UNIT 5

ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
1.

Introduction
In recent years environmental concern have been at the forefront of

public attention. Public awareness of environmental issues is a major

driving force leading to calls for the development of national and
international policies to protect the Environment. Growing public
participation in community organization, lobbying groups and local
action groups also reflect an increasing environmental awareness.
2.

What is environmental Awareness

Environmental Awareness is to understand the fragility of our

Environment

and

the

importance

of

its

protection.

Promoting

environmental awareness is an easy way to become an environmental

steward and participating in creating a brighter future for our children
and public.
To define environmental awareness we must first understand, the
environmentalist movement. Environmentalism is an ideology that evokes
the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect and
preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by humans)
afflictions.
Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movements
success. By teaching our friends and family, that the physical

environment is fragile and indispensable we can begin fixing the

problems that threatens it.
3.

How to promote Awareness ?

Before you can began promoting environmental awareness in your

community you must first make sure, that you have a thorough
understanding of the environmental issues.
4.

Important tools for Environmental Awareness

Numerous resources are available to promote environmental

awareness, such as,

(1) Group learning (in or outside class)
(2) International and inspirational seminars
(3) Environmental books and brochures
(4) Electronic media
(5) The press
(6) School and college education
(7) Public awareness campaign
(8) Through Green movements
(9) Using an environmental calendar of activities
There are several days of special environmental significance which
can celebrated in the community and can be used for creating
environmental awareness.
5.

Few days of special Environmental significance

(1) February 2 World Wet land Day

-

Celebrated to create awareness about wet lands

On February 2nd, 1971, the Ramsar convention on

wetland at Ramsar, Iran

(2)

March 21 : World Forestry Day

-

Can be used to initiate public awareness, Campaign,

about extremely rapid disappearance of our forest.

(3)

April 7 : World Health Day : The World Health Organisation

(WHO) came into existence on this Day in 1948.
-

A campaign for personal sanitation, hygiene, public

health, etc.

(4)

April 18 World Heritage Day

-

An opportunity to create awareness among the local

people, about their very valuable heritage sites.

(5)

April 22 Earth Day

First celebrated in 1970, by a group of people in USA to draw

attention to increasing environmental problems caused by Humans

on earth.
(6)

June 5 : World Environment Day

-

Marks the anniversary of the Stockholm Conference

on Human Environment in Sweden in 1972.

In that Conference the Nations of the world gathered to

share their concern, over human progress at the expense
of the Environment.

(7)

June 11 World Population Day

-

To discuss the impact of population Explosion on

Environment.

(8)

August 16 : Hiroshima Day

-

Can be used to discuss our own Bhopal Gas

Tragedy and Chernobyl disaster.

(9)

September 16 : World Ozone Day

-

It is a good occasion to study more about threat of ozone

Depletion and Ozone depleting substances.

This day marks, the Moentral Protocol signed in 1987

to control the production and consumption of ozone
Depleting substances.

(10)

September 28 : Greener Consumer Day

is used to create awareness among consumer about various

products.

(11)

October 1 7 : Wild life week

An occasion to study Indias rich Biodiversity

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(12)

Role of NGOs in promoting Environmental Awareness

-

Since 1970s non- Government Organisations (NGOs)

have played, an increasingly important role, in promoting
environmental awareness.

It is difficult to estimate how many people, world wide are

members of environmental organizations.

Non-Government organizations are as varied as the

issues, they confront.

Many NGOs have similar interests and co-ordination of

activities.

World Conservation Union (IUCN), International Institute

for Environment and Development (IIED) etc are few
interaction NGOs on Environment

6.

NGO activities on Environment in India

(1)

Chipko movement
It is an Environmental move primarily begun and supported by

local women in the Hills of Uttarakhand and Garhwal, where the women
(the traditional fuel collectors) have had to bear the brunt of
deforestation. Theyhave not only realized that their fuel wood and fodder
resources have receded away, from their resource use areas around
their settlements due to commercial timber extraction, but that this has

led to serious floods and loss of precious soil. Chipko activities have
made

long

padayatras

across

Himalayas

protesting

against

deforestation. This movement has been highly successful and has been
primarily supported by empowering local womens group, who are the
most seriously affected segment. The movement has proved to the world,
that the forest of Hills are the life-support systems of local communities
and of immense value in terms of local produce, as that the forest has
less quantifiable but even move important ecological services, such as
soil conservation and the maintenance of the natural water regime of the
whole region.
(2)

Kerala Sathre Sahithya Parishad (KSSP)

Save Silent Valley was a social movement, aimed at the

protection of silent valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad

District of Kerala, India. It was started in 1973 to save the Silent valley
Reserve Forest from being flood by Hydro electric project. The valley
was declared as Silent Valley National Park. Kerala Sasthra Sahitya
Parishat (KSSP) effectively aroused the public opinion as the requirement
to save silent valley. They also published a Techno-economic and
socio-political assessment report on the Silent Valley Hydro electric
Project. The poet activist Sugatha Kumari played an important role, in
the Silent Valley Project. Dr. Salim Ali, eminent Ornithologist of the
Bombay Natural History Society, visited the valley and appealed for
cancellation of the Hydro Electric Project. After a careful study of Prof.
M.G. Menons Report 1983 Smt. Indira Gandhi the then Prime Minister

of India, has decided to abandon the Project. On November 15th silent

valley forest were declared as National Park.
(3)

Narmada Bacho Andolan (NBA)

It

is

social

movement

consisting

of

adivasis

farmers,

environmentalists and human rights activists against number of large

dams, being built across River Narmada. The river flows, through the
State of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh in India. Sardar Saravar Dam, in
Gujarat, is one of the biggest dams, on the river and was one of the focal
points of the movement. Their mode of campaign includes, hunger
strikes and garmenting support from film and art personalities (notably
Bolly wood actor Aamir Khan). Narmada Bachao Andolan, with its
leading spokespersons, Medha Patkar and Baba Amte, received the
Right Liveli hood Award in 1991.
Environment friendly products
Environment friendly products are those products that provide the
Environmental, social and economic benefits, while protecting public
health and environment over their whole life cycle from the extraction of
raw materials until final disposal.
Environmentally friendly, environment friendly, eco-friendly,
nature-friendly and green, are marketing claims, referring to goods and
services, laws, guidelines and policies that inflict reduced, minimal or
no harm at all, upon ecosystems or the environment. Companies use

this ambiguous terms to promote goods and services, sometimes with

additional, more specific certificates, such as eco labels.
Scope of Definition
The

definition

of

Environment

friendly

products

has

six

characteristics
(1)

Customer satisfaction
-

Any product or services, that do not meet customer needs

will not survive in the market, in a long term.

(2)

Dual focus
Compared with purely environmental products, Environment

friendly product focus both on ecological and social significance.

(3)

Constantly environment friendly during its entire life. That is

from the moment the raw materials are extracted to the moment,
the final product is disposed of there must be no permanent
damage to the Environment.

(4)

Significant improvements : Environment friendly products have

to contribute to dealing with socio-ecological problems on a global
level or provide measurable improvement in socio-ecological
products programme.

(5)

Continuous

improvement

Since

the

state

of

knowledge

technologies and societal expectation keep on developing, so

environment

friendly

products

should also be

continuously

improved regarding social and environmental variation.

(6)

Competing offers : Environment friendly products or sustainable

products may still lag behind, competing offers, therefore, the
competing offers may serve as bench mark regarding social and
ecological performance.

Examples of Eco-friendly products

(1) Hand made paper
Objectives
-

To reduce the amount of paper waste generated by the

office

To save our planet earth from global warming and green

house effect

To stop deforestation and to save our forest resources.

Hand made papers not only reduce pollution by 70%, but also
helps in saving trees as it uses non-wood raw materials. Thus
promoting the land made papers is in dire need to day.
(2)

Hand made paper product (eg. Paper Bags and Note Books)
Objective : Save trees and Environment

Everyday, we face, debates on the ban of plastic bags. The much

cry in the air for ban of plastic bags has raised numerous questions.
Why to ban plastic bags, as they are strong and convenient ?
The Plastic and Environment
Plastic bags are popular, with consumers and retailers as they are
functional, lightweight, strong, cheap and hygienic way to transport food
and other products. The over consumption of plastic bags find their way
on to our streets, parks and into our water ways.
In the past few decades the use of plastic has increased all over the
world. Plastic is a big threat to our planet earth. The reason is plastics
are not biodegradable plastic is not capable of being decomposed by
Biological agents. Hence when thrown, after use, it is not decomposed,
when tends to threat the earth.
Although plastic bags make up only a small percentage of the total
little zones, the impact of these bags, is no doubt significant. Plastic bags
create visual pollution problems, and can have catastrophic effects on
aquatic and terrestrial animals. Plastic bags are, particularly striking
components of the little zone, due to their size and can take a long time
to fully break, down (not biodegradable)
The Eco-friendly Alternative Paper Bags
The alternative is the paper bag, which is always environmental
friendly and easily biodegradable. Hence to save our Environment, and

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our Earth, from the catastrophic plastics, we should start, using paper
made products.
These paper bags, are either made of virgin wood pulp or recycled
paper or hand made papers. Most paper bags are made from Kraft paper.
Kraft paper may be unbleached (brown) or Bleached (white) and can be
made in a wide variety of strength or thickness (called weight by the
Industry.
Types of paper shopping bags
(1) Paper bag (2) Retail bag (3) Fast food bags (4) Multi wall bags.
Hand made paper note book
They are made of hand made papers and hence they are eco
friendly. These note books are now available in various designs and
colours. The hand made paper note books are directly, engaged in saving
hundreds and thousand of trees. By buying and using the hand made
paper, note books you will be directly or indirectly involved in saving our
planet Earth from Deforestation and Green house Effects
Eco-furniture
Eco-friendly furnitures are good alternative to wooden furniture.
Eco-friendly furniture use less wood and more use of waste products and
other products, the use of which are not a threat to our environment.
Eco Fan

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Eco-fans do not need electricity or any external batteries, to work

as the thermo electric module, works a small generator, to power the
fan. The environment friendly fan, is capable of distributing the warm, is
whole of your house.
Green Taxes
Definition : Tax paid by the consumers for products or services
that are not environmentally friendly.
According to Collins English Dictionary Green tax means any tax
imposed with the aim of regulating activity in a way, that benefits
the environment.
Green taxes are also called Environmental taxes or pollution
taxes. They are the taxes on Environmental pollutants .
Intended purpose of the Green Tax is to offset the negative impact
resulting from the use of non-green products and serious.
-

The Nearby Terms are : Green Dollar, Green Economics, Green

Investor, Green Marketing, Green Monday, Green Paper, Green
power, Green Shoe, Green tech, Green Back, Green field site, Green
house gases, Green mail, Green architecture, etc.

Eco tax (Short of Ecological taxes) refers to taxes intended to

promote

Environmentally

friendly

activities

via

economic

incentives. Often an ecotax policy proposal may attempt to

maintain overall tax revenue by proportionally reducing other taxes
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(e.g taxes on human labour and renewable resources) such

proposals are also known as Green tax shift towards ecological
taxation)
-

The objective of a Green tax shift is often to implement a full

coast accounting or true cost accounting to internalize,
market distorting externalities, which leads to sustainable wealth
creation.

Green taxes reliefs and schemes for business

Green taxes encourage your business to operate in a more,
environmentally friendly way. There are different taxes and schemes,
designed for different kinds and sizes of business.

International experience : Many European countries have used

pollution taxes, more than the United States, imposing taxes on
emissions of common air pollutants, such as sulfur dioxide and
nitrogen oxides. U.K Green taxes hit high in the world. More than 500
million pounds of the increase, in the Green taxes last year was due to
rising renewable energy levies, to subsidies the construction wind and
solar farms and other Green technologies.
One green tax that has recently gained favour in Austria is
Carbon Tax Australia introduced Carbon Tax (July 2012), which is an
excise levy on the carbon-based content of fossil fuels (coal, petroleum,
gas) as a means of reducing green house gas emission that contribute to

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global warming and climate change. The carbon tax, may encourage,
development and use of clean energy sources, in Australia (renewable or
green energy such as wind, hydro and solar). India and Japan has also
introduced Carbon Tax. In Europe a number of countries have imposed
energy taxes based partly on Carbon content. There is apparently no
Green tax in the USA.
-

Canada introduced fuel conservation tax (1991) in Ontario its

main objective was to achieve environmental protection, energy
conservation and revenue regeneration

Germany has introduced tax differentiation programmes in

favrour of unleaded petrol and low emission vehicles, with
higher rates for diesel engines valuates than petrol ones, tax
exemptions for cars, with catalytic converters and incentives for
retro fitting existing cards, with catalytic converters.

Sweden introduced nitrogen oxide charges on energy production.

The main objective of the tax policy, was to contain NOx emissions,
from combustion plants for energy production in paper and pulp,
chemical and metal industries and waste incineration plants.

China has been implementing a Pollution Levy System (PLS) for

the past 15 years, that adopts a polluter pays principle.
Initially the rates were kept low, and the levies were only on certain
pollutants. In the new PLS, introduced in 2000 the tax base was
wider and comprehensive, covering all pollutants from all sources.

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This systems has, lover rates, for emission below official standards
and higher rates for those above the standards.

Green Deal and ECO

-

The Green Deal provides loans and grants for people to make
energy improvements to their homes
The Energy Companies Obligations Provides, insulation and

green measures to people in fuel poverty and on low incomes.

Indias Green Tax
India is well known for its intense traffic and the Environmental
effects of streets over-crowded with old cars. In an effort, to combat the
negative environmental effects, Maharashtra, India has implemented a
new green tax.
This new tax, penalizes, commercial vehicles, over 8 years old
private vehicles over 15 years old.
In danger of this sort of tax is, it will primarily harm the lower
middle class, community, who managed to purchase an old car or has
been holding on to the one family car for over a decade and cannot afford
to either buy a new car, or pay this tax. Although the Revenue from the
tax is going to go to fighting pollution, and creating better public

15

Transport, the burden of financing these projects will fall on the

community who cannot afford it.
Andhra Pradesh had introduced Green tax. There shall not be
any levy of Green tax (in Andhra) if the vehicle is operated by LPG, CNG,
Battery or Solar power.
The Indian Scenario in Eco tax
At present, India faces several challenges in effective and useful
enforcement of environmental taxes, because it is difficult to set taxes at
a level, the accurately reflects the real environmental cost of economic
activities.
Also imposition of environmental taxes at the national level may
affect domestic producers, forcing them to import goods from countries
where

similar

taxes

are

not

imported.

Unlike

traditional

taxes,

Environmental taxes do not serve, the sole purpose of raising revenues,

but have a considerable impact on the Governments socio-economic
policies. In this case its essential to have, a prior understanding of the
Indian Regulatory, legislative and market scenario to bring in these
changes.

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