14 Our Environment

NCF Competencies Covered: C-3.3,

Expected Learning Outcomes C-4.3, C-4.4, C-4.7 and C-6.2

Knowledge to be gained : • What is environment? • What makes our environment dirty?

• Air pollu on • Global warming • Land pollu on • Water pollu on
• Noise pollu on • Acid rain
Skill to be developed : • Simple steps to make our environment clean.
A tude to be inculcated : • Clean air, water and land are precious resources and we should do
our best not to pollute them.

WHAT IS ENVIRONMENT?
Our surroundings are our environment. The environment has both living and non-living
things. It includes soil, air and water around our houses. Generally, all the needs of the living
beings are fulfilled by the environment.
We get food, water, air, shelter and almost everything that we need from our environment.
So, it is our duty to keep it clean. Among all the living organisms, human beings are the most
responsible for spoiling the environment, for example, cutting trees for making houses and
furniture and for many other purposes.

WHAT MAKES OUR ENVIRONMENT DIRTY?

Contamination of the environment (with pollutants) as a result of human activities is
known as pollution. Pollution is the contamination and unfavourable alteration of the
environment. There are four types of pollution. They are:
· Pollution of the atmosphere is known as air pollution.
· Pollution of the land is known as soil pollution.
· Pollution of water is known as water pollution.
· Pollution by sound is known as noise pollution.

Pollution

Air Pollution Soil Pollution Water Pollution Noise Pollution

pollutants pollutants pollutants pollutants

Gases Solid Bio Non-bio Domestic & Traffic &

particles degradable degradable Industrial wastes Construction sounds
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 CHECK YOURSELF
Answer these questions:
1. What are the two components of the environment?
2. Which organism on the Earth is most responsible for spoiling the environment?
3. What are the four types of pollution?
4. What are the two pollutants that pollute the air?
Let us now study about the different types of pollution and their sources.

AIR POLLUTION
Pollutants are substances that can cause pollution.
1. Gases as Pollutants
Air pollution is caused mostly due to human activities
like burning of coal and petroleum products, emission
of smoke from chimneys of factories, etc. As you have
studied earlier, sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide are the
common gaseous pollutants that cause acid rain.
Vehicles also give out smoke that has harmful gases
such as carbon monoxide and soot. This smoke, which
comes out from vehicles and chimneys of the Pollution by industries
factories, when inhaled may lead to breathing problems, lung problems and
eventually death.
2. Solid Particles as Pollutants
Solid particles like cement, dust and some mineral particles from mines enter the
air and cause air pollution.

WHAT IS GLOBAL WARMING?

When the carbon dioxide level increases in the
atmosphere, it leads to global warming because
carbon dioxide traps the heat of the Sun's rays.
To reduce the carbon dioxide levels in the
atmosphere, we need to plant more trees, as their
green leaves use carbon dioxide during
photosynthesis.
Trees are cut down to meet many human needs.
Sometimes, we cut the trees from the forests
leaving them barren, this process is known as
Deforestation
deforestation.
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Deforestation leads to increased carbon dioxide level
in the atmosphere, which contributes to global
warming. When plants are planted on a large scale to
create the forests, it is known as afforestation.
Afforestation helps in the removal of excess carbon
dioxide, the release of oxygen and many more things.
This mainly results in lower carbon dioxide levels,
which contributes to the reduction in global warming. Flood
Do you know what will happen if global warming is allowed to go unchecked? The ice caps
will melt, causing the water level to rise and many islands to become submerged in water.

LAND POLLUTION
The waste that we throw in an open area make the land dirty and polluted. These waste can
be separated into two types:
1. Biodegradable wastes
2. Non-biodegradable wastes
1. Biodegradable Wastes: Things like animal waste, vegetable waste, fallen leaves,
peels of vegetables, paper and packing materials that can be decomposed by micro-
organisms are known as biodegradable waste. These are harmless waste materials
and can be used to make compost. This compost can be used as manure for our plants.
Compost manure is not only clean but also inexpensive and effective in increasing soil
fertility. By composting, we are not only cleaning the place but also making manure.
2. Non-biodegradable Wastes: On the other hand, items like polybags, aluminium
foil, oil, plastic, glass items, etc., cannot decompose and are known as non-
biodegradable wastes. This will pollute the soil, create problems for the nearby plants
and make our environment dirty and polluted.
Efforts must be made to reduce the use of non-biodegradable materials and to recycle them
as much as possible.
Keep two different dustbins at home as well as in your classrooms, labelled as Biodegradable
and Non-biodegradable and collect the waste in them accordingly.

Biodegradable waste Non-biodegradable waste

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 WATER POLLUTION
Sometimes dirt, sewage and industrial waste mix
with clean water, causing it to become polluted.
Polluted water contains disease-causing germs,
harmful dissolved substances and f loating
contaminants, making water unfit for drinking.
This is known as water pollution.
Untreated industrial wastes are also dumped into
rivers, making them polluted. Indiscriminate and
excessive use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides
leads to soil and water pollution. Even fertilisers Water pollution
and pesticides (which are used to kill the pests) are
washed away from the agricultural fields and can
cause water pollution.

NOISE POLLUTION
Any sound that interferes with hearing is said to
cause noise pollution. Many sounds associated
with different activities cause noise pollution, for
example, loud music from radio, stereo systems,
bursting of crackers, motor vehicles, aircraft and
some heavy machineries. If noise pollution
increases beyond a certain limit, it may cause many
health problems including deafness.

Noise pollution
CHECK YOURSELF
Answer these questions:
1. Name some harmful gases given out from vehicles and factories.
2. What is global warming?
3. Define deforestation.
4. Explain how afforestation reduces global warming.

ACID RAIN
Gases like sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide can escape into the atmosphere from
factories due to the burning of coal and petroleum products. When these gases rise into the
atmosphere, they combine and dissolve in rainwater to from acids, leading to acid rain.
Acid rain is very harmful for soil, crops, buildings and also for human beings.
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HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN? NCF C-4.7

We cannot clean our environment in a day or two, but our efforts to make the environment
clean over a long time will certainly have a great effect. If all of us take things seriously and
follow simple steps, we can enjoy a clean environment.
Let us see some simple steps, which can be followed by everyone:
I. Controlling Air Pollution:
1. By checking the release of smoke from vehicles and factories.
2. By using devices that can filter the agents causing pollution.
3. Planting trees, systematically in vacant public places and parks.
4. Educating people about pollution, its effects and the methods of controlling it.
5. By relocating old industries to places away from cities.
6. By locating new industries in places away from cities.
II. Controlling Water Pollution:
1. Maintaining a proper drainage system and preventing leakage into water bodies.
2. Factories should not be allowed to dump their waste into water bodies without
treating them (removing all the harmful pollutants).
3. Preventing the washing of clothes and animals in tanks, lakes and rivers.
III. Controlling Land/Soil Pollution:
1. Separation of wastes into biodegradable and non-biodegradable types must be done.
2. Using biodegradable wastes to make compost.
3. Avoiding excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
4. Use of plastics and polybags must be minimised.
5. Used plastics and polybags must be reused or recycled.
IV. Controlling Noise Pollution:
1. Use of loudspeakers, particularly in residential areas, near hospitals, schools, etc.,
must be avoided.
2. Proper steps must be taken in factories to control noise pollution.
3. Avoid playing the stereo sound system at high volume.
4. Noise generating factories and offices should be situated away from residential
areas.

Ÿ A er 25 years, there won't be any petrol or diesel as they are being exhausted at a very
Do
You ? fast rate. Imagine your next genera on children, going to school, walking with oxygen
masks as pollu on all round has reached dangerous levels.
Know
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 New words
NEW WORDS
Pollu on : change in the composi on of original environment due to pollutants
Global warming : gradual increase in average temperature of Earth.
Deforesta on : cu ng down of forests
Afforesta on : plan ng of trees to make a forest

SUMMARY
v Our surroundings form our environment.
v Contamination of the environment as a result of human activities is known as pollution.
v Air pollution is caused mostly because of human activities.
v The increase in carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere leads to global warming.
v Indiscriminate and excessive use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides leads to soil and
water pollution.
v Harmless waste materials can be used to make manure.
v Polluted water has the disease-causing germs.
v We must avoid the excessive use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers to control land or soil
pollution.
v Proper steps must be taken in particular places to control noise pollution.

Exercise
A. Select the best alternative for each of the following:
1. Environment includes:
(i) soil (ii) air
(iii) water (iv) all of these
2. Increase in carbon dioxide level in atmosphere leads to:
(i) pollution (ii) noise
(iii) global warming (iv) acid rain
B. Answer the following questions:
1. What is environment?
2. What is pollution?
3. What is global warming?
4. What is deforestation?
5. What are non-biodegradable waste?

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C. Fill in the blanks:
1. Pollutants can be liquid or _____________ or _____________.
2. Loud sound creates _____________ pollution.
3. e two types of solid wastes are _____________ and _____________.
4. Industrial wastes usually cause _____________ pollution.
5. Increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide may lead to _____________ warming.
6. _____________ gas traps the heat rays of the Sun.
D. Match the following correctly:

1. Air pollution (a) Industrial wastes

2. Water pollution (b) Bursting of crackers
3. Noise pollution (c) Non-biodegradable wastes
4. Land pollution (d) Sulphur dioxide gas

E. Give any one important cause for each of the following:

1. Global warming
2. Acid rain
3. Noise pollution
F. Write the kind of pollution that is being caused in the following cases:
1. People dumping their household garbage in a park. _____________
2. Loudspeakers being used in a marriage ceremony. _____________
3. A factory releasing waste products into a nearby stream. _____________
4. A car releasing smoke into the air. _____________
G. List any two causes of the following:
1. Air pollution ________________ ________________
2. Water pollution ________________ ________________
3. Noise pollution ________________ ________________
4. Soil pollution ________________ ________________
H. Answer the following questions in your own words:
1. Draw a diagram to show air pollution on a busy road.
2. How can we control soil pollution?
3. Mention the major causes of water pollution.
4. Explain why human activities are the main cause of all types of pollution.
5. Why do we need to plant more trees?
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 6. What is deforestation? What are its effects and how can we prevent them?
7. If the pollution increases then what can happen to the birds, animals and the
trees?

Collaboration
Activity Time Leadership & Responsibility

A. e class can be divided into 5 or 6 groups and each group can be given a topic on
pollution. One leader can be selected from each group who can present the points in
the class. Students must discuss and note the points.

B. In the gure given below, you can see that Madhav is cutting a tree. If the tree could
express its feelings and tell Madhav about its usefulness, what would it say? (Write any
4 points.)
Ans: "Madhav, please don't cut me. Do you know?"
1. I give you oxygen to breathe.
2. I give you ____________________________
3. I give you ____________________________
4. I remove _____________________________
from your atmosphere and reduce global
warming.
NCF C-3.3
C. In groups of four, discuss with your classmates the importance of conducting
pollution checks for every vehicle. Additionally, lead the group in creating a poster
highlighting the effects of vehicular pollution and include two catchy slogans to
encourage people to reduce it.

D. Along with a friend, perform the following Initiative & Self-Direction

activity to create planting pots using non-
biodegradable waste.
Use plastic bottles of any soft drink to grow
your kitchen garden. Cut the bottle in the
middle, take the lower part, make a small hole
at the bottom (to let go the excess water). Fill
it with soil and grow a plant ( for example,
mint, coriander, thyme, rosemary, etc.).

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Be a Young Initiative & Self-Direction
Researcher
The unit of measuring the magnitude of sound is called decibel. The sound produced by
an object is measured in decibels. A whisper is about 30 dB, normal conversation is about
60 dB and a motorcycle engine running is about 95 dB. Noise above 70 dB over a
prolonged period may start to damage your hearing. Loud noise above 120 dB can cause
immediate harm to our ears.
Find sound levels of everyday sources like motorcycle, washing machine, city traffic, car
horn, the maximum volume level for personal listening devices like a radio, stereo or a
television, firecrackers, etc.

NCF C-4.7 Collaboration Communication

Let Us Visit
Visit any nearby tourist spot with your friends on a weekend. It can be a children’s park,
any monument of historical importance or a religious place. Many people or tourists
come to visit these places. Observe whether dustbins are kept at these places to throw
away used things, like empty packets of food items or empty soda bottles. Observe
whether people are using the dustbins or not. If you notice people littering, request them
politely to use the dustbins and to keep the area clean.
If there are no dustbins, report this to the authorities.

Subject Link: Social Studies

In the list of 30 most polluted cities in the world, 21 cities are from India. Names
of 5 such cities are given below. Find out in which state they are situated.
1. Ghaziabad _____________
2. Bhiwari _____________
3. Jind _____________
4. Rohtak _____________
5. Muzaffarpur _____________

FOOTNOTE
Ÿ Tell children that our environment is made up of both living and non-living things. Also tell them that we depend on our
environment for all our needs. Ask children to adopt methods that are helpful in preserving the environment.
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 Model Test Paper
MM: 40
1
A. Fill in the blanks: 5
1. Substances that make us strong and healthy are called _______________.
2. Milk teeth are also called ________________ teeth.
3. Always use ________________ for crossing the road.
4. ________________ is a natural bre, which we get from plants.
5. A liquid does not have a xed ________________.
B. Write T for true and F for false statements: 5
1. Chlorophyll is a green substance in the leaf.
2. Fats help in repairing the body.
3. Typhoid is caused by bacteria.
4. Plants manufacture their own food.
5. Leaves absorb water.
C. Unscramble the given words: 5
1. ETJU 2. INKS
3. LOWOELN 4. NENIL
5. NAYRO
D. Match the following: 5
1. Loamy soil (a) allows water to pass through it
2. Humus (b) rich in minerals
3. Gravel (c) becomes sticky when it is wet
4. Sand (d) tiny stones
5. Clay (e) makes soil fertile

E. Answer the following questions: 20

1. Write two functions of fats.
2. What are microorganisms?
3. What are natural bres?
4. How are molecules arranged in gases?
5. Discuss the three types of soil?

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 Model Test Paper
MM: 40
2
A. Fill in the blanks: 5
1. ________________ is an insectivorous plant.
2. e ________________ of the egg has the baby inside it.
3. ________________ can live both on land as well as in water.
4. A ________________ is a long rod used to lift heavy objects.
5. Moving air is called ________________.
B. Write T for true and F for false statements: 5
1. Environment includes only living things.
2. e caterpillar becomes a tadpole.
3. A giraffe is an omnivore.
4. e bicycle is a wheel and axle type of machine.
5. Contamination of air by harmful gases and dust particles is
called pollution.
C. Cross out the wrong ones: 5
1. Cactus plant adapts to live in deserts/oceans.
2. Terrestrial/Aquatic plants grow on land.
3. Duckweed and water hyacinth are fixed/ oating/underwater plants.
4. Stems of bamboo plant are used to make bag/paper.
5. A liquid does not have a xed smell/shape.
D. Give one word for the following: 5
1. e process of giving birth to a young one. ________________
2. in cover on an egg. ________________
3. Animals giving birth to their young ones directly. ________________
4. Large clusters of eggs of frogs. ________________
5. Upper covering of the surface of the Earth. ________________
E. Answer the following questions: 20
1. How can we control soil pollution?
2. What causes day and night?
3. Why do we need to purify water?
4. What are the types of natural forces we know?
5. Differentiate between hibernation and aestivation.
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