Module 5

Social issues and the environment

From Unsustainable to sustainable development
• Human beings interact both with the social world
and nature.
• Both, economic development and stable
environment are required for the continual
improvement of lifestyle and living standards.
• But until now, the development was human
oriented and limited to rich nations.
• The development was achieved by damaging the
environment and over exploitation of natural
resources which were non renewable.
• That caused instability of environment and
crossed the threshold limit of environmental
damage.
 From Unsustainable to sustainable development
• Sustainable development can be defined as
“meeting the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations
to meet their own needs.”
• It is effective use of resources for economic
development while preserving the environment
and ecosystem so that not only the needs of
presents are fulfilled but also for the future
generations.
• Sustainable development also interlinks the
development and carrying capacity of
environment and ecosystem
Causes for Unsustainable Development
• Some people argue that developing countries
responsible for the degradation. Others hold
Developed Countries are responsible for them.
• The important issues is not rate of increase of
National Pollution, it is the rate of increase of
Total Pollution. In this regard developed countries
contribute much more than developing countries.
• Some people argue that raising population in the
third world countries to be the crucial pollutant
and it is essential to control it by all means.
• People should look at environment as not only
reserve of man but of all living organism. So
development has to sustain not only for man but
also for all living organisms.
 True sustainable development

• It aims at optimum use of natural resources

with high degree of sustainity, minimum
wastage, least generation of toxic by
products and maximum productivity.
• i. Inter generational equity
• We should minimize any adverse impacts
on resources and environment for future
generation.
 True sustainable development
• ii. Intra generational equity
• Technological development of rich countries should support economic
growth of poor countries and lead to sustainability.
• Don’t use high quality energy to do a job that can be done with low quality
energy.
• Place more emphasis on pollution prevention and waste reduction.
• Recycle and reuse as many of our waste products and resources possible.
• Make more goods that last longer and easy to use, recycle and repair.
• Depend on renewable source of energy, sun wind, biomass, flowing water,
geo thermal and tidal.
• Sustain Earths Biodiversity with emphasis on protecting vital habitats of the
wild species.
• Use potentially renewable resources such as wastes soil, plants, animals no
faster than they are renewed.
• Increase the usage of non renewable resources to minimize the resource
depletion at a faster rate.
• Earth Degrading activities should be discouraged
• Reduce poverty and rate of population growth
Measures for sustainable Development
• a) Using appropriate technology
• It is one which is locally adaptable, ecofriendly
efficient and culturally suitable. It involves
local labours, less resources and produces
minimum waste. the Concept is ‘’Design with
Nature’’.
• b) 3-R Approach
• Reduce,Reuse and Recycle approach.
• Reduce the usage and also reduce the wastage
of resource by making things that last longer
and are easier to recycle, reuse and repair.
Measures for sustainable Development
• c) Promoting environmental education awareness
• Environmental education will help in changing the
thinking and attitude of people towards environment.
• d) Population stabilization
• We can achieve sustainable development by
controlling population.
• e) Conservation of nonrenewable resources
• It should be conserved by recycling and reusing.
• f) Usage of renewable resources
• Usage of renewable resources should not be faster than
their regeneration capacity.
Measures for sustainable Development
The following four rules can be defined as the key
mantras of sustainability. These four rules are
• Reduce our dependency on heavy metals and fossil
fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas.
• Reduce our dependency on synthetic chemicals.
• Reduce our destruction of nature which includes
clearing of forest and natural habitats for human
needs.
• The fourth principal is to ensure that we don’t stop
people from meeting their needs in order to achieve
environmental sustainability. We must maintain a
balance between environmental and economic
sustainability.
 Urban energy crisis
• Economic growth coupled with a growing
population necessitates an increase in energy
consumption. The need of the hour, therefore, is to
meet the energy needs of all segments in the most
efficient and cost effective manner while ensuring
long-term sustainability. Current pattern of energy
use (especially based on fossil based fuels) raise
serious concern for three reasons.
1. The finite natural reserves of such energy.
2. Its detrimental effects on the global
environment.
3. The threat to long term sustainability.
 Urban energy crisis
• There is an obligation to create an energy use pattern that ensures
energy efficiency, protects environmental integrity and maintains
and enhances the strength of economy. Three hey issues that are
likely to define the shape and future of energy in cities are the
following.
1. Sustainability: How much and at what rate is energy consumed
and its effect on long term sustainability, the quality and quantity
of available alternative/renewable form of energy and the effect of
existing energy use on the global environment.
2. Efficiency: The technology, planning and management of
energy systems that will facilitate efficient use of energy for
human activity.
3. Equity: The appropriate financial mechanism for research,
development and use of finite and alternative energy forms and
their equitable distribution for all human kind.
 Some important issues on energy
utilization in urban planning
• 1. To build a comprehensive inventory of energy use
patterns, particularly in urban areas of developing
countries
• 2. To explore alternative and renewable energy sources
• 3. To link energy with global environmental issues
• 4. To co-relate environmental management efficiency
with energy efficiency
• 5. To demonstrate energy efficiency through sustainable
transportation management
• 6. To understand energy consumption patterns from
both the supply and demand sides
 Water conservation
• 1. Never throw water away. If you pour too much out or have
some left in your glass, use it. Pour the surplus into your dog’s
water dish, water a plant, or add it to your water kettle.
• 2. Don’t leave the tap running needlessly. If you are washing
your face and you need to get the tap warm, use that initial
cooler water to brush your teeth, and then wash your face.
• 3. Choose and use your appliances wisely. Use energy star
appliances whenever possible and always use them at full
capacity. Choose economy settings and don’t run the dishwasher
half-full.
• 4. Install a low-flow toilet and don’t flush it more than
necessary. If it’s yellow let it mellow.
• 5. Make sure every tap in your home has an aerator. They
restrict water flow.
 Water conservation
• 6. Stop that leaky toilet. Not only does it sound annoying, it
wastes loads of water. Leaks can often be fixed by making minor
adjustments.
• 7. Repair dripping faucets by replacing washers. According to
American water and energy savers, a faucet that drips at the rate
of one drop per second will waste 2,700
gallons per year.
• 8. Shorter showers. At the very least replace your shower head
with a low-flow one. These are designed to maintain water
pressure while using much less water than the old-fashioned sort.
• 9. Insulate your water pipes. You won’t have to wait as long for
hot water as an added bonus.
• 10. Set up a rain barrel this summer. You can collect rain
water from your eaves to water your garden.
 Rainwater harvesting
• Rainwater harvesting is the technique of
collection and storage of rainwater in under
ground aquifers or in manmade
underground storage tanks near the surface.
• Sine construction of pucca tanks for
collection of rainwater, for directly using it
subsequently, proves very costly, the
originally existing temple tanks (such as
those existing in South India) can be easily
used for this purpose.
 Rainwater harvesting
• Construction of pucca tanks in individual
houses has, however, been adopted in our
country since ancient times to collect
rainwater for its subsequent use in water
scarce areas in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan
and parts of Tamilnadu and Kerala.
• Even the house of Mahatma Gandhi at
Porabander in Gujarat, used to have such a
tank in the courtyard, well connected with
the roof to collect the rainwater.
 Rainwater harvesting
• Several such tanks have been constructed
by local residents in the sacred town of
Dwaraka in Gujarat where rich devotees of
Lord Krishna, visiting this temple town, are
requested and persuaded to donate
construction of such a tank in the house of a
priest or a local poor resident.
 Rainwater harvesting
• The requirement of water in modern days is much more, as
lot of water is consumed in flushing of toilets, washing of
clothes in cloth washing machines, watering of lawns,
washing of cars etc.
• The artificial recharge of ground water through rainwater
harvesting techniques has become very necessary, because
the under ground reservoirs has been badly depleted
through over withdrawal of ground water, after the
electricity became available to us on a large scale.
• The number of wells and tube wells installed to lift large
quantities of ground water for using it for irrigation as well
as for domestic needs has resulted in lowering of the
ground water table almost throughout the country, on a
large scale.
 Methods of rainwater harvesting
• (1) On channel storage of storm water in drains and
streams by using the gated regulator structures.
• (2) Development, deepening and restoration of old
village ponds.
• (3) Creation of new water bodies by using old
abandoned watercourses
• (4) Storage of storm water in streams by constructing
gabion bunds and check dams.
• (5) Construction of soil conservation bunds to create
percolation tanks.
• (6) Construction of recharge trenches (recharge shafts)
in the existing water bodies to accelerate infiltration.
• (7) Roof top rainwater harvesting.
1. On channel storage of rain water

• In this method, rain water is impounded in a

long and large storm water drain, as to
promote its infiltration to the under- ground
reservoir.
• The stored water is also lifted sometimes
through pumps and used for irrigation or for
other purpose.
2. Development and deepening of old
village ponds

• In this method, the old existing village

ponds are deepened and restored by
removing encroachments and topping the
inflow of sewage.
• This method, not only recharges the ground
water, but also provides an aesthetic
environment to the entire village.
3. Creation of new water bodies
• In this method, abandoned courses of drains
or escape channel are used to develop new
water bodies, which are filled up by
diverting the storm runoff.
4. Construction of gabion bunds and
check dams
• Gabion bunds or check dams are
constructed across small streams to
conserve flows, with practically no
submergence above the normal water levels
of the stream during rainy season.
• The structure is a small bund constructed
across the stream by placing locally
available boulders (stones).
5. Construction of soil conservation bunds
to create percolation tanks
• Earthen bunds are sometimes constructed across
streams or lakes duly provided with masonry
spillway.
• The percolation tanks are preferably constructed
on streams located on highly fractured and
weathered rocks, which have lateral continuity
downstream.
• The recharged area downstream should have
sufficient number of well and cultivable land to
lift water from ground water table to avoid any
abnormal rise in the water table and so as to keep
the water logging and salinity away.
6. Construction of recharge trenches or recharge
shafts
• This is the most efficient and cost effective method to
recharge an unconfined aquifer overlain by an
impervious or poorly permeable strata. Recharge
shaft may be dug manually if the strata are of non-
caving nature or may be drilled through hand augers.
• The depth of the shaft will depend upon the
availability of the first aquifer below the top
impervious soil strata.
• The shaft should end in a permeable strata, though it
may not touch the water table.
7. Roof top rainwater harvesting

• Collection of rain water from the paved

roofs or G.I. corrugated roofs and paved
court yards of houses, either in storage
tanks or in the ground water reservoir is
known as roof top rainwater harvesting.
• The collected water serves as a good
source of water in water scarce areas.
7. Roof top rainwater harvesting
• In its simplest form,
the roof top water
harvesting involves
taking down a PVC
or M.S.pipe from the
roof’s outlet to the
ground floor, which
can be connected to
a water tank (placed
either above the
ground level or
below the ground
level) or to the under
ground water table.
•
7. Roof top rainwater harvesting

• The rain water

before collection
should, however,
generally be passed
through simple sand
or charcoal filters for
the removal of
suspended particles
and micro-organisms
from the rain runoff
being collected.
7. Roof top rainwater harvesting
• These filters
need to be
periodically
cleaned to
prevent clogging
of its pores.
• The roofs or
court yards
should be kept
as clean as
possible at the
time of rains.
 Acid rain
• The term acid rain was first used by Robert
Angus in 1872.
• It means the presence of more acid in rainwaters.
• Acid rain mainly contains sulfuric acid and nitric
acids.
• Sulfuric acid is the major contributor (60-70%0,
to the acid rain.
• Nitric acid ranks second (30-40%) followed by
hydrochloric acid.
 Acid rain
• Acid rain is a form of air pollution, currently a
subject of great concern because of the wide
spread environmental damages due to corrosive
nature.
• Acidification of environment is a man made
phenomenon.
• The problem begins with the production of
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from the
burning fossil fuel, such as coal, natural gas and
oil.
 Acid rain formation
• Unpolluted rainwater is slightly acidic due to
the presence of CO2 in the air. Its PH is 5.6.
• CO2 + H2O =H2CO3
• Therefore, rainwater having PH lower than 5.6 is
called acid rain.
 Acid rain formation
• Sulfur dioxide is the primary cause of acid rain.
The Sulphuric acid (H2SO4) forms in the
atmosphere by the following reaction.
• Burning coal
• S + O2 =SO2
• Formation of Sulfur trioxide
• 2SO2 + O2 =2SO3
• Dissolved in water droplet
• SO3 + O2 =H2SO4
 Acid rain formation
• Nitrogen oxides released from power plants
and vehicular emissions.
• Formation of Nitric acid
• 2NO + O2 =2NO2

• NO2 dissolves in water droplets.

• 4NO2+H2O + O2 =4HNO3
 Effects of acid rain
• (a) Effect on soil:
• In soil, acid rain dissolves and washes away
nutrients needed by plants.
• It also dissolves toxic substances such as
aluminum and mercury that are naturally
present in some soil and free them to
pollute water or to poison plants that absorb
them
 Effects of acid rain….
• (b) Effect on trees:
• By removing useful nutrients from the soil, acid
rain slows the growth of plants, especially trees.
• It also attacks trees more directly on the waxy
coating of leaves and needles, causing brown
dead spots. If more such spots are formed a tree
loses its ability to make prepare food through
photosynthesis. Once the leaves are weakened,
trees are more vulnerable to other stresses such
as insect infestations, drought and cold
temperature
 Effects of acid rain….
• © Effect on surface waters:
• Acid rains falls into drains, streams, lakes and
marshes. Where there is snow cover in winter,
local waters turns to be more acidic when the
snow melts in the spring.
• In natural water bodies sediments contains metals
such as zinc, cadmium, nickel, chromium,
copper, mercury etc. The acidic PH effects the
mobility of the metals presents in sediments
towards the over lying water through direct
dissolution.
 Effects of acid rain….
• (d) Effect on plants and animals:
• The effect of acid rain on wild life can be far
reaching. If a population of one plant or animal
is adversely affected by acid rain, animals that
feed on that organism may also suffer.
Ultimately entire ecosystem may become
endangered.
• Some species that live in water are very sensitive
to acidity and some are less sensitive. Fresh
water clams and mayfly young die when the
water PH is less than6.0.
 Effects of acid rain….
• (d) Effect on plants and animals:
• Fish eggs of most species stop hatching at a P H of
5.0.
• Water with PH below 4.5 is unable to support any
wild life.
• Land animals dependent on aquatic organisms
are also affected.
 Effects of acid rain….
• (e) Effect on materials:
• Acid rain and the dry deposition of acidic
particles damage buildings, statues, automobiles
and other structures made of stone, metal etc
• Both Parthenon in Athens, Greece and Taj
Mahal in Agra, India is deteriorating due to acid
pollution.
• Stones that contain calcium carbonate or
calcium sulphate are particularly susceptible to
acid pollution.
 Effects of acid rain….
• (f) Effect on human health:
• In the air acids join with other chemicals to
produce urban smog that can irritate the
lungs and make breathing difficult,
especially for people who already have
asthma, bronchitis or other respiratory
diseases.
 Ozone layer depletion
• Ozone layer depletion describes two distinct
but related phenomena observed since the
late 1970s: a steady decline of about 4% per
decade in the total volume of ozone in
Earth’s' stratosphere (the ozone layer), and
a much larger springtime decrease in
stratospheric ozone over Earth's Polar
Regions. The latter phenomenon is referred
to as the ozone hole.
 Ozone layer depletion
• The details of polar ozone hole formation differ from
that of mid-latitude thinning, but the most important
process in both is catalytic destruction of ozone by
atomic halogens
• The main source of these halogen atoms in the
stratosphere is photodissociation of man-made
halocarbon refrigerants, solvents, propellants, and
foam-blowing agents ( CFCs HCFCs, freons , halons).
• These compounds are transported into the stratosphere
after being emitted at the surface.
• Both types of ozone depletion have been observed to
increase as emissions of halo-carbons increased.
 Ozone layer depletion
• CFCs and other contributory substances are
referred to as ozone-depleting substances
(ODS). Since the ozone layer prevents most
harmful UVB wavelengths (280–315 nm) of
Ultrsviolet light (UV light) from passing
through the Earth’s atmosphere, observed and
projected decreases in ozone have generated
worldwide concern leading to adoption of the
Montreal Protocol that bans the production of
CFCs, halons, and other ozone-depleting
chemicals such as carbon tetrachloride and
trichloroethane.
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Harm to human health:
• More skin cancers, sunburns and premature aging of the
skin.
• More cataracts, blindness and other eye diseases: UV
radiation can damage several parts of the eye, including
the lens, cornea, retina and conjunctiva.
• Cataracts (a clouding of the lens) are the major cause of
blindness in the world. A sustained 10% thinning of the
ozone layer is expected to result in almost two million
new cases of cataracts per year, globally.
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Harm to human health:
• Weakening of the human immune system
(immunosuppression). Early findings
suggest that too much UV radiation can
suppress the human immune system,
which may play a role in the development
of skin cancer.
• Adverse impacts on agriculture, forestry
and natural ecosystems:
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Harm to human health:
• Several of the world's major crop species are particularly
vulnerable to increased UV, resulting in reduced growth,
photosynthesis and flowering. These species include
wheat, rice, barley, oats, corn, soybeans, peas, tomatoes,
cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli and carrots.
• The effect of ozone depletion on the Canadian
agricultural sector could be significant.
• Only a few commercially important trees have been
tested for UV sensitivity, but early results suggest that
plant growth, especially in seedlings, is harmed by more
intense UV radiation.
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Damage to marine life:
• In particular, plankton (tiny organisms in the
surface layer of oceans) are threatened by
increased UV radiation. Plankton are the first
vital step in aquatic food chains.
• Decreases in plankton could disrupt the fresh
and saltwater food chains, and lead to a species
shift in Canadian waters.
• Loss of biodiversity in our oceans, rivers and
lakes could reduce fish yields for commercial
and sport fisheries
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Animals:
• In domestic animals, UV overexposure may
cause eye and skin cancers. Species of marine
animals in their developmental stage (e.g.
young fish, shrimp larvae and crab larvae) have
been threatened in recent years by the increased
UV radiation under the Antarctic ozone hole.
 Impacts of ozone depletion
• Materials:
• Wood, plastic, rubber, fabrics and many
construction materials are degraded by UV
radiation.
• The economic impact of replacing and/or
protecting materials could be significant.
 Steps to protect ozone layer
• Every one should be responsible for the use
and abuse of certain products that have a
negative effect on nature.
• There are many and simple ways in which
we can save our ozone layer. With these
simple rules we can create a chain of
conciousness that will make manufactures
stop creating non-environmentally friendly
products.
 Habits to care the ozone layer
• Let’s this well-known phrase “Any long trip
begins with a first step” be part of our every day
life.
• Avoid buying and using aerosols and sprays
composed of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC).
• Avoid using fire extinguishers with halogenated
hidrocarbon since it is a very agressive substance
for the ozone layer.
• Avoid buying insulating material made up of
CFC. Instead you can use dark chipboard cork
that performs the same function and does not
contaminate the environment
 Habits to care the ozone layer
.
• Maintain air-conditioning clean because if they do not
function properly, they emmit CFC to the atmosphere.
• Check the frezeer and car air-conditioning. If they do
not function properly, have them repair because they
may have leaks.
• Opt to buy a refrigerator or an air-conditioning
without CFC.
• Report wether you know that products with
bromomethane are used in some sown fields and crops
because these substances are contaminating.
Climate change and global
warming
THANK YOU

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