Classwork Series and Exercises {Basic Science – JSS1}: Environmental Conversation and Safety (Sanitation)

Basic Science JSS 1 Week 6

Topic: Environmental Conversation and Safety (Sanitation)

Introduction

The environment is the surroundings around us. This includes the home, school premises, classroom, market, churches and mosques, air, hospital, etc. A healthy environment is a healthy place to live because it ensures healthy living while unhealthy environment affects normal living through pollution, diseases, contamination, etc.

Environmental conservation means the various ways by which we maintain our environment to make it fit and suitable for living. This includes total cleanliness, proper disposal of refuse and sewage, getting rid of hazardous materials, checking erosion, adopting good farming practice, etc.

Picture of Unclean Environment

Types of Human Activities that Affect Environmental Balance

a)      Farming: Intensive farming activities tend to destroy our environment thereby causing severe problems which affect lives and properties. For instance, bush clearing and continuous cropping expose the land to adverse heat and erosion.

b)      Sewage/Refuse Disposal: Sewage should be made harmless before discharging into the water or being converted to other forms. Refuse should be burnt in incinerators.

c)      Construction Work: Construction of roads, bridges and building may lead to erosion and flooding. This causes washing away of the top soil and results in formation of gullies.

d)     Transportation: The fumes that come from the exhaust pipes contain large amounts of carbon (II) oxide (CO) and carbon (IV) oxide (CO₂). These gases are not good for the body when inhaled.

e)      Industrialization: industrialization brings about deforestation and devastation of natural habitat of wildlife, thereby endangering it. This also leads to global warming and depletion of the ozone layer which results in greenhouse effect.

 

Effects of Human Activities on the Ecosystem

The effects of human activities on the environment are:

a)      Pollution and degradation of the environment

b)      Loss of biodiversity

c)      Deforestation

d)     Erosion

e)      Flooding, etc.

Benefits of Environmental Sanitation

When we get rid of hazardous waste materials properly, we are carrying out environmental sanitation and creating a healthy environment to live in. Environmental sanitation helps us:

a)      Keep away from disease-carrying vector,

b)      Makes the environment beautiful and attractive,

c)      Live healthily without falling ill easily.