Forest resources Water resources Mineral resources Food resources Energy resources Land resources

Forest Resources
Forest are one of the most important natural resources on this earth. Covering the earth like a green blanket these forests not only produce innumberable material goods but also provide several environmental services which are essential for life. Uses of Forests:-

Commercial Use = Forests provide us a large number of commercial goods which incude timber, firewood, pulpwood, food items, gum, non-edible oils, rubber, fibers, bamboo canes, fodder, medicine, drugs etc

Ecological Use = While a typical tree produces commercial goods worth about 30,000/- it provides
environmental services worth nearly 10,0000/-. The ecological services provided by our forests may be summed up as follows: Production of oxygen- the trees produce oxygen by photosynthesis which is so vital for life on thes earth. They are rightly called as earths lungs. Reducing global warming- the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2) is absorbed by the forests as raw material for photosynthesis. Thus forest canopy acts as a sink for CO2 thereby reducing the problem of global warming caused by greenhouse gas CO2. Wildlife habitat: Forest are the homes of millions of wild animal and plants. About 7 million species are found in the tropcial forests alone. Regualtion of hydrological cycle: Forested watersheds act like giant spongers, absorbing the rainfall, slowing down the runoff and slowly releasing the water for recharge of springs. About 50-80% of the moisture in the air above tropical forests comes from their transpiration which heops in bringing rains. Soil conservation: Forests bind the soil particles tightly in their roots and prevent soil erosion. They also act as wind-breaks. Pollution moderators: Forests can absorb many toxic gases and can help in keeping the air pure. They have also been reported to absorb noiseand thus help in preventing air and noise pollution.

OVER EXPLOITATION OF FORESTS

Forests have been known to possess huge potential for human use and they have been exploited since early times for their vvast potential. Exploitation of forests has taken place to meet human demands in the following ways: ---Due to wood cutting and large scale logging for raw materials like timber, pulpwood, fuel wood etc --- Deforestation due to road construction --- Clearing of forests to create more agricultural lands to meet the food demands of growing population ---About 78% of forest area is under heavy grazing --- Mining activities lead to clearing of forests

--- Big hydropower projects result in large scale desturction of forests. In India, Joint Forest Management has come up as an innovative approach involving community participation, so that the rural economy is strengthned as well as resources are conserved through public involvement.

Deforestation
The total forest area of the world in 1900 was estimated to be 7,000 million heactares which was reduced to 2890 million ha in 1975 and fell down to just 2,300 million ha by 2000. Deforestation rate is relatively less in temperate countries, but it is very alarming in tropical countries where it is as high as 40-50 percent and at the present rate it is estimated that in the next 60 years we would lose more than 90 percent of our tropical forests. The forested area in India seems to have stabilized since 1982 with about 0.04% deline annually between 1982-90. INDIAN FOREST STATISTICS Total forest area Percent of land area Deforestation Rates Break down of forest Forest classification Forest use Production Protection Conservation Multiple purposes : 67,701,000 ha : 22.8% (Annual forest loss 2000-2005 29,400 ha) (Natural-32,943,000 ha), (Semi-natural 31,532,000 ha) (public forest 98.4%), (private forest 1.6%)

- 21.2 % - 14.8 % - 21.7 % - 42.4 %

Major Consequences of Deforstation

It threatens the existence of many wildlife species due to desturction of their natural habitat. Bidodiverstiy is lost and along with that genetic diversity is eroded. Hydrological cycle gets affected, thereby influencing rainfall. Problems of soil erosion and loss of soil fertility increase.

More carbon is added to the atmosphere and global warming is enhanced.

Dams and Their Effects on Forests and People

Big dams and river valley projects have multi-purpose uses and have been referred to as temples of modern India. However these dams are also responsible for the destruction of vast areas of forests. India has more than 1550 large dams, the maximum being in the state of Maharashtra (more then 600), followed by Gujarat (more than 250) and Madhya Pradesh (130). The highest one is Tehri Dam, on river Bhagirathi in Uttarakhand and the larget in terms of capacity is Bhakra Dam on river Satluj in Himachal Pradesh. Big dams have been in sharp focus of various environmental groups all over he world which is mainly because of several ecological Problems including deforestation and socio-economic problems related to tribal or native people associated with them.

WATER RESOURCES

Water is an indespensable natural resource on this earth on which all life depends. About 97% of the earths surface is covered by water and most of the animals and plants have 60-65% water in their body. Water- A Unique Resource: Water is characterized by certain unique featrues which make it a marvellous resource: It exists as a liquid over a wide range of temperature It has the highest specific heat, due to which it warms up and cools down very slowly without causing shocks of temperature jerks to the aquatic life. It has a high latent heat of vaporization. Hence it takes a huge amount of energy or getting vaporized. Thats why it produces a cooling effect as it evaporates. It is an excellent solvent for several nutrients. Thus, it can serve as a very good carrier of nutrients, including oxygen, which are essential for life. But, it can also easily dissolve various pollutants and become a carrier of pathogenic micro-organisms.

Water Use and Over-Exploitation

Due ot its unique properties water is of multiple uses for all living organisms. Water is absolutely essential for life. Most of the life processes take place in water contained in the body. Uptake of nutrients, their disstribution in the body, regulation of temperature and removial of wastes are all mediated through water. Human beings depend on water for almost every developmental activity. Water is used for drinking, irrigatioin, transportation, washing and waste disposal for industries and used as a coolant for thermal power plants. Water shapes the earths surface and regulates our climate. Water use by humans is of two types: Water withdrawal: taking water from grounwater or surface water resource and Water consumption: the water which is taken up but not returned for reuse. Globally, only about 60 percent of the water withdrawn is consumed due to loss through evaporation. With increasing human population and rapid development, the world water withdrawal demands have increased many folds and a large proportion of the water withdrawn is polluted due to anthropogenic activities. On a global average 70% of the water withdrawn is used for agriculture. In india, we use 93% of water in agricultural sector while in a country like Kuwait, which is water-poor, only 4% is used watering the crops. About 25% of water on global average is used in industry, which again varies from a high of 70% in European countries to as low as 5% in less developed countries. Per capita use of water shows wide variations. In USA, an average family of 4 consumes more than 1000 m3 of water per year, which is many times more than that in most developing countries.

Water:- A Percious Natural Resource

Although water is very abundant on this earth, yet it is very precious. Out of the total water reserves of the world, about 97% is salty water and only 3% is fresh water. Even this small fraction of fresh water is not available to us as most if it is locked up in polar ice caps and just 0.003% is readily availabe to us in the form of groundwater and surface water. Over use of groundwater for drinking, irrigation and domestic purposes has resulted in rapid depletion of groundwater in various regions leading to lowering of water table and drying of wells. Pollution of many of the groundwater aquifers has made many of these wells unfit for consumption.

Rivers and streams have long been used for discharging the wastes. Most of the civilization have grown and floureshed on the blanks of rivers, but unfortunately, growth in turn, has been responsible for pollution of the rivers.

As per the United Nations estimates (2002) at least 101 billion people do not even have been access to safe drinking water and 2.4 billion do not have

adequate sanitaion facilities. Increasing population and expanding development would further increase the demands for water. It is estimated that by 2024 two-thirds of the world population would be suffering from acute water shortage.

Groundwater

About 9.86% of the total fresh water resources is in the form of groundwater and it is about 35-50 times that of surface water supplies. Till some time back groundwater was considered to be very pure. However, of late, even groundwater aquifers have been found to be contaminated by leachates from sanitary landfills etc. A layer of sediment or rock that is highly permeable and contains water is called an aquifer. Aquifers may be of two types: Unconfined aquifers which are overlaid by permeable earth materials and they are recharged by water seeping down from above in the form of rainfall and snow melt. Confined aquifers, which are sandwiched between two impermeable layers of rock or sediments and are recharged only in those areas where the aquifer intersects the land surface. Sometimes the recharged are is hundreds of kilometers away from the location of the well.

Surface Water

The water coming through precipitation (rainfall, snow) when does not percolate down into the ground or does not return to the atmosphere as evaporation or transpiration loss, assumes the form of streams, lakes, ponds, wetlands or artifical reservoirs known as surface water.

FLOODS

In some countries like India and Bangladesh rainfall does not occur throughout the year, rather 90% of it is concentrated into few months (June-September). Heavy rainfall often causes floods in the low-lying coastal areas. Prolonged downpour can also cause the over-flowing of lakes and rivers resulting into

floods. Deforestation, overgrazing, mining, rapid industrialization, global warming etc. have also contributed largely to a sharp rise in the incidence of floods, which otherwiseis a natural disaster.

Droughts

There are about 80 countries in the world, lying in the arid and semi-arid regions that experience frequent spells of droughts, very often extending up to year long duration. When annual rainfall is below normal and less than evaporation, drought conditions are created.

CONFLICTS OVER WATER

Indispensability of water and its unequal distribution in different regions has often led to inter-state or international disputes. Issues related to sharing of river water have been largely affecting our farmers and also shaking our governments. Some major water conflicts are discussed here:- (Water conflict in the Middle East) Three river basins, namely the Jordan, the Tigris and the Nile are the shared water resource for Middle East countries. Ethiopia controls the head water of 80% of Niles flow and plans to increase it. Sudan too is trying to diver more water. This would badly affect Egypt, which is a desert, except for a thin strip of irrigated cropland along the river Nile and its delta. The population of Egypt is likely to double in the next 20 years, thereby increasing its water crisis. Likewise, there is a fierce battle for water among Jordan, Syria and Israel for the Jordan River water share.

(The Indus Water Treaty) The Indus, one of the mightiest rivers is dying a slow death due to dams and barrages that have been built higher up on the river. The Sukkur barrage (1932), Ghulam Mohammad Barrage at Kotri (1958) and Tarbela and Chasma Dams on Jhelum, a tributary of Indus has resulted in severe shrinking of the Indus delta. In 1960, the Indus water treaty was established by which Indus, the Jhelum and the Chenab were allocated to Pakistan and the Satluj, the Ravi and the Beas were allocated to India. Being the riparian state, India has pre-emptive right to construct barrages across all these rivers in Indian Territory. However, the treaty requires that the tree rivers allocated to Pakistan may be used for non-consumptive purposes by India, so without changing its flow and quality. With improving

political relations between the two countries it is desirable to work out techno-economic details and go for an integrated development of the river basin in a sustainable manner.

Traditional Water Management System

In India, even today there are several villages where water management is done not by the Irrigation Department, but by local managers. In south India, a neerkatti manages the traditional tanks very efficiently based on his/her knowledge of the terrain, drainage and irrigation needs. They usually give preference to the tail end fields and decide per capita allocation of water based on the stock of available water in the tank and crop needs In Maharashtra, the water managers are called havaldars or jaghyas who manage and resolve conflicts by overseeing the water channels from main canal to the distributor canals. In Ladakh, the water manger is known as churpun who has got complete charge with full powers over allocation of available water. The major source of water is melt water from glaciers and snow supplementary by water from springs and marshes. The water is distributed to different fields through an intricate network of earthen channels.

In traditional water management, innovative arrangements ensure equitable distribution of water, which are democratically implemented. The gram-sabhas approve these plans publicly. While water disputes between states and nations often assume battle like situations, our traditional water managers in villages prove to be quite effective.

BIG DAMS BENEFITS AND PROBLEMS

Big dams are often regarded as a symbol of national development. However, there are several other issues and problems related to these. Benefits --- River valley projects with big dams have usually been considered to play a key role in the development process due to their multiple uses. India has the distinction of having the largest number of river-valley projects. The tribals living in the area pin big hopes on these projects as they aim at providing employment and raising the standard and quality of life. The dams have tremendous potential for economic upliftment and growth. They can help in checking floods and famines, generate electricity

and reduce water and power shortage, provide irrigation water to lower areas, provide drinking water in remote areas and promote navigation, fishery etc.

Environmental Problems --- The environmental impacts of big-dams are also too many due to which
very often the big dams become a subject of controversy. The impacts can be at the upstream as well as downstream levels. (A) The upstream problems include the following: (i) Displacement of tribal people (ii) Loss of forests, flora and fauna (iii) Changes in fisheries and the spawning grounds (iv) Siltation and sedimentation of reservoirs (v) Loss of non-forest land (vi) Stagnation and water-logging near reservoir (vii) Reservoir induced seismicity (RIS) causing earthquakes (viii) Growth of aquatic weeds (ix) Microclimatic changes

(B) The downstream impacts include the following: (i) Water logging and salinity due to over irrigation (ii) Micro-climatic changes (iii) Reduced water flow and silt deposition in river (iv) Flash Floods (v) Salt water intrusion at river mouth (vi) Loss of land fertility along the river since the sediments carrying nutrients get deposited in the reservoir. (vii) Outbreak of vector-borne diseases like malaria

MINERAL RESOURCES

Minerals are naturally occurring; inorganic, crystalline solids have a definite chemical composition and characteristic physical properties. There are thousands of minerals occurring in different parts of the world. However, most of the rocks, we see everyday are just composed of a few common minerals like quartz, feldspar, calcite etc. These minerals, in turn, are composed of some elements like silicon, oxygen, iron, magnesium, calcium, aluminum etc.

USES AND EXPLOITATION

Minerals find use in a large number of ways in everyday use in domestic, agricultural, industrial and commercial sectors and thus form a very important part of any nations economy. The main uses of minerals are as follows: Development of industrial plants and machinery. Generation of energy e.g. coal, lignite, uranium Construction, housing, settlements. Defence equipments weapons, armaments. Transportation means. Communication telephone wires, cables, electronic devices. Medicinal system --- particularly in Ayurvedic system. Agriculture ---as fertilizers, seed dressings and fungicides ( e.g. zineb containing zinc) Jewellery --- e.g. gold, silver, platinum, diamond.

METAL Aluminum

MAJOR WORLD RESERVES Australia, Guinea, Jamaica

MAJOR USES Packaging food items, transportation, utensils, Electronics

Chromium

CIS, South Africa

for making high strength steel alloys, in textile/ Tanning Industries

Copper

U.S.A., Canada, CIS, Chile, Zambia

Electric and electronic goods, building, construction, Vessels

Iron

CIS, South America, Canada, U.S.A

Leaded gasonline, Car batteries, Paints, ammunitioin

Plantinum group

South Africa, CIS

Use in automobiles, catalytic converters, electronics, medical use

Gold

South Africa, CIS, Canada

Photography, elctronics, jewellery

Minerals are sometimes classified as Critical and Strategic. Critical minerals are essential for the economy of a nation e.g. iron, aluminimum, copper, gold etc. Strategic minerals are those required for the defence of a country e.g. Manganese, cobalt, platinum etc.

Some Major Minerals of India:Energy generating minerals

Coal and lignite: West Begnal, Jharkhan, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh. Uranium: Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Rajasthan

Other commercially used minerals Aluminium: Jharkhand, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya pradesh, Tamil Nadu.

Iron: Jharkhand, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa

Copper: Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Uttarakhand.

ENVIROMENTAL IMPACTS OF MINERAL

The issue related to the limits of the mineral resources in our earths crust or in the ocean is not so significant. More important environmental concern arises from the impacts of extraction and processing of these minerals during mining, smelting etc. Indian Scenario: India is the producer of 84 minerals the annual value of which is about Rs. 50,000 crore. At least six major mines need mentions here which are known for causing several problems: Jaduguda uranium mine, Jharkhand- exposing local people to radioactive hazards. Jharia coal mines, Jharkhand underground fire leading to land subsidence and forced displacement of people. Sukinda chromite mines, Orissa- seeping of hexavalent chromium into river posing serious health hazard. Kudremukh iron ore mine, Karnataka- causing river pollution and threat to biodiversity. East coast bauxite mine, Orissa- Land encroachment and issue of rehabilitation unsettled. North-Eastern Coal Fields, Assam- Very high sulphur contamination of groundwater

CASE STUDIES
Mining and quarrying in Udaipur --- About 200 open cast mining and quarrying centers in Udaipur, about half of which are illegal are involved in stone mining including soapstone, building stone, rock phosphate and dolomite. The mines spread over 15,000 hectares in Udaipur have caused many adverse impacts on environment. About 150 tonnes of explosives are used per month in blasting. The overburden, was off, discharge of mine water etc. pollute the water. The Maton mines have badly polluted the Ahar River. The hills around the mines are devoid of any vegetation except a few scattered patches and the hills are suffering from acute soil erosion. The waste water flow towards a big tank of Bag Dara. Due to scarcity of water people are compelled to use this effluent for irrigation purpose. The blasting activity has adversely affected the fauna and the animals like tiger, lion, deer and even har, fox, wild cats and birds have disappeared from the mining area.

Mining in Sariska Tiger Reserve in Aravallis The Aravalli range is spread over about 692 km in the North-West India covering Gujarat, Rajasthan, Haryana and delhi. The hill region is very rich in biodiversity as well as mineral resources. The Sariska tiger reserve has gentle slopy hills, vertical rocky valleys, flat plains as well as deep gorges. The reserve is very rich in wildlife and has enormous mineral reserves like quartzite, schists, marble and granite in abundance. Mining operations within and around the Sariska Tiger reserve has left many areas permanently infertile and barren. The precious wildlife is under serious threat. We must preserve the Aravalli series as a National Heritage and the Supreme Court on December 31st 1991 has given a judgement in response to a Public Interest Litigation of Tarun Bharat Sangh, an NGO wherein both Central and State Governments of Rajasthan have been directed to ensure that all mining activity within the park be stopped. More than 400 mines were shut immediately. But, still some illegal mining is in progress.

FOOD RESOURCES
We have thousands of edible plants and animals over the world out of which only about three dozen types constitute the major food of humans. The main food resources include wheat, rice, maize, potato, barley, oats cassava, sweet potato, sugarcane, pulses, sorghum, millet, about twenty or son common fruits and vegetables milk, meat, fish and seafood. Amongst these rice, wheat and maize are the major grains, about 1500 million metric tons of which are grown each year, which is about half of all the agricultural crops. About 4 billion people in the developing countries have wheat and rice as their staple food. Meat and milk are mainly consumed by more developed nations of North America, Europe and Japan who consume about 80% of the total. Fish and sea-food contribute about 70 million metric tons of high quality protein to the worlds diet. But there are indications that we have already surpassed sustainable harvests of fist from most of the worlds oceans.

The food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations estimated that on an average the minimum caloric intake on a global scale is 2,500 calories/day. People receiving less than 90% of these minimum dietary calories are called undernourished and if it is less than 80% they are said to be seriously undernourished. Beside the minimum caloric intake we also need proteins, minerals etc. Deficiency or lack of nutrition often leads to malnutrition resulting in several diseases as shown here :Deficiency Proteins and Calories Iron Iodine Vitamin A Health effect Stunted growth, Marasmus Anaemia Goitre, Cretinism Blindness 350 million 150 million, 6 million 6 million 0.75-1 No. of cases 750 million Deaths per year (in millions) 15-20

WORLDS FOOD PROBLEMS

During the last 50 years world grain production has increased almost three times, thereby increasing per capita production by about 50%. But, at the same time population growth increased at such a rate in LDCs (Less developed countries) that it outstripped food production. Every year 40 million people (50% of which are young children between 1 to 5 years) die of undernourishment and malnutrition. This means that every year our food problem is killing as many people as were killed by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima during World War II. These startling statistical figures more than emphasize the need to increase our food production, equitably distribute it and also to control population growth. Indian Scenario: Although India is the third largest producer of staple crops, an estimated 300 million Indians are still undernourished. India has only half as much land as USA, but it has nearly three times population to feed. Our food problems are directly related to populations. The World Food Summit, 1996 has set the target to reduce the number of undernourished to just half by 2015, which still means 410 million undernourished people on the earth.

Impacts of Overgrazing:Soil erosion Land degradation Loss of useful species Impact of Agriculture:Traditional Agriculture--- Forest clearing, Soil erosion, depletion of nutrients Modern Agriculture --- Salinity problems, water logging, Pesticide related Impacts, Impacts related related to high yielding varieties Pesticide related impacts --- Pest resistance problem, Loss of non-target species, Biological magnification

ENERGY RESOURCES
Energy consumption of a nation is usually considered as an index of its development. This is because almost all the developmental activities are directly or indirectly dependent upon energy. We find wide disparities in per capita energy use between the developed and the developing nations. The first form of energy technology probably was the fire, which produced heat and the early man used it for cooking and heating purposes. Wind and hydropower have also been in use for the last 10,000 years. The invention of steam engines replaced the burning of wood by coal and coal was later replaced to a great extent by oil. In 1970s due to Iranian revolution and Arab oil embargo the prices of oil shot up. This ultimately led to exploration and use of several alternate sources of energy.

Countries and Energy Needs

Development in different sectors relies largely upon energy. Agriculture, industry, mining, transportation, lighting, cooling and heating in buildings all need energy. With the demands of growing population the world is facing further energy deficit. The fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas which at present are supplying 95% of the commercial energy of the world resources and are not going to last for many more years our life style is changing very fast and from a simple way of life we are shifting to a luxurious life style. If you just look at the number of electric gadgets in your homes and the number of private cars and scooters in your locality you will realize that in the last few years they have multiplied many folds and all of them consume energy.

Developed countries like U.S.A. and Canada consititute about 5% of the worlds populatioin but consume one fourth of global envergy resources. An average person there 300 GJ ( Giga Joules, equal to 60 barrels of oils) per year. By contrast, an average man in a poor country like Bhutan, Nepal or Ethoipia consumes less than 1 GJ in a single day as one person does in a whole year in a poor country. This clearly shows that our life-style and standard of living are closely related to energy needs. As a journalist, we have to know that the strong correlation between per capita energy use and GNP (Gross National Product) is exist. U.S.A., Norway, Switzerland etc. with high GNP show high energy use while India, China etc. have low GNP and low energy use. Bahrain and Qatar are oil rich states (UAE) and hence their energy consumption and GNP are more, although their development is not that high.

RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCE A source of energy is one that can provide adequate amount of energy in a usable form over a long period of time. These sources can be of two types: Renewable resources which can be generated continuously in nature and are inexhaustible e.g. wood, solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, hydropower, biomass energy and hydrogen. They are also known as non-conventional sources of every and they can be used again and again in an endless manner. Non-renewable resources which have accumulated in nature over a long span of time and cannot be quickly replenished when exhausted e.g. coal, petroleum, natural gas and nuclear fuels like uranium

Renewable Energy Source

Solar energy: Sun is the ultimate source of energy, directly or indirectly for all other forms of energy. The nuclear fusion reactions occurring inside the sun release enormous quantities of energy in the form of heat and light. The solar energy received by the near earth space is approximately 1.4 kilojoules/second/m2 known as solar constant. (Solar heat collectors, Solar cells, solar cooker, Solar water heater, Solar power plant) Wind Energy: The high speed winds have a lot of energy in them as kinetic energy due to their motion. The driving force of the winds is the sun. The wind energy is harnessed by making use of wind mills. The blades of the wind mill keep on rotating continuously due to the force of the striking wind. The rotational motion of the blade drives a number of machines like water pumps, flour mills and electric generators. A large number of wind mills are installed in clusters called wind farms, which feed power to the utility grid and produce a large amount of electricity. These farms are ideally located in coastal regions, open grasslands or hilly regions, particularly mountain passes and ridges where the winds are strong and steady. The minimum wind speed required for satisfactory working of a wind generator is 15 km/hr.

The wind power potential of our country is estimated to be about 20,000 MW, while at present we are generating about 1020 MW. The largest wind farm of our country is near Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu generating 380 MW electricity.

Hydropower --- The water flowing in a river is collected by constructing a big dam where the water is stored and allowed to fall from a height. The blades of the turbine located at the bottom of the dam move with the fast moving water which in turn rotates the generator and produces electricity. Tidal Energy --- Ocean tides produced by gravitational forces of sun and moon contain enormous amounts of energy. The high tide and low tide refers to the rise and fall of water in the oceans. A difference of several meters is required between the height of high and low tide to spin the turbines. The tidal energy can be harnessed by constructing a tidal barrage. During high tide, the sea-water flows into the reservoir of the barrage and turns the turbine, which in turn produces electricity by rotating the generators. During low tide when the sea-level is low, the sea water stored in the barrage reservoir flows out into the sea and again turns the turbines.

Biogas --- Biogas is a mixture of methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen and hydrogen sulphide the major
constituent being methane. Biogas is produced by anaerobic degradation of animal wastes (sometimes plant wastes) in the presence of water. Anaerobic degradation means breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of oxygen. Biogas is a non-polluting, clean and low cost fuel which is very useful for rural areas where a lot of animal waste and agricultural waste are available. India has the largest cattle population in the world (240 million) and has tremendous potential for biogas production. Biogas is clean, non-polluting and cheap. There is direct supply of gas from the plant and there is no storage problem. The sludge left over is a rich fertilizer containing bacterial biomass with most of the nutrients preserved as such. Air-tight digestion/degradation of the animal wastes is safe as it eliminates health hazards which normally occur in case of direct use of dung due to direct exposure to faecal pathogens and parasites. Biogas plants used in our country are basically of two types:Floating gas-holder type, Fixed-dome type

BIOFUELS Biomass can be fermented to alcohols like ethanol and methanol which can be used as fuels. Ethanol can be easily produced from carbohydrate rich substances like sugarcane, corn and sorghum. It burns clean and is non-polluting. However, as compared to petrol its calorific value is less and therefore, produces much less heat than petrol. It is also considered to be an excellent substitute for kerosene and its combustion is as clean as LPG.

HYDROGEN AS A FUEL As hydrogen burns in air, it combines with oxygen to form water and a large amount of energy (150 kilojoules per gram) is released. Due to its high, rather the highest calorific value, hydrogen can serve as an excellent fuel. Moreover, it is non-polluting and can be easily produced. Production of hydrogen is possible by thermal dissociation, photolysis or electrolysis of water: By thermal dissociation of water (at 3000*K or above) hydrogen (H2) is produced, Thermo-chemically, hydrogen is produced by chemical reaction of water with some other chemicals in 2-3 cycles so that we dont need the high temperatures as in direct thermal method and ultimately H2 is produced, Electrolytic method dissociates water into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen by making a current flow through it.

Non-Renewable Energy Sources COAL

Coal was formed 255-350 million years ago in the hot, damp regions of the earth during the carboniferous age. The ancient plants along the banks of rivers and swamps were buried after death into soil and due to the heat and pressure gradually got converted into peat and coal over millions of years of time. At the present rate of usage, the coal reserves are likely to last for about 200 years and if its use increases by 2% per year, then it will last for another 65 years. India has about 5% of worlds coal and Indian coal is not very goods in terms of heat capacity. Major coal fields in India are Raniganj, Jharia, Bokaro, Singrauli and Godavari Valley. The coal states of India are Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Anthracite coal occurs only in J&K. When coal is burnt it produces carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas responsible for causing enhanced global warming. Coal also contains impurities like sulphur and therefore as it burns the smoke contains toxic gases like oxides of sulphur and nitrogen.

PETROLEUM
It is the lifeline of global economy. There are 13 countries in the world having 67% of the petroleum reserves which together form the OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries). About 1/4th of the oil reserves are in Saudi Arabia. At the present rate of usage, the worlds crude oil reserves are estimated to get exhausted in just 40 years. Some optimists, however, believe that there are some yet undiscovered reserves. Even then the crude oil reserves will last for another 40 years or so. Crude petroleum is a complex mixture of alkane hydrocarbons. Hence it has to be purified and refined by the process of fractional distillation, during which process different constituents separate out at different

temperatures. We get a large variety of products from this namely, petroleum gas, Kerosene, petrol, diesel, fuel oil, lubricating oil, paraffin wax, plastic etc. Petroleum is a cleaner fuel as compared to coal as it burns completely and leaves no residue. It is also easier to transport and use. That is the reason why petroleum is preferred amongst all the fossil fuels. LPG: The main component of petroleum is butane, the other being propane and ethane. The petroleum gas is easily converted to liquid form under pressure as LPG. It is odorless, but the LPG in our domestic gas cylinders gives a foul smell. This is, in fact due to ethyl mercaptan, a foul smelling gas, added to LPG so that any leakage of LPG from the cylinder can be detected instantaneously.

NATURAL GAS Compressed Natural Gas (CNG): It is being used as an alternative to petrol and diesel for transport of vehicles. Delhi has totally switched over to CNG where buses and auto rickshaws run on this new fuel. CNG use has greatly reduced vehicular pollution in the city. Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG): It is a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. It is a connecting link between a fossil fuel and substituted natural gas. Low grade coal is initially transformed into synthetic gas by gasification followed by catalytic conversion to methane.

NUCLEAR ENERGY Nuclear energy is known for its high destructive power as evidenced from nuclear weapons. The nuclear energy can also be harnessed for providing commercial energy. Nuclear energy can be generated by two types of reaction: Nuclear fission and Nuclear fusion.

LAND RESOURCES
Land is a finite and valuable resource upon which we depend for our food, fibre and fuel wood, the basic amenities of life. Soil, especially the top soil is classified as a renewable resource because it is continuously regenerated by natural process though at a very slow rate. About 200-1000 years are needed for the formation of one inch or 2.5 cm soil, depending upon the climate and the soil type. But, when rate of erosion is faster than rate of renewal, then the soil becomes a non-renewable resource. Land Degradation

With increasing population growth the demands for arable land for producing food, fibre and fuel wood is also increasing. Hence there is more and more pressure on the limited land resources which are getting degraded due to over-exploitation. Soil degradation is a real cause of alarm because soil formation is an extremely slow process as discussed above and the average annual erosion rate is 20100 times more than the renewal rate. Soil Erosion The literal meaning of soil erosion is wearing away of soil. Soil erosion is defined as the movement of soil components, especially surface-litter and top soil from one place to another. Soil erosion results in the loss of fertility because it is the top soil layer which is fertile. If we look at the world situation, we find that one third of the worlds cropland is getting eroded. Two thirds of the seriously degraded lands lie in Asia and Africa. (Climate change, ecological effect, agricultural, Re-agricultural, Minerals, Landslides)

CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES: ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL

Different natural resources like forests, water, soil, food, mineral and energy resources play a vital role in the development of a nation. However, overuse of these resources in our modern society is resulting in fast depletion of these resources and several related problems. If we want mankind to flourish there is a strong need to conserve these natural resources. While conservation efforts are underway at national as well as international level, the individual efforts for conservation of natural resources can go a long way. Environment belongs to each one of us and all of us have a responsibility to contribute towards its conservation and protection. Small droplets of water together form a big ocean. Similarly, with our small individual efforts we can together help in conserving our natural resources to a large extent. Let us see how individuals can help in conservation of different resources. Conserve Water --Dont keep water taps running while brushing, shaving, washing or bathing. In washing machines fill the machine only to the level required for your clothes. Install water-saving toilets that use not more than 6 liters per flush. Check for water leaks in pipes and toilets and repair them promptly. A small pin-hole sized leak will lead to the wastage of 640 liters of water in a month. Reuse the soapy water of washings from clothes for washing off the courtyards, driveways etc.

Water the plants in your kitchen-garden and the lawns in the evening when evaporation losses are minimum. Never water the plants in mid-day. Use drip irrigation and sprinkling irrigation to improve irrigation efficiency and reduce evaporation. Build rain water harvesting system in your house. Even the President of India is doing this.

Conserve energy Turn off lights, fans and other appliances when not in use. Obtain as much heat as possible from natural sources. Dry the clothes in sun instead of drier if it is a sunny day. Use solar cooker for cooking your food on sunny days which will be more nutritious and will cut down on your LPG expenses. Build your house with provision for sunspace which will keep your house warmer and will provide more light. Drive less, make fewer trips and use public transportations whenever possible. You can share by joining a car-pool if you regularly have to go to the same place. Recycle and reuse glass, metals and paper. Try riding bicycle or just walk down small distances instead of using your car or scooter.

Protect the Soil While constructing your house, dont uproot the trees as far as possible. Plant the disturbed areas with a fast growing native ground cover. Grow different types of ornamental plants, herbs and trees in your garden. Grow grass in the open areas which will bind the soil and prevent its erosion. Make compost from your kitchen waste and use it for your kitchen-garden. Do not irrigate the plants using a strong flow of water, as it would wash off the soil. Better use sprinkling irrigation. Use green manure and mulch in the garden and kitchen-garden which will protect the soil.

If you own agricultural fields, do not over-irrigate your fields without proper drainage to prevent water logging and Stalinization.

Promote Sustainable Agriculture Do not waste food. Eat as much as you can. Reduce the use of pesticides. Fertilize your crop primarily with organic fertilizers. Use drip irrigation to water the crops. Eat local and seasonal vegetables. This saves lot of energy on transport, storage and preservation. Controls pests by a combination of cultivation and biological control methods.

EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIFE STYLE

There is a big divide in the world as North and South, the more developed countries (MDCs) and less developed countries (LDCs), the haves and the have nots. The less developed does not mean that they are backward as such, they are culturally very rich or even much more developed, but economically they are less developed. The gap between the two is mainly because of population and resources. The MDCs have only 22% of worlds population, but they use 88% of its naural resources, 73% of its energy and command 85%of its income. In turn, they contribute a very big proportion to its pollution . these countries include USA, Canada, Japan, the CIS, Australia, New Zealand and Western European Countries. The LDCs, on the other hand, have very low or moderate industrial growth, have 78% of the worlds population and use about 12% of natural resources and 27% of evergy. Their income is merely 15% of global income. The gap between the two is increasing with time due to sharp increse in population in the LDCs: The rich have grown richer while the poor have stayed poor or gone even poorer. As the rich nations are developing more, they are also leading to more pollution and sustainability of the earths life support system is under threat. The poor nations, on the other hand, are still struggling hard with their large population and poverty problems. Their share of resources is too little leading to unsustainability.

Thus, the solution to this problem is to have more equitable distribution of resources and wealth. We cannot expect the poor countries to stop growth in order to check pollution because development brings employment and the main problem of these countries is to tackle poverty. A global consensus has to be reached for more balanced distribution of the basic resources like safe drinking water, food, fuel etc. so that the poor in the LDCs are at least able to sustain their life. Unless they are provided with such basic resources, we cannot think of rooting out the problems related to dirty, unhygienic, polluted, disease infested settlements of these people---which contribute to unsustainability. So, The rich countries will have to lower down their consumption levels while the bare minimum needs of the poor have to be fulfilled by providing them resources. A fairer sharing of resources will narrow down the gap between the rich and the poor and will lead to sustainable development for all and not just for privileged group.

LAST POINT OF UNIT I + UNIT II ==== FOLLOW CLASS NOTES Media-Individual Role in Environmental Issues or Awareness. ..