7 Billion and Growing

One morning I was sitting in my verandah sipping a cup of tea which my wife had so fondly prepared when suddenly I was startled rudely by a strong commotion of dogs barking outside. It appeared that my neighbours helper had just discarded a piece of bread. Rest was bedlam. This set me thinking and the scene dissolved to a dusky evening at the North Eastern side of the Charbagh railway station, Lucknow. I was waiting for someone, accompained by my children when I saw an emaciated distraught figure scantily clad, skeleton all over foraging for whatever morsels, the more fortunate mortals had left for him in the drain. The fading light had added to his misery and my gloom. I closed my eyes – sad and frustrated and then told my children how furtunate they were.

And then this great news came – India crosses one billion – congratulations fellow countrymen. In this hour of heed, I thought I should also share my views with you. I wish somedody could prove them wrong. I sincerely pray for my country – my India.

The worlds population is estimated to be 7 billion by the year 2011 and 9.4 billion by the year 2020. An alarming situation – alarming because most of it could be in developing countries like India, still striving hard to cope up with basic necessities. People are expected to migrate to cities, cities where more than 60% people already live as habitat refugees. In absolute terms by the year 2025 , about 2904 million people are expected to be added to the worlds urban population of which 2609 million will be in the cities of the south. Cities which are already crowded. Chicago supports 2500 people per square kilometers, London 4000, Mexico City 34000, Manila 43,000 and Calcutta a stunning 88000 people per square kilometers. U.N. predictions also paint a grim picture. By 2010, 30 cities in Asia will have a population greater than 5 million (compared with only two U.S. and six European cities). Shanghai and Bombay will have 20 million and Beijing, Dacca, Jakarta, Manila, Tianjin, Calcutta and Delhi will have more than 15 million. This is suicide by all cognizable apprehensions.

The medium population projection of the expert committee on population projection, on which the overall planning for India is normally based had estimated that the 1981 population of 685 million would go up to 986 million in 2001. 1999, and we have already crossed these estimates. The growing population is expected to put tremendous pressures on our resources which – it is time that we realise – are finite. We have to therefore seriously think of our growing numbers if we want to climb to the upper reaches of the heirarchy of needs, to the realms of improved infrastructure, social and emotional security, fulfilled environmental objectives, health etc. As population grows additional resources are applied to provide for hasic necessities. Improvements in living conditions and in environmental quality then become a secondary priority. A hungry man will think of only bread and to expect him to think of the country is fallacy. In a system then, which is poor and hungry, thoughtfulness for the country is any bodys guess.

The growth in human numbers has been stupendous and blasphemous. While it had taken half a million years for modern man to reach a population of one billion, the next billion was added in 80 years (1850-1930) , the third billion was added in 30 years (1931-1960), the fourth billion in 15 years (1961-1975) and if prophecies come true we would have added another 3 billions in 25 years (1975-2000). Over whelming by all means – what does it have in store for us?

Man evolved as a part of nature, living in harmony with nature until he learnt to tame, to tame vegetaion, to tame fire and to tame animals. This gave him a power not felt by his ancestors of a million years. In further trying to tame the biogeochemical cycles he then went on a mad spree and murderous assault. The effects are evident. Poverty, desease, squalor, slums, air pollution, water pollution are things which more than a third of humanity is sharing its bed with. Resources are dwindling. A high demand for goods and services both basic and those percieved as essential in the present social web coupled with limited resources has resulted in deteriorating social and cultural values. Thefts, murders, kidnappings, corruption and suicides are the order of the day. Is this the social structure we had thought of? Humanity is in pain, insecure socially, culturally and environmentally. Families have broken down and so have values. The pressures of living are telling. What is then the solution?

Rural urban migration is a reality and a necessity. More than 300 rural families migrate to greater Bombay every day in search of employment and better living conditions. We have therefore to produce quality villages and market them, not as the packing but as the product. A marketing that is strengthened through sincere intentions, good example setting and high standards by people whom the nation looks to in its endeavour of total committment to social welfare. And if we are successful in producing our villages as complete socio economic entities where each man has an opportunity to work and prosper we will restrict the ballooning of our cities. New York, Los Angeles, Moscow, London have hardly grown by 3% (Over the 1970 population figures) in 30 years while Calcutta, Bombay, Delhi and some other developing cities have grown by over 40%.

The population that we produce is poor. In the past 15 years we may have added 300 million people to India’s population, out of these about 130 million people within the same period have been additionally forced to live below the poverty line, a startling 48% of the total rise in population. More than four hundred million people in India live below the poverty line. An alarming 40% of the total population.

Somedoby said that having a policy in which people with more than two children should not be allowed to hold public office would help. Yes, it may have its limitatios. Yet this somebody had alteast got an urge to be concerned and think – how many of us have? We can always think of a policy where beyond two children subsidies in education can be regulated. There are states which have also evolved systems of fiscal incentives in the shapes of bonds. This will certainly help. The problem is serious and therefore solutions whthin the constitutional framework would have to be found immediately through policies of reward and punishments. Punishments – I advocate, because the stakes are high, because I want India to emerge as a super power, because I am a common citizen of India who is weeping at anarchy and at anarchy becoming the rule.

India has great potentials – we are proud of it – but let us just not harp on our potentials let us rise to relise them. Let us all the do our duty, howsoever small, with the utmost sincerety, let us all realise again that resources are finite and will divide as we increase in numbers. Let us relise that the rate of increase has been and is catastrophically high and let us also realise that dominance leads to competition and competition leads to elimination and finally extinction.

In the end, I wish my analysis is faulty and my suggestions impractical and childish. I again wish somebody should come and prove me wrong.

Is Drinking Water Actually Safe

Safe drinking water is a necessity for people in both the rural and urban India. The majority of people are concerned about clean water, yet may feel unaware. They may not know about the many sources of water pollution or the methods used to prevent and control it. They may not be aware of the rules and regulations adopted to protect our water. They could be intimidated by the science of water pollution control. Many of us know how important clean water is, but we may not know how to get involved to help protect it.

Socioeconomic losses due to water contagion have been grossly underestimated in India, sometimes due to lack of adequate database or due to ignoring the variety of health issues completely. Thus, there is an urgent need to have specific data bank of ground water worldwide. The UNEP stipulates that a country is considered “water-stressed” if its water availability is between 1000 to 1700 cubic meters per person. Per capita average annual availability of fresh water has reduced from 5177 cubic meters in 1951 to 1869 cubic meters in 2001 and predicted fall of up to 1341 cubic meters in 2025. According to United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) India will possibly be “water-stressed” in coming years. About 200 millions (an estimated 90%) of the country’s water resources are polluted with untreated industrial and domestic wastes, pesticides and fertilizers. In India, ground water is being used as raw water for 85% public water supply. According to the World Health Report (1998) water supply varies widely in terms of region and country. In India, maximum population inhabits in village and slum areas where there is no safe drinking water supply. So they are always prone to loss of their lives or cost a big toll to save themselves from the occurrence of different water-borne diseases.

In India diarrhoeal disease kills 6,000 children every day apart from millions who are debilitated because of water born diseases which hinder their education and impair their ability to a decent livelihood in the future. Water contamination due to pathogenic agents, chemicals, heavy metals, pesticides, disinfectants and their by products as a consequence of industrial and agricultural activities, leaching from soil, rocks and soil, rocks and atmospheric deposition and other human activities has become a hazard to human health in several regions of the world. The microbial agents have been found commonly in drinking water are bacteria i.e. Escherchia coli, Yersinia entercolitica, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella typhoid and different species of Campylobacter, protozoan’s i.e. Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium and Entamoeba histolytica, viruses i.e. polio viruses, enteroviruses, and hepatitis viruses. Various parasitic worms and their larvae i.e. Drancunculus medinensis, ascaris, taenia, and ancylostoma have been found to make drinking water unsafe. The chemicals commonly found in drinking water above the prescribed permissible limits are fluoride, nitrate, arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, manganese and iron producing serious problems to human health.

Eutrophication of water bodies is caused due to diverse type of chemical and organic contaminants from various sources tend to form cyanobacterial blooms/scums on the surface of open water system and other microorganisms in different layers of water columns. The primary production rate of cyanobacterial bloom cause certain nuisance as depleting oxygen level needed for survival of aquatic fauna and cease the growth of other micro plant species. After the lysis of living or dead cells of cyanobacteria in late summer and early autumn season, produce secondary metabolites (organic compounds) which have unique structure and both poisonous and non-poisonous properties. The poisonous secondary metabolites are widely known as cyanobacteria toxins comprised into hepatotoxins, cytotoxins, neurotoxins and endotoxins which may cause deleterious effects in animals and human beings and finally result into their death. Toxic cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) found in eutrophic, municipal and residential water supplies are in increasing environmental hazard in several part of the world. Among the species causing death in livestock, Microcystis aeruginosa blooms are the most common. Since these organisms occur in both recreational and drinking water, lakes and rivers are known to be strong liver tumor promoters, they represent a health hazard to human population.

Several types of pesticides like atrazine, 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), aroclor, DDT and carbofuran have been reported in drinking water causing nausea, vomiting, dizziness and diarrhoea. Water disinfectant like chlorine in excess amount also form a number of by-products like chloramines, chlorite, trihalomethanes, chloral hydrate, bromated and chloroacetic acid with harmful long term effects on human health. Excessive level of iodine on drinking water also causes undesirable alterations in homeostasis of endocrine function.

Endemic Fluorosis is a major health issue which affects people in a number of states in India. Dental fluorosis, most symptomatically revealed through mottling of teeth and skeletal fluorosis, where the bones and joints become stiff are major concerns. Elevated fluoride levels in drinking water, a cause of fluoride related health problems have been extensively reported from Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Jammu, & Kashmir, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa, Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh. At the national level, a decade ago, the number of effected people was estimated at 66 million. Most problems are geogenic. Fluoride related problems tend to increase with age. One of the critical issues is the bioaccumulative nature of fluorides and its inverse relationship with Calcium. High altitude can also increase fluoride retention.

It has been estimated that more than five million people are at risk from arsenic poisoning and conservative figures suggest that there are over 300,000 patients who are suffering various stages of arsenicosis (UNIDO, 2001). Toxicological effects caused by arsenic are as: Hepatic response to insults by chemicals depends upon the intensity of the insults, the population of cells affected, and whether the exposure is acute or chronic. Organic arsenicals are responsible for Aplastic anaemia. Clinical manifestations include peripheral blood pancytopenia, reticulocytopenia, and bone marrow hypoplasia. Unlike most organ system, the immune system has the unique quality of not being confined to a single site within the body. Specific immunotoxic consequences of metal exposure are well documented in the literature. Metals usually exert immunosuppressive effects; however at lower concentrations, immunoenhancement is often observed. A low concentration of arsenic often leads to enhanced immune responses while exposure to higher concentrations results in immunosuppression.

Experience has shown that natural and anthropogenic hazards continue to be the primary concern in the developing and even in some of the developed countries. In India, in urban and peri-urban areas, water quality is critically affected because of intermittent supply systems. Given the poorly maintained water distribution systems, with innumerable leaks and unauthorized connections, ingression of faecally contaminated water occurs, when the pressure drops the situation is serious in the urban, peri-urban and rural areas which is reflected in the high endemicity of faecal and oral infections and other water and sanitation related diseases and periodic epidemics of the same. Water quality, its impact on human health and the standards for public consumption are issues of vital importance. Both chemical and microbial standards are critically linked to the safety and acceptability of drinking water. Development of standards and their enforcement are linked to a number of social, epidemiological and techno-economic factors. Technical, economic and institutional issues related to the water quality surveillance and management need thorough review and evaluation for the development of a time bound strategy and action plan.

Spotted Deer at Gir - Dr. Yashpal Singh

Despite the disappointment of not sighting the Lion on the first three days, we enjoyed the forest – a forest which was very beautiful, dry and brown with leaves strewn all over. We were told that the forest is as old as 3000 years and there are people living inside the forest whose heritage is almost 1000 years old. We were enjoying this vista, but with a very low budget and no sign of the Lion yet, my patience wanted to leave me. I had definitely come with a purpose.

As our eyes scanned the woods within we suddenly noticed a movement some distance away. A small group of the spotted and swamp deer was trying to move across very cautiously. The tails were erect and the forelimbs were thumping the ground. We heard a small shrill call also. I had noticed this behavior earlier – an alarm response in danger. I was excited. The animals had sensed danger.

And then we saw it. I was awe struck.

A critically endangered species which survives in the wild only in the Gir Forest and adjoining area of Gujarat, the Asiatic Lion branched out some 100 thousand years ago from the African stock. It entered India some 40000 years ago after establishing territories ranging from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, Syria, Greece, Afghanistan and Pakistan but gradually disappeared. The last specimen in Pakistan died in 1842 and after the middle of the nineteenth century, the entire species was wiped out except in India where only 12 lions were left in 1880.

Asiatic Lion - Dr. Yashpal Singh

The arid and dry deserts of western India have kept herders constantly on the move in search of fodder and good pastures. Intensification of agriculture in surrounding areas pushed these nomads into the forests where they started building permanent settlements. Some were also forced to settle in the wilderness by the local inhabitants. These came to be known as the Maldharis or the owners of cattle. Their history inside the forest is almost 300 years old.

They are a set of very beautiful people with sharp features following the hindu religion. They are worshippers of Lord Krishna.

The main income of the Maldharis is from sale of milk. They are the oldest group engaged in cattle rearing and consider themselves as the protectors of the forest. The herds mainly consist of buffaloes, some cows and a few camels. The absence of land ownership encourages maldharis to move from place to place within the forest. The Maldharis generated considerable income from grazing rights and the sale of milk for the state of Junagarh. They were provided more facilities and allowed to graze more extensively in the forest. Initially there was plenty of water and fodder but with the increasing number of livestock this exerted an adverse impact on the forest resources.

Maldharis - Dr. Yashpal Singh

The Maldharis reside in small clusters of huts made of mud, teakwood, dried leaves and thatch. These clusters are called nesses. The huts, also housing the cattle, are fenced with timberlogs and brushwood. This is a deterrent for the lions seeking easy prey.

The huts are clean and beautifully maintained. The ladies wear colorful dresses intricately embroidered and engage themselves in various household activities.

Maldhari society is male dominated. Literacy rates are low. Child marriages are common. Widow remarriages are encouraged. Ladies are held in great respect and worshipped as a form of the Goddess Durga. Maldharis are fond of ornaments and tattoos. They have a very sensitive relationship with the forest and its surroundings in not only deriving immense benefits from the forest resources but also losing a few cattle to the lions in the bargain.

The Dilemma of Extinction

Biological extinction has been a natural phenomena in geological history but the rate of extinction was probably one species every thousand years. Evolution causes populations to adapt to the ecological changes brought about by changing climates and the environment but some species may not possess the genetic diversity to withstand such changes. The sabretoothed cats of the Pleistocene preyed only on mastodon mammoths. The extinction of the prey led to the extinction of the predator. Dinosaurs crumbled under their own heavy and odd bodies. Over recent times, the rate of extinctions is rising at an alarming pace.

Humanity today is on a rampage, changing natural habitats through development pursuits. The process is accelerating the rate of destruction of tropical ecosystems which are the richest in diversity. The human population is likely to exceed 10 billion by 2050. The demands on resources for commercial and subsistence purposes will reach unimaginable heights. With man increasingly parasitising on the net primary productivity of ecosystems, the amount of energy available to support the millions of other kinds of life forms on earth has been greatly reduced. This explains the extinction crisis – common sense does call for caution. One model based on the reduction of available energy suggests that if the current accelerating trends continue half of the earths species might disappear by 2050.

The ravaging of Bio diversity is the single most environmental peril facing civilisation. Biodiversity is a resource for which there is absolutely no substitution. Its loss is irreversible on any time scale of interest to society.

Elephant Herd at Corbett - Dr. Yashpal Singh

The Elephant is an integral part of India’s culture. Mythology and history are replete with instances of the pristine glory of the Elephants. Associated with rain and thunder, the elephant was mount of ‘ Indra’ the Hindu God of war. Legend also has it that the elephant took birth from the celestial waters and this associated it with “Sri” the goddess of the earth and abundance. Spouse to Vishnu “Sri” is said to have arisen from the lotus and delights in the sound of elephants. From the birth of Airawata, the first elephant, elephants have evolved into symbols of majesty, power, dignity and compassion. In 305 B.C. Chandra Gupta Maurya defeated Seleucus Nicator. Seleucus gave his daughter in marriage to Chandra Gupta who gifted 500 elephants to Seleucus. Chandra Gupta Mauryas army had 700,000 men, 9000 elephants and 10,000 chariots.

The intelligence and humanness of elephant behavior has been aptly demonstrated. Some elephants are known to have taken up their riders when slain in the battle and carried them for burial, others have covered them when lying on the ground with a shield, and still others have borne the brunt of the battle in their defense when fallen. There was one that even died of remorse and despair because it had killed its rider in a fit of rage. The instinct of protection in elephants is almost identical to that as in man. Victorian authors tell us that grand old male elephants are almost always surrounded by a ring of cows who would not let any hunter have a close mortal shot.  This was chiefly responsible for its survival and if by chance the animal was wounded, the shield of defense was so strong that the cows were immediately known to lift up the huge animal on a stretcher made collectively of their trunks and then supported by their fellow members they were known to carry him deep into the Jungle far from the reach of the hunter. The cows while moving are in a constant habit of ceaselessly caressing the young with their trunks. This precaution exercised by mothers does not permit the naughty youngsters to stray out of their sight and inadvertently separate from the herd. There are stories of elephants using leaves and grass to bury elephant and human remains and shattering the tusks of dead animals against trees or rocks. Chandra shekharan, a trained Asian elephant, once refused to lower a pillar wood in a hole. When his Mahout approached the hole he found a dog sleeping at the bottom of the pit. Only after the dog was chased away would the elephant complete his task.

The Fayum basin of Egypt some 50 or 60 million years ago supported the pig sized mammals from which evolved elephant like creatures the proboscideans –named for their proboscis or trunk. The two living species of elephants – the African elephant (Loxodanta africana) and the Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) – are the end points of over fifty million years of evolutionary history. Prehistoric elephants and their kin the mastodons, deinotheres and others, occupied environments ranging from deserts, to tropical rainforest and from sea level to high altitudes. With the exception of Antarctica, Australia, and some oceanic islands, the members of the order Proboscidea have at sometime inhabited every continent on this planet. The mammoths were most closely related to the living asian elephants. It was believed that at one time there may have been as many as 162 proboscidean species, of these, 160 have become extinct. There are two sub species of the african elephant, the bush elephant ( Loxodonta africana sub. sp. cyclotis) and the forest elephant (Loxodonta africana sub. sp. africana) which differ from the asian elephants in having larger ears and backs swayed.

The Elephantine form is remarkable and has been the subject of many anecdotes including five blind men defining an elephant. The ‘ Gajagamini’ is one of the forms in which ladyhood has been defined in Indian culture and mythology.

Organ wise, the elephant makes a remarkable study, the trunk which is the union of the nose and the upper lip is highly sensitive and complex organ manipulated by more than 100,000 muscle units. An elephant uses its trunk for feeding, watering, dusting, smelling, touching, sound production, lifting and as a weapon for defense and attack. The summer season is unbearable for elephants because due to their massive bodies, the dissipation of heat becomes a major problem. The natural process of sweating is not enough to normalise their normal temperatures. In order to cool themselves they are always ready for a dip. In case water is not available in the vicinity and they are maddened by thirst they have an inbuilt mechanism where they insert their trunk deep into the mouth and suck out water from their reserve pouch which holds 5 to 10 litres of a liquid which feels like saliva and in emergency situations elephants also sprinkle themselves with this metabolic fluid to cool down their bodies.

Herbivorous animals in the rainforest frequently visit salt licks to satisfy their salt requirements. Although an elephant cannot lick salt because its tongue cannot move round the tusk or trunks but it would dig at the earth of a salt lick using his tusks to dig clods of earth which he would then put into its mouth with its trunks. An African elephant was observed to have eaten as much as 17 kg. of earth ( which is briefly chewed and then swallowed) in 45 minutes.

The elephant tusks are also remarkable, they are its second incisors, growing continuously at the rate of about 7 inches per year. Elephants may use their tusks to dig for water, salt and roots to debark trees as levers for maneuvering felled trees and branches for display, for marking trees as weapons as trunk rests or as protection for the trunks. Interestingly, like humans who are left or right handed, elephants are also left or right tusked. The tusk that is used most is the master tusk and is shorter and more rounded at the lip because of wear. Ivory has had some unexpected uses for human beings too. It is known to have water absorbing properties and craftsmen and weathermen  in Africa use ivory as a rain predictor by planting it in the ground in selected locations. Long Ivory tusks are very rare among Indian elephants mainly because the Indian Forest vegetation is low in calcium content whereas the ingredient is abundant in African fodder. Asian female elephants are often tuskless and Asian elephants are rare and fully protected from international trade for years.

Cheek teeth of animals are also typically strange. They slide forward like on a conveyor belt in the mouth as new teeth develop from behind. The cheek teeth are adapted to a highly abrasive diet of trees and plants-more than eighty different species. A two to seven tons animal requires 75 to 150 kg food per day and about 20 to 45 gallons of water (80 to 160 L) An extremely thirsty Bull Asian elephant once drank 254  litres of water in less than 5 minutes.

Elephants are shortsighted beasts with a superbly developed olfactory sense.

Home ranges of elephants or the areas they wander in search of food vary in size from 15-50 km. for cows and their off springs and from 500 to 1500 sq. km. for bulls. They spend about 18 to 20 hour per day in search of food which also sends elephants on long migrations and herds are known to travel 5000 to 10000 km. in a year to complete one cycle of seasonal migration. The migratory routes are well-established paths that often follow a river basin, a valley or a watershed.

Corbett - Dr. Yashpal Singh

Corridor destruction is one major problem facing elephant migration. With in Uttar Pradesh, having the smallest number of elephant population in the country, most of the elephants are distributed within the Corbett and Rajaji national parks divided by a small strip of unprotected land. In the past half century the migration path used by elephants in Uttar Pradesh have been reduced or connections completely blocked. Within Rajaji Park links between the smaller eastern wing having about 200 elephants and the bigger western wing having about 100 elephants have been severed putting great pressure on the forest land as also subjecting the animals to inherent defects of inbreeding.

Elephants like man are highly social animals living in matriarchal families, forming the basic building block of a clan or herd. The Matriarch is usually the oldest of the herd giving stout leadership to the herd in the event of water and food crisis. Male elephants are usually driven from the herds by older females when they reach puberty at about 13 years of age. They usually join bachelor herds or may forage alone. The key to elephant society is communication. Elephants are known to produce low frequency sounds not audible to the human ear but which can travel for long distances and can be heard by other elephants as far as 2.4 kms away. Elephant copulation, although associated with many myths is in the normal quadrupled way. Female elephants become sexually receptive for just a few days in four years while males become active for about three months in every year. Sexually active males are characterised by secretions arising out of the genitalia and the temporal glands. This condition is the ‘musth’ condition. The pregnancy period in elephants ranges from 18 to 22 months. New born calves are tended by mothers and other adult females. The elephant man relationship is very good in most part of country due to enormous human compassion and tolerance.

Dr.Yashpal Singh

Kitchen Waste Recycling

You can easily recycle kitchen leftovers, containers and bottles with the help of some efficient recycling methods prevalent today. In this article, I would basically like to discuss about the various advantages of recycling kitchen trash.

1. Helps in saving a lot of energy

The production of food products and other kitchen related materials usually requires a lot of energy, so when you are recycling the products you can really help in conserving energy. You will see that production of new products requires virgin materials and claims for a huge amount of energy consumption. For example, if you recycle paper products it would require lesser energy as compared to the energy that is required for creating paper products from trees.

2. Helps in saving a lot of space in the landfills

Everyday tons and tons of kitchen garbage is disposed off in landfills all around the world. By recycling the kitchen waste people can really save a lot of space in the landfills. The problem of waste management would be solved if people start to recycle all the waste and garbage that is produced by them on a daily basis.

3. Helps in controlling water, land and air pollution

The problem of air, water and land pollution has become very difficult to manage. The ever increasing industrial waste is a great cause of land and water pollution. You will see that the waste that is decomposed in landfills often release harmful gases and chemicals that contaminate water and also create air pollution. You will see that if you start using products that are recycled then this would surely help in controlling air, water and land pollution to a great extent.

4. Helps in saving money

If you recycle your kitchen waste on a regular basis then this can really help in saving a lot of money. You can recycle the products and use them again and again. Recycling the kitchen trash also helps in reducing the expenses that are usually spent on manufacturing new products. Virgin materials are very expensive and a lot of capital is required for transportation and purchasing raw materials. If you want you can also use the recycled kitchen leftover as manure for your garden.

5. Reduces the need for mining

Another great advantage of recycling is that it really reduces the need for mining. If you are recycling your products then there would be no need of carrying out mining activities for new resources. Mining is a very harmful activity that adversely affects the balance of nature.

6. Environmental and economic benefit

These days more and more people are recycling their kitchen waste because it provides them various economic and environmental benefits. More and more jobs are created by recycling kitchen products and this process is also extremely cheap. There are various organizations that support recycling kitchen waste programs and they also utilize a lot of funds to make the people aware of the benefits of recycling kitchen garbage.

7. Creation of new jobs

You will see that recycling opportunities also help in creating various jobs all around the world. The jobs that were lost due to recession can be created if every household starts recycling the products on a regular basis. If you want you can also sell off your recycled products.

I am sure this article would definitely help in providing you all the information that you require about recycling the kitchen garbage in more effectual manner.

Landfill

Landfills are basically the specific areas or sites where waste materials and garbage is disposed off on a regular basis. These special sites are constructed for the decomposition of different types of waste, be it industrial or household waste. This is one of the most ancient forms of waste disposal method that has been used for centuries all around the world. If the landfills are organized in the proper manner then they can be a very good source of waste disposal. The landfills are divided into internal as well as external sites where waste is disposed off accordingly.

These days waste management is becoming a very big problem in most of the countries across the world that is why it is very important for households and industries to recycle and manage their waste before disposing it off in the landfills. Some important information that you need to know about landfills is mentioned below.

1. Used for the waste management purposes

Most of the landfills are used for waste management purposes. They can be used as internal as well external source of waste disposal. The waste is collected regularly from household as well as industries. Once all the waste is accumulated in the same place it is weighed. Those waste materials that do not come under the safe category are separated and removed from the rest of the bulk. Once the separation is made, the waste is carried to the site on various trucks. The vehicles that carry the weight also have to undergo a cleaning process before they can leave the premises. The landfills are usually situated out of the city and in very remote areas so that the dirt and odour of waste does not disrupt the ordinary city life.

2. Temporary storage

Sometimes the landfills are also used as temporary storage sites. The waste is collected on these sites and then it is shifted to other areas. Usually the waste that can be re-used and recycled is dumped here for temporary storage. Industrial waste is also sometimes dumped here on a temporary basis and later on they are taken out for chemical treatment. During the temporary storage the authority needs to be very careful. They are accountable to ensure that the chemical or harmful waste materials are kept separate from the ordinary household waste.

3. Processing of waste material

In most of the cases waste material is also processed in the landfills. The different processes like recycling, treatment and sorting take place in the same landfills that are used for dumping the waste matter. Recycling is a very efficient process through which the household and industrial waste can be converted into completely new products which can be used for number of times. When the materials are dumped into the landfills, the ones that are in good condition are kept out for the recycling process. These days most of the households are also recycling their products before they even reach the dumping area.

4. Impacts of the landfill operations

Landfill operations are very dangerous and they might have a bad impact on human health, if proper instructions are not followed. Some of the adverse impacts of the different operations are pollution, damage to infrastructure, soil contamination and injuries to animals and birds. The authorities should be very careful and they should take all the necessary steps to minimize the loss caused by the landfill operations. Sometimes organic waste materials produce Methane gas that is known to cause the green house effect. Most of the landfills that you would find in the city are funded by commercial authorities whereas others are operated for profit.

I am sure the article would definitely help you to gather all the important information that you require about the landfills and different operations that are carried out in that area.

Electronic Waste

Electronic waste also known as e-waste, electronic trash and waste electrical equipment are basically terms used for broken, outdated, discarded, surplus and useless electrical and electronic equipments. In developing countries the ever increasing amount of e-waste has created various health problems and environmental issues. Most of the electronic scarp tends to contain chemicals like lead, brominated flame, mercury, cadmium and beryllium. Unsafe procedures of decomposing the electronic waste materials can be very dangerous for human life. Heavy metals and products should never be directly deposited in landfills. It is very important to recycle or treat them before decomposing.

In this article, I would like to tell you about the most environment friendly ways through which you can dispose off your electronic waste materials.

1. Recycling

One great way of decomposing and disposing off the e-waste is by recycling it. However you need to follow some very strict standards while you are recycling the waste. The waste that is discarded by developed countries should never be exported to the developing nations. Products like cell phones and computers can be recycled in a very efficient manner. If you can not recycle the products on your own then it would be best for you to take them to organizations that will do the work for you in an efficient manner. This would help you in reusing the waste material without any problem. Make sure that you follow safe methods while you are treating electronic materials because they can sometimes be very dangerous.

2. Donation

If your cell phone or computer is no longer useful for you then you can also donate them to organizations or people who might use them for some productive work. You can donate the gadgets to children’s home or special organizations where they can use the electronic waste for education and other fruitful purposes. There are some computer and electronic exchange companies where you can donate your equipments from where they are usually passed on to charitable institutions.

3. Taking it back programs

There are various retailers and electronic shop owners who would take back your equipment at very cheap rates. If the electronic gadget is completely useless for you then you can simply sell it off to a take it back retailer. Special laws have also been passed in various countries all around the world which allow electronic manufacturers to take back the equipments and reuse or recycle them. You will find a list of manufacturers who would take back your products on the internet offering you a fair exchange cost.

4. Creating something new out of the old equipment

Instead of going to the market and purchasing every new gadget that is launched, you can just try to create something new and unique out of your old equipments. This is a very fun filled way through which you can utilize your old equipments without having to decompose them. For your help, you can also look for some brilliant ideas on the internet. You can turn an old computer into a music jukebox or you can even convert your I-Pod into a hard drive.

5. Re-use

Re-using the same old accessory for different purposes is another excellent way of handling electronic waste material. You must never throw, burn or decompose your electronic equipment. Try to reuse them as far as possible. Some gadgets like computers, music players, DVD players and others can be reused for different things. There are various options that you can use in order to utilize your accessories.

6. Look for disposal programs

If you want to dispose off your e-waste then you must contact a professional electronic retailer who would tell you about different disposal programs that you can use. You can also call up the private waste management authority of your city. They would certainly be able to help you in disposing off the electrical waste in more environmental friendly manner.

These are some brilliant ways through which you can dispose electronic Waste in an efficient way.

Habitat destruction, excessive hunting and poaching have had a very serious impact on the population of these birds. Increased emphasis on agriculture and associated pesticide pollution and the introduction of exotic weeds in wetlands have also caused deleterious affects on the population of these birds. Ever since man assumed a dominant role on this planet and began exploiting natural resources, the rate of extinction of species increased beyond contemplation. While many species became extinct, others are highly endangered and if immediate steps for conservation are not taken these will be lost to mankind.

Wet lands are complex ecosystems that share the characteristics of both wet and dry environment. They exhibit enormous diversity and are the most productive life support systems with great ecological importance to mankind. They provide suitable habitats for fish, winter resorts for a variety of birds and are a rich source of food, fodder and other important biological products. Ever since man assumed a dominant role in this planet and began exploiting natural resources, the rate of extinction of species increased beyond contemplation. While many species became extinct, others are highly endangered and if immediate steps for conservation are not taken these will be lost to mankind.