INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENT STUDIES:

NATURAL RESOURCES
• Environment studies is a multi-disciplinary science because it comprises of
various branches of studies
• It is the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies about
the sources, reactions, transport, effect and fate of physical and biological
species
• It is a study of how all the components of nature and human societies adapt
and interact
• It is the study of interaction of the biotic component (plants, animals and
microorganisms) among themselves and together with the abiotic
component
 Scope of Environmental Studies
• Natural resources- their conservation and management
• Ecology and Biodiversity
• Environmental pollution and control
• Human population and environment
• Social issues in relation to development and environment
Career options
• Research and Development in Environment
• Green Advocacy
• Green marketing
• Green media
 Importance of Environmental Studies
• The current trend of environmental degradation can be reversed if people of
educated communities are organized, empowered and expertized in sustainable
development.

• The environment studies enlighten us about the importance of protection and

conservation of our natural resources, indiscriminate release of pollutants into
the environment etc.
Environment studies have become significant for the following reasons:

1. Environment Issues are of International Importance

2. Problems Cropped in the Wake of Development

3. Explosive Increase in Pollution

4. Need for Alternative Solution

5. Need to Save Humanity from Extinction

6. Need for Wise Planning of Development

Also, environmental protection is very important from three perspectives i.e.
productive value, aesthetic value and option value.
 Main functions of the environment
• It provides natural goods such as lakes, landscape and wildlife.

• It supplies natural resources such as land, water, forests and minerals which are
necessary for the production of economic goods.

• It functions as a dust bin to receive the discarded and waste materials generated
in the process of economic activities.

• It provides environmental services and amenities such as the maintenance of

habitats by climate stability, genetic diversity, beauty and serenity
 Need For Public Awareness
1. Population Growth
2. Poverty
3. Environment Degradation
4. Agricultural Growth
5. Need to Increase Ground water
6. Development and Forests
7. Evil Consequences of Urbanization
8. Air and water Pollution
 NATURAL RESOURCES
Natural resources can be defined as ‘variety of goods and services provided by nature
which are necessary for our day-to-day lives’. Eg: Plants, animals and microbes (living
or biotic part), air, water, soil, minerals, climate and solar energy (non- living or abiotic
part).
 Classification of Natural Resources
There are two types of resources namely Renewable and Non Renewable
Resources.
1. Renewable Resources The resources that can be replaced through rapid
natural cycles are known as renewable resource. These resources are able
to increase their abundance through reproduction and utilization of simple
substances. Eg: Plants, (crops and forests) and animals
2. Non renewable Resources: The resources that cannot be replaced through
natural processes are known as non-renewable resources. These are
available in limited amounts, which cannot be increased. These resources
include fossil fuels (petrol, coal etc.), metals
Non-renewable resources can further be divided into two categories, viz.
a) Recyclable and b) Non-recyclable
a) Recyclable: These are non-renewable resources, which can be collected after they
are used and can be recycled. These are mainly the non-energy mineral resources,
which occur in the earth’s crust (Eg: Ores of aluminum, copper, mercury etc.)
b) Non-recyclable: These are non-renewable resources, which cannot be recycled in
any way. Eg: Fossil fuels and uranium
Natural Resources and Associated Problems

1. The Unequal Consumption of Natural Resources

2. Planning Land Use

3. The Need for Sustainable Lifestyles

 LAND RESOURCES

Land as a Resource
• Land is a finite natural resource

• Land forms like hills, valleys, plains, river basins and wetlands include
different resource generating areas that the people living in them depend on

• Land is an important resource as it provides essential medium for

development of agriculture, vegetation, forestry etc.

• In India nearly 54 % of land is used for agriculture

 Land degradation
It can be defined as any change in the land that reduces its condition or
quality and hence its productivity or productive potential

• The major land degradation problems are:

• Wind erosion
• Water erosion including mass movement of hill slopes
• Dry land salinity and irrigation-induced salinity
• Soil surface scalding
• Water logging
• Soil acidity
• Soil fertility decline or nutrient loss
• Loss of flora and fauna
Causes of Land Degradation

• Population

• Urbanization

• Fertilizers and Pesticides

• Damage to Top Soil

 Landslides
A landslide (or landslip) is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of
ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows,
which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments

Causes of landslides
Natural causes
• Groundwater (pore water) pressure acting to destabilize the slope
• Loss or absence of vertical vegetative structure, soil nutrients, and soil structure (e.g.
after a wildfire)
• Erosion of the toe of a slope by rivers or ocean waves
Human causes
• Vibrations from machinery or traffic
• Blasting
• Earthwork which alters the shape of a slope, or which imposes new loads on an
existing slope
• In shallow soils, the removal of deep-rooted vegetation that binds colluvium to
bedrock.
 Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is the process of removal of superficial layer of soil or wearing away of
soil.
It is defined as the movement of soil components, especially surface-litter and top
soil from one place to another. It results in the loss of fertility.

Types of Soil Erosion

Normal Erosion: This is caused by the gradual removal of top soil by natural
processes. The rate of erosion is slow.

Accelerated Erosion: This is caused by manmade activities. In this case, the rate of
erosion is much faster than the rate of formation of soil
 Causes of Soil Erosion
• Water: Water affects soil erosion in the form of rain, run-off, rapid flow or wave
action.
• Wind: Wind is an important climate agent that carries away the fine particles of
soil thereby contributing to soil erosion.
• Biotic agents: Overgrazing, mining and deforestation are the major biotic agents
causing soil erosion. These processes disturb the top soil thereby exposing the
soil to various physical forces inducing erosion.
• Landslides cause soil erosion
• Construction of dams, buildings and roads removes the protective vegetal cover
leading to soil erosion.
 Three factors affecting erosion
Natural factors
• Heavy rains on weak soil: Rain drops loosen soil particles and water transports them down hill.
• Vegetation depleted by drought: Rain drops are free to hit the soil, causing erosion during rainfall.
• Steep slopes: Gravity pulls harder: water flows faster, soil creeps, slips or slumps downhill.

Sudden climate change

• Rain fall: Rapid increase of erosion occurs as rainstorms become more severe.
• Drought: Water dries up and the soil becomes a play ball of winds. A sudden rain causes enormous
damage.

Human-induced factors
• Change of land: The land loses its cover, then its soil biota, porosity and moisture.
• Intensive farming: The plough, excessive fertilizer and irrigation damage the land, often permanently.
 Effects of Soil Erosion
• Soil fertility is lost

• Loss of soil ability to hold water and sediment

• Sediment runoff can pollute water courses and kill aquatic life.
 Desertification
It is the process by which an area becomes even more barren, less capable of retaining
vegetation and progresses towards becoming a desert

Causes
1. Deforestation
2. Over grazing
3. Over utilization of water
4. Mining and quarrying
5. Climate change
6. Excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides

Effects of Desertification:
80% of productive land in the arid and semi arid regions are converted into desert.
Around 600 million people are suffered by desertification.
 Soil Conservation Practices
• Conservational till farming or no-till farming: The no-till farming method makes
minimum disturbance to the top soil by making slits in the unploughed soil
• Contour Farming: In this method, crops are planted in rows along contours of
gently sloped land
• Terracing: In this method, steep slopes are converted into a series of broad
terraces that run across the contour.
• Alley Cropping or Agro Forestry: This method involves planting crops in strips or
alleys between rows of trees or shrubs that provide fruits and fuel wood
• Wind Breaks or Shelter Belts: In this technique, trees are planted in long rows
along the boundary of cultivated land which block the wind and reduce soil
erosion
 MINERAL RESOURCES
• Mineral resources are broadly defined as elements, chemical compounds and
mixtures which are extracted to manufacture sustainable commodity

• When usually we think about mineral resources we often think of metals, but the
predominant mineral resources are not metallic

• With the exception of iron, the non-metallic minerals are consumed at much
greater rates than the elements used for their metallic properties.
 Uses of Minerals

• Due to increased population, there is increased demand of minerals by the

industry, transport, and agriculture
• Depletion of almost all known and easily accessible deposits is anticipated in
near future.
• Moreover, there may be shortage of some crucial elements such as mercury, tin,
copper, gold, silver and platinum.
• The limited resource of phosphorus, which is an essential component of chemical
fertilizers, is another area of concern.
 Environmental Effects of Extracting and Using
Mineral Resources
1. The mining, processing, and use of resources require enormous amounts of energy and
often cause land disturbance.
2. Mineral industry is a major contributor to air and water pollution and to emissions of
greenhouse gases.
3. The grade of an ore – its percentage of metal content – has an impact on metal mining; it
takes more money, energy and water to exploit lower grade ores.
4. Exploring the minerals involve geophysical surveys, drilling and trenching lead to camp
garbage, road erosion, habitat disruption, and noise pollution.
5. Mining and milling operations lead to wildlife and fisheries habitat loss, changes in local
water balance, sedimentation, and heavy metal leaching from acid mine drainage.
6. Smelting and refining activities lead to sulphur dioxide emissions that contribute to acid
rain
 Management of Mineral Resources
• The efficient use and protection of mineral resources.
• Modernization of mining industries.
• Searching for new deposit.
• Reusing and recycling of the metals.
• Environmental impacts can be minimized by adopting ecofriendly mining
technology.
• Products made from many other minerals, such as nickel, chromium, lead, copper,
and zinc, can also be recycled.
• Strict laws should be made and enforced to ensure efficient management of
mining resources.
 Case Studies-Mining and Quarrying In Udaipur
• There are 200 open cast mining and quarrying in Udaipur spreading over 1500
hectares.
• Of these, 100 mines are illegal.
• 150 tons of explosives are used per month in blasting.
• The overburden, wash off, discharge of mine water etc. pollutes air, soil and water.
• 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 flows towards a big tank of “Bag Dara”.
• Due to scarcity of water, people are compelled to use this effluent for irrigation
purpose. It affects irrigation and wild life
 WATER RESOURCES
• Water is an indispensable resource for life on earth
• Water has very unique characteristic such as:
1. Water exists as liquid over a wide range of temperature 0-100oC with highest
specific heat and latent heat of vaporization.
2. Water is excellent solvent and act as carrier of nutrients and helps to distribute
them to the cells in the body, regulates the body temperature and support structure
and can dissolve various pollutant and can act as carrier of large number of
microorganisms
3. It is responsible for hydrological cycle which acts as resource of water to the earth.
 Over Utilization of Surface and Ground Water
• Water exploitation is the extraction of water for irrigation and human
consumption

• Surface water is water on the surface of continents such as in a river, lake, or

wetland

• Ground water is the water found underground in aquifers. Layers of highly

permeable rock that can store water is called an aquifer
 Effects of Over Utilization of Water
1. Decrease of Ground Water

2. Ground Subsidence

3. Lowering of Water Table

4. Intrusion of Salt Water

5. Over utilization of water causes earth quakes, landslides and famines

6. Drying up of Wells

7. Pollution of Water
 FLOOD
A flood is an overflow or accumulation of an expanse of water that submerges land. In
the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide.
Causes of Flood
• Heavy rainfall, melting of snow and sudden release of water from dams (Flash
floods).
• Reduction in the carrying capacity of the channel.
• Deforestation, mining and over grazing increase the runoff from rains and the
level of flood raises
Effect of Flood
• Water spreads in the surrounding area and submerges them.
• Cultivated land gets affected.
• Extinction of civilization.

Flood Management
• Floods can be controlled by dams.
• Channel management control flood.
• Flood hazards reduced by forecasting or flood warning.
• Flood may also be reduced by reduction of run off by increasing infiltration through appropriate
afforestation in the catchment area.
 Droughts
• A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a
deficiency in its water supply.
• Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average
precipitation.
• It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected
region
 Types of drought
• Meteorological drought is brought about when there is a prolonged period with
less than average precipitation
• Agricultural droughts are droughts that affect crop production or the ecology of
the range.
• Hydrological drought is brought about when the water reserves available in
sources such as aquifers, lakes and reservoirs fall below the statistical average.

Causes of Drought
• When annual rain fall is below normal and less than evaporation, drought is
created.
• High population.
• Intensive cropping pattern
 Effects of Drought
• Drought causes hunger, malnutrition and scarcity of drinking water and also changes
the quality of water.
• Drought causes widespread crop failure leading to acute shortage of food and
adversely affects human and livestock population.
• Worst situation of drought causes desertification.
• Raw materials of agro based industries are critically affected during drought time,
hence industrial and commercial growth decreases.
• Drought increases the degradation of natural resources.
• Drought causes large migration of people and urbanization
 Drought Management
• Indigenous knowledge is essential.

• Rain water harvesting system.

• Construction of reservoirs to improve ground water level.

• Modern irrigation technology (drip irrigation) is very useful to conserve water.

• Afforestation activities also improve the potential of water in the drought area.

• Crop mixing and dry forming are the suitable methods which minimize the risk
of crop failures in dry area.
 Conflicts Over Water
• Conflict through use: Unequal distribution of water has led to interstate and
international disputes.

1.National conflicts

2. International conflicts
 Dams
• Dams are the massive artificial structures built across the rivers to store water for
much beneficial purpose.
• Dams are considered as “Temples of modern India”.
Major Benefits of Dams are:
• Hydroelectricity generation
• Year round water supply to ensure higher productivity
• Equal water distribution by transferring water from area of excess to area of
deficit
• Helps flood control and protects soil
• Assure irrigation during dry periods
 Major Problems of Dams are:
• Although dams have proved very useful over the centuries, construction of big
dams has created lot of human as well as environmental issues.
• Submergence of large areas may lead to loss of fertile soil and displacement of
tribal people
• Salt left behind due to evaporation increase the salinity of river water and makes
it unusable when reaches down stream
• Siltation and sedimentation of reservoirs not only makes dams useless but also is
responsible for loss of valuable nutrients
• Loss of non-forest land leads to loss of flora and fauna
• Changes in fisheries and the spawning grounds
• Stagnation and water logging near reservoir leads to breeding of vectors and
spread of vector-borne diseases
 Effects of dams on forest
Thousands of hectares of forest will be cleared.

Killing of wild animals and destruction of aquatic life.

Spreading of water borne diseases.

Water logging increases the salinity of the soil.

 Effects of dam on tribal people
• Construction of big dams lead to the displacement of tribal people.
• Displacement and cultural change affects the tribal people both mentally and
physically.
• They do not accommodate the modern food habits and life style.
• Tribal people are ill treated by the modern society.
• Many of the displaced people are not recognised and resettled or compensated.
• Body condition of tribal people will not suit with new areas and hence they will
be affected by many diseases
 Case study- Sardar Sarovar Project
• The World Bank’s withdrawal from the Sardar Sarovar Project in India in 1993
was the result of the demands of local people threatened with the loss of their
livelihoods and homes in the submergence area.
• This dam in Gujarat on the Narmada has displaced thousands of tribal folk,
whose lives and livelihoods were linked to the river, the forests and their
agricultural lands.
• While they and the fishermen at the river mouth, have lost their homeland, rich
farmers downstream will get water for agriculture.
• It is a question of social and economic equity as well as the enormous
environmental losses, including loss of the biological diversity of the inundated
forests in the Narmada valley.
 FOREST RESOURCES
It is a dense growth of trees, together with other plants, covering a large area of land.
Forests are one of the most important natural resources on this earth
 USES OF FORESTS
Commercial Uses
Forests provide a large number of commercial goods which include timber, firewood,
pulpwood, food items, gum, resins, nonedible oils, rubber, fibers, lace, bamboo canes, fodder,
medicine, drugs and many more items

Ecological Uses
1. Production of Oxygen
2. Life and Economy of Tribal
3. Reducing Global Warming
4. Wild Life Habitat
5. Regulation of Hydrological Cycle
6. Soil Conservation: Forests bind the soil particles tightly in their roots and prevent soil
erosion.
7. Pollution Moderators
 Over Exploitation of Forests
Humans have depended heavily on forests for food, medicine, shelter, wood and
fuel. With growing civilization the demands for raw material like timber, pulp,
minerals, fuel wood etc. shooted up resulting in large scale logging, mining, road-
building and clearing of forests.

Cause of Over Exploitation

1. Increasing agricultural production.

2. Increasing agricultural activities.

3. Increase in demand of wood resources

 Deforestation
It is a process of removal of forest resources due to natural or manmade activities (i.e.)
destruction of forests.
Causes of deforestation
• Population Explosion: Population explosion poses a grave threat to the environment.
Vast areas of forest land are cleared of trees to reclaim land for human settlements
(factories, agriculture, housing, roads, railway tracks etc.). Growth of population
increases the demand for forest products like timber, firewood, paper and other
valuable products of industrial importance, all necessitating felling of trees.
• Massive destruction of forests occur for various development projects like
hydroelectric projects, big dams, road construction, mining etc.
• Mining operations: It reduces forest areas. Eg: Mica, coal, Manganese and lime stone.
• Raw materials for industries: Wood is an important raw material for various purposes.
Eg: Making boxes, furniture and paper etc.
• Fuel requirement: Wood is the important fuel for rural and tribal population.
 Consequences of deforestation (or) impacts of
deforestation
1. Economic loss
2. Loss of biodiversity
3. Destruction of the habitats of various species
4. Reduction in stream flow
5. Increase in the rate of global warming
6. Disruption of weather patterns and global climate
7. Degradation of soil and acceleration of the rate of soil erosion.
8. Inducing and accelerating mass movement / land slides.
9. Increase in flood frequency, magnitude / severity
 MAJOR ACTIVITIES IN FORESTS
• Timber Extraction
Wood used for engineering purposes like building houses and making furniture is called timber. The
products derived from timber have been important to many civilizations, and thus it has acquired
value within these civilizations. Timber extraction results in deforestation and in the fragmentation of
the last remaining forests

• Effects of Timber Extraction

• Poor logging resulting in a degraded forest.

• Floods may be intensified by cutting of trees or upstream watersheds.

• Loss of biodiversity.

• Climatic changes such as less rains.

 Case Study- Chipko Movement
• The world famous Chipko Movement, pioneered by Dasohli Gram Swarajya
Mandal in Gopeshwar brought about a general awareness about conservation of
forests.
• The first Chipko Movement dates back to 1731, when a village woman named
Amrita Bai led the Bishnoi women against the Maharaja’s men to prevent them
from cutting trees.
• In this attempt to save the trees, she sacrificed her life along with the lives of her
husband, three daughters and 363 people.
• The movement was given this name because the village women embraced or
hugged the trees to stop them from being cut.
• In 1972, in Uttar Pradesh, the Chipko Movement was led by Bachnoi Devi of
Advani who protected the hill forests from the contractor’s axe men.
 Mining
The process of extracting mineral resources and fossil fuels like coal from the earth is
called as mining.
Types of mining
• Surface mining: Mining of minerals from shallow deposits
• Underground mining: Mining of minerals from deep deposits
Steps involved in mining
1. Exploration
2. Development
3. Exploitation
4. Ore processing
5. Extraction and purification of minerals
 EFFECTS OF MINING
• Pollute soil, water and air.
• Destruction of natural habitat.
• Continuous removal of minerals leads to the formation of trench where water is
logged which contaminates the ground water.
• Vibrations cause earth quakes.
• Produces noise pollution
• Reduces shape and size of the forest.
• Increased risk of landslides.
• Spoils the aesthetic beauty.
Case Study: Large scale deforestation has been reported in
Missouri hills due to in discriminate mining of various minerals
over the length of 40 Km.
 FOOD RESOURCES
• Food is essential for growth and development of living organisms. These essential
materials are called nutrients and these nutrients are available from variety of
animals and plants
• Food Sources - The majority of people obtain food from cultivated plants and
domesticated animals. Although some food is obtained from oceans and fresh
waters, but the great majority of food for human population is obtained from
traditional land-based agriculture of crops and livestock.
• Food Crops- It is estimated that out of about 2,50,000 species of plants, only
about 3,000 have been tried as agricultural crops. Under different agro-climatic
condition, 300 are grown for food and only 100 are used on a large scale.
 World Food Problems
• As per estimates of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), about 840 million
people remain chronically hungry and out of this 800 million are living in the
developing world
• . Food insufficiency can be divided into two categories into under-nourishment
and malnourishment
• under-nourishment means lack of sufficient calories in available food, resulting in
little or no ability to move or work
• Malnourishment can be defined as lack of specific components of food such as
proteins, vitamins, or essential chemical elements
 Balanced Diet
A healthy diet is a diet that helps to maintain or improve overall health. A healthy
diet provides the body with essential nutrition: fluid, macronutrients,
micronutrients, and adequate calories. Balanced diet will help to improve growth
and health
Changes Caused by Agriculture and Overgrazing
Agriculture
• Poor environmental agriculture practices such as slash and burn, shifting cultivation
degrade the forests.
• The loss of nutrients and overuse of agriculture chemicals are major factors in land
degradation.
• The loss of genetic diversity in crop plants is leading to a fall in agriculture produce.
• Modern agriculture practices have resulted in a serious loss of genetic variability of crops.
Most of the rice varieties (30 -50,000) in India have been lost.
• Intensive agriculture operations, fossil fuel combustion and widespread cultivation of
leguminous crops have led to huge additional quantities of nitrogen.
• Due to increase in population, there is an increase in demand for higher production, which
led to increase in agriculture land over the last four decades by converting forest area,
marginal and hill areas.
Over Grazing
Over grazing is a process of eating the forest vegetation without giving a chance to regenerate.

Effects of Over Grazing (OG)

1. Land degradation

• Over grazing removes the vegetation cover.

• Exposed soil gets compacted

• Soil moisture reduces.

• Desertification - OG leads to poor, dry and compacted soil. Land cannot be used for further cultivation.

2. Soil erosion: When the grasses are removed the soil becomes loose and gets eroded by the action of wind
and rain fall.

3. Loss of useful species: OG affects the plant population and their regenerating capacity.
 EFFECTS OF MODERN AGRICULTURE
a. Soil Erosion- Raindrops bombarding bare soil result in the oldest and still most serious problem of
agriculture. The long history of soil erosion and its impact on civilization is one of devastation.

b. Irrigation- Adequate rainfall is never guaranteed for the dry land farmer in arid and semiarid
regions, and thus irrigation is essential for reliable production. Irrigation ensures sufficient water
when needed and also allows farmers to expand their acreage of suitable cropland.

c. Agriculture and the Loss of Genetic Diversity As modern agriculture converts an ever-increasing
portion of the earth's land surface to monoculture, the genetic and ecological diversity of the planet
erodes. Both the conversion of diverse natural ecosystems to new agricultural lands and the
narrowing of the genetic diversity of crops contribute to this erosion
Industrial Farming of Livestock and Effects on Global
Warming
• Livestock is commonly defined as domesticated animals raised in an agricultural
setting to produce labor and commodities
• Mitigation in reducing emissions can be achieved in different ways related to animal
feeding and management, manure collection, storage, improved animal waste
management through energy (biogas) recovery, and management of crops fed to the
livestock by bringing more drastic changes of the whole production system
• Several manure management practices have a significant potential for decreasing
greenhouse gas emission from manure, like dietary management, storage, dietary
manipulation, filtration, manure acidification, composting etc
 Fertilizer-Pesticide Problems
• Apart from water, sunshine and CO2, plants need micro and macro nutrients for
growth. These nutrients are supplied in the shape of fertilizers.

• There is lot of potential to increase food productivity by increasing fertilizer use.

• On one hand application of artificial chemical fertilizers increases the productivity at

faster rate as compared to organic fertilizers, on the other hand application of
fertilizers can be a serious problem of pollution and can create number of problems.

• Excessive level of nitrates in ground water has created problems in developed

countries
• Case Study Pesticides in India: The accumulation of pesticide
in the body of mother causes premature delivery and low
birth weight infant.
• Pesticides in Pepsi and Coca Cola: India has reported that
Pepsi and Coca cola companies are selling soft drinks with
pesticide content 30-40 times higher than EU limits. This
damages the nervous system.
 Water Logging
• Water logging refers to the saturation of soil with water.
• Soil may be regarded as waterlogged when it is nearly saturated with water much
of the time, which decreases the oxygen available to roots.
• Water logging may lead to poor crop productivity due to anaerobic condition
created in the soil
Causes of water logging
• Excessive water supply

• Heavy rain

• Poor drainage

Remedy
• Preventing excessive irrigation

• Subsurface drainage technology

• Bio drainage like trees, eg. Eucalyptus

Salinity
• Adoption of intensive agriculture practices and increased concentration of soluble salts leads to salinity.
Due to poor drainage, dissolved salts accumulate on soil surface and affects soil fertility and productivity
 ENERGY RESOURCES
• Growing Energy- Needs Energy means the capacity to work. The resources used
to do work are called energy resources. The demand for energy doubles every 14
years. So the consumption of energy is considered as the parameter of progress
Some of the growing energy demands are
• Modern agriculture uses chemical fertilizers, which require large amounts of
energy during their manufacture.
• Various gadgets in household sector uses both renewable and non-renewable
energy.
• Industry uses energy for manufacturing processes.
• Almost 2 billion people will require electrical energy and those who have access
will continue to increase their individual requirements
 Classification of Energy Resources
1. Non renewable or Conventional resources
2. Renewable or Non conventional resources

1. Non renewable or conventional resources – They are formed once in thousand of

years hence they are on the verge of getting exhausted e.g. Coal, Petroleum, L.P.G.
and radio active elements. Petroleum is expected to get exhausted within 30 years,
LPG within 50 years and coal within 100 years.
2. Renewable or non conventional resources – These resources have a cycle, hence
they are non-exhaustible e.g. solar energy, wind energy, hydroelectricity, biogas,
thermal energy and tidal energy.
 Use of Alternate Energy Sources
There is a need to develop renewable energy sources which are available and could be utilized (solar or wind)
or the sources which could be created and utilized (bio-mass)
1. Solar energy is one of the alternative energy source that is used most widely across the globe
2. Wind Energy: Moving air is called wind. The energy recovered from the force of the wind is called wind
energy. It’s speed is high.
3. Ocean Energy -Ocean tides are due to gravitational force of sun and moon which produce enormous amount
of energy
4. Geo Thermal Energy: Temperature of the earth increases at 20 –750 oC per/km when we move down the
earth. The energy utilised from the high temperature present inside the earth is called geothermal energy
5. Bio Mass Energy Bio Mass: Organic matter produced by plants or animals used as source of energy.
6. Hydrogen Fuel: Hydrogen is produced by pyrolysis, photolysis and electrolysis of water. It has high calorific
value. It is non polluting as the combustion product is water.
Case Study Wind energy in India
India is generating 1200 MW electricity using the wind energy. Largest wind farm is
situated near Kanyakumari in Tamilnadu. It produces 380 MW electricity
 Mass Production of Biodiesel for Energy Needs and
Food Security
• Biofuel demand is increasing because of a combination of growing energy needs
• The effects of growing biofuel demand are interwoven with tightening grain
markets, which reflect demographic shifts and improved diets
• Over the coming decades, global food and agricultural systems not only will
continue to come under the strain of providing for the competing needs of food,
feed, and fuel, but will also face greater pressure from climatic and other
economic changes.
• Urgent research is needed now to address these trends and protect the livelihoods
of poor people
 ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF
NATURAL RESOURCES
Conserve Water:
• Do not 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.
• Reuse the soapy water of washing from clothes for gardening, driveways etc.
• Water the plants and the lawns in the evening when evaporation losses are
minimum. Never water the plants in mid-day.
• Install a system to capture rain water.
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 possible.
• Use solar cooker for cooking which will be more nutritious and will save 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.
Share a carpool if possible
Protect the Soil
• 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.
Promote Sustainable Agriculture
• Do not waste food; Take only as much as you can eat.
• Reduce the use of pesticides.
• Fertilize your crop with organic fertilizers.
• Use drip irrigation.
• Eat local and seasonal vegetables.
• Control pests
 Equitable Use of Resources for Sustainable Life Style
• There is a big divide in the world viz. North and South, more developed countries
(MDCs) and Less Developed countries (LDCs), haves and have-nots
• The rich have gone richer and the poor have stead even poorer.
• There is a huge gap between those two worlds.
• This is not sustainable growth.
• The solution to this problem is to have more equitable distribution of resources
and wealth.
• A global consensus has to be reached for balanced distribution
• Need of the hour is fairer sharing of resources between rich and poor which will
bring about sustainable development for all.