1. ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION

2. Resources  Perpetual: renewed continuously on a human scale.  Renewable: can be replenished fairly quickly.  Non-renewable: exist only in fixed quantities. (once they are gone they are gone.) Fig. 1-6 p. 9

3. Renewable Resources Can be depleted or degraded. Sustainable Yield: the highest rate at which a renewable resource can be used without reducing its supply. Example: over-farming the land leading to soil erosion, clear-cutting forests. Environmental Degradation: when we exceed the natural replacement rate of the resource. Example: groundwater depletion, water pollution.

4. Tragedy of the Commons 1968 Garrett Hardin Degradation of renewable free- access resources. “If I do not use this resource, someone else will. The little bit I use or pollute is not enough to matter, and such resources are renewable anyway.” Solutions????

5. Non-Renewable Resources Exist only in fixed quantities on earth.  Energy Resources: such as coal, oil and natural gas.  Metallic Resources: such as iron, copper, aluminum  Metallic Resources: such as iron, copper, aluminum  Non-Metallic Resources: Such as salt, clay, sand  Non-Metallic Resources: Such as salt, clay, sand Economic Depletion Fig. 1-8 p. 11 When 80% is gone it may be too costly to get the last 20%.

6. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Saving Nonrenewable resources Reduce: Use less resource Reuse: To use the resource more than once to conserve. Recycle: collecting resource, processing it into new products.

7. MOTHER NATURE The natural environment, with all its ecosystem services, comprises the entire basis for life on the planet. Its value is therefore impossible to quantify or even model. Environmental degradation an issue of increasing concern for all of us. The deterioration of the environment through depletion of resources, such as air, water and soil.The destruction of ecosystems and the extinction of wildlife. We only have one Earth to work with, and if the environment is irreparably compromised, it could mean the end of human existence.

8. What Is Environmental Degradation? Environmental degradation is a result of socio-economical, technological and institutional activities. Degradation occurs when Earth's natural resources are depleted. These resources which are affected include:  Water  Air  Soil The degradation also impacts our:  Wildlife  Plants  Animals  Micro-organisms

11. Types of environmental degradation Deforestation is the excessive cutting down of trees and clearing of forests for different purposes. In other words, it is the destruction of forests. These directly and indirectly affect us. Thus, deforestation is a serious type of environmental degradation. Soil erosion: Soil erosion can be defined as the destruction of the top layer of the soil as a result of natural or human activities. Soil erosion refers to the carrying away of soil. Soil erosion is also serious type of environmental degradation. It affects crop production, pollutes water resources and causes many other direct and indirect problems to human beings.

12. Landslide The downward slide of land on hilly slopes is called landslide. Our country is mountainous. Excluding the Terai region, the entire country has hills and mountains spread all around. Many a time, due to various reasons the land on hilly slopes gets destroyed. Landslide often occurs naturally. However, as a result of Various human activities, the occurrence of landslide in our country has increased. No single monsoon season goes without news of some major or minor landslide occurring. The Krishna Vhir, between Katmandu And Narayanghat has become notorious landslides troubling travelers throughout the year. Landslides also harmfully affect human beings and their possessions.

13. Landslide The downward slide of land on hilly slopes is called landslide. Our country is mountainous. Excluding the Terai region, the entire country has hills and mountains spread all around. Many a time, due to various reasons the land on hilly slopes gets destroyed. Landslide often occurs naturally. However, as a result of Various human activities, the occurrence of landslide in our country has increased. No single monsoon season goes without news of some major or minor landslide occurring. The Krishna Vhir, between Katmandu And Narayanghat has become notorious landslides troubling travelers throughout the year. Landslides also harmfully affect human beings and their possessions. Flood The overflow of water from rivers and streams into nearby lands is called a flood. Flood is a serious type of environmental degradation in our country. Environmental problem is directly related to surface water. As result of the excess amounts, sometimes flowing water breaks its embankment and overflows into nearby lands as flood. A large numbers of rivers flowing directly from the Himalayas. Every year, during the monsoons, many of these rivers flood nearby land causing great destruction to human beings and property. Pollution Pollution can be defined as an undesirable change in our air, water and land resources, which directly or indirectly cause harm to us. Pollution is also a major type of environmental degradation. Its impact is seen on almost all component of the environment including air, land and water. Pollution may be in the form of addition of undesirable chemicals e.g.; poisonous gases into the air by factories or it may be in the form of reduction of something useful from the environment e.g.; death of all fishes in the rivers. Pollution may be of the following types: Air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, land pollution, sound pollution

14. How Environmental Degradation Occurs: Environmental changes are based on many factors /causes including: Social factors Population Explosion Poverty Urbanization Sub Factors  Intensification of agriculture  Increase in energy use  Increase in transportation

15. ..continued  High quantity of Exhaust gases  Secondary Pollutants  High number of industries such as mining  Chemical effluents  Unplanned Land-use policies

35. Land Degradation

65. The effects of the major environmental problems on both health and productivity are: a. Water pollution and water scarcity b. Air pollution c. Solid and hazardous wastes d. Soil degradation e. Deforestation f. Loss of biodiversity g. Atmospheric changes

68. Some Solutions to Environmental Degradation afforestation drip irrigation mixed crops or crop rotation stocking your land Purchase recycled products Conserve water Conserve energy Be an advocate to save our planet!

69. Innovative Ideas………… Opt for sustainable and renewable way of living- GO GREEN 3 R ’s for green lifestyle R EDUCING R EUSING R ECYCLING

70. Thank You Lets Go Green………………