ICSE Geography: PREVENTIVE MEASURES Class 9

 

Preventive Measures 

 Q1. What is a 'No Smoking Zone'?

'No Smoking Zone' is an area where people are restricted to smoke.

Under the Prohibition of Smoking in Public Places Rules 2008, smoking in public places was prohibited. A person caught smoking in public places or 'No Smoking Zone' has to pay a fine.

 

Q2. What are Fossil Fuels? Name any two fossil fuels.

Fossil fuels refer to buried, combustible deposits of organic materials, formed from decayed plants and animals that have been converted to crude oil, coal, and natural gas by exposure to heat and pressure in the earth's crust over hundreds of millions of years. Two fossil fuels are coal and petroleum.

 

Q3. State any three measures to save energy.

Three measures to save energy are-

(i)    Use extra blankets and sweaters instead of using room heaters. Likewise, in summer, dress in light, cotton clothes to save on air conditioning costs and energy.

(ii)   Replace light fixtures with energy conserving CFL bulbs and tubes which help save 75% of the energy used with incandescent bulbs. CFLs help save money, use less energy, reduce light bulb changes, and lower greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). LED lighting is more efficient, durable, versatile and long lasting.

(iii)   Turn off equipment and lights at night and unplug appliances when they are not in use.

  Use products and equipment’s with Energy Star label. This reduces energy bill by 30% and electric lighting charges by 40% while cutting pollution.

 

Q4. What is Organic Farming?

Organic farming is a holistic system of farming, which is primarily aimed at cultivating the land and raising crops in such a way, as to keep the soil fertility and soil health by use of organic wastes and other biological materials (biofertilizers) along with the beneficial microbes to release nutrients to crops for increased sustainable production in an eco-friendly pollution free environment.

 

Q5. Explain how are vehicles a source of air pollution.

Vehicles cause air pollution in the following ways-

(i)    Vehicles account for most of the carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, and a large share of the hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides and particulates found in the atmosphere in major urban areas.

(ii)  Nitrogen oxide is formed when nitrogen in the fuel or nitrogen of air heats to temperatures above 1200°F in the presence of oxygen. This reaction occurs in most car engines today.

(iii) Nitrogen oxides combine with water leading to a component of atmospheric acidification, especially nitric acid. This leads to acid rain.

Most big cities of India are affected by air pollution caused by high levels of total suspended particulates, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.

 

Q6. Why do we need to have an efficient public transport? Name any three modes of public transport used in India?

In recent years, there has been an increasing trend for private vehicles. This has resulted in far more vehicles on the road leading to more vehicle emissions and thus more pollution. If we have an efficient public transport, then people can be convinced to use the public transport instead of private vehicles. This, in turn, will contribute to a healthier environment by improving air quality and reducing oil consumption.

Three modes of public transport used in India are- City buses, Passenger trains and Metro rail.

 

 Q7. State why is Organic Farming gaining popularity in recent times.

Organic farming is gaining popularity in recent times because people have become aware of their benefits. They contain no chemical pesticides and fertilizers and are grown naturally with manure or compost and only natural pesticides and insecticides are used.

Children are more susceptible than adults to diseases caused by chemical pesticide residues in food and so parents prefer to give them organic foods.

Another advantage is that organic foods do not contain growth hormones or antibiotic residues. Animals are often given growth hormones and antibiotics in animal feeds which are directly passed into animal foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products and from foods to the consumers. In organic farming these practices are banned and animals feed outside in natural surroundings.

 

Q8. What are the main characteristics of Organic Farming?

The main characteristics of Organic Farming are-

(i)    Protecting the long-term fertility of the soil by maintaining organic matter levels, and creating optimised conditions for biological activity within the soil.

(ii)  Providing crop nutrients indirectly using relatively insoluble nutrient sources which are made available to the plant by action of soil micro-organisms.

(iii) Maintaining nitrogen self-sufficiency through the use of legumes and biological nitrogen fixation, as well as effective recycling of organic materials including crop residues and livestock manures.

(iv) Preventing weeds, diseases and pests by relying primarily on crop rotations, natural predators, diversity, organic manuring, resistant varieties and limited thermal, biological and chemical intervention.

(v)   Providing attentive care and management of livestock, paying full regard to their evolutionary adaptations, behavioural needs and animal welfare issues with respect to nutrition, housing, health, breeding and rearing.

Careful attention to the impact of the farming system on the wider environment and the conservation of wildlife and natural habitats.

 

Q9. State four principles of Organic Farming.

Two principles of Organic Farming are-

(i)    Organic farming should sustain and enhance the health of soil, plants, animals, and humans as one and indivisible.

(ii)  Organic farming should be based on living ecological systems and cycles, work with them, emulate them and help sustain them.

(iii)  Organic farming should build on relationships that ensure fairness with regard to the common environment and life opportunities.

Organic farming should be managed in a precautionary and responsible manner to protect the health and wellbeing of current and future generation and the environment.

 

Q10. State any two advantages of carpooling.

Answer: Two advantages of carpooling are-

(i)    It reduces air pollution by reducing the number of vehicles on the road and thereby, cutting down the vehicular emissions.

It helps to save money in buying fuel and maintenance cost of cars.