Management of natural resources long answer question
Prepare a list of five activities that you perform daily in which natural resources can be conserved or energy utilisation can be minimised. [NCERT Exemplar]
Unused water in the water bottle may be used for watering plants.
Close all the taps before you go to sleep.
Avoid using a hose pipe for watering plants and instead use a mug.
Wash vehicles only when they are dirty.
Use fan and light only when required.
Use solar water heating devices.
Use CFL in place of conventional bulbs/tubes. (Any five)
What is the importance of forest as a resource?
[NCERT Exemplar]
Forests are renewable resources which
provide habitat, food and protection to wildlife.
help in balancing CO2 and O2 of atmosphere.
improve water holding capacity of soil.
regulate water cycle.
are the source for all essential commodities like fuel wood, timber, pulp and paper, etc., for human beings.
provide useful products like fruits, resins, gums, essential oils, etc.
Suggest a few useful ways of utilising waste water. [NCERT Exemplar]
Waste water can be used for the following ways:
For recharging the ground water.
Can be used for irrigation.
Treated municipal water can be used for washing cars or watering the gardens.
Certain pollutants in sewage water can become fertiliser for various crops.
Explain some harmful effects of agricultural practices on the environment.
Excessive use of fertilisers changes the chemistry of soil and kills useful microbes.
Excessive use of non-biodegradable chemical pesticides leads to biological magnification.
Extensive cropping causes loss of soil fertility.
Damage to natural ecosystem or habitat.
Excessive use of ground water for agriculture lowers the water table.
Answer the following questions.
What is sustainable development ? Why is it necessary?
A type of management which encourages utilisation of resources that meet current basic human needs while preserving the resources for the needs of future generations is called sustainable development.
Sustainable management of natural resources is necessary to sustain the resources for future generation and current basic needs of the population.
What is water harvesting ? List its four benefits.
Water harvesting is a method of collecting rain water and storing it to during the non-rainy season.
Four advantages of water harvesting are:
Water collected in ground does not evaporate, but spreads out to recharge wells and provides moisture for vegetation over a wide area.
The groundwater is also relatively protected from contamination by human and animal waste.
It provides year round supply of drinking water.
It does not provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes like stagnant water collected in ponds or artificial lakes.
In the context of conservation of natural resources, explain the terms reduce, recycle and reuse. From among the materials that we use in daily life, identify two materials for each category. [NCERT Exemplar]
Reduce means to use a material or commodity in lesser quantity, e.g., electricity and water Recycle means a material that is used once is collected and set back to a manufacturer so that they can make some other useful material from it.
E.g., plastic cups and buckets, glass tumbler paper, metal objects
Reuse means using a thing over and over again instead of throwing it away. It does not involve the process of recycling either in small or in large scale. e.g., used envelopes, plastic carry bags, bottles of jam.
