Environmental
Hazards
A dangerous
condition which causes damage to natural environment, and leads to affect of
biological health.
Environmental
hazard can be caused by Natural Pollution, Deforestation, Using
Pesticides, Underground bore
wells etc.,
Environmental
Hazards are classified into 4 types:
1. Chemical
Hazards:
Ex: Mercury,
Pesticides, Toxic Materials, Dumping Industrial wastes, etc.,
2. Physical
Hazards:
Ex: Earth
Quakes, Floods, UV Rays, Ozone depletion, etc.,
3.
Biological Hazards:
Ex: Malaria,
Food Poisoning, Rabbis, Swine-flu etc.,
4. PsychoSocial
Hazards:
Ex:
Stress at work, Violence, Depression, ect.,
Environmental
Disaster
It is the disaster
to environment due to Human Activities.
Environmental disaster is defined as a specific event
caused by human activity that results in a seriously negative effect on the
environment. Sometimes a natural disaster can become an environmental
disaster.
It also
causes by wars (ex. Nuclear bomb attacks), Using pesticides etc.,
For Example:
In case of agriculture, to produce more food, various types of fertilizers are
being used. Its usage leads to increase the salinity in the soil., and results
in land useless.
Environmental Disaster
is classified into 6 types
1. Agricultural
Disaster,
2. Biodiversity Disaster,
3. Industrial
Disaster,
4. Human
health Disaster,
5. Natural Disaster and
6. Nuclear
disasters.
1. Agricultural Disasters
Agricultural
disasters are environmental disasters that occurred, as a result of an
impact upon the agricultural industry.
An example
of such a type of disaster is the “dust bowl” that occurred in the United
States and Canada between 1934 and 1939.
2. Biodiversity Disasters
Biodiversity
disasters are environmental disasters that resulted as an after effect of a
specific species moving to a new territory and destroying new species or having
a destructive effect upon the natural environment.
Example
of such a type of disaster is the introduction of rabbits in to Australia or
the presence of Dutch elm disease.
3. Industrial Disasters
Industrial
disasters are disasters which occur as the result of large industries impacting
the natural environment either in a small radius or on a global span.
Example
of such a type of industrial disaster is the leak of methyl isocyanate that
occurred in the Bhopal disaster or the use of CFC’S depleting the ozone layer.
4. Human Health Disasters
Human
health disasters result from the spread of disease or other cause of mass death
among the human species causing mass destruction and devastation.
Example
of such a type of human health disasters is the introduction of the Bubonic
Plague in to the population or the spread of smallpox among the new Americas.
5. Natural Disasters
Natural
disasters are disasters that occur as a natural process of weather patterns or
other factors affecting Earth.
These
types of natural disasters can include: earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes,
tsunamis, mudslides, sinkholes and droughts.
6. Nuclear Disasters
Nuclear
disasters result from nuclear activity such as a nuclear spill or damage to a
nuclear power plant that results in a radiation leak.
This
leads to severe health problems in people & sometimes leads to death or
genetic change.
Example
of nuclear disaster is the recent Fukushima power plant damage that resulted
from the 2011 tsunami.
Environmental
Stress:
It is defined
as a situation in environmental quality that causes disturbance to the function
of Eco-System.
These
stresses are external stimuli that causes disharmony, disaster &
disturbance to environment.
Environmental
Stress can be classified as Natural stress & manmade stress
Types of Stresses
1.Biological
Stress
Ex: Physical
illness, Injuries, Headache,
2.Environmental
Stress
Ex:
Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Tsunami, etc.,
3.Personal/Behavioral
Stress
Ex: Using
Tobacco, Alcohol, not taking sufficient
food etc.,