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NTRODUCTION We must know what environment is and why it needs our attention. Environment is defined as a srrromding or conditions influencing develqrrent or growth- It is a system which includes al| living U Yv\l'4-tthings, viz., air, water, soi! vegetation, flora and farma Today man wields so much power over the environmen! thaf it is he who creates enviroDmenL Prior to the beginning of the human race, all species had to adapt th6nselves to the environment for tbir survial. Noq due to man who is instrumental in chansing environmen! 9g Rroblem is 94th9 $nvlyal 9f the environment. The environment includes, physical, biotic, socill and economic and mefial Lnrounalngs. he exhaustion of natural resources and erosioilof hnd, the chemical pollution of air and water, the high levels ofnoise and lightand other stimuli, the pervasive ugliness ofindustrial cinilisation, the inescapable pressures resulting from high population densities and mechanical life, all these phenomena have become critical during recent decades. Environment is degraded due to man's economic exploitation of nature. The crisis is due to greed lack of insight and narrow scientism. It is due to ignoring the chemical nature of biosphere and spiritual nature of man. 9:r.lgp!qga,"t"n*@tt are making way through industrialisation, urbamsation and excessive exploitation of resources, which results in the depletion oftraditional sources ofenergy and destruction of animal and plant species. The effects of alterations of natural ecosystem have their efects on Man. The effects are long delayed and future generations will suffer. Radio-active wastes from any nuclear industry, effects of carbondioxide and global warming, the depletion of ozone due to chlorofluoro carbons (CFC) and acid rains are only a few major global problems which are irreversible.

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ECOLOGY The terrn,ecology was first proposed by a German biologis! Emest Haeckel, in 1869. In the words of Haeckel, ecology is 'the study of the total relpth"ns ofthe animal both to its inorganic and to its organic environmdnq including its friendly and relations with those animals and plants with which it comes directly or indirectly in contact'. Some other definitions of ecology are as follows: I Ecology is the science of the community. 2. Ecology is the science of all the relations ofall the organisms to all their environment. 3. Ecology is the study of inter-relations of plants and animals with their environment. 4. Ecology is the scientific study of the structure and functions of nature. 5. Ecology, in a broad sense, is the study of ecosystems.

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ofpollutants in the environment. The environmental pollution is ihe burning issue of the day all over the world. In order to prevent and control various envronmental problems, the study of different aspects of ecology is imperative.

. Lh! studr of ecology has assumed greater importance due to various environmental problems and health ha"ards created because ofpresence

Ecoeystem
Ecology can only be studied as an integrated discipline. By definition, ecology is the science of the relation between organisms and thbir environment. Even the physical environment is predominantly created and influenced by organisms. Organisms and their physical environment are therefore interactini parts of a system- The term 'Ecosystem' is now used to desclibe such, a system. An ecosystem is ; small segrnent of nahre embracing the community of living things plus the physical environment. The basic and most important concept of an ecosystem is that everything is somihow related to everything else in nafure. Major types of ecosystems are the sea" estuaries and seashores, fresh water systems, deserts, tundr4 grasslands and forests. The general principles or charactristics of most ecosystems are given below: l. The ecosystem is a major scructrral and frrnctional unit of ecology. 2. The structure of an ecosystem is related to its species divenity; th" -or" complex ecosystms have a high species diversity. 3. The fimction of the ecosystem is related to energy flow and material cycling through and wirhin the system. 4. The relative amount of energy needed to maintain an ecosystem depends on its struchrre. The more complex the stucfilre, the lesser the energy it needs to maintain itself. 5. Ecosystms mature by passing from less complex to more complex states. 6. Both the environment and the energy fixation in any given ecosystem are limited and camot be exceeded without causing serious undesirable effects. 7' Alterations in the environment represent selective pressures upon the population to which it must adjusl Organisms which are urrable to adjust to the changed enyironment vanish.

Stttclure of an ecos;rsrem
Basically, it is the description ofthe diferent kinds (i.e., species) of living organisms that are present in the ecosystem, including infonnation oftheir life-histories, population and distibutio*-a sort ofguide to 'who-is-who' in tle eCosystem. Besides, it also tells about the non-living (physical) features of the environment, e.g., various gases like carbon dioxide (cor), water, sunlight, heat, temperahse, climate, soil. etc. Plants form the maximum number of living (biotic) members of an ecosystem. They are called lProducers' because they produce food which contains energ5r for tle ecosystem. They capture energy from sunlight and store some of it in the form of chemicals, for later use. Algae ofvarilus typer ate main producers of an aquatic ecosystem, although in estuaries and marshes, grasr". -uy be main producers. Terrestrial ecosystem have trees, shnrbs, herbs, grasses and mosses that contri-bute, with varying importance, to the production of the ecosystem. The amount ofenergy that the produCen capnre, sets a limit on the available energy for the ecosysten The sun gives ligbt and heat to the earth. About 47 per cent ofthis is immediately reflected back into whitg another 50 per cent is converted into heat which is lost. Thus, only about 3 per cent of fhe.ryace, incident sunligbt is available for plants, for conversion into energy, through thi process of .photo.

synthesis'(Fig. 1.1).

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Basic Concpts of

Environment

Man is unique in many ways and one ofthese is his ability to subordinate nature and natural resources. So long as the requirements of his economic activities were small in relation to global stocks of critical natural resources, he could count on improviag his welfare. However, his economic activities have increased at an expone'ntial rate drring the past several decades with the result that the Earth's resource base and life zupport systems have become vastly depleted" The principal manifestations of these impacts are on the global clirnate, the inticate web offorests, ecology and diversity of living beings and increased transparency of the Earth's atrrospheric protective shield to bamfirl ultraviolet radiation. All these are related directly and indirectly with man's economic activities and with each other. They all bave serious implications for his futrne well being.

Envlrcnmontal Awarness
The importance of environmental awarsness cannot be over Nrtphasisd. We must understani that to improve the environment is to improve the quality of life. It is not only a question of air and water pollution. It includes elimination of disease, hunger, malnuhition and poverty, destnrction of forests, extermimtion of wilcllife, erosion of soil and accumulation of waste. Hence there is urgert need for propr rn2nrgemd of tbe environment There has been worldwide concem over enviromental pollution. It is not to say that the problem of environmental protection bas not been realised in our country in modern times. India is one of the cogntries of the world of which the Constitution e,mphasises the need for the protection and careful use of natural resources. India has firmly committed itself in its constitutional laws and regulations to protecting and improving the natural environment. ENVIRONiIENTAL EDUCANON AND SCHOOL CURRICULUII

Environmental education means the educational process dealing with man's relationship with his m$ral and man-made surroundings and includes the relations ofpopulation, pollution, resource allocatio.n and depletion, conservation, tresportation, technology, energy and urtm md nnal planning to 6e total biosphere. Ii should aim not merely at imparting knowledge and rmderstanding of man's total environment but also at including skills, attitudes and values necessary to understand and imp'rove the biosphere and the troposphere. The British Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution in the year 1972 emphasised that the best insurance for the environment is a commitment on behalf ofthe public to prevent the deterioration ofair' water and land. The International union for the conservation ofnature has observe4 'Environmental education is the process ofrecognising values and clarifing concepts in order to develop skills and attitudes necessary io understand and appreciate the inter-relatedness among man, his culture and his biophysical surroundings'. The Finnish National Commission has sai4 'Environmental education is a way of implementin! the goals of environmental protection. Enyironmental education is not a separate b'ranch ofscience but it is a life-long integral education'. ln December 197, the United Nations organised a world conference to discuss ways to protect the environme, rt for sustainable development and arrest its further degradation

'Basic Concpts ot

Environment

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN ECO,ENVIRONMENT

Development generally means economic growth and advancement related to mass prodriction ofvarious commodities and consumer goods. The emphasis is always on increasing the production of commer,cial produce even at the risk ofpolluting the environment. For instance, agriculturalists are always interested in bringing more and more of forest area rmder pasture or agriculhue and for herding the increasing nrmtber of meat or milk lelding livestock. In this process of development oriented progress, there environmental instability and degradation. Man has mostly been engaged in faster economic exploitation of valuable tesources witlout any serious consideration of the ecological aspects and its consequences- He has misused the most of thl precious fossil fuels. Increasing use offertilisers and pesticides in agricultue has aggravated the problems of water pollution. Deforestation has led to soil erosion, loss of soil fertilitf recuning noods. Industrialisation and urbanisation have accelerated the problerns of waste land, sanitation and source of clean ah' In addition to this tlrere are growing problems of feeding and housing due to ever increasing human population. Biodiversity means the variety of biological entities inhibiting the Earth-.wild plant and enimats, 6i61s. organisms, domesticated animals and plants even genetic material like seeds and germ plasm. Infacg it is the very basis ofour living. ln the modem age, the life support system faces its greatest ever threal Habitat desbuction, hunting, pollutio4 displacement natives and a host of other human made forces have already pushed thousands of species and varieties into the twilight zone ofextinction, with many more following day by day. ln addition to this, it represents as unprecedented erosion in hunanityt food, medicinal, economic and cultural resource base. The relation between humanity and biosphere is threatened today. The destructive impact ofthe poor majority the world over sruggling to emain alive coupled with affluent minority consuming the woild,s resources are undermining the very means by which rnan can suwive and flourish. Increasing ecological hb4T"9 is being created year after year, the beneficiary insec*, plants and xaimals 31s getting eliminated during heavy application of pesticides. Excessive use of fertiiisers with diqegard to the other consequelrces leading to backlash to nvironmedal and social pollution. Agm. industy is one of the main causes of pollution. Over exploitation of life support system has.sown thc seeds ofsocial revolution. Watershed forests are mercilessly cut to create hna foi agriculture, urbanisation and other purposes, causing silting ofrivers and lakes. National and intemational c4acities are ill organised and fragmented i.e., split up as agriculhre, forestry, fishery wild life and so on. The gain by one sector may be negated by the loss by the other. Due to excessive deforestation, many wild animal species have already become extinct or are in process to face extinction. Te basic understanding of rules goveming feeding inter-relationship in a biotic commrmity has highlighted the abuse of forest and wild life. The nesd foi conservation of forst and wild life conservation is now fully recognised. Biodiversity conservation bas already attained global importance. The economic development plans and policies for conservation of nature aim at improving the qualrty of life. The former mainly considers the material aspects of the quality of life, whereas Ae htter covcn the material, ecological and aesthaic aspecs. The gains of economic'development are realis"d qui.Lly .^*-ryttryn P consrvation ofplans. fre conserv"ation approach considers the develop,nrental ofman in relation to their impact on natural biota, climatic factors, water and soil resources; the economic approach takes into account methods which yield profits quickly. The natural conservation approach is preferred by the ecologists because it is scientifically sormd and rational and has prospects foithe long term future of man.

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Basic Concepts ot

Environment

gulleys. It Augmenting water resoutces of the region by developing small check dgms across witi tretp inchecking fast run-off and mass wasting of sub-stratum during monsoons and also inhabitants. serve as reservoir for human consumption and for irrigation by the local pros and cons before it is 6. Every aspect of a development projects must have environmelrtal launched. 7. There is need for reservation ofprime quality crop land for crops and adoption ofmanagement practices to maintain tle productivity of crop land' g. We must preserve as many varieties as possible of domesticated and other economic or useful plants, animals and micro-organisms and their wild relatives' -There should be proper control and regulation ofliving resources utilisation so that it is sustainable. 9. 10. Careful allocation and management oftimber concessions, protection ofwatersheds, maintenance of support system of fisheries, prevention of species extinction are other rernedial measures for sustainable development in the environment' pollution The existing environmental Acts and Laws are to be updated so that no one who releases I be should escape punishment. Pollution Conhol Boards are to be made more active and are to possess the knowledge given more powers. The chairman and other members of the Boards must and experience of environmental education' 12. We must encouage environment studies as a separate subject in order to have a professional approach to the environmental problems. The foilowing priorities at national and international level are suggested to encourage sustainable

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dwelopment in the environment.

Prlorities at National Level

The suggested measures in this regard are: -preparation and implementation of national and sub-national conservation strategies to protect l. the environment. 2. Adoption ofanticipatory environmental policies. 3. An advance assessment of the likely environmental effects of all major developmental activities. 4. Establishment of soil and water conservation body at the policy making level. 5. Environmental education programmes and campaigns are the need of the hour.

Prlofties at lnternatlona! Level

The suggested measures and remedies at international level to sustain development are: knplementation of intemational conservation conventions' M;hilateral and bilateral assistance for reforestation and restoration of degraded environment2 3. Co-operation programmes for conservation of tropical forests' Environment and sustainable development does not mean only control ofpollution. It also means the way of living, sanitatiorL our home and rituals and all other activities including population control. Every citizen must live with sound health and get quality food for his survival. On the whole for zustainable progressivi future development we nqed holistic approach ti have an environment free ofpollution for

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If the suggested measures are implernented vigorously at national as well asat intemational lwel, the eco.friendly sustainable development will be self evident with in short span of time.

Textbook of

Air pollution and lts Control

developmental -"activities? Every time we plan for a new project or take any developmental activity, we are being opposed by environmental lobby inspite ofthe fact that we also need the developmental p.ocesses foi our survival and to compete with the process of development in other advancediountries. As and when we construct dams, bridges and roads, we are facing agitation against these because it harms the environment' Wlen we start thermal pov/er station up indisties like chemicals -d-."i industries, we face agitations since these pollute the environment. Sirnilarly when we go for nuclear power plants we get opposition,for radio-activity. Does that mean we shall have no power and take no developmental activity? Does that mean such environmental authorities and agencies are against our development? If it is so, then whose interest is protected? We certainly need such projects and activities for our development and survival. But at the same time we need pollution free environment for our safety and longivity. We neeC aevetofment but a sustainable development. All our development proFcts should be pollution free. There is need to develop ecofriendly pdects. The effluents or wastes from the industries are to be beated properly before commencing of such projects. where-ever possible they are to be recirculated to procu"" iy-frar"t".

the process of development, we may notice some harms or deteriorating environment _In conditions unless the precautionary measures are taken in advance. Does that ,r" .hill ,top all

SHegies for Sustainable Development

The appropriate strategies arc to be formulated and adopted not onbr on national but at international level also- fo1 sustainable dwelopment in an eco-environment. The need of the hour is to evolve suitable methods of pollution contol, conservation of energy, conservation of wastes, soil and metalic minerals an{ at the same time to increase the carrying capacity of the earth in relation to man. In order to protect the environment among pre-requisites for prolonged better and sustainable relationship, is the conservation of living resources. ThJhuman ure of bio$h"r" for the beoefit df the present generation should be properly managed, while maintaining its. potential to meet the needs of firture generations. There should be judicious use of resources. In developed and ecologically conscious cormtries, it is the 'total eco-system conservation poticy' which gains credence over the 'special interest conservation policy'. In case of developing developed cormtries, the situation is unfortunately the reverse. However, in India, there has been oflate a shift from special inlerest to tle total ecosystern.conservation policy. S-inc9 the total ecological balance is at a very critical stage, the imetirre conective measures ar required urgently in the foreseeable future. Some of the measures include: I Reforestation of developed and geomorphically wlnerable hill terraces, low land flood plains as riverine tracts with indigenous tree species together with compilation of complete srirvival and growth data over the years. 2. Development of sustainable food and firewood resources on wastelands around inhabitation on appropriate pattems is required in order to stop forest grazing. 3. Evolving favourable public oailion for the implementation of various sustainable dwelopment prognmmes. The local population should be made aware of the direct and indirect impacfof the ecological imbalances, emenating from fast evolving 'bad lands' so the local inhabitanis who are part and parcel of this ecosystem, need to be educated and involved in the habitat resurrection. programmes. 4. Ideally, an engineer, a forester, an agronomist, a range manager, a wild life specialist, a land escape architect, an economist and an ecologist should effectively participate in any deveiopment planning ofa city or industrial growth. They should keep in viewihe basic ecological priociptr. which govern function and stability of eco-systems.

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To6ook ol Air Foltulion and ns Control

The various factors involved in environmental protection are given as under: I Protection of the atnospherc

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protectiol of land resourcer {climate "l"og"r, a"pr"ti-".r n" .r"*'Lv"rl. (comuating ae?or"station, desertificrtion ai""grrrl. conservation ofbiological diversity ""1 lptitection orn"si and coastal areas and the national use and development of their tri"g i.."*.*1. Environmentally sound -"ngon"ot-of biotechnology una m-.ari" wastes (including toxic

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Prevention of illegal haffic in toxic products and wastes. poor by eradicating poverry and stopping "ooatio*rthe Environment is a global concept today. Envirorrqental education is an approach to learning and not a subject of study. It endeavorns to create a way of thinking rcquiring to o.r.."o_e prejudices. Environmental education h"Jp. p p.ogn*ing r.Jt-g."*poi"oces ranging from the simple to the comptex. Environment is firlt of concrete tnug-r rrri.l'"rr'ir"1 -"y interpret and then draw their own conclusions. principre'or*=uiloo,n*t"l education is that 1le it makes the child,s education problem-based for. understandini o" and the hazards of its polution- The environmentar education cu''icuhT it *9,"uy ir tells us and unplamed development polrutes air, water and soil or""t"oiog o,r subsistence and existence.

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The objectives of environmental education are categorised as follows: l Awareness: To help social groupt *a i"&"i'J*irlquire an awareoess of and sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems. Knowledge: To herp social groups and inorrid*t. gain a-variety of experiences and acquire a basic understanaine of environment *a it" problems. $e Attitudes: To hefu Jocial gro'pt "sro"i"t"A a set ofvarues and feelings of concem and motivation for io

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Participation: To provide social groups and individuals with an opportunity to be activd invotved at all levels in working towards the solution of eivironmental problems.

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MAN AND ENVIFON|TIENT Generalln people are indiferent to their-environment. Newton's third law states: 'Every action has an equal and opposite reaction'. This will equally apply to man's relationship with nanre as it relates to application of force on inanimate objects. While man sought domination over nature in 5fi)0 years of recorded history he has, in the last 50 years, begun to realise that his welfare and his very existenc ane deeply intertwined with the nahral rycles and systems.

Textbook of Air fullution and ltrs Control

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However, the essence of all these definitions is more or less the same and now we usually define ecology as the study of relations of organisms to their environment or the study of inter-relations between living organisms and their environment. On this basis, it would be best to define ecology as 'environmental biolosv'. environment is the rmiverse of biotic and other physical elements as organised into dynamic -Hence systems. iGse systems are ecological systems or ecosysterns which represent the integration of living Oiotic) and non-living (abiotic) elernents in the environment' Ecology is one of the.most popular areas of biology and even the layman and the general public are greatly interested in this subject in view of the3rollgrnqglgnvironmentalpollutio4 hUmsqgruiv{ and conservation of natural resources.. Indeed, virtually all biological research, whether in the test-tube, in tfe taUoratory orGEeEetflbecomes meaningful and sipificant only when it is related to the irdividual organism growing in its natural habitat. One important way in which ecology differs from most other branches of biology is that it can be properly appresiated or studied only through a multidisciplinary approach involving close cx)prdtion by experts in sweral disciplbes, e.g-, physics, geogr4hy, engineering, mathematics, statistics, zoology, botany, microbiologly and cbe,nistry. ln fact most of our presnt{ay nvhonmntal problens have beetr caused by a lack of appreciation of the multidisciplinary perspective and a narrow perception of the world- Such a limited perception has ben so misleading that it has often led to a consideration of an ecological problem fiom the standpoint ofa single discipline. No wonder threfqe, that ade{ntate solutions to many ofthe environmental problems have eluded us' The population explosion has also brought an imbalance in the means ofsubsisknce and nature. This has led to serious economic, socio-political and environmental problems. The environmental degradation due to advanced tecbnology and industrialisation has compelled men to search out the natural reliounces for its survival on the earth. Changrng landscape due to ecological degradation has created havoc on the earth. Moreover changing vegctation pattems over the last five decades have been mainly on the declining side. The tree canopy all around has been severely broken by humm activities. Barren land is h plenty which has led to serious soil erosion. Because ofpopulation pressure there is gradual increase in cultivable land, qhggleJgljlgqilo,eJgllef-!9y laq{s. All this led to encroachment on deeper forest areas ofthe hills w-ith high-pr-ssure of grazing animals leading to excessive soil erosion Thus, the ecology has rapidly grown in recent years due to following rsasons: Population explosion resulting in excessive burden on natural resources, both renewable aod

non-renewable. 2. Development of technology which frequently ignored biological laws. 3. Extravagant pattern ofconsumption which permitted very little or no recycling ofwaste products' All the aforesaid factors are responsible for scarecity of natural resources, decrease in productivity of biological systerns which sustain man and his domesticated animals, deteriorate climate and pollution of air, water and soil. Due to rapid environmental degmdation the ecology has assumed greater importance and the people began to believe that political and socio-ecoaomic decisions should be based oa ecologt The origin ofecology can be fraced back to the shrdy of living systems. The studies conducrcd in thd beginning were experimental or observational and ana$cal in nature. The experimental approach was concemed with the effect of environmental factors on animals whereas plant ecology, adopted with an observational and analytical approach was concerned with co.relating various vegetational forms and structures with physical and chemical factors of environment. With the passage of time, there was change in approach to study of ecology and it was considered as 'the snrdy of eco-system'.