Tag: sustainability of natural resources

Solar energy is inexhaustible non-conventional resource. Its use is yet to pick up because of requirement of back up system to store and generate electricity during night and during cloudy days. There are three methods of harnessing solar energy- direct heating (e.g., solar cookers), thermoelectric conversion or solar thermal power plants, e.g., steam generation and photovoltaic conversion.

Renewable source of energy include biomass energy and some forms of inexhaustible energy like solar energy, hydropower, wind power, tidal energy, wave energy, geothermal energy etc. 

The popular 'Chipko Andolan' was started in 1973 in Gopeshwar, U.P. when trees were not allowed to be cut by village folk by hugging them first near village Manda, then Rampur Phata and in 1974 near village Reni (led by Gaura Devi). The movement had two leaders, Chandi Prasad Bhatt of Gopeshwar and Sunder Lal Bahugana of Silyara in Tehri region. 

Coal and oil are fossil fuels been derived from dead bodies of plants and animals, which existed in past. Hence, they are carbon compounds and emit carbon dioxide on combustion. Organic compounds are obviously compounds of carbon and will evolve carbon dioxide on combustion. Nuclear energy is non conventional, non renewable resource. Nuclear fission (now fusion also) of selected radioactive materials yields large amount of heat energy. For example one amu of Uranium - 235 yields energy equal to burning of 15 metric tonnes of coal. The energy released in nuclear fission and fusion is not due to combustion process and hence, does not evolves carbon dioxide.

Chipko Movement, started in 1970's, was a non violent movement, aimed at protection and conservation of trees and forests from being destroyed. The name of the Chipko moment originated from the word 'embrace' as the villagers used to hug the trees and protect them from wood cutters from cutting them. 

The fertility of soil can be considered in different ways, depending on land use. In intensively managed agricultural and horticultural systems, and even in forestry, soil fertility can be defined in terms of the value of products produced. In nature soil gains nutrients from rocks, which are natural reservoirs of nutrients. These nutrients are released through geological processes, like leaching and pedogenesis. Soil also gains nutrients through the agencies of water and dead and decaying excreta of organisms. The physical characteristics of soil also govern nutrient availability of soil. The nutrient availability is a measure of soil fertility.

The uppermost layer of soil is usually darker in colour due to the presence of huge amount of organic matter. Organic matter is composed of roots, dead leaves, insects, small organisms and animals which eventually get degraded to form humus and make the soil fertile. Humus is black in colour due to large quantity of carbon.

'World Environment Day' is celebrated every year on 5 June to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth. It is run by the 'United Nations Environment Programme' (UNEP). It was established by the 'United Nations General Assembly' in 1972 on the day, that 'United Nations Conference on the Human Environment' began. The first 'World Environment Day' was celebrated in 1973. Since then it is hosted every year by a different city with a different theme.

IUCN is the 'International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources', which is now called 'World Conservation Union' or WCU. It has its headquarters at Morges, Switzerland.

Jim Corbett national park is located in Uttarakhand and protect the endangered Bengal tiger.