Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Corona virus and It's impact on Environment

Generally, virus are the small microscopic parasites much smaller than bacteria. They have tendency to replicate only inside the living host. They are the small piece of organic material that causes diseases in humans, animals, and other living creatures. At first, they infect cells and gets multiply only inside infected cells. Normally, Antibiotics don't show any positive reaction towards the virus illness.

          It brings infectious disease caused by a newly discovered coronavirus. Although, much more information can't get about it, it takes many years to say confidently that what type of virus is it and what's the main characteristics of it. The research takes many years to find out the real fact about it. Now it's going to be the epidemic all over the world. It brought a much more serious condition in many developed countries. Many people died because of the corona virus. It is said that, corona virus is the family of virus, that ranges from common cold to Middle East Respiratory syndromes(MARS) and Severe Acute Respiratory syndromes (SARS) corona virus.

          It is assumed that, corona virus is originated from china, from the avian and mammalian species (I.e: Bat). Then it is circulated to humans through the animals. Corona viruses generally causes Respiratory Syndromes. So, we should keep ourselves healthy and adopt the basic hand hygiene such as: washing the hands with soap and detergents, and maintain the social distance from anyone to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Transmission takes place generally via: airborne droplets to the nasal mucosa. Then it causes the cell damage and inflammation. Incidence peaks in the winter season. This virus is difficult to isolate. Now, polymerase chain reaction(PCR) are being introduced.

  

        

             Now, we have seen that many people have died. it's pandemic has affected human life very badly. The hospitals are going to be crowded, there is no much more space and safety equipment to treat the large suffering infected people. In developed countries, the peoples, who are newly adopted are going to be jobless due to the unsecure life and the government also said that, they don't take responsibility of those peoples. And, in under-developing countries, like-Nepal, the people are facing the famishment or starvation due to the poverty and poor condition of family background. In most of the country, it brings economic disaster, depression in most of the citizens. Many people are not allowed to go to their proper destination due to the fear of spreading of the viruses. All the schools, colleges, universities are closed, this will result obviously delay in the education system of the country. Almost all the government related offices, institutions, factories, industries, works are also remain closed, this will also hamper in the revenue collection or brings economic imbalance in the country. It is believed that, significant drop of the virus has been noted in many parts of the world. So, lockdown and self -quarantine have been developed to slow down the spreading of the virus, which brings the stress in many peoples. Besides the negative impacts, somewhat it has also the positive aspect in the environment. Due to the closedown of the schools, factories, industries and vehicles, there is the low emission of the carbon, which is the main element for the greenhouse gases. people can get fresh air and can view the clean environment in the most crowded cities living inside the home. The natural resources remain non degrade due to the closedown of all the economic sources.


Guest Post by Sreejana Panthi

Environmental Education In Nepal


‘Environmental Education’ is a term that has gained much currency in academic institutions in Nepal over the past decade. Young students are introduced to it early in school and scholars go on to pursue it for a doctoral degree. But the words in this term, used in conjunction with each other, have barely acquired meaning in the real world; they ring empty when we think of the stench of our streets and the complaining but inactive citizens that walk upon them.
Environmental Education is meant to promote education through and for the environment, with a main objective to garner protection and conservation. The teaching of the subject at various levels in schools, however, does not seem to have evinced such interests.

Students find better avenues instead through eco-clubs and annual campaigns on World Environment Day where they participate in recycling, tree planting, cleaning localities, essay competitions and animal-feeding programs.
But these may not be enough, for it is apparent that complex issues such as conservation of resources, consequences of climate change and global warming have prominently emerged; a school curriculum for secondary education that does not address these is surely a matter of concern.
Environmental Education 




What is the scope of environmental science in Nepal?



Environment science is no doubt one of the good interdisciplinary science subject.

In this topic I want to lighten on one of the branch of undergraduate engineering degree with least of student awareness in Nepal “Environmental Engineering” related to Environmental science. The field focuses on design of technology for improving environmental quality.
Basically Environmental engineering includes study of pollutants fate and transport in environment , on basis of engineering technique and knowledge about environmental parameters they design of air pollution control system and modules pollutants flow behavior and chemical exchange in air and water, recycle and upcycle of waste water into its natural form, converting waste as source of energy, analysing proper site for hazardous waste management and monitering environment hygiene, municipal water supply design, optimization and treatment , wastershed management, toxic contaminated site remidiation , disaster risk assessment and prediction, study of impact in Environment due to any new project and product’s life cycle, …etc. climate dynamics, ozone depletion, alternative energy are some of the new on going research falls under realm of environmental engineering.
The major task of this profession is to protect public health by preserving and enhancing the Environment.
Those who have a strong commitment to the environment can make a successful career in this field. Environmental engineers are broadly educated and technically trained in the environmental field to address the spectrum of issues facing the environment.
The curriculum subjects of study includes not only mathematics, physics, chemistry and engineering design but a range of disciplines like biology, microbiology, ecology, public health, geology, meteorology(atmospheric science) and computer modeling that provide interdisciplinary knowledge to combat complex environment problem.
Career Prospects
Ample job opportunities are available for environmental engineers and their duties vary depending on the project and may include collecting and analyzing data using scientific procedure.
These professionals are recruited as central and state pollution control boards and several NGOs in every state who are up in arms against all forms of environmental pollution.
Environmental engineers can work as consultants, helping their clients to comply with regulations and to clean up hazardous sites. Distilleries, fertilizers plants, textile mills, water treatment industries, refineries, mines, cement industries, oil and gas company,.. etc. are industries use the service of environmental engineers. They also work and assist many other engineers to make there design environmental sustainable.
Therefore, I think environmental science has a lot of scope in Nepal. You may be able to find employment in the government, in non-government organizations (NGOs), or in the private sector (with environmentally responsible companies). You can also start your own NGO.

Institutions providing degree in Environmental Science:

Source / Reference:
1.    Shahi, Pragati and Raut, Sukriti(2011),"Textbooks of yore", The Kathmandu Post, 10 June 2011
2.    Study Experience and Internet Research