ecoHQ

Importance of Farm Waste Management: Farm waste can be used to manufacture several agro-waste products. These include biofuels, animal feed, enzymes, antibiotics, vitamins, and antioxidants via solid-state fermentation (SSF). The idea is to avoid stubble burning by: First, utilising the maximum quantity of farm waste for composting and creating agro-waste products Next, leveraging the farm waste management techniques to dispose of as much waste as possible safely Finally, burn the remaining (if any) stubble in a controlled way #airpollution #India #Climate #Farmers

Importance of Farm Waste Management Optimised farm waste management leverages biotechnology to create compost from agro-waste. This process is called vermiculture, and it makes use of biodegradable hemicellulose and cellulose compounds present in the waste. The valuable fertiliser produced via composting enriches the soil and makes it nutrient abundant. #airpollution #India #farmers #climate

Importance of farm waste management The waste generated from farming activities includes straw, grass, plants, etc. These can be fed directly to the livestock, while the remaining can be used for compost. As harsh as it may sound, any waste left unattended is a seed sown towards environmental degradation. However, farm waste is entirely manageable, and a few innovative steps can quickly lower the used-to-burnt stubble ratio. The maths is simple: increased utilisation of farm waste will directly reduce the quantity to be burnt. But unfortunately, we’re far from this ratio in today’s time, and it’s the environment that has to pay the price for it. Farm waste management also promotes advanced techniques for safely disposing of the waste generated during the harvesting and cultivation cycles. #airpollution #India #Climate #farmers

How significant is stubble burning’s threat and its impact in India? The elevated air pollution levels lead to numerous neurological, cardiovascular and respiratory diseases. In addition, respiratory disorders such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung capacity loss, bronchitis, cancer, etc., are also diagnosed. Apart from serious health hazards, stubble burning also causes large-scale soil erosion; this, in turn, reduces the overall cultivable land left with the farmers. However, the concerns don’t end here. India also witnesses major forest fire chains in summer in various parts of the country due to global warming. In addition, the air pollution caused by fuel combustion and industrial release further adds to the agony. Humans are the ones that suffer, both biologically and financially, due to all the deficiencies and loopholes in farm waste management. #India #Climate #airpollution #farmers

How significant is stubble burning’s threat and its impact in India? Stubble burning has acute, deeply-rooted, and life-threatening impacts in India. It significantly affects the air quality index (AQI) because of its harmful composition. Moreover, the air deterioration doesn’t confine itself to the region where stubble burning is conducted. Delhi, for example, witnesses life-threatening AQI levels (consistently over 480) because of the stubble burnings carried out in UP, Haryana, and Punjab. It forms a toxic cloud (smog) over Delhi that causes severe problems, including lung diseases, irritation in the eye, uneasiness, and more. #airpollution #India #climate #farmers

Why is Stubble Burning Happening in India year on year? Why can’t the farmers just come up with a solution to this hazardous activity? Well, it’s more like questioning the beggars on why they continue to persist with begging instead of finding a job. The answer is simple: they are not left with any other viable option. For now, it’s critical to understand why this is happening. The Indian agricultural ecosystem follows a stringent rice-wheat rotation policy that generates stubble in enormous quantities. It is estimated that 352 MT of stubble is generated annually in India due to wheat and rice cultivation. There is no way to avoid stubble generation because the demand for wheat and rice will grow. However, what can be controlled significantly is stubble burning. Currently, the farmers are left with no other choice than to get rid of this waste via burning to make space for further cultivation activities. However, an optimised approach toward controlling and managing stubble burning can bring about a much-needed change for the farmers and the environment.

What is stubble burning, and why is it happening? Stubble burning or Parali burning is a method of getting rid of agricultural waste like straw stubble, residual leaves, stalks, etc. It’s more prevalent in areas that leverage the combined harvesting method for farming. The idea is to remove paddy crop residues to make space for further sowing activities. Stubble burning is conducted on a large scale when farmers sow wheat from the end of September to November. As a result, it has contributed significantly to air pollution, especially in North India (NCR and Haryana). Stubble burning releases several harmful compounds, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, sulphur oxides, and nitrogen oxides, alongside particulate matter (PM10 & PM2.5). #airpollution #Indlia #climate

Insights on stubble burning problem in India: Air pollution levels are skyrocketing, diseases caused by the consumption of such polluted air continue to increase, and the administrations have always played the blame game over the years. The human, striving day and night to earn bread for their family, feels like a fish out of water, worrying (and rightly so) that fresh air and drinkable water will soon become the most expensive commodities! #airpollution #India #farmers

Insights on stubble burning problem in Haryana from the farmers’ perspective: Air pollution has impacts across industries, geographies, and even planets. Of late, global warming has triggered severe discussions about climate change, fuel consumption, and spiked precipitation levels. Amid all that’s already there, stubble burning further aggravates the issue of air pollution. Premature deaths, breathing ailments, and more are unfortunate consequences of air pollution and stubble burning. We’ve always been told to take nothing for granted. However, when we talk about air and oxygen, have the ones preaching these ideologies followed the same? We clearly won’t be in such a grave situation if genuine efforts were made to manage the farm waste (stubble) with sincerity.

Issues with Sustainability in the Spacetech Industry: There is huge risk of satellites re-entering the atmosphere. Starlink’s satellites, for example, are made of aluminum, and on re-entry would burn and create aluminum oxide, which will start burning holes in the ozone layer. With the plans of building a 42,000 mega cluster constellation of satellites, there is a high possibility of collisions, space debris, and re-entry of satellites in Earth’s atmosphere, thus damaging the environment and the ozone layer. Low Earth Orbital (LEO) Satellites will help connect people globally with stable internet connections, but the detrimental effects of satellite networks far outweigh the benefits. Whether we as a society take the next step in LEO satellite networks sustainably or not is what will determine the future we live in.