How Climate Change Causes Earthquakes and Erupting Volcanoes by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

The idea that a changing climate can persuade the ground to shake, volcanoes to rumble, and tsunamis to crash on to unsuspecting coastlines seems, at first, to be bordering on the insane. How can what happens in the thin envelope of gas that shrouds and protects our world possibly influence the potentially earth-shattering processes that operate deep beneath the surface? The fact that it does reflects a failure of our imagination and a limited understanding of the manner in which the different physical components of our planet—the atmosphere, the oceans, and the solid earth, or geosphere—intertwine and interact.

If we think about climate change at all, most of us do so in a very simplistic way: the weather might get a bit warmer, floods and droughts may become more of a problem, and sea levels will slowly creep upwards. Evidence reveals, however, that our planet is an almost unimaginably complicated beast, which reacts to a dramatically changing climate in all manner of different ways, a few straightforward and predictable, some surprising, and others downright implausible. Into the latter category fall the manifold responses of the geosphere. The world we inhabit has an outer rind that is extraordinarily sensitive to change. While the earth's crust may seem safe and secure, the geological calamities that happen with alarming regularity confirm that this is not the case. Here in the United Kingdom, we only have to go back a couple years to April 2010, when the word on everyone's lips was Eyjafjallajökull—the ice-covered Icelandic volcano that brought UK and European air traffic to a grinding halt. Less than a year ago, our planet's ability to shock and awe headed the news once again as the east coast of Japan was bludgeoned by a cataclysmic combination of megaquake and tsunami, resulting—at a quarter of a trillion dollars or so—in the biggest natural-catastrophe bill ever. In the light of such events, it somehow seems appropriate to imagine the earth beneath our feet as a slumbering giant that tosses and turns periodically in response to various pokes and prods. Mostly, these are supplied by the stresses and strains associated with the eternal dance of a dozen or so rocky tectonic plates across the face of our world, a sedate waltz that proceeds at about the speed that fingernails grow. Changes in the environment too, however, have a key role to play in waking the giant, as growing numbers of geological studies targeting our post-ice-age world have disclosed. Between about 20,000 and 5,000 years ago, our planet underwent an astonishing climatic transformation. Over the course of this period, it flipped from the frigid wasteland of deepest and darkest ice age to the—broadly speaking—balmy, temperate world upon which our civilization has developed and thrived. During this extraordinarily dynamic episode, as the immense ice sheets melted and colossal volumes of water were decanted back into the oceans, the pressures acting on the solid earth also underwent massive change. In response, the crust bounced and bent, rocking our planet with a resurgence in volcanic activity, a proliferation of seismic shocks and burgeoning giant landslides. The most spectacular geological effects were reserved for high latitudes. Here, the crust across much of northern Europe and North America had been forced down by hundreds of meters and held at bay for tens of thousands of years beneath the weight of sheets of ice 20 times thicker than the height of the London Eye. As the ice dissipated in soaring temperatures, the crust popped back up like a coiled spring released, at the same time tearing open major faults and triggering great earthquakes in places where they are unheard of today. Even now, the crust underpinning those parts of Europe and North America formerly imprisoned beneath the great continental ice sheets continues to rise—albeit at a far more sedate rate. As last year's events in Japan most ably demonstrated, when the ground shakes violently beneath the sea, a tsunami may not be far behind. These unstoppable walls of water are hardly a surprise when they happen within the so-called ring of fire that encompasses the Pacific basin, but in the more tectonically benign North Atlantic their manifestation could reasonably be regarded as a bit of a shock. Nonetheless, there is plenty of good, hard evidence that this was the case during post-glacial times. Trapped within the thick layers of peat that pass for soil on Shetland—the UK's northernmost outpost—are intrusions of sand that testify to the inland penetration of three tsunamis during the last 10,000 years. Volcanic blasts too can be added to the portfolio of postglacial geological pandemonium, the warming climate being greeted by an unprecedented fiery outburst that wracked Iceland as its frozen carapace dwindled, and against which the recent ashy ejaculation from the island's most unpronounceable volcano pales. The huge environmental changes that accompanied the rapid post-glacial warming of our world were not confined to the top and bottom of the planet. All that meltwater had to go somewhere, and as the ice sheets dwindled, so the oceans grew. An astounding 52 million cubic kilometers of water was sucked from the oceans to form the ice sheets, causing sea levels to plummet by about 130 meters—the height of the Wembley Stadium arch. As the ice sheets melted so this gigantic volume of water was returned, bending the crust around the margins of the ocean basins under the enormous added weight, and provoking volcanoes in the vicinity to erupt and faults to rupture, bringing geological mayhem to regions remote from the ice's polar fastnesses. The breathtaking response of the geosphere as the great ice sheets crumbled might be considered as providing little more than an intriguing insight into the prehistoric workings of our world, were it not for the fact that our planet is once again in the throes an extraordinary climatic transformation—this time brought about by human activities. Clearly, the earth of the early 21st century bears little resemblance to the frozen world of 20,000 years ago. Today, there are no great continental ice sheets to dispose of, while the ocean basins are already pretty much topped up. On the other hand, climate change projections repeatedly support the thesis that global average temperatures could rise at least as rapidly in the course of the next century or so as during post-glacial times, reaching levels at high latitudes capable of driving catastrophic breakup of polar ice sheets as thick as those that once covered much of Europe and North America. Could it be then, that if we continue to allow greenhouse gas emissions to rise unchecked and fuel serious warming, our planet's crust will begin to toss and turn once again? The signs are that this is already happening. In the detached US state of Alaska, where climate change has propelled temperatures upward by more than 3 degrees Celsius in the last half century, the glaciers are melting at a staggering rate, some losing up to 1 kilometer in thickness in the last 100 years. The reduction in weight on the crust beneath is allowing faults contained therein to slide more easily, promoting increased earthquake activity in recent decades. The permafrost that helps hold the state's mountain peaks together is also thawing rapidly, leading to a rise in the number of giant rock and ice avalanches. In fact, in mountainous areas around the world, landslide activity is on the up, a reaction both to a general ramping-up of global temperatures and to the increasingly frequent summer heat waves. Whether or not Alaska proves to be the "canary in the cage"—the geological shenanigans there heralding far worse to come—depends largely upon the degree to which we are successful in reducing the ballooning greenhouse gas burden arising from our civilization's increasingly polluting activities, thereby keeping rising global temperatures to a couple of degrees centigrade at most. So far, it has to be said, there is little cause for optimism with emissions rocketing by almost 6 percent in 2010 when the world economy continued to bump along the bottom. Furthermore, the failure to make any real progress on emissions control at last December's Durban climate conference ensures that the outlook is bleak. Our response to accelerating climate change continues to be consistently asymmetric, in the sense that it is far below the level that the science says is needed if we are to have any chance of avoiding the all-pervasive devastating consequences. So what—geologically speaking—can we look forward to if we continue to pump out greenhouse gases at the current hell-for-leather rate? With resulting global average temperatures likely to be several degrees higher by this century's end, we could almost certainly say an eventual goodbye to the Greenland ice sheet, and probably that covering West Antarctica too, committing us—ultimately—to a 10-meter or more hike in sea levels. GPS measurements reveal that the crust beneath the Greenland ice sheet is already rebounding in response to rapid melting, providing the potential—according to researchers—for future earthquakes, as faults beneath the ice are relieved of their confining load. The possibility exists that these could trigger submarine landslides spawning tsunamis capable of threatening North Atlantic coastlines. Eastern Iceland is bouncing back too as its Vatnajökull ice cap fades away. When and if it vanishes entirely, new research predicts a lively response from the volcanoes currently residing beneath. A dramatic elevation in landslide activity would be inevitable in the Andes, Himalayas, European Alps, and elsewhere, as the ice and permafrost that sustains many mountain faces melts and thaws. Across the world, as sea levels climb remorselessly, the load-related bending of the crust around the margins of the ocean basins might—in time—act to sufficiently "unclamp" coastal faults such as California's San Andreas, allowing them to move more easily, at the same time acting to squeeze magma out of susceptible volcanoes that are primed and ready to blow. The bottom line is that through our climate-changing activities we are loading the dice in favor of escalating geological havoc at a time when we can most do without it. Unless there is a dramatic and completely unexpected turnaround in the way in which the human race manages itself and the planet, then long-term prospects for our civilization look increasingly grim. At a time when an additional 220,000 people are lining up at the global soup kitchen each and every night, when energy, water, and food resources are coming under ever-growing pressure, and when the debilitating effects of anthropogenic climate change are insinuating themselves increasingly into every nook and cranny of our world and our lives, the last thing we need is for the dozing subterranean giant to awaken. THANKS KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

How Our Environment Affects Our Personality Psychologicaly by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

What makes individuals unique. Most would say a persons personality makes them who they are. Lets take a look at how personalities are affected by ones environment. In doing so we are going to see how personality is defined. Then we will examine the different types of personalities and how they can be determined. Next, we will see how genetics and heredity can play a role in shaping personalities along with environment. Lastly, the factors in our environment that shape our personalities. Over the years, many different definitions have been proposed for personality. An individual's personality is the mental characteristics that makes them unique from other people. It includes all of the patterns of thought and emotions that cause us to do and say things in particular ways. Personality concerns the most important, most noticeable parts of an individual's psychological life. Personality can be defined as a dynamic and organized set of characteristics possessed by a person that uniquely influences his or her cognitions, motivations, and behaviors in various situations. There are some fundamental characteristics of personality. There is generally a recognizable order and regularity to behaviors. People act in the same ways or similar ways in a variety of situations. Personality is psychological, but research suggests that it is also influenced by biological processes and needs. Personality does not just influence how we move and respond in our environment, it also causes us to act in certain ways. Personality is displayed in more than just behavior. It can also be seen in our thoughts, feelings, close relationships and other social interactions. Most people would agree that personality is unique to an individual person. With so many people in the world, it would not be far fetched to believe that there are different types of personalities. Putting these personalities into specific category types would help people determine what personality type they are. This was done in the early 1950's, by David Riesman. He proposed that there are three common types of modal personality that occur around the world. He called them tradition oriented, inner-directed, and other directed personalities. The tradition-oriented personality is one that places a strong emphasis on doing things the same way that they have always been done. Individuals with this sort of personality are less likely to try new things and to seek new experiences. Those who have inner-directed personalities are guilt oriented. Their behavior is strongly controlled by their conscience. As a result, there is little need for police to make sure that they obey the law. These individuals monitor themselves. If they break the law, they are likely to turn themselves in for punishment. In contrast, people with other-directed personalities have ambiguous feelings about right and wrong. When they deviate from a societal norm, they usually don't feel guilty. However, if they are caught in the act or exposed publicly, they are likely to feel shame. Those that follow Riesman's concept of three modal personalities suggest that the tradition-oriented personality is most common in small-scale societies and in some sub-cultures of large-scale ones. Inner-directed personalities are said to be more common in some large-scale societies, especially ones that are culturally homogenous. In contrast, the other-directed personality is likely to be found in culturally diverse large-scale societies. in which there is not a uniformity. Some believe that one person can have traits of more than one of the personality types. Today there are a few different test that can be done to determine what type of personality an individual may have. This may be done through the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Rorschach Inkblot test, or the Thematic Apseries of answers to a questionnaire that asks people to indicate the extent to which sets of statements or adjectives accurately describe their own behavior. There is an argument of what shapes the personality of a person. Is it the genes that shapes a persons personality? Are personalities formed by hereditary traits? Is the environment we live in the primary factor that gives us are personality? Ruth Benedict beginning in the 1920's believed that personality was almost entirely learned by our environment. Benedict said that our cultural personality patterns are assumed to be "natural" by us and other personality patterns are viewed as being "unnatural" and deviant. She said that such feelings are characteristic of all people in all cultures because we are ethnocentric. Benedict compared the typical personalities of the 19th century North American Plains Indians with those of the farming Pueblo Indians of the Southwest. She said that the bison hunting Plains Indians had personalities that could be typified as being aggressive, prone to violence, and seeking extreme emotional states. In contrast, she said that the typical Pueblo Indian was just the opposite, peaceful, non-aggressive, and sober in personality. Some say that hereditary factors passed by our parents and ancestors to us are the main factor to ones personality. The individual’s talent and some other traits are just few examples of these traits. Some hereditary factors that contribute to personality development do so as a result of interactions with the particular social environment in which people live. For instance, your genetically inherited physical and mental capabilities have an impact on how others see you, and how you see yourself. If you have poor motor skills that prevent you from throwing a ball straight and if you regularly get bad grades in school, you will very likely be labeled by your teachers, friends, and relatives as someone who is inadequate or a failure to some degree. This can become a self-fulfilling prophesy as you increasingly perceive yourself in this way and become more pessimistic about your capabilities and your future. Likewise, your health and physical appearance are likely to be very important in your personality development. You may be frail or robust. You may have a learning disability. You may be slender in a culture that considers obesity attractive or vice versa. These largely hereditary factors are likely to cause you to feel that you are nice-looking, ugly, or just adequate. Likewise, skin color, gender, and sexual orientation are likely to have a major impact on how you perceive yourself. Whether you are accepted by others as being normal or abnormal can lead you to think and act in a socially acceptable or even deviant way. The environment is everything that affects the individual except his genes. There are many potential environmental influences that help to shape personality. These include the place we live and the people around us. Our experiences in our day to day life, as well as the people whom we associated with such as our family, friends, people in the school, in the church and the community as a whole, all influences our personality. Boys and girls are socialized differently to some extent in all societies. They receive different messages from their parents and other adults as to what is appropriate for them to do in life. They are encouraged to prepare for their future in jobs fitting their gender. Boys are more often allowed freedom to experiment and to participate in physically risky activities. Girls are encouraged to learn how to do domestic tasks and to participate in child rearing by baby-sitting. If children do not follow these traditional paths, they are often labeled as marginal or even deviant. Girls may be called "tomboys" and boys may be ridiculed for not being sufficiently masculine. There are always unique situations and interpersonal events that help to shape our personalities. If you are an only child, you don't have to learn how to compromise as much as children who have several siblings. Chance meetings and actions may have a major impact on the rest of our lives and affect our personalities. For instance, being accepted for admission to a prestigious university or being in the right place at the right time to meet the person who will become your spouse or life partner can significantly alter the course of the rest of your life. Similarly, being drafted into the military during wartime, learning that you were adopted, or personally witnessing a tragic event, can change your personality. Home has a great bearing on the personality development of an individual. Parents behavior and attitude, their expectations from the child, their education and attention to the child, influences the child's personality. Also school plays a major environmental role in personality. In school a child is in contact with peers and teachers whose personality can be influential. There are many ways to see how a persons individual personality can be shaped. Whether you believe a person is limited to their genetic make up or you believe that the environment can continue to mold a personality after conception. There is a strong case that the environment does influence personality. THANKS (KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN)

Environmental issues in Pakistan by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Current issues: Water pollution from raw sewage, industrial wastes, and agricultural runoff; limited natural fresh water resources; a majority of the population does not have access to potable water; deforestation; soil erosion; desertification. Little attention was paid to pollution. Some are these Related concerns, such as sanitation and potable water, received earlier scrutiny. In 1987 only about 6 percent of rural residents and 51 percent of urban residents had access to sanitary facilities; a Greater success has been achieved in bringing potable water within reach of the people; nearly half the population enjoyed such access by 1990. However, researchers at the Pakistan Medical Research Council, recognizing that a large proportion of diseases in Pakistan are caused by the consumption of polluted water, have been questioning the "safe" classification in use in the 1990s. Even the 38 percent of the population that receives its water through pipelines runs the risk of consuming seriously contaminated water, although the problem varies by area. In Punjab, for example, as much as 90 percent of drinking water comes from groundwater, as compared with only 9 percent in Sindh. The central government's Perspective Plan (1988–2003) and previous five-year plans do not mention sustainable development strategies. Further, there have been no overarching policies focused on sustainable development and conservation. The state has focused on achieving self-sufficiency in food production, meeting energy demands, and containing the high rate of population growth, not on curtailing pollution or other environmental hazards. In 1992 Pakistan's National Conservation Strategy Report attempted to redress the previous inattention to the nation's mounting environmental problem. Drawing on the expertise of more than 3,000 people from a wide array of political affiliations, the government produced a document outlining the current state of environmental health, its sustainable goals, and viable program options for the future. Of special concern to environmentalists is the diminishing forest cover in watershed regions of the northern highlands, which has only recently come under close scrutiny.

Pakistan flooding and the environmental impact that may follow KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

While the immediate attention in Pakistan concerns flood relief efforts that have impacted a huge percentage of the land and in turn the population and the lingering impacts on environmental scale may be equally concerning once the waters have receded. The traditional rainy season has been extremely harsh the summer resulting in the worst flooding in living memory causing the deaths of several thousand and the loss of homes for many millions more. Three weeks of extreme flooding has caused rivers to become lakes and entire towns to be submerged underneath dirty brown water, the immediate concerns are of course humanitarian in nature as disease increases while the entire infrastructure of the inner regions of Pakistan is crippled by the flooding. The crisis itself has grown rapidly over the last few weeks, while gaining a full and proper assessment of the damage is very difficult to compile. pakistan-flood-mapEven while governments and aid agencies are coming together to provide some degree of relief to Pakistan a government report published today looks at the long-term potential implications caused by the flooding and the damage ecologically to the nation. The two highest concerns are naturally water supplies and the impact on agricultural infrastructure and therefore the food supplies for the nation. Experts are suggesting that this is the worst flooding to impact Pakistan for many generations, as a result gauging the impact is extremely difficult for the country now has a population estimated at 170 million as opposed to just under 50 million in 1960. The pressures on the food and water supplies for Pakistan are naturally greater than the last time such devastating weather impacted the country. The primary source for water in Pakistan is the now overflowing Indus River and beyond the flooding itself is the damage to sanitation and sewage plants caused by the flooding. Even before this event international observers had published reports expressing that the burden on the food infrastructure and security of distribution was already approaching a crisis level. The flooding can only emphasize just how stretched the food management chain within Pakistan currently is. The immediate aid will hopefully bring a level of stability to those displaced and bring urgently needed help to curtail what is rapidly turning into a major health crisis. It’s the period of time after the flooding that perhaps should bring the most concern. How best to provide the crop assistance, irrigation and sanitation support as well as ensure that food and water can be transported equitably and smoothly into the central region of the country which is under such intense pressure at the moment. It will of course take great organization and planning to help Pakistan through the immediate weeks but also to safeguard the food and water distribution within the country. The United Nations will take an active role with such planning and we must hope the environmental impacts of the flooding do not bring heightened instability to the country which would be the last thing it needs.

College of Earth & Environmental Sciences by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Environmental Sciences is a challenging and important field of science. Environmental degradation has occurred over time due to population explosion, over exploitation of resources, increasing land use, lack of environmental awareness, climatic shift etc. due to which it is nowadays a global issue of concern. The study of the abiotic and biotic components with respect to natural biodiversity and ecosystematic functioning reveals how the environment has been degraded over time due to anthropogenic and natural catastrophic influences. The degradation of land and water bodies has occurred due to excess use of fertilizers, pesticides and heavy metals. The uncontrolled industrial waste accumulation has caused contamination of soil, water bodies, their sediments and ground water causing direct impacts on human health and indirect impacts through the food chain. The industrial emissions have led to the suspension of hazardous particulate matter and atmospheric pollution. The study of environment leads to solving environmental problems through remediation technologies, generating environmental awareness among the masses, conservation of natural biodiversity and formulation of environmental policies. A number of programmes are being offered in the college including BS, M.Sc., MS/M.Phil and Ph.D. studies in Environmental Sciences, M.Sc., M.Phil and Ph.D. in Applied Hydrology and M.Sc. in Tourism and Hospitality Management. Prof. Dr. Sajid Rashid Ahmad Prof. Dr. Muhammad Nawaz Chaudhry Prof. Dr. Firdaus-e-Bareen Principal Professor Emeritus Professor Prof. Dr. Iftikhar Ahmad Dr. Nadia Jamil Dr. Abdul Qadir Professor Assistant professor Assistant professor Dr. Irfan Ahmed Sheikh M.r. Muhammad Kamran Dr. Yumna Sadaf Assistant Professor Assistant Professor Assistant Professor kainat Muniba Khan

Effects of the Environment on Skin by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Different types of environmental factors can have their own effects on the skin. For example, chemicals such as oil and tar can clog your pores and cause acne or folliculitis. Other materials can cause tissue to break down or fluids to build up in the skin. They can also lead to bacterial infections, burns, hair loss and changes in pigmentation -- meaning the color of the skin becomes lighter or darker. Exposure to building materials such insulation, formaldehyde and aerosols can cause irritation and dry skin. As for physical factors, heat, cold, and the sun can all cause their own damage if you're not careful. For example, if you can't take the heat, you might want to avoid it. Skin exposure in hot, humid climates can cause irritation. If you sweat, that perspiration could become trapped in your skin and lead to blisters or heat rash. On other end of the thermometer, cold combined with low humidity can cause dry skin, dandruff, irritation and even frostbite . THANKS

Environmental Issues in Pakistan by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

We should definitely like to see Pakistan without any environmental issue but currently there are lots of challenges. As in fact we are growing at the rate of more than 8 percent in GDP and creating lots of economic opportunities, this is also growing stress and implications on environment. The constant growth in population is another massive challenge. As we grow economically, we have to decide at this point in time that we ensure better quality of life. At the end of the day, when we have more money but our quality of life suffers and we can’t breathe and drink pure water; then it is not worth it. Now the Government must show scores of commitment to guarantee that as we grow, we also ensure that the quality of life of our citizens is made better and we, as a country, might be called an environment friendly country. The government should announce the ‘National Environment Policy’ with considerably increase in the budget for environment. Let us have a look at some of our burning environmental issues. 1. Need for tree plantations in urban centres – There is no doubt that planting trees help in maintaining good environment. Trees in urban centres help clean environment and reduce pollution. Islamabad, for instance, is one of most protected cities of the world with lot of vegetation and clean healthy environment. So there is need to plant trees in other cities like Islamabad. We do plant lots of trees every year but the problem is the nurturing of the plants. Trees must be considered as an essential item of environmental service. Even in our religion, trees have been given enormous importance. 2. Cutting of forests – A lot number of forest trees are being cut in northern areas for timber as well as fuel wood. People must not cut trees and use wood as fuel. There are various biodiversities, climate change and other environmental issues which are linked with forestry. In 1992 Government announced a policy against forest cutting and the cutting of forest was banned but that policy doesn’t seem to have been successful. It is suggested that the government should pass legislation for a sustainable harvesting of forest so that there’s a controlled management plan through which forestry can be saved. Local community also has to understand the value of forests. We must also develop the strategy for carbon financing at policy level. It is a very innovative instrument across the world where you can do is that we provide value to the trees because trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air. Through this mechanism the developed countries of the world are going to provide financial aid in this regard. The government should announce the strategy to make sure that investment comes in and trees are treated as the environmental commodity not just as the item of fuel. 3. Pollution from factories – We need a cooperative compliance from the factories. The Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) should take a lead in this regard. It is the time to be strict with the industries that are not compliant. Now there’s a lot of pressure on factories from law of the land and from buyer because buyers are not buying from the parties who are not meeting environmental criteria. After the implementation of WTO, we have to meet the environmental standards and unless we do that we cannot export our goods abroad. Environment is going to be a non-tariff barrier for all our exports and sooner the industries realize this the better it would be for them. There is also pressure from the lenders; almost all the banks of the world say that the industries that don’t meet the environmental criteria will not be given money. We must try to enforce the law of land and for that we have to start a voluntary self-monitoring program because it is not possible to send inspectors to every industry in the country. The industry owners should take the responsibility and provide data in this regard to relevant government agencies. 4. Greenhouse effect & Pakistan – The planet has been affected in current times with the greenhouse gasses which is detrimental to maintaining life and sustainable environment on earth. Pakistan is a very small contributor in greenhouse effect; Pakistan contributes only 0.2 % greenhouse gases of the whole world. Pakistan is very much aware about it and has taken lead on this issue at the international level. Pakistan is party to the “Kyoto Protocol”, The Kyoto Protocol is a document signed by about 180 countries at Kyoto, Japan, in December 1997. The protocol commits 38 industrialized countries to cut their emissions of greenhouse gases between 2008 to 2012 to levels that are 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels. Pakistan needs to develop a strategy and attract investment to come to Pakistan on this issue. The industries in Pakistan should also be involved; if one actually invests in projects and get carbon credit that is going to be credited on commodity exchange. It is the first environmental commodity of the world and the predictions of the World Bank are that this market is going to be somewhere in the range of 5 to 10 billion dollars a year on exchange on this carbon emission. 5. Carbon monoxide emissions in Megacities – Carbon monoxide emission levels in Karachi and Lahore have considerably exceeded WHO’s recommended levels. It however happens only during crowded hours not 24 hours a day. We should be concerned about it and a Clean Air Program must be initiated to ensure safe level carbon monoxide emissions especially in megacities. 6. High Pollution in Karachi – One can see so much pollution (noise pollution – air pollution) in the city. The main difference is of population; Karachi is a very crowded city housing people from all parts of the country. Besides other dilemmas, we have the problems of transport and industrial pollution because we are economically growing very fast and all these issues arise from that. Karachi’s main issue is air and noise pollution which again is linked with the increase in transport on the roads. Getting a car has become so easy with the emergence of bank-leasing options. It is though a good sign as far as growing economy is concerned but on the other side, due to lack of infrastructure, pollution issue has increased which is quite alarming. To tackle the situation we need to develop a ‘Clean Air Program’. Major part of this program should include converting public transport on to CNG and removing 2 strokes engines like rickshaws & converting them to 4 strokes engines etc. 7. Running of old vehicles on road – It is also one of the causes of air pollution as these cars are not discarded and thus add their share in increasing the pollution. The “Clean Air Program” should also include old vehicle retiring program. In developed countries the older the car gets the more tax they have to pay. This incentive urges them not to keep old vehicles on road. In Pakistan, low income groups keep old vehicles that have no accurate standard of pollution controlling. We also need to strengthen the motor vehicle testing program in which private sector should be invited to setup testing stations and it should be made mandatory for cars to get fitness certificate every year without which they should not be allowed to come on roads. 8. Exploiting IT technology for Environment Protection – Government is hardly using IT technology in this regard. There must be software programs developed for registering industrial data on environment. This program should be linked to every industry with the Internet and it may be given access to a centralized database in Islamabad. Other than that, the government can also be advised that all the ministries should start adopting similar IT programs and train their staff for e-governance. In this way, the IT technology can be exploited productively. 9. Demand for Environmental Managers – There is a lot of demand for environmental managers especially from the lenders i.e. World Bank and ADB. All these multilateral banks want to lend to Pakistan as well as want to ensure that the projects are also environmentally capable but we have very little proper professional capacity. NGOs have very good work and capacity with regards to advocacy and raising awareness but they are not qualified researchers as such. We need to opt for environmental studies in our universities. Youngsters, both male/female, should do Masters in environmental studies as this field has a great future in Pakistan. The government is increasing environment budget and they would need lots of people who are qualified in environmental studies. It is a new field and is going to grow without any doubt. As the world is also growing, it will create so many environmental challenges and lots of environmental managers would be in great demand in coming years. Universities in Pakistan, i.e. Karachi University, Punjab University, Quaid-e-Azam University and few other private sector universities are offering programs in environmental studies. So it is highly recommended that youngsters, both male/female, should go for environmental studies. 10. Message for the youth – This environmental movement is your movement and we can fight environment degradation through a movement because of the young people of Pakistan. If we want to make a better Pakistan for upcoming generation, youngsters, both male/female, should take part actively and learn about the environmental issues and try to tackle the problems. One of the best solutions to the environment is to change our bad habits of wastage of water, electricity and dispersal of garbage KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

How we save the Earth by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Five things you can do to help save the earth Going green is easier than you think. There are little things you can do every day to help reduce greenhouse gases and make a less harmful impact on the environment. Taking care of the Earth is not just a responsibility -- it's a privilege. In that spirit, HowStuffWorks came up with 10 things you can do to help save the Earth. 1.­ Pay attention to how you use water. The little things can make a big difference. Every time you turn off the water while you're brushing your teeth, you're doing something good. Got a leaky toilet? You might be wasting 200 gallons of water a day [source: EPA]. Try drinking tap water instead of bottled water, so you aren't wasting all that packaging as well. Wash your clothes in cold water when you can. 2. Leave your car at home. If you can stay off the road just two days a week, you'll reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 1,590 pounds per year [source: EPA]. Combine your errands -- hit the post office, grocery store and shoe repair place in one trip. It will save you gas and time. 3. Walk or ride your bike to work, school and anywhere you can. You can reduce greenhouse gases while burning some calories and improving your health. If you can't walk or bike, use mass transit or carpool. Every car not on the road makes a difference. 4. Recycle.You can help reduce pollution just by putting that soda can in a different bin. If you're trying to choose between two products, pick the one with the least packaging. If an office building of 7,000 workers recycled all of its office paper waste for a year, it would be the equivalent of taking almost 400 cars off the road [source: EPA]. 5. Compost. Think about how much trash you make in a year. Reducing the amount of solid waste you produce in a year means taking up less space in landfills, so your tax dollars can work somewhere else. Plus, compost makes a great natural fertilizer. Composting is easier than you think. THANKS KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

The Effects on Environment by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

The Effects: Environment Dead fish floating on the surface of algal polluted water Algal blooms can reduce the ability of fish and other aquatic life to find food and can cause entire populations to leave an area or even die. Aerial view of algal polluted river Harmful algal blooms cause thick, green muck that impacts clear water, recreation, businesses and property values. Nutrient pollution fuels the growth of harmful algal blooms which devastate aquatic ecosystems. Direct exposure to algae Harmful algal blooms sometimes create toxins that can kill fish and other animals. After being consumed by small fish and shellfish, these toxins move up the food chain and hurt larger animals like sea lions, turtles, dolphins, birds, manatees, and fish. Even if algal blooms are not toxic, they can hurt aquatic life by blocking out sunlight and clogging fish gills. Dead zones and hypoxia Nutrient pollution can create dead zones, areas in water with little or no oxygen where aquatic life cannot survive. Also known as hypoxia, these areas are caused by algal blooms consuming oxygen as they die and decompose. Aquatic animals must leave the affected area or die. Young fish and seafloor dwellers like crabs and clams are most likely to die in hypoxic areas. Over 166 dead zones have been documented nationwide, affecting waterbodies like the Chesapeake Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico dead zone is the largest in the United States, measured to be 5,840 square miles in 2013. It occurs every summer because of nutrient pollution from the Mississippi River Basin, an area that drains 31 upstream states. Acid rain Acid rain, caused by nutrient pollution in the air, damages lakes, streams, estuaries, forests and grasslands across the country. Air pollution Airborne nitrogen compounds like nitrogen oxides contribute to the formation of other air pollutants such as ground-level ozone, a component of smog which can restrict visibility. Wind and weather can carry ozone many miles from urban to rural areas. Ozone pollution can damage trees and harm the appearance of vegetation and scenic areas. Contact Us to ask a question, provide feedback, or report a problem. Nutrient Pollution Nutrient Pollution The Problem Sources and Solutions The Effects Where This Occurs

Human impact on the environment by KAINAT MUNIBA KHAN

Human impact on the environment "Anthropogenic" redirects here. It is not to be confused with Anthropogeny or Anthropization. Earth seen from Apollo 17 Environment Human impact Issues Environmentalism Environmental studies Environment in Education Humanities Law Policy Science Social science Article index Lists Portal Category Category Commons page Commons v t e The ecosystem of public parks often includes humans feeding the wildlife. Human impact on the environment or anthropogenic impact on the environment includes impacts on biophysical environments, biodiversity, and other resources.[1][2] The term anthropogenic designates an effect or object resulting from human activity. The term was first used in the technical sense by Russian geologist Alexey Pavlov, and was first used in English by British ecologist Arthur Tansley in reference to human influences on climax plant communities.[3] The atmospheric scientist Paul Crutzen introduced the term "anthropocene" in the mid-1970s.[4] The term is sometimes used in the context of pollution emissions that are produced as a result of human activities but applies broadly to all major human impacts on the environment.[5] Technology[edit] The applications of technology often result in unavoidable environmental impacts, which according to the I = PAT equation is measured as resource use or pollution generated per unit GDP. Environmental impacts caused by the application of technology are often perceived as unavoidable for several reasons. First, given that the purpose of many technologies is to exploit, control, or otherwise “improve” upon nature for the perceived benefit of humanity while at the same time the myriad of processes in nature have been optimized and are continually adjusted by evolution, any disturbance of these natural processes by technology is likely to result in negative environmental consequences.[6] Second, the conservation of mass principle and the first law of thermodynamics (i.e., conservation of energy) dictate that whenever material resources or energy are moved around or manipulated by technology, environmental consequences are inescapable. Third, according to the second law of thermodynamics, order can be increased within a system (such as the human economy) only by increasing disorder or entropy outside the system (i.e., the environment). Thus, technologies can create “order” in the human economy (i.e., order as manifested in buildings, factories, transportation networks, communication systems, etc.) only at the expense of increasing “disorder” in the environment. According to a number of studies, increased entropy is likely to be correlated to negative environmental impacts.[7][8][9][10] Agriculture[edit] Main article: Environmental impact of agriculture The environmental impact of agriculture varies based on the wide variety of agricultural practices employed around the world. Ultimately, the environmental impact depends on the production practices of the system used by farmers. The connection between emissions into the environment and the farming system is indirect, as it also depends on other climate variables such as rainfall and temperature. There are two types of indicators of environmental impact: "means-based", which is based on the farmer's production methods, and "effect-based", which is the impact that farming methods have on the farming system or on emissions to the environment. An example of a means-based indicator would be the quality of groundwater, that is effected by the amount of nitrogen applied to the soil. An indicator reflecting the loss of nitrate to groundwater would be effect-based.[11] The environmental impact of agriculture involves a variety of factors from the soil, to water, the air, animal and soil diversity, plants, and the food itself. Some of the environmental issues that are related to agriculture are climate change, deforestation, genetic engineering, irrigation problems, pollutants, soil degradation, and waste.

What is Environmental Science?

Environmental Science

Environmental Science

Apollo

Moon Phases

Scale planet Orbits

Earth and Moon

Scale of Planets Earth and Moon Positions

Earth Seen From The Moon