Environment – Whose responsibility?
“We, humans have the responsibility as well as the capacity to protect the earth and its habitants – animals, plants, insects, and even micro-organisms. If they are to be known by future generation, we must act now” (Dalai Lama).
The word Environment is derived from a French word “Environ” which means surrounding. It is commonly used in describing "natural" environment which includes all living and non-living things. Environment consists of all fundamental factors and conditions that have some impact on organisms in their expansion and advance. Environment contains biological and non- biological factors which has an influence on organism. Non-biological features are light, temperature, water; atmospheric gases and biological features are all living things. Environment habitually varies some time and due to that organisms have acquired the ability to adapt to those changes.
The reasons for modern concern for the devastation of environment are three, especially in relation to each other. First concern for devastation of environment is the population growth. It has been known for centuries that world population is growing. After the Second World War there was an accelerating growth rate in population. It is said that in the year AD 1800 there were about thousand million people on earth. By AD 1900 this had doubled to two thousand million, and by 1980 doubled again to four thousand million, whereas by AD 2000 the expectation is that the world population figure will have passed six million. The second cause for the concern is runaway technology. The modern technological revolution, may well have arrived in time to rescue us from our human dilemma. But this modern technology, apart from the silicon chip and micro – processors development led in the increase of wastage which created energy crisis. The third related problem is different pollution like noise pollution, air pollution and water pollution.
Noise is defined as unwanted sound. What is pleasant for some ears may be extremely unpleasant for some, which depends on some factor. The natural environment contains many source of noise pollution like wind, volcanoes, oceans and animal sound which differs in there volume level. The man made noises from machines, automobiles, trains, planes, explosives and firecrackers etc are more contentious. Both type of noise affects mental and physical health. Noise is an inescapable by product of industrialization; it increases gradually with the advancement of industrialization and urbanization. Even non industrial areas cause in noise pollution (eg: - printing, grinding, automobile repairing etc.). Noise pollution causes in several types of health problems.
When toxic substances enters lakes, rivers, streams, oceans and all other water bodies, they get dissolved or get suspended in water and will get deposited on water bed. This results in water pollution which declines the water quality. The water pollution affects the marine ecology. Nowadays, many of us dump their garbage and waste into water bodies thus making water bodies the resting place for all types of waste materials. These waste materials from industries, household cleaning materials add to water pollution as they contain harmful chemicals. The effect of water pollution not only affects the people it even affects animals, fish and birds. Polluted water is not appropriate for drinking, recreation, agriculture and industry. The contaminated water obliterates aquatic life and reduces their reproductive abilities. Ultimately it is harmful for human beings.
The air pollution is defined as the presence of pollutants in the atmosphere for a long duration is injurious, or tends to be injurious, to human health, and for the entire ecosystem. The air gets contaminated by the discharge of injurious substances. This polluted air can lead in health problems and it can also damage the environment and ecosystem. It has even caused in thinning of the ozone layer of the atmosphere, which is leads to climatic changes. Modernisations have led to air getting more and more polluted over the years. Industries, vehicles, increase in the population, and urbanization are some of the major factors responsible for air pollution. The above mentioned factors are the key reasons for environmental pollution. These reasons clearly explain that the responsibility for environment lies on us.
Environment studies are a comparatively recent development. It is being added as a mandatory subject in most of the universities and colleges. Words like ‘ecology’, ‘habitat’, ‘conservation’, and ‘pollution’ have not long been part of our everyday vocabulary. These activities are functioning nowadays to retain a better sustained relationship between earth and all life forms.
Environmentalism is a very important movement which aim to protect nature via emphasizing on the importance of natures role in protecting the environment in combination with various actions. Environmentalism is much related with environmental scientists and their objectives like to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, to clean up all sorts of pollution (air, water, and noise), emphasis on clean, to reduce the sources of carbon emissions, preservation of endangered species and the protection of biodiversity.
