Future of our mother planet EARTH

8/6/2019 Future of our mother planet EARTH

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Future of our mother planet EARTH

Layers of the Earth's AtmospherePlanet Earth is enveloped by an atmosphere composed of five basic layers. Let us look at these layers indetail and understand the significance of the atmosphere.

Atmosphere is composed of a layer of gases that surround the planet Earth. It is composed of 78.08% nitrogen, 29.95% oxygen, 0.38% carbon dioxide and 0.93% argon. The atmosphere alsocontains very small amounts of other gases as also about 1% of water vapor. Atmosphere isthicker at the innermost radius around Earth and it goes becoming thinner towards the outer space. The Earth's atmosphere is composed of layers, each of which is characterized by aparticular kind of constituents. The proportion of the various gases and their temperatures varyacross the different layers of the Earth's atmosphere.

Layers of the Earth's Atmosphere

The Earth's atmosphere is divided into five layers, namely, the troposphere, the stratosphere, themesosphere, thermosphere and the ionosphere. Troposphere is the very first layer above thesurface of the Earth and contains around half of the Earth's atmosphere. Stratosphere, the stablelayer comes next and is followed by the mesosphere housing meteors and rock fragments. Thefourth layer is the thermosphere, above which lies the last layer of the atmosphere known asionosphere. It is a very thin layer that abounds the outer space through the exosphere. Let uslook at each of the atmosphere layers in detail.

Troposphere: It begins from the Earth's surface and extends to between 7 km at the poles and17 km at the equator. The heating caused by the solar energy reduces the density of air causingthe air to rise. In the process of opposing the surrounding air, the air in this layer expends energy,resulting in a decrease in its temperature. The decreasing temperature causes the vapor contentof the air to condense, resulting in an increase in the air mass. The concept of weather occurs inthis layer and the air we breathe is from this very layer. Thus this layer of the Earth's atmosphere

contains about 80% of the total mass of the atmosphere.

Stratosphere: The Latin word, 'stratus' meaning 'spreading out' has given birth to the word,'stratosphere'. It extends up to around 50 km. It is this layer of atmosphere that contains theozone layer. The ozone layer is located between 15 to 35 km above the surface of the Earth. Theozone layer contains high amounts of ozone gas. This layer absorbs the ultraviolet radiation of the sun, which would have otherwise proved harmful to the life on Earth. Also, most of the jetaircrafts fly through the stratosphere.

Mesosphere: It stretches from 50 km to around 80 to 85 km. The temperature of the air


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contained in this layer of Earth decreases with an increase in the height. Most of the meteors androck fragments burn up in this layer before they can enter the Earth's atmosphere.

Thermosphere: Extending from about 85 km to more than 640 km, the temperature of air in thislayer increases with height. It is relatively thin and this is where space shuttles orbit. A smallchange in energy can cause a large change in the air temperature of this layer. The temperaturein this layer can rise up to 1,500 degrees Celsius or higher.

Ionosphere: That part of the Earth's atmosphere, which is ionized by the solar radiation, isknown as the ionosphere. As some scientists call ionosphere an extension of thermosphere,ionosphere may not be regarded as a separate atmospheric layer. The ionosphere constitutesabout 0.1% of the atmospheric mass. It forms the inner layer of the magnetosphere, or simply,the sphere of influence of Earth's magnetic/gravitational force. It contributes to the propagation of radio signals to distant places on Earth. It reflects radio waves back to the Earth, thus facilitatingradio communication.

Exosphere: It is where the Earth's atmosphere meets the outer space. It houses free-movingparticles that may migrate from the magnetosphere. It ranges from about 500-1000 km up to10,000 km. Exosphere is the upper limit of the atmosphere. This layer is where atoms andmolecules escape into space. The Earth's atmosphere becomes very thin in this layer.

The Earth is surrounded by the atmosphere that is composed of various layers. Each layer has amarked significance owing to its constituents. It is the Earth's atmosphere that is home for thevery important envelope of the ozone layer. It is the atmosphere that enables communicationacross and beyond this world. Atmosphere is a protective covering that Earth is gifted with. It is ashield that safeguards our planet Earth and us, the earthlings.

Planet Earth FactsOur amazing Planet Earth is the only planet that is known to harbor life. Read on to know about interestingand remarkable facts about Planet Earth.

The Planet Earth was formed approximately 4.5 billion years ago. So far, our very own PlanetEarth is the only planet that harbors life. From the ancient years, there were many theoriesregarding the shape of the earth and the many myths associated with it as well. Today, our Planet


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Did you know that the field of gravity is not the same in all areas over the surface of theEarth? This is probably why you feel slightly heavier in certain areas.

These are just a few of the amazing facts about Planet Earth. Today, we must do all we can tosave out Planet from the effects of Global warming. Each one in his/her own way can help tomake a difference. Remember, all we need is a little effort from our side.

Earth's Atmosphere Is ChangingGlobal warming poses real risks. The more energy we use, the more the planet warms up. Read about theeffects of global warming.Energy from the sun drives the Earth's weather and climate, and heats the planet's surface. Inturn, the Earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide,water vapor and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like theglass panels of a greenhouse. Without this natural "greenhouse effect", temperatures would bemuch lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. However,problems may appear when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxidehave increased by nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrousoxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of the earth's atmosphere. Sulfate aerosols, a common air pollutant, cool theatmosphere by reflecting light back into space. However, sulfates are short-lived in theatmosphere and vary regionally.

Scientists generally believe that the combustion of fossil fuels and other human activities are the

primary reason for the increased concentration of carbon dioxide. Plant respiration and thedecomposition of organic matter release more than 10 times the CO2 released by humanactivities. These releases have generally been in balance during the centuries leading up to theindustrial revolution with carbon dioxide absorbed by terrestrial vegetation and the oceans.

What has changed in the last few hundred years is the additional release of carbon dioxide byhuman activities. Fossil fuels burned to run cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, andpower factories are responsible for about 98% of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions, 24% of methaneemissions, and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions. In 1997, the United States emitted about one-fifthof total global greenhouse gases.


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Estimating future emissions is difficult, because it depends on demographic, economic,institutional, policy and technological developments. Several emissions scenarios have beendeveloped based on differing projections of these underlying factors. By 2100, in the absence of emissions control policies, carbon dioxide concentrations are projected to be 30-150% higher than today's levels.

Global mean surface temperatures have increased 0.5-1.0F since the late 19th century. The20th century's 10 warmest years all occurred in the last 15 years of the century. Of these, 1998was the warmest year on record. The snow cover in the northern hemisphere and floating ice inthe Arctic Ocean have both decreased. Globally, sea level has risen 4-8 inches over the pastcentury. Worldwide precipitation over land has increased by about one percent.

Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are likely to accelerate the rate of climatechange. Scientists expect that the average global surface temperature could rise 1-4.5F (0.6-2.5C) in the next fifty years, and 2.2-10F (1.4-5.8C) in the next century, with significant regionalvariation. Evaporation will increase as the climate warms, which will increase average globalprecipitation. Soil moisture is likely to decline in many regions, and intense rainstorms are likely tobecome more frequent. Sea level is likely to rise two feet along most of the U.S. coast.

Rising global temperatures are expected to raise sea level, and change precipitation and other local climate conditions. Changing regional climate could alter forests, crop yields, and water supplies. It could also affect human health, animals, and many types of ecosystems. Deserts mayexpand into existing rangelands, and features of some of our National Parks may be permanentlyaltered. Unfortunately, many of the potentially most important impacts depend upon whether rainfall increases or decreases, which can not be reliably projected for specific areas.

Today, action is occurring at every level to reduce, to avoid, and to better understand the risksassociated with climate change. (Wellat least theoretically it does). Many cities and statesacross the world have prepared greenhouse gas inventories and many are actively pursuingprograms and policies that will result in greenhouse gas emission reductions.

The largest cities in the world are likely to be hit by rising sea levels - which could eventually flood

large areas by more than a metre. Some countries will be turned to desert. Hundreds of millionsof people will be short of fresh water by 2050. Other parts of the world will be hit by destructivestorms and floods, costing billions a year in reconstruction. 400 000 square miles of Arctic icehave already melted in the last 30 years. A quarter of all animal and plant species could be wipedout within the next thirty.

Most children alive today will find their future lives are deeply affected by new patterns of disease,extreme weather patterns, and by strict controls on energy and carbon use. Future generationswill judge us by how we respond to global warming. Apocalyptic picture, isnt it?

So please do what is in your power trying to keep our planet clean, saving energy. Everything youdo like that helps a little. It's your planet...


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Simple Ways to Save the EnvironmentThinking of some ways to contribute to saving our Earth? Then read on for some simple ways to save theenvironment.

We frequently talk about saving our environment and how important it is to conserve the natural

resources. Since the school years we have been learning about the importance of a healthyenvironment. Environmental education has made us realize the need to preserve our naturalwealth. But when did you last take a step towards saving the environment? Do you remember having resorted to a measure that can contribute to the safeguard of nature? When have you lastacted upon the need to save environment? It is high time we take some major steps towardssaving the environment. It is high time we wake up and make some serious efforts to save nature.

When we think of saving the environment, we often imagine devising some lengthy proceduresand serious measures of saving the planet. We think of all the constituents of the environmentand wonder what we can do to offer them safety. We think of afforestation and wonder how wecan contribute. We think of the precious animal life and sit puzzled finding ways of savinganimals. Pollution of water, land and air tops our list of environment-unfriendly factors and seriousthoughts of curbing pollution crowd our mind. But the need of the day is to rise above thoughtsand words and take some serious action. Each one of us can actually contribute to saving theenvironment by choosing simple ways of doing so. Following are the simple ways to save theenvironment.

Simple Ways to Save the Environment

Why not resolve to plant some trees every year? If each of us plants one little tree, it can amountto a great amount of afforestation making the environment healthier. Increasing the use of bicycles or making a habit to walk down short distances can contribute to reduction in air pollution. Try to minimize the use of vehicles. Use CFC-free products. For some destinations, theuse of vehicles has no better options. But at least maintain your vehicles; clean their exhaustpipes, keep the pollution they cause under strict control.

Look at the gadgets you use at home. Are all of them necessary? Do you maintain them well anduse them efficiently? Replace the air filters for your air conditioning unit once a month. Turn off the ACs as also the lights and fans in unused rooms. Make sure to switch off the lights, thetelevision or radio systems before you leave the house. Do not keep your computer switched onwhile you are not using it. Did you know that your refrigerator and water heaters consume a lot of power? A careful use of these gadgets is a good way to save the electricity.

One of the most important constituents of the environment is water. Preventing the wastage of water and curbing water pollution is one of our primary duties. Turn off the taps; do not let the


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buckets overflow! The use of bath showers and heavy-flushes in toilets leads to an excessiveusage of water. Do not dump garbage down a storm drain. Do not pollute water bodies.

Recycling is one of the best measures of saving the environment. Try to use renewable sourcesof energy. Resort to the use of renewable natural resources. A simple way to do this is to lessenthe use of rubber and plastic. Instead, use paper bags and cardboard containers. Even a simplehabit of buying in bulk can save a lot of packaging material, thus contributing to saving theenvironment. Buy the products that you can reuse.

When in office, print only when it is absolutely necessary. Printing every soft copy leads to aheavy wastage of paper. Remember to switch off your computer when no one is using it. Avoidan excessive use of air conditioners in the office. Use emails instead of paper correspondence.Do not use disposable cups when you have an option of using the ceramic ones.

Minimize the use of animal products, which involve their killing. Animal fur and ivory are some of the excessively used products that are gradually leading to the extinction of the animals thatprovide them. Resolve not to hunt animals. Follow the principles of saving the environment andencourage others in taking to environment-saving activities.

Activities like composting can be of great help in recycling of garbage into useful manures. Avoidan extensive use of chemical fertilizers and synthetic nutrients. Natural manures are a better option for farms and gardens.

These are some of the simple ways in which we can contribute towards saving nature. A smallstep by each of us can make a huge leap towards saving the environment.

Environmental ProblemsThere are many environmental problems that are plaguing the world. In this article some of them are

described like Global warming, Acid rain and Air Pollution.

With the growing population even the problems are increasing and of late they have taken ademonic size, which is commanding expert attention to be solved. There are problems like Air


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Pollution, Drinking water pollution, Global warming, Hazardous Waste, Ozone Depletion andmany others, which makes the list endless. As globalization paves its way across the world theseproblems no longer remain local problems but become international issues and there arenumerous causes of these problems, some of which are created by man and can also becontrolled by man. So here we would discuss some of these environmental problems, their causes and effects.

More about Environmental problems

Air Pollution- Air Pollution is one of the problems thatseem to have no solution at all. Air carries contaminants likepoisonous gases and dust particles which when inhaled leadto a number of lung disorders. The sources of air pollution areinnumerable which are as follows:

o Industrieso Agricultureo Traffic

As all of these causes consist of one or the other process of combustion they emit gases

that pollute the atmospheric air. Here can be large-scale pollutants like the VolatileOrganic Compounds as well as minor dust particles. Nitrogen emissions come out mainlyfrom agriculture mainly during the process of denitrification. The pesticides used for agricultural purposes can also be a cause of Air Pollution. Air Pollution can cause manyheart and lung disorders like Bronchitis, Lung Cancer and diseases of the like.

Acid Rain- Acid rain is caused by the numerous acidicpollutants, which have potential to damage earthsenvironment in a drastic way. Acid rain is caused due to thepresence of chemicals like Sulfur Dioxide and NitrogenOxides in the atmosphere. These chemicals are introduced inthe atmosphere as a result of the industrial processes. Sulfur Dioxide is emitted out of those industries that use coal as their

fuel. Automobiles all around the world emit one third of thenitrogen oxide that is present in the atmosphere of earth.Natural causes like fire, volcanic eruptions and bacterialdecomposition are also responsible for the increase in theamount of Nitrogen Oxide in the atmospheric air. Acid rainchokes the pores in the plant leaves, which leads to the deathof plants and a large number of plants in a short span of time.The brick walls and stones are also corroded and the soilcomposition is changed leading to the death of plants again.Acid rain also leads to the destruction of aquatic life. Global Warming- Global warming which leads to theGreenhouse effect is also a kind of environmental problemthat is due to overpopulation and pollution. Large number of

people are creating grater amount of garbage. Emissionsform your refrigerator and also from the industries produce alarge amount of heat, which fails to go out of the earthsatmosphere unlike before when earth radiated out half of theheat back. This is leading towards climate change, rise in sealevels due to melting of glaciers and consequently a threatthat some of the landmass might just go beneath theincreasing water and therefore cease to exist.


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Environmental Damage - What Will Your Future Hold?Time is running out for humanity to make adequate changes to prevent a climate crisis.From a spiritual perspective, planetary changes which will have an impact on many are imminentbecause of the poor ecological state of the planet.Most people expect change to happen, perhaps in their lifetime, but most do not expect it to be sosoon. It will not be long, however, before planetary change will be upon us; humanity is runningout of time.

Change has already begun through weather changes, but most of humanity has not noticed thisyet. Climate change has begun to impact already and will begin to worsen within the next fewyears. Around 2011 most people will begin to see that the consequences of climate change willbe far more severe than currently understood.

At present the general consensus is there could be minor consequenses resulting from thedamaged environment; however, the truth is that the outcome of the present ecologicaldevastation will be worse than expected.As the planet is under enormous geological stresses, which are continuously increasing, it will inthe future no longer be able to support its population. Scarcity of resources, overfarming, lack of

clean air, not enough clean drinking water and drought are some of the issues that will all play amuch greater role in the near future.

The kind of future we will have will depend on everyone of us. It will depend on how all of humanity will start to contribute in creating lifestyles that will support the ecology and all the lifeforms living on the planet.

Humanity has created enormous ecological devastation in trying to create lifestyles it likes and isbenefiting from. The lifestyles of many people are improving at a fast rate, however, this willeventually result in a lack of some precious resources. When this scarcity begins to happenpeople will no longer be able to have sustainable lifestyles.

The planet cannot cope with the enormity of the ecological devastation that is taking place onevery continent. This ecological devastation is not coming to a halt, instead it is still increasingand making it worse for the planet to support its population.

It is important to understand that everyone plays a role in the overall process of life. Eachperson's decision can ultimately affect the future. These decisions, all combined, can have a verygood result on what the future will be like for humanity. So please bear in mind the future is notpredetermined, but is dependent on the choices we, as a collective group of human beings, makein the NOW moment.

The future is not always how we see it. This is true for many aspects of living and is in particular true for global warming, as global warming has many implications that most people have not yetfully understood.

While more and more people are becoming aware of climate change and other environmentalproblems associated with global warming, not all are fully understanding how far-reaching itseffects will be.

These effects are such that most people will not believe or accept what we have to say about thisfuture, as most people do not wish to make changes. Most of the human race is aware that theplanet is not functioning well, however, they do not understand that this is creating a major problem for the future survival of humanity.

From a spiritual perspective every person holds the key to a much improved future, should they


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wish to make the necessary changes to reduce their impact on the environment and help create amore sustainable future.

What is Acid Rain?Pollution is now getting overboard. To know more read this article about Acid rains, its causes and effects.

Pollution has become a one of the major problems that the world is facing and the different

manifestations that it has are to deal with. Acid Rain is one such form of pollution that happensbecause of the harmful emissions released on the surface of the Earth due to human activities.Air Pollution ultimately leads to Acid Rain as the harmful gases, which are mixed in the air, alsoget combined with the moisture in the air and form acidic clouds, which lead to Acid Rain. Thesources of Acid Rain are factories, vehicles, Power Stations and industries; which burn fuels andproduce harmful gases, which have Sulfur dioxide or Nitrogen oxides.

Acid Rain primarily means the deposition of acidic elements in the forms of precipitation, whichcan be snow, rain, dew or fog. Normally rain is acidic though weak as the pH level of rain is lessthan 7 but when the concentration of pollutants increase in the atmosphere the pH level further decreases since the pollutants react with the moisture present in the atmosphere and form strongacids like Sulfuric and Nitric Acid.

Acid Rain: Types of Acid Deposition

There are two types of Acid Deposition, one is wet and the other is dry. Wet deposition is the one,which involves Acid Rain or snow or dew whereas Dry deposition is when the particles such aspolluting gases, dust particles and gaseous elements are just absorbed by the surface of theEarth or the plant bodies. They are not converted into acids until and unless they are in contactwith water. In case of Wet deposition the acids are removed from the atmospheric air and isdeposited on the surface of the earth.

Natural and Human Causes of Acid Rain


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There are natural as well as detrimental human activities that lead to Acid Rain and here aresome of those causes:

Since Acid rain is caused by emissions of harmful gases,there are various natural causes that lead to emissions like

volcanic eruptions and gaseous emissions from biologicalprocesses like decay and decomposition. Apart from this the human activities that result into Acidrain are vehicles and power generation plants that lead to theproduction and emission of Sulfur and Nitrogen oxides. Thereare many preventive measures that have been taken andwhich are still being implemented to stop the pollution likesmoke treatment chambers that treat the smoke before itcomes out of the manufacturing. The smoke in the smokechamber is converted into such gases, which are acceptablefor the environment. Still there are such industries like thecoal power plants, which emit such gases that they pollute theatmosphere to the helm, but then the infrastructure does not

allow setting up a smoke treatment chamber.

Effects of Acid rain

There are adverse effect of Acid rain and it is better to deal with them when the problems are justin the process of making since it is easier to deal with them at a lower scale but once theyassume a larger shape, it becomes difficult to cope with them. Acid rain causes the compositionof the soil to be altered, which further results in to the deterioration of plant life and also disturbsthe ecological cycle. The existing plant life faces inhibition to grow healthy since the acid in therain as they lose the nutrients present in the soil. Harmful elements are further added in the soilthat lead to the soil becoming unfit for plantation and cultivation.

Aquatic life also meets with destruction as the acids and other harmful substances in the rain getdissolved in the water and lead to the death and destruction of aquatic life. If not death it definitelyleads to intoxication, which is passed on to the food cycle and leads to the death and disease of many animals in the food chain. There has to be a solution of acid rain and pollution otherwise itwould lead to major loss.

Causes of Air PollutionWhen was the last time you stepped out of your house and inhaled clean and fresh air that really invigoratedall your senses? Heres a look at some of the causes of air pollution that has resulted in the thick smogwhich most city dwellers are subjected to.


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Air pollution is something that we cannot really ignore now-a-days. This is evident from themoment we step out of our house and are greeted with black colored smog that hits us directlyreminding us that breathing clean air is more of a distant dream. It is so easy for us to endlesslyrant and rave about the causes of air pollution and its ill effects, but little do we realize that eachperson is responsible for all the causes of air pollution and the situation that we face today. Takea look around you at the dismal state of affairs. The thick smog that is seen in the morning hoursis not really due to somebody else but rather due to each and every one of us. Here is a look atthe causes of air pollution and how it can affect us if the matter is not taken care of at this stageitself.

Causes of Air Pollution: Carbon dioxide is one the main pollutants that causes air pollution. This is because, althoughliving beings do exhale carbon dioxide, this gas is harmful when emitted from other sources,which are caused due to human activity. An additional release of carbon dioxide happens due tovarious such activities. Carbon dioxide gas is used in various industries such as the oil industryand the chemical industry. The manufacturing process of most products would require the use of this gas. There are various human activities that add to the increased proportions of carbondioxide in the atmosphere. The combustion of fossil fuels and the harmful effects of deforestationhave all contributed towards the same. show that amongst the various gasses emitted during avolcanic eruption, carbon dioxide remains to be at least 40% of the emission. Scientists have nowtherefore identified carbon dioxide as one of those elements that have contributed to globalwarming.

Causes of air pollution are not limited to this. The combustion of fuels in automobiles, jet planesetc all cause the release of several primary pollutants into the air. The burning of fossil fuels in bigcities which is seen at most factories, offices and even a large number of homes, it is no wonder that air pollution is increasing at an alarming rate. The release of other harmful gases all adds tothe state that we see today. Although carbon dioxide plays an important role in various other processes like photosynthesis, breathing an excess of the same also causes harmful effectstowards ones health.

The various causes of air pollution that releases harmful gases into the atmosphere are causeddue to the increasing number of power plants and manufacturing units or industries that mostlyhave activities related to the burning of fuels. Besides, as mentioned earlier, most automobiles,marine vessels, activities that involve the burning of wood, fumes that are released from aerosolsprays, military activities that involve the use of nuclear weapons, all are the numerous causes of air pollution.

Carbon monoxide is another such gas which, although was present in the atmosphere earlier, isnow considered to be a major pollutant. An excess of the same has a harmful effect on our system. There are many reasons why carbon monoxide can be released into the atmosphere as


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a result of human activities. This is also produced due to any fuel burning appliance andappliances such as gas water heaters, fireplaces, woodstoves, gas stoves, gas dryers, yardequipments as well as automobiles, which add to the increased proportion of this gas into theatmosphere.

Sulfur dioxide is yet another harmful pollutant that causes air pollution. Sulfur dioxide is emittedlargely to the excessive burning of fossil fuels, petroleum refineries, chemical and coal burningpower plants etc. Nitrogen dioxide when combined with sulfur dioxide can even cause a harmfulreaction in the atmosphere that can cause acid rain.

Nitrogen dioxide is one more gas that is emitted into the atmosphere as a result of various humanactivities. An excess of nitrogen dioxide mainly happens due to most power plants seen in major cities, the burning of fuels due to various motor vehicles and other such sources, whether industrial or commercial that cause the increase in the levels of nitrogen dioxide.

These and a number of other hazardous air pollutants are emitted with the various numbers of activities that we carry out during the day which are the main causes of air pollution.

How you can help to prevent Air Pollution:

Carpool- This will help to reduce the number of vehicleson the already congested roads. Always keep your car tuned properly so that it remains ina good condition. Save energy- Try to use minimum amounts of naturalgas and even electricity. Whenever possible, avoid the use of air conditioner and use a fan instead. Always buy recycled products. Reuse things such as paper and plastic bags, paper etc.This will contribute a lot towards reducing the effects of air pollution and global warming. Avoid the use of firecrackers. You dont really need it to

express your feeling of happiness. Go in for water-based paints instead of varnishes. If you really cannot avoid using your car, plan your worksystematically to reduce air pollution.

The causes of air pollution can be many to name if one really scrutinizes this subject closely. Witha little effort from our side, we can help to reduce the harmful effects of air pollution so that wecan breathe in a clean and healthy environment.

Climate Change and Human HealthThe Threats of diseases relating to climate change are not fairly distributed and have become a global issue.There are actions every one of us can take to promote health,such as reducing your carbon footprint.Climate Change and Human Health

Did you know that climate change can endanger your health and survival? Did you know thatprotecting your health from climate change will contribute to health promotion? It will reduce therisks of diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, cancer, osteoporosis, and obesity, and willreduce global warming. The threats are different dependent on where you live, but they disruptthe basic essential requirements for health: food, air and water.


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There is an unfair distribution of the health risks related to greenhouse gas emissions. Most of thegas emissions are emitted in industrialized countries; whereas, the risks are greater in developingcountries that have contributed less to the problems. They are greater in populations where thesocial and health systems are weak.

Why should you care?

Wherever you live climate change threatens your healthand wellbeing. Climate related injuries and illnesses account for over 150,000 deaths and 5.5 million unhealthy lives each year. Each year, 60,000 deaths are as a result of climaterelated disasters. It is projected to get worse. Many of the steps required to prevent climate changehave a positive effect on health. Action now can protect health from climate change. Reducing global warming can be good for health.

What can you do to help?

Focus on the current local health threats. Share this information with friends and family. Learn to recognize symptoms of diseases affected byclimate change in the area where you live. Find about new medication you may need. Learn about ways to protect your self and family from thelocal threats. Take precautions to protect your skin from skin cancer. Learn to make development choices that are carbonfriendly.

Reduce your carbon footprint.

If you live in an area where extreme whether conditions are a problem, take action to provideadequate hydration, heating, cooling and ventilation. This is especially so for to those who aremost vulnerable such as the elderly, the physically challenged, the socially isolated and the poor.In areas where ozone depletion is a problem protect your skin from skin cancer. In areas wheremalaria is a threat, protect yourself and your children from mosquito bites, teach your children touse insect repellent.

Reducing your carbon footprint Your carbon foot print is the amount of carbon you currently produce. If your carbon footprint ishigh you become a high carbon emitter; reducing it will contribute to good health, the environmentand a reduction in global warming. There are things you can do to reduce your carbon footprints

and energy use. They are also good for your health, they are:

Walking Taking public transport Cycling Better waste management Choosing products with smaller carbon impact Taking the train instead of the plane Making better dietary choices.


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Health Benefits

In making better dietary choices you will reduce your intake of saturated fats, excess sugar andsalt. This is part of a healthy eating pattern. Increased physical activity will result in less obesityrelated illnesses, prevent heart disease. Reduced air pollution will lead to less respiratorydiseases such as asthma and bronchitis. Preservation of water quantity and quality will result insafe drinking water reducing the risks of waterborne diseases.

Tips:

Use the Internet for shopping and to access health andmedical resources. This will reduce greenhouse emissions,and save on gasoline costs. Have your carbon foot print calculated; you may be ahigh carbon emitter.

At superhealthe is a website supporting health promotion. You can find more information on climatechange.There are many actions that you can take. You can shop for health on line at

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Global WarmingGlobal warming is causing drastic effects on our planet. Read more about it here.

According to the scientific community, the climate of the earth is changing rapidly. Over the lastcentury, the earth has become hotter by 1 degree F, and it is projected that it will continue to doso, even more quickly, in the next few decades. The reason being, the atmosphere being pollutedby greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, most of it from industrial activity, the burning of fossilfuels, and deforestation. In fact, according to climate researchers, most of this global warmingthat has occurred over the past 50 years is due to the consequences of human activity.

What are the Consequences of Global Warming on Human Life and the Environment?

It goes without saying that the phenomenon of global warming is highly complex, and thereforedifficult to predict what exactly the full-scale consequences on human life and the environmentwill be. However, with each passing year scientists are learning more and more about how globalwarming is impacting the Earth, and many of them now agree that if there is a continuation of thecurrent trends, then some of the effects of global warming will be:
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Changes in Climatic Conditions

There will be an increase in the average temperatures all over the world, leading to more frequentheat waves. This will lead to drought-like conditions, increasing the chances of forest fires thatare larger in scale, more intense, and harder to put out. Rising temperatures can also affect theclimatic system of a region by increasing the energy of storm conditions, resulting in more severerainfalls. Likewise, when the waters in the oceans heat up, it increases the energy of tropicalstorms, resulting in hurricanes that are more powerful and destructive.

Reduction of Agricultural Productivity

It is said that if the global warming continues at its current rate, the resulting increase in thetemperature will lead to a drastic reduction in agricultural productivity, especially in northerncontinental regions. It is projected that the soil in these areas will be drier in the summer, partlybecause of the snow melting earlier in the spring, and more cloudless and hotter summers, whichwill in turn result in the moisture in the soil evaporating extensively, causing severe droughts. Thiswill be further exacerbated by water levels in rivers and lakes falling because of less rainfall.

Inundation of Coastal Areas and Low-Lying Regions due to Rising Sea Levels

There is evidence that the sea levels are already rising, and this phenomenon is likely to increasebecause of glaciers melting in the mountains and the ice caps in the Arctic and Antarctic regionsmelting. This will have an impact on coastal areas that are low-lying like the estuaries of Chesapeake Bay and along the Gulf of Mexico. According to a report that the United Nationspublished, if global warming continues, the coastal areas of the Netherlands and Bangladesh willbe flooded by 2100. Plus, it is also said that Maldives will disappear completely, which canhappen by the sea level rising just by two feet.

The Disruption of Ecosystems

It is expected the global warming will cause extensive disruptions in ecosystems, with theconsequential loss of a number of species, particularly those that are unable to adapt to thechanges. According to some assessments, it is predicted that by the year 2050 about a million

species will be extinct, if the current rates of global warming continues. Some of the ecosystemsthat are most vulnerable are alpine meadows found in the Rocky Mountains, the delicateecosystem of the Himalayan ranges, mangrove forests in coastal areas, coral reefs, and so on.

Effects on Health

Global warming will lead to heat waves occurring more intensively and more frequently, resultingheat-related health effects and deaths. These effects may also exacerbate problems caused bypoor air quality in various regions, which are already affecting people around the world. It is alsoprojected that the virulence and wider range of tropical diseases will also increase due to globalwarming.

Dealing with Global Warming

Dealing with and mitigating the adverse effects of global warming is not going to be an easy task.Ultimately, we will have to reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxidedramatically if we want to protect the planet, the economy, as well as our health.

In order to accomplish this, we will have to find the will to make fundamental changes to the wayour global economy is powered, switching from using fossil fuels to renewable and more efficientsources of energy.


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What Global Warming Really Means?Global warming is not a new issue... it is just that the whole world is finally waking up. Read more about it inthis article!Scientists know for certain that human activities are changing the composition of Earth'satmosphere. There is no doubt that atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide and other

greenhouse gases is mostly the result of human activities. It's well accepted by scientists thatgreenhouse gases trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere and tend to warm the planet. Byincreasing the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, human activities are strengtheningEarth's natural greenhouse effect. The key greenhouse gases emitted by human activities remainin the atmosphere for periods ranging from decades to centuries.

A warming trend of about 1F has been recorded since the late 19th century. Warming hasoccurred in both the northern and southern hemispheres, and over the oceans. Figuring out towhat extent the human-induced accumulation of greenhouse gases since pre-industrial times isresponsible for the global warming trend is not easy. This is because other factors, both humanand natural, affect our planet's temperature. Scientific understanding of these other factors -especially changes in the sun's energy, the cooling effects of pollutant aerosols and naturalclimatic variations - remains incomplete.

Nevertheless, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated there was a"discernible" human influence on climate and that the observed warming trend is "unlikely to beentirely natural in origin". In short, scientists think rising levels of greenhouse gases in theatmosphere are contributing to global warming, as would be expected, but to what extent isdifficult to determine at the present time.

However the evidence linking human activity to climate change is now overwhelming. Theeconomic growth of India and China alone could be enough to tip the world over the edge into analmost unstoppable process, when added to the extravagant waste of industrialized nations.

As atmospheric levels of greenhouse gases continue to rise, scientists estimate average globaltemperatures will continue to rise as a result. By how much and how fast remain uncertain. IPCCprojects further global warming of 2.2-10F (1.4-5.8C) by the year 2100.

Scientists have identified that agriculture, forests, our health, water resources, wildlife and coastalareas are vulnerable to the changes that global warming may bring. But projecting what the exactimpacts will be over the 21st century remains very difficult. This is especially true when one askshow a local region will be affected.

Scientists are more confident about their projections for large-scale areas (global temperatureand precipitation change, average sea level rise) and less confident about the ones for small-scale areas (local temperature and precipitation changes, altered weather patterns, soil moisturechanges). This is largely because the computer models used to forecast global climate changeare still ill-equipped to simulate how things may change at smaller scales. There is the possibilitythat a warmer world could lead to more frequent and intense storms, including hurricanes.Preliminary evidence suggests that, once hurricanes do form, they will be stronger if the oceansare warmer due to global warming. However, the jury is still out whether or not hurricanes andother storms will become more frequent.

More and more attention is being aimed at the possible link between El Nio events - the periodicwarming of the equatorial Pacific Ocean - and global warming.

Scientists are concerned that the accumulation of greenhouse gases could inject enough heatinto Pacific waters such that El Nio events become more frequent and fierce. Here too, researchhas not advanced far enough to provide conclusive statements about how global warming will


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affect El Nio.

Like many pioneer fields of research, the current state of global warming science can't alwaysprovide definitive answers to our questions. There is certainty that human activities are rapidlyadding greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, and that these gases tend to warm our planet. Thisis the basis for concern about global warming.

The fundamental scientific uncertainties are these: How hot will things really have to get beforethere is a catastrophe? Are we already too late to change the future? Who will be the winners andlosers in a hot world? What will global warming cost? How will global warming affect our personallives and our future wealth? Global warming poses real risks. The exact nature of these risksremains uncertain. So Frost was right thinking that "the world will end in fire" Is Apocalypsemore and more confirmed with science?

Ultimately, this is why we have to use our best judgment to determine what the most appropriateresponse to global warming should be.

If All The Glaciers MeltedThe melting of glaciers is required for the survival of many communities worldwide. If this melting increasesabnormally it will have negative effects of tremendous proportions.

Glaciers - What Are They?Glaciers are snow that have been compressed over the years by more snow, finally forming intohuge masses of solid ice.

Glaciers - How Are They Formed?Glaciers are formed when the snow that has fallen remains long enough to get compressed byfresh snow and turn into solid ice. Almost throughout the year new layers of snow will fall andcompress the layers below.


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For a glacier to form it is very important that the amount of snow that falls in a given year must bymore than the amount of glacier ice / fresh snow that has melted. It is only in this way that anyglacier can increase in size. If the amount of fresh snow is less than the amount of melting ice /snow then the glacier will diminish in size and gradually vanish. This is exactly what is happeningwith almost all glaciers worldwide today. Glaciers that have taken centuries to form are melting atan alarming rate. Some well known glaciers have diminished in size and some have becomeextinct; all in the space of just the past 100 years.

Glaciers - Do They Melt Normally?The melting of glaciers is a perfectly normal process. All glaciers worldwide melt to some extentduring warmer climates. Certain glaciers melt constantly, but are replenished with the falling of more snow. Many communities worldwide depend on these melting glaciers for all their freshwater needs. Pure and fresh drinking water and water for farming is supplied by theseglaciers, without which these communities would have to move and settle down where other sources of fresh water are available. Some nations depend on this constant flow of water frommelting glaciers to produce hydroelectricity that is cheap to produce and extremely eco-friendly.

This process of glaciers melting is perfectly normal as long as the amount of ice that is melting isreplaced by the same or more amount of fresh snow. A serious problem occurs when things gothe other way -- the ice melts too fast and the fresh falling snow is not able to replace it. Whenthis happens, the glacier will gradually begin diminishing in size and will in time vanishcompletely.

Glaciers - What If They Melt Totally?Many glaciers across the world are diminishing in size each year. Some well known glaciers of the past have just melted away, never to return. The speed at which glaciers are melting today isgetting greater and greater with each passing year. Almost everyone today agree to one major cause for this -- 'Global Warming'.

Many persons / communities that depend totally on melting glacier water for drinking andirrigation purposes have already felt the horrible effects that fast melting glaciers bring with them.Fast melting glaciers are very bad not just for us humans, but even for animals, birds, fish, andmarine plants.

What if all the glaciers present today melted? It would have far reaching negative impacts oneverything present on earth.

Glacier Water Formed Lakes Could BurstGlaciers that are melting faster than normal create lakes on the mountainsides as they flow. Thesize of these lakes keep on increasing with time. The walls that hold these lakes can bear pressures only upto certain limits. Once the water in these lakes increase to levels where thesewater holding limits are crossed, there is just one thing that can happen. The lake will burst. Sincethese lakes are huge in size, the sudden amount of water released by the bursting will betremendous. The force of this water will destroy anything that comes in its way; including entirevillages settled on the bottom of such mountains.

This is not something that we think will happen; such lake bursts are a current reality and havealready happened (Nepal in Asia) causing tremendous loss to the villagers who were affected byit. Many places in Nepal and Bhutan in Asia still face grave dangers from many lakes that areincreasing in size and could burst anytime.

FloodsWhen the amount of ice / snow melting on mountains increases above normal, it will cause a lotof water to be released into streams and finally the rivers it feeds. This will cause flooding allalong the river banks. All those living in low lying areas in close proximity of the rivers will beaffected. The amount of havoc that floods can create is very well known worldwide. People


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affected will have to relocate to safer regions.

Floods bring with them tremendous misery. Water borne disease will be widespread and verydifficult to curtail. There will be water everywhere, but pure drinking water will not be available.Irrigated farmlands will drown and crops will be destroyed. Living in such areas will not behumanly possible.

DraughtIf floods can be caused by fast melting glaciers, how can draught too be a part of it. Yes, draughtwill be a reality in places with fast melting glaciers. Once these glaciers have completely meltedthe streams and rivers they feed will run dry. People depending on these sources for all their fresh water needs will not have any source of freshwater (unless fresh groundwater is available).Entire villages will have to resettle elsewhere. Places that are abundant in the production of cropsfor their needs and also the needs of others will face famine. Food grains will be in short supply.

Sea Level RiseWe are already witness to a sea level rise in the past century. This rise is of minor proportions,but if the sea continues to rise further it could have devastating effects. Persons living in low-lyingareas on the seashore will be the first to be affected. Entire areas around the seashore will beflooded, making it compulsory for persons in close vicinity to relocate. All fresh groundwater in thesurrounding areas will get contaminated with sea water which will be unfit for human consumptionand for agriculture.

Global Temperatures Will Rise Further Glaciers absorb approximately 20% heat from the sun, reflecting the remaining 80% back intospace. When these glaciers melt and expose the earth below, exactly the opposite will take place.Earth will absorb 80% of heat and reflect back just 20% into space. This in turn will cause globaltemperatures to rise further. This increase in global temperature will help in melting the remainingglaciers faster. This is a very vicious circle that will continue.

Animals, Birds, and Fish Will Be AffectedMany species of animals, birds, and fish that depend on the fresh melting waters of glaciers thatempty into the sea will be affected. Many fish in such areas depend for their food on the coral

reefs that are in abundance. These coral reefs depend on sunlight for maintaining their health.When sea levels rise, the sunlight that these corals receive will diminish. These coral reefs maydeteriorate or even vanish. This will affect the fish that feed on it. Birds and animals that dependon these fish for survival will be affected due to a shortage of fish. Humans in such areasdepending on these animals, birds, and fish for food will be affected.

Who is Responsible For Vanishing Glaciers?We are. All of us are responsible for vanishing glaciers.

Almost everyone today believe that the prime cause of fast vanishing glaciers is global warming.The industrial revolution of the past century started it all, and it has just got worse with everypassing year. Greenhouse gas emissions are at an all time high. We all contribute in some way toglobal warming.

Only we can save the situation from getting any worse. We may not be able to reverse thesituation, but by living in a responsible manner we may be able to drastically slow down theprocess of global warming. This may not help us much today, but it will surely have a positiveeffect on the generations to come.


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Greenhouse GasesArticles on greenhouse gases.The numerous public forums that discuss environmental issues and the ever-increasing politicaldebates about the damage humans are doing to the planet always include some mention of greenhouse gases. Scientists and scholars toss the term about like everyone knows exactly whatit means, but most people probably don't really understand what greenhouse gases are and how

they can be harmful.

Greenhouse gases (GHG) are gaseous components in the atmosphere that contribute to the"greenhouse effect", the heating of the Earth by means of a similar effect produced by the glasspanes of a greenhouse. Greenhouse gases allow light from the sun to enter the atmospheresurrounding the Earth. When that sunlight strikes the planet, some of it is reflected back towardspace as infrared radiation, or heat. The GHGs in the atmosphere trap the heat, but over time theamount of energy sent from the sun to the Earth's surface should be about the same as theamount of energy radiated back into space, leaving the temperature of the planet's surface prettyconstant. However, it is a documented scientific fact that global temperatures have been steadilyrising for decades.

Some GHGs, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and nitrous oxide, occur

naturally to some extent in the atmosphere. Human activities add to the levels of these naturallyoccurring gases, and many of those activities are benign and don't have significant effects on theenvironment. But the political debate over GHGs focuses on certain human activities thatincrease the concentrations of GHGs in ways that threaten the environment, and research hasstepped up dramatically in recent years to determine whether or not humans should be trying tolimit those activities.

Although opinions are mixed about exactly how the Earth's climate responds to GHGs, mostresearchers are in agreement that greenhouse gases from industry and agriculture have played amajor role in global warming. Just the increase in the population of the planet has to have hadsome effect on the GHGs in the atmosphere, because more people are breathing out carbondioxide, and deforestation to make room for those people has resulted in fewer trees producingoxygen. The burning of fossil fuels also leads to higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, whichconstitutes about 76% of all the greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. Most of theincrease in carbon dioxide has occurred in the last 50 years. Measurements from Antarctic icecore samples have shown that carbon dioxide concentrations stayed pretty stable for about10,000 years, but began rising in the mid-20th century.

Methane gas accounts for about 13% of the GHGs in the atmosphere. Since 1750, the amount of methane gas in the atmosphere has doubled, and some scientists say that amount could doubleagain by 2050. Each year nearly 500 tons of methane are added to the air by coal mining, drillingfor oil and natural gas, landfill emissions, wetland changes, and pipeline losses. New style fullyvented septic systems, Livestock and paddy rice farming, CFCs used in refrigeration systems,and halons in fire suppression systems are also sources of atmospheric methane. Most GHGstake a very long time to leave the atmosphere, but methane stays in the atmosphere for only 10years. However, it traps 20 times more heat than carbon dioxide.

Nitrous oxide, primarily used as "laughing gas", an inhaled anesthetic, is released naturally fromoceans and by bacteria in soils. Nitrous oxide gas production has risen by more than 15% since1750, and now makes up approximately 6% of the GHGs in the atmosphere. Each year about 7-13 million tons are released into the atmosphere by using nitrogen-based fertilizers, disposing of human and animal waste in sewage treatment plants, automobile exhaust, and other sources notyet identified. Nitrogen-based fertilizer use has doubled in the past 15 years. The nitrous oxidebeing released into the atmosphere today will still be trapped in there 100 years from now.

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the concentrations of many GHGs in the Earth's


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atmosphere have steadily increased. In 1992, the United Nations held a summit meeting in Riode Janeiro called the Conference on Environment and Development to develop a treaty aimed atreducing emissions of greenhouse gases in order to combat global warming. The treaty, calledthe United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is legally non-bindingand sets no mandatory limits on GHG emissions for individual nations, but the countries whosigned the treaty agreed to develop their own plans and schedules for limiting emissions. TheFCCC entered into force on March 21, 1994, with the stated objective being "to achievestabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a low enough level toprevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system".

The treaty included provisions for eventually setting mandatory emissions limits, with the primaryupdate being the Kyoto Protocol, which was established in 2005. Carbon dioxide, methane,nitrous oxide, and three groups of fluorinated gases are the subject of the Kyoto Protocol. Part of the reason for establishing the Kyoto Protocol was the increased sense of urgency felt by manyscientists as newer data is found to support the theory of "global warming", which could havedisastrous effects upon the Earth if changes are not implemented right now.

The world's leading authority on global warming is the Intergovernmental Panel on ClimateChange (IPCC), a United Nations-sponsored organization consisting of 2500 scientists fromaround the world. The IPCC has predicts that global warming will have severe impact on humanhealth, natural ecosystems, agriculture, and coastal communities if steps are not takenimmediately to reverse the increasing concentrations of GHGs in the Earth's atmosphere. TheIPCC has concluded by consensus that "The balance of evidence suggests a discernible humaninfluence on global climate". That "human influence" is the increased levels of greenhouse gasesbeing released into the atmosphere, and stronger steps must be taken toward reversing the trendbefore it is too late to repair the damage.

Different types of Water PollutionThe different types of water pollution are point-source, nonpoint-source and transboundary. Surface water,Groundwater, Microbiological, Oxygen depletion are some of the varieties of water pollution. Nutrients,suspended matter and chemicals are responsible for such a pollution.

When the pollution has a single source like an oil spill, it is called point-source pollution. In casethe pollution has multiple sources, it is called nonpoint-source pollution. Many types of pollutionaffect the immediate area surrounding the source. When the pollution affects the environmentmany miles away from the source, like nuclear waste, it is called transboundary pollution.

Surface Water Pollution These are the natural water resources of the Earth. These are found on the exterior of the Earth'scrust, oceans, rivers and lakes.


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Groundwater Pollution Considerable amount of Earth's water is found in soil or under rock structures called aquifers.People use aquifers to obtain drinking water and build wells to access it. In case this water becomes polluted, it is called groundwater pollution. This is caused by pesticide contaminationfrom the soil and this can infect the drinking water and lead to huge problems.

Microbiological Pollution This is a natural form of water pollution caused by microorganisms. Most of these microorganimsthrive in water and fish, land animals and humans to become ill. Microorganims like bacteria,viruses and protozoa cause serious diseases like cholera. In poor countries, there are no facilitiesto treat polluted water and hence the health of people are affected.

Oxygen depletion Pollution Microorganisms that thrive in water feed on biodegradable substances. When a lot of biodegradable material is mixed with water, the number of microorganims increase and utilize theavailable oxygen. The is called oxygen depletion. As oxygen levels in water are depleted,harmless aerobic microorganisms die and anaerobic microorganims prosper. Some anaerobicmicroorganisms are harmful to people, environment and animals and they produce toxins likeammonia and sulfides.

Nutrients These are necessary for plant growth and development. Most of these are found in wastewater and fertilizers. These can cause excess weed and algae growth if there are large concentrationsin water. Drinking water and clog filters can be contaminated. The algae use up the oxygen in thewater and leave none for the surrounding marine life and this can damage other aquaticorganisms.

Suspended Matter As the molecules are very large to mix between the water molecules, some pollutants do notdissolve in water. This material is termed as particulate matter and can lead to water pollution.The suspended particles finally settle and form a thick silt at the bottom. The marine life on thefloor of rivers and lakes are harmed. Biodegradable substances are suspended in water and raise

the quantity of anaerobic microorganisms present. The toxic chemicals that are suspended inwater are harmful to the development and survival of aquatic life.

Chemical Agricultural and Industrial work has the use of many chemicals that can run-off into water andpollute it. Metals and solvents from industrial work pollute rivers and lakes. Aquatic life isendangered by these and made infertile. Pesticides are used to control weeds, insects and fungi.Run-off's of these pesticides poisons aquatic life. If birds, humans and other animals eat infectedfish they may be poisoned. Petroleum is a different type of chemical pollutant that pollutes water by oil spills in case a ship ruptures. Oil spills have a localised affect on wildlife, but can spread for miles. This oil can effect the death of many fish and stick to the feathers of seabirds. This losestheir ability to fly.

Pollution happens when silt and other suspended solids like soil, construction, washoff plowedfields enters river banks. Eutrophication occurs under natural conditions, lakes, rivers and other water bodies. This is an aging process that fills in the water body with sediment and organicmatter. In case these sediments enter various water bodies, fish respiration is affected, plantproductivity and water depth is decreased.


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Causes and Effects of Land PollutionLand pollution is a common and destructive phenomenon today. Read on to learn about its various causesand effects.

Know about land pollution

Pollution is a global problem. It has affected the lives of millions of people and caused severaldeaths and health problems. Land pollution is one of the types of pollution. Land pollution ispollution of our planets land surface.

Causes of land pollution:

Increase in urbanization. Construction uses upforestland. More constructions means increase in demand for raw materials like timber. This leads to the exploitation anddestruction of forests. There is more demand for water.Reservoirs are built leading to the loss of land. Increase in agricultural land. As the human population

grew there was a greater demand for food. This caused moreland allocated to agriculture. Forests were cut down for thispurpose. Domestic waste. Every single day, tons and tons of domestic waste is dumped ranging from huge pieces of rubbish such as unused refrigerator to fish bones. If all thesewastes are not disposed of properly, the damage they can doto the environment and humankind can be devastating. Whilewaste collected from homes, offices and industries may berecycled or burnt in incinerators, a large amount of rubbish isneither burnt nor recycled but is left in certain areas markedas dumping grounds. We throw away more things today andthere is an increase in the quantity of solid waste. This has

given rise to problems as new dumping grounds have to befound. Agricultural activities. Besides domestic waste,pesticides and herbicides used by farmers to increase cropyields also pollute the land when they are washed into thesoil. Industrial activities. Industrial activities also are acontributing factor to land pollution. For example, in open castmining, huge holes are dug in the ground and these formdangerously deep mining pools. Heaps of mining waste are


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left behind and these waste often contain several poisonoussubstances that will contaminate the soil.

Pollution sources include plastics factories, chemical plants, oil refineries, nuclear waste disposalactivity, large animal farms, coal-fired power plants, metals production factories and other heavyindustry.

Reducing land Pollution

We can take the following steps:-

encourage organic farming proper garbage disposal recycle garbage reduce use of herbicides and pesticides Avoid overpackaged items efficient utilization of resources and reducing wastage

Effects of land pollution

exterminates wild life acid rain kills trees and other plants. vegetation that provides food and shelter is destroyed. it can seriously disrupt the balance of nature, and, inextreme cases, can cause human fatalities. pesticides can damage crops; kill vegetation; and poisonbirds, animals, and fish. Most pesticides kill or damage lifeforms other than those intended. For example, pesticidesused in an effort to control or destroy undesirable vegetation

and insects often destroy birds and small animals. Some lifeforms develop immunity to pesticides used to destroy them.

Air Pollution FactsHere is an account of the adverse air pollution effects, and what you can do to protect yourself against it.


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Here are a few reports that have come out recently about the adverse effects of air pollutionwhich will make you sit up and sniff the air around you apprehensively:

According to a study, living in a major city places people

at a higher risk than living in the radioactive zone inChernobyl. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),about 2 million premature deaths are caused each year dueto air pollution in cities across the world. A recent study has revealed that exposure to fineparticle matter in polluted air increases the risk of hospitalization due to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases. According to a German study, people who breathe in thefumes of heavy traffic regularly have higher chances of getting hardening of the arteries, which is associated with therisk of heart attack.

A Scottish study has shown that jogging with trafficaround results in reduced blood flow to the heart. This isparticularly dangerous for people with stable heart disease,because it can trigger off cardiac arrhythmia or even a heartattack. According to a study conducted on eight-year-olds inMexico City, being exposed for a long time to high levels of polluted air reduces lung function and growth in children. According to a 20-year study conducted on the residentsof Los Angeles, it has been shown that the adverse effects of air pollution have been grossly underestimated. Theresearchers opine that chronic health problems due toparticulate matter in the air may be double or even triple times

greater than the estimates available currently.

So what is air pollution and why is it so harmful? Air pollution is caused when it gets filled with toomuch gases, particulate matter, and droplets of liquid. In cities, the air gets polluted by theexhaust fumes of vehicles, along with the pollutants given off by construction work and industry.In the country, the dust given off by tractors working on fields, vehicles being driven on gravel or dirt tracks, smoke given off by crop and wood being burnt, and work carried out in rock quarries,are some of the causes of air pollution.

Another major air pollutant in cities is ozone that occurs at ground level. Ozone forms when


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nitrous oxides and hydrocarbons react with sunlight. However, not everything about ozone is bad.In fact, its presence in the upper atmosphere is beneficial because it keeps out harmful ultra-violet rays, which is one of the major causes of skin cancer. Ozone only becomes problematicwhen it occurs near the ground where it can be inhaled. When inhaled, ozone causes reducedlung capacity, choking, and coughing.

When the air is polluted, it causes irritation of the throat, lungs and eyes. Some of the commonsymptoms are: a burning sensation in the eyes, tightness in the chest, and coughing. Itexacerbates respiratory conditions like emphysema and asthma, and reduces the bodys capacityto fight off infections of the respiratory system. Also, people afflicted with heart disease, likeangina, are usually very sensitive to air pollution. People who exercise outdoors are alsosusceptible to the symptoms of air pollution, because it involves deeper and faster breathing.

In fact, polluted air is particularly detrimental to those who have lung and/or heart disease. Whenthe pollution levels become very high, it can lead to them having to curtail their activities and evenresult in hospitalization. Severe air pollution has even been known to cause death in the recentpast. However, such high levels of pollution are now not as common in the US.

Another group that is susceptible to the effects of air pollution is children. When they live in areasthat have high levels of pollution, children tend to be prone to illnesses like earaches andbronchitis.

Although some groups of people feel the effects of air pollution more acutely, one of the positivefactors is that when there is an improvement in the quality of air, the symptoms caused by air pollution are quickly alleviated for most people who are healthy.

The long-term effects of being exposed to low air pollution levels are still being studied.

Here are some of the ways you can prevent the harmful effects of air pollution affecting you andyour family:

Try staying indoors as much as possible in the daytime.Usually the air indoors is less polluted than outdoors.

If you cannot avoid going outside, try to do it in the earlymorning or after sunset. This is particularly important whenthere are high levels of ozone, which is usually the case inmany big cities, because sunshine triggers off the creation of ozone.

When the pollution levels are high, try not to exertyourself. The harder you breathe, the more polluted air youinhale into your lungs.

The above steps should be enough to protect you against air pollution if you are healthy.However, in case you work or live near some source of pollution, or if you are afflicted withchronic lung or heart problem, it is best to seek medical advice on the best ways to deal with it.

Why is Recycling Important ?Did you know that you can help the environment in a lot of ways by recycling various materials. Read on toknow how recycling can help protect and preserve the natural resources of our mother nature.


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What is Recycling

Before you know about the importance and benefits of recycling and its relation to a better environmental condition, it is essential to understand what is recycling. Recycling refers to theprocess of collecting used materials which is usually considered as waste and reprocessingthem. In this process these used materials are sorted and processed to be used as rawmaterials for the production of new products. Recycling varies from re-use in the sense thatwhile re-use just means using old products repeatedly, recycling means using the core elementsof an old product as raw material to manufacture new goods. Some of the most common itemsthat are recycled are plastic, glass, paper, batteries, aluminum etc.

Process of Recycling

The recycling process involves three stages. In the first stage the old products are collected andprocessed, where they are sorted, cleaned and made ready for recycling or manufacturing new

products. The second stage involves the manufacturing of new products from the raw materialobtained by the processing of the old products. Finally, the process ends with the purchasing of recycled goods by the consumers. The more people step forward to buy recycled products thebetter the success of the recycling process can be ensured. Buying recycled products will onlyincrease when every individual will develop an awareness of the difference that can be made byutilizing their old household objects as raw materials to produce new goods and help theenvironment by recycling.

Why is Recycling Important

The importance of recycling can be observed in multiple ways. If you are wondering in your mindas to "why I should recycle" then here are some causes which should convince you to do so.

Recycling Saves Energy When new products are manufactured from the raw materialobtained from recycled products, it saves a lot of energywhich is consumed for the production. When new productsare manufactured from virgin materials, the amount of energy consumed is much higher. Besides, the energyrequired to acquire and transport the virgin raw materialsfrom their origins or natural sources is also saved. Add to thatthe energy which is required to clean and protect the


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environment from the pollutant waste products, especiallythose which are non-biodegradable (plastic) and fill up thelandfill areas. Recycling Saves Environmental Conditions andReduces Pollution Recycling helps in preventing global climate change to a

great extent. By minimizing the energy spent on industrialproduction, recycling also helps in reducing greenhouse gasemission. Some of the major fossil fuels used in mostindustries include coal, diesel, gasoline etc. All these emitharmful gases such as methane, sulfur dioxide, carbon-dioxide to the environment. The processing of fresh rawmaterial also creates toxic materials which pollute theenvironment. By reducing the energy used, recycling alsominimizes the amount of fuel usage which in turn reduces theamount of harmful pollutants in the environment. Recycling Saves Natural Resources We know that recycling involves the processing and usage of the core elements of an old product for the production of newproducts. This helps in saving our natural resources to a greatextent. For example, once an old newspaper is recycled wedo not need to use the resource of another tree to producenew paper products. This way, proper recycling can help uspreserve our natural resources for our future generations andmaintain the balance of the nature. Economic Benefits Similar to energy and natural resource, recycling also helps insaving a lot of expense, demanded for the production of newproducts from virgin materials. These expenses include theentire production cycle starting from acquiring the rawmaterials, transferring them from their origin to productionplaces, processing and manufacturing costs.Recycling process creates employment opportunities for a lotof people, involved in the various stages of the process. Thisin turn contributes to the economic development of the stateor country. Recycling Saves Space for Waste Disposal Most of the landfill sites are filled up with a lot of wasteproducts that could have been recycled effectively. Some of these waste materials belong to non-biodegradable categorywhich takes a long time to decompose. Recycling enablesproper usage of these waste products and saves space for landfills. The pace with which landfills are getting filled up,soon we might run short of landfills unless we start followingrecycling at our own home and spread the word to others.

Reasons Why You Should RecycleAlthough recycling is a much talked about issue, there are still a certain section of people who arecompletely unaware about the importance of recycling. Here are some reasons why you should recycle andsave our Planet Earth.


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In this day and age when headlines today are screaming about the benefits of recycling, I thinkyou should be ashamed if you are not really aware about the reasons why you should recycle.Recycling should be the order of the day and one needs to be aware about the importance of recycling today to have a better tomorrow. Take a look around you; does it not enrage you whenpeople waste energy or even bits of paper for completely unnecessary things? Would it not be awiser idea to incorporate discipline amongst us and follow certain basic rules of recycling? Beforeyou blame others take this matter in your hands. There are plenty of things you can do as anindividual but first, let us take a look at the importance of recycling and know about thishumongous issue that needs to be dealt with, by each and every individual.

Importance of Recycling: Why you should recycle? Deforestation is a major issue today. This is because man is using natural resources to fulfill hisneeds. The increase of these demands has led to increasing levels of destruction of our naturalresources. These resources being limited, a day would probably arrive when we dont really haveanything to turn towards. Think about all the trees that are being axed in the forests today. Your habits of wasting paper could be one of the million reasons that contribute towards suchproblems.

Practicing the concept of recycling will benefit us in our everyday life. Have you given a thought tothe amount of energy you waste on an everyday basis? Do you really require the light to beswitched on at your sink in the morning? Therefore, reduce the use of energy. This is simplybecause, a lot of materials are required to manufacture new products that require energy andthese are not always biodegradable. The more number of non-biodegradable products or materials added to the environment means more matter in landfill areas. This in turn creates moreissues due to lack of space in such landfill sites that cannot really accommodate non-biodegradable objects. A time will soon arrive when there would really be no more space on earthto accommodate all the junk we add on an everyday basis!

Knowing the importance of recycling should be a must for everybody today. Our every little

activity would either help the environment or even destroy it gradually. Hence being aware of our responsibilities is a step towards saving our planet. Recycling would also reduce the levels of pollution; we would thus have clean air to breathe.

Recycling products made of plastic, aluminum, cardboards and paper helps to conserve energyand does not add more to the already crowded landfill areas. Recycling products and savingenergy would subsequently help you turn earth into a greener planet.

Probably you would now be thinking about ways to recycle! If you havent already then you needto read about some tips you can use to implement the concept of recycling on an everyday basis.


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How to Recycle? The most important aim for us today should be the concept of Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Weneed to reduce the use of non-biodegradable objects, we need to reuse objects as often aspossible and recycle as well. Let us check out ways in which you can help the environment.

Whenever you shop, buy products that have the leastamount of packaging. Remember to reduce the use of plastic. While shopping,carry cloth bags in case you have a penchant for shoppingand end up with huge parcels! Reuse plastic bags you haveat home and avoid adding more to the heap. Reuse scraps of paper (envelopes, mailers etc). Do notuse fresh sheets for things you dont need. Do not dump left over food in the trash bin. Place it in acompost bin and use it later to make organic fertilizer. Find out about local recycling centers and assist them inthe process by segregating objects that can be recycled athome. Reduce your energy usage at home and at your office aswell. For example - cut down on the use of air conditioners. Purchase recycled products. You would thus be lendingyour support for a good cause. Convert old items into interesting objects rather thanthrowing it away. For example - old cards can be reused tocreate something new or an old bottle can be converted intoan interesting showpiece! Use your creativity to the fullest. Use rechargeable batteries as they have a longer life.Once used completely, do not dispose them off with your dailygarbage, give them away to be recycled.

The most important thing about recycling is to spread the word. So, have you done your bittoday?

Benefits of RecyclingThe concept of recycling can bring about very large environmental and economic benefits. Take a peek intosome of the benefits of recycling mentioned below.


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Despite the warnings being given about the harmful effects of global warming and other environmental problems, most individuals are doing very little about it today. Global warming,deforestation, acid rains, the endangerment of various species etc have gone completely out of control in many areas around the globe. Various methods and suggestions are being offered toreduce the effects of these altogether and if possible, eradicate it completely. Did you know thatrecycling done on an everyday basis could actually help our planet Earth on a large extent? Thiscan begin even at home. The benefits of recycling are many, from reducing the effects of industrial production to saving energy. Think you need to know more about the benefits of recycling? Read on and find out how every little step, can make a difference.

Benefits of Recycling:

Almost everybody is used to receiving junk mail via snail mail. Imagine, most of these documentsare completely worthless and discouraging the usage of this would save at least 150,000 treesannually as these would not be cut down for the requirement of paper. We all know theimportance of trees in the ecological cycle. Most companies therefore resort to recycled paper or the use of Internet to propagate their message. Did you know that every ton of paper saves atleast 17 trees? So avoid the unnecessary use of paper and if needed, stick to recycled paper.

Using the concept of recycling can also help to reduce the greenhouse effect. Gas emissionsoccur due to the manufacturing, use and also the disposal of products that are not biodegradable.If the greenhouse gas emissions reach dangerous concentration levels, it leads to changes in thetemperatures globally, changes in the levels of the sea and other bizarre climatic conditions.Therefore, recycling can help reduce the need to manufacture paper, plastics, metals and glass.This would save energy needed to manufacture new products.

Using recycled products would also reduce the amount of materials (which are notbiodegradable) that end up in the landfills. Materials that end up in landfills tend to decomposeand cause the release of methane gas. This is very harmful for the environment; therefore suchlandfills are the main cause of the emission of methane gas into the atmosphere.

Plastics are equally hazardous to planet Earth. The reduction in the use of plastics would help inthe conservation of energy. Plastics prove to be very difficult to dispose. If plastics are to beburied, these can last for at least 700 years. So, the next time you use plastic cups or evenpolystyrene foam cups, give a thought to the amount of waste you are adding to the environment.


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Desist the use of such elements, always carry your own bags for shopping and reuse and recyclesuch products whenever possible.

Were you aware that recycling one pound of steel could power a 60-watt light bulb for more thanone day? Most aluminum companies would benefit with the concept of recycling as they can saveapproximately 19 million barrels of oil. This itself can give enough energy to supply electricity toabout 18 million households for a period of one year! Astounding, isnt it? An ideal situation wouldbe when every individual realizes his/her own responsibility and practices the concept of recycling; then one can certainly have hope for the future of this planet. Besides, recycling alsocreates job opportunities for most people, which is all for a good cause! The benefits of recyclingare many more to name, but to actually use these concepts in our everyday life would requireawareness and also the urge to spread this message. So, whenever you can, just spread theword! Recycling will benefit everybody around the globe, including you!

Waste Water Treatment: Waste Water PlantDid you know that in the mid 1800s human and other wastes were usually just dumped in the nearest water body without treatment? Thankfully today things have changed because of waste water plants. Read on for information about waste water and waste waster plants.

Water, water, every where, And all the boards did shrink;Water, water, every where,Nor any drop to drink.

-S.T. Coleridge

I thought of writing these lines from the poem The Rime of the Ancient Mariner because it was thefirst thing that came to mind when I began writing about waste water. Not only do these linesdescribe water in the oceans, but it helps visualize a scene which might occur if waste water

ceases to be treated at a plant.Waste Water What is it?

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Future of our mother planet EARTH