RBSE Class 12 Geography Notes Chapter 12 Environmental Problems and Solution

Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 12 Geography Notes Chapter 12 Environmental Problems and Solution

Meaning of Environment :

The meaning of Environment is ‘outer cover’, that is, the cover which surrounds us is the environment.
The surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or a plant lives or operates, is called the environment. Environment affects the living beings, and living beings affect the environment.
Environment is not the name of any one element, but it is the sum total of all the states or elements, which .directly or indirectly affect human life and development.

Environmental Problems :

The major environmental problems which human beings are facing at present are environmental pollution, acid rain, depletion of ozone layer and green house effect.
Due to the increased imbalance between man and nature, problems of natural calamities like earthquakes, volcanoes, floods, droughts, famines, etc. are increasing.

Environmental Pollution :

‘Pollution’ is an English word that is basically derived from the Latin language word ‘Pollutus’, which means ‘to contaminate’.
Negative change in the physical, chemical and biological properties of the air, water and earth is called Pollution.
To meet the growing demands of the population and on the basis of industrial and technological development, human being is indiscrimately exploiting natural resources, which has created a serious problem called Environmental Pollution in the world.
Such undesirable substances that, due to their presence, alter any essential element of the environment or spread pollution are called Pollutants.

Types of Pollution :

Based on the nature of pollutants, pollution can be understood in different ways. In the types of pollution, Air Pollution, Water Pollution, Noise Pollution, Soil Pollution, and Thermal Pollution are mainly included.
At present, increasing air pollution is a slow poison, which is adversely affecting both the components of environment (biotic and abiotic).
Urbanisation, industrialisation, various uses of nuclear energy, rapid growth in the use of chemical and oily substances, use of water of rivers and lakes are the main factors of pollution.
On July 7, 2016, the Indian Government started 300 projects on the banks of River Ganga, throughout the country, under the scheme. ‘Namami Gange’.
When the intensity and frequency of sound exceeds the level pleasing to the ear, it is called ‘Noise’. Intensity of sound is measured in the unit called ‘Decibal’.
Reduction in the quality of soil due to natural and human activities is called Soil or Land Pollution. Add Rain
When gases such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide are emitted in the atmosphere during production-processes in certain industries, get mixed with water vapour and rain water, and precipitate on the earth’s surface, this process is called Acid Rain.

Green House Effect :

Green House Effect is a process in which the temperature of the Earth increases, as the sun’s heat reaches the earth’s surface and atmosphere, but cannot be expelled from the atmosphere in the same amount.
Industrialisation, deforestation, use of fossil fuels, refrigerants and air conditioners (chlorofluorocarbons) are the factors responsible for Green House Effect.

Ozone Layer Depletion :

The ozone gas which is spread 30 – 80 1cm above the sea level serves as the protector of the Earth because the layer of ozone gas protects the living-organisms by preventing the harmful ultra-violet radiations of the sun from entering the earth’s atmosphere.
Chloro-fluoro-carbons, chlorine, bromine, methyl chloroform and other halogenic gases are responsible for ozone layer depletion.
At global level, a number of conferences have been organised to protect the environment and the earth. The major ones among them are Stockholm Conference 1972, Coco Yog Declaration 1974, World Climate Change 1979, Vienna Conference 1985, Montreal Protocol 1987, Earth Summit Conference 1992, Kyoto Conference 1997, Warsaw Conference 2013 and World Earth Conference 2016.

Glossary :

Environment: Environment is the sum total of all those states or elements, which directly or indirectly affect human life and development.
Resource : Every substance found on the earth or on other planets and satellites, which is useful for humans is called Resource.
Earthquake : A sudden violent vibration and motion on the earth’s crust which is originated naturally under the earth’s surface.
Volcano : A mountain or hill, typically conical, having a crater or vent, through which lava, rock fragments, hot vapour and gas are erupted from the earth’s crust.
Drought : A prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall, leading to shortage of water.
Season : Each of the four divisions of the year (spring, summer, autumn and winter) marked by particular weather patterns and daylight hours, resulting from the earth’s changing position with regard to the sun.
Acid Rain : In industrial and urban areas, burning of fossil fuels causes large amount of sulphur dioxide and nitric oxide to be emitted into the atmosphere. Which falls on the earth with rain water in the form of acid rain.
Green House Effect : It is a process in which the temperature of the earth increases, as the sun’s heat reaches the earth’s surface and atmosphere, but cannot be expelled from the atmosphere in the same amount.
Ozone Layer Depletion : Reduction in the thickness of ozone layer, due to chloro-fluoro-carbon gases.
Desertification : The process by which fertile land becomes desert in semi-arid territory, located at the marginal part of a desert, which is a result of climate-change or due to human practices like deforestation and over-grazing.
Environmental Pollution : Any change in the environment that contributes to environmental degradation is called Environmental Pollution.
Pollutants : Such undesirable substances, that due to their presence, alter any essential element of the environment or spread pollution are called Pollutants.
Atmosphere : The thick layer or cover of the air circulating around the earth, in which a mixture of different gases is found.
Lithosphere : The rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
Hydrosphere : All aquatic parts located on the earth, which is different from lithosphere and atmosphere.
Biosphere : Biosphere is the global ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their interaction with the elements of the lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
Organic Elements : Biotic matter or living matter.
Inorganic Elements : Abiotic matter or non-living matter.
Air Pollution : The presence of pollutants in atmosphere due to natural and human activities, like dust, smoke, gases, mist, vapours, foul smell, etc., which are harmful for human-beings and other living organisms.
20. Water pollution : Mixing of any unwanted external matter in natural water, thereby reducing the quality of water is called Water Pollution.
Soil Pollution : Reduction in the quality of soil due to natural and human activities is called Soil Pollution.
Noise Pollution : The sound generated from different sources which exceeds human-tolerance limit and becomes uncomfortable is called Noise Pollution.
Noise : When the intensity and frequency of sound exceeds the level pleasurable to the ear, it is called Noise.
Squall : Fierce atmospheric disturbance in which strong winds with very high velocity prevail.
Vegetation : All plant life of a region. Under this, all plant species like algae, grass, shrubs, trees etc. are included.
Climate : The weather conditions and the variations found in those conditions, prevailing in an area in general over a long period.
Mineral : Natural substance with certain chemical composition found on the earth’s surface, which has certain fixed physical and chemical properties.
Glacier : An extended mass of ice formed from snow falling and accumulating over the years and moving down slowly from high mountains due to gravitational force.
Bio-diversity : The formation and presence of different species of plants and living organisms in a particular area.
Stratosphere : The layer of the earth’s atmosphere above troposphere, extending about 8 km to 59′ km above the surface of the earth.
Waste : All those things which we discard after use, considering them as worthless or useless.
Solid Waste : Some solid waste items that we do not need and throw away, like cardboard, old toys, peels, etc.
Smog : The smoke emitted from vehicles and industries of metropolitan cities gets mixed with the air in adequate amount. In these urban areas, when there is a fog in winter, it gets thicker as a mixture of fog and smoke, which is called smog.
Green House Effect : Greenhouse effect is the problem of continuous increase in temperature of the earth. The heat that comes from the sun stays on the earth, but that heat cannot be expelled out of the atmosphere. The use of coal and petrol, deforestation, industrialisation, exploitation of fossil fuels, use of refrigerators and air conditioners are the main factors responsible for Green House Effect.
Conservation : The process to save the natural resources by using them judiciously.