Preventive Measures
ICSE Class 9 · Geography · Chapter 19
What this chapter covers
- Why pollution must be prevented
- Carpools
- Promotion of public transport
- No smoking zone
- Restricted use of fossil fuels
- Saving energy
- Encouragement of organic farming
- How the preventive measures work together
Key points
- Prevention of pollution stops pollutants at their source; it is cheaper and more lasting than cleaning up after pollution has spread.
- The six preventive measures in the syllabus are carpools, promotion of public transport, no smoking zones, restricted use of fossil fuels, saving energy and encouragement of organic farming.
- Carpools take cars off the road, reducing exhaust, noise and congestion, and save money and imported oil.
- Public transport moves many people with few vehicles; it is promoted through metro systems, more and cleaner buses, low fares and last-mile connections.
- No smoking zones protect non-smokers from passive smoking; in India the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003 bans smoking in public places.
- Fossil fuels are non-renewable and their burning is the main cause of air pollution; their use is restricted by renewable energy, cleaner fuels such as CNG and LPG, stricter emission standards and electric vehicles.
- Saving energy reduces the coal burnt in power stations; energy is calculated as E = P × t, in kilowatt-hours or units.
- Organic farming replaces chemical fertilisers and pesticides with manures, biofertilisers, crop rotation and natural pest control, preventing soil and water pollution.
- The measures support one another and together form the basis of sustainable living.
Questions answered
Define prevention of pollution. How does it differ from cleaning up pollution?
Prevention of pollution is the reduction or elimination of pollutants at their source, so that they never enter the air, water or soil. Cleaning up deals with pollutants after they have been released, as in treating sewage or removing spilled oil.
What is a carpool? Give two ways in which carpools reduce pollution.
A carpool is a group of people travelling along the same route at the same time who share one car instead of each driving their own. It takes several cars off the road, reducing exhaust gases and noise, and it reduces congestion, so all vehicles idle less and burn less fuel.
Give two difficulties in forming carpools and one way the government can encourage them.
Members must have similar timings and routes, and some people are unwilling to share or worry about safety. The government can reserve a lane for cars carrying two or more people, or restrict single-occupant cars as Delhi's odd-even scheme did.
Why does a bus full of passengers pollute less than the cars needed to carry the same people?
One bus does the work of 30 to 50 private vehicles, so the fuel burnt and exhaust released for each passenger are much smaller, and there is less congestion, idling and honking.
State four measures by which public transport is promoted in Indian cities.
Building metro and suburban rail systems, adding more and cleaner buses such as CNG and electric buses, keeping fares low with passes and concessions, and providing feeder services for the last mile. Higher parking charges for cars also help.
Why did the conversion of Delhi's buses and auto-rickshaws to CNG reduce air pollution?
CNG burns more cleanly than diesel and petrol, releasing far less smoke, fine particles and sulphur dioxide, so the exhaust from public vehicles was sharply reduced.
Define a no smoking zone and passive smoking. Why are no smoking zones necessary?
A no smoking zone is a public place in which smoking is forbidden by law or by the rules of the place. Passive smoking is the breathing in of tobacco smoke by non-smokers near a smoker. No smoking zones protect non-smokers, especially children and patients, from harmful second-hand smoke that they have not chosen to breathe.
Name the Indian law that bans smoking in public places and state one other provision of it.
The Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products Act, 2003. It also bans the sale of tobacco products to persons below 18 years of age and near educational institutions.
Past board exam questions
ICSE 2019 sample paper · 3 marks
(i) What is organic farming? (ii) Why is this form of farming gaining popularity in recent times?
Show answer
(i) Organic farming is a method of farming in which crops are grown without chemical fertilisers and pesticides, using natural manures (compost, green manure, vermicompost), crop rotation and biological pest control.
(ii) It does not pollute the soil and water and maintains soil fertility; its produce is free from harmful chemicals and healthier; it is environment-friendly and cheaper in the long run, and organic food fetches a better price, so it is becoming popular.
ICSE 2019 sample paper · 3 marks
Discuss how individuals may reduce energy consumption to create a cleaner and eco-friendly world.
Show answer
Any three: 1. Switch off lights, fans and appliances when not in use and use energy-efficient LED bulbs and star-rated appliances. 2. Use public transport, car pools, bicycles or walk instead of private vehicles. 3. Use solar energy (solar water heaters, solar panels) and other renewable sources. 4. Reduce, reuse and recycle goods, which saves the energy used in making new products. 5. Make full use of natural light and ventilation in buildings. Using less energy means burning less fossil fuel, which reduces pollution.