It took billion of years to collect the debris floating in circle around the Sun. It took some more billions to diffuse and coalescence the debris into a collective mass and temper the mass with immense solar radiation. The spherical shape of the earth with majority of area submerged in water might also have been a very slow process. Putting the earth in one of the most scientifically correct elliptical path around the Sun stuns the imagination of scientist. A small distance nearer to the Sun might have been quite hot for living organism to prosper. A slender distance apart would have invited sub zero temperature uncongenial to flora and fauna. Perfectly environmentally safe earth was handed over to the most intelligent being on the earth to carry it forward to the dreamt paradise.
The earth was environmentally safe for the most part of its history of the past. It was some centuries ago, that it started fearing its future to be imperfect. Contributing attributes were the greed and selfishness that converted the most coveted industrial revolution to a dreaded cutthroat competition. The arts and science of constructive creativity inherited from the universal activity and natural processes was put to destructive inventions and hazardous processes. Onset of the 21st.century saw the earth to be environmentally unsafe. We are but an integrated minuscule fraction of earth entirety caught doing activities which are not environmentally safe.
There is a universal truth. That who knows to undo, also knows to do. That who ties a knot also knows how to untie the knot. This is the test of intelligence, ingenuity and wisdom. We are much more than that. We have taken up a path which would lead to an environmentally safe future.
We know how to differentiate our misdeeds .We also know how to integrate benefactions to make the earth environmentally safe. We are differentiating various carbon footprints of greenhouse gases emissions. We are also integrating minute activities that are pivotal to a low carbon economy having a minimum output of greenhouse gases. We are opting for organics and distancing ourselves from synthetic.
Greedy and selfish as we are, we have known that the cheapest raw material to convert into gainful finished byproduct and finished product is the existing waste resources. Pollution load is the signature of wasted raw materials. Efficient manufacturing and working processes means zero emission and zero effluent discharge.
Renewable energy has opened up a flood gate towards achieving a sustainable environment. These unending resources of energy is the cheapest to have after we master the technology through research and development.
We are in the process of pledging ourselves for being environmentally safe.
Thursday, December 23, 2010
Befriending Renewable Energy
Renewable energy is that source which would get naturally replenished and as such will never exhaust. The first among such is the solar energy. Earth is as long as the sun is a star and this would remain so for billions and billions of years. Air, the main cause of the wind is also in plentiful and cannot be thought of being spent up as long as the Earth is. Rain and tides have their store house in the oceans and there is water cycle to keep these affluent and kicking. We all know , the Earth has a molten core which is covered with a thick sheet of superheated mass and steam. The temperature on the surface of the Earth, its gravitational forces, its rotation around the Sun and most importantly it’s positioning with respect to the Sun and neighborhood planet is so delicately balanced that we cannot think of any diminishing factor associated with the geothermal heat at the heart of the Earth.
Mankind had nothing when it showed itself upon the surface of the Earth. Now, it has almost everything that it deserves and desires. Still, it is a fact that future possibilities are immense.
The entire universe is the manifestation of mass and energy. Call it mass-energy reversible transformation or simply opening and shutting of the black hole bags. The show goes on. However, in our quest for acquiring more power and elbow room in the existing distribution of ethical population, we have spent some of our heritance to the brink. We have lost civilizations, extinct flora and dwindling population of some beautiful creatures. We are becoming deficient in non-renewable energy which is our lifeline for the prsent. We cannot ever think of a life without heat, light and electrical energy. But it is a fact that the supply and demand ratio is getting overtly low. As ever as before , we have started looking elsewhere to compensate for dwindling biomass and petroleum resources through which we are getting our essential energy.
We are not limited by our ingenuity. We find that everywhere there is an energy resource infinitely affluent waiting for us to harness. On our sides is the air and wind energy coupled with tidal waves. Overhead is the solar energy. Geothermal energy at its maximum, is waiting to befriend us at the core of the Earth. Feedstock for cellulosic ethanol is greeting us all around.
It was not a recent dream converted into idea and later to practice. Primitive man and its survival instinct must be at the helm of affairs. Mankind is utilizing renewable energy since the time he started using his brain or to be more precise, intelligence. Green caves to live in, Sun ripened fruit to eat, baked grains and meat to supplement food needs, natural geyser to take health bath, and wind velocity to navigate boats.
At present, more than 20% global energy is derived from renewable resources of which around 3% of energy consumption came from new renewable such as solar, wind, geothermal, bio-fuel, small hydro-turbines and modern biomass. The growth rate of wind power is 30% per annum with an installed capacity of over 158 GW. The major producers and users are Asia, Europe and the U.S. Solar energy exploitation through photovoltaic installation crossed 21 GW. 354 MW solar thermal power plant in Mojave Desert is the biggest of its kind. The Geysers, California is the largest geothermal power plant with 750 MW rated capacity. Brazil produces Ethanol from cane sugar and such contribution to its national automotive fuel need is over 18%.
Renewable energy will have a supremacy over the non- renewable energy in very near future. RE requires investment during infrastructure building. Once the facility is complete, the raw material in the form of solar , wind and geothermal energy is free to avail. Their availability is infinite. RE will become cheaper as the technology improves while on the other hand NRE will become costlier as their technology has reached a saturation stage and their availability is becoming scarce. With increase in production and productivity coupled with market competition , RE will become available at affordable cost.
RE has an added advantage of being available in nooks and corners of the globe, however remote, under developed and rural these may be. There is still enormous area to be covered for further exploration of resources and to educate the available human resource not yet tapped due to their remoteness. Government may find it more profitable to tread into such areas as these have prospects of returning back government led incentives as manifold possibilities and monetary advantages. What more can be more suited for poverty alleviation than RE.
The silver lining is quite distinctly visible. Around 160 million population is using biomass cookers, 30 million are getting light and cooking foods from biogas fuel, 3 million use power from solar power photovoltaic system. Micro-hydro and mini grids are serving many areas. These are all remote and rural areas of the world.
We have now known that RE has no limitation and so is our bank of intelligence and inquisitiveness and ingenuity. New vistas of RE are being explored. We are looking forward to commercial exploitation of cellulosic ethanol , ocean and hot dry rock geothermal energy. Geo-magnetic energy is also shining like a bright star in the horizon of the future technologies. Just imagine, nano technology to be taking control of research and development in the renewable energy sector. You may have a panel of photovoltaic cells integrated in your cap to supply electrical energy or a solar panel lined waist coat on your body to keep warm while you are atop Mount Everest or in an unexplored region of rain forest.
We are learning to go back to the future of prosperity by obeying nature.
Mankind had nothing when it showed itself upon the surface of the Earth. Now, it has almost everything that it deserves and desires. Still, it is a fact that future possibilities are immense.
The entire universe is the manifestation of mass and energy. Call it mass-energy reversible transformation or simply opening and shutting of the black hole bags. The show goes on. However, in our quest for acquiring more power and elbow room in the existing distribution of ethical population, we have spent some of our heritance to the brink. We have lost civilizations, extinct flora and dwindling population of some beautiful creatures. We are becoming deficient in non-renewable energy which is our lifeline for the prsent. We cannot ever think of a life without heat, light and electrical energy. But it is a fact that the supply and demand ratio is getting overtly low. As ever as before , we have started looking elsewhere to compensate for dwindling biomass and petroleum resources through which we are getting our essential energy.
We are not limited by our ingenuity. We find that everywhere there is an energy resource infinitely affluent waiting for us to harness. On our sides is the air and wind energy coupled with tidal waves. Overhead is the solar energy. Geothermal energy at its maximum, is waiting to befriend us at the core of the Earth. Feedstock for cellulosic ethanol is greeting us all around.
It was not a recent dream converted into idea and later to practice. Primitive man and its survival instinct must be at the helm of affairs. Mankind is utilizing renewable energy since the time he started using his brain or to be more precise, intelligence. Green caves to live in, Sun ripened fruit to eat, baked grains and meat to supplement food needs, natural geyser to take health bath, and wind velocity to navigate boats.
At present, more than 20% global energy is derived from renewable resources of which around 3% of energy consumption came from new renewable such as solar, wind, geothermal, bio-fuel, small hydro-turbines and modern biomass. The growth rate of wind power is 30% per annum with an installed capacity of over 158 GW. The major producers and users are Asia, Europe and the U.S. Solar energy exploitation through photovoltaic installation crossed 21 GW. 354 MW solar thermal power plant in Mojave Desert is the biggest of its kind. The Geysers, California is the largest geothermal power plant with 750 MW rated capacity. Brazil produces Ethanol from cane sugar and such contribution to its national automotive fuel need is over 18%.
Renewable energy will have a supremacy over the non- renewable energy in very near future. RE requires investment during infrastructure building. Once the facility is complete, the raw material in the form of solar , wind and geothermal energy is free to avail. Their availability is infinite. RE will become cheaper as the technology improves while on the other hand NRE will become costlier as their technology has reached a saturation stage and their availability is becoming scarce. With increase in production and productivity coupled with market competition , RE will become available at affordable cost.
RE has an added advantage of being available in nooks and corners of the globe, however remote, under developed and rural these may be. There is still enormous area to be covered for further exploration of resources and to educate the available human resource not yet tapped due to their remoteness. Government may find it more profitable to tread into such areas as these have prospects of returning back government led incentives as manifold possibilities and monetary advantages. What more can be more suited for poverty alleviation than RE.
The silver lining is quite distinctly visible. Around 160 million population is using biomass cookers, 30 million are getting light and cooking foods from biogas fuel, 3 million use power from solar power photovoltaic system. Micro-hydro and mini grids are serving many areas. These are all remote and rural areas of the world.
We have now known that RE has no limitation and so is our bank of intelligence and inquisitiveness and ingenuity. New vistas of RE are being explored. We are looking forward to commercial exploitation of cellulosic ethanol , ocean and hot dry rock geothermal energy. Geo-magnetic energy is also shining like a bright star in the horizon of the future technologies. Just imagine, nano technology to be taking control of research and development in the renewable energy sector. You may have a panel of photovoltaic cells integrated in your cap to supply electrical energy or a solar panel lined waist coat on your body to keep warm while you are atop Mount Everest or in an unexplored region of rain forest.
We are learning to go back to the future of prosperity by obeying nature.
Natural Resources
Natural resources are those which occur naturally in the environment. It may be biotic and abiotic. It may be renewable and non-renewable. It may be exhaustive and non-exhaustive. It may be actual or potential.
Natural resources can be classified into abiotic and biotic. Abiotic resources encompass non-living things such as land, water, air and minerals and ores such as iron, copper, gold, silver etc. Biotic resources relates to those obtainable from the biosphere and have organic implicit in it such as forest and their products, birds, animals, marine organism including fish. Coal and petroleum are derived from decayed organic materials and therefore included in this category.
Natural resources can be categorized into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources can be reproduced, replenished and are non-exhaustible. Sunlight, water, air, wind, agricultural products including forest produce. Their availability and quantity do not get exhausted due to human consumption. Though some of these may get depleted for the time being and are replenished easily though a few may take a longer time. Forest, for example takes longer time to return to its status quo since trees take 20-30 years to mature. Water gets replenished as per climatic cycle of the region specific. Agricultural crops can be reproduced more than twice in a year. Non-renewable natural resources consists of fossil fuel and minerals which are termed as such since the rate of consumption is far quicker than their rate of recuperation.Non-renewables such as metallic minerals can be recycles but coal and oil cannot be brought to their original state by recycling.
Natural resources can also be divided into actual and potential. All such natural resources which have been identified in terms of quality and quantity are actual. Such resources are acquired and are used. There may be actual resources which are kept under reserve for future use. We often hear such key words as forest reserve, coal reserve etc. The most fascinating kind of natural resource is the potential natural resource. We may not be knowing the exact quality and quantity but have a scientific validation of such presence. Oil exploration in high seas and mineral mapping all around the world are cases of example. We have added universal debris floating around the earth, moon and the mars in this category where we expect some positive result and ways to acquire.
Some of the natural resources are being exploited to an extent that there is fear of complete depletion or extinction. Natural resource industries such as petroleum, coal mining, hunting, fishing and forestry are on the danger zone due to excessive withdrawal without giving proper time for its natural restoration. Many species of animals, birds, marine creatures, trees, plants, bushes, shrubberies are on the verge of extinction.
Public awareness is drawn in through several measures some of which are regulatory. States have enforced various statutes against illegal mining. There are several forest and animal protection laws in place. A scientific study course has been introduced namely, Conservation Biology. This is focused on the study of the status and nature of biodiversity and ways and means to protect species, their habitat and ecosystem from extinction. There is a complete course on Natural resource management which deals with the management of natural resources and describes improvement in quality of life for the present and the future. These courses are part of sustainable environmental development program.
The lives of people and the economy of a country are highly dependent upon the natural resource banks. Unless an alternative is presented, there is little scope of substantial protection of natural resources from extinction. One alternative is the exploration of limitless natural renewable resources such as solar radiation, wind energy, geothermal energy etc. Organic fuel such as ethanol is being researched upon for commercial exploitation. We have still been unable to tame the rain water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use. Rain water harvesting is being given its due importance. There are forest and marine sanctuaries to protect animals and birds.
Natural resources can be classified into abiotic and biotic. Abiotic resources encompass non-living things such as land, water, air and minerals and ores such as iron, copper, gold, silver etc. Biotic resources relates to those obtainable from the biosphere and have organic implicit in it such as forest and their products, birds, animals, marine organism including fish. Coal and petroleum are derived from decayed organic materials and therefore included in this category.
Natural resources can be categorized into renewable and non-renewable resources. Renewable resources can be reproduced, replenished and are non-exhaustible. Sunlight, water, air, wind, agricultural products including forest produce. Their availability and quantity do not get exhausted due to human consumption. Though some of these may get depleted for the time being and are replenished easily though a few may take a longer time. Forest, for example takes longer time to return to its status quo since trees take 20-30 years to mature. Water gets replenished as per climatic cycle of the region specific. Agricultural crops can be reproduced more than twice in a year. Non-renewable natural resources consists of fossil fuel and minerals which are termed as such since the rate of consumption is far quicker than their rate of recuperation.Non-renewables such as metallic minerals can be recycles but coal and oil cannot be brought to their original state by recycling.
Natural resources can also be divided into actual and potential. All such natural resources which have been identified in terms of quality and quantity are actual. Such resources are acquired and are used. There may be actual resources which are kept under reserve for future use. We often hear such key words as forest reserve, coal reserve etc. The most fascinating kind of natural resource is the potential natural resource. We may not be knowing the exact quality and quantity but have a scientific validation of such presence. Oil exploration in high seas and mineral mapping all around the world are cases of example. We have added universal debris floating around the earth, moon and the mars in this category where we expect some positive result and ways to acquire.
Some of the natural resources are being exploited to an extent that there is fear of complete depletion or extinction. Natural resource industries such as petroleum, coal mining, hunting, fishing and forestry are on the danger zone due to excessive withdrawal without giving proper time for its natural restoration. Many species of animals, birds, marine creatures, trees, plants, bushes, shrubberies are on the verge of extinction.
Public awareness is drawn in through several measures some of which are regulatory. States have enforced various statutes against illegal mining. There are several forest and animal protection laws in place. A scientific study course has been introduced namely, Conservation Biology. This is focused on the study of the status and nature of biodiversity and ways and means to protect species, their habitat and ecosystem from extinction. There is a complete course on Natural resource management which deals with the management of natural resources and describes improvement in quality of life for the present and the future. These courses are part of sustainable environmental development program.
The lives of people and the economy of a country are highly dependent upon the natural resource banks. Unless an alternative is presented, there is little scope of substantial protection of natural resources from extinction. One alternative is the exploration of limitless natural renewable resources such as solar radiation, wind energy, geothermal energy etc. Organic fuel such as ethanol is being researched upon for commercial exploitation. We have still been unable to tame the rain water for domestic, agricultural and industrial use. Rain water harvesting is being given its due importance. There are forest and marine sanctuaries to protect animals and birds.
Wednesday, December 22, 2010
5 Ways to Stop Pollution
Pollution is a very recent happening as compared to the evolution of this earth or the advent of human kinds. It is only about 5000 years old when people started copper smelting and toxic fumes, vapours and smoke started to infiltrate into the virgin environment. Metallurgical manufacture of iron sometime around 2000BC further coloured the blue sky.
Industrial revolution some two centuries ago gave pollution a permanent seat. There has been an exponential rise in pollutants in the last 50 years. With the advent of 21st.century, we find pollutants to be commanding the nature. We have environment of mass destruction such as greenhouse effect, global warming and several other such course deviations forcing us to imagining apprehension of peril knocking at the door.2012 is not far behind.
Since the beginning, nature enjoys in making, shaping and bringing up newer species into the world of ours. What it cannot do itself, it encourages mankind to do through discoveries and invention coupled with industrialization. However, economics of profitability and cut-throat greedy competence has attracted global gloom in the shape of pollution far too soon. Destruction is far easier than making.
Universe that we know teaches us many things about combating pollution and remaining clean. This universe is most dangerously hazardous than any place on this earth. With millions of nuclear bombardment taking place in our Sun, huge amount of universal debris roaming around, cosmic rays consisting of hazardous radiation, comets and sun flares, are some instances. These universal activities make our effort to turn the earth into a living hell too microscopic an effort in comparison. Yet, Universe has a system to manage things intelligently and constructively. It has a bag code named "black hole" which attracts the debris and the evils of the universe, stores all and manufactures a new universe in a cyclic order.
Perhaps this forced the eminent physicist, Stephen Hawking to voice that the laws of gravity rather than the intervention of a divine being set the Universe in motion.
We may read between the lines. The universe is our originator. Our entire anatomy is made up from the five basics of nature. These are soil, water, air, fire and the sky. The physics of universe is in us with a history sheet of DNA. We have only to try to obey the nature and the universe. The universe and by default, the nature adopt the five golden principles of conservation, minimization, reutilization, recycling and reconditioning. We may align ourselves to these only to mitigate pollution.
There are laws of conservation of energy and matter in place with Einstein theory of mass-energy conversion to debate upon. We can also conserve our energy and resources. You have only to apply your mind before doing anything and you will start getting results. For example:
• Take a walk for short distances.
• Use public conveyance.
• Work from home
• Use lift for ascending high rise only.
• Use appropriate technology to keep your rooms warm or cool.
• Add more green to your food.
Minimization or reduction of waste generation is another tool which we can use diligently to stop pollution from taking an upper hand. We generate almost half metric ton of municipal waste per person per year. The more you are affluent, more is the waste generation. Persons living in rural area or the aboriginals have almost zero waste generation. How sordid it is? Waste generation has become a signature of affluence and literacy. We know that an efficient machine or process produce less wastage. We may refer to a car engine.Unburnt fuel comes out in the form of toxic emission signifying inefficiency and adding to cost of travelling. We, the general mass, have some very effective strategy in our hand to minimize waste generation such as:
• Become a paperless white collar in this IT age.
• Compost green discards and use it as manure in the kitchen or container garden.
• Use biodegradable material.
• Use minimum non-bio-degradable and dispose such waste to an appropriate agency for recycling or appropriate disposal.
• Share
The art and science of reutilization is the hallmark of one's ingenuity and intelligence. It is very easy to throw away a used article in the trash but it takes a bit of your brain and your mindset to reutilize the same object for some other useful purpose. For example, you can use an old newspaper for covering a book or for wiping a mirror or wind glass. I know of one of my gold medalist college friend who used an old news paper for revising notes once with a pencil and then again by a pen. Similarly, used tea leaves are very good for rose plants and to maintain porosity in the soil. You just brainstorm before deciding to throw and you will find one or two meaningful use of the discard. You may donate old clothes to some social group for disbursement among the needy.
Recycling and reutilization are complementary to each other. These days, the actual profit lies in recycling so-called waste into some useful bye product. Almost all industries have mastered this art. You can also become a bit richer by recycling odd things that you consider to be altogether rejects. Some are:
• Your kitchen discards are the principal source of waste. Make some delicacies from the leftovers. Make new dishes with vegetable skins highly recommended by health specialists. What about chicken soup from chicken claws?
• Recycle green waste into composted manure.
• Use close circuit measures to recycle water as pushing water from the source to your house takes considerable energy and added energy in disposing it to a distant central location for discharge into the stream or river or for further treatment and recycling.
Reconditioning is an age old concept widely in use. Primitive men used to recondition animal's skin for their daily wear. If strategic sectors such as rail, road, machine building, dams, tunnels and the likes do not use reconditioning measures in good time then disaster may have an easy presence. If one does not recondition and opts for new alternative all the time then cost and labor may sour sky high. There are now industries which are specialist in reconditioning. Car is the one. You can also adopt reconditioning in your house. You will get inspiration from one important fact. Vintage and antiquity have become a status symbol. Even a 100 year old father or mother in good condition have a useful presence and is adored, appreciated and acclaimed.
You were always worried about increasing your profitability and saving. Here is a golden opportunity to double or treble your assets without investing anything and on the contrary doing your worthwhile to recoup the lost environment.
Industrial revolution some two centuries ago gave pollution a permanent seat. There has been an exponential rise in pollutants in the last 50 years. With the advent of 21st.century, we find pollutants to be commanding the nature. We have environment of mass destruction such as greenhouse effect, global warming and several other such course deviations forcing us to imagining apprehension of peril knocking at the door.2012 is not far behind.
Since the beginning, nature enjoys in making, shaping and bringing up newer species into the world of ours. What it cannot do itself, it encourages mankind to do through discoveries and invention coupled with industrialization. However, economics of profitability and cut-throat greedy competence has attracted global gloom in the shape of pollution far too soon. Destruction is far easier than making.
Universe that we know teaches us many things about combating pollution and remaining clean. This universe is most dangerously hazardous than any place on this earth. With millions of nuclear bombardment taking place in our Sun, huge amount of universal debris roaming around, cosmic rays consisting of hazardous radiation, comets and sun flares, are some instances. These universal activities make our effort to turn the earth into a living hell too microscopic an effort in comparison. Yet, Universe has a system to manage things intelligently and constructively. It has a bag code named "black hole" which attracts the debris and the evils of the universe, stores all and manufactures a new universe in a cyclic order.
Perhaps this forced the eminent physicist, Stephen Hawking to voice that the laws of gravity rather than the intervention of a divine being set the Universe in motion.
We may read between the lines. The universe is our originator. Our entire anatomy is made up from the five basics of nature. These are soil, water, air, fire and the sky. The physics of universe is in us with a history sheet of DNA. We have only to try to obey the nature and the universe. The universe and by default, the nature adopt the five golden principles of conservation, minimization, reutilization, recycling and reconditioning. We may align ourselves to these only to mitigate pollution.
There are laws of conservation of energy and matter in place with Einstein theory of mass-energy conversion to debate upon. We can also conserve our energy and resources. You have only to apply your mind before doing anything and you will start getting results. For example:
• Take a walk for short distances.
• Use public conveyance.
• Work from home
• Use lift for ascending high rise only.
• Use appropriate technology to keep your rooms warm or cool.
• Add more green to your food.
Minimization or reduction of waste generation is another tool which we can use diligently to stop pollution from taking an upper hand. We generate almost half metric ton of municipal waste per person per year. The more you are affluent, more is the waste generation. Persons living in rural area or the aboriginals have almost zero waste generation. How sordid it is? Waste generation has become a signature of affluence and literacy. We know that an efficient machine or process produce less wastage. We may refer to a car engine.Unburnt fuel comes out in the form of toxic emission signifying inefficiency and adding to cost of travelling. We, the general mass, have some very effective strategy in our hand to minimize waste generation such as:
• Become a paperless white collar in this IT age.
• Compost green discards and use it as manure in the kitchen or container garden.
• Use biodegradable material.
• Use minimum non-bio-degradable and dispose such waste to an appropriate agency for recycling or appropriate disposal.
• Share
The art and science of reutilization is the hallmark of one's ingenuity and intelligence. It is very easy to throw away a used article in the trash but it takes a bit of your brain and your mindset to reutilize the same object for some other useful purpose. For example, you can use an old newspaper for covering a book or for wiping a mirror or wind glass. I know of one of my gold medalist college friend who used an old news paper for revising notes once with a pencil and then again by a pen. Similarly, used tea leaves are very good for rose plants and to maintain porosity in the soil. You just brainstorm before deciding to throw and you will find one or two meaningful use of the discard. You may donate old clothes to some social group for disbursement among the needy.
Recycling and reutilization are complementary to each other. These days, the actual profit lies in recycling so-called waste into some useful bye product. Almost all industries have mastered this art. You can also become a bit richer by recycling odd things that you consider to be altogether rejects. Some are:
• Your kitchen discards are the principal source of waste. Make some delicacies from the leftovers. Make new dishes with vegetable skins highly recommended by health specialists. What about chicken soup from chicken claws?
• Recycle green waste into composted manure.
• Use close circuit measures to recycle water as pushing water from the source to your house takes considerable energy and added energy in disposing it to a distant central location for discharge into the stream or river or for further treatment and recycling.
Reconditioning is an age old concept widely in use. Primitive men used to recondition animal's skin for their daily wear. If strategic sectors such as rail, road, machine building, dams, tunnels and the likes do not use reconditioning measures in good time then disaster may have an easy presence. If one does not recondition and opts for new alternative all the time then cost and labor may sour sky high. There are now industries which are specialist in reconditioning. Car is the one. You can also adopt reconditioning in your house. You will get inspiration from one important fact. Vintage and antiquity have become a status symbol. Even a 100 year old father or mother in good condition have a useful presence and is adored, appreciated and acclaimed.
You were always worried about increasing your profitability and saving. Here is a golden opportunity to double or treble your assets without investing anything and on the contrary doing your worthwhile to recoup the lost environment.
How Pesticides Cause Water Pollution
Before embarking upon the subject of water pollution by pesticides, one must understand water. Water molecules are covalent bonds of two atoms of oxygen and one atom of Hydrogen. Nearly 71% of earth's surface is covered by water. Most of the water is resident in oceans. Only 1.6% water can be found in below ground surface aquifers, 0.6% are available on surface land such as rivers, lakes and ponds and 0.001% in the atmospheric air as clouds, vapour and precipitation. Water is bounded by a cycle of evaporation, precipitation and runoff via storm drains, streams and rivers to ultimately end up into the sea.
Water is an essential component after air for survival and prospering of all flora and fauna of the earth. In human surroundings, water is available in basically four varieties. Drinking water is available naturally in most of the rivers and streams if not contaminated by domestic and industrial effluents. One important point to note is that the moving water gets cleaned by leaving behind its suspended particulates coalescence with bottom muck or silt and further cleaned by sandy particles present in the channels and stream. Moreover, minerals with medicinal and purifying properties encountered in their way forward make the water safe for drinking purpose sometimes better than synthetically cleaned drinking water. The second variety is the process water. This is mechanically cleaned water used for industrial purpose and as domestic water fit for washing, gardening and farming. Next is biodegradable effluent water. This is industrial effluent which gets treated and cleaned to mandatory norms before its release into the land surface or water bodies. The last is non-biodegradable effluent water from factories which are again to be statutorily cleaned and treated before being discharged.. Effluent containing pesticides fall in the bio and non-bio-degradable category.
Pesticide may be a chemical compound, biological virus or bacterium or disinfectant used for preventing, mitigating or repelling pest infestation. Pests such as plant pathogens, insects, weeds, molluses, birds, fish, mammals, nematodes and microbes spread disease or cause loss to the property. Here again, we are faced with advantages of using pesticides as well as disadvantages of causing pollution in almost equal proportion. Only 3-5% pesticides in the form of insecticides and herbicides are effectively administered. The rest 95-97% boomerang upon us through land produce, water bodies and atmospheric fallouts. Some of the identified channels are as under:-
* Manufacturing industries generate solid waste rich with pesticides rejects. Carelessly disposed pesticide waste gets leached with the falling water. Improperly treated effluent also reaches water bodies. Vapour/particulates emissions fall down on earth with rain water and get deposited in water bodies.
* Pesticides treated agricultural fields run off excess pesticides into nearest water bodies.
* Excess or expired pesticides discarded in inappropriate manner without adhering to pollution control norms, either flows with the stream or get leached into the land surface from where it find its way to water bodies..
* Aerial spray drifting with air to unintentional targeted area and species.
* Sprayed into water bodies to destroy algae.
Physical and chemical properties of a particular pesticide is also instrumental in polluting water such as its biodegradability, binding strength, solubility, vapour pressure, texture, water retention characteristic and organic matter content. Apart from its properties, excess pesticides spraying may also lead it to the water bodies. Smaller the route, better are the chances. Pesticides sprayed in excess may percolate or leach through the soil. It may flow with other effluents or storm water as runoff. Accidental or negligence spillage may also have the same fate. Pesticides impregnated in eroding soil may be carried away to the water body.
It has been found that pesticide run off has killed all the fish in a particular pond or stream. Herbicides administered into the water body to mitigate wild growth such as algae are also quite dangerous. Excess destruction of aquatic plants may deplete food resource of the fishes. The dead aquatic plants start rotting depleting oxygen content of water technically termed as "Biological Oxygen demand". If fish does not suffer fatality then there is greater chance that these pesticides may harm indirectly. The fish may abandon their nesting and brooding zone hence reducing population. It may decrease immunity to fight disease. The fish may lose its reflexes and become a predator's delight. The amphibians are also suffering due to effect of pesticides on water bodies. Ponds are the nearest of all the water bodies and is dependent upon "water seeks its own level "mechanism. Therefore, pesticides enriched water from household kitchen garden, farms and agricultural fields and even from washings from grain storage reach nearby ponds. The most comfortable resort of tadpoles is the pond and murky land. It has been found that due to pesticides enriched water in the ponds, tadpoles take more time to transit into frogs and the frogs are losing their size lately.
Effect of pesticides on water can be drastically reduced to a minimum acceptable limit by following the under mentioned guidelines:-
1. Manual removal of weeds and pests.
2. Prevention of pest breeding sites.
3. Applying heat by creating glass room effect.
4. Use of traps and lures to catch pests.
5. Use of compost, vermin-compost to make the soil healthy.
6. Use of green pesticide such as preparations from Neem tree (Azadirachta indica).There are several green pesticides available in the market and online with details such as Wormwood extract, Summer tansy dust, Chive extract, Daffodil extract, Stinging nettle extract, Garlic extract, Rhubarb extract, Onion extract, Stale beer, Sambucus extract and Tobacco extract.
One must understand that each and every action has its opposite reaction. Newton's third law of motion is valid universally. What good, bad and ugly we are doing to the environment, boomerang upon us in equal proportions. Only we, ignorant, presume that these are natural fallout. Pesticides reach us by one way or the other; food that we eat, water that we drink and the air that we breathe. Since majority of synthetically manufactured chemical pesticides are non-bio-degradable, the portion reaching our stomach and the intestine gets permanently deposited in the body. If it contains heavy metals too then our vital organs may get impaired. According to one research, pesticides are 10 of the 12 most persistent and dangerous organic chemicals.
Water is an essential component after air for survival and prospering of all flora and fauna of the earth. In human surroundings, water is available in basically four varieties. Drinking water is available naturally in most of the rivers and streams if not contaminated by domestic and industrial effluents. One important point to note is that the moving water gets cleaned by leaving behind its suspended particulates coalescence with bottom muck or silt and further cleaned by sandy particles present in the channels and stream. Moreover, minerals with medicinal and purifying properties encountered in their way forward make the water safe for drinking purpose sometimes better than synthetically cleaned drinking water. The second variety is the process water. This is mechanically cleaned water used for industrial purpose and as domestic water fit for washing, gardening and farming. Next is biodegradable effluent water. This is industrial effluent which gets treated and cleaned to mandatory norms before its release into the land surface or water bodies. The last is non-biodegradable effluent water from factories which are again to be statutorily cleaned and treated before being discharged.. Effluent containing pesticides fall in the bio and non-bio-degradable category.
Pesticide may be a chemical compound, biological virus or bacterium or disinfectant used for preventing, mitigating or repelling pest infestation. Pests such as plant pathogens, insects, weeds, molluses, birds, fish, mammals, nematodes and microbes spread disease or cause loss to the property. Here again, we are faced with advantages of using pesticides as well as disadvantages of causing pollution in almost equal proportion. Only 3-5% pesticides in the form of insecticides and herbicides are effectively administered. The rest 95-97% boomerang upon us through land produce, water bodies and atmospheric fallouts. Some of the identified channels are as under:-
* Manufacturing industries generate solid waste rich with pesticides rejects. Carelessly disposed pesticide waste gets leached with the falling water. Improperly treated effluent also reaches water bodies. Vapour/particulates emissions fall down on earth with rain water and get deposited in water bodies.
* Pesticides treated agricultural fields run off excess pesticides into nearest water bodies.
* Excess or expired pesticides discarded in inappropriate manner without adhering to pollution control norms, either flows with the stream or get leached into the land surface from where it find its way to water bodies..
* Aerial spray drifting with air to unintentional targeted area and species.
* Sprayed into water bodies to destroy algae.
Physical and chemical properties of a particular pesticide is also instrumental in polluting water such as its biodegradability, binding strength, solubility, vapour pressure, texture, water retention characteristic and organic matter content. Apart from its properties, excess pesticides spraying may also lead it to the water bodies. Smaller the route, better are the chances. Pesticides sprayed in excess may percolate or leach through the soil. It may flow with other effluents or storm water as runoff. Accidental or negligence spillage may also have the same fate. Pesticides impregnated in eroding soil may be carried away to the water body.
It has been found that pesticide run off has killed all the fish in a particular pond or stream. Herbicides administered into the water body to mitigate wild growth such as algae are also quite dangerous. Excess destruction of aquatic plants may deplete food resource of the fishes. The dead aquatic plants start rotting depleting oxygen content of water technically termed as "Biological Oxygen demand". If fish does not suffer fatality then there is greater chance that these pesticides may harm indirectly. The fish may abandon their nesting and brooding zone hence reducing population. It may decrease immunity to fight disease. The fish may lose its reflexes and become a predator's delight. The amphibians are also suffering due to effect of pesticides on water bodies. Ponds are the nearest of all the water bodies and is dependent upon "water seeks its own level "mechanism. Therefore, pesticides enriched water from household kitchen garden, farms and agricultural fields and even from washings from grain storage reach nearby ponds. The most comfortable resort of tadpoles is the pond and murky land. It has been found that due to pesticides enriched water in the ponds, tadpoles take more time to transit into frogs and the frogs are losing their size lately.
Effect of pesticides on water can be drastically reduced to a minimum acceptable limit by following the under mentioned guidelines:-
1. Manual removal of weeds and pests.
2. Prevention of pest breeding sites.
3. Applying heat by creating glass room effect.
4. Use of traps and lures to catch pests.
5. Use of compost, vermin-compost to make the soil healthy.
6. Use of green pesticide such as preparations from Neem tree (Azadirachta indica).There are several green pesticides available in the market and online with details such as Wormwood extract, Summer tansy dust, Chive extract, Daffodil extract, Stinging nettle extract, Garlic extract, Rhubarb extract, Onion extract, Stale beer, Sambucus extract and Tobacco extract.
One must understand that each and every action has its opposite reaction. Newton's third law of motion is valid universally. What good, bad and ugly we are doing to the environment, boomerang upon us in equal proportions. Only we, ignorant, presume that these are natural fallout. Pesticides reach us by one way or the other; food that we eat, water that we drink and the air that we breathe. Since majority of synthetically manufactured chemical pesticides are non-bio-degradable, the portion reaching our stomach and the intestine gets permanently deposited in the body. If it contains heavy metals too then our vital organs may get impaired. According to one research, pesticides are 10 of the 12 most persistent and dangerous organic chemicals.
Prosperity through Recycling Ideas
Market competition has reached a stage where margin of profit is attaining its saturation point. Coupled with this is the emergence of countries with high availability of manpower at low cost. One has to look for other means of saving money manufacturing and marketing pipeline.
Every crisis gives rise to opportunity. Entrepreneurs and business owners have found an amazing way to cut the cost of manufacture. This was hidden in the amount of wastage associated with different stages of manufacture , right from the mineral beneficence to the end product.
Take for example, patterns, moulds and artifacts made from wood. The sawdust is now glue-pressed to obtain particle boards. The scrapes and cuttings are used to provide insulation inside a door panel . Small wood pieces are shaped into toys and miniature fancy items. Unusable pieces of wood are burnt to obtain heat for boilers and cooking. The remains, if any, are then mixed with organic manure to provide permeability to the soil . Such addition finally converts itself to organic manure.
Previously dressings of chicken were thrown as a waste. Now, 100% of chicken is utilized. The intestine is cleaned and a delicacy is prepared most popularly in Chinese style. The claws are cut into small pieces to make a healthy soup. The blood, bones and other remains are processed for animals and for growth of flower giving plants and shrubs. The feather is stuffed into sofa, bed or in jackets to provide warmth in a cold weather.
In matter of household too, an average middle class and the lower strata find it difficult to meet both ends. On one end are the essentialities of life, in the middle is the comfort zone and at the extreme is the luxury galore. However, there is a radical change in the standard of living for good. We find more luxury items such as high end cars, entertainment gadgets, apartment flats, bungalows, tourism to far off places have not remained the monopoly of the rich and the effluent. Percentage consumption of such items of comfort and luxury has risen drastically . Take home money for a larger section of society has risen so has the prices of essential items. Price increase of essential items indicates that large cross section of population has got money to buy. Expenditure on comfort and luxury items indicates that people have started learning the hidden concept of saving money through conserving, economizing, reusing and above all recycling.
You can also have things which you dream by saving through recycling. You can save up to 50%. Look around yourself. There may be papers rearing to be written and used on the other side. There must be green waste which you can recycle into green manure. There may be , sometimes, leftover foods which you can recycle into delicious snacks for the evening. You may recycle waste water going into the drains, to irrigate your kitchen garden and the courtyard.
Take tips from others who have identical means such as you but have a higher standard of living. Recycling such ideas to your advantage.
Every crisis gives rise to opportunity. Entrepreneurs and business owners have found an amazing way to cut the cost of manufacture. This was hidden in the amount of wastage associated with different stages of manufacture , right from the mineral beneficence to the end product.
Take for example, patterns, moulds and artifacts made from wood. The sawdust is now glue-pressed to obtain particle boards. The scrapes and cuttings are used to provide insulation inside a door panel . Small wood pieces are shaped into toys and miniature fancy items. Unusable pieces of wood are burnt to obtain heat for boilers and cooking. The remains, if any, are then mixed with organic manure to provide permeability to the soil . Such addition finally converts itself to organic manure.
Previously dressings of chicken were thrown as a waste. Now, 100% of chicken is utilized. The intestine is cleaned and a delicacy is prepared most popularly in Chinese style. The claws are cut into small pieces to make a healthy soup. The blood, bones and other remains are processed for animals and for growth of flower giving plants and shrubs. The feather is stuffed into sofa, bed or in jackets to provide warmth in a cold weather.
In matter of household too, an average middle class and the lower strata find it difficult to meet both ends. On one end are the essentialities of life, in the middle is the comfort zone and at the extreme is the luxury galore. However, there is a radical change in the standard of living for good. We find more luxury items such as high end cars, entertainment gadgets, apartment flats, bungalows, tourism to far off places have not remained the monopoly of the rich and the effluent. Percentage consumption of such items of comfort and luxury has risen drastically . Take home money for a larger section of society has risen so has the prices of essential items. Price increase of essential items indicates that large cross section of population has got money to buy. Expenditure on comfort and luxury items indicates that people have started learning the hidden concept of saving money through conserving, economizing, reusing and above all recycling.
You can also have things which you dream by saving through recycling. You can save up to 50%. Look around yourself. There may be papers rearing to be written and used on the other side. There must be green waste which you can recycle into green manure. There may be , sometimes, leftover foods which you can recycle into delicious snacks for the evening. You may recycle waste water going into the drains, to irrigate your kitchen garden and the courtyard.
Take tips from others who have identical means such as you but have a higher standard of living. Recycling such ideas to your advantage.
Harnessing Air Pollution
Summary
Given the status of global warming and climate change, greenhouse gases have taken a front seat in the arena of hazardous and hence dangerous living. The eye of the scenario is air pollution created by human activities. Have a course correction immediately or be prepared to perish. The article aims at educating students and enlightening students of life. We are adept in a turn around to back of the future.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is such concentration of solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise and odour that may cause impairment of health or discomfort to living creatures including human being, plant, property or environment. There are regulations that specify permissible limit of concentration of identified pollutants in the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a floating storage of gases and water vapours. We inherited an atmosphere created by the nature. This atmosphere with exact quantity of oxygen, nitrogen and Carbon dioxide is our life line. Of late, the atmosphere became polluted basically with various emissions from industrial process and fuel fired vehicles.
As with all natural processes, air has been provided with means to cleanse itself. The water cycle is a good cleanser of atmospheric air by way of evaporation and precipitation. These two processes together scrub the air thoroughly. We witness the end result of such cleansing in the form of acid rain where there is large concentration of Sulfur oxides.. Air pollution becomes unmanageable when pollutant load is large enough to get diluted or cleaned by natural processes.
Air pollution is caused by natural disturbances such as volcano eruption, earthquakes, forest fire as well as human activities such as industrial processes and vehicular emissions. Surprisingly, no creation other than human being, add significantly to air pollution load. On the other hand, they help in mitigating pollution in their own way. Animals eat away all their kills leaving bones which helps in fertilizing the land with Calcium and Phosphate. Birds have also similar schedules. The greenery consumes Carbon dioxide and exhale Oxygen thus improving the air quality. They also absorb and adsorb particulate pollutants. Solar radiation disintegrates many pollutants. Infrared and ultraviolet extremes of solar radiation have great power of annihilating pollutants though these have some contrary contributions too. The moon also plays its little role. The tidal waves catalyzed during full moon period, absorb pollutants floating above the sea.
Human activities are the biggest contributors to pollution load. Like all living creatures, mankind also inhales Oxygen and exhale Carbon dioxide. At present, almost every activity of man is contributing to pollution. Its physical activity of any kind raises the temperature of the environment but that is what for the environment is. Its industrial activity has become a synonym to pollution of every kind. In order to capture more profit in quickest possible time, he has developed technologies aligned to this economics. This generates more waste and lesser end products. Transportation is the key to fast developing and sustained economy. Vehicular emission is one of the biggest contributors to air pollutant loads. Hazardous processes carried out in factories and old, poorly maintained vehicle give out enormous toxic emissions.
Air pollutants have been classified into primary and secondary pollutants. Primaries are those which are directly emitted from a process such as ash from a volcano, Sulfur dioxide from factories and carbon monoxide from a motor vehicle. Indirect emissions are called secondary which form in the air after reaction with the primary pollutants such as ground level Ozone that develops into photochemical smog. Some pollutants may be emitted as primary and as a secondary too. Persistent free radicals, Ammonia, Chlorofluorocarbons, odors, and radioactive substances are also causes of air pollution. Particulate matter also contributes to secondary pollutants ,originating from primary gaseous pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog, ground level Ozone and Peroxyacetyl Nitrate. Large number of minor hazardous toxics and persistent organic material adhering to primary pollutants are also present.
Sulfur dioxide is the most prominent oxide of sulfur which is emitted by volcanoes and industrial process. Combustion of coal and petroleum generates Sulfur dioxide. In the presence of Nitrogen dioxide, it forms Sulfuric acid which downpours as acid rain. Nitrogen dioxide, among Nitrogen oxides is emitted from high temperature combustion and is found as reddish brown toxic gas with biting odor. It is a major air pollutant.
Carbon monoxide has no colour, odor or irritating nature but is most lethal if inhaled. It is generated from incomplete combustion of natural gas, wood, and coal Vehicular emission is a major source of CO. Carbon dioxide is also emitted from such combustion and is a major reason for greenhouse effect.
Volatile organic compounds present in the atmosphere have a major role to play in greenhouse gases. Methane is an efficient greenhouse gas. Other hydrocarbons play an important role in creating Ozone and prolonging the life of Methane in the atmosphere. Benzene, Toluene, Xyline and 1,3-butadiene are carcinogen suspects present in VOCs.
Particulate matters(PM) are tiny particles of solids or liquids suspended in a gas. These two together is called aerosol. PM originates naturally from volcano, dust storms, forest fires, vegetations and sea spray or is generated from industrial processes such as fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, power plants, metallurgical and chemical processes and from various construction sites and civil repair . Man generated aerosol is 10% of the total aerosol present in the environment..
Ammonia is another primary pollutant used extensively in synthetic fertilizers for agricultural processes. It is a major compound being used in Pharmaceuticals synthesis. It is both caustic and hazardous.
Traces of toxic materiasl such as Cadmium, Lead and Copper is also found in the air pollutants. Chlorofluorocarbon used in refrigeration and cooling processes impairs the Ozone layer. This has been banned from use. Radioactive pollutants generated from nuclear explosions, natural radioactive decay of Radon and sporadic disaster in nuclear power plants are a serious source of pollution hazards. Odor emanating from sewage, garbage, various industrial processes has also been included as primary pollutants in the statute.
Secondary pollutants are particulate matter formed from primary gaseous pollutants and their compounds present in photochemical smog. Conventional smog results from large scale coal burning and are caused by combination of Sulfur dioxide and smoke. Vehicular emissions and industrial emissions upon reaction with the solar radiation form secondary pollutants combine with primary emission to generate photochemical smog. Ground level Ozone, formed from Nitrogen Oxides and volatile organic matters, is also a constituent of smog which gives rise to photochemical and chemical reactions.
There are some minor air pollutants and number of persistent organic pollutants that pose problem in getting degraded by various chemical, photolytic and biological processes. These have capability to accumulate in human and animal tissues. These biomagnify in food chains. These have adverse effect on the health of human in particular and environment in general.
Air pollution is proving havoc for the health of all living creatures and green lives. Fine particles in air are linked to cardiopulmonary disease which is proving to be major pollutant to cause health impairment and deaths. The next in line is pneumonia related deaths due to pollution from motor vehicles. Other lung diseases associated with the respiratory system such as asthma, lung and heart disease, emphysema and allergies are also attributed to air pollution. Such diseases in children are alarming. A recent study has shown that pesticide spray in air ends up in water bodies and cause problem to man and animal alike including marine life.
Much air pollution related disasters are on record which took many lives . The worst was 1984 Bhopal disaster in India which was due to a massive leak in the Union carbide factory. It killed more than 25,000 people and maimed at least 600,00. The great smog of 1952 in London, U.K., killed more than 12,000 people. An accidental leak of anthrax spore in the erstwhile USSR killed hundreds of people.
Regulatory authorities worldwide stress the need to use improved technologies in which there are minimum emissions. Industrial business houses are adopting such techniques which convert raw material into end product without much wastage. Emissions are put through control devices and the collection in the form of particulates or liquid effluents are further recycled into useful products. For example , coal carbonization procedure has inbuilt technology to collect and recycle ashes to make bricks and cement. Liquid effluent is processed by distillation and other methods to obtain useful byproducts. Solid waste such as tarry residue, coal tar and naphtha are already getting enough attention commercially.
Various equipments and processes are in place to control and contain air pollutants . Particulates are controlled by mechanical collectors such as dust cyclones and multicyclones. In major industries electrostatic precipitators are placed before the final emission to contain ash etc. There are bag houses to handle heavy dust loads. Wet scrubber which washes down particulates from final emissions is another proven control technology. Nitrogen oxides in the emission is reduced to permissible limits by using low NOx burners, selective catalytic/non-catalytic reduction, scrubbers, gas circulation and catalytic converters. Volatile organic constituents are taken care of by absorption systems, flares, thermal/catalytic oxidizers, bio-filters, cryogenic condensers and vapour recovery systems. Wet and dry scrubbers and flue gas desulfurization techniques are in place for control of oxides of sulfur including acid gases. Sorbent Injection technology, electro-catalytic oxidation etc. control mercury in the industrial emissions.
Carbon dioxide is a proportionate index of industrial activity including fuel powered vehicular movement and is a major constituent of greenhouse gases. Greenhouses gases mainly responsible for global warming and climatic changes are under the scanner. Countries with highest Carbon dioxide emission in million tons per year according to a 2006 estimate have been identified to be China(6,103), USA(5752),Russia(1564),India(1510) and Japan(1293). Countries with highest per capita CO2 emission are some Gulf countries . Qatar is leading the list with 56.2 Tons per person.
Majority of enlightened may consider these countries to be major polluters fit for criticism and penalty. A far sighted view may unfold another aspect. These countries have pollutants as readymade raw materials which can be further harnessed and converted into useful and gainful products with little more effort and expenditure, minimizing the pollution load spontaneously.
Given the status of global warming and climate change, greenhouse gases have taken a front seat in the arena of hazardous and hence dangerous living. The eye of the scenario is air pollution created by human activities. Have a course correction immediately or be prepared to perish. The article aims at educating students and enlightening students of life. We are adept in a turn around to back of the future.
Air Pollution
Air pollution is such concentration of solid, liquid or gaseous substance including noise and odour that may cause impairment of health or discomfort to living creatures including human being, plant, property or environment. There are regulations that specify permissible limit of concentration of identified pollutants in the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is a floating storage of gases and water vapours. We inherited an atmosphere created by the nature. This atmosphere with exact quantity of oxygen, nitrogen and Carbon dioxide is our life line. Of late, the atmosphere became polluted basically with various emissions from industrial process and fuel fired vehicles.
As with all natural processes, air has been provided with means to cleanse itself. The water cycle is a good cleanser of atmospheric air by way of evaporation and precipitation. These two processes together scrub the air thoroughly. We witness the end result of such cleansing in the form of acid rain where there is large concentration of Sulfur oxides.. Air pollution becomes unmanageable when pollutant load is large enough to get diluted or cleaned by natural processes.
Air pollution is caused by natural disturbances such as volcano eruption, earthquakes, forest fire as well as human activities such as industrial processes and vehicular emissions. Surprisingly, no creation other than human being, add significantly to air pollution load. On the other hand, they help in mitigating pollution in their own way. Animals eat away all their kills leaving bones which helps in fertilizing the land with Calcium and Phosphate. Birds have also similar schedules. The greenery consumes Carbon dioxide and exhale Oxygen thus improving the air quality. They also absorb and adsorb particulate pollutants. Solar radiation disintegrates many pollutants. Infrared and ultraviolet extremes of solar radiation have great power of annihilating pollutants though these have some contrary contributions too. The moon also plays its little role. The tidal waves catalyzed during full moon period, absorb pollutants floating above the sea.
Human activities are the biggest contributors to pollution load. Like all living creatures, mankind also inhales Oxygen and exhale Carbon dioxide. At present, almost every activity of man is contributing to pollution. Its physical activity of any kind raises the temperature of the environment but that is what for the environment is. Its industrial activity has become a synonym to pollution of every kind. In order to capture more profit in quickest possible time, he has developed technologies aligned to this economics. This generates more waste and lesser end products. Transportation is the key to fast developing and sustained economy. Vehicular emission is one of the biggest contributors to air pollutant loads. Hazardous processes carried out in factories and old, poorly maintained vehicle give out enormous toxic emissions.
Air pollutants have been classified into primary and secondary pollutants. Primaries are those which are directly emitted from a process such as ash from a volcano, Sulfur dioxide from factories and carbon monoxide from a motor vehicle. Indirect emissions are called secondary which form in the air after reaction with the primary pollutants such as ground level Ozone that develops into photochemical smog. Some pollutants may be emitted as primary and as a secondary too. Persistent free radicals, Ammonia, Chlorofluorocarbons, odors, and radioactive substances are also causes of air pollution. Particulate matter also contributes to secondary pollutants ,originating from primary gaseous pollutants and compounds in photochemical smog, ground level Ozone and Peroxyacetyl Nitrate. Large number of minor hazardous toxics and persistent organic material adhering to primary pollutants are also present.
Sulfur dioxide is the most prominent oxide of sulfur which is emitted by volcanoes and industrial process. Combustion of coal and petroleum generates Sulfur dioxide. In the presence of Nitrogen dioxide, it forms Sulfuric acid which downpours as acid rain. Nitrogen dioxide, among Nitrogen oxides is emitted from high temperature combustion and is found as reddish brown toxic gas with biting odor. It is a major air pollutant.
Carbon monoxide has no colour, odor or irritating nature but is most lethal if inhaled. It is generated from incomplete combustion of natural gas, wood, and coal Vehicular emission is a major source of CO. Carbon dioxide is also emitted from such combustion and is a major reason for greenhouse effect.
Volatile organic compounds present in the atmosphere have a major role to play in greenhouse gases. Methane is an efficient greenhouse gas. Other hydrocarbons play an important role in creating Ozone and prolonging the life of Methane in the atmosphere. Benzene, Toluene, Xyline and 1,3-butadiene are carcinogen suspects present in VOCs.
Particulate matters(PM) are tiny particles of solids or liquids suspended in a gas. These two together is called aerosol. PM originates naturally from volcano, dust storms, forest fires, vegetations and sea spray or is generated from industrial processes such as fossil fuel combustion in vehicles, power plants, metallurgical and chemical processes and from various construction sites and civil repair . Man generated aerosol is 10% of the total aerosol present in the environment..
Ammonia is another primary pollutant used extensively in synthetic fertilizers for agricultural processes. It is a major compound being used in Pharmaceuticals synthesis. It is both caustic and hazardous.
Traces of toxic materiasl such as Cadmium, Lead and Copper is also found in the air pollutants. Chlorofluorocarbon used in refrigeration and cooling processes impairs the Ozone layer. This has been banned from use. Radioactive pollutants generated from nuclear explosions, natural radioactive decay of Radon and sporadic disaster in nuclear power plants are a serious source of pollution hazards. Odor emanating from sewage, garbage, various industrial processes has also been included as primary pollutants in the statute.
Secondary pollutants are particulate matter formed from primary gaseous pollutants and their compounds present in photochemical smog. Conventional smog results from large scale coal burning and are caused by combination of Sulfur dioxide and smoke. Vehicular emissions and industrial emissions upon reaction with the solar radiation form secondary pollutants combine with primary emission to generate photochemical smog. Ground level Ozone, formed from Nitrogen Oxides and volatile organic matters, is also a constituent of smog which gives rise to photochemical and chemical reactions.
There are some minor air pollutants and number of persistent organic pollutants that pose problem in getting degraded by various chemical, photolytic and biological processes. These have capability to accumulate in human and animal tissues. These biomagnify in food chains. These have adverse effect on the health of human in particular and environment in general.
Air pollution is proving havoc for the health of all living creatures and green lives. Fine particles in air are linked to cardiopulmonary disease which is proving to be major pollutant to cause health impairment and deaths. The next in line is pneumonia related deaths due to pollution from motor vehicles. Other lung diseases associated with the respiratory system such as asthma, lung and heart disease, emphysema and allergies are also attributed to air pollution. Such diseases in children are alarming. A recent study has shown that pesticide spray in air ends up in water bodies and cause problem to man and animal alike including marine life.
Much air pollution related disasters are on record which took many lives . The worst was 1984 Bhopal disaster in India which was due to a massive leak in the Union carbide factory. It killed more than 25,000 people and maimed at least 600,00. The great smog of 1952 in London, U.K., killed more than 12,000 people. An accidental leak of anthrax spore in the erstwhile USSR killed hundreds of people.
Regulatory authorities worldwide stress the need to use improved technologies in which there are minimum emissions. Industrial business houses are adopting such techniques which convert raw material into end product without much wastage. Emissions are put through control devices and the collection in the form of particulates or liquid effluents are further recycled into useful products. For example , coal carbonization procedure has inbuilt technology to collect and recycle ashes to make bricks and cement. Liquid effluent is processed by distillation and other methods to obtain useful byproducts. Solid waste such as tarry residue, coal tar and naphtha are already getting enough attention commercially.
Various equipments and processes are in place to control and contain air pollutants . Particulates are controlled by mechanical collectors such as dust cyclones and multicyclones. In major industries electrostatic precipitators are placed before the final emission to contain ash etc. There are bag houses to handle heavy dust loads. Wet scrubber which washes down particulates from final emissions is another proven control technology. Nitrogen oxides in the emission is reduced to permissible limits by using low NOx burners, selective catalytic/non-catalytic reduction, scrubbers, gas circulation and catalytic converters. Volatile organic constituents are taken care of by absorption systems, flares, thermal/catalytic oxidizers, bio-filters, cryogenic condensers and vapour recovery systems. Wet and dry scrubbers and flue gas desulfurization techniques are in place for control of oxides of sulfur including acid gases. Sorbent Injection technology, electro-catalytic oxidation etc. control mercury in the industrial emissions.
Carbon dioxide is a proportionate index of industrial activity including fuel powered vehicular movement and is a major constituent of greenhouse gases. Greenhouses gases mainly responsible for global warming and climatic changes are under the scanner. Countries with highest Carbon dioxide emission in million tons per year according to a 2006 estimate have been identified to be China(6,103), USA(5752),Russia(1564),India(1510) and Japan(1293). Countries with highest per capita CO2 emission are some Gulf countries . Qatar is leading the list with 56.2 Tons per person.
Majority of enlightened may consider these countries to be major polluters fit for criticism and penalty. A far sighted view may unfold another aspect. These countries have pollutants as readymade raw materials which can be further harnessed and converted into useful and gainful products with little more effort and expenditure, minimizing the pollution load spontaneously.
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