Duchamp Essay Essay

Artists are influenced by different artworks and artists but Marcel Duchamp is believed to be a major twentieth-century artist and have played a big role in the art world. ‘The concept of art, and the course of art history, was irreversible changed as a consequence’ (of ‘Fountain’) (Podstolski) He changed the ideas about the traditional nature of art when he entered his work Fountain in 1919 using the name Mr R. Mutt to the Society of Independent Artists Exhibition, New York. It was refused entry, but Duchamp argued the case – ‘Whether Mr Mutt with his own hands made the Fountain or not†¦ he CHOSE it. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so that it’s useful significance disappeared under a new title and point of view – (he) created a new thought for that object. ’ His ‘ready-mades’ lead to new possibilities such as non-art materials and ideas about the conceptual basis of artworks. Society began accept these new materials and ideas about art which helped Robert Rauschenberg create is Combines, which was his term for his technique of attaching cast-off items, such as tires or old furniture, to a traditional support. Bed’ is one of Rauschenberg’s first Combines and is a well-worn pillow, sheet, and quilt, scribbled on them with pencil, and splashed them with paint, in a style reminiscent of Abstract Expressionism. These bedclothes are supposably Rauschenberg’s own, thus making this as personal as a self-portrait, or more so – a quality consistent with Rauschenberg’s statements, â€Å"painting relates to both are and life†¦ (I try to act in that gap between the two). The Pop Art movement and the work of Andy Warhol were arguable prefigured and enabled by the Conceptual Art of Marcel Duchamp. Duchamp observed: ‘What is interesting about Warhol is not the retinal image of the man who paints 50 soup cans, but of the man who has the idea to paint 50 soup cans. ’ With the ‘Readymades,’ Duchamp radically destabilised notions of what are is and, in raising the mass produced form to the dignity of an art object, he provided an opening for the ‘low’ subject matter which constituted Pop Art. Duchamp was Iconoclastic, which has led to the freedom of modern artists such as Ai Weiwei. ‘Feet’ is an example of Weiwei’s art of reclamation and transformation of round objects – in this case, stone shards of feet the remains of Buddhist statuary from the Northern Wei and Norther Wei and Northern Qui dynasties. China is littered with the remains of pillaged statuary, with much of this destruction occurring during periods of dynastic change in China as new regimes ttempted to remove all traces of the cultural and aesthetic achievements of former powers. Ai questions how we apportion value to cultural objects. Duchamp’s artistic exchange of ideas and influences have profoundly affected the art world, and if it wasn’t for the Avant-garde of his early experimentations with modernist painting techniques through to his involvement with dada then we may not have as much freedom as we do in art today.

John Barth’s Lost in the Funhouse Essay

â€Å"Lost in the Funhouse† explores the many layers of the theme â€Å"illusion of reality.† This concept is first introduced in the second paragraph as the explanation of initials or blanks replacing proper names in fiction-writing. The â€Å"attempt† at disguising a place name by shortening it, is really a tool used by authors to make a place seem real, in need of disguising. John Barth explains that this tactic is merely an â€Å"illusion of reality.† In the following pages of this story, the theme â€Å"illusion of reality† is present in the funhouse and self-perception during adolescence. The illusion of reality is a concept manifested in a funhouse. The funhouse itself is an illusion, with its rooms of mirrors that distort reality, moving floors and walls that disorient you, and its mazelike qualities that take you away from the realities of life. A funhouse is an alternative world, one meant for lovers embarking on a new adventure together. Ambrose can see its falseness from his single perspective and is aware of its deceptive powers. He is aware of the perversion inherent in the funhouse, the sleazy goals of sexual gratification disguised as child-like pleasures. To be lost in a funhouse is symbolic of the confusing and disorienting aspects of adolescence and particularly the sexual aspects of puberty. One’s perception of the self during adolescence can also be an illusion of reality. At one point in the story, we are led to believe that Ambrose is to be forever lost in this funhouse. This is representative of Ambrose’s fear that he will die illusioned, never sure of who he really is. Being lost in a funhouse alone is very much like particularly painful stages of adolescence. It is a place of romance, but for Ambrose it is a scary and confusing place, where he is still too young to be a part of the romance, but old enough to recognize and have that desire. These feelings are not only contained to adolescence, the sensation of being outside the fold and being unable to make sense of one’s emotions are present throughout life. Barth puts it best, â€Å"We will never get out of the funhouse† (9).

How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate

SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION Spotlight ARTWORK Josef Schulz, Form #1, 2001 C-print, 120 x 160 cm How P&G Tripled Its Innovation Success Rate Inside the company’s new-growth factory by Bruce Brown and Scott D. Anthony 64 Harvard Business Review June 2011 HBR. ORG Bruce Brown is the chief technology o? cer of Procter & Gamble. Scott D. Anthony is the managing director of Innosight. June 2011 Harvard Business Review 65 B SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION 66 Harvard Business Review June 2011 BACK IN 2000 the prospects for Procter & Gamble’s Tide, the biggest brand in the company’s fabric and household care division, seemed limited.The laundry detergent had been around for more than 50 years and still dominated its core markets, but it was no longer growing fast enough to support P&G’s needs. A decade later Tide’s revenues have nearly doubled, helping push annual division revenues from $12 billion to almost $24 billion. The brand is surging in emerging markets, and its iconic bull’seye logo is turning up on an array of new products and even new businesses, from instant clothes fresheners to neighborhood dry cleaners. This isn’t accidental. It’s the result of a strategic effort by P&G over the past decade to systematize innovation and growth.To understand P&G’s strategy, we need to go back more than a century to the sources of its inspiration— Thomas Edison and Henry Ford. In the 1870s Edison created the world’s first industrial research lab, Menlo Park, which gave rise to the technologies behind the modern electric-power and motion-picture industries. Under his inspired direction, the lab churned out ideas; Edison himself ultimately held more than 1,000 patents. Edison of course understood the importance of mass production, but it was his friend Henry Ford who, decades later, perfected it.In 1910 the Ford Motor Company shifted the production of its famous Model T from the Piquette Avenue P lant, in Detroit, to its new Highland Park complex nearby. Although the assembly line wasn’t a novel concept, Highland Park showed what it was capable of: In four years Ford slashed the time required to build a car from more than 12 hours to just 93 minutes. How could P&G marry the creativity of Edison’s lab with the speed and reliability of Ford’s factory? The answer its leaders devised, a â€Å"new-growth factory,† is still ramping up.But already it has helped the company strengthen both its core businesses and its ability to capture innovative new-growth opportunities. P&G’s efforts to systematize the serendipity that so often sparks new-business creation carry important lessons for leaders faced with shrinking product life cycles and increasing global competition. Laying the Foundation Innovation has long been the backbone of P&G’s growth. As chairman, president, and CEO Bob McDonald notes, â€Å"We know from our history that while prom otions may win quarters, innovation wins decades. The company spends nearly $2 billion annually on R&D—roughly 50% more than its closest competitor, and more than most other competitors combined. Each year it invests at least another $400 million in foundational consumer research to discover opportunities for innovation, conducting some 20,000 studies involving more than 5 million consumers in nearly 100 countries. Odds are that as you’re reading this, P&G researchers are in a store somewhere observing shoppers, or even in a consumer’s home.These investments are necessary but not sufficient to achieve P&G’s innovation goals. â€Å"People will innovate for financial gain or for competitive advantage, but this can be self-limiting,† McDonald says. â€Å"There needs to be an emotional component as well—a source of inspiration that motivates people. † At P&G that inspiration lies in a sense of purpose driven from the top down—the m essage that each innovation improves people’s lives. At the start of the 2000s only about 15% of P&G’s innovations were meeting revenue and profit targets.So the company launched its now well-known Connect + Develop program to bring in outside innovations and built a robust stage-gate process to help manage ideas from inception to launch. (For more on C+D, see Larry Huston and Nabil Sakkab, â€Å"Connect and Develop: Inside Procter & Gamble’s New Model for Innovation,† HBR March 2006. ) These actions showed early signs of raising innovation success rates, but it was clear that P&G needed more breakthrough innovations. And it had to come up with them as reliably as Ford’s factory had rolled out Model Ts.HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG Idea in Brief Procter & Gamble is a famous innovator. Nonetheless, in the early 2000s only 15% of its innovations were meeting their revenue and pro? t targets. To address this, the company set ab out building organizational structures to systematize innovation. The resulting new-growth factory includes large newbusiness creation groups, focused project teams, and entrepreneurial guides who help teams rapidly prototype and test new products and business models in the market.The teams follow a step-by-step business development manual and use specialized project and portfolio management tools. Innovation and strategy assessments, once separate, are now combined in revamped executive reviews. P&G’s experience suggests six lessons for leaders looking to build new-growth factories: Coordinate the factory with the company’s core businesses, be a vigilant portfolio manager, start small and grow carefully, create tools for gauging new businesses, make sure the right people are doing the right work, and nurture cross-pollination. ithout a further boost to its organic growth capabilities, the company would still have trouble hitting its targets. P&G’s leaders recog nized that the kind of growth the company was after couldn’t come from simply doing more of the same. It needed to come up with more breakthrough innovations—ones that could create completely new markets. And it needed to do this as reliably as Henry Ford’s Highland Park factory had rolled out Model Ts. In 2004 Gil Cloyd, then the chief technology officer, and A. G.Lafley, then the CEO, tasked two 30-year P&G veterans, John Leikhim and David Goulait, with designing a new-growth factory whose intellectual underpinnings would derive from the Harvard Business School professor Clayton Christensen’s disruptive-innovation theory. The basic concept of disruption—driving growth through new offerings that are simpler, more convenient, easier to access, or more affordable—was hardly foreign to P&G. Many of the company’s powerhouse brands, including Tide, Crest, Pampers, and Swiffer, had followed disruptive paths.Leikhim and Goulait, with suppor t from other managers, began by holding a two-day workshop for seven new-product-development teams, guided by facilitators from Innosight (a firm Christensen cofounded). The attendees explored how to shake up embedded ways of thinking that can inhibit disruptive approaches. They formulated creative ways to address critical commercial questions—for example, whether demand would be sufficient to warrant a new-product launch. Learning from the workshop helped spur the development of new products, such as the probiotic supplement Align, and also bolstered existing ones, such as Pampers.In the years that followed, Leikhim and Goulait shored up the factory’s foundation, working with Cloyd and other P&G leaders to: Teach senior management and project team members the mind-sets and behaviors that foster disruptive growth. The training, which has changed over time, initially ranged from short modules on topics such as assessing the demand for an early-stage idea to multiday cou rses in entrepreneurial thinking. Form a group of new-growth-business guides to help teams working on disruptive projects.These experts might, for instance, advise teams to remain small until their project’s key commercial questions, such as whether consumers would habitually use the new product, have been answered. The guides include several entrepreneurs who have succeeded—and, even more important, failed—in starting businesses. Develop organizational structures to drive new growth. For example, in a handful of business About the units the company created small groups focused Spotlight Artist Each month we illustrate primarily on new-growth initiatives.The groups our Spotlight package with (which, like the training, have evolved significantly) a series of works from an acaugmented an existing entity, FutureWorks, whose complished artist. We hope charter is to create new brands and business mod- that the lively and cerebral creations of these photograels. Dedic ated teams within the groups conducted phers, painters, and instalmarket research, developed technology, created lation artists will infuse our pages with additional energy business plans, and tested assumptions for specific and intelligence and amplify projects. hat are often complex and Produce a process manual—a step-by-step abstract concepts. This month’s artist is guide to creating new-growth businesses. The Josef Schulz, a German manual includes overarching principles as well as photographer who often detailed procedures and templates to help teams turns his lens on modern industrial constructs and describe opportunities, identify requirements for digitally strips away de? ning success, monitor progress, make go/no-go decisions, details to render moreand more. abstract, universally relRun demonstration projects to showcase the evant images. In the ? rst step I’m a photographer emerging factory’s work. One of these was a line of with his limitations, † he pocket-size products called Swash, which quickly once told an interviewer, refresh clothes: For example, someone who’s in a â€Å"and then an artist with his freedom of decisions. † hurry can give a not-quite-clean shirt a spray rather View more of the artist’s than putting it through the wash. work at josefschulz. de. June 2011 Harvard Business Review 67 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION Sustaining CommercialCommercial innovations use creative marketing, packaging, and promotional approaches to grow existing o? erings. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, P&G ran a series of ads celebrating mothers. The campaign covered 18 brands, was viewed repeatedly by hundreds of millions of consumers, and drove $100 million in revenues. P&G’s Four Types of Innovation Sustaining innovations bring incremental improvements to existing products: a little more cleaning power to a laundry detergent, a better ? avor to a toothpaste. These provide what P&G calls  "er† bene? s—better, easier, cheaper—that are important to sustaining share among current customers and getting new people to try a product. Sharpening the Focus By 2008 P&G had a working prototype of the factory, but the company’s innovation portfolio was weighed down by a proliferation of small projects. A. G. Lafley charged Bob McDonald (then the COO) and CTO Bruce Brown (a coauthor of this article) to dramatically increase innovation output by focusing the factory on fewer but bigger initiatives. McDonald and Brown’s team drove three critical improvements.First, rather than strictly separating innovations designed to bolster existing product lines from efforts to create new product lines or business models, P&G increased its emphasis on an intermediate category: transformational-sustaining innovations, which deliver major new benefits in existing product categories. Consider the Crest brand, the market leader until the late 1990s, when it was us urped by Colgate. Looking for a comeback, in 2000 P&G launched a disruptive innovation, Crest Whitestrips, that made teeth whitening at home affordable and easy.In 2006 it introduced Crest Pro-Health, which squeezes half a dozen benefits into one tube—the toothpaste fights cavities, plaque, tartar, stains, gingivitis, and bad breath. In 2010 it rolled out Crest 3D White, a line of advanced oral care products, including one that whitens teeth in two hours. Such efforts helped Crest retake the lead in many markets. Pro-Health and 3D White were both transformational-sustaining innovations, meant to appeal to current consumers while attracting new ones. These sorts of innovations share an mportant trait with market-creating disruptive innovations: They have a high degree of uncertainty—something the factory is specifically designed to manage. Second, P&G strengthened organizational supports for the formation of transformationalsustaining and disruptive businesses. It estab lished several new-business-creation groups, larger in size 68 Harvard Business Review June 2011 and scope than any previous growth-factory team, whose resources and management are kept carefully separate from the core business.These groups— dedicated teams led by a general manager—develop ideas that cut across multiple businesses, and also pursue entirely new business opportunities. One group covers all of P&G’s beauty and personal care businesses; another covers its household care business (the parent unit of the fabric-and-household and the family-and-baby-care divisions); a third, FutureWorks, focuses largely on enabling different business models (it helped guide P&G’s recent partnership with the Indian business Healthpoint Services).The new groups supplement (rather than replace) existing supports such as the Corporate Innovation Fund, which provides seed capital to ideas that might otherwise slip through the cracks. P&G also created a specialized te am called LearningWorks, which helps plan and execute in-market experiments to learn about purchase decisions and postpurchase use. Third, P&G revamped its strategy development and review process. Innovation and strategy assessments had historically been handled separately. Now the CEO, CTO, and CFO explicitly link company, business, and innovation strategies.This integration, coupled with new analyses of such issues as competitive factors that could threaten a given business, has surfaced more opportunities for innovation. The process has also prompted examinations of each unit’s â€Å"production schedule,† or pipeline of growth opportunities, to ensure that it’s robust enough to deliver against growth goals for the next seven to 10 years. Evaluations are made of individual business units (feminine care, for example) as well as broad sectors (household care).This revised approach calls for each business unit to determine the mix of innovation types it needs to deliver the required growth. HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG Transformational-Sustaining Transformational-sustaining innovations reframe existing categories. They typically bring order-of-magnitude improvements and fundamental changes to a business and often lead to breakthroughs in market share, pro? t levels, and consumer acceptance. In 2009 P&G introduced the wrinkle-reducing cream Olay Pro-X.Launching a $40-a-bottle product in the depths of a recession might seem a questionable strategy. But P&G went ahead because it considered the product a transformational-sustaining innovation—clinically proven to be as e? ective as its much more expensive prescription counterparts, and superior to the company’s other antiaging o? erings. The cream and related products generated ? rst-year sales of $50 million in U. S. food retailers and drugstores alone. Disruptive Disruptive innovations represent newto-the-world business opportunities.A company enters ent irely new businesses with radically new o? erings, as P&G did with Swi? er and Febreze. Running the Factory Let’s return now to Tide, whose dramatic growth highlights the potential of P&G’s approach. Over the past decade the brand has launched numerous products and product-line extensions, carved new paths in emerging markets, and tested a promising new business model. If you had looked for Tide in a U. S. supermarket 10 years ago, you would have found, for the most part, ordinary bottles and boxes of detergent.Now you’ll see the Tide name on dozens of products, all with different scents and capabilities. For example, in 2009 P&G introduced a line of laundry additives called Tide Stain Release. Within a year, building on 26 patents, it incorporated these additives into a sible to 70% of Indian consumers and has helped to significantly increase Tide’s share in India. More radically, Swash moved the Tide brand out of the laundry room. The line has clear dis ruptive characteristics: Swash products don’t clean as thoroughly as laundry detergents or remove wrinkles as effectively as professional pressing.But because they’re quick and easy to use, they offer â€Å"good enough† occasional alternatives between washes. Swash took an unconventional path to commercialization. When the products were first sold, in a store near P&G’s headquarters in Ohio, they carried a different brand name and had no apparent connection to Tide. After that experiment, P&G opened a â€Å"pop up† Swash store at The Ohio State University. Both Tide Dry Cleaners is a factory innovation that represents an entirely new business model. new detergent, Tide with Acti-Lift—the first major redesign of Tide’s liquid laundry detergent in a decade.The product’s launch drove immediate marketshare growth of the Tide brand in the United States. P&G has also customized formulations for emerging markets. Ethnographic research showed that about 80% of consumers in India wash their clothes by hand. They had to choose between detergents that were relatively gentle on the skin but not very good at actually cleaning clothes, and more-potent but harsher agents. With the problem clearly identified, in 2009 a team came up with Tide Naturals, which cleaned well without causing irritation.Mindful of the need in emerging markets to provide greater benefit at lower cost—â€Å"more for less†Ã¢â‚¬â€P&G priced Tide Naturals 30% below comparably effective but harsher products. This made the Tide brand accestests helped the company understand how consumers would buy and use the products, which P&G then began selling exclusively through Amazon and other online channels. In early 2011 the company ramped down its promotion of Swash, although learning from the effort will inform its work on other disruptive ideas in the clothes-refreshing space.Whereas Swash was a new product line, Tide Dry Cleaners represent s an entirely new business model. It started when a team began exploring ways to disrupt the dry-cleaning market, using proprietary technologies and a unique store design grounded in insights about consumers’ frustrations with existing options. Many cleaning establishments are dingy, unfriendly places. Customers have to park, walk, and wait. Often the cleaners’ hours are inconvenient. P&G’s alternative: bright, boldly colored cleaners June 2011 Harvard Business Review 69 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATIONThe Factory’s Consumer Research at Work In October 2010 P&G launched the Gillette Guard razor in India, a transformational-sustaining innovation whose strategic intent was simple: to provide a cheaper and e? ective alternative for the hundreds of millions of Indians who use double-edged razors. The company’s researchers spent thousands of hours in the market to understand these consumers’ needs. They gained important insights by observing men i n rural areas who, lacking indoor plumbing, typically shave outdoors using little or no water—and don’t shave every day.The single-blade Gillette Guard was thus designed to clean easily, with minimal water, and to manage longer stubble. The initial retail price was 15 rupees (33 cents), with re? ll cartridges for ? ve rupees (11 cents). Early tests showed that consumers preferred the new product to double-edged razors by a six-to-one margin. Its breakthrough performance and a? ordability position it for rapid growth. featuring specialized treatments, drive-through windows, and 24-hour storage lockers to facilitate after-hours drop-off and pickup.Using the new-growth factory’s process manual, the development team identified key assumptions about the proposed dry cleaners. For example, could the business model generate enough returns to attract store owners willing to pay up to $1 million for franchise rights? In 2009 P&G’s guides helped the team open three pilots in Kansas City to try to find out. That year P&G also formed Agile Pursuits Franchising, a subsidiary to oversee such efforts, and transferred ownership of the dry-cleaning venture to FutureWorks, whose main mission is to pursue new business models that lie outside P&G’s established systems.It remains to be seen how Tide Dry Cleaners will fare, but one promising sign came in 2010, when Andrew Cherng, the founder of the Panda Restaurant Group, announced plans to open 150 franchises in four years. He told BusinessWeek, â€Å"I wasn’t around when McDonald’s was taking franchisees, [but] I’m not going to miss this one. † To ensure strategic cohesion and smart resource allocation, Tide’s innovation efforts have been closely coordinated through regular dialogues among several leaders—CEO McDonald, CTO Brown, the vice-chair of the household business unit, and the president of the fabric care division.They’ve also been the focu s of discussions at Corporate Innovation Fund meetings and similar reviews. This isn’t just the methodical pursuit of a single innovation. It’s part of a steady stream of ideas in development—a factory humming with work. and learning, and personally engage. Our journey at P&G suggests six lessons for leaders looking to create new-growth factories. 1. Closely coordinate the factory and the core business. Leaders sometimes see efforts to foster new growth as completely distinct from efforts to bolster the core; indeed, many in the innovation community have argued as much for years.Our experience indicates the opposite. First, new-growth efforts depend on a healthy core business. A healthy core produces a cash flow that can be invested in new growth. And we’ve all known times when an ailing core has demanded management’s full attention; a healthy core frees leaders to think about more-expansive growth initiatives. Second, a core business is rich with capabilities that can support new-growth efforts. Consider P&G’s excellent relationships with major retailers. Those relationships are a powerful, hard-to-replicate asset that helps the factory expedite new-growth initiatives. Swiffer wouldn’t be Swiffer without them.Third, some of the tools for managing core efforts—particularly those that track a project’s progress—are also useful for managing new-growth efforts. And finally, the factory’s rapid-learning approach often yields insights that can strengthen existing product lines. One of the project teams at the 2004 workshop was seeking to spur conversion in emerging markets from cloth to disposable diapers. Subsequent in-market tests yielded a critical discovery: Babies who wore disposable diapers fell asleep 30% faster and slept 30 minutes longer than babies wearing cloth diapers—an obvious benefit for infants (and their parents).Advertising campaigns touting this advantage helped m ake Pampers the number one brand in several emerging markets. 2. Promote a portfolio mind-set. P&G communicates to both internal and external stakeholders that it is building a varied portfolio of innovation Lessons for Leaders Efforts to build a new-growth factory in any company will fail unless senior managers create the right organizational structures, provide the proper resources, allow sufficient time for experimentation 70 Harvard Business Review June 2011 HOW P&G TRIPLED ITS INNOVATION SUCCESS RATE? HBR. ORG approaches, ranging from sustaining to disruptive ones. See the sidebar â€Å"P&G’s Four Types of Innovation. †) It uses a set of master-planning tools to match the pace of innovation to the overall needs of the business. It also deploys portfolio-optimization tools that help managers identify and kill the least-promising programs and nurture the best bets. These tools create projections for every active idea, including estimates of the financial potential a nd the human and capital investments that will be required. Some ideas are evaluated with classic net-present-value calculations, others with a risk-adjusted real-option approach, and still others with more-qualitative criteria.Although the tools assemble a rank-ordered list of projects, P&G’s portfolio management isn’t, at its core, a mechanical exercise; it’s a dialogue about resource allocation and business-growth building blocks. Numerical input informs but doesn’t dictate decisions. A portfolio approach has several benefits. First, it sets up the expectation that different projects will be managed, resourced, and measured in different ways, just as an investor would use different criteria to evaluate an equity investment and a real estate one.Second, because the portfolio consists largely of sustaining and transformational-sustaining efforts, seeing it as a whole highlights the critical importance of these activities, which protect and extend legitim ate disagreement about the best way to organize for new growth. Whereas we believe in a factory with relatively strong ties to the core, some advocate a â€Å"skunkworks† organization. Others argue for â€Å"distinct but linked† organizations under an â€Å"ambidextrous† leader; still others recommend mirroring the structure of a venture capital firm. (P&G’s factory uses several organizational approaches. Treating capability development itself as a new-growth innovation lets companies try different approaches and learn what works best for them. A staged approach serves another important purpose: It’s a built-in reminder that a new-growth factory is not a quick fix. The factory won’t provide a sudden boost to next quarter’s results, nor can it instantly rein in an out-of-control core business that’s veering from crisis to crisis. GILLETTE GUARD After thousands of hours of research in the ? eld, P&G learned that a single-blade ra zor was a cheaper and e? ective alternative to double-edged razors for many consumers in India. CREST 3D WHITEUsurped by Colgate in the late 1990s, Crest has regained the lead in many markets owing to its introduction of several innovative oral care products, including ones that make teeth whitening at home a? ordable and easy. 4. Create new tools for gauging new businesses. Anticipated and nascent markets are notoriously hard to analyze. Detailed follow-up with one of the project teams that attended the pilot workshop showed P&G that it needed new tools for this purpose. P&G now conducts â€Å"transaction learning experiments,† or TLEs, in which a team â€Å"makes a little and sells a little,† thus letting consumers vote with their wallets.Teams have sold small amounts of products online, at mall kiosks, in pop-up stores, and at amusement parks—even in the company store P&G now conducts â€Å"transaction learning experiments,† which let consumers vote wi th their wallets. core businesses. Finally, a portfolio approach helps reinforce the message that any project, particularly a disruptive one, may carry substantial risk and might not deliver commercial results—and that’s fine, as long as the portfolio accounts for the risk. 3. Start small and grow carefully. Remember how the new-growth factory began: with a simple two-day workshop.It then expanded to small-scale pilots in several business units before becoming a companywide initiative. Staged investment allows for early, rapid revision—before lines scribbled on a hypothetical organizational chart are engraved in stone. It also provides for targeted experimentation. For example, there is and outside company cafeterias. P&G devised a venture capital approach to testing the market for Align, its probiotic supplement, providing seed capital for a controlled pilot. The company has also tested entire business models—recall the Kansas City pilots of Tide Dry Cle aners. 5.Make sure you have the right people doing the right work. Building the factory forced P&G to change the way it staffed certain teams. At any given time the company has hundreds of teams working on various innovation efforts. In the past, most teams consisted mainly of part-time members—employees who had other responsibilities pulling at them. But disruptive and transformational-sustaining efforts June 2011 Harvard Business Review 71 SPOTLIGHT ON PRODUCT INNOVATION HBR. ORG CONNECT WITH THE AUTHORS Do you have questions or comments about this article? The authors will respond to reader feedback at hbr. org. TIDE DRY CLEANERSStill in an early stage, this innovation arose in part from insights about consumers’ frustrations with the dinginess and inconvenience of most existing drycleaning establishments. require undivided attention. (As the old saying goes, nine women can’t make a baby in a month. ) There need to be people who wake up each day and go to sle ep each night obsessing about the new business. New-growth teams also need to be small and nimble, and they should include seasoned members. P&G found that big teams often bog down because they pursue too many ideas at once, whereas small teams are better able to quickly focus on the mostpromising initiatives.Having several members with substantial innovation experience helps teams confidently make sound judgment calls when data are inconclusive or absent. Finally, building a factory requires a substantial investment in widespread, ongoing training. Changing mind-sets begins, literally, with teaching a new language. Key terms such as â€Å"disruptive innovation,† â€Å"job to be done,† â€Å"business model,† and â€Å"critical assumptions† must be clearly and consistently defined. P&G reinforces key innovation concepts both at large meetings and at smaller, focused workshops, and in 2007 it established a â€Å"disruptive innovation college. People workin g on new-growth projects can choose from more than a dozen courses, ranging from basic innovation language to designing and executing a TLE, sketching out a business model, staffing a new-growth team, and identifying a job to be done. 6. Encourage intersections. Successful innovation requires rich cross-pollination both inside and outside the organization. P&G’s Connect + Develop program is part of a larger effort to intersect with other disciplines and gain new perspectives.Over the past few years P&G has: †¢ Shared people with noncompeting companies. In 2008 P&G and Google swapped two dozen employees for a few weeks. P&G wanted greater exposure to online models; Google was interested in learning more about how to build brands. †¢ Engaged even more outside innovators. In 2010 P&G refreshed its C+D goals. It aims to become the partner of choice for innovation collaboration, and to triple C+D’s contribution to P&G’s innovation development (which would m ean deriving $3 billion of the company’s annual sales growth from outside innovators).It has expanded the program to forge additional connections with government labs, universities, small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, consortia, and venture capital firms. †¢ Brought in outside talent. P&G has traditionally promoted from within. But it recognized that total reliance on this approach could stunt its ability to create new-growth businesses. So it began bringing in high-level people to address needs beyond its core capabilities, as when it hired an outsider to run Agile Pursuits Franchising. In that one stroke, it acquired expertise in franchise-based business models that would have taken years to build organically.SOME THINK it’s foolish for large companies to even attempt to create innovative-growth businesses. They maintain that organizations should just outsource innovation, by acquiring promising start-ups. But P&G’s efforts appear to be working. Recall that in 2000 only 15% of its innovation efforts met profit and revenue targets. Today the figure is 50%. The past fiscal year was one of the most productive innovation years in the company’s history, and the company’s three- and five-year innovation portfolios are sufficient to deliver against their growth objectives.Projections suggest that the typical initiative in 2014 and 2015 will have nearly twice the revenue of today’s initiatives. That’s a sixfold increase in output without any significant increase in inputs. Our experience tells us that although individual creativity can be unpredictable and uncontrollable, collective creativity can be managed. Although the next Tide or Crest innovation might stumble, the factory’s methodical approach should bring many more innovations successfully to market. The factory process can create sustainable sources of revenue growth—no matter how big a company becomes.HBR Reprint R1106C At P&G’s â €Å"disruptive innovation college,† people working on new-growth projects can choose from more than a dozen courses. 72 Harvard Business Review June 2011 Harvard Business Review Notice of Use Restrictions, May 2009 Harvard Business Review and Harvard Business Publishing Newsletter content on EBSCOhost is licensed for the private individual use of authorized EBSCOhost users. It is not intended for use as assigned course material in academic institutions nor as corporate learning or training materials in businesses.Academic licensees may not use this content in electronic reserves, electronic course packs, persistent linking from syllabi or by any other means of incorporating the content into course resources. Business licensees may not host this content on learning management systems or use persistent linking or other means to incorporate the content into learning management systems. Harvard Business Publishing will be pleased to grant permission to make this content available through such means. For rates and permission, contact [email  protected] org.

Employee Retention and Interviewing Essay

When Southwest Airlines wants to hire employees, they tend to have 142,000 applicants. They obviously want to choose the person who will suit their organizational culture the best. To achieve this objective they need to ask the right questions when interviewing the applicants. These questions should be such that they provide a clear picture as to which applicant will be best for the job and the organization as a whole. You can use behavioral-based job interview questions to help you select superior candidates. Ask interview questions that help you identify whether the candidate has the behaviors, skills, and experience needed for the job you are filling. (Top job interview questions to help you select the Best, Susan M. Heathfield) Before starting the interview the interviewer should describe the essential functions of the job and ask the interviewee if he can perform those functions with or without accommodations. (http://www. alllaw. com/articles/employment/article13. asp) The first competency question should be related to the ability to recruit and interview applicants, ‘how often during your last job did you need to interview applicants and describe a situation in which the first impression of the applicant could have altered your judgment. ’ Through this question the interviewer may get an idea of the prejudices the person might or might not hold. Southwest Airlines need to make sure that their employees do not discriminate against certain races and are able to handle all sorts of situations hands on. The second question is related to the employee’s ability to perform reference checks on potential employees. ‘When a former employer was not willing to provide information about a potential employee, how did you handle the situation and perform the necessary reference check? ’ this question will help the Airlines figure out if the employee is responsible enough to go through the necessary procedure or would overlook some things and carry on. The third question is about the employee’s ability to plan and conduct regularly scheduled organizational orientation programs. Tell me about an incidence where last minute changes were made in the orientation plan, these changes were not known to you. How did you cope with these lat minute changes? ’ this question will help identify the employee’s capabilities in a chaotic situation. For airlines these situations are quite common and such a characteristic will be beneficial for the organization. The fourth question is connected with the employee’s ability to prepare and explain HR policies and procedures. ‘Tell me about a situation where there was a revision in the company policy and the employees did not take the change well. What did you do? This will help the employer or interviewer for Southwest Airlines find out the opinion of the employee about some policies and procedures that may be adopted by the company or already exist within the company. The fifth question is about the employee’s ability to develop and maintain up-to-date job descriptions. ‘How many job descriptions have you developed in your time as an employee here at Southwest and what were some of the major difficulties you faced while carrying out your work? ’ this question will help understand if the employee will be able to assess the applicant’s capabilities and send him to the department that suits him best. The sixth question for the employee should be based on his ability to administer a compensation program and monitor salary increase recommendations to ensure compliance with merit increase guidelines. The question here will be, ‘what is your view on performance appraisals, are they necessary or not, do they motivate employees to do better on the job? ’ This question will help understand what the employee’s are expecting and what benefits they want for the jobs they perform on a weekly or daily basis. By asking these questions from the existing employees, the top management at Southwest Airlines will know the sort of employees who will be screened out from the 142,000 applicants. The number of employees they actually need is 4000, thus the company needs to be careful as to who they hire and retain. By interviewing the interviewers beforehand the organization is making sure they hire the right people. Also, when your interview questions ask the applicant to tell you about behaviors and actions she has actually demonstrated in the past, your selection process will improve.

Environment Data

Environmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses subhamsahu CORE MODULE SYLLABUS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES FOR UNDER GRADUATE COURSES OF ALL BRANCHES OF HIGHER EDUCATION Vision The importance of environmental science and environmental studies cannot be disputed. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. Continuing problems of pollution, loss of forget, solid waste disposal, degradation of environment, issues like economic productivity and national security, Global warming, the depletion of ozone layer and loss of biodiversity have made everyone aware of environmental issues.The United Nations Coference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janerio in 1992 and world Summit on Sustainable Development at Johannesburg in 2002 have drawn the attention of people around the globe to the deteriorating condition of our environment. It is clear that no citizen of the earth can afford to be ignorant of environment issues. Environmental management has capture d the attention of health care managers. Managing environmental hazards has become very important. Human beings have been interested in ecology since the beginning of civilization.Even our ancient scriptures have emphasized about practices and values of environmental conservation. It is now even more critical than ever before for mankind as a whole to have a clear understanding of environmental concerns and to follow sustainable development practices. India is rich in biodiversity which provides various resources for people. It is also basis for biotechnology. Only about 1. 7 million living organisms have been diescribed and named globally. Still manay more remain to be identified and described. Attempts are made to I conserve them in ex-situ and in-situ situations.Intellectual property rights (IPRs) have become importanat in a biodiversity-rich country like India to protect microbes, plants and animals that have useful genetic properties. Destruction of habitats, over-use of energy resource and environmental pollution have been found to be responsible for the loss of a large number of life-forms. It is feared that a large proportion of life on earth may get wiped out in the near future. Inspite of the deteriorating status of the environment, study of environment have so far not received adequate attention in our academic programmes.Recognizing this, the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed the UGC to introduce a basic course on environment at every level in college education. Accordingly, the matter was considered by UGC and it was decided that a six months compulsory core module course in environmental studies may be prepared and compulsorily implemented in all the University/Colleges of India. The experts committee appointed by the UGC has looked into all the pertinent questions, issues and other relevant matters. This was followed by framing of the core module syllabus for environmental studies for undergraduate courses of all branches of Higher Education .We are deeply conscious that there are bound to be gaps between the ideal and real. Geniune endeavour is required to minimize the gaps by intellectual and material inputs. The success of this course will depend on the initiative and drive of the teachers and the receptive students. SYLLABUS Unit 1 : Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies Definition, scope and importance (2 lectures) Need for public awareness. II Unit 2 : Natural Resources : Renewable and non-renewable resources : Natural resources and associated problems. ) Forest resources : Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies. Timber extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forest and tribal people. b) Water resources : Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams-benefits and problems. c) Mineral resources : Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies. d) Food resources : World food prob lems, changes caused by agriculture and overgrazing, effects of modern agriculture, fertilizer-pesticide problems, water logging, salinity, case studies. ) Energy resources : Growing energy needs, renewable and non renewable energy sources, use of alternate energy sources. Case studies. f) †¢ †¢ Land resources : Land as a resource, land degradation, man induced landslides, soil erosion and desertification. Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources. Equitable use of resoureces for sustainable lifestyles. (8 lectures) Unit 3 : Ecosystems †¢ Concept of an ecosystem. III †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Structure and function of an ecosystem. Producers, consumers and decomposers. Energy flow in the ecosystem. Ecological succession.Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids. Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the following ecosystem :a. Forest ecosystem b. Grassland ecosystem c. Desert ecosystem d. Aq uatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries) (6 lectures) Unit 4 : Biodiversity and its conservation †¢ †¢ †¢ Introduction – Definition : genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Biogeographical classification of India Value of biodiversity : consumptive use, productive use, social, ethical, aesthetic and option values Biodiversity at global, National and local levels.Inida as a mega-diversity nation †¢ †¢ IV †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Hot-sports of biodiversity. Threats to biodiversity : habitat loss, poaching of wildlife, man-wildlife conflicts. Endangered and endemic species of India Conservation of biodiversity : In-situ and Ex-situ conservation of biodiversity. (8 lectures) Unit 5 : Environmental Pollution Definition †¢ Cause, effects and control measures of :a. b. c. d. e. f. g. †¢ Air pollution Water pollution Soil pollution Marine pollution Noise pollution Thermal pollution Nuclear hazards Solid waste Man agement : Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes. †¢ †¢ Role of an individual in prevention of pollution. Pollution case studies. Diaster management : floods, earthquake, cyclone and landslides. (8 lectures) V Unit 6 : Social Issues and the Environment †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ From Unsustainable to Sustainable development Urban problems related to energy Water conservation, rain water harvesting, watershed management Resettlement and rahabilitation of people; its problems and concerns. Case Studies †¢ †¢ Environmental ethics : Issues and possible solutions. Climate change, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents and holocaust.Case Studies. †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Wasteland reclamation. Consumerism and waste products. Environment Protection Act. Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act. Water (Prevention and control of Pollution) Act Wildlife Protec tion Act Forest Conservation Act Issues involved in enforcement of environmental legislation. Public awareness. (7 lectures) Unit 7 : Human Population and the Environment †¢ †¢ Population growth, variation among nations. Population explosion – Family Welfare Programme. VI †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ †¢ Environment and human health. Human Rights. Value Education.HIV/AIDS. Women and Child Welfare. Role of Information Technology in Environment and human health. Case Studies. (6 lectures) Unit 8 : Field work †¢ Visit to a local area to document environmental assetsriver/forest/grassland/hill/mountain †¢ †¢ †¢ Visit to a local polluted site-Urban/Rural/Industrial/Agricultural Study of common plants, insects, birds. Study of simple ecosystems-pond, river, hill slopes, etc. (Field work Equal to 5 lecture hours) VII SIX MONTHS COMPULSORY CORE MODULE COURSE IN ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES : FOR UNDERGRADUATES Teaching MethodologiesThe co re Moudle Syllabus for Environment Studies includes class room teaching and Field Work. The syllabus is divided into eight units covering 50 lectures. The first seven units will cover 45 lectures which are class room based to enhance knowledge skills and attitute to environment. Unit eight is based on field activites which will be covered in five lecture hours and would provide student first hand knowledge on varios local environmental aspects. Field experience is one of the most effective learning tools for environmental concerns.This moves out of the scope of the text book mode of teaching into the realm of real learning in the field, where the teacher merely acts as a catalyst to interpret what the student observes or discovers in his/her own environment. Field studies are as essential as class work and form an irreplaceable synergistic tool in the entire learning process. Course material provided by UGC for class room teaching and field activities be utilized. The universities/c olleges can also draw upon expertise of outside resource persons for teaching purpose.Environmental Core Module shall be integrated into the teaching programmes of all undergraduate courses. Annual System : The duration of the course will be 50 lectures. The exam will be conducted along with the Annual Examination. VIII Semester System : The Environment course of 50 lectures will be conducted in the second semester and the examination shall be conducted at the end of the second semester. Credt System : Exam Pattern : The course will be awarded 4 credits. In case of awarding the marks, the question paper should carry 100 marks. The structure of the question paper being :Part-A, Short answer pattern Part-B, Essay type with inbuilt choice Part-C, Field Work – 25 marks 50 marks 25 marks IX REFERENCE a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) k) l) m) n) o) p) q) r) s) Agarwal, K. C. 2001 Environmental Biology, Nidi Publ. Ltd. Bikaner. Bharucha Erach, The Biodiversity of India, Mapin Publishin g Pvt. Ltd. , Ahmedabad – 380 013, India, Email:[email  protected] net (R) Brunner R. C. , 1989, Hazardous Waste Incineration, McGraw Hill Inc. 480p Clark R. S. , Marine Pollution, Clanderson Press Oxford (TB) Cunningham, W. P. Cooper, T. H. Gorhani, E & Hepworth, M. T. 2001, Environmental Encyclopedia, Jaico Publ.House, Mumabai, 1196p De A. K. , Environmental Chemistry, Wiley Eastern Ltd. Down to Earth, Centre for Science and Environment (R) Gleick, H. P. 1993. Water in crisis, Pacific Institute for Studies in Dev. , Environment & Security. Stockholm Env. Institute Oxford Univ. Press. 473p Hawkins R. E. , Encyclopedia of Indian Natural History, Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay (R) Heywood, V. H & Waston, R. T. 1995. Global Biodiversity Assessment. Cambridge Univ. Press 1140p. Jadhav, H & Bhosale, V. M. 1995. Environmental Protection and Laws. Himalaya Pub. House, Delhi 284 p. Mckinney, M. L. School, R. M. 1996. Environmental Science systems & Solutions, Web enhanced edition. 639p. Mhaskar A. K. , Matter Hazardous, Techno-Science Publication (TB) Miller T. G. Jr. Environmental Science, Wadsworth Publishing Co. (TB) Odum, E. P. 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. W. B. Saunders Co. USA, 574p Rao M N. & Datta, A. K. 1987. Waste Water treatment. Oxford & IBH Publ. Co. Pvt. Ltd. 345p. Sharma B. K. , 2001. Environmental Chemistry. Geol Publ. House, Meerut Survey of the Environment, The Hindu (M) Townsend C. , Harper J, and Michael Begon, Essentials of Ecology, Blackwell Science (TB) X ) u) v) Trivedi R. K. , Handbook of Environmental Laws, Rules Guidelines, Compliances and Stadards, Vol I and II, Enviro Media (R) Trivedi R. K. and P. K. Goel, Introduction to air pollution, Techno-Science Publication (TB) Wanger K. D. , 1998 Environmental Management. W. B. Saunders Co. Philadelphia, USA 499p (M) Magazine (R) Reference (TB) Textbook XI Mmbers of the Expert Committee on Environmental Studies 1. Prof. Erach Bharucha Director Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of En vironment Education & Research, Pune Prof. C. Manoharachary Department of Botany Osmania University Hyderabad Prof.S. Thayumanavan Director Centre for Environmental Studies Anna University, Chennai Prof. D. C. Goswami Head, Deptt. Of Environment Science Gauhati University Guwahati-781 014 Shri R. Mehta Director EE Division Ministry of Environment & Forest Prayavaran Bhawan, CGO Complex Lodhi Road, New Delhi-110 003 UGC OFFICIALS 6. Dr. N. K. Jain Joint Secretary UGC, New Delhi 2. 3. 4. 5. XII Textbook for Environmental Studies For Undergraduate Courses of all Branches of Higher Education Erach Bharucha for University Grants Commission Natural Resources i Preliminary Pages. p65 1 4/9/2004, 5:06 PMCredits Principal author and editor – Erach Bharucha Unit 1 – Erach Bharucha Unit 2 – Erach Bharucha, Behafrid Patel Unit 3 – Erach Bharucha Unit 4 – Erach Bharucha Unit 5 – Shamita Kumar Unit 6 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel U nit 7 – Erach Bharucha, Shalini Nair, Behafrid Patel Unit 8 – Erach Bharucha, Shambhvi Joshi Case Studies – Prasanna Kolte Co-ordination and compilation – Behafrid Patel Textbook Design – Narendra Kulkarni (Mudra), Sushma Durve Manuscript review and editing – Chinmaya Dunster, Behafrid Patel Artists – Sushma Durve and Anagha Deshpande CD ROM – Jaya Rai and Prasanna Kolte Copyright Text – Erach Bharucha/ UGC, 2004. Photographs – Erach Bharucha Drawings – Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research All rights reserved. Distributed by University Grants Commission, New Delhi. 2004. ii Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 2 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Vision The importance of Environmental Studies cannot be disputed. The need for sustainable development is a key to the future of mankind. The degradation of our environment is linked to continuing problems of pollutio n, loss of orest, solid waste disposal, issues related to economic productivity and national as well as ecological security. The increasing levels of global warming, the depletion of the ozone layer and a serious loss of biodiversity have also made everyone aware of growing environmental concerns. The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio De Janero in 1992, and the World Summit on Sustainable Development at Zoharbex in 2002 have drawn the attention of people around the globe to the developing condition of our environment. It is clear that no citizen of the earth can afford to be ignorant of environmental issues.Environmental management has become a part of the health care sector. Managing environmental hazards and preventing possible disasters has become an urgent need. Human beings have been interested in ecology since the beginning of civilization. Even our ancient scriptures have included practices and values related with environmental conservation. It is now even more critical than ever before for mankind as a whole to have a clear understanding of environmental concerns and to follow sustainable development practices. India is rich in biodiversity which provides various resources for people.It is also the basis for biotechnological development. Only about 1. 8 million living organisms have been described and named globally. Still many more remain to be identified and described. Attempts are made to conserve them in ex-situ and in-situ situation. Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) have become important in a biodiversity rich country like India to protect microbes, plants and animals that have useful genetic properties. Destruction of habitats, over use of energy resources and environmental pollution have been found to be responsible for the loss of a large number of life forms.It is feared that a large proportion of life on earth may get wiped out in the near future. In spite of the developing status of the environment, the formal study of environment has so far not received adequate attention in our academic performances. Recognisation thus the Hon’ble Supreme Court directed the UGC to introduce a basic course on environment for every student. Accordingly the matter was considered by the UGC and it was decided that a six months compulsory core module course in environmental studies may be prepared and compulsorily implemented in all the Universities/ Colleges in India.The Expert Committee appointed by the UGC has looked into all the pertinent questions, issues and other relevant matters. This was followed by framing of the Core Module Syllabus for Environmental Studies for undergraduate courses of all branches of Higher Education. The Committee is deeply conscious that there are bound to be gaps between what is considered ideal and the present syllabus. The Committee has attempted to minimize the gaps by intellectual and material inputs. The success of this course will however depend on the ini tiative and drive of the teachers and their students.Members of the Curriculum Development Committee Natural Resources iii Preliminary Pages. p65 3 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Members of the Expert Committee on Environmental Studies 1. Prof. Erach Bharucha Director, Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research, Pune 2. Prof. C Manoharachary Department of Botany, Osmania University, Hyderabad 3. Prof. S Thayumanavan Director Center for Environmental Studies, Anna University, Chennai 4. Prof. D C Goswami Head, Department of Environment Science, Gauhati University, Guwahati – 781 014 5.Shri R Mehta Director EE Division Ministry of Environment and Forests, Paryavaran Bhavan, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road, New Delhi – 110 003 UGC Officials 6. Dr. NK Jain Joint Secretary, UGC, New Delhi iv Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 4 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Six Months Compulsory Core Module Course in Environmental Studies: for Undergraduate Studen ts Teaching Methodologies The Core Module Syllabus for Environmental Studies includes classroom teaching and fieldwork. The syllabus is divided into eight units covering 50 lectures.The first seven units which will cover 45 lectures are classroom teaching based to enhance knowledge skilled and attitude to environment. Unit eight is based on field activities and would be covered over five lecture hours and would provide students with first hand knowledge on various local environmental aspects. Field experience is one of the most effective learning tools for environmental concerns. This moves out of the scope of the textbook mode of teaching, into the realm of real learning in the field, where the teacher acts as a catalyst to interpret what the student observes or discovers in his/her own environment.Field studies area as essential as class work and form an irreplaceable synergistic tool in the entire learning process. The course material provided by UGC for class room teaching and f ield activities should be utilised. The Universities/ colleges can draw upon expertise of outside resource persons for teaching purposes. The Environmental Core Module shall be integrated into the teaching programs of all undergraduate courses. Annual System: The duration of the course will be 50 lectures. The exam will be conducted along with the Annual Examination.Semester System: the Environment course of 50 lectures will be conducted in the second semester and the examinations shall be conducted at the end of the second semester. Credit System: The core course will be awarded 4 credits Exam Pattern: In case of awarding the marks the question paper should carry 100 marks. The structure of the question paper being: Part A, Short answer pattern Part B, Essay type built choice Part C, Field Work – 25 marks – 50 marks – 25 marks Natural Resources v Preliminary Pages. p65 5 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Further Readings 1. Agarwal KC, 2001. Environmental Biology, Nidi Publish ers Ltd. Bikaner. . Bharucha Erach, 2003. The Biodiversity of India, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd, Ahmedabad – 380013, India. Email: [email  protected] net 3. Brunner RC, 1989, Hazardous Waste Incineration, McGraw Hill Inc. 480pgs. 4. Clark RS, Marine Pollution, Clanderson Press, Oxofrd (TB). 5. Cunningham WP, Cooper TH, Gorhani E & Hepworth MT, 2001. Environmental Encyclopaedia, Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai, 1196pgs. 6. De AK, Environmental Chemistry, Wiley Eastern Ltd. 7. Down to Earth, Center for Science and Environment (R) 8. Gleick HP, 1993. Water in Crisis, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security.Stockholm Environmental Institute, Oxford University Press, 473pgs. 9. Hawkins RE, Encyclopedia of Indian Natural History, Bombay Natural History Society, Bombay (R) 10. Heywood VH, and Watson RT, 1995. global Biodiversity Assessment. Cambridge University Press 1140pgs. 11. Jadhav H and Bhosale VM, 1995. Environmental Protection and Laws. Himalay a Publishing House, Delhi 284pgs. 12. Mckinney ML and Schoch RM, 1996. Environmental Science Systems and Solutions. Web enhanced edition, 639pgs. 13. Mhaskar AK, Matter Hazardous, Techno-Science Publications (TB) 14. Miller TG, Jr. Environmental Science, Wadsworth Publishing CO. TB) 15. Odum EP, 1971. Fundamentals of Ecology. WB Saunders Co. USA, 574pgs. 16. Rao MN and Datta AK, 1987. Waste Water Treatment. Oxford and IBH Publishing Co. Pvt. Ltd. 345pgs. vi Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 6 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Contents PREFACE FOREWORD ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS UNIT 1: THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES 1. 1 DEFINITION, SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE 1. 1. 1 Definition 1. 1. 2 Scope 1. 1. 3 Importance NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS 1. 2. 1 Institutions in Environment 1. 2. 2 People in Environment 3 3 3 5 8 9 12 xiii xv xvi 1. 2 UNIT 2: NATURAL RESOURCES . 1 INTRODUCTION 2. 2 RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCES 2. 2. 1 Natural resources and associate d problems 2. 2. 2 Non-renewable resources 2. 2. 3 Renewable resources a. Forest Resources: Use and over-exploitation, deforestation, case studies. Timber extraction, mining, dams and their effects on forests and tribal people b. Water Resources: Use and over-utilisation of surface and ground water, floods, drought, conflicts over water, dams – benefits and problems. c. Mineral Resources: Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting and using mineral resources, case studies. d.Food Resources: World food problems, Changes in landuse by agriculture and grazing, Effects of modern agriculture, Fertilizer/ pesticide problems, Water logging and salinity e. Energy Resources: Increasing energy needs, Renewable/ non renewable, Use of Alternate energy sources, Case studies f. Land resources: Land as a resource, land degradation, man-induced land-slides, soil erosion and desertification. 16 20 20 22 22 23 26 30 32 35 48 Natural Resources vii Preliminary Pages. p65 7 4/9/200 4, 5:06 PM 2. 3 ROLE OF AN INDIVIDUAL IN CONSERVATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES 2. 4 EQUITABLE USE OF RESOURCES FOR SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLES 0 51 UNIT 3: ECOSYSTEMS 3. 1 Concept of an ecosystem 3. 1. 1 Understanding ecosystems 3. 1. 2 Ecosystem degradation 3. 1. 3 Resource utilisation 3. 2 Structure and functions of an ecosystem 3. 3 Producers, consumers and decomposers 3. 4 Energy flow in the ecosystem 3. 4. 1 The water cycle 3. 4. 2 The Carbon cycle 3. 4. 3 The Oxygen cycle 3. 4. 4 The Nitrogen cycle 3. 4. 5 The energy cycle 3. 4. 6 Integration of cycles in nature 3. 5 Ecological succession 3. 6 Food chains, Food webs and Ecological pyramids 3. 6. 1 The food chains 3. 6. 2 The food webs 3. 6. 3 The ecological pyramids 3. Introduction, Types, Characteristic features, Structure and functions 3. 7. 1 Forest ecosystem 3. 7. 2 Grassland ecosystem 3. 7. 3 Desert ecosystem 3. 7. 4 Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, lakes, streams, rivers, estuaries, oceans) 54 55 55 56 56 57 58 58 59 60 60 61 62 62 62 62 63 63 63 65 70 74 75 UNIT 4: BIODIVERSITY AND ITS CONSERVATION 4. 1 INTRODUCTION – DEFINITION: GENETIC, SPECIES, ECOSYSTEM DIVERSITY 4. 1. 1 Genetic diversity 4. 1. 2 Species diversity 4. 1. 3 Ecosystem diversity 4. 2 BIOGEOGRAPHIC CLASSIFICATION OF INDIA viii 82 82 82 83 84 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 8 /9/2004, 5:06 PM 4. 3 VALUE OF BIODIVERSITY: CONSUMPTIVE, PRODUCTIVE USE, SOCIAL, ETHICAL, AESTHETIC AND OPTION VALUES 4. 3. 1Consumptive value 4. 3. 2 Productive value 4. 3. 3 Social value 4. 3. 4 Ethical value 4. 3. 5 Aesthetic value 4. 3. 6 Option value 4. 4 BIODIVERSITY AT GLOBAL, NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVELS 4. 5 INDIA AS A MEGA DIVERSITY NATION 4. 6 HOTSPOTS OF BIODIVERSITY 4. 7 THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY: HABITAT LOSS, POACHING OF WILDLIFE, MAN-WILDLIFE CONFLICTS 4. 8 ENDANGERED AND ENDEMIC SPECIES OF INDIA 4. 8. 1 Common Plant species 4. 8. 2 Common Animal species 4. 9 CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY: IN-SITU AND EX-SITU 4. . 1 In- situ conservation 4. 9. 2 Ex-situ conservation 84 85 86 86 88 88 88 88 89 90 91 94 94 99 104 104 108 UNIT 5: ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION 5. 1 DEFINITION 5. 2 CAUSES, EFFECTS AND CONTROL MEASURES OF: 5. 2. 1 Air Pollution 5. 2. 2 Water Pollution 5. 2. 3 Soil Pollution 5. 2. 4 Marine Pollution 5. 2. 5 Noise Pollution 5. 2. 6 Thermal Pollution 5. 2. 7 Nuclear hazards 5. 3 SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT: CAUSES, EFFECTS AND CONTROL MEASURES OF URBAN AND INDUSTRIAL WASTE 5. 4 ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS IN POLLUTION PREVENTION Natural Resources 112 113 113 123 131 135 140 142 143 145 150 ix Preliminary Pages. p65 9 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM . 5 POLLUTION CASE STUDIES 5. 6 DISASTER MANAGEMENT: FLOODS, EARTHQUAKES, CYCLONES, LANDSLIDES 153 156 UNIT 6: SOCIAL ISSUES AND THE ENVIRONMENT 6. 1 FROM UNSUSTAINABLE TO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT 6. 2 URBAN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ENERGY 6. 3 WATER CONSERVATION, RAIN WATER HARVESTING, WATERSHED MANAGEMENT 6. 3. 1 Water conservation 6. 3. 2 Rain water harvesting 6. 3. 3 Watershed man agement 6. 4 RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION OF PEOPLE; ITS PROBLEMS AND CONCERNS. CASE STUDIES 6. 5 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS: ISSUES AND POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS 6. 5. 1 Resource consumption patterns and the need for their equitable utilisation 6. . 2 Equity – Disparity in the Northern and Southern countries 6. 5. 3 Urban – rural equity issues 6. 5. 4 The need for Gender Equity 6. 5. 5 Preserving resources for future generations 6. 5. 6 The rights of animals 6. 5. 7 The ethical basis of environment education and awareness 6. 5. 8 The conservation ethic and traditional value systems of India 6. 6 CLIMATE CHANGE, GLOBAL WARMING, ACID RAIN, OZONE LAYER DEPLETION, NUCLEAR ACCIDENTS AND NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST. CASE STUDIES 6. 6. 1 Climate change 6. 6. 2 Global warming 6. 6. 3 Acid rain 6. 6. 4 Ozone layer depletion 6. 6. 5 Nuclear Accidents and Nuclear Holocaust 6. WASTELAND RECLAMATION 6. 8 CONSUMERISM AND WASTE PRODUCTS 6. 9 ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION ACT 6. 10 AIR (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT 6. 11 WATER (PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF POLLUTION) ACT x 165 167 168 168 170 171 172 173 173 175 175 175 176 177 178 181 182 182 183 184 185 186 187 189 193 194 196 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 10 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM 6. 12 WILDLIFE PROTECTION ACT 6. 13 FOREST CONSERVATION ACT 6. 14 ISSUES INVOLVED IN ENFORCEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL LEGISLATION 6. 14. 1Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 6. 14. 2 Citizens actions and action groups 6. 5 PUBLIC AWARENESS 6. 15. 1 Using an Environmental Calendar of Activities 6. 15. 2 What can I do? 197 199 201 201 202 204 204 205 UNIT 7: HUMAN POPULATION AND THE ENVIRONMENT 7. 1 POPULATION GROWTH, VARIATION AMONG NATIONS 7. 1. 1 Global population growth 7. 2 POPULATION EXPLOSION – FAMILY WELFARE PROGRAM 7. 2. 1 Methods of sterilization 7. 1. 2 Urbanization 7. 3 ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH 7. 3. 1 Environmental health 7. 3. 2 Climate and health 7. 3. 3 Infectious diseases 7. 3. 4 Water-rela ted diseases 7. 3. 5 Risks due to chemicals in food 7. 3. 6 Cancer and environment 7. 4 HUMAN RIGHTS 7. 4. 1 Equity 7. 4. Nutrition, health and human rights 7. 4. 3 Intellectual Property Rights and Community Biodiversity Registers 7. 5 VALUE EDUCATION 7. 5. 1 Environmental Values 7. 5. 2 Valuing Nature 7. 5. 3 Valuing cultures 7. 5. 4 Social justice 7. 5. 5 Human heritage 7. 5. 6 Equitable use of Resources 7. 5. 7 Common Property Resources 7. 5. 8 Ecological degradation 7. 6 HIV/AIDS 214 214 215 217 217 220 221 223 224 227 231 232 233 233 234 235 236 237 240 241 241 242 242 242 242 243 Natural Resources xi Preliminary Pages. p65 11 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM 7. 7 WOMEN AND CHILD WELFARE 244 7. 8 ROLE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IN ENVIRONMENT AND HUMAN HEALTH 247UNIT 8: FIELD WORK 8. 1 VISIT TO A LOCAL AREA TO DOCUMENT ENVIRONMENTAL ASSETS, RIVER/FOREST/GRASSLANDS/HILL/MOUNTAIN 8. 2 VISIT TO A LOCAL POLLUTED SITE 8. 3 STUDY OF COMMON PLANTS, INSECTS, BIRDS 8. 4 STUDY OF SIMPLE ECOSYSTEMS 250 2 62 268 270 xii Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 12 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Preface Perhaps no other country has moved so rapidly from a position of complacency in creating environmental awareness into infusing these newer pro environmental concepts into formal curricular processes as has happened in India over the last few years.This has undoubtedly been accelerated by the judgement of the Honorable Supreme Court of India that Environmental Education must form a compulsory core issue at every stage in our education processes. For one who has fought to implement a variety of environment education programs for schools and colleges and for the public at large, this is indeed a welcome change. The author is currently constantly asked to provide inputs to ‘environmentalise’ textbooks and provide inputs at NCERT, SCERTs and at the UGC level to further the cause of formal environment education.This textbook has been rapidly produced as an outcom e of a UGC Committee that included the author and was set up to develop a common core module syllabus for environmental studies at the undergraduate level, to be used by every University in the country. This rush job invites comments from just about everyone who wishes to contribute towards its improvement in the coming years. Environment Education can never remain static. It must change with the changing times which inevitably changes our environment. Each of us creates waves around us in our environment that spread outwards like the ripples generated by dropping a stone in a quiet pond.Every one of us is constantly doing something to our environment and it is frequently a result of an act that we can hardly ever reverse. Just as once the stone has hit the water one cannot stop the ripple effect from disturbing the pond. This textbook is written to bring about an awareness of a variety of environmental concerns. It attempts to create a pro-environmental attitude and a behavioral pa ttern in society that is based on creating sustainable lifestyles. But a textbook can hardly be expected to achieve a total behavioral change in society. Conservation is best brought about through creating a love for nature.If every college student is exposed to the wonders of the Indian wilderness, a new ethic towards conservation will emerge. Erach Bharucha, Pune, 2004. Natural Resources xiii Preliminary Pages. p65 13 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM xiv Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 14 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Foreword Natural Resources xv Preliminary Pages. p65 15 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM Acknowledgements I would like at the very outset to thank the residual wilderness of our country that has, since my childhood, excited in my consciousness a desire to protect nature.For me the wilderness is a throbbing, living place – the home of the goddess of nature, which is none other than Mother Earth. One can only bow to her and apologize for what humankind has done dur ing a short span of time. This textbook came about from my having been included in a Committee selected by the UGC to develop a practical and ‘do-able’ syllabus as a Core Module for Environmental Studies for all undergraduate courses. The Committee met several times and had enthusiastic rounds of discussion as to what should be included and what was unsuitable for a unique course of this nature.While hoping only to sensitize young people to our environment, it has also to be as comprehensive as feasible. I wish to thank Prof. C Manoharachary, Prof. S Thayumanavan, Prof. DC Goswami, Shri R Mehta and Dr. NK Jain, who were the esteemed members of this Committee. All the inputs the Committee made during these deliberations have found a place in the current textbook. I thus take pleasure in thanking the Committee Members for their wholehearted participatory role in evolving the curriculum, which I have tried to translate into a textbook to uphold the spirit in which the curr iculum was framed.I have no words to thank the Chairman of the UGC, Dr. Arun Nighvekar, who has whole heartedly supported the Committee and gave freely of his valuable time to deliberate the nature of the course. He has always been as inspiration for me. Dr. (Mrs. ) HK Chauhan began co-ordinating the work of the Committee during the early part of its tenure. This was further carried out due to the enthusiasm and constant support of Dr. NK Jain, Joint Secretary of the UGC. I cannot thank them enough for their cooperation and many kind gestures. All my faculty at the BVIEER have helped in producing this output.Shamita Kumar wrote the chapter on pollution, which she has painstakingly developed to suit the needs of undergraduate students from different faculties. Her expertise as a highly innovative teacher in environment has given her the background that is necessary to draft a suitable Unit for this book. Shambhavi Joshi helped me to frame the final chapter on fieldwork. Prasanna Kolt e and Jaya Rai did all the work to develop a CD ROM based on the text to make a more presentable version of the book. Prasanna also dug up several case studies included in the book.I must thank our artists Sushma Durve and Anagha Deshpande who have painstakingly made a large number of drawings. Without them the textbook would have been yet another drab textbook. One person who has done an excellent job of editing the English, rearranging bits of the book and removing redundant material is Chinmaya Dunster, a musician by profession, an editor by calling and an environmentalist at heart. He has spent many painful hours going over the text with a fine tooth English comb. I cannot thank him enough for his enormous contribution towards the completion of this book.Finally, for the one person who has put all her heart and soul into this book, working long hours, and cheerfully making the constant changes I demanded. I have no words to thank Ms. Behafrid Patel. She has been the patient, all round support system in this complex task. Without her it could not have been produced in this brief span of time. xvi Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Preliminary Pages. p65 16 4/9/2004, 5:06 PM UNIT 1: The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies 1. 1 DEFINITION, SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE 1. 1. 1 1. . 2 1. 1. 3 Definition Scope Importance 3 3 3 5 8 9 12 1. 2 NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS 1. 2. 1 1. 2. 2 Institutions in Environment People in Environment This course on the environment is unlike any other. It is not only a collection of facts or information about the environment. It is about the way we all should live. It is expected to give you information about the environment that will lead to a concern for your own environment. When you develop this concern, you will begin to act at your own level to protect the environment we all live in.This is the objective of the course and the syllabus is a framework on which we must all realign our lives. The Multidisciplina ry Nature of Environmental Studies 1 Chapter1. p65 1 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM This textbook deals with major environmental concerns that have been identified as important areas where background information is essential for a better understanding of our environment. It stresses on a balanced view of issues that affect our daily lives. These issues are related to the conflict between existing ‘development’ strategies and the need for ‘environmental conservation’.Unlike most other textbooks, it not only makes the reader better informed on these concerns, but is expected to lead him or her towards positive action to improve the environment. There are three reasons for studying the state of the environment. Firstly is the need for information that clarifies modern environmental concepts such as the need to conserve biodiversity, the need to lead more sustainable lifestyles and the need to use resources more equitably. Secondly, there is a need to change the way in whic h we view our own environment by a practical approach based on observation and self learning.Thirdly there is the need to create a concern for our environment that will trigger pro-environmental action, including activities we can do in our daily life to protect it. 2 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Chapter1. p65 2 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM 1. 1 DEFINITION, SCOPE AND IMPORTANCE 1. 1. 1 Definition Environmental studies deals with every issue that affects an organism. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world and human impacts on its integrity. It is an applied science as its eeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on the earth’s finite resources. Its components include biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology, health, anthropology, economics, statistics, computers and philosophy. 1. 1. 2 Scope As we look around at the area in which we live, we see that our surroundin gs were originally a natural landscape such as a forest, a river, a mountain, a desert, or a combination of these elements. Most of us live in landscapes that have been heavily modified by human beings, in villages, towns or cities.But even those of us who live in cities get our food supply from surrounding villages and these in turn are dependent on natural landscapes such as forests, grasslands, rivers, seashores, for resources such as water for agriculture, fuel wood, fodder, and fish. Thus our daily lives are linked with our surroundings and inevitably affects them. We use water to drink and for other day-to-day activities. We breathe air, we use resources from which food is made and we depend on the community of living plants and animals which form a web of life, of which we are also a part.Everything around us forms our environment and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact as possible. Our dependence on nature is so great that we cannot continue to live witho ut protecting the earth’s environmental resources. Thus most traditions refer to our environment as ‘Mother Nature’ and most traditional societies have learned that respecting nature is vital for their livelihoods. This has led to many cultural practices that helped traditional societies protect and preserve their natural resources. Respect for nature and all living creatures is not new to India. All our traditions are based on these values.Emperor Ashoka’s edict proclaimed that all forms of life are important for our well being in Fourth Century BC. Over the past 200 years however, modern societies began to believe that easy answers to the question of producing more resources could be provided by means of technological innovations. For example, though growing more food by using fertilizers and pesticides, developing better strains of domestic animals and crops, irrigating farmland through mega dams and developing industry, led to rapid economic growth, th e ill effects of this type of development, led to environmental degradation. The industrial evelopment and intensive agriculture that provides the goods for our increasingly consumer oriented society uses up large amounts of natural resources such as water, minerals, petroleum products, wood, etc. Nonrenewable resources, such as minerals and oil are those which will be exhausted in the future if we continue to extract these without a thought for subsequent generations. Renew3 The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies Chapter1. p65 3 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM able resources, such as timber and water, are those which can be used but can be regenerated by natural processes such as regrowth or rainfall.But these too will be depleted if we continue to use them faster than nature can replace them. For example, if the removal of timber and firewood from a forest is faster than the regrowth and regeneration of trees, it cannot replenish the supply. And loss of forest cover not only depl etes the forest of its resources, such as timber and other non-wood products, but affect our water resources because an intact natural forest acts like a sponge which holds water and releases it slowly. Deforestation leads to floods in the monsoon and dry rivers once the rains are over.Such multiple effects on the environment resulting from routine human activities must be appreciated by each one of us, if it is to provide us with the resources we need in the long-term. Our natural resources can be compared with money in a bank. If we use it rapidly, the capital will be reduced to zero. On the other hand, if we use only the interest, it can sustain us over the longer term. This is called sustainable utilisation or development. ronment and change the way in which we use every resource.Unsustainable utilization can result from overuse of resources, because of population increase, and because many of us are using more resources than we really need. Most of us indulge in wasteful behavi our patterns without ever thinking about their environmental impacts. Thus, for all our actions to be environmentally positive we need to look from a new perspective at how we use resources. For every resource we use we must ask ourselves the following questions: †¢ What is the rarity of the resource and where does it originate? Who uses it most intensively and how? How is it being overused or misused?Who is responsible for its improper use – the resource collector, the middleman, the end user? How can we help to conserve it and prevent its unsustainable use? †¢ †¢ Activity 1: Take any article that you use in daily life – a bucket full of water, or an item of food, a table, or a book. Trace its components journey backwards from your home to their origins as natural resources in our environment. How many of these components are renewable resources and how many non-renewable? Understanding and making ourselves more aware of our environmental assets and pro blems is not enough.We, each one of us, must become increasingly concerned about our envi- †¢ †¢ Activity 2: Try to answer the questions above for one of the components in the article you chose in Activity 1. Then answer the following questions: 4 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Chapter1. p65 4 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM †¢ Are you using unsustainably? that resource †¢ In what ways could you reduce, reuse and recycle that resource? Is there an unequal distribution of this resource so that you are more fortunate than many others who have less access to it? †¢ ach of us uses also increases, the earth’s resource base must inevitably shrink. The earth cannot be expected to sustain this expanding level of utilization of resources. Added to this is misuse of resources. We waste or pollute large amounts of nature’s clean water; we create more and more material like plastic that we discard after a single use; and we waste colossal amounts of foo d, which is discarded as garbage. Manufacturing processes create solid waste byproducts that are discarded, as well as chemicals that flow out as liquid waste and pollute water, and gases that pollute the air.Increasing amounts of waste cannot be managed by natural processes. These accumulate in our environment, leading to a variety of diseases and other adverse environmental impacts now seriously affecting all our lives. Air pollution leads to respiratory diseases, water pollution to gastro-intestinal diseases, and many pollutants are known to cause cancer. Once we begin to ask these questions of ourselves, we will begin to live lifestyles that are more sustainable and will support our environment. 1. 1. 3 Importance Environment is not a single subject.It is an integration of several subjects that include both Science and Social Studies. To understand all the different aspects of our environment we need to understand biology, chemistry, physics, geography, resource management, econ omics and population issues. Thus the scope of environmental studies is extremely wide and covers some aspects of nearly every major discipline. We live in a world in which natural resources are limited. Water, air, soil, minerals, oil, the products we get from forests, grasslands, oceans and from agriculture and livestock, are all a part of our life support systems.Without them, life itself would be impossible. As we keep increasing in numbers and the quantity of resources Improving this situation will only happen if each of us begins to take actions in our daily lives that will help preserve our environmental resources. We cannot expect Governments alone to manage the safeguarding of the environment, nor can we expect other people to prevent environmental damage. We need to do it ourselves. It is a responsibility that each of us must take on as ones own. The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies 5 Chapter1. 65 5 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM Activity 3: †¢ Think of all the th ings that you do in a day. List these activities and identify the main resources used during these activities. What can you do to prevent waste, reuse articles that you normally throw away, what recycled materials can you use? Think of the various energy sources you use everyday. How could you reduce their use? What happens to it when you throw it away/ where does it go? Example – Fossil fuels: How much do you use? Can you reduce your consumption? What effect does it have on the air we breathe? Activity 4: Exercises in self learning about the environment Attempt to assess the level of damage to the environment due to your actions that have occurred during your last working day, the last week, the last year. Then estimate the damage you are likely to do in your lifetime if you continue in your present ways. Use the following examples for the above exercise: When we leave a motorbike or car running during a traffic stop, we do not usually remember that the fuel we are wasting i s a part of a nonrenewable resource that the earth cannot reform.Once all the fossil fuels are burnt off, it will mean the end of oil as a source of energy. Only if each of us contributes our part in conserving fossil based energy can we make it last longer on earth. Example – Water: How much do you really need to use, as against how much you waste when you: (a) Brush your teeth? (b) Have a bath? (c) Wash clothes? (d) Wash the scooter or car? Where did the water come from? What is its actual source? How has it reached you? Where will the waste water go? Example – Plastic: Plastic bags, plastic ball pensThink about all the articles you use daily that are made from plastic. Plastic plays an important part in our modern lives. Make a list of the plastic articles you usually use. How can you reduce the amount of plastic you use? What effects does plastic have on our environment? Where did the plastic come from/ how is it made? Do you feel you should change the way you use water? How can you change this so that it is more sustainable? Example – Food: Where has it come from? How is it grown? What chemicals are used in its production?How does it reach you? Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses 6 Chapter1. p65 6 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM How is it cooked? How much is wasted? How is the waste disposed off? struction of a forest, wetland or other natural area and do not protest about it, future generations are being denied the use of these valuable resources and will blame us for these rash and negligent actions towards the environment. Thus the urgent need to protect all living species is a concept that we need to understand and act upon.While individually, we perhaps cannot directly prevent the extinction of a species, creating a strong public opinion to protect the National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in which wild species live is an importance aspect of sustainable living. There is a close link between agriculture and the forest, which illu strates its productive value. For crops to be successful, the flowers of fruit trees and vegetables must be pollinated by insects, bats and birds. Their life cycles however frequently require intact forests. Example – Paper: What is it made from? Where does it come from and what happens during manufacture?How much do you use and how much do you waste? How can you prevent it from being wasted? Example – Electrical Energy: How much do you use everyday? Where does it come from? How do you waste it? How can you conserve energy? Productive value of nature: As scientists make new advances in fields such as biotechnology we begin to understand that the world’s species contain an incredible and uncountable number of complex chemicals. These are the raw materials that are used for developing new medicines and industrial products and are a storehouse from which to develop thousands of new products in the future.The flowering plants and insects that form the most speciesri ch groups of living organisms are thus vital for the future development of man. If we degrade their habitat these species will become extinct. If one sees being sold or used, a product that comes from an illegally killed wild species, if we do not inform the authorities, we become party to its extinction. Once they are lost, man cannot bring them back. When we permit the de- Aesthetic/Recreational value of nature: The aesthetic and recreational values that nature possesses enlivens our existence on earth.This is created by developing National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries in relatively undisturbed areas. A true wilderness experience has not only recreational value but is an incredible learning experience. It brings about an understanding of the oneness of nature and the fact that we are entirely dependent upon the intricate functioning of ecosystems. The beauty of nature encompasses every aspect of the living and non-living part of our earth. One can appreciate the magnificence of a mountain, the power of the sea, the beauty of a forest, and the vast expanse of the desert.It is these natural vistas and their incredible diversity of plant and animal life that has led to the development of several philosophies of life. It has also inspired artists to develop visual arts and writers and poets to create their works that vitalize our lives. The Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies 7 Chapter1. p65 7 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM A wilderness experience has exceptional recreational value. This has been described as nature tourism, or wildlife tourism, and is also one aspect of adventure tourism.These recreational facilities not only provide a pleasurable experience but are intended to create a deep respect and love for nature. They are also key tools in educating people about the fragility of the environment and the need for sustainable lifestyles. In an urban setting, green spaces and gardens are vital to the pschycological and physical health of city dwellers. It provides not only an aesthetic and visual appeal but the ability to ensure that each individual is able to access a certain amount of peace and tranquility. Thus urban environmental planners must ensure that these facilities are created in growing urban complexes.Another important conservation education facility in urban settings includes the need to set up well designed and properly managed zoological parks and aquariums. These have got great value in sensitizing school students to wildlife. Many young people who frequented zoos as young children grow up to love wildlife and become conservationists. In the absence of access to a Protected Area, a botanical garden or a zoo, one concept that can be developed is to create small nature awareness areas with interpretation facilities at district and taluka levels.These areas can be developed to mimic natural ecosystems even though they could be relatively small in size. Such nature trails are invaluable assets for creating conservation education and awareness. They can be developed in a small woodlot, a patch of grassland, a pond ecosystem, or be situated along an undisturbed river or coastal area. This would bring home to the visitor the importance of protecting our dwindling wilderness areas. The option values of nature: While we utilise several goods and services of ature and enjoy its benefits, we must recognize that every activity that we do in our daily lives has an adverse impact on nature’s integrity. Thus if we use up all our resources, kill off and let species of plants and animals become extinct on earth, pollute our air and water, degrade land, and create enormous quantities of waste, we as a generation will leave nothing for future generations. Our present generation has developed its economies and lifestyles on unsustainable patterns of life. however, nature provides us with various options on how we utilize its goods and services.This is its option value. We can use up goods and services gree dily and destroy its integrity and long term values, or we can use its resources sustainably and reduce our impacts on the environment. The option value allows us to use its resources sustainably and preserve its goods and services for the future. 1. 2 NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS As the earth’s natural resources are dwindling and our environment is being increasingly degraded by human activities, it is evident that something needs to be done. We often feel that managing all this is something that the Government should do.But if we go on endangering our environment, there is no 8 Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Chapter1. p65 8 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM way in which the Government can perform all these clean-up functions. It is the prevention of environment degradation in which we must all take part that must become a part of all our lives. Just as for any disease, prevention is better than cure. To prevent ill-effects on our environment by our actions, is economically mo re viable than cleaning up the environment once it is damaged. Individually we can play a major role in environment anagement. We can reduce wasting natural resources and we can act as watchdogs that inform the Government about sources that lead to pollution and degradation of our environment. This can only be made possible through mass public awareness. Mass media such as newspapers, radio, television, strongly influence public opinion. However, someone has to bring this about. If each of us feels strongly about the environment, the press and media will add to our efforts. Politicians in a democracy always respond positively to a strong publicly supported movement.Thus if you join an NGO that supports conservation, politicians will make green policies. We are living on spaceship earth with a limited supply of resources. Each of us is responsible for spreading this message to as many people as possible. Suggested further activities for concerned students: †¢ Join a group to stu dy nature, such as WWFI or BNHS, or another environmental group. Begin reading newspaper articles and periodicals such as ‘Down to Earth’, WWF-I newsletter, BNHS Hornbill, Sanctuary magazine, etc. that will tell you more about our environment. There are also several environmental websites.Lobby for conserving resources by taking up the cause of environmental issues during discussions with friends and relatives. Practice and promote issues such as saving paper, saving water, reducing use of plastics, practicing the 3Rs principle of reduce, reuse, recycle, and proper waste disposal. †¢ Join local movements that support activities such as saving trees in your area, go on nature treks, recycle waste, buy environmentally friendly products. Practice and promote good civic sense such as no spitting or tobacco chewing, no throwing garbage on the road, no smoking in public places, no urinating or defecating in public places.Take part in events organised on World Environment Day, Wildlife Week, etc. Visit a National Park or Sanctuary, or spend time in whatever nature you have near your home. †¢ †¢ †¢ 1. 2. 1 Institutions in Environment There have been several Government and Nongovernment organizations that have led to environmental protection in our country. They have led to a growing interest in environmental protection and conservation of nature and natural resources. The traditional conservation practices that were part of ancient India’s culture have however gradually disappeared.Public awareness is thus a critical need to further environmental protection. Among the large number of institutions that deal with environmental protection and conservation, a few well-known organizations include government organisations such as the BSI and ZSI, and NGOs such as BNHS, WWF-I, etc. †¢ †¢ Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS), Mumbai: the BNHS began as a small society of six members in 1883. It grew from a group of 9 The Multi disciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies Chapter1. p65 9 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM hikaris and people from all walks of life into a major research organisation that substantially influenced conservation policy in the country. The influence on wildlife policy building, research, popular publications and peoples action have been unique features of the multifaceted society. Undoubtedly its major contribution has been in the field of wildlife research. It is India’s oldest conservation research based NGO and one that has acted at the forefront of the battle for species and ecosystems. The BNHS publishes a popular magazine called Hornbill and also n internationally well-known Journal on Natural History. Its other publications include the Salim Ali Handbook on birds, JC Daniel’s book of Indian Reptiles, SH Prater’s book of Indian Mammals and PV Bole’s book of Indian Trees. One of its greatest scientists was Dr. Salim Ali whose ornithological work on the birds of th e Indian subcontinent is world famous. The BNHS has over the years helped Government to frame wildlife related laws and has taken up battles such as the ‘Save the Silent Valley’ campaign. ence and Environment fortnightly.It is involved in the publication of material in the form of books, posters, video films and also conducts workshops and seminars on biodiversity related issues. CPR Environmental Education Centre, Madras: The CPR EEC was set up in 1988. It conducts a variety of programs to spread environmental awareness and creates an interest in conservation among the general public. It focussed attention on NGOs, teachers, women, youth and children to generally promote conservation of nature and natural resources. Its programs include components on wildlife and biodiversity issues.CPR EEC also produces a large number of publications. World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-I), New Delhi: The WWF-I was initiated in 1969 in Mumbai after which the headquarters were shifted to D elhi with several branch offices all over India. The early years focused attention on wildlife education and awareness. It runs several programs including the Nature Clubs of India program for school children and works as a think tank and lobby force for environment and development issues. Centre for Environment Education (CEE), Ahmedabad: The Centre for Environment Education, Ahmedabad was initiated in 1989.It has a wide range of programs on the environment and produces a variety of educational material. CEE’s Training in Environment Education {TEE} program has trained many environment educators. Center for Science and Environment (CSE), New Delhi: Activities of this Center include organising campaigns, holding workshops and conferences, and producing environment related publications. It published a major document on the ‘State of India’s Environment’, the first of its kind to be produced as a Citizen’s Report on the Environment. The CSE also publi shes a popular magazine, ‘Down to Earth’, which is a Sci10Bharati Vidyapeeth Institute of Environment Education and Research (BVIEER), Pune: This is part of the Bharati Vidyapeeth Deemed University. The Institute has a PhD, a Masters and Bachelors program in Environmental Sciences. It also offers an innovative Diploma in Environment Education for in-service teachers. It implements a large outreach programme that has covered over 135 schools in which it trains teachers and conducts fortnightly Environment Education Programs. Biodiversity Conservation is a major focus of its research initiatives.It develops low cost Interpretation Centres for Natural and Architectural sites that are highly locale specific as well as a large amount of innovative environment educational Environmental Studies for Undergraduate Courses Chapter1. p65 10 4/9/2004, 5:07 PM material for a variety of target groups. Its unique feature is that it conducts environment education from primary school le vel to the postgraduate level. The BVIEER has produced several EE aids. It has developed a teacher’s handbook linked to school curriculum, a textbook for UGC for its undergraduate course on environment.Its Director has developed a CD ROM on India’s biodiversity published by Mapin Publishers, Ahmedabad. Salim Ali Center for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Coimbatore: This institution was Dr. Salim Ali’s dream that became a reality only after his demise. He wished to support a group of committed conservation scientists on a permanent basis. Initially conceived as being a wing of the Bombay Natural History Society (BNHS) it later evolved as an independent organisation based at Coimbatore in 1990. It has instituted a variety of field programs that have added to the country’s information on our threatened biodiversity.Uttarkhand Seva Nidhi (UKSN), Almora: The Organisation is a Nodal Agency which supports NGOs in need of funds for their environment rel ated activities. Its major program is organising and training school teachers to use its locale specific Environment Education Workbook Program. The main targets are linked with sustainable resource use at the village level through training school children. Its environment education program covers about 500 schools. Kalpavriksh, Pune: This NGO, initially Delhi based, is now working from Pune and is active in several other parts of Indi