AGE 401: ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
E-NOTES LECTURE 3
By
Dr Matheaus K. Kauti, PhD {mkauti@seku.ac.ke}-{0722606398}
3.1 Introduction
This lecture discusses methods used in environmental conservation, techniques for promoting environmental conservation
3.2 Lecture objectives
By the end of this course the learner should be able to:
Explain the methods that are applied in environmental conservation
Outline the techniques for promoting environmental conservation
3.3 What are the Methods of Environmental Conservation?
Forest Conservation
We know that plants and trees are the essential sources of air, food as well as other day-to-day products we use. Forests are the dwelling place of different living creatures and a single disturbance in the ecosystem can cause disruption in the water cycle as well as the food chain. Thus, afforestation is amongst the core Environmental conservation and aims to plant more trees as well as save the existing ones from cutting down as trees play a crucial role in maintaining the ecological balance. Afforestation and reforestation help in conserving the forests, which are responsible for trapping absorbing a huge amount of carbon dioxide from reaching the atmosphere. We should make it our life mission to plant trees as much as possible, both on public and private lands, and take care of them. Additionally, legislation that protects the forests should be highlighted, so that we help in environmental conservation.
Soil Conservation
As one of the prominent methods for environmental conservation, the need for soil conservation has arisen to tackle the harmful effects of soil pollution. On earth, the soil is the main element that plays a pivotal role in soil erosion, land degradation and floods. Soil is filled with rich nutrients for plant production. Soil conservation can be carried out by ensuring minimal use of fertilizers and venomous chemicals as well as abolishing the disposal of harmful industrial waste in the soil. Soil conservation helps control erosions and improves the soil for agricultural purposes. We should plant more trees, protect pasture lands, and grow cover crops which regulate the blowing away of soils. We should also minimize the use of chemicals, use compost fertilizers and terrace farms on slopy lands.
Waste Management
Especially in developing countries and congested places, on a daily basis, a large amount of waste is thrown away recklessly on the streets and roads. The improper disposal of waste segregation can lead to various dreadful diseases as well as soil pollution. To ensure minimal wastage as well as facilitate waste disposal, we can opt for various techniques like the 3R’s, i.e. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle, dry and wet waste segregation, amongst others. Solid waste is produced by market areas, industries, homes, settlement areas and many other locations. We should therefore manage our solid wastes and help keep the environment healthy. Municipalities should also conduct programs that manage solid wastes, designating litter bins all over the towns and collecting the waste regularly. Additionally, we should teach ourselves how to manage our waste without littering all over. We should learn to recycle everything we can for as long as it is possible. Glass, paper, plastic and even metal are reusable, and should not be thrown away after its original use. about 90% of all plastic bottles do not reach recycling units and this is unfortunate. They are not biodegradable and about 500 billion of them are used every year. Reusing these bottles, containers, bags and more will help in environmental conservation.
Public Awareness
With the boom of information technology and the advent of digital media, public awareness pertaining to environmental conservation can potentially yield promising results. There is a dire need to aware the masses about the consequences of environmental pollution and degradation. Further, every individual should be made conscious of how they are polluting the environment and what steps can be taken to implement environment conservation, be it through using greener energy sources to following the 3Rs of Reduce, Recycle and Reuse. Make people aware of the consequences of our activities through the various means available such as social media, seminars and the traditional media. Also, discuss environmental protection with your friends and family members so that everyone is made aware of environmental conservation, ways to conserve the environment and potential consequences if we do not take care of the environment.
Pollution Control
As the increase in temperature is concerning, there is a need to keep a watch on the toxic compounds we ingest that pollute the atmosphere. We need to adopt environmentally sustainable methods to minimise multiple forms of emissions, such as eliminating waste, saving electricity, limiting the unnecessary usage of fertilisers, insecticides and pesticides, and using energy-efficient appliances, among others. We should regularly maintain our cars and leave them at home for as much as it is possible as they are a primary source of air pollution. Using rechargeable batteries helps the environment as we will not be prone to throwing them away once they are empty.
Composting also avoids littering, and not only does it protect the environment, but is also a reliable source of natural manure. Avoid chemical fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides and insecticides that pollute the environment. We should control pollution in as much as it is possible, to conserve the environment.
Water conservation
Clean, fresh and safe water is precious and not easily available. It is therefore very crucial to save as much water as possible, and prevent water pollution, otherwise, it will be scarce in years to come. Reduce the number of baths, take showers, use the washing machine only, do not discard waste in bodies of fresh water, and recycle, so that we conserve the little freshwater we have now.
Material Substitution
There are many possibilities of material substitution by which, the use of a material resource can be restricted by finding an alternative resource. The problem in this is that many materials have extensive uses and also joint uses.
Copper sheet can be substituted by aluminium, which at the same time would reduce demand for soldering agents made from and lead. Aluminium is being extensively substituted for tin, particularly, in the production of metal cans and containers. Plastics are being used for insulation and anti-corrosive purposes where lead and zinc respectively were previously used.
Product Life Extension
This is a method by which the durability of the product is extended by deliberate design, so that the need for replacement would be postponed. It is a common practice that many modern producers design the goods for early disposal by the consumers to serve twin purpose of:
(a) Boosting the sales and profits of the producing firm by encouraging consumers to go in for replacement of their goods more rapidly,
(b) Reflecting consumer’s apparent desire for rapid changes of their goods for the sake of novelty.
By extending the life of the product, the requirement of resource materials can be appreciably brought down.However, the product life extension method has some disadvantages. It requires the customers to hold on the goods for a longer period.
This will be possible only with substantial increase in the quality of the product to extend its durability. Otherwise, the product may become less suitable and the objective will be defeated. Thus, the product life extension has a potential role to play in conservation of resources.
Waste Reduction
The problem relating to conservation of resources exhibit in two ways, one to consume or exploit the resources in a minimal way and the other is to avoid or reduce wastage in the process of production. If greater attention is paid to the latter, i.e., waste reduction, it will automatically ensure lesser exploitation of resources.
Waste reduction can be achieved by appropriately redesigning industrial processes, so that there will be technological efficiency in utilizing the resource and avoidance of waste to the minimum. Further, the waste of one industry can be used as the raw material of another industry. In such a case, marketability of industrial wastes should be explored in the place of recycling. Sugar industry can be cited as an excellent example of either using its own wastes or marketing the waste materials.
The bagasse of the sugar mills (which is a by-product) is sold to paper mills where bagasse is the main raw material for manufacture of papers. Similarly, the molasses, a by-product of the sugar mill is used in the distillery of the mill or sold to some other distilleries.
The press-mud, another by-product is sold to fanners to be used as manure for their fields. The marketing of wastes offers solutions to the problem of externality and at the same time gives scope for earning revenue to the industry.
Techniques for promoting environmental conservation
1. Education
Environmentalism needs to be a bigger part of the education system, from elementary school on up. We should teach our young ones how to take care of the environment as well as the consequences of not doing so. For instance, create an event which sees school-going kids plant trees and take care of them for as long as they are in the institution. By the time they graduate, the trees will be bigger and will help the environment.
2. Talk about it/create awareness
Simply talk about environmental conservation in everyday life, blogs, vlogs, books, and articles. Also, elect leaders who are aware of environmental conservation and see the need to conserve the environment. Talk about it even in churches, in seminars, in school, and in other locations. Promote the cause and talk about it everywhere, not just in limited contexts.
3. Engage the community
Engage the community in tree-planting exercises as well as events that see the environment cleaned. For instance, in Rwanda, they have what is called ‘Umuganda’, which is a community clean-up exercise, held each last Saturday of each month, where everyone has to spend the day cleaning the environment and those who do not participate are fined.
4. Ban plastics
Plastics are responsible for a dirtier environment. They ought to be banned and people should learn to either recycle or reuse them or fail to use them at all.
5. Create legislation that promotes environmental conservation
Governments should come up with legislation that promotes environmental conservation. This should also be done on an international level, led by international agencies such as the United Nation with its UN Environment Program.
