Environmental Ethics

Author(s): S M Jain
Publisher: Prakrit Bharti Academy

Page 66

etc. are pausing hazardous environmental pollution of soil, air and water.
Human beings from their washings of tooth pastes, creams, lipsticks, nail polishes, soaps etc. discharge several hundred kilograms of the chemicals in environment. The luxurious, consumerist life style of modern techno-society with its use and throw attitude is generating so much of all sorts of waste, plastics, chemicals, metals etc. that its safe disposal is already a problem and will accentuate in future. Since the effects of most of the pollutants except few are not immediately perceptible and manifest after a period of time, people and governments are generally careless. Many of the waste products can be recycled and their harmful effects can be reduced. However the real remedies lie in controlling population and consumerism. Unless use of chloroflurocarbons in refrigeration and air conditioning is stopped the widening of hole in the protective ozone layer cannot be restored and more and more people will suffer from skin cancer because of ultra violet radiation which would be reaching to earth in absence of protective ozone layer.
Sound Pollution :
There is general ignorance about incipient sound pollution which is increasing because of more and more factories, automobiles, aeroplanes, music, radios, TVs and also bands etc. in persisting cultural functions. Sound is not a chemical but a wave motion in air and is measured in decibles (dB). Rusling of leaves is 10 dB and is “very quite”. The soft whishpers in a library are 30 dB and are considered “quite". Average living room has sound intensity of 40 dB. Light traffic noise of properly maintained vehicles 30 metres away is 50 dB and is “moderately loud”. Airconditioning unit 60-metres away produce 60 dB and is loud”. Vacuum cleaner generate 70 dB. The garbage disposal produce 80 dB. Motorcycle 8 metres away, food blender and diesel truck 75 metres away generate 90 dB and is considered "very loud”. Long exposure to more than 70 dB cause damage such as gradual
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