Shivani S.

It is essential to take proper care of the compost producing pit in order to protect ourselves from bad odour and flies.

It should be kept covered to minimize bad odour and prevent flies from entering it.

The recyclable waste should not be dumped in the compost producing pit. It should be sent to the industries through vendors for recycling.

Depending upon the nature of the waste, domestic waste can be segregated into two categories i.e., biodegradable and non–biodegradable. Biodegradable waste such as leaves, rotten food, etc. should be deposited in land fills, where they get decomposed aerobically and anaerobically into manure. Non-biodegradable waste (which cannot be degraded) such as plastic, glass, metal scraps etc. should be sent for recycling.

The amount of dissolved oxygen present in water is limited. The abundance of phytoplanktons causes depletion of this dissolved oxygen. This is because, phytoplanktons are degraded by bacteria present in water. For their decomposition, they require a large amount of oxygen. Hence, they consume the oxygen dissolved in water. As a result, the BOD level of water drops below 6 ppm, inhibiting the growth of fish and causing excessive fish-kill.

Earth’s most abundant greenhouse gases are CO₂, CH₄, O₃, CFCs, and water vapour. These gases are present near the Earth’s surface. They absorb solar energy that is radiated back from the surface of the Earth. The absorption of radiation results in the heating up of the atmosphere. Hence, greenhouse gases are essential for maintaining the temperature of the Earth for the sustenance of life.

In the absence of greenhouse gases, the average temperature of the Earth will decrease drastically, making it uninhabitable. As a result, life on Earth would be impossible.

Green chemistry is a production process that aims at using the existing knowledge and principles of chemistry for developing and implementing chemical products and processes to reduce the use and generation of substances hazardous to the environment

The release of different harmful chemicals (particulates, gases, organic and inorganic wastes) causes environmental pollution. In green chemistry, the reactants to be used in chemical reactions are chosen in such a way that the yield of the end products is up to 100%. This prevents or limits chemical pollutants from being introduced into the environment. Through the efforts of green chemists, H₂O₂ has replaced tetrachlorethane and chlorine gas in drying and bleaching of paper.