Transcript Lecture 1

07B41GE101 Environmental Studies
• The Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies: Basic concepts
and principles of Ecosystems & Environment.
• Natural resources: Conservation and management.
• Pollution: Types and control.
• Issues of global concern: Strategies to manage.
• Biodiversity loss. Impact and Risk assessment.
• Disaster management.
• Environmental standards & Quality.
• Sustainability and its management.
• Waste disposal & treatment.
• Environmental Economics, Laws, Regulatory objectives.
• Role of government, industry and civil society concerning environmental
awareness.
• Case studies.
• Field work: Documentation of industries in local region, Visit to a local
polluted site-Urban/Rural /Industrial / Agricultural, Study of simple
ecosystems etc.
REFERRED BOOKS
• Environmental Studies- Benny Joseph
Tata McGraw-Hill Publication
• Textbook of Environmental Studies for
undergraduate Courses- Erach Bharucha
Universities Press
Environmental studies
………….and what it is all about?
Environment
The physical (non-living) and biotic
(living) habitat that surrounds us
Non-living
factors:
Air, Soil, Radiation,
Temperature, Water, Atmospheric gases, Climate,
Topography (height & shape of land) etc.
Living factors: Plants, Animals, Microorganisms
(fungi and bacteria)
Environmental Science
• The study of the environment, its living and
nonliving components, and the interactions of
these components
• The discipline deals with the social, political,
philosophical and ethical issues concerning
man's interactions with the environment
Reasons to study the state of
environment
• Clarifies modern environmental concepts
– Need to conserve biodiversity
– Need to lead more sustainable life style
– Need to use resources more equitably
• To change the way we view environmentusing a practical approach based on observation.
• To create concern for environment &
knowledge about environmental issues.
The multidisciplinary integration of sciences and engineering in order to utilize the
huge biochemical potential of microorganisms, plants and parts thereof for the
restoration and preservation of the environment and for the sustainable use of resources
Physics
Geology
Demography
Computer
Science
Statistics
Thermodynamics
Economics
Chemistry
Biology
Environmental Science
Biotechnology
Anthropology
Ecology
Informatics
Mathematical
modeling
Chemistry &
Chemical
engineering
Hydrology
Why is the importance…?
• Man and his power to alter the nature’s course have
multiplied
– Enhance usage of available earth’s natural resources
– Increased pollution
– Biodiversity loss
• We, the human race, is only one amongst millions of
different kinds of organisms that share the planet with
• “Global village“
– The Vedic declaration that all humanity is a single family vasudhaika kutumbam
• Common environment
• Transcending ( to go beyond the limits of) national
boundaries
• Growing concerns & Demands
Need of the hour….
– Arise consciousness
– Environmentally appropriate approach
– Ecological interdependence of economic, social
and political factors with environment
• Environmental Literacy : Capacity building for a
detailed understanding of an environmental problem
– Analyze
– Synthesis
– Evaluate
– Predict
– Informed decision
A Bio ‘logical’
perspective: To
decipher the
impact of
destruction,
understanding at
molecular level is
imperative
An Engineers
perspective:
Unless we
understand the
problem, it’s
unlikely that we
will be able to
fix it
Rights vs Responsibilities
Conflict of development strategies with environmental protection
• Many technological advances stem from the
scientific study of life and to devise tools for
creating and maintaining human civilization
• Tools to create and maintain the quality of
human civilization have become essential
• Man being part of nature, it is all the more
important to study the structure and function of
nature
Economic Growth vs Environment
Below are BUT FEW of the exhaustive list of
environmental issues of today
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Population rise
Resource limitations
Pollution
Waste Generation
Loss of Biodiversity
Climate Change
Disruption of Ecosystems
• Richer a nation – Weaker the sense of personal responsibilty
• Emerging economies – Profess stronger sense of responsibility
•«Minimising my impact on the environment is an important part of my life »
Environmental damage increases as a country becomes richer
How is it before all this environmental
deterioration started….?
Where and how did the problem arise….?
• Industrial revolution
• Green revolution
– Mass production
– Mass consumption
– Mass disposal
Course objective
Awaken Eco - ‘logical’ sense and trigger pro
environmental approach in action,
incorporating simple solutions in day to day
developments
The ideal scenario
FEW of the exhaustive list of environmental issues of
today
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Population rise
Resource limitations
Pollution
Waste Generation
Loss of Biodiversity & extinctions
Climate Change & global warming
Disruption of Ecosystems
Deforestation
“Developing” or the “Developed” Nations……
Who is responsible?
What made the governments &
policy makers stir from their
slumber…..?
The whistle blowers
The DDT story
• 1873 – First synthetic insecticide (DDT) was formulated by
German Scientist.
• 1939 – DDT Rediscovered by Paul Herman Muller
• 1945 – DDT cleared for Civil application, limited to urban
aerial sprays in US
• 1962 – First Publication marking the birth of environmental
protection movement (SILENT SPRING) in US
• 1972 – DDT eventually banned in US
• 2001 – Stockholm convention
 The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants was
adopted on 22 May 2001 in Stockholm, Sweden. The Convention
entered into force on 17 May 2004
 Treaty signed by 122 nations on POPs (Persistent Organic Pollutants) to
completely phase out DDT and 11other POPs
 the objective of the Stockholm Convention is to protect human health
and the environment from persistent organic pollutants.
-International Program on Chemical Safety
The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic
Pollutants, the International Program on Chemical
Safety
The dirty dozen: UNEP
Insecticides & Pesticides:
Aldrin, Chlordane, DDT,
Dieldrin, Endrin,
Heptachlor, Hexachlorobenzene, Mirex
Toxaphene, Hexachlorobenzene
Industrial Chemicals:
Polychlorinatedbiphenyls,Dioxins
Furans
Nine new chemicals have been
added to the list
On 8 May 2009, the Conference of the Parties (COP) added nine more
chemicals as persistent organic pollutants.
Pesticides: - 1.chlordecone, 2.lindane, 3.pentachlorobenzene;
4.alpha hexachlorocyclohexane and beta hexachlorocyclohexane,
Industrial chemicals:-5.hexabromobiphenyl ( hexabromodiphenyl ether and
heptabromodiphenyl ether), 6.pentachlorobenzene, 7.perfluorooctane
sulfonic acid, its salts and 8. perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride,
9.tetrabromodiphenyl ether and pentabromodiphenyl ether; and
By-products: - alpha hexachlorocyclohexane, beta hexachlorocyclohexane
and pentachlorobenzene
Short-chained chlorinated paraffins ,Endosulfan, and
Hexabromocyclododecane may be added to this list. Still debatable.
• In 2011, The Supreme Court banned manufacture, sale and use ,
export of toxic pesticide endosulfan in India.
History of Love Canal
• In 1880, William T Love named a canal connecting two levels of
Niagara river separated by Niagara fall, located in southeast section
of the La Salle area of Niagara Falls, New York. .
• Hooker chemical and plastics company was searching some place for
dumping its chemical waste.
• 1942-hooker chemical company granted permission by Niagara
Power and Development Company for dumping
• 1947-1952 – 21,000 metric tons
• 1952 – sold dumpsite to 99th street school committee in one dollar
deal
• Jan 1954-Construction of School started
• 1978 - 82 chemicals / dozen carcinogens
• 1980 – disaster zone by New York Department of Health
Commissioner.
• President Jimmy Carter issued an order allowing the paid evacuation
of the 900 families living at Love Canal and started the process that
has become known as Superfund, to clean up other hazardous sites
across the country
• 1987 – EPA initiated actions to create a program that would fund the
clean up of this and similar sites.
Love Canal
• Lois Marie Gibbs was the key leader
of Love Canal residents in their fight
to be relocated away from a toxic
dump containing over 20,000 tons of
chemicals.
• She is the Executive Director of
the Center for Health, Environment
and Justice, which she founded in 1981
following the Love Canal struggle.
• CHEJ is a national organization that
assists local people to become
empowered
to
protect
their
communities from environmental
threats.
1993 - Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), California.
•Contamination of drinking water with in the town of
Hinkley, southern California
• PG&E operates an compressor station in Hinkley for
natural gas transmission pipelines connecting to the San
Francisco Bay Area and the station uses large cooling
towers to cool the gas after it has been compressed.
• 1952-1966 the water used in these cooling towers
contained hexavalent chromium – now recognized as
a carcinogen – to prevent rust in the machinery.
•Wastewater discharged to unlined ponds - percolated into
Erin Brockovich
the groundwater
•Case settled in 1996 for US$333 million - the largest
settlement ever paid in a direct-action lawsuit in US
history.
•In 1993, Erin Brockovich, American legal clerk and
Environment Activist, investigated the apparent elevated
cluster of illnesses in the community linked to hexavalent
chromium
The true story of Erin Brockovich was
made as a biographical film in 2000 where
the character of Erin Brockovich, was
portrayed by Julia Roberts
Bhopal Gas Tragedy-3rd December 1984
• Indian Government invites UCC to set up Sevin plant
• Indian Government has 22% stake in UCIL (UCC’s India
Subsidary)
• Plant initially approved for forumulation only (built in area
zoned for light industrial use)
• Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) manufactured at Bhopal site.
• 10 times the daily use amount of MIC stored in plant
• 6 minor accidents involving MIC between 1981 and 1984
• 40,000 kg of MIC released on night of 3rd December 1984
• MIC – Liquid dynamite
– Dangerous when mixed with water
– An American dream turned Indian nightmare
– Medical officer Kukum Saxena’s caution – Ignored, Out of Job
• Cleaning storage pipes
– Worksheet lacked vital information
• Slip bind
– Water mixed with MIC – temperature rise
– First breach - cooling system breaks
• Smell first indication of danger
• Temperature in tanks rise to 200 0C
– Second level breached
• Gas curber neutralizes MIC with caustic soda – left on
standby
– Third breach
• Safety alarm switched off shortly to avoid panic
– Fourth breach
• The flag tower not working
• Gas blowing towards city
• Silent killer on the loose
Disaster struck
Mayhem in the middle of the night
• Union Carbide never made it public what to do in the
event of a leak / emergency do’s/don’ts – MIC - Level 4 chemical
• Never told plant managers about catastrophic events
that could be caused in the event of leakage – UC safety
report never communicated
• Company did not give composition of gas or any antidote
• Union carbide tells that the gas MAY BE an eye irritant
– Advices use of milk, eggs, water and eye drops!!!!!!!
As treatment
• Doctors left in dark
– Pulmonary Oedema - Fluid filled collapse of lungs –
identified from autopsies
• Official documents registered
– Deaths – 3000, Others 9000, 500,000 exposed to gases
– Doctor of Union Carbide releases press statement: conventional
cough syrups and eye drops, Effects will recede in maximum 3
weeks
• Even today
– Birth defects, fertility impairments, 7 times more miscarriages in
Bhopal as compared to national average, gastro-intestinal, lung and
skin cancers highly reported, long-term effects on central nervous
system -poor coordination, partial blindness, paralysis
– 10, 000 more deaths in later years
• One death every day in Bhopal linked to after effects of Bhopal
gas tragedy
• Company avoids culpability, claims sabotage
– Warren Anderson – released within few hrs of arrest due to intervention by US
• India still seeks extradition of him on manslaughter charges
Awareness in India
• 1972- United Nations Conference on the
Human Environment attended by Indira
Gandhi
• Need felt for Institutional frame work
– Department of Environment was created.
• Need felt for legal/Regulatory frame work
– Control & Prevention of pollution Act-1974
– Central Pollution Control Board set up
– State pollution control board set up
Post Bhopal Gas tragedy -1984
• Department was converted to ministry
• 1986 - Environment Protection Act (by
ministry)
• Rules were made for:
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Hazardous waste
Chemical accidents
Emergencies-preparedness and response
Biomedical waste
Plastic waste
Global commitment
• Norwegian Nobel Committee-Awards Nobel
Peace Prize every year
– “We honour the earth; for bringing forth flowers and
food – and trees… is committed to the protection of the
earth. This commitment is our vision – deeply felt and
connected to human rights and peace”.
• Honouring the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change ) through the grant of the Nobel
Peace Prize in 2007
• R.K.Pachauri, Chairperson of IPCC during 2007
shared this prize with Al Gore, former V.P of
USA.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2007
Al Gore, Ex.VP, USA & R K Pachouri representing IPCC as it’s
Chairman
Course objective
Awaken Eco - ‘logical’ sense and trigger pro
environmental approach in action,
incorporating simple solutions in day to day
developments
The ideal scenario
Organizations working for Environment
• World Wide Fund (WWF)
• Centre for Science and Environment (CSE)
• Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)
• Wildlife Institute of India (WII)
• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)
Indian Environmentalists
Some Indian environmentalists
• Salim Ali
• Indira Gandhi
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- Orinthology
- Played an important role in
preserving wild life
SP Godrej
- Padma Bhusan
MS Swaminathan - Agricultural scientist
Madhav Gadgil
- Ecologist
MC Mehta
- Environmentalist Lawyer
Anil Agarwal
- Journalist
Medha patekar
- Narmada dam
Sunderlal Bahugana - Chipko Movement
International Environmentalists
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Charles DarwinRalph Emerson
Henry Thoreau
John Muir
Aldo Leopold
Rachel Carson
EO Wilson
When we permit the destruction of
environment
and
Do not protest / raise our voce against it,
We are denying our future generations
the use of this valuable resource…
‘THE BIOSPHERE’