Chapter 3 ES
Sustainable development can be defined as an approach to the economic development of a
country without compromising with the quality of the environment for future generations. In the
name of economic development, the price of environmental damage is paid in the form of land
degradation, soil erosion, air and water pollution, deforestation, etc. This damage may
surpasthe advantages of having more quality output of goods and services.
Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the present without c. It
also looks at the equity between countries and continents, races and classes, gender and ages.
It includes social development and economic opportunity on one hand and the requirements of
environment on the other. It is based on improving the quality of life for all, especially the poor and
deprived within the carrying capacity of the supporting ecosystems. It is a process which leads to a
better quality of life while reducing the impact on the environment. Its strength is that it acknowledges
the interdependence of human needs and environmental requirements.ompromising the ability of
future generations to meet their own needs.
6.2 URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY
Urban centers use enormous quantities of energy. In the past, urban housing required relatively smaller
amounts of energy than we use at present. Traditional housing in India required very little temperature
adjustments as the materials used, such as wood and bricks handled temperature changes better than
the current concrete, glass and steel of ultra modern buildings. Embodied energy Materials like iron,
glass, aluminium, steel, cement, marble and burnt bricks, which are used in urban housing, are very
energy intensive.
The process of extraction, refinement, fabrication and delivery are all energy consuming and add to
pollution of earth, air and water. This energy consumed in the process is called embodied energy. Until
the 1950s many urban kitchens were based on fuelwood or charcoal. This was possible and practical
when homes had chimneys and kitchens were isolated from the rest of the house. Smoke became a
problem once this changed to apartment blocks. Kerosene thus became a popular urban fuel. This
changed to electrical energy and increasingly to natural gas by the 1970s in most parts of urban India.
Urban centers in hot climates need energy for cooling.
The early systems of fans changed into air-conditioning, which consumes enormous quantities of
energy. New buildings in our country have taken to using large areas covered by glass. While in cold
climates this uses the green house effect to trap the warmth of the sun inside, in our hot climate this
adds several degrees to the temperature inside. Thus it requires even more energy to run large central
air conditioning units. High rise buildings in urban centers also depend on energy to operate lifts and an
enormous number of lights.
6.3 WATER CONSERVATION, RAINWATER HARVESTING, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT
Water Conservation: Conserving water has become a prime environmental concern. Clean water is
becoming increasingly scarce globally. With deforestation surface runoff increases and the sub soil water
table drops as water has no time to seep slowly into the ground once vegetation is cleared
. As many areas depend on wells, it has become necessary to go on making deeper and deeper wells.
This adds to the cost and further depletes underground stores of water. This could take years to
recharge even if the present rate of extraction is reduced which seems hardly possible in most
situations.
As deforestation and desertification spreads due to extensive changes in land use the once perennial
rivers are becoming increasingly seasonal. In many areas the small streams run dry soon after the
monsoon as the water table drops further and further below the surface. To this is added serious
problems caused by rapid surface flow of water during the rains, which leads to extensive floods with
loss of life and property.
When we waste water, we do not realise that it is affecting the lives of all of us in so many different
ways. Water has to be equitably and fairly distributed so that household use, agriculture and industry all
get a share of the water. It’s over use and misuse due to various activities that waste water or cause
pollution has led to a serious shortage of potable drinking water. Thus water conservation is linked
closely with overall human well being.
6.3.2 Rain water Harvesting
As our world faces serious water shortages, every drop of water we can use efficiently becomes of great
value. One method is to manage rain water in such a way that it is used at the source. If as much water
as possible is collected and stored this can be used after the rainy season is over. In many parts of the
world especially in very dry areas this has been traditionally practiced. However the stored water has to
be kept pollution free and clean so that it can be used as drinking water. Stored water can grow algae
and zooplankton (microscopic animals). This can be pathogenic and cause infections. Thus keeping the
water uncontaminated is of great importance.
Current technologies of rainwater harvesting require that all roof and terrace water passes down into a
covered tank where it can be stored for use after the monsoon. This is most advantageous in arid areas
where clean water is very scarce. However there are practical difficulties such as constructing large
storage tanks which are expensive
6.4 RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE: ITS PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS
Major projects such as dams, mines, expressways, or the notification of a National Park disrupts the
lives of the people who live there and may also require moving them to an alternative site. None of us
would like to give up the home we grew up in. Uprooting people is a serious issue. It reduces their ability
to subsist on their traditional natural resource base and also creates great psychological pressures.
Especially tribal people, whose lives are woven closely around their own natural resources, cannot adapt
to a new way of life in a new place. Thus no major project that is likely to displace people can be carried
out without the consent of the local people. In India, lakhs of people have been unfairly displaced by
thousands of dams created since independence to drive the green revolution. The dams have been built
virtually at the cost of these poor local people who have been powerless to resist the Government’s will.
The Government is expected to find ‘good’ arable land to resettle displaced persons and provide them
with an adequate rehabilitation package to recover from the disruption. This has rarely occurred to the
satisfaction of the project affected individuals. In many cases across the country, this has not been
implemented satisfactorily for decades.
Resettlement requires alternate land. However, in our overpopulated country, there is no arable high
quality land available. Thus most project affected persons are given unusable wasteland. Rehabilitation
involves more than just giving land. In most cases this is also not adequately done. The greatest battle to
save their own precious land has been carried out by the tribal people of the Narmada River. They have
fought to save their lands for decades. The Narmada Bachao Andolan has shown how bitter people can
get over this issue.
There are however situations where communities request for shifting to a new site. This is often
observed where people live inside or on the periphery of a National Park or Wildlife Sanctuary. In these
situations, such as the Gir in Gujarat, the local people have asked to be given alternate land where they
could live peacefully away from lions that kill their cattle, but the Government has been unable to find
suitable areas where they can be shifted for decades.
6.6.1 Climate change:
The average temperature in many regions has been increasing in recent decades. The global average
surface temperature has increased by 0.6° + 0.2° C over the last century. Globally, 1998 was the
warmest year and the 1990s the warmest decade on record. Many countries have experienced increases
in rainfall, particularly in the countries situated in the mid to high latitudes.
In some regions, such as parts of Asia and Africa, the frequency and intensity of droughts have been
observed to increase in recent decades. Episodes of El Niño, which creates great storms, have been
more frequent, persistent and intense since mid-1970s compared with the previous 100 years.
All these are signs that the earth is sick. Its climate is changing, making it more difficult for mankind to
survive. The earth is losing its ability to balance itself due to the imbalances created by human activities.
Projections of future climate change are derived from a series of experiments made by computer based
global climate models. These are worked out on estimates of aspects such as future population growth
and energy use.
Climatologists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have reviewed the results of
several experiments in order to estimate changes in climate in the course of this century. These studies
have shown that in the near future, the global mean surface temperature will rise by 1.4° to 5.8°C.
Warming will be greatest over land areas, and at high latitudes. The projected rate of warming is greater
than has occurred in the last 10,000 years. The frequency of weather extremes is likely to increase
leading to floods or drought. There will be fewer cold spells but more heat waves. The frequency and
intensity of El Niño is likely to increase. Global mean sea level is projected to rise by 9 to 88 cm by the
year 2100. More than half of the world’s population now lives within 60km of the sea. They are likely to
be seriously impacted by an ingress of salt water and by the rising sea. Some of the most vulnerable
regions are the Nile delta in Egypt, the Ganges-Brahmaputra delta in Bangladesh, and many small islands
including the Marshall Islands and the Maldives, (WHO, 2001).
Changes in climate may affect the distribution of vector species (e.g. mosquitoes) which in turn will
increase the spread of disease, such as malaria and filariasis, to new areas which lack a strong public
health infrastructure. The seasonal transmission and distribution of many diseases Chapter6.p65 182
4/9/2004, 5:21 PM Social Issues and The Environment 183 that are transmitted by mosquitoes (dengue,
yellow fever) and by ticks (Lyme disease, tickborne encephalitis) may spread due to climate change.
6.6.2 Global warming:
About 75% of the solar energy reaching the Earth is absorbed on the earth’s surface which increases its
temperature. The rest of the heat radiates back to the atmosphere. Some of the heat is trapped by
greenhouse gases, mostly carbon dioxide. As carbon dioxide is released by various human activities, it is
rapidly increasing. This is causing global warming.
The average surface temperature is about 15°C. This is about 33°C higher than it would be in the
absence of the greenhouse effect. Without such gases most of the Earth’s surface would be frozen with
a mean air temperature of -18°C.
Human activities during the last few decades of industrialisation and population growth have polluted
the atmosphere to the extent that it has begun to seriously affect the climate. Carbon dioxide in the
atmosphere has increased by 31% since pre-industrial times, causing more heat to be trapped in the
lower atmosphere.
There is evidence to show that carbon dioxidelevels are still increasing. Many countries have signed a
convention to reduce greenhouse gases under the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.
Current international agreements are however not still effective to prevent the significant changes in
climate and a rise in sea levels.
6.6.3 Acid rain:
When fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burned, chemicals like sulfur dioxide and nitrogen
oxides are produced. These chemicals react with water and other chemicals in the air to form sulfuric
acid, nitric acid and other harmful pollutants like sulfates and nitrates. These acid pollutants spread
upwards into the atmosphere, and are carried by air currents, to finally return to the ground in the form
of acid rain, fog or snow. The corrosive nature of acid rain causes many forms of environmental damage.
Acid pollutants also occur as dry particles and gases, which when washed from the ground by rain, add
to the acids in the rain to form a more corrosive solution.
This is called acid deposition. Damage from acid rain is widespread in North America, Europe, Japan,
China and Southeast Asia. In the US coal burning power plants contribute to about 70% of sulfur dioxide.
In Canada oil refining, metal smelting and otherindustrial activities account for 61% of sulfur dioxide
pollution. Motor vehicle exhaust fumes are the main source of nitrogen oxides. The acids in acid rain
chemically react with any object they come in contact with. Acids react with other chemicals by giving
up hydrogen atoms.
Effects: Acid rain is known to cause widespread environmental damage
. 1. Acid rain dissolves and washes away nutrients in the soil which are needed by plants. It can also
dissolve naturally occurring toxic substances like aluminium and mercury, freeing them to pollute water
or poison plants.
2. Acid rain indirectly affects plants by removing nutrients from the soil in which they grow. It affects
trees more directly by creating holes in the waxy coating of leaves, causing brown dead spots which
affect the plant’s photosynthesis. Such trees are also more vulnerable to insect infestations, drought and
cold. Spruce and fir forests at higher elevations seem to be most at risk. Farm crops are less affected by
acid rain than forests.
3. Acid rain that falls or flows as ground water to reach rivers, lakes and wetlands, causes the water in
them to become acidic. This affects plant and animal life in aquatic ecosystems.
4. Acid rain also has far reaching effects on wildlife. By adversely affecting one species, the entire food
chain is disrupted, ultimately endangering the entire ecosystem. Different aquatic species can tolerate
different levels of acidity. For instance clams and mayflies have a high mortality when water has a pH of
6.0, while frogs can tolerate more acidic water, although with the decline in supply of mayflies, frog
populations may also decline.
5. Acid rain and dry acid deposition damages buildings, automobiles, and other structures made of stone
or metal. The acid corrodes the materials causing extensive damage and ruins historic buildings. For
instance the Parthenon in Greece and the Taj Mahal in India have been affected by acid rain.
6. Although surface water polluted by acid rain does not directly harm people, the toxic substances
leached from soil can pollute water supply. Fish caught in these waters may be harmful for human
consumption. Acid, along with other chemicals in the air, produces urban smog, which causes
respiratory problems
6.6.4 Ozone layer depletion:
Ozone is formed by the action of sunlight on oxygen. It forms a layer 20 to 50kms above the surface of
the earth. This action takes place naturally in the atmosphere, but is very slow. Ozone is a highly
poisonous gas with a strong odour. It is a form of oxygen that has three atoms in each molecule. It is
considered a pollutant at ground level and constitutes a health hazard by causing respiratory ailments
like asthma and bronchitis. It also causes harm to vegetation and leads to a deterioration of certain
materials like plastic and rubber. Ozone in the upper atmosphere however, is vital to all life as it protects
the earth from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation. The ozone layer in the upper atmosphere absorbs
the sun’s ultraviolet radiation, preventing it from reaching the earth’s surface.
This layer in the atmosphere protects life on earth from the dangerous UV radiation from the sun. In the
1970s, scientists discovered that chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons or CFCs, which were used as
refrigerants and aerosol spray propellants, posed a threat to the ozone layer.
The CFC molecules are virtually indestructible until they reach the stratosphere, where UV radiation
breaks them down to release chlorine atoms. The chlorine atoms react with ozone molecules which
break down into oxygen molecules, which do not absorb UV radiations. Since the early 1980s, scientists
detected a thinning of the ozone layer in the atmosphere above Antarctica. This phenomenon is now
being detected in other places as well including Australia. Although the use of CFCs has been reduced
and now banned in most countries, other chemicals and industrial compounds such as bromine,
halocarbons and nitrous oxides from fertilizers may also attack the ozone layer.
6.6.5 Nuclear Accidents and Nuclear Holocaust:
Nuclear energy was researched and discovered by man as a source of alternate energy which would be
clean and cheap compared to fossil fuels. And although this did happen, along with the benefits of
nuclear energy came its downfalls. In the short history of nuclear energy there have been accidents that
have surpassed any natural calamity or other energy source extraction in their impacts. A single nuclear
accident can cause loss of life, long-term illness and destruction of property on a large scale for a long
period of time. Radioactivity and radioactive fallout leads to cancer, genetic disorders and death in the
affected area for decades after, thus affecting all forms of life for generations to come
Nuclear holocaust: The use of nuclear energy in war has had devastating effects on man and earth.
The Hiroshima and Nagasaki incident during World War II, the only use of nuclear power in war in
history, is one of the worst disasters in history. In 1945, the United States dropped atomic bombs in
Japan over the towns of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. These two atomic bombs killed thousands of people,
left many thousands injured and devastated everything for miles
around. The effects of the radiation from these nuclear bombs can still be seen today in the form of
cancer and genetic mutations in the affected children and survivors of the incident.
6.7 WASTELAND RECLAMATION
Loss of vegetation cover leads to loss of soil through erosion, which ultimately creates wastelands. This
is one of the pressing problems of the country. Loss of soil has already ruined a large amount of
cultivable land in our country. If it remains unchecked, it will affect the remaining land. Unless we
adequately safeguard our ‘good’ lands, we may eventually face a serious shortage of food grains,
vegetables, fruit, fodder and fuel wood. Hence, conservation of soil, protecting the existing cultivable
land and reclaiming the already depleted wastelands figures prominently among the priority tasks of
planning for the future. Some of the wasteland reclamation programs have been unsuccessful because
after sometime the land reverts to its original poor condition due to mismanagement and unscientific
ways in which the reclamation has been carried out
. In choosing wasteland reclamation methods attention must be paid to the cost factor. This has to be
taken into account before deciding on a particular method for reclamation of wastelands. A proper
study of environmental aspects and human impacts which are responsible for the development of
wastelands have to be looked into.
Wasteland can be classified into three forms: (1) Easily reclaimable,
(2) Reclaimable with some difficulty,
(3) Reclaimable with extreme difficulty
. Easily reclaimable wastelands can be used for agricultural purposes. Those which can be reclaimed with
some difficulty can be utilized for agro forestry. Wastelands that are reclaimed with extreme difficulty
can be used for forestry or to recreate natural ecosystems.
Agriculture: Wasteland can be reclaimed for agriculture by reducing the salt content which can be done
by leaching and flushing. Gypsum, urea, potash and compost are added before planting crops in such
areas.
Agro forestry: This involves putting land to multiple uses. Its main purpose is to have trees and crops
inter- and /or under planted to form an integrated system of biological production within a certain area.
Thus, agro forestry implies integration of trees with agricultural crops or livestock management
simultaneously.
Forestry: Attempts to grow trees in highly non alkaline saline soils have been largely unsuccessful. Field
experiments have shown that species like Eucalyptus, Prosopis and Acacia Nilotica could not be grown in
highly alkaline soil. Studies have shown that if tree seedlings are planted with a mixture of original soil,
Gypsum, and manure, better growth can be achieved. It is however important to use indigenous species
of trees so that the program recreates the local ecosystem with all its species.
Need for wasteland development: Wasteland development provides a source of income for the rural
poor. It ensures a constant supply of fuel, fodder and timber for local use. It makes the soil fertile by
preventing soil erosion and conserving moisture. The program helps maintain an ecological balance in
the area. The increasing forest cover helps in maintaining local climatic conditions. Regenerated
vegetation cover helps in attracting birds which feed on pests in the surrounding fields and function as
natural pest controllers. The trees help in holding back moisture and reduce surface run off rates thus
helping in the control of soil erosion
6.8 CONSUMERISM AND WASTE PRODUCTS
Modern societies that are based on using large amounts of goods, especially those that are
manufactured for one time use, are extremely wasteful. The increasing consumption of natural
resources has lead to serious environmental problems around the world. Current consumption patterns
are depleting non-renewable resources, poisoning and degrading ecosystems, and altering the natural
processes on which life depends. The present pattern of consumption, especially in affluent societies, is
mainly responsible for the high level of utilization of resources.
People in the industrialized countries make up 20% of the world population but consume 80% of the
world’s resources and produce 80% of wastes. This is due to a pattern of economic development that
ensures that people go on consuming even more than they actually need. India is rapidly moving into
this unsustainable pattern of economic growth and development. The rich in such a society get richer
often at the cost of the poor whose lives are not improved by the process of development. It is seen that
today’s consumption patterns are depleting natural resources at a rapid rate and widening the
inequalities in consumption in different societies.
Consumerism causes wasteful use of energy and material far beyond that needed for everyday living at
a comfortable level. Money is not the only way to measure the cost of an item that we use. When one
adds up all the raw material and energy that goes into the manufacture of goods or the services
provided by nature that one uses during a day’s activities, the toll on the environment is large. When
this cost is multiplied over a lifespan, the amount is staggering. If one considered the overutilisation in
each family, city or a country, the impacts are incredibly high.
For example: two hundred billion cans, bottles, plastic cartons and paper cups, are thrown away each
year in the “developed” world. “Disposable” items greatly increase this waste. Rather than compete on
quality or reliability, many industrial consumer products are made for one-time use. Buying quality
products that are warranteed against failure or wearing out, learning about the raw materials that
things are made of, and an appreciation of their origin from nature’s storehouse, as well as knowing the
conditions of the workers that make them, are some ways of resisting consumerism and decreasing
waste
Consumerism is related to the constant purchasing of new goods, with little attention to their true need,
durability, product origin, or the environmental consequences of their manufacture and disposal.
Consumerism is driven by huge sums spent on advertising designed to create both a desire to follow
trends, and a personal feeling of satisfaction based on acquisition. Materialism is one of the end results
of consumerism.
Consumerism interferes with the sustainable use of resources in a society by replacing the normal
common sense desire for an adequate supply of life’s necessities, with an insatiable quest for things that
are purchased by larger and larger incomes to buy them. There is little regard for the true utility of what
is bought. An intended consequence of this strategy which is promoted by those who profit from
consumerism, is to accelerate the discarding of the old, either because of lack of durability or a change
in fashion. Especially in developed countries, landfills are being rapidly filled with cheap discarded
products that fail to work within a short time and cannot be repaired. In many cases consumer products
are made psychologically obsolete by the advertising industry.
