YOUNG CHRONICLE June 6th , 2011

THE YOUNG CHRONICLE WILL THE WORLD MELT DOWN?

Rambo and Pranks did a bit of investigation and found that the Earth was getting warmer. They then learnt that the Earth was once very very very cold, in an era called the ice age. Then it started warming up and with the process of evolution, man evolved. Evolution as a process is not that fool proof and scientists are still studying how man came about, but we are not going to discuss that here. Well, with man’s activities and the progress of industries, the Earth has started heating up at a faster rate, it is getting polluted, and plundered. WHAT IS ACTUALLY HAPPENING TO THE EARTH

AND WHY? Well,

Rambo found out that the Earth’s global average air temperature near its surface rose by 0.56-0.92 C (0.98-1.62 F) degrees during the last 100 years. And when he went through the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s website, he found that that this increase is very likely due to the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations. The Green House effect warms the earth’s surface and lower atmosphere. Let’s learn about it briefly. A greenhouse is a glass or plastic structure which allows solar radiation to enter the structure but tends to trap most of the heat after the plants absorb most of it and heat the atmosphere inside. Much of the heat is retained inside the greenhouse this way. Greenhouses are predominantly built in cold areas to grow plants. Now, the Earth doesn’t have a glass or a plastic covering around it. But certain gasses in the atmosphere act as such a cover. The most important of these are water vapor, Nitrous Oxide carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone. HOW DO WE REDUCE THE GREEN HOUSE EFFECT?

WHY IS THIS HEAT CAUSING A PROBLEM? Just like Pranks, many of us might not think of the heat as a problem. More heat means more Air Conditioners (ACs). And an increase in Sale for more ACs would reduce their prices so they would become quite affordable too. After all, most developed countries have built in Air Conditioning and heating systems in houses. So can India, what’s the big deal?

Well, here comes the answer. More ACs means more power consumption, and this would worsen the Green House

Effect causing Glaciers and Icecaps in the North and South Pole to melt. This melt down could have severe repercussions. The sea level could rise causing floods in areas close to the sea. Extreme climatic changes would be experienced. Like extreme winter and summer; extreme or very scanty rainfall too… just like certain parts of India experience each year. Additionally, there could be frequent and intense weather events, such as more intense hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis, thunderstorms, blizzards, etc.,

though it is difficult to connect specific events to global warming. If you notice, most parts of the world are experiencing some or the

other form of weather related hazards already. Global warming also changes agricultural yields because of erratic rainfall and temperatures. It causes the extinction of Species and increases the incidence of disease. The increased volumes of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases released by the burning of fossil fuels like coal, land clearing, agriculture, and other human activities are the major causes of global warming.

http://globalwarming2009.blogspot.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Botanical_Garden_V.L._Komarov_Botanical_Institute.jpg

Limit Waste Energy Plant Trees

Trees absorb Carbon Dioxide for Photosynthesis and hence, we should ensure that less trees are cut, and if we do cut them, we should ensure than an equal number are grown.

Most products we use (like magazines, boxes, food products, toys etc) require energy for production and disposal. Hence we should consume judiciously so that only the amount required is produced, and not much is wasted.

Electricity is commonly produced by burning coal, which results in releasing Carbon Dioxide in the air. Therefore we must switch off lights when we are not using them; and encourage the use of solar heaters and cookers when possible.

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Just yesterday, Rambo was telling Pranks about last November when he and his friends got drenched in the heavy rain! While he went on  and on  about how much  fun  they had,  he did not  realize  that  rains  in November  in  a  country  like  India  are  an odd phenomenon. It was only when Pranks pointed out that unusual changes like this, and others like unbearable temperatures in summers, floods in some places and draughts in others are all a result of global warming did a bell ring in Rambo’s head. So he read his encyclopedia and found out the following ways in which we can all save Planet Earth: 

 

 

 

 

 

  

So What Can Be Done About This Huge Problem?

The Sun is the largest source of renewable energy and abundantly  available  everywhere.  This  big  yellow  ball that shines over us can be used to generate energy  in different  forms.  Solar  power  is  being  used  today  for many  activities  like  cooking,  lighting,  water  heating, etc.  An  innovative  example  is  solar  energy  vehicles that, instead of using scarce fuel, run on energy of the sun. Newer methods of tapping the energy of the sun are being developed everyday because  it  is one of the oldest, most reliable and abundant sources of energy. 

The 3R’s that form the basis of saving the environment are Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. ‘Reduce’ means to buy less and use less. Little actions  like  turning off  the  lights when not  in  use  and opting  for public  transport  go  a  long  way  in  reducing  your  energy consumption.  ‘Reuse’ means  that elements of  the discarded  item are used again,  rather  than directly being dumped  into the waste bin.  ‘Recycle’  is  the  utilisation  of waste materials  into  something new.  Instaed  of  throwing  away  unwanted materials,  they  can  be brought to use again in some other form. Plastic and glass bottles, baterries,  cars,  furniture  and  even  some  mobile  phones  can  be recycled.  So  the  next  time  before  you  toss  something  into  the dump basket, think if it can be put to some better use! Or if you are in the market and need to discard a paper plate, put it in the Green bin, not the Blue one. 

Solar Power

Wind energy

Strong‐blowing winds are not only useful  for  flying kites but are also a great  source  of  energy. Wind  turbines  convert  fast  blowing wind  into energy  that  can  be  used  for  producing  electricity,  grinding  grain, pumping water, etc. Energy produced by this method is clean and saves the earth from pollution.  

Rainwater harvesting stores water when it rains. This accumulated water is then used for different purposes like drinking, irrigation, washing, etc. Many  schools,  villages  and  colonies  in  cities  are  adopting  rainwater harvesting.  You  must  check  with  your  teachers  and  parents,  and convince  them  to  put  a  rainwater  harvesting  system  in  your school/colony. 

Reduce, Reuse and Recycle

Rainwater Harvesting

Pollution check When Rambo was walking back from the market yesterday night, there were so many cars on the road emitting smoke and dust particles that he could feel the unpleasantness in his breath. Our cars discharge particles in  the  air  which  are  harmful  not  only  for  human  beings  but  the atmosphere as well. This is why it is compulsory for all vehicles to get a pollution  check  done  every  couple  of  months.  This  is  a  sort  of examination makes sure that your car  is not emitting particles that will add up to the pollution level. Make sure you ask dad about when he got a  pollution  check  done  for  your  car  and  accompany  him  to  the  petrol pump next time to see how it works? 

YOUNG CHRONICLE MAY, 2011

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FROM NATURAL ENVIRONMENT TO POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT

DICTATORS OF THE WORLD

 

We  all  know  that  the  world  has  millions  of  people,  and  these  people  live  in  different  countries. Different  countries  have  different  leaders who  govern  the  country  and  protect  its  people.  Just  like there are Acha Bachas and there are Ganda Bachas, the world has both good and bad leaders. Good leaders respect the citizens’ freedom and are fair. Bad leaders, on the other hand, challenge these very fundamentals and believe themselves to be the ruler whom everyone must obey.  

The world has seen many of these bad leaders, all of whom have a record of killing millions of people, disrespecting human rights and exercising extreme tyranny. Let’s have a look at the worst dictators in the history of the world: 

Adolf Hitler 

Perhaps the most famous dictator in history is Adolf Hitler who reigned over Germany from 1933‐1945. That seems to be a long time ago, but truth is that he was a brutal and cruel leader whom the world can  never  forget.  The man with  a  signature  Charlie  Chaplin‐like moustache  and  exceptional  oratory skills ordered barbarities that shocked the whole world.  Historians and leaders blame Hitler for being the cause behind the Second World War and carrying out the genocide of more than 6 million Jews, referred to as ‘The Holocaust.’  Ultimately, faced with loss of power and imminent defeat in the War, Hitler committed suicide, bringing to end a war that ruined the whole world. 

Saddam Hussein 

Saddam Hussein was  dictator  of  Iraq  from  1979  until  2003.  He  entered  politics  while  he was  still  a university student and went on to establish autocratic  rule over  Iraqi people, curbing their  freedom, sovereignty and human  rights. He  invaded Kuwait and  Iran which caused a  lot of a  lot of death and destruction.  Hussein  imprisoned,  tortured,  maimed  and  killed  a  countless  number  of  people. Ultimately, a U.S.‐led coalition attacked Iraq  in 2003 claiming that the Saddam regime was harboring weapons of mass destruction which was a threat to world security. Saddam disappeared from public view, only to be captured, tried and hung to death in 2006. Idi Amin 

Idi Amin presided over the African nation of Uganda from 1971‐1979. The 6‐foot 4‐inch tall dictator, who was a former boxer, was at first welcomed by the people when he seized power. However, very soon he changed colours and began harassing his countrymen.  He misused his power to kill people of ethnic minorities,  capture property of Asians  and Europeans  illegally,  and murder  as many as half  a million people. He  is believed  to be a man‐eater.   Amin  titled himself   as "His Excellency, President  for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor  Idi Amin Dada, Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda  in Particular".    This power‐hungry  ruler  ruined  the  ‘Pearl of Africa’,  as Uganda  is  called,  and made life darker for its people. 

Hosni Mubarak 

If  you  are  an  Acha  Bacha  and  read  newspapers  regularly,  you  must  have  read  the  name  ‘Hosni Mubarak’ all over the papers recently. He ruled over Egypt from 1981‐2011. Due to his oppressive and defective governance,  t he people  in  this country of Pyramids were unhappy with the police,  lack of free and  fair elections and  freedom of speech, corruption within  the government,  inflation and high unemployment  rates.  So  they  organized  demonstrations,  marches,  acts  of  civil  disobedience,  and labour  strikes  to  demand Mubarak’s  removal.  The  protests  were  particularly  loud  in  Cairo  (Egypt’s capital) and the port city of Alexandria.  Tahrir Square became an iconic landmark where thousands of people challenged the dominating dictator, and ultimately caused his fall. 

Muhammad Gadaffi 

Muhammad  Gadaffi  gained  authority  in  Libya  in  1969  after  overthrowing  King  Idris.  He  started exploiting  the  citizens  by  crushing  voices  of  dissent  and  heavily  controlling  the  media.  The  Libyan dictator is known to be violent by nature and has inflicted many crimes on humanity. In February 2011, the  people  of  Libya  raised  their  voices  in  protest  against  Gadaffi  and  asked  him  to  step  down. However, he refused to surrender before internal and international pressure. For now, the country is in a  state of  civil war where  its  leader has declared war on his own people and  the end  is nowhere  in sight. 

What  is common between all these dictators  is the strong urge to be powerful and that they can go any  end  to  achieve  this  power.  Another  thing  that  is  also  common  to  their  rule,  and  perhaps most important,  is that sooner or  later people stand up for their rights, overthrow the dictator and regain their freedom.  

And in the end, it’s all that matters. 

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Basic stuff you can do to save the environment.

• Turn off the lights, fans, TV

and other electrical appliances when not required.

• Curtail the use of Air Conditioners and refrigerators

emit a dangerous chemical called ‘chlorofluorocarbons’ (CFC) which are depleting the ozone layer (the belt which protects the Earth from the harmful ultraviolet rays of the Sun.)

• Make sure the taps are not running when not in use.

• Make sure your cars and bikes

undergo the pollution check and do not emit dangerous particles.

• Trees are life-givers that emit oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Every Acha Bacha must plant as many of these green coolers as possible in their school and colony.

• Use paper wisely and judiciously.

• Using public transport like buses and metros is

always more advisable than bringing your own vehicle on the road.

• Smart kids always ride a bicycle. It causes zero pollution.

• Travel in Car Pools.

• Use cloth bags instead of plastic

bags when

Poem of the Week

Caughing and Sneezing the men go by,

The cause of smoke No trees near by

Now is the time

Men and women take a vow

Grow more trees And say

THE BRAIN TRAIN

Email us your solutions at admin@achabacha.co.in and win Acha Bacha and Achi Bachi Badges. All the Best!!

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTS

• Every single day, 70 million tons of carbon dioxide is released into our world’s atmosphere.

• 20 million tons of ice is lost per day in the glaciers of Greenland.

• To produce each week's Sunday newspapers, 500,000 trees must be cut down.

• Plastic bags and other plastic garbage thrown into the ocean kill as many as 1,000,000 sea creatures every year!

• Up to 60% of the rubbish that ends up in the dustbin could be recycled.

• Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a TV for three hours.

WHY ARE SOME SOURCES OF ENERGY MORE HARMFUL FOR THE ENVIROMENT THAN OTHERS?

The harmful sources of energy are called non renewable resources. Non renewable means, substances which cannot get replenished themselves. Which means, once they are gone, they are gone.

Examples of these resources would be Coal and Petrol. These two fuels are very important to run vehicles and machinery, but they are present under the earth’s surface in limited quantities and will get over soon if not used judiciously. Moreover, the usage of these resources causes emission of Carbon Dioxide and Pollution. These resources are unlike Solar and other renewable sources of energy, which are present in abundance and cause no pollution.