14 Our Environment

Expected Learning Outcomes

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. Environment has both living and non-living things.
Environment includes soil, air and water around our house. 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, e.g., cutting of 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
A. Answer these questions:
1. What are the two components of 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 which cause acid rain.
Vehicles also give out smoke which has harmful gases
such as carbon monoxide and soot. This smoke, that
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.
So, to reduce the carbon dioxide level in the
atmosphere, we need to plant more trees as
the green leaves use this gas in their
photosynthesis.
Trees are cut for many human needs.
Sometimes we cut the trees from the forests
and let the forests become barren, this is known
Deforestation as deforestation.

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Deforestation leads to increased carbon dioxide level
in atmosphere, leading 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, release of
oxygen and many more things. This mainly results in
lower carbon dioxide levels, leading to reduction in
global warming. Flood
Do you know what will happen if global warming is allowed to go unchecked? The ice caps
will melt and the water level will rise on the Earth and many islands would be submerged in
water.

LAND POLLUTION
The rubbish that we throw in an open area makes land dirty and polluted. These wastes 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, packing materials which can be decomposed by micro-
organisms are known as biodegradable wastes. 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 cheap and increases the fertility of the soil.
By composting, you are not only cleaning the place but you are also getting manure.
2. Non-biodegradable Wastes: On the other hand, things like polybags, aluminium
foil, oil, plastic, glass items, etc., can never get decayed and are known as non-
biodegradable wastes. This will pollute the soil and create problems for the plants
growing nearby and make our environment dirty and polluted.
Efforts must be made to reduce the use of non-biodegradable materials and to recycle them
as far as possible when used.
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 wastes mix
with clean water and it becomes polluted. Polluted
water has disease–causing germs, dissolved
harmful and floating substances. Thus, the water
becomes unfit for drinking. This is called water
pollution.
Untreated industrial wastes are also dumped into
rivers and make 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 they
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, e.g.,
loud music from radio, stereo systems, bursting of
crackers, motor vehicles, aircraft and some heavy
machineries. If the noise pollution increases
beyond a certain limit, it may cause many health
problems including deafness.

Noise pollution
CHECK YOURSELF
A. 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 atmosphere from factories
due to burning of coal and petroleum products. These gases, when they go up into the
atmosphere, combine and dissolve in rain water to form acids and give rise to acid rain which
is very harmful for soil, crops, buildings and also for human beings.
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HOW CAN WE MAKE OUR ENVIRONMENT CLEAN?
We cannot clean our environment in a day or two but certainly our efforts in making the
environment clean over a long time will 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 which can filter the agents causing pollution.
3. Planting trees, systematically in vacant public places and parks.
4. Educating people about pollution and its effects and the methods of controlling it.
5. By relocating old industries in places away from cities.
6. By locating new industries in places away from cities.
II. Controlling Water Pollution:
1. Maintaining proper drainage system and preventing its leakage into water bodies.
2. Factories should not be allowed to dump their wastes into water bodies without
treating them (removing all the harmful pollutants).
3. Preventing 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 the use of excess 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. Usage 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. Use cotton ear plugs at airports. Airports must be situated away from the cities.

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
Pollu on : change in the composi on of original environment due to pollutants
Air pollu on : contamina on of air by harmful gases and dust par cles
Deforesta on : cu ng down of forests
Afforesta on : plan ng of trees to make a forest

SUMMARY
v Your surroundings are your environment.
v Contamination of the environment as a result of human activities is known as pollution.
v Air pollution is mostly because of human activities.
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 disease–causing germs.
v We must educate people about pollution.
v We must avoid the excess use of pesticides and chemical fertilisers.
v Proper steps must be taken in factories 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 wastes?

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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 the 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.
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 5. Why do we need to plant more trees?
6. What is deforestation? What are its effects? How can we prevent them?
7. If the pollution increases then what can happen to the birds, animals and the
trees?

Activity Time
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.

C. Why is pollution check for every vehicle necessary and a must?

D. Experimentally prove which waste products are bio-degradable and which are not, by
burying the wastes in soil for few days. Notice and decide which is biodegradable and
which is not.
E. Plastic bottles of any soft drink can be used 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 (mint or pudina, coriander or dhania, etc.).
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Be a young
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.

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 micro-organisms?
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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 Notes

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