Environment sanitation

Introduction

The term ‘environment,’ derived from the French word ‘Environia,’ meaning to surround, encompasses both the abiotic (physical or non-living) and biotic (living) elements that constitute the surroundings in which organisms live. In essence, it is an aggregate of all external conditions influencing and affecting the life and development of organisms.

Sanitation is a crucial aspect of public health, focusing on creating and maintaining hygienic conditions in the environment. It involves measures such as waste disposal, clean water supply, and proper hygiene practices to prevent the spread of diseases. Adequate sanitation is essential for safeguarding community health and ensuring a safe and livable environment.

Definition

Environment

 P. Gisbert. “Environment is anything immediately surrounding an object and exerting a direct influence on it.”

E. J. Ross “Environment is an external force which influences us.”

Ghosh “The total external conditions affecting the life and development of an organism, human behavior and society”

Sanitation

Dictionary, Sanitation means the science of safe-guarding health.

National Sanitation Foundation of the USA “Sanitation is a way of life. It is the quality of living that is expressed in the clean home, the clean farm, the clean business, the clean neighborhood and the clean community” Here the term ‘clean’ denotes not only clean atmosphere but also the absence of factors hazardous to the human health.

Environment sanitation

World Health Organization– Environmental sanitation is defined as “the control of all those factors in man’s physical environment which exercise or may exercise a deleterious effect on his physical development, health and survival”

 Components of environment 

The components of the environment include the atmosphere (air), hydrosphere (water), lithosphere (soil, rock, etc.), and biosphere (living organisms). These components collectively form the macro environment, which externally surrounds organisms, while the micro environment pertains to the immediate local surroundings of the organism, including the internal environment inside the body.

Elements of environment

Physical environment: The physical environment encompasses factors like soil, climate, water supply, air, housing, and radiation. Human contact with these forces may lead to health problems such as air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, urbanization, and radiation hazards.

Biological environment:  The biological environment involves natural biological factors like wild animals, plants, bacteria, viruses, parasites, insects, rodents, and animals, all of which influence human life in a particular place or period.

Social environment: The social environment, developed by humans, contrasts with the natural environment and encompasses aspects such as culture, customs, habits, income, religion, standard of living, human behavior, occupation, and social and political organizations.

Eco system

An ecosystem as the fundamental functional unit of ecology. The term, derived from a Greek word meaning the study of home, reflects the interconnectedness of living organisms and their nonliving environment within a defined space.

An ecosystem can be conceptualized as a dynamic community where living organisms interact with each other and with the abiotic components of their environment, functioning as an integrated system. It involves the exchange of energy and matter among the various components. This interaction forms a complex web of relationships, with different species relying on each other for survival and sustaining.

The example of an ecosystem is animals, unable to synthesize their own food, rely on plants either directly or indirectly. This dependency creates a flow of energy and matter, as plants produce food through processes like photosynthesis, herbivores consume the plants, and carnivores, in turn, consume the herbivores. The cycle continues, demonstrating the intricate connections that characterize ecosystems.

Understanding ecosystems is crucial in ecology as it allows scientists to study the relationships and processes that sustain life within a given environment. It also highlights the delicate balance necessary for the well-being of all organisms within the ecosystem and emphasizes the importance of conservation and sustainable practices to maintain this balance.

Scope

Taylor (1936), in an attempt to define ecology, has very rightly pointed out that scope of ecology by stating that ecology is the science of all the relations of ecosystems, all organisms to all their environments.

Ecology plays an important role in agriculture crop rotation, weed control, management of grasslands, range management forestry, biological surveys, pest control, fishery biology, and in the conservation of soil, wildlife, forest, water supplies, water bodies like rivers, lakes and ponds,

Ecosystem is defined as a dynamic entity composed of a biological community and its associated abiotic environment. Often the dynamic interactions that occur within an ecosystem are numerous and complex.

Ecosystems are also always undergoing alterations to their biotic and abiotic components. Some of these alterations begin first with a change in the state of one component of the ecosystem, which then cascades and sometimes amplifies into other components because of relationships.

Components/structure of ecosystem

The term structure refers to the various components. So the structure of an ecosystem explains the relationship between the abiotic (non –living) and the biotic (living) components. An ecosystem has two major components

• Biotic (living) components
• Abiotic (non-living) components

Biotic components: The living organisms (or) living members in an ecosystem collectively form its community called biotic components (or) biotic community.

 Examples

• Plants (producers),
• animals (consumers),
• microorganisms (decomposers)

Abiotic (non-living) components The non-living components (physical and chemical) of ecosystem collectively form a community called abiotic components. Examples- climate, soil, water, air, energy, nutrients, etc.,

1. Physical components : They include the energy, climate, raw materials and living space that the biological community needs. They are useful for the growth and maintenance of its member. Examples Air, water, soil, sunlight, etc.
2. Chemical Components:  They are the sources of essential nutrients

Examples

• Organic substances: Protein, lipids, carbohydrates, etc.,
• Inorganic substances: All micro (Aluminum, Copper) and macro elements (carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus,) and few other elements.

Changing eco-system and its impact on health and illness

Heart-related illnesses

Heat-related issues: Higher temperatures contribute to heat-related illnesses such as heat exhaustion and strokes. Existing conditions related to the circulatory, respiratory, and nervous systems can be exacerbated. Heat waves, especially in urban areas, may lead to a significant increase in deaths.

 Respiratory Diseases

• Air Pollution: Increased pollution, particularly nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, worsens cardiovascular and lung diseases. Higher pollution levels also lead to increased allergens, resulting in a rise in respiratory issues like asthma.

Waterborne diseases

• Climate-induced changes: Alterations in land cover, rivers, oceans, and climate patterns lead to a higher occurrence of waterborne diseases like diarrhea, cholera, and typhoid. Warmer temperatures increase the risk of flooding, causing sewage and drinking water systems to mix and leading to diseases like cholera and typhoid.

Vector-borne diseases

• Environmental imbalance: Overcrowded populations and imbalanced environmental sanitation contribute to the spread of vector-borne diseases. Climate change increases the risk of infectious diseases spread by vectors, including dengue fever, yellow fever, encephalitis, and malaria.

Malnutrition

• Impact on food production: Climate change affects temperature, rainfall patterns, soil moisture, and fertility, leading to reduced food production and scarcity of land. This results in widespread malnutrition, hunger, and poverty, impacting child growth and development as well as adult health.

Injuries and deaths

• Extreme weather events: Changes in the frequency of extreme weather events like heatwaves, cold spells, hurricanes, cyclones, floods, and storms can cause injuries and deaths. For example, flooding and super cyclones have resulted in significant casualties and displacement.

Psychological Stress

• Natural disasters and displacement: Natural disasters, coupled with climate change-induced events, lead to physical injuries, displacement, and psychological stress. Survivors must cope with the loss of family members, homes, and livelihoods. Climate change-induced disruptions, economic decline, and displacement contribute to psychological stress.

Way of conservation of ecosystem

1. Establishing legislation by the government to protect endangered animal and plant species in specific areas of land or water.
2. Preventing the degradation of natural habitats by establishing national parks, wildlife sanctuaries, and biosphere reserves.
3. Promoting afforestation, preventing reckless tree cutting, and raising awareness about the importance of conserving forests to prevent the extinction of wildlife and plant species.
4. Ensuring the conservation of aquatic life by relocating or regulating industries near water bodies to prevent pollution and habitat destruction.
5. Initiating efforts to restore unsightly landscapes, such as waste tips and slag heaps, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of the countryside.
6. Encouraging the recycling and reuse of resources to curb pollution, reduce waste, and save money.
7. Discouraging the use of harmful chemicals, including pesticides and insecticides, in farming to promote ecological balance.
8. Implementing measures to reduce acid rain by minimizing emissions of sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide from sources like coal-based power plants, residential fires, and factories.
9. Encouraging the avoidance of old vehicles and refrigerators to reduce environmental impact and promote energy efficiency.
10. Promoting the use of alternative energy sources to replace coal and oil, contributing to a more sustainable and eco-friendly energy landscape.
11. Implementing educational programs to raise awareness about ecosystem conservation among children, youths, and adults through various methods and media channels.

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