The air quality in Delhi and other parts of north India hit a hazardous level this month. Levels of dangerous particles in the air – known as PM2.5 – were over 10 times the safe limits in the capital. The air quality index (AQI) crossed an all-time high of 1,000 in some places on November 3. As per data, the AQI between 0 and 50 is considered safe, 51-100 satisfactory, 101-200 moderate, 201-300 poor. At 301-400 it’ considered very poor and 401-500 falls in the severe category. When the AQI crosses the 500 mark, it falls into the emergency category.
The odd-even rule, a car rationing scheme, came into effect on November 4. (As per rule, cars with odd numbers will be allowed to run on odd days such as Nov 5, 7 etc., and cars with even numbers will be allowed on even days such as Nov 6, 8, etc.). Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal blamed crop burning in Haryana and Punjab for increased pollution levels in the capital during winter.
Air pollution is a year-round problem in Delhi due to vehicular and industrial emission, but the impact is felt more during the winter months. The capital’s low air quality during the winter is attributed to its geography, low wind speed and stubble burning by farmers in the neighbouring States of Punjab and Haryana. These farmers have come under fire for taking the air quality to a dangerous level.
Stubble burning is the practice of removing crop residue from fields post-harvest by setting fire to it. This usually happens during October and November (autumn months), as the farmers begin to prepare the field for sowing winter crops – especially wheat.
As the southwest monsoon retreats, it sets off northwesterly winds, which carry the smoke from the burning of stubble towards Delhi and other northern regions.
According to the agriculture ministry, 23 million tonnes of paddy straw is burnt in Punjab, Haryana and UP every year.
Picture Credit : Google
Does your school accept plastic as fees? There is a unique school in the outskirts of Guwahati, Assam which does. If a student brings 25 pieces of plastic, it is accepted as fees in Akshar School. The plastic waste that they bring is recycled to make eco-friendly bricks that can be used for construction.
Sikkim, a tiny state in the foothills of the Himalayas is famous not only for its natural beauty and biodiversity, but also for its eco-friendly stands.
Modbury was a not so famous village in England which came to the spotlight in 2007. It secured a place in history with a life-changing decision to ban plastic carry bags forever. Thanks to the efforts of Rebecca Hosking, Modbury is the world’s first ever plastic bag free zone.
It is ironic that the food items that last less than a week are packed using plastics that stay intact for centuries. Scientists had worked hard to find eco-friendly alternatives and by the 1990s, bioplastic was brought into the markets.
The documentary Albatross took shape in 2008 after a discussion between Chris Jordan and his friend Manuel Maqueda about the issue of ocean plastic pollution. They studied about young albatrosses dying of indigestion after eating plastic. They recorded what they witnessed in Midway Island in the north of the Pacific Ocean. They worked for more than four hundred hours and the footages were made into a film showcasing the plight of the species. The documentary was released in 2017.
People in the south coast of Spain woke up to a huge dead sperm whale on a March morning in 2013. After careful examination, it was found out that the whale had died of severe indigestion. About 17 kilograms of plastic was found inside its body which had led to its death.
Most of us love packaged chips. Let us now take a look at the journey of its packaging. These attractive packages are made of a kind of polypropylene known as BOPP.
Commonly known as PU, polyurethane is a polymer that is used to make cushions and mattresses. It is also used as enamel for paints. Though it provides us a comfortable night’s sleep without disturbances, it disturbs our environment. Sad, but true.
Most babies are fed using feeding bottles. A plastic called polycarbonate is used to make feeding bottles because it is strong, durable and heat resistant to an extent. It can be sterilized easily and would not soak up odours. When it was first introduced, it was commonly accepted as a suitable substitute for glass and ceramic. Polycarbonate is preferred for making the inner linings of food containers and reusable plastic bottles as well.
Polyethylene bags have multiple applications in our daily life. Though we use polyethylene products at least five times a day, they are not entirely safe.
Do you enjoy watching water sports like scuba diving or river rafting? If you do, you should know about neoprene, the polymer used to make wetsuits.
Zylon is a thermoset fibre that was developed in the 1980s. How would this polymer have connection with Formula One racing, the highest class of single seater auto racing?
You won’t be wrong if you say that life on Earth won’t be possible without polymers. Wonder why? Look at what our body is made of. Our body contains proteins, peptides and enzymes. These wouldn’t be possible if not for RNA, which is a polymer. RNA makes possible the synthesis of proteins and enzymes. Our hair is made of keratin, a protein and skin is constituted of polymerized collagen. DNA contains the basic programming of our body. DNA too is a polymer.
Biodegradable polymers are decomposed by microorganisms like bacteria. While decomposing, they produce natural by-products like gases, water and inorganic salts. Wood is a natural biodegradable polymer.
Think of the human body. What is it that gives us our shape? The skeleton of course. Without the skeleton, we would be a lump of flesh. Similarly all polymers have a skeleton which gives them their structure. Organic polymers have a carbon backbone. Their monomers are simple organic compounds.
We have a tendency to classify everything around us. Similar things are often grouped together for the ease of understanding. Polymers too can be grouped based on different criteria.
