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6. Differentiate between biodegradable and non-biodegradable substances.
Ans. Biodegradable substances are those substances that get decomposed or get decayed on their own by using natural
agents and get mixed in the soil, for example plants, animals and their waste paper, etc.
Non-Biodegradable substances are those substances that don’t get decomposed or get decayed on their own and
don t mix with the soil, for example plastic, chemicals, paint, etc. So non-biodegradable resources are hazardous.
One of the most hazardous non-biodegradable resources that is posing a threat to the environment is plastic.
. Explain any four factors causing Imbalance in the environment.
Ans. i. Population: The increasing population results in increasing demands and services. Increasing population is
affecting our natural ecosystem as our mother nature has got a certain capacity to fulfill every living being s
requirement. Its resources are limited but we are overburdening it with our unlimited demands for more food,
infrastructure (i.e. buildings, factories, transportation) and facilities.
ii. Deforestation: Cutting down trees and elimination of forests leads to disturbance of the natural habitat
of living organisms. We all know that plants and trees are one of the major factors that cause rainfall and
disturbing them leads to scanty rainfall which in turn causes water crisis. Percentage of fresh breathable
natural air and quality of air is also decreasing at an alarming rate. It leads to various unusual climatic changes
that are not in accordance with the natural cycle.
iii. Mining: The process of digging the earth for the extraction of the ores results in erosion, formation of
sinkholes, and contamination of soils that cause severe damage to the environment. It disturbs the natural
living and breeding place of various living organisms and the life of people residing in the nearby areas. It
leads to soil erosion, landslide, noise pollution and contamination of surface and groundwater due to the
chemicals released during the extraction process.
iv. Pollution: It is the contamination of the environment (land, air and water) due to the presence of some
unnatural elements i.e., pollutants. Pollutants are harmful. They can be in solid, liquid or gaseous form.
For example poisonous gases emitted from factories vehicles, chemicals garbage dumped in the
waterbodies, excessive sound of vehicles, etc. oise pollution is caused due to the sound generated by
industrial & constructional activities, factory equipment, generators, electric saws, drills and other machinery.
8. What is green economy? What is the importance of green economy?
Ans. reen economy can be defined as an economy with a vision of growth and development for mankind while
reducing environmental risks or ecological imbalance. It encourages the overall development of humans in
compliance with the laws of nature. It helps in economic growth while maintaining a balance in the environment
in which the development takes place without being harmful to the environment or human health.
We all can admit to one fact that development can be categorized in two ways - one in which there is self-
growth i.e., restricted to a particular individual or organisation and the other in which all the stakeholders get
some kind of benefits in some way or the other. Encouraging and practising green economy is the second
category of development that helps a healthy life for all. Boosting green economy can have some additional
benefits too, such as:
Saving natural resources Better health conditions of human beings
Better natural tourist destinations Pollution-free environment
Longevity in life Peaceful coexistence of other animals
Abundance of natural healing and natural medicines
Less chaos and a peaceful lifestyle
9. What is the difference between renewable and non-renewable natural resources?
Ans. Renewable Resources: It includes the sources of energy that can be reused or regenerated. If renewable
resources are obtained from living things, (such as trees and animals) they are called organic renewable
resources. If renewable resources are obtained from non-living things, (such as water, sun and wind) they are
called inorganic renewable resources.
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