The Environment Needs YOU

Have you ever thought that a CFL bulb in your room can be a reason for someone else's death someday ? If yes, you must be well aware. But if not, then some awareness lessons are required.

Basic Understanding

Before we proceed, let us first understand few basic terms.

Environment refers to the immediate surrounding of an organism. For example, this laptop in my hand is included in my environment.

Ecosystem refers to any part of environment which is an open system and exhibits relationship/interaction between living and non-living organisms. It is not necessary for an environment to have an ecosystem. For example, a pond is an ecosystem because there are living organisms like fishes,plants and non-living components like soil, water, sunlight. The pond exhibits relationship/interaction between living and non-living organisms; fishes use oxygen dissolved in water; plants absorb nutrients from soil and use sunlight for photosynthesis. Ecology is the science of study of these relationships among the components of ecosystem. For example, studying why do flowers attract insects.

Biosphere refers to all the ecosystems of global earth combined together.

Why focus on Environment Issues ?

In 1970s, Egypt constructed Aswan Dam on Nile river without trying to understand ecological relations and interactions. The dam was meant for irrigation and hydroelectricity. But the water on agricultural fields evaporated quickly as Egypt lies within the Tropics. Thus after evaporation, only salt remained on the fields. Water Inundation happened near dam leading to vector borne diseases like Liver fluke disease, and also led to mosquito breeding. Southern areas got devoid of water due to dam which impacted fishing and other activities. Thus it was an ecological disaster.

Today, India is planning to connect its rivers. So, administration needs to properly study the ecological implications. For example, connecting rivers will also lead invasion of marine organisms from one area to some other area, and it will increase competition with the local marine organisms.

There is unlimited number of relationships and interactions in our environment. For example, insects are important for Pollination, Population control of pests etc. Birds eat larvae of insects, thus protecting grains. Lions eat deers, thus maintaining balance over plant consumption. Deers eat plants, thus controlling plant population.

Flow of Energy

Sunlight is the primary source of energy used by plants for photosynthesis, converting it into chemical energy. Plants are then eaten by herbivores, who are then eaten by carnivores. When organisms die, their remains are decomposed and the complex molecules are broken down by decomposing micro-organisms, which are then released in the soil to be absorbed by plants. Thus the energy keeps getting transferred from one organism to other. 

Examples of Interactions

Many organisms interact with each other for survival. Below are few examples to substantiate this fact.

1. Birds like Myenas, Egrets walk with cattle on the grazing field because when cattle is grazing grasses, small insects come out which are eaten by birds. Here the birds are getting the benefit of interaction.

2. Epiphytes like orchids grow on branches of tall tress to receive sunlight and water.

3. Largest flower in world Stem Parasite has a very bad smell. But this smell attracts flies who in return perform pollination.

4. Yucca moth feeds on Yucca flower. In return, moth does pollination for flower.

5. Insects, birds and mammals pollinate two-third of our food crops. Thus it can be said that we humans are living as guests in this world.

6. African Acacia ants don't let any animal eat Acacia trees. In return, Acacia trees release very sugary syrup which is sucked by the ants.

7. Cleaner fishes are employed in human salons for cleaning feet. In return, the fishes get the food by cleaning feet.

8. Corals provide habitat to Zooxanthalae algae and in return the algae does photosynthesis for the coral polyps. Increasing global warming endangers this interaction which in turn can cause bleaching of coral.

Examples of Human Disturbances

Today these interactions are being disturbed by humans. Below are some examples.

1. Brown asiatic tree snakes were transported by American soldiers to Guam Islands. Today in Guam Islands, very less number of birds survive because of hunting by these snakes.

2. Japanese plant Kudzu was introduced in USA to control erosion in river banks of California. But it grows very fast and today it has overgrown and has covered many big trees too, thus hindering photosynthesis. Japan has these plant eaters to control population because nature has made such arrangements through time immemorial but USA doesn't have the plant eaters for Kudzu because this plant never belonged to USA.

3.  Nile perch fish was introduced by British in Lake Victoria. Today due to Nile perch, 200 species of Cichlid fishes in Lake Victoria are on the verge of extinction.

Something like this can also happen in India's river linking project if proper attention is not given.

If one part of food chain dies out or is greatly reduced,then the consumers will have to find alternative food, or move away or starve. Some organisms depend completely on other for survival. Thus elimination of one species can lead to elimination of other species. This is called Co-Extinction.

Introduction of one species from one place to other by humans can lead to Invasive Alien Species who compete with the local species for survival. It can lead to elimination of endemic varieties.

Role of Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety and variability among living organisms and ecological complexes in which they occur. It is the result of 3.5 billion years of evolution. Until approximately 600 million years ago, all life consisted of Archea, Bacteria, Protozoans and similar single celled organisms. It plays a huge role. Let us see a few of those.

1. It supports ecosystem services including air quality, climate (example, carbon-dioxide sequestration), water purification, pollination, prevention of erosion etc.

2. Many species provide crops, fibres, medicines for human use. For example, Rosy periwinkle in Madagascar is the only known source for two drugs Vinblastine and Vincristine used for the diagnosis of Childhood cancer.

3. Food is directly/indirectly derived from biological diversity (i.e. biodiversity). 80% of human food supply come from just 20 kinds of plants.

4. It provides diversity in crops.  Thus attack on one crop by disease can be compensated by consuming another crop.

Irish Potato Blight of 1846 happened in Ireland because of planting only two potato varieties. Both varieties were vulnerable to the blight. A lot of people died.

5. It might be fictitious but even Laxman in Ramayana was saved by Sanjeevini Booty.

6. 76% of drugs in pharmacy of developed countries are directly derived from plants. 24% are processed from plants or some other sources. Ayurveda, Homeopathy, Yunani are 100% derived from biodiversity.

7. Industries depend on biodiversity. e.g, Rubber, oil, paper, sports equipment etc.

Species Loss Rate

In 2007, German Federal Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel cited estimates that upto 30% of all species will be extinct by 2050. There are threats like Habitat destruction, Invasive species, Over exploitation, Pollution, Co-extinction etc.

Environment Issues

Ozone Depletion: Ozone is present in Stratosphere. This is good Ozone. When UV rays from sun hits them, it looses some energy. Thus the UV rays reaching earth is weak and thus not harmful. The ozone molecule which gets hit, breaks down into oxygen molecule and oxygen atom. But then they combine back to form Ozone molecule. Thus it is a reversible process. But ozone layer is depleting due to gases like CFC. When CFC reaches stratosphere and gets hit by UV rays, it realease Chloride ion which has higher affinity for oxygen atom. Thus the oxygen atom combines with Chloride ion. Thus the reversible process is not completed and the Ozone molecule which broke down, is not formed back. Thus ozone gets depleted. Less ozone means more harmful UV rays will directly reach earth.

Ozone forms in Troposphere due to Air Pollution. This is bad Ozone. It is lung irritant if inhaled by humans.

Acid Rainfall: Sulphur dioxide or Nitrogen oxide releases from burning of fossil fuels or from industries etc. It combines with water in atmosphere to from Sulphuric acid or Nitric acid. It increases acidity of rainwater.

Global Warming: This is caused due to global warming gases. These gases cause Green house effect resulting in increase of temperature of Earth. This is compulsory for sustaining life. But too much of these gases results in unwanted increase in global temperature. Snow cover of the world has decreased. Rains and droughts have increased. Places which use to receive ice-fall are now receiving rainfall due to increased temperature. 

Global warming has serious impacts. It leads to dilution of sea water which can severely impact aquatic ecosystem. It can lead to increase in sea level.

Global warming has mainly happened due to Industrial Revolution in European countries. The increase in temperature today is due to addition of carbon-dioxode for last 200 years by developed nations. Today these developed nations are well equipped to combat this problem. On the other hand, the poorer developing nations, which contributed very less, is suffering more than the real culprits. That is why India recently demanded developed countries to invest and contribute more towards fighting Global warming. This is just like reservation system in India where Upper caste people are expected today to do more for the betterment of Lower caste people who faced discrimination for centuries without any reason.

Today, Global Warming is a reality and even developing nations need to contribute by cutting down their carbon emissions. It does not matter where the global warming gas comes from, it will hurt everyone equally.

Thermal Pollution: Some industries and Nuclear Reactors release hot water into rivers, causing abrupt increase in water temperature. It affects breeding of many aquatic organisms.

There are many more such issues if one goes in detail. One needs to be aware of these.

Conclusion

We reap what we sow. Sustainable development is the key. Environmental awareness and education must be focused upon. Finally I will conclude with the answer to the question with which we had started this article. CFL contains mercury. If CFL is disposed irresponsibly, then the mercury might percolate down with rain into the soil. This mercury can then be absorbed by plants. When this mercury enters into humans via plants or some animal which ate that plant, then it can cause Nervous system breakdown, leading to Mercury poisoning. This is an example of Heavy Metal Pollution.