Effects of human activities

1. Important days of Environmental significance
1) World Environment Day: 5th June
2) World nature day: 3rd October
3) World population day: 11th July
4) World forest day: 21st March
5) World health day: 7th April
6) National Science day: 28th February
7) Earth day: 22nd April
8) Anti-tobacco day: 31st May
9) World food day: 16th October
10) Wild life week: 17th October
11) National environmental awareness month: 19th Nov. to 18th Dec.
12) United national day: 24th October
13) Ozone day:16th September

2. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Soil degradation Water contamination Modification of land
1. It is the decline in
quality and
quantity of a soil.
2. It is brought about
by factors like
erosion,
salinization,
acidification, and
contamination.
Soil erosion
1. It refers to a series
of processes leading
to soil depletion in-
situ and the export of
sediment towards
downstream areas.
2. Some degradation activities
like overgrazing of cropland,
sea-waves, wind, and water
can cause soil erosion.
3. Also, human activities like
urbanization, industrialization,
deforestation, etc. add to soil
erosion.
2

3. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Bad effects of Soil
erosion
1. Soil loss
2. Loss of nutrients
3. Loss of crop yields
Remedies
1. Land should be
covered by vegetation
always
2. Conserving soil
moisture by increased
infiltration, and
reducing evaporation,
mulching, etc.
3. Plantation of wind breaks
and shelter bells
4. Diversion of water channels
to direct the water to sites,
where it can be disposed-off
safely
5. Hay bales can be installed to
intercept sediment laden run-off
and prevent soil from entering
the storm-drain system
3
6. Sediment
basins can be built
to intercept and
retain water
carrying soil
particles

4. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Water contamination
1. Unused fertilizers, manure, and
pesticides used in agricultural
fields are joining water bodies
causing health hazards.
2. Contaminated water percolates
downward through farm fields,
carrying with it dissolved
chemicals, which include nitrate
fertilizers and soluble pesticides
to reach ground water.
Problem with
fertilizers
4
1. Three nutrients in fertilizers are
nitrogen, phosphorous, and
potassium
2. Nitrogen from fertilizers is most
readily lost due to its high
solubility in the nitrate form. This
will percolate to the underground
water leading to elevated
concentrations, causing health
effects to humans and animals.

5. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Problem with
fertilizers
5
3. Phosphorus cannot be readily washed out of the soil, but is bound to soil
particles and moves together with them.
4. The eroded soil contains phosphorus, when in higher concentrations, it
stimulates the excessive growth of algae and this process is called
eutrophication.
5. These algae eventually die and decompose, removing the oxygen from the
water, which in turn kill the fish.

6. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Problem with fertilizers
6
6. Potassium does not cause water quality problems because it is not
hazardous in drinking water and is not a limiting nutrient for growth of aquatic
plants.
7. It is tightly held by soil particles and so it travels with it by erosion.

7. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Bad effects of overuse of fertilizers
7
1. The excessive use of pesticides and herbicides have depleted the population
of ecologically important soil microorganism
2. Many of these chemical pesticides are non-degradable and enter the food
chain, and become hazardous to human life
3. Many pesticides have broad spectrum, which not only kill the target species
but also several non-target species that are useful to us

8. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Bad effects of overuse of fertilizers
8
4. Increased use of pesticides leads to the development of genetic resistance in
pest species.
5. The individual species that survive under pesticide applications continue to
breed gradually producing greater tolerance to chemical applied
6. Eutrophication of lakes, rivers, and water bodies are taking placed due to
nutrient run off and it reduces the fishery production and agricultural
production

9. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Remedies
9
1. Highly controlled use of fertilizers
2. Use of an ideal pesticide which,
a. Kills only the target pest
b. Has no short or long-term health effects on non-target organisms,
including people
c. Can be broken down into harmless chemicals in a fairly short time
d. Prevents the development of genetic resistance in target organisms
e. Saves money compared to making no effort to control pest species

10. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Remedies
10
3. Crop rotation, in which types of crops planted in field are changed from year to
year so that populations of pests that attach a particular crop can be avoided
4. Destroying the diseased or infected plants

11. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Water logging
11
1. Water logging is the inability of movement of water on irrigated land resulting
in accumulation of water in the root zone of plants.
2. Generally water logging occurs, due to over cultivation, in the areas that have
an impermeable layer of clay beneath the surface.
3. Since the water cannot efficiently drained, the soil root zone becomes
saturated with so much of water that plant roots can no longer obtain adequate
amounts of oxygen for growth and the soils are no longer suitable for
cultivation.

12. Adverse effects of agriculture on environment
Solution
12
Use trickle irrigation, which reduces the water percolation and evaporative water
losses together with water logging.
Modification of forest land to agriculture
This results in the accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere and increase in the
average temperature rise per year.

13. Adverse effects of Housing on
environment
13

14. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Impact on natural resources
14
1. Agricultural area, forest land, and water bodies have shrunk
2. Contaminated the environmental air, soil, surface water bodies, and
ground water acquifer, etc., which have direct effect on human health,
livestock, and plant life
3. Important building materials required for housing cause the major
environmental concern as the issue is associated with mining of raw
materials, energy and resources consumption, soil erosion, pollutant
runoff, land and habitat loss, air and water pollution

15. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials
15
1. Building material is any material which is used for a construction
purpose.
2. These materials vary from mud to metal and from plastic to grass.
3. Commonly used building materials are mud, stone, wood, brick, concrete,
metals, plastic, fabric, foam, sanitary ware, and tiles, etc.
4. There are significant environment and health impacts associated with the
production, transportation, demolition, maintenance, and use of common
building materials.

16. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials: Steel
16
1. Single largest metal used in the construction activity, followed by aluminum
and brass.
2. The major environmental concern include energy and resources use, land
and habitat loss, air and water quality degradation as a result of mining and
manufacturing activity.
3. Ore refinement leads to raw iron and steel, creating air pollution.

17. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials: Cement and concrete
17
1. Most commonly used building materials.
2. It involves mining and cements manufacture cycle, which leads to air and
water pollution.

18. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials: Wood and plywood
18
1. Although it is renewable, removal of trees causes loss of biodiversity,
ecological impact, and soil erosion.
2. The effluents of wood industries contain resins, adhesives, and other
polymers, which are toxic to aquatic life.

19. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials: Glass
19
1. Mining of glass sand, limestone, and soda ash results in particulate
pollution, soil erosion, and habitat alteration, pollutant runoff.
2. Air pollution associated with mining, processing and transporting materials.

20. Adverse effects of Housing on environment
Effect of building materials: Paints
20
1. Manufacturing of paints is one of the major industries.
2. Most paints are produced from petroleum-derived substances and heavy
metals.
3. Paints emit organic solvents that may be irritating, hazardous, and hypo-
allergic to human beings.
4. Invention of new building materials and use of other materials like insulation,
sealant, carpets, particle board etc., cause huge environmental damage due
to massive resource extraction and disposal of waste generated due to their
processing.

21. Adverse effects of
Industrialization on environment
21

22. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
There are numerous ways in which industry has an impact on the environment.
22
Use of fossil fuels
1. Many nations rely on fossil fuels (e.g., coal, natural gas, and petroleum) for
their industries (iron, steel, and chemical) and for transportation, heating,
and lighting.
2. The large-scale consumption of these resources is alarming, ranging from
local pollution to global effects, such as ozone layer depletion and global
warming.
3. Water contamination takes place due to oil spills, thereby affecting the
aquatic life.

23. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Mining
23
1. Mining leads to depletion of mineral resources, destruction of habitat,
pollution of and degradation of water streams and waterways.
2. Mining involves road-building and surface mining, which destroys the
surface ecosystem.
3. Mining requires a large amount of underground materials to be brought to the
surface.
4. These materials, when exposed to rain, create run-off that is highly acidic or
has high concentrations of metal ores, both of which are highly toxic to
aquatic species.

24. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Impact on air and water
24
1. Solid, liquid, and gaseous waste products are released into the atmosphere
from various processing industries.
2. Concentration and volume of these wastes varies from industries to
industries depending upon the raw materials and the manufacturing processes.
3. Domestic wastes have a neutral pH and exert an oxygen demand of 200
mg/L. But the liquid effluents from an industry may be extremely acidic or
alkaline in nature.
4. The oxygen requirement may also be 10 to 100 times higher than the
domestic wastes.

25. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Characteristics of liquid effluents from selected industries
25
1. Dairy plants: BOD = 1000 mg/L, solids = 1000 mg/L, odour, oil, and grease
2. Distillery unit: Dark brown colour, N2, Fe, sulfates, chlorides, and phosphates.
BOD = 40,000 mg/L, solids = 50,000 mg/L
3. Fertilizer plant: As, flourides, phosphates, chlorides, sulfates, and N2
compounds
4. Textile plant: Highly alkaline, colour, solids, Ca, Mg, Na, Zn, and sulfates
5. Paper plant: Alkaline, brown colour, fibrous matter, lignin and caustic soda
6. Pharmaceutical plant: BOD = 5000 mg/L, extreme pH range, more solids, toxic
organics, sulfides, phosphates, strong odours
7. Tanneries: BOD = 3000 mg/L, solids = 10,000 mg/L, highly alkaline, strong
odours, colour, organics, sulfides, chromium

26. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Characteristics of gaseous effluents from selected industries
26
1. Paper and plant: mercaptanes, dusts, SO2, H2S
2. Tanneries: Sulfides and mercaptanes
3. Metallurgical units: dusts, fumes, and oxides
4. Chemical industry: acid fumes
5. Fertilizer units: NOx, HF, NH3, dusts of coal and sulfur
6. Petrochemical units: particulates, dusts, hydrocarbons, NH3, NO2, CO

27. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Characteristics of solid effluents from selected industries
27
1. Iron and steel: process dusts, sludge from recovery units
2. Petrochemical units: organic residues, oily sludge, residues form various units
3. Paper units: used chemicals, highly corrosive sludge
4. Textiles: chemical residues
5. Tanneries: chromium bearing sludge
6. Electronic industry: lead, cadmium, barium, mercury, plastic compounds

28. Adverse effects of Industrialization on environment
Remedies
28
1. Industries should completely treat all types of generated wastes as per the
prescribed standards before disposal.
2. If necessary, polluting industries should be closed or shifted far away from
the human environment.
3. Law should take its own course while controlling the pollution levels.

29. Adverse effects of Mining on
environment
29

30. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Definition
30
1. Mining is the act of extracting ores, coal, etc. from the earth.
2. Mining and processing of mineral ores results in disturbance of land, air
pollution from dust and smelter emission and water pollution.
3. Environmental damage even after the mine closes is also prominent.
4. Initially, the exploratory phase itself causes the impact, when holes are
drilled to determine the existence of deposits, which involve transporting
heavy equipment and building roads.
5. Such activities disturb the local habitat.

31. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment: Water pollution
31
1. Mining, especially open-pit mining, generates enormous quantities of
waste compared to any other natural resource extraction activity.
2. These wastes pollute soils, rivers, and ground water.
3. These wastes can be highly acidic and metal-laden or highly
alkaline, and they often contain various forms of cyanide, depending
on the waste source.

32. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment: Soil erosion
32
1. The soil gets eroded after and during mining along with the water.
2. The eroded soil settles at some point in the downstream.

33. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment: Deforestation
33
1. Forest cover decreases due to mining.
2. Mining consumes enormous quantities of timber for their construction in
the case of underground mines and as a source of energy for mines with
charcoal-fuelled casting ovens.
3. Mining also require building of roads, ports, the deviation of rivers,
construction of dams and energy generating plants.

34. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment: Air pollution
34
1. Dust generated from mining activities can cause air pollution, serious cause
of illnesses, generally in the form of respiratory troubles in people and
asphyxia of plants and trees.
2. Certain toxic gases such as sulphur dioxide, carbon dioxide, and methane
gases are generated during burning of fossil fuels for energy requirement in
mining.

35. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment: Noise pollution
35
1. Noise is another major problem from mining operations.
2. The deafening sound of the machinery used in mining and blasting
create conditions that may become unbearable for the local
population and the forest wildlife.

36. Adverse effects of Mining on environment
Adverse impacts of mining on forests and environment
36
1. Mining adversely affects aquatic habitats (i.e., lakes, ponds, streams,
rivers), terrestrial habitats (i.e., deserts, grasslands, forests), and wetlands
that many organisms rely on for survival.

37. Adverse effects of Transportation
on environment
37

38. Adverse effects of Transportation on environment
Definition
38
1. Transportation is the movement of people and goods
from one place to another.
2. For this purpose, automobiles such as trucks and buses
are used, which create a great deal of pollution.

39. Adverse effects of Transportation on environment
Impact on air and natural resources
39
1. Transport is a major use of energy, and it burns most of the world’s
petroleum.
2. Emissions from internal combustion engines are the major source of air
pollution.
3. Hydrocarbon fuels produce carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas causing
global warming.
4. In addition, it also produces oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, which
have bad impact on environment.
5. Transporting heavy equipment and building roads for the same can disturb
local habitat.

40. Environmental impact assessment
(EIA)
40

41. Environmental impact assessment (EIA) 41
EIA is a planning tool which assists planners in
anticipating future impacts of different developmental
activities, both beneficial and adverse, with a view to
select the optimal alternatives.

42. Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Projects and activities
42
1. Highways
2. Airports
3. Canals
4. Dams
5. Streams
6. Channelization
7. Pesticide application programs clearing forests
8. development activities such as plans, programs, and
policies

43. Environmental impact assessment (EIA)
Objectives of EIA
43
1. Resource conservation
2. Waste minimization
3. Recovery of by-product
4. Efficient equipment

44. Methodology
EIA consists of four phases
44
1.Organizing the job
2.Performing the assessment
3.Writing the environmental impact statement (EIS)
4.Review of the EIS

45. 45

46. Benefits of EIA
EIA process
46
1. Reduced cost and time of project implementation
2. Cost saving modifications in project design
3. Increased project performance
4. Avoiding impacts and violations of laws and regulations
5. Avoiding waste treatment/clean up expenses

47. 47
The End
of
Unit-1