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Our Environment — Question 8

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Question 8

If all the waste we generate is biodegradable, will this have no impact on the environment?

Answer

Even if all the waste generated is biodegradable, it will still harm the environment in the following ways:

  1. Large amount of biodegradable waste will require a larger land area for decomposition disturbing the natural habitat of organisms.
  2. The decomposition of biodegradable waste, especially in landfills, can produce methane, a potent greenhouse gas leading to an increase in global warming.
  3. Accumulation of waste will lead to breeding grounds for mosquitoes, worms and flies which may be the carrier of many diseases.
  4. Slow decomposition of biodegradable waste can produce foul smell and harmful gases posing health risks such as irritation, nausea, and dizziness when inhaled by humans.
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Science | Chapter 13: Our EnvironmentWeb Content

Chapter 13: Our Environment — Quick Revision Guide

Introduction

Our environment is a complex web of living and non-living components. This chapter covers ecosystems, food chains, energy flow, ozone layer depletion, and waste management.

Key Points at a Glance

  1. Ecosystem: biotic (producers, consumers, decomposers) + abiotic (temperature, water, soil, light)
  2. Food chain: linear energy transfer; Grass → Grasshopper → Frog → Snake → Hawk
  3. Trophic levels: T1 (producers), T2 (primary consumers), T3, T4; usually 4–5 levels max
  4. 10% law (Lindeman): only 10% energy transfers to next level; rest lost as heat in life processes
  5. Food web: interconnected chains; more stable; if one species declines, alternatives exist
  6. Biological magnification: non-biodegradable chemicals (DDT) concentrate at higher trophic levels
  7. Ozone (O3) in stratosphere absorbs UV; CFCs deplete ozone; Montreal Protocol (1987) limits CFCs
  8. Biodegradable waste: broken down by microorganisms; composting, vermicomposting, biogas
  9. Non-biodegradable waste: persists; plastic, glass, DDT; reduce, reuse, recycle
  10. Problems: biomagnification, plastic pollution, e-waste toxicity, air pollution from burning waste

Real-World Connections

Banning single-use plastic reduces pollution; composting reduces landfill load; ozone layer is slowly recovering; understanding food chains helps conservation; DDT ban protected bird populations.

Quick Self-Test (5 Questions)

  1. What is the most important concept you learned from this chapter?
  2. Can you write three key equations/formulae from this chapter from memory?
  3. Draw a labelled diagram relevant to this chapter without looking at your notes.
  4. Explain one real-world application of a concept from this chapter.
  5. What is one common mistake students make in this chapter, and how can you avoid it?

Further Study

  • NCERT Textbook Chapter 13
  • NCERT Exemplar Problems
  • Bright Tutorials Detailed Notes: ch13-our-environment.html
  • Bright Tutorials Practice Questions: ch13-our-environment.html
  • Previous Year CBSE Board Papers

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