Environmental

Awareness

Environmental Studies

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International conventions

The Montreal Protocol:

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer (the Montreal
Protocol) is an international agreement made in 1987.
The Montreal Protocol is widely considered as the most successful environmental
protection agreement. It sets out a mandatory timetable for the phase-out of ozone-
depleting substances like CFC's (Chlorofluorocarbons).

Kyoto Protocol:

It is an international treaty to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate

Change.
It is an international treaty that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Kyoto Protocol was adopted in Kyoto, Japan.
It was adopted on 11th December 1997 and came into force on 16th February 2005.
Its first commitment period was between 2008 and 2012.
The second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol was agreed on in 2012 (ends in
2020).

Tokyo Convention:

This convention acts on on-board aircraft.

This convention is applicable to offences against penal law and to any acts jeopardizing
the safety of the persons or property on board civilian aircraft while in flight and
engaging in international air navigation.

Cartagena Protocol:

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an

international treaty governing the movements of living modified organisms (LMOs)
resulting from modern biotechnology from one country to another.
It was adopted on 29 January 2000 as a supplementary agreement to the Convention on
Biological Diversity and entered into force on 11 September 2003.
The Protocol also establishes a Biosafety Clearing-House to facilitate the exchange of
information on living modified organisms and to assist countries in the implementation
of the Protocol.

National Awareness Programs and Movements:

Chipko movement:

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 1 of 6

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It is primarily a forest conservation movement.

It was started in 1970 and aimed at protecting trees.
It was started from Reni village in Garhwal, in the northern Himalayan segment i.e.
Uttarakhand.
Sunderlal Bahuguna is a prominent environmentalist from Garhwali and a member of
the Chipko movement.
The Chipko Andolan (‘Hug the Trees Movement’) was the result of a grassroots-level
effort to end the alienation of people from their forests.
The idea of the Chipko movement was of his wife and he took the action.
He has been fighting for forest protection in the Himalayas for years, first as a leader of
the Chipko movement in the 1970s, and then led the Anti-Tehri Dam campaign from the
1980s until early 2004.
The Chipko movement was awarded the Right Livelihood Award in 1987 "for its
commitment to conserving, preserving and ecologically sustainable use of the natural
resources of India."
Chipko-type movements date back to 1730 AD when 363 Bishnois sacrificed their lives in
the village of Prasanna Khamkar in Rajasthan to save the Khejri trees.

Namami Gange Programme:

It was started in 2014.

Namami Gange Programme is an Integrated Conservation Mission, approved by the
Government of India.
It was started with a budget outlay of Rs.20,000 Crore to accomplish the twin objectives
of effective abatement of pollution, conservation, and rejuvenation of National River
Ganga.
The River Ganga is important not only for its cultural and spiritual significance but also
because it hosts more than 40% of the country’s population.

Narmada Bachao Andolan:

Narmada Bachao Andolan is a social movement led by social activists Medha Patkar and
Baba Amte.
The aim of this movement was to provide project information and legal representation to
the affected residents of Narmada valley.
This movement initiated by native tribals (Adivasis), farmers, environmentalists, and
human rights activists.
The river flows through the states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Sardar Sarovar is the project related to Narmada Bachao Andolan.

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 2 of 6

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​Tarun Bharat Sangh:

TBS (Tarun Bharat Sangh) is a non-profit environmental organization based in

Bheekampura, Rajasthan.
This sangha was founded in 1975.
TBS began by rallying communities around the subject of water.
TBS assisted them in reviving and revitalizing traditional water management
techniques through the construction of Johads, Anicuts, and Bunds for rainfall gathering
from Shramdan, which was partially funded by TBS.

Solid waste:

Consist of everyday items that are discarded.

​these items are discarded as unwanted and useless.
These are range of garbage materials arising from:

human activities.

industrial activities

residential activities

commercial activities

There are lots of waste materials that can decompose (degradable) and cannot be
decomposed (non-degradable).

Decomposable waste Non-Decomposable

waste

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 3 of 6

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The degradation The degradation

process in such waste process in such
is rapid. waste is slow

Such waste is Such wastes cannot

decomposed and be decomposed by
degraded by microbes.
microbes.

These wastes are not These wastes often

accumulated but are accumulate over
used up in a short time.
time.

Example: Banana skin, Example: Jam bottle,

vegetable peels, dried sauce bottle, used
leaves and newspaper toothpaste tube,
plastic toys.
Household waste:

Household waste is also known as domestic waste or residential waste.

It is the disposable material generated by households.
This waste can include food scraps, paper, garden trimming etc. which can be composted.
It can also include wastes like batteries, medicines bottles, plastic and glass that cannot
be decomposed.

Industrial waste:

These wastes are produced by industry.

It includes any material that is rendered useless during a manufacturing process from
plants, mills, and mines.
Some examples of industrial waste are silica fume, slag, sludge, fly ash, sandpaper,
metals, glass, etc.

​Solid waste disposal:

Incineration:

It is the disposal of waste by burning.

Waste is burned at high temperatures in a furnace.
Then leftover ash is disposed of in landfills.

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 4 of 6

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This method involves burning solid wastes in a furnace until the wastes are turned into
ashes.
In this process, the combustible portion of the waste is combined with oxygen forming
carbon dioxide and water, which are released into the atmosphere.
Incinerators are made in such a way that they do not give off extreme amounts of heat
when burning solid wastes.
Suitable temperature and operating conditions are required to achieve incineration.
It reduces the volume of waste up to 20 or 30% of the original volume.
This method of solid waste management releases various greenhouses gases and
harmful substances into the atmosphere like dioxins, furans and VOC.

Recycling:

Recycling is how we take the trash and transform it into new products.
There are several types of recycling processes that allow some materials to be used one
or more times.
Recycling is good for us and the environment because it reduces the use of new raw
materials to produce new products.

Composting:

It is used to decompose leaves and vegetable scraps.

These are converted into manure.
Which is valuable for plants and soil.
It can also be done at home.

Vermicomposting:

It is similar to composting.
But instead of natural process, earthworms are used to accelerate the process.

Landfills:

This is the most common way for disposal of solid waste.

A large pit is dig in the ground and the waste is dumped into that pit.
When the waste decay in these gases like:

methane

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 5 of 6

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carbon dioxide

carbon monoxide

oxides of nitrogen are released in to the atmosphere.

When the landfill get filled, it is used as parking space or ground.

SUBJECT | Environmental Studies 6 of 6