The processes of development through years have spurred on unplanned urbanization, extensive industrialization followed by different types of pollutions, construction of a series of mega dams, and large-scale application of Agro-chemicals.
We have been hearing about environmental pollution, loss of biodiversity, energy crisis, and the sustainable environment since long. So many things have already been infused in school syllabi as well. But how many of us really apply in our real life the things about which we have read in our classes? If you collect yourselves and think seriously, you may find that you are still not as careful as you are supposed to be.
Environment may be defined as ‘Complete range of various sets of external conditions comprising- physical, biological, and for human beings- cultural, economic and political conditions; in which human beings and other life forms exist in continuous interactions among themselves.
Kheksa is taxonomically known as Momordica dioica. It is commonly known as Kheksa, Spiny gourd, bristly Balsam pear, and Prickly carolaho, Kantola etc. It belongs to the family Cucurbitaceae.
More than half of the population of the world comprises farmers. These farmers know that maintaining and conserving natural resources are very important to sustain their lives. However, the demand of more and more food due to the exploding population and higher expectations for comfort and wealth enforces these farmers to exploit more and more of the natural resources through the application of modern technology. The agriculture based on the latest farm machinery, hybrid and high-yielding crop varieties and agrochemicals is called as modern agriculture. Under the changing trends of modern agriculture, the difficult situation of maintaining and conserving natural resources is being faced the world over in the agriculture sector.
Ferns belong to Pteridophytes and grow on high altitudes in moist cold places. These don’t need any fertile soil. Since Ranchi or the most part of Jharkhand is located on high land its climate is rather different and somewhat similar to those area of mountains. The author reports here the two fern species that preferably grow in this region that too on old walls.
Prevention of entry into the environment: According to this principle, pollutants are checked at the point of their origin and are not allowed to enter into the environment by the application of specific devices.
About 1000J radiant energy comes to the earth from the sun. Out of this, only 10% of the total energy is used up by green plants in the process of Photosynthesis. Remaining 990J of energy escapes away into the atmosphere. 10J of energy is stored in the form of chemical energy in starch and sugars.
The concept of joint forest management was initiated on a large scale through guidelines issued by the government of India in 1990. According to those guidelines the village communities are to be involved in the development and protection of degraded forests based on taking their genuine share of benefits from those forests.
Images of a number of vegetables start sliding one by one just as a slide show on the screen of the mind as we enter into the winter session of the yearly cycle. These vegetables are very important to us not alone for their taste value but for their medicinal and health value as well. Here is an introduction of two of these vegetables.
Ozone absorbs ultraviolet radiations so that much of it is never allowed to reach to the earth surface. The protective umbrella of ozone layer in the stratosphere protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiations. Ozone plays an important role in the biology and climatology on the earth’s environment. It filters out all the radiations that remain below 3000Å. Radiations below this wavelength are biologically harmful. Hence any depletion of ozone layer is sure to exert catastrophic impacts on life in the biosphere.
