student constructive steps to protect environment

1: Recycle, Recycle, Recycle Well, duh. Recycling may be one of the easiest and most
well known things you can do for the environment. Just think about how many cans and
glass bottles you threw out after that ragin party you had last night. What if you had
recycled them? Most students are not taking advantage of programs at their colleges or
universities, probably because they dont know about them. Find out what recycling
programs are available at your school, and how you can help reduce waste and lower your
environmental impact.
2: Trade That Burger for a Salad Dont worry guys; you dont have to completely give up
those steaks and cheeseburgers. But did you know that it takes 2,500 gallons of water, 12
pounds of grain, 35 pounds of topsoil and the energy equivalent to one gallon of gasoline to
produce one pound of beef? Just think about how much meat you eat per day. It adds up!
And you probably didnt know that cooking meat, specifically red meats, uses more energy
than cooking vegetables. By cutting down your meat intake, even just a little, you can save
energy- and saving energy saves you money.
3: Buy a Reusable Grocery Bag This may be the first time in your life that you are
grocery shopping on your own. Now that you are in charge of your grocery store excursions,
you get to make the big decision when asked, Paper or plastic? Of those options, paper is
obviously the best choice. However, many stores are currently promoting the use of reusable
grocery bags. Many grocery stores even give discounts if you bring a reusable bag to use
when you shop there.
4: Say Goodbye to Bottled Water Bottled Water: Getting you to pay for something that
should be free. Not only is it a waste of money, the plastic from water bottles can sit in
landfills for 500 or more years before they even begin to decompose. The solution? A water
filter and a reusable water bottle. Water filters are a great idea if your tap water isnt up to
par. They can get pretty fancy and even attach directly to your faucet, but the cheapest one
for college students is a pitcher filter. And of course, a reusable water bottle (like a Nalgene)
is a great investment for any student. You can take it to the gym, to class, or fill it with
things other than water
5: Change Your Light Bulbs Most college students know by now to turn the lights off
when you leave a
room. There is no doubt that this will help save energy, but what about when the lights are
on? Most traditional light bulbs use more energy than necessary. By switching to energy star
bulbs, you will be using 75% less energy and saving about $30 per bulb.
6: Swap Clothes One of the best things about living with other students your own age is
being able to raid their closets. Dont feel like wearing the same shirt out again? Just look in
your roommates closet! Instead of constantly buying new clothes and throwing out old
ones, try having a clothing swap among your friends. You end up with a whole wardrobe of
like-new clothes and dont have to spend any money (what can be better than that?!). If
your friends arent into that, try buying used clothes at a secondhand store. Its cheaper
than buying them brand new, and they will gladly take donations of your old clothes too!
7: Open a Window This is an easy one. Turning up the A.C. turns up your electricity bills,
simple as that. Just open a window and let the breeze cool you down. If you are one of those
people that just NEED to be cold, try a window air conditioner. They are small enough to cool
a room and wont use as much energy as cooling your whole house or apartment.

8: Keep Portions In Mind While traditional serving sizes are staying the same, meal
portions at restaurants seem to keep increasing over time. You are paying more, getting
more, and usually unable to finish it all. The leftover food either gets thrown out and goes to
waste, or goes home with you in a styrofoam box (that will most likely end up in a landfill).
Next time you go out to eat, try getting a small or half-sized portion, or sharing a full meal
with a friend. You will be reducing waste, as well as keeping costs down for yourself
9: Ride a BikeIt is a well-known fact that automobile emissions are harmful to the
environment. Riding a bike to school or work can greatly reduce your environmental impact.
If you would still rather ride in luxury than care about the environment, think about the other
benefits of bike riding. With gas at almost $3 per gallon, riding a bike even one day per week
can save you money. Plus, the exercise is great for your body, especially if you need to work
off thatfreshman 15
10: Recharge Your Batteries As a college student, you probably use more portable
electronic devices than you realize. Calculators, digital cameras, and MP3 players are just a
few of the items you probably use daily that take batteries. With heavy use they will go
through batteries pretty quickly. Batteries contain heavy metals like mercury and cadmium,
which have become a major source of contamination in dump sites. To prevent this, use
rechargeable batteries, and recycle the used alkaline batteries you already have.

Gandhian philosophy of development with respect to environment

The whole world knows that Gandhi was a political leader and a revolutionary of an
extraordinary type. That he was a great thinker and a saintly figure is also well known all
over the world. It is also widely known that he was a humanist and pacifist of international
fame. But very few people know that he was an environmentalist too. This is primarily
because the environmental problems have surfaced largely in the post-Gandhian era and as
such, the concern for environment has assumed importance only in recent years.
Nevertheless, there were people in the past too who could foresee the future and visualize
the dangers inherent in the kind of development the nations chose to go in for following the
Industrial revolution in the west. Gandhi was one of such persons.
Gandhi had bewildering insights and foresights. One is really appalled by his farsightedness
so clearly and emphatically expressed in the Hind Swaraj almost a century ago in1909 when
few people talked of environmental problems and hazards. Similarly one is overwhelmed by
his grasp of the resultant human predicament and his ingenuity to suggest appropriate
measures to root out the problem rather then search a solution to control it.
It needs hardly any mention that entire problem of environmental hazards and degradations
are rooted in the scientific-technological development leading to large scale and speedy
industrialization and the consequent socio-culture upheavals the world over. True, the
achievement of industrialization for mankind cannot be undermined. Industrialization has
given to human society tremendous material pleasure and prosperity. But at the same time,
it has also imperceptibly done irreparable loss to mankind. Reckless and limit less pursuit of
industrialization by all nations are now posing serious problems for very existence of not
only man but for all living creatures and all kinds of species on our planet.
Detection of depletion of the ozone layer, reported recurring of acid rain and the warming up

of the earth as a result of green house effect are serious pointers to the existential problems.
Already numerous species of animals, birds and plants have become extinct. Desert
formation is increasing with rapid speed. Deforestations and increasing emission of smokes
and injurious gas are not only polluting the atmosphere, but also affecting adversely climatic
conditions to the awful disadvantages of living being, Mushrooming of the slum area (in
most of the third world countries ) as an unavoidable byproduct of urbanization the
syndrome of our cherished mode of

development is fatal to the physical atmosphere required for proper living. Disposal of
industrial wastes and things like plastic and synthetic containers and used/discarded wares
has already become a formidable problem not only in the developed west but also in the
developed countries. The cumulative effect of all these factors on the health and living of
human beings has caused an alarming concern among people in the entire world.
Everybody now knows that scientific and technological development is at the root of the
state affair. And yet, people are taking resort to the same science and technology for a
solution of the environmental problem. Gigantic efforts are being made for the management
of this problem. But its magnitude and viciousness are defying any proper and satisfactory
solution. The reason is quit obvious. The factors responsible for the problem continue to
aggravate the situation with much faster pace than the effort to control it. There is no
control and management of environmental pollutions and degradations. The permanent cure
of this dreadful problem lies in a suitable alternative life style in tune with nature. People
now do realize the truth of it but the naked materialism of modern civilization becomes a
roadblock in putting it into practice.
Gandhi had clearly perceived this solutions. His indictment of the modern civilization in the
Hind Swaraj was intended to caution mankind against this calamity. He made a relevant
appeal to the people of his countrymen not be trapped by the allurement of this civilization.
He also wanted the western society against its ill effects. As a front leader of the Indian
nationalist movement and a visionary and planner of society and political systems of India
after Independence, he drew a blue -print which accordingly rejected the western model
based on that scientific-technological culture.

Biodiversity
It is very essential in understanding the role of biodiversity in relation to structure
and function of the ecosystem. In view of deforestation in tropical region, it is
considerably very important in preserving the species and the natural ecosystem.
The natural ecosystem helps to preserve air, soil and water and thus preserves the
health of the environment by preventing degradation and loss of species.
The existence of biodiversity of species helps in resisting any extreme disturbances
caused to the ecosystems by natural calamities. It is also essential to deal
biodiversity of plants, animals and microorganisms at the levels of terrestrial fresh
water and marine systems.
A study of global and comparative biogeography may provide information regarding
the role of functional properties if biotic and diversity to environmental changes and
in addition, it will also help in conservation of genetic resources of wild species. The
lack of marketing facilities, lack of technical and financial support, involvement of

middlemen in the business and large range of variation in the selling price of
medicinal plant that keeping away farmers from the main trade.
Many pharmaceuticals have traditionally been derived from plants and animal
sources. Extracting medicines from plants are worth over 60 billion dollars a year
(Govt. of India 2006). The total percentage of the people in tropical areas depends
upon traditional medicines. Penicillin and tetracycline and amongst the 3000
antibiotics extracted from micro-organisms. Guggal is an oleogum which is used in
ayurvedic medicines for its anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic and hypocholesteral
activity.

Social Values : Social value is one of the instrumental values where something
which has a means to another's end. Materialistic uses of biodiversity are the core
of instrumental value that biodiversity has distinct social value attached with
different societies. Goods and services provided by ecosystems to our society
include:
1. Provision of food, fuel and fiber.
2. Provision of shutter and building materials.
3. Purification of air and water.
4. Detoxification and decomposition of wastes.
5. Generation and renewal if soil fertility, including nutrient cycling.
6. Control of pests and diseases.

Biodiversity Conservation Methods

In-situ biodiversity conservation
In-situ conservation means the conservation of species within their natural habitats, this way
of conserving biodiversity is the most appropriate method for biodiversity conservation. In
this strategy you have to find out the area with high biodiversity means the area in which
number of plants and animals are present. After that this
high biodiversity area should be covered in the form of natural park/sanctuary/biosphere
reserve etc. In this way biodiversity can be conserve in their natural habitat from human
activities

Ex-Situ conservation methods

Ex-situ conservation involves the conservation of biological diversity outside of their natural
habitats. This involves conservation of genetic resources, as well as wild and cultivated or
species, and draws
on a diverse body of techniques and facilities.
Ex-situ Biodiversity conservation can be done as following:

 By forming Gene banks: In this store seeds, sperm & ova at extremely low temperature
and humidity.
It is very helpful to save large variety of species of plants & animals in a very small space.
e.g. sperm and ova banks, seed banks.
Forming Zoo and botanical garden: for research purpose and to increase public awareness
collecting living organisms for aquaria, zoos and botanic gardens.
Collections of In vitro plant tissue and microbial culture.
Captive breeding of animals and artificial propagation of plants, with possible
reintroduction into the wild.