ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability, disorder, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem i.e. physical systems or living organisms. Pollution can take the form of chemical substances or energy, such as noise, heat, or light. Pollutants, the elements of pollution, can be foreign substances or energies, or naturally occurring; when naturally occurring, they are considered contaminants when they exceed natural levels.
TYPES OF ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
NOISE POLLUTION Noise pollution is excessive, displeasing human, animal or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life. The word noise comes from the Latin word nauseas, meaning seasickness.
Indoor and outdoor noise pollution sources include car alarms, emergency service sirens, mechanical equipment, fireworks, compressed air horns , grounds keeping equipment, barking dogs, appliances, lighting hum, audio entertainment systems, electric megaphones, and loud people.
AIR POLLUTION
An air pollutant is known as a substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the environment. Pollutants can be in the form of solid particles, liquid droplets, or gases. In addition, they may be natural or man-made.
Pollutants can be classified as primary or secondary. Usually, primary pollutants are directly emitted from a process, such as ash from a volcanic eruption, the carbon monoxide gas from a motor vehicle exhaust or sulfur dioxide released from factories. Secondary pollutants are not emitted directly. Rather, they form in the air when primary pollutants react or interact. An important example of a secondary pollutant is ground level ozone — one of the many secondary pollutants that make up photochemical smog. Some pollutants may be both primary and secondary: that is, they are both emitted directly and formed from other primary pollutants.
About 4 percent of deaths in the United States can be attributed to air pollution, according to the Environmental Science Engineering Program at the Harvard School of Public Health
WATER POLLUTION
Water pollution has become increasingly troubling in the last few decades. Even though many new laws have been enacted to try to protect the water sources there is still much work to be done to keep the water systems of the world clean and pollution free. One way that information can be spread about the problems regarding water pollution is by writing water pollution articles. Water pollution articles are very helpful ways to get out information about the causes of water pollution as well as the devastating effects of it. When water pollution articles are distributed to the general public it raises the awareness of the problem which help to change public opinion. If no one knows that water pollution is a problem than nothing can be done to fix it. By writing informative and well written water pollution articles a lot of good can be done for the environment.
Some water pollution articles highlight the sources of water pollution. Much pollution is dumped into the rivers, lakes, and streams as a result of poor farming practices and poor industrial management. There are not enough checks and balances and many industries are slipping below the radar in regards to waste removal. Water pollution articles that are written to expose the sources of much of the pollution can cause a public outcry and result in a change of policy. Water pollution articles also can tell of the damage that is done by contaminants being dumped into the water. In India millions of children have dies as a result of drinking contaminated water. The polluted waters cause diarrhea which leads to dehydration and eventually causes death. Polluted waters are also breeding grounds for vermin and mosquitoes which carry diseases and cause serious sicknesses. Some waters have an unhealthy level of nitrates in them as a result of large farms and feed lots. Waters that have high levels of nitrates are very dangerous to humans and have been known to cause blue baby syndrome which causes the death of infants.
RADIOACTIVE POLLUTION The radioactive pollution is defined as the physical pollution of air, water and the other radioactive materials. The ability of certain materials to emit the proton, gamma rays and electrons by their nuclei is known as the radioactivity. The protons are known as the alpha particle and the electrons are also known as the beta particle. Those materials are known as the radioactive elements. The environmental radiations can be from different sources and can be natural or manmade. The natural radiations are also known as the background radiations. In this the cosmic rays are involved and reach the surface of earth from space. It includes the radioactive elements like radium, uranium, thorium, radon, potassium and carbon. These occur in the rock, soil and water. The man made radiations include the mining and refining of plutonium and thorium. This production and explosion of nuclear weapons include the nuclear fuels, power plants and radioactive isotopes. The first atom bomb was exploded in the Japan in the year 1945. It affected the Hiroshima and Nagasaki cities. It adversely affected the flora, fauna and humans of that area. In spite of these destructions the nuclear race is still going on between different nations. The nuclear arms are tested with the production of nuclear weapons. The radioactive elements are produced in the environment and affect other materials also. It includes the strontium, radium and iodine. The gases and particles are produced by the radioactive materials. They are carried by the wind and the rain brings down the radioactive particles to the ground which is referred as nuclear fallout. The soil transfers these radioactive substances to the plants and ultimately they reach the human body and cause many side effects. The iodine may affect the white blood cells, bone marrow, spleen, lymph, skin cancer, sterility, eye and damage to the lung. The strontium has the ability to aggregate in the bones and form a bone cancer and leads to tissue degeneration. The radioactive materials are passed through the land to water and cause an adverse effect on the aquatic animals. They reach to human through the food chain. The nuclear power generates a lot of energy which is used to run turbines and produces electricity. The fuel and the coolant produce a large amount of pollution in the environment. The atomic reactors are also rich in the radioactive materials. There biggest problem is in their disposal and if they are not properly disposed they can harm the living organisms. If they escape they can cause a hell lot of destruction. The gases escape as a vapor and cause pollution on the land and water. The use of radioactive isotopes is multipurpose. They are of a great scientific value and they may be present in the waste water. From these water resources they reach to the human body via food chain. The people who work in power plants have more chances of the exposure to harmful radiations. The human beings also receive the radiation and radiotherapy from the x rays.
Effects on Human health
Overview of main health effects on humans from some common types of pollution.
Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation, chest pain, and congestion. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. An estimated 700 million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of diarrhoeal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking water. 656,000 people die prematurely each year in CHINA because of air pollution. In India, air pollution is believed to cause 527,700 fatalities a year. Studies have estimated that the number of people killed annually in the US could be over 50,000.
Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and neurologic symptoms. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are also at serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth defects.
Environmental issues in Pakistan
Environmental issues in Pakistan threaten the population’s health and have been disturbing the balance between economic development and environmental protection. As a great problem for the nature and nation of Pakistan and As Pakistan is a large importer of both exhaustible and renewable natural resources and a large consumer of fossil fuels, the Ministry of Environment of Government of Pakistan takes responsibility to conserve and protect the environment.
Current issues:
water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification
Little attention was paid to pollution and environmental issues in Pakistan until the early 1990s. Related concerns, such as sanitation and potable water, received earlier scrutiny. In 1987 only about 6 percent of rural residents and 51 percent of urban residents had access to sanitary facilities; in 1990 a total of 97.6 million Pakistanis, or approximately 80 percent of the population, had no access to flush toilets. Greater success has been achieved in bringing potable water within reach of the people; nearly half the population enjoyed such access by 1990. However, researchers at the Pakistan Medical Research Council, recognizing that a large proportion of diseases in Pakistan are caused by the consumption of polluted water, have been questioning the "safe" classification in use in the 1990s. Even the 38 percent of the population that receives its water through pipelines runs the risk of consuming seriously contaminated water, although the problem varies by area. In Punjab, for example, as much as 90 percent of drinking water comes from groundwater, as compared with only 9 percent in Sindh.
The central government's Perspective Plan (1988–2003) and previous five-year plans do not mention sustainable development strategies. Further, there have been no overarching policies focused on sustainable development and conservation. The state has focused on achieving self sufficiency in food production, meeting energy demands, and containing the high rate of population growth, not on curtailing pollution or other environmental hazards.
Karachi is the finanIn 1992 Pakistan's National Conservation Strategy Report attempted to redress the previous inattention to the nation's mounting environmental problem. Drawing on the expertise of more than 3,000 people from a wide array of political affiliations, the government produced a document outlining the current state of environmental health, its sustainable goals, and viable program options for the future.
karachi is the financial capital of Pakistan
Of special concern to environmentalists is the diminishing forest cover in watershed regions of the northern highlands, which has only recently come under close scrutiny. Forest areas have been thoughtlessly denuded. Deforestation, which occurred at an annual rate of 0.4 percent in 1989-90, has contributed directly to the severity of the flooding problem faced by the nation in the early 1990s.
Pollution:
As industry has expanded, factories have emitted more and more toxic effluents into the air and water. The number of textile and food processing mills in rural Punjab has grown greatly since the mid-1970s, resulting in pollution of its rivers and irrigation canals. Groundwater quality throughout the country has also suffered from rapidly increasing use of pesticides and fertilizers aimed at promoting more intensive cropping and facilitating self-sufficiency in food production.
The National Conservation Strategy Report has documented how solid and liquid excreta are the major source of water pollution in the country and the cause of widespread waterborne diseases. Because only just over half of urban residents have access to sanitation, the remaining urban excreta are deposited on roadsides, into waterways, or incorporated into solid waste. Additionally, only three major sewage treatment plants exist in the country; two of them operate intermittently. Much of the untreated sewage goes into irrigation systems, where the wastewater is reused, and into streams and rivers, which become sewage carriers at low-flow periods. Consequently, the vegetables grown from such wastewater have serious bacteriological contamination. Gastroenteritis, widely considered in medical circles to be the leading cause of death in Pakistan, is transmitted through waterborne pollutants.
Motor cycles and scooters are major polluters in the cities
Low-lying land is generally used for solid waste disposal, without the benefit of sanitary landfill methods. The National Conservation Strategy has raised concerns about industrial toxic wastes also being dumped in municipal disposal areas without any record of their location, quantity, or toxic composition. Another important issue is the contamination of shallow groundwater near urban industries that discharge wastes directly into the ground.
Water in Karachi is so contaminated that almost all residents boil it before consuming it. Because sewerage and water lines have been laid side by side in most parts of the city, leakage is the main cause of contamination. High levels of lead also have been found in water in Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Air pollution has also become a major problem in most cities. There are no controls on vehicular emissions, which account for 90 percent of pollutants. The National Conservation Strategy Report claims that the average Pakistani vehicle emits twenty-five times as much carbon monoxide, twenty times as many hydrocarbons, and more than three and one-half times as much nitrous oxide in grams per kilometer as the average vehicle in the United States.
Another major source of pollution, not mentioned in the National Conservation Strategy Report, is noise. The hyper-urbanization experienced by Pakistan since the 1960s has resulted in loose controls for heavy equipment operation in densely populated areas, as well as in crowded streets filled with buses, trucks, automobiles, and motorcycles, which often honk at each other and at the horse-drawn tangas (used for transporting people) and the horse-drawn rehras (used for transporting goods).
Main article: List of natural disasters in Pakistan
Pakistan is subject to frequent earthquakes which are often severe (especially in north and west) and severe flooding along the Indus after heavy rains (July and August). Landslides are common in the northern mountains.
Climate change
New data from millennium-long tree-ring analyses are indicating that mountains in northern Pakistan have grown significantly wetter over the past century than they had been over the last millennium — quite possibly due to human-induced global warming. In Karakoram and Himalaya mountains in northern Pakistan, the upper reaches of the Indus Valley (which supplies the world's largest irrigation network), a group of researchers collected samples of Juniper tree rings that dated back as far as 828.
Economic effects
The availability of natural resources is limited by the dry climate and mountainous terrain, substantial population growth is increasing pressure on the resource base, and resource management has suffered from the emphasis on rapid economic growth and often-unregulated forms of economic productivity. As a result, human transformation of the environment is manifest in several problems. Population growth and poor water infrastructure have reduced per capita water availability from 53,000 cubic meters to 1,200 cubic meters, and heavy reliance on firewood has contributed to the world’s second highest rate of deforestation. Poor agricultural practices have led to soil erosion, groundwater degradation, and other problems that have hindered crop output and contributed to health problems for rural communities. Solid waste burning, low-quality fuels, and the growing use of fuel-inefficient motor vehicles have contributed to air pollution that in some cities—such as Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi—has exceeded levels deemed safe by the World Health Organization. And Pakistan is suffering a lot from droughts from the dry climates.
Conservation efforts
The government has expressed concern about environmental threats to economic growth and social development and, since the early 1990s, has addressed environmental concerns with new legislation and institutions such as the Pakistan Environment Protection Council. Yet, foreign lenders provide most environmental protection funds, and only 0.04 percent of the government’s development budget goes to environmental protection. Thus, the government’s ability to enforce environmental regulations is limited, and private industries often lack funds to meet environmental standards established by international trade organizations.
National Conservation Strategy
The National Conservation Strategy Report has three explicit objectives: conservation of natural resources, promotion of sustainable development, and improvement of efficiency in the use and management of resources. It sees itself as a "call for action" addressed to central and provincial governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), local communities, and individuals. The primary agricultural nonpoint source pollutants are nutrients (particularly nitrogen and phosphorus), sediment, animal wastes, pesticides, and salts. Agricultural nonpoint sources enter surface water through direct surface runoff or through seepage to ground water that discharges to a surface water outlet. Various farming activities result in the erosion of soil particles. The sediment produced by erosion can damage fish habitat and wetlands and, in addition, often transports excess agricultural chemicals resulting in contaminated runoff. This runoff in turn affects changes to aquatic habitat such as temperature increases and decreased oxygen. The most common sources of excess nutrients in surface water from nonpoint sources are chemical fertilizers and manure from animal facilities. Such nutrients cause eutrophication in surface water. Pesticides used for pest control in agricultural operations can also contaminate surface as well as ground-water resources. Return flows, runoff, and leachate from irrigated lands may transport sediment, nutrients, salts, and other materials. Finally, improper grazing practices in riparian, as well as upland areas, can also cause water quality degradationable development of Pakistan is viewed as a multigenerational enterprise. In seeking to transform attitudes and practices, the National Conservation Strategy recognizes that two key changes in values are needed: the restoration of the conservation ethic derived from Islamic moral values, called qanaat, and the revival of community spirit and responsibility, haquq-ul-abad.
The National Conservation Strategy Report recommends fourteen program areas for priority implementation: maintaining soils in croplands, increasing efficiency of irrigation, protecting watersheds, supporting forestry and plantations, restoring rangelands and improving livestock, protecting water bodies and sustaining fisheries, conserving biodiversity, increasing energy efficiency, developing and deploying renewable resources, preventing or decreasing pollution, managing urban wastes, supporting institutions to manage common resources, integrating population and environmental programs, and preserving the cultural heritage. It identifies sixty-eight specific programs in these areas, each with a long-term goal and expected outputs and physical investments required within ten years. Special attention has been paid to the potential roles of environmental NGOs, women's organizations, and international NGOs in working with the government in its conservation efforts.
Recommendations from the National Conservation Strategy Report are incorporated in the Eighth Five-Year Plan (1993–98).
In a recent study conducted by Global CLEAN campaign, it was found that the average temperature in Pakistan had risen by .2 degrees in only 2 years, This is a dramatic change and puts emphasis on Climate Change Campaigns.
Land use
* Arable land - 27%
* Permanent crops - 1%
* Permanent pastures - 6%
* Forests and woodland - 5%
* Other - 61% (1993 est.)
* Irrigated land: 171,100 km² (1993 est.)
Although Pakistan is not rated as top in any other aspect but in case of pollution, among the top 10 countries pakistan is ranked as second!!!
Peru is 1 because the grass is never greener
2. Pakistan: Because Cleanliness is the New Virtue
There is hardly any attention paid to the environmental issues in Pakistan. Potable water and sanitation are the main problems in this country. Almost 80 percent of the total population in Pakistan does not have flush toilets.
Research conducted by the Pakistan Medical Research Council show that a large number of people with diseases in Pakistan suffer specific health problem because of the consumption of polluted water. A whopping 38 percent of the entire population of Pakistan receive water that run through dirty pipelines, which, in turn, may lead to the consumption of seriously contaminated water.
National Conservation Strategy
In the 1980s World Wildlife Fund (WWF), United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and IUCN-World Conservation Union collaborated to formulate the World Conservation Strategy to 'save the world'. After IUCN started its work in Pakistan the government and IUCN worked to formulate the National Conservation Strategy for Pakistan over a three-year period. The NCS is a plan to integrate environmental concerns into Pakistan's economy. The implementation of the strategy started with the formation of institutions such as the Environmental Section in the Federal Planning and Development Division and the Sustainable Development Policy Institute.
Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)
Pakistan ratified this convention in 1992 with 161 nations at the Earth Summit at Rio. Consequently, Pakistan became a contributor and beneficiary to the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) set up under the convention. It is also taking initiatives in community level projects to conserve biodiversity.
Ghazi-Barotha Hydropower Project
The project has the capacity to produce 1,450 mw of electricity. With this project, the Water and Power Department for the first time took efforts to study the environment and to include environmental considerations.
UN Convention on Combating Desrtification (CCD)
This is an international treaty for collaborative action against damage and poverty in dry lands. Pakistan signed this in 1997 and is in the process of developing its National Action Plan to fight desertification, which afflicts about 45 million hectares. A local NGO, Society for Conservation and Protection of Environment (SCOPE) is active in this area.
Maintaining Biodiversity with Rural Community Development.
IUCN - Pakistan and the Government of NWFP's Wildlife Department jointly implement this project. Rural communities are active partners in this project and over 40 villages were involved in the first two years.Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPCS)
In 1996, The Government of NWFP approached IUCN to formulate and implement the SPCS. This was the principal plan to implement the National conservation Strategy. The strategy has spurred the governments of Baluchistan and the Northern Areas to emulate this move.
Pakistan Environmental Protection Bill 1997 (PEPA)
PEPA supplements the 1983 Environmental Protection Ordinance with more functions for the Environmental Protection Agencies, and new laws dealing with pollution. It also rationalizes the Environmental Protection Council ABOUT IUCN:
IUCN, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, helps the world find pragmatic solutions to our most pressing environment and development challenges by supporting scientific research; managing field projects all over the world; and bringing governments, NGOs, the UN, international conventions and companies together to develop policy, laws and best practice.
The world's oldest and largest global environmental network, IUCN is a democratic membership union with more than 1,000 government and NGO member organizations, and almost 11,000 volunteer scientists and experts in some 160 countries. IUCN's work is supported by over 1,000 professional staff in 60 offices and hundreds of partners in public, NGO and private sectors around the world. IUCN's headquarters are located in Gland, near Geneva, in Switzerland.
IUCN Director General Julia Marton-Lefèvre
PAST PROJECTS BY IUCN IN PAKISTAN
Following are the notable archived projects by IUCN in Pakistan.
* Building Coalitions for Change to Implement Pro-Poor Environmental Fiscal Reforms (EFR)
Environmental Fiscal Reforms
* Environmental Rehabilitation Project in NWFP and Punjab (ERNP)
* HKKH Partnership Project
* Improving livelihoods in Shigar through integrated planning and development of the cultural, natural and built environments
* Mountain Areas Conservancy Project (MACP)
* Pakistan Environment Programme (PEP)
* Post-Earthquake Reconstruction and Revitalization of Extension Services Management Academy (ESMA)
* Programme Support for Northern Pakistan (PSNP)
* Road to Copenhagen: Strengthening Pakistan’s Participation at COP 15
* Sind Programme
* Sarhad Provincial Conservation Strategy (SPCS)
* Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP)
* Technical Advisory Panel on Climate Change (TAP-CC)
* World Commission on Dams - Consultative Process in Pakistan (WCD-CPP)
some of the details of the above projects is discussed.
Pakistan Environment Programme (PEP)
The Pakistan Environment Programme (PEP), initiated in July 1994, has supported the twin purposes of (a) capacity building of the partner organizations themselves as the key institutions for sustaining the environment agenda in Pakistan, and (b) capacity building for the environment in the country at large, through activities of the PEP partners.
A number of internal and external projects evaluations carried out by CIDA and PEP partners show that the programme has significantly progressed in achieving its objectives. However, capacity building for the environment in Pakistan is an unfinished agenda. The PEP partners believe that there is a need and value for extending PEP beyond its mandated lifetime with a wider donor base, for them to operationalize their capacities to integrate the environment and development agenda in Pakistan. Their increased outreach at the national, sub-national and local levels would have far reaching impact on the environment sector of Pakistan.
The goal of PEP is to “improve Pakistan’s capacity to achieve environmentally sustainable forms of economic and social development.”
This is consistent with the country’s aspirations for a rich natural resource base that will both fuel more equitable and sustainable economic development for the benefit of its people and make a positive contribution to a healthy global environment.
The Program was implemented for seven and a half years, with an extension of three years commencing from December 2002. The overall goal for PEP Extension remains the same.
Mountain Areas Conservancy Project (MACP)
The goal of the Mountain Areas Conservancy Project (MACP) is to protect biodiversity and ensure its sustainable use in Pakistan’s Karakorum, Hindu Kush, and Western Himalayas mountain ranges through community-based conservation approach.
The project has seven measurable objectives or outputs:
1. Develop and strengthen capacity to conserve biodiversity at the community level.
2. Impart conservation values and provide avenues for information sharing on management of wild resources.
3. Monitor the effects of project activities on biodiversity and on socio-economic indicators.
4. Assist communities in attracting outside support for long-term eco-development.
5. Develop a knowledge base about components of biodiversity, particularly those suitable for sustainable use.
6. Assist government in revising policy and legislation to better support participatory conservation.
7. Establish and operationalize endowment funds to sustain conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity at valley and conservancy level.
The program three main project components are:
* to organize, empower, and boost the capacity of local communities to conserve biodiversity at an ecological level;
* to enhance the relative values of wild resources (as a conservation incentive) by promoting their sustainable use; and
* to create a policy, legislation, and financial framework conducive to community-based conservation. Locally appropriate conservation committees will be organized at the valley and district levels.
IUCN holds Seminar on Marine Turtle Conservation, Experts discuss issues, threats and the way forward
KARACHI February 10: IUCN Pakistan’s Baluchistan Programme arranged a seminar to highlight the state of the marine turtles in Pakistan.
Highlight of the seminar was the presentation by world renowned marine expert, Dr. Nicholas J. Pilchar, Founder and Executive Director, Marine Research Foundation, Sabah, Malaysia, Co-Chair, IUCN Species Survival Commission’s Marine Turtle Specialist Group IUCN’s marine expert from Gwadar, Asghar Shah, gave a presentation about the threats to turtle population along the Baluchistan, and the threats faced by it as many trawlers do not use the Turtle Excluder Devices, because of which many turtles die as bi-catch. Threats were compounded by the egg poachers who exported the eggs. He informed that amongst the nesting turtle that were found on Pakistan’s shores were the Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the Olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea), while the Hawksbill Turtle, Loggerhead Turtle and Leather back Turtle are the visiting turtles.
Ahmad Khan of the Pakistan Wetlands Programme presented finding of the turtles visiting the shores of Pakistan and stressed on the need for monitoring their migration patterns. He explained how they had already collected data through tagging the turtles and monitoring them through satellite tagging.
PAKISTANI MEDIA PROMOTES ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION THROUGH PARTNERSHIP WITH WWF PAKISTAN:
Karachi, 9 February - SAMAA TV and the World Wide Fund for Nature Pakistan (WWF Pakistan) have embarked on an innovative nation-wide partnership at WWF Pakistan's Wetlands Centre located in Kakapir Village near Sandspit. The partnership intends to enhance public awareness on critical environment challenges, bringing forth the collective and individual responsibility for nurturing the natural resources and associated biodiversity in the country.
The MOU was signed by Dr. Ghulam Akbar, Regional Director WWF and Mr. Amir Jahangir, CEO, SAMAA TV. Dr. Ejaz Ahmad, Deputy Director General, WWF Pakistan, Mr. Anwar Naseem, Director Finance and Administration, WWF Pakistan, Ms. Marriyum Aurangzeb, Head-Corporate Relation WWF, Mr. Jonathan Mark Director SAMAA TV and Ms. Hina Akhtar, Senior Manager Strategic Communications, SAMAA TV and other senior officials of both the organizations were also present at the ceremony.
The principle platform for this will be an innovative and information-rich spot called the “Conservation Minute,” which will be a one-minute environment-related message every day to be jointly developed by SAMAA TV and the WWF. Another means of heightening people’s environmental awareness via SAMAA TV will be through the airing of documentaries, along with related talk shows and panel discussions both during regularly scheduled airtime and on significant International Environmental Days.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Amir Jahangir said, “Environmental conservation is an issue that directly effects our generation and the next. It is extremely important that we do everything we can to not only spread awareness about what we can do but to contribute with what we know and need to do. We should save the environment so in return the environment saves us”.
As part of a bilateral information collecting, news sharing and capacity building component of this partnership, WWF Pakistan will involve SAMAA TV reporters and producers in exposure visits, help them with aspects of environmental reporting and nature photography while SAMAA TV will involve WWF staff in their environmental reporting activities and keep them informed and involved in fast-breaking environmental news events.
Mr. Jahangir said that, “The world is calling out for immediate environmental conservation, which was strongly highlighted at the Copenhagen Climate Conference 2009. This conference is a classic example of how strategic resources need to be put in place and monitored if we want our world to be a place where we can live in harmony and remain accountable for our deeds. We are here today to commit to improving the state of the world by making a difference; not only make the public but also ourselves responsible for nurturing and preserving our environment. We need to start taking ownership of our existence and be responsible to what we are giving back to nature.”
Key elements of the partnership include five scholarships of public university students for masters in environmental sciences in consultation with scientific research department of WWF Pakistan, launching of structured thematic green media campaigns every month for people to participate in various initiatives such as ‘Say No to Plastic Bags’, ‘Earth Hour’, ‘Beach Cleaning’, ‘Plantation,’ and ‘Make Your Carbon and Water Foot Prints Small and Green’, all of which are designed to be visually appealing and environmentally informative.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Ghulam Akbar said, “In the present-day society there are few values that may be considered as universally common to everyone in the world. An analysis of this kind is very hard to make and any conclusions reached may not find universal agreement. But there is one value that everyone feels; our environment and its safeguard under every different aspect. This is a value that expresses a search for a better quality of life, and that, for this reason, involves social and economic aspects, the life of enterprises and organizations.”
Dr. Akbar highlighted the importance of the partnership and encouraged others in the journalism community to follow suit. Dr. Akbar also congratulated SAMAA TV for being a pioneer and leading the efforts to create an eco sensitive and aware community by using the influential electronic medium.
The program also includes outreach activities across Pakistan, where SAMAA TV in partnership with WWF has planned numerous activities to make significant difference. SAMAA has committed to keeping a dedicated journalist beat on environment so that the content is created based on research and facts co-aligned with international practices across the world. This will bring innovation into every sector in Pakistan, which is responsible for the eco-system processes.
WWF Pakistan is one of the World’s biggest and best-recognized conservation organizations and has been working in Pakistan for almost 40 years to conserve nature and ecological processes where humankind coexists with nature in complete harmony. WWF Pakistan is physically present in 28 different locations across the country.
ENVIRONMENT...HOW TO PROTECT IT
Our planet is in trouble! Almost every day we seem to hear of yet another problem affecting the environment - and what a list of problems! - pollution, acid rain, climate change, the destruction of rainforests and other wild habitats, the decline and extinction of thousands of species of animals and plants....and so on.
Nowadays, most of us know that these threats exist and that humans have caused them. Many of us are very worried about the future of our planet and unless we can find a way of solving the problems we have made then the environment will suffer even more.
It all sounds so depressing - but we certainly mustn't despair! Every one of us, whatever age we are can do something to help slow down and reverse some of the damage. We cannot leave the problem-solving entirely to the experts - we all have a responsibility for our environment. We must learn to live in a sustainable way i.e. learn to use our natural resources which include air, freshwater, forests, wildlife, farmland and seas without damaging them. As populations expand and lifestyles change, we must keep the world in a good condition so that future generations will have the same natural resources that we have.
MINIMIZE COMSUMPTION
One of the most creative ways to solve environmental problems is to minimize consumption. Modern consumer culture encourages people to define low prices as high value, but inexpensive items, such as furniture and clothing, often wear out quickly and must be replaced. The worn-out items end up in landfills and the environment is degraded by using new resources to manufacture replacement products. By minimizing consumption of newly manufactured products, either through buying items with a longer lifespan or those that are used, resources are not consumed in manufacturing, and industrial pollution and carbon dioxide are not released.
USE ENERGY EFFICIENTLY
CHANGE THE BULB: When light bulbs go out, replace them with energy efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs), which use only about one-fourth of the electricity the old bulbs used and last up to ten times longer, saving money in the long run.
- Park the Car. Where public transportation is accessible, use it instead of gassing up the car and spewing out those nasty emissions. If public transportation is not an option on a daily basis, commit to using it once in a while, even once a month. At the very least, coordinate errands to combine them into one trip in the car as opposed to three or four separate trips.
- Turn Off Lights. Fuels used to generate electricity pollute the air and water, among other environmental impacts. To combat the electricity crisis, keep lights off and make use of natural light when possible; it’s better on the psyche and is cost-savings as well. Turn off the lights and television when leaving the house. If lights are needed for security purposes, invest in a timer.
· REDUCE YOUR CARBONFOOTPRINTS
Simple things like replacing incandescent lightbulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs can reduce the environmental impact of home lighting. Turning off lights and appliances, including computers, when they are not in use can help reduce the environmental damage caused by mining for fuels to generate electricity and can help minimize the creation of greenhouse gasses ·
EATING LOWER DOWN THE FOOD CHAIN
another way to solve environmental problems on a personal level is to "eat further down the food chain." Animal food products require more resources in their production and generate more greenhouse gasses per calorie than vegetable-based foods, which remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. By eating more plant-based foods, such as fresh fruits and vegetables and those made from soy, we can reduce carbon emissions.
Some people think that a vegan diet is the only one that is truly environmentally friendly, but simply eating a higher percentage of plant-based foods can have a positive impact on the environment and your health. RECYCLING AND REUSE
Many products are recyclable, and thus reduce environmental strain. Even electronics, such as computers and cell phones, are recyclable.
A good way to minimize waste and carbon dioxide output while creating healthy organic fertilizer is to compost plant waste. Whether you buy it or make it, putting the plant waste from your kitchen, like carrot ends or the outer leaves of cabbage or lettuce heads, along with coffee grounds and grass clippings, into a compost bin creates an excellent fertilizer while preventing these items from clogging landfills.
USE ECO-FRIENDLY PRODUCTS
Another way to ensure that your home has the lowest possible environmental footprint is to use eco-friendly cleaning products. From dish soap to laundry detergent, environmentally friendly cleaners are a little more expensive at the point of purchase but will likely be cheaper for all of us in the long run. Similarly, using paper towels and toilet paper made from recycled fibers minimizes the effect on forests
1) solar energy
2) recycled paper
3) recycled glass
4) recycled tin
5) rain water which is stored and purified
6) recycled plastic
7) bio fertilizers
8) wind energy
9) geothermal energy
10) recycled steel
11) biodiesel
12) biogas
13) water heated by using solar water heater
14) emergency light which runs on solar energy
15) recycled mobile
16) biogas plant
17) gasohol
18) natural gas
19) equipments consuming less energy
20) biomass
21) engines emitting less amount of gas
SIMPLE LIFESTYLE MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE
Give Up Meat. Meat-lovers should consider making the sacrifice to benefit the planet by abstaining from meat at least one day a week. Much more energy, water, and land are used to derive food from animals than from fruits and vegetables. Meet protein needs by eating beans, legumes, tofu, which is a whole soybean product with more protein content than other traditional soy products.
Take Shorter Showers. Even nature lovers enjoy their showers. To conserve water during a shower, time it – cutting just one minute from a shower time can save up to 10 gallons of water per shower. Similarly, turn off the water while brushing teeth, and save up to five gallons of water per two-minute tooth-brushing session.
MAKE SIMPLE CHANGES TO GO GREEN
Whether it’s a one-day per week contribution or a lifestyle change, here are 10 suggestions for simple things to do to prioritize and protect the planet.
- Pick Up Litter. Place litter in the trash or recycle if possible. Not only does litter aesthetically affect natural surroundings, it poses health hazards as chemicals leach into soil and water sources.
- Reassess Recycling Rituals. Participate in the local recycle program and place the appropriate plastics, glass, and paper products in recycle bins. Challenge kids to the task of collecting cans and bottles, then allow them to trade their collection for cash at a recycle center and use the money on a special treat. Reuse plastic and paper grocery bags or make a one-time purchase of a durable cloth bag. Many grocery stores now offer a discount off the grocery bill or other incentives for bringing reusable bags.
- Plant a Tree. Trees purify the air we breathe, provide homes for countless creatures, help retain soil, and enhance the environment’s natural beauty. Sadly, hundreds of thousands of acres of trees are destroyed each year to make paper products, from newspaper to cigarettes, significantly damaging ecosystems. No access to land on which to plant a tree? Numerous organizations are dedicated to planting trees on the donor’s behalf to help sustain the environment
REDUCE CARBON FOOTPRINTS
Change the Way of Transportation to Save Emissions
More than one third of household greenhouse gas can be emitted from the car. For short journeys try walking or riding a bike as this will generate zero emissions and also improves health. Other options include public transport and car-pooling. When it is necessary to use the car, simply plan ahead, combine errands and reduce the number of times the car leaves the garage
Electrical Appliances Contribute to Greenhouse Gas Emissions
To reduce household emissions by about 20%, simply turn off all electrical appliances at the switch and all lights when exiting a room. Appliances on stand-by still use power, as does a device once it has been charged and not switched off. A microwave oven uses energy just to keep the clock running. Reducing energy use in the home also reduces energy bills
Cut Shower Time to Save Energy
Emissions from showering comes from heating the water. Reducing showers from eight minutes back to four minutes can save two kilograms of greenhouse gas emissions every shower.
Reduce Shopping and Plastic Bags
The more “stuff” you buy, the more greenhouse gases are produced. Watch out for products with unnecessary packaging and also take reusable bags when shopping. Buy products made from recycled materials. Sharing and swapping books, magazines and other items with friends create no carbon emission.
Purchase Reusable Water Bottles and Containers
Bottled drinking water produces huge carbon emissions, from the manufacturing process, transportation and then landfill. Buy durable reusable bottles for drinking water and use containers for food storage instead of plastic wrap to reduce waste.
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