Our Living Environment English-1 Unit-5

Our Living Environment (Unit-5)

Major steps we need to take to protect the environment

Environment comprises of the wild life, forest wealth, natural resources and our surroundings. As humans, we have the responsibility to protect the environment. We need to understand its importance, first. When we start destructing the nature, we ourselves get destructed. Cutting down of trees results in global warming and less rainfall. It results in less farming.

Increased use of gadgets, ACs, electrical appliances generates heat and radiation. Building sky scrapers, usage of glass in construction, erecting cell towers, using pesticides, plastic usage, dumping waste in rivers—are a few to quote, that cause harm to the environment.

We should take some measures to protect our living environment.

Any kind of plastic usage should be totally stopped. We should make a habit of carrying our own bag while going shopping. It is good to use jute or paper bags. Number of vehicles per home shall be lessened. It is good to use public transportation. We can thereby save fuel as well as lessen the air pollution. It also helps in lessening the traffic on roads.

Polluting the environment with crackers on every occasion should be controlled. Polluting water with the immersion of Pop made idols shall be banned. Cleanliness is also an important aspect. Littering the roads shall not be encouraged. Public urination and defecation shall be controlled.
Usage of glass in construction shall be limited.

Man has destructed the wild life directly by trapping and shooting the animals; cutting down and burning forests; and by introducing enemies in a place where there were no enemies. Indirect causes for destruction are—building the sky scrapers, usage of glass in construction, generating radiation, polluting the environment, building cell towers. Man has become the reason behind vanishing animals.

Measures are to be taken to protect the species. Creation of reserves, national parks, reintroducing the animals into their regions is to be done. The animal habitat needs to be protected. All possible measures are to be taken with utmost care.

If we protect the nature; it protects us.

Sentences matching the cause and effect using connectors (page 84, 85)

A couple of blackbuck died because of a vehicle accident in IIT.

Since a vehicle accident occurred in IIT, a couple of blackbuck died.

A couple of blackbuck died as there was a vehicle accident in IIT.

A vehicle accident occurred in IIT. Therefore, a couple of blackbuck died.

There was a vehicle accident in IIT. Consequently, a couple of blackbuck died.

A couple of blackbuck died as a result of vehicle accident in IIT.

Death of deer happened because of stray dogs on campuses.

There were stray dogs on campuses. Therefore, death of deer happened.

Creation of ponds to provide water is made so as to ensure safety of the animals.

Creation of ponds to provide water is made. As a result, safety of animals is ensured.

Since there was fencing of buildings inside the IIT campus, it hampers free movement of animals.

Fencing of buildings is there inside the IIT campus. Consequently, it hampers the free movement of animals.

Role play (Animals as pets—page 85)

A: Hello B, I'm sorry to bring this up, but your dog has been giving me sleepless nights. It barks  

     all the time which is very inconvenient to me.

B: I’m sorry for that, but it doesn't bark all the time. It does, only when it suspects. It not only

     protects my house, but also yours.

A: It sees me everyday; it still barks at me. Do you say it is protecting my house from me? It

     scares me like anything. Why do you raise it? Don't you find any difficulty in maintaining it,

     cleaning, serving food, taking for a walk and all?

B: Come on, it is not at all a difficulty. I love doing all those. Raising a pet is like having another

     member in family. These animals are selfless and faithful.

A: Of course, but they do lick our feet. I am allergic to it. I am also worried about the cleanliness.

     I think twice before I eat anything offered when I see a pet.

B: You can't sound so harsh. They show their affection through their actions. We need to

       understand that. By the way, pets are like stress busters. They drive away our loneliness.   

      They don't have mood swings like people. It's fun to spend time with them.

A: Aren't you being selfish? How can you cage a bird or raise an animal? Doesn't it take away

     their freedom?

B: No way. I am providing everything to it including love and affection.

A: But you have separated it from its family, its breed and its natural life. Think about it. All I

     want to suggest is—it is not so good to raise pets.

B: Oh no! This is ridiculous. But, I will think about it.

Salim Ali (pages 87-91)

Salim Ali was the first Indian ornithologist and environmentalist who made an excellent contribution to the field of conservation. He dedicated his life to the study of birds. He was instrumental in protecting the bird life through his work as well as by setting up national parks and reserves like the Keoladeo Ghana in Rajasthan and Silent Valley Park in Kerala. He is well known as the 'Birdman of India'.

Young Ali

As a young boy, Salim Ali used to buy birds just to set them free. One day, he found the dead body of a bird. He took it to the Bombay Natural History Society. A member identified it as yellow throated sparrow. Ali was impressed with the man's knowledge and decided to apply for study of birds. He recollects many such incidents in his autobiography, 'Fall of a Sparrow'. It was a very lively work, full of wit and humour.

His work and contributions

Salim Ali was a naturalist and an explorer too. He travelled every inch of India. He journeyed through forests and deserts, not bothering about the dangers. India shelters more than 2000 species of birds. Ali studied a large number of them. He also researched economic ornithology. It studied about food and feeding habits of birds.

He authored several books. Some of them are-

·         Fall of a Sparrow (autobiography)

·         Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (10 volumes)

·         Book of Indian Birds

·         Bird books of Kutch, Kerala, Sikkim, Indian hill birds

All his books are like a Bible for all the bird watchers in India.

Awards received by Salim Ali

·         The Paul Ghetty international award

·         The Golden ARK of the IUCN

·         The Gold Medal of the British Ornithology Union

·         Padmashree

·         Padma Vibhushan

Ali's discoveries

He found that pale color of desert animals is due to greater exposure to ultra violet rays.
The area that fascinated him was the camouflaging colour in desert animals and birds.
He opines that birds destroy cereal crops and fruit crop; but they are helpful in controlling pests. They also help in cross pollination. Ali rediscovered a rare species, a double banded bird, in the scrub forests of Andhra Pradesh.

Collecting specimens

Ali mentions in his autobiography that it was necessary for him to kill some birds while collecting specimens. He says that he didn't enjoy the killing. Moreover, he used to feel bad about that. It gave him pain, but it didn't stop him.

He didn't let his love for birds overshadow the ornithologist in him. He treated birds as his friends and tried to save them, protect them and let them free. But he had to kill them as a part of research; to know more about them, which helps in protecting them. He wasn’t sentimental when killing was a must and for the benefit of birds.

Salim Ali’s scientific temper

Salim Ali worked for more than 50 years. All these years, he was immersed in his work. It was non-stop work. He put his heart and soul in it. He never worked for name or fame. He dedicated his life to it. Researchers should learn this scientific temper from him. It is a method, a discipline and goes hand in hand with continuous, undisturbed silent work.

He was nominated to the Rajyasabha in 1985. In 1987, at the age of 91, Salim Ali died of prostate cancer. The legendary birdman is no more, but his legacy lives on.

Vanishing animals (pages—92 to 94)

Gerald Durrell, proprietor of the Jersey Zoo, has written several books on endangered birds and animals. According to him, man has been the reason behind this, either directly or indirectly.

Cutting down the trees, burning the forests, hunting and trapping the animals are the direct reasons behind extinction of birds and animals. Also, man indirectly causes threat to their living by building sky scrapers, using glasses for construction, polluting the environment and generating radiation by erecting cell towers. The author talks about another major cause for destruction of wild life. That is, introducing enemies in a region where there were no enemies earlier.

The Dodo, a harmless, innocent pigeon became extinct with the introduction of enemies. Dodos used to live happily in the secure island of Mauritius. The bird was so safe that it also lost its ability to fly. Then, in 1507, man entered the island with his mates—the dogs, cats, pigs, goats and rats. The Dodo even lost its ability to sense the enemy and it continued walking on the ground, among these new arrivals.

Slowly, the goats ate away the shrubs. The cats and dogs hunted and ate the old Dodos. The pigs ate the eggs and infants. The rats finished the feast. This went on for years; and by 1681, the Dodo has become extinct.

Gerald says that the number of wild animals has been reducing all over the world. There is a need to protect them. Creation of sanctuaries and reserves is necessary. Reintroduction of animals is also necessary. In Canada, the beavers are reintroduced into certain areas through aeroplanes. But, it is to be done to all animals, even though they are not economically important.

Animals must be preserved because animal life is precious.

Animals at night (page-95)

Categories of animals

The animal kingdom can be divided into four categories—

1. Diurnal--these are animals that are active during the day

2. Nocturnal--these are the animals that are active during the night

3. Crepuscular--these are animals that move during the twilight hours

4. Arrhythmic--these are animals that move during both day time and night.

Senses used at night

Animals find their way in dark, using their special senses. Owls use their powerful eyesight to detect a moving mouse even in one millionth of a candle light. They also use their kinesthetic senses to move in their familiar territory

Snakes use their sense of smell and sense of heat. Bats respond to sound waves and hence find their way.

Other activities in dark

Animals chase, hunt and feed themselves during the night. Animals like raccoons play. Courting and mating also happens during night.

Techniques used to record the night activity

These night activities are recorded using the infrared telescopes and other advanced technology. Also, almost all animals are blind to red light. So, torch with red mask is also used in forests.

Paragraph writing (page 100)

Environment Day

Every year, our college celebrates Environment Day. It falls on 5th June. It is observed worldwide to raise global awareness to take positive environmental action to protect nature and earth. It is every person's responsibility to protect the environment. In this regard, we hold some awareness programmes in our college. This year, took part in the 2k run raising awareness in public. We also conducted a competition. Every student has to come up with ideas to protect the environment. There was good response for the event and many students participated in the competition. Drawing and elocution competitions were also held. The chief guest was felicitated with a plant, marking the event. The event was telecasted on local TV channels too. We spent our time in a worthy gathering. Everyone shared and learnt a lot in a lively atmosphere. We took an oath to protect the environment.

 

Save Trees, Save Life

Trees are our lifeline. Forest wealth is the greatest treasure which we should protect. There are many benefits of trees. We use the wood to make furniture; we use the pulp to make paper; we get rubber and wax from trees; we use the bark and roots as spices and medicine. Trees protect us from pollution. They give us oxygen. But humans destruct this forest wealth by cutting down the trees. This deforestation causes global warming which is a major threat to humans as well as the wild life. This was noticed many years ago. The chipko movement, which was against deforestation, was started in 1961. The need to protect forest wealth was understood. Along with protecting, we should also take measures to increase it. The van mahotsav, which was started in 1950s, does the same. It is an initiation taken by the government to plant trees every year in the first week of July. Alongside, environmental awareness should be created. We can involve the media, film industry, authors, celebrities, educationalists and environmentalists in achieving this. Let's go with the quote--'The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago; the next best is today'.