ENVIRONMENTAL AWARNESS AMONG MIDDLE-CLASS OF A SEMI-URBAN AREA

There was a time when the world was full of natural beauty as people thought of the environment. But now as the natural beauty of the earth that disappears, many people around the world have awaken to the realities of just how fragile our earth actually is. Central to this issue is pollution, which involves the introduction of harmful substances into the air, land and water. Although pollution has been occurring throughout the earth‟s history, the rate at which the human species have contributed to the amount of pollution that has entered into our environment over the past several hundred years far exceeds the earth‟s inherent ability to heal itself. Water Perspective Water is fundamental to life. We are made of water; we consume water; we depend on water. Crops grow because of water and oil is extracted with the help of water. Computers, cars, paper, pots, cosmetics and more are manufactured using water. There is no way to escape the fact that we are utterly, and ultimately, dependent on this resource. Ground Water Ninety-five percent of all fresh water on earth is ground water. It is found in natural rock formations. These formations, called aquifers, are a vital natural resource with many uses. Nationally, 53% of the population relies on ground water as a source of drinking water. In rural areas this figure is even higher. Eighty-one percent of community water is dependent on ground water. Water Pollution Water is mostly contaminated with chemical substances, heavy metals, industrial wastes and sewerage. This water is detrimental to our health. Contaminants are responsible for many acute and chronic diseases of nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal and all other systems. They may lead to cancer also. Stagnant water breeds mosquitos which spread malaria and dengue fever. 70% of earth‟s surface is covered with ocean. People use the sea as unlimited dumping ground for wastes like raw sewerage, garbage and industrial waste. Oil spills have begun to defuse the capabilities of oceans, so the coastal waters are now severely polluted. Beaches around the world are no more healthier for bathing and watersports. Death due to water borne diseases is scoring high. Many bodies of water near urban areas are highly polluted because of garbage dumped by individuals and industries. The pollutant is taken by tiny animals and fishes which affects the sea-food consumers. We can take example of Coca-Cola Company which uses nine litres of water to produce one litre of soft drink. Due to high consumption of ground water, the people living around face severe scarcity. In a village named Plachimada in Palakkad district of Kerala where the company opened a plant in 2000, they extract 1.5 million litres of water per day. Due this the level of water table fell from 45 to 150 metres below the surface. This resulted in drying of 260 wells and plummeting of agricultural yields. Moreover, the product, when tested in a New Delhi based centre for Science and Environment was found to contain toxic pesticides and insecticides like Lindane, DDT and Malathion.(1) Air Pollution Air is called as the „ocean we breathe‟. Air supplies us with oxygen which is essential for our bodies for survival. Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals. There are two types of air pollutions. 1. Air pollution is the release of particles into the air from burning fuel for energy. Diesel smoke is a good example of this particular matter. These particles are too small measuring about 2.5 microns or about 0.001 inches. This type of pollution is called "black carbon" pollution. The exhausts from burning fuels in automobiles, vehicles, home-made additives, industries are major source of pollution. Another type of air pollution is the release of noxious gases, such as sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and chemical vapours. These can take part in further chemical reactions once they are in the atmosphere, forming smog and acid rain. Air pollution also occurs inside our home, school and offices. Some of these pollutants can be created by indoor activities such as smoking and cooking. Global warming arises as a major crisis in this world. The causes of global warming are increasing of greenhouse gases and Ozone depletion. Greenhouse gases In the natural system vegetation produces oxygen as well as carbon dioxide. Due to the depletion of forests production of oxygen has fallen considerably. Carbon dioxide and methane produced from the burning of fossil fuels are increased by industries. These gases create a layer of canopy. The air below this canopy gets warmer as in greenhouse. It produces change in the temperature and movement of air around the globe which alter the climate. It causes variation in climatic change. Ozone Depletion Ozone is an essential component of the upper atmosphere because it interacts with incoming sunlight to diffuse it. Ozone depleting substances are greenhouse gases. The build-up of various gases including fluorocarbons has caused the depletion of the ozone layer. Fluorocarbon gases are very light that are used as pressurizes in atomizer spray. So they are settled in the upper atmosphere in certain areas. They interact chemically with ozone layer and destroy it. The damage to the ozone layer causes high levels of solar radiation due to which the temperature increases, that causes global warming. It has also effect on our body. As a result people suffer from skin cancer.