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Summary
The chapter discusses the significant role humans play in environmental actions, highlighting how our development practices have altered our relationship with the environment. Initially, human activities like farming and the establishment of communities led to a shift from a harmonious relationship with nature to one that often exploits it. This shift has caused widespread environmental degradation, such as deforestation, loss of biodiversity, and resource depletion.
The text stresses the urgent need for creating a sustainable society. This involves reducing population growth in developing countries, using resources more rationally, and minimizing waste. It also highlights the importance of recycling and conserving resources to maintain the life-support systems of the Earth. A sustainable society should integrate environmental and economic needs, promoting harmony between humans and nature.
The chapter also discusses the importance of environmental legislation to regulate human activities. Such legislation should guide the rational use and protection of the environment. However, legal measures alone are not enough; environmental ethics must also be developed. These ethics refer to the moral relationship between humans and the environment, guiding us to make decisions that do not harm the Earth.
Examples of environmental challenges in Nagaland, such as land degradation and deforestation, are provided to illustrate the urgent need for action. The text also mentions harmful practices like excessive paper use, the environmental cost of disposable diapers, and the impact of tobacco cultivation. The chapter concludes that while government actions are necessary, individual responsibility is crucial in fostering a sustainable relationship with the environment.
Video tutorial
Textbook solutions
Multiple-Choice Questions
1. What factors are exerting pressure on the environment?
(a) Rapid population growth
(b) Improper land use
(c) Urbanisation
(d) All the above
Answer: d. All the above
2. Which of the following has been declared as “country’s first tobacco free village”?
(a) Hiware Bazaar, Maharashtra
(b) Dharnai, Bihar
(c) Gariphema, Kohima, Nagaland
(d) Kokrebellur, Karnataka
Answer: c. Gariphema, Kohima, Nagaland
3. When grown singly, which of the following is most erosive crop, as per the Indian Agricultural Research Institute?
(a) Sundew Plant
(b) Rice
(c) Tobacco
(d) Indigo
Answer: c. Tobacco
4. Which country has made law to impose fine on mountain bikers who trail across reserved areas of the country?
(a) Australia
(b) Hong Kong
(c) Scotland
(d) Iraq
Answer: c. Scotland
5. World’s first environment-friendly plastic is
(a) Planotic
(b) Polypropylene
(c) Plantic
(d) Polystyrene
Answer: c. Plantic
Short Answer Questions
1. What is the common environmental issue that exists amongst the nations of the world?
Answer: The common environmental issue that exists amongst the nations of the world is the threat to our ecological security.
2. What are the major criteria for a sustainable society in India?
Answer: The major criteria for a sustainable society in India include equity with social justice, environmental conservation and harmony, economic efficiency, and local self-reliance.
3. Explain the importance of the code of ecology.
Answer: An influential Code of Ecology needs to be developed and followed on the following principles:
(a) Providing steps and measures to protect and bring regenerability of the life-support systems by rational utilisation of all available resources that includes developing and protecting renewable resources, conserving non-renewable resources, prolonging their lives by recycling and reuse, decreasing waste and seeing that more wastage does not occur in pursuit of making profits on the whole.
(b) Making efforts to bring about a fair sharing of resources that are available along with the means and products of development between nations of the world. This would surely result in a notable decrease in differences in resource use and also a notable reduction in resource use in the developed nations; and also an increase in resource utilisation with almost negligible environmental degradation and population control in developing nations.
(c) Creating an awareness of the hidden social, economic and environmental costs of consumerism and overuse of resources with particular reference to its impact on developing nations.
(d) Willingness to adopt sustainability as a way of life by getting more from less and in association with others.
(e) Making measures to meet all the essential needs of society and logical, legal desires by combining economic and environmental necessities for eradicating poverty.
(f) Stopping and reversing the build up of armaments to propagate sustainable peace, security and environment.
4. State the factors that shape our pattern of development.
Answer: The factors that shape our pattern of development include our lifestyles and priorities, which determine how we use energy, food, water, shelter, education, and employment, and how we limit wastage and adopt new technology for more economical and rational use of natural and man-made resources.
5. Why is environmental legislation required?
Answer: Environmental legislation is required for guiding, regulating, and controlling human behaviour and actions on individual and institutional bases for the rational use, management, protection, and improvement of the environment and its resources. It includes guidelines for proper actions and penalties against violations of laid down norms, by-laws, rules, and regulations on different aspects of the environment at local, national, regional, and global levels.
6. Define environmental ethics.
Answer: Environmental ethics is the ethical relationship between human beings and the environment in which they live. It involves the moral principles that guide the decisions and actions of individuals, communities, and nations concerning the protection and preservation of the environment.
7. Name a biodegradable plastic and write its significance.
Answer: Plantic is a biodegradable plastic. Its significance lies in its composition, which is made from maize and is renewable, sustainable, and non-toxic. It can biodegrade in any environment, allowing multiple disposal routes into any waste stream, making it the world’s first truly environment-friendly plastic that is competitive in terms of cost and functionality with petrochemical-based plastics.
Long Answer Questions
1. Why do we need to work towards a sustainable society?
Answer: We need to work towards a sustainable society because the increasing population, improper land use, and rapid urbanisation are exerting pressure on the environment. To ensure that the resources are available for future generations, we must focus on the rational use of resources, minimising waste, and conserving the life-support system to aid in its regenerability. A sustainable society aims to balance environmental and economic needs, ensuring equity, social justice, environmental conservation, harmony, economic efficiency, and local self-reliance.
2. Why should individuals wake up to the environmental concerns?
Answer: Individuals should wake up to environmental concerns because their actions at the individual, social, and global levels contribute to environmental degradation. The environment is not just a concern about wildlife, deforestation, and pollution, but it is also a question of the patterns of development that the human race has followed till date and the kind of people we have developed into. By taking responsibility and adopting measures such as reducing waste, recycling, and conserving resources, individuals can make a significant difference in protecting and regenerating the environment.
3. List any three principles on which a code of ecology must be based.
Answer: (a) Providing steps and measures to protect and bring regenerability of the life-support systems by rational utilisation of all available resources that includes developing and protecting renewable resources, conserving non-renewable resources, prolonging their lives by recycling and reuse, decreasing waste and seeing that more wastage does not occur in pursuit of making profits on the whole.
(b) Making efforts to bring about a fair sharing of resources that are available along with the means and products of development between nations of the world. This would surely result in a notable decrease in differences in resource use and also a notable reduction in resource use in the developed nations; and also an increase in resource utilisation with almost negligible environmental degradation and population control in developing nations.
(c) Creating an awareness of the hidden social, economic and environmental costs of consumerism and overuse of resources with particular reference to its impact on developing nations.
4. Why and how should environmental ethics be adopted?
Answer: Environmental ethics should be adopted because they guide the behaviour and actions of humanity on individual, community, and international levels. Environmental ethics involve making ethical decisions with respect to the environment, such as whether to continue clearing forests, using gasoline-powered vehicles, or causing the extinction of species for human convenience. These ethics help in sharpening judgment, reinforcing rational values, and developing new understandings and values for better harmony between human beings and the environment. Environmental ethics must be developed within each person as a force that commands decisions and actions that are not harmful to the local, national, and international communities.
Think and Answer
1. List everyday activities of individuals that portray the role of human beings as irrational contributors to environmental degradation.
Answer:
- Excessive use of non-recyclable plastics, such as single-use plastic bags and bottles, which contribute to pollution.
- Overconsumption of water resources, including leaving taps running unnecessarily.
- Wasteful energy usage, such as leaving lights and electronic devices on when not in use.
- Improper disposal of hazardous materials, including batteries and electronic waste, that contaminate the environment.
- Unnecessary driving and use of fossil fuels, leading to increased carbon emissions.
- Littering and improper waste disposal, contributing to land and water pollution.
2. Make one list each of human beings and the environment affecting due to plastic and related things. Give a brief account of each harmful effect.
Answer:
- Human Beings:
- Health Hazards: Plastics contain harmful chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates, which can leach into food and beverages from plastic containers, leading to potential health risks such as cancer, endocrine disruption, and other serious health issues.
- Respiratory Issues: Burning plastic waste releases toxic gases like dioxins, furans, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) that can cause respiratory problems and other health issues in humans.
- Physical Injuries: Discarded plastic items like broken bottles and sharp objects can cause injuries to humans, especially in public places like beaches and parks.
- Environment:
- Soil Pollution: Plastics buried in the soil can take hundreds of years to decompose, leading to long-term pollution of the soil. This affects soil fertility and can result in reduced agricultural productivity.
- Water Pollution: Plastics thrown into water bodies can choke aquatic life, lead to the death of marine animals, and disrupt the entire aquatic ecosystem. Plastic waste also contributes to the contamination of drinking water sources.
- Air Pollution: The incineration of plastic waste releases harmful pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and climate change. These pollutants can also cause acid rain, which harms crops, forests, and aquatic life.
Extras MCQs
1. What was a major factor contributing to land degradation in Nagaland?
A. Deforestation
B. Industrialization
C. Urbanization
D. Mining
Answer: A. Deforestation
18. What makes Plantic plastic different from conventional plastic?
A. It’s made of synthetic materials
B. It’s more durable
C. It biodegrades in any environment
D. It is non-renewableAnswer: C. It biodegrades in any environment
Extra Questions and Answers
1. What determines man’s reactions and responses to environmental events?
Answer: The frequency and magnitude of extreme natural environment determine his reactions and responses to these events.
41. What are some of the small actions contributing to environmental degradation?
Answer: Our actions at the individual, social, and global levels have contributed to environmental degradation. These actions include things as seemingly small as improper paper usage, reliance on disposable diapers, and tobacco consumption. In Nagaland, for instance, the region is not exempt from issues concerning wildlife and biodiversity conservation. The degradation manifests in various ways, including habitat destruction, illegal poaching, and other unsustainable practices. To combat these issues, important objectives of conservation include spreading awareness, fighting against habitat destruction, and enforcing bans on illegal poaching. Despite being close to nature, even Nagas, who are considered born biologists, are affected by the broader environmental challenges caused by these actions.
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