General Knowledge Class 10 - Our Environment Notes

Our Environment

Welcome to the chapter on Our Environment for Class 10. In this chapter, you will learn about what the environment is, why it is important, the problems it faces, and how we can protect it. By the end of this chapter, you will understand your role in keeping the environment clean and healthy.

Introduction

The environment is everything around us—air, water, land, plants, animals, and people. A healthy environment is necessary for all living things to survive and grow.

Components of the Environment

• Natural Environment: Includes air, water, soil, plants, and animals.
• Human-made Environment: Includes buildings, roads, vehicles, and other things made by people.

Why is the Environment Important?

• Provides us with air to breathe, water to drink, and food to eat.
• Supports all forms of life.
• Maintains balance in nature.

Problems Facing Our Environment

• Pollution: Air, water, and soil pollution caused by factories, vehicles, and waste.
• Deforestation: Cutting down trees for wood, farming, and buildings.
• Global Warming: Increase in Earth's temperature due to pollution and greenhouse gases.
• Loss of Biodiversity: Many plants and animals are becoming extinct.

How Can We Protect the Environment?

• Reduce, reuse, and recycle waste.
• Plant more trees and protect forests.
• Use less plastic and save water.
• Use public transport, walk, or cycle to reduce pollution.
• Spread awareness about environmental protection.

Fun Activity: Environmental Pledge

Write down three things you will do to protect the environment. Share your pledge with your friends and family!

Summary

• The environment includes everything around us.
• It is important for the survival of all living things.
• We must protect the environment from pollution and destruction.

Practice Questions

1. What is the environment?
2. Name two problems faced by our environment.
3. How can you help reduce pollution?
4. Why is it important to plant trees?
5. What does "reduce, reuse, recycle" mean?

Challenge Yourself

• Make a poster on "Save the Environment".
• List five things you can do at home to protect nature.

Did You Know?

• The Amazon rainforest is called the "lungs of the Earth" because it produces a lot of oxygen.
• Every year, millions of tons of plastic end up in the oceans, harming sea life.

Glossary

• Pollution: Making air, water, or land dirty and unsafe.
• Biodiversity: The variety of plants and animals in an area.
• Deforestation: Cutting down trees and destroying forests.
• Global Warming: The rise in Earth's temperature due to pollution.

Answers to Practice Questions

1. The environment is everything around us—air, water, land, plants, animals, and people.
2. Pollution, deforestation, global warming, loss of biodiversity (any two).
3. By using less plastic, recycling, using public transport, and not littering.
4. Trees give us oxygen, keep the air clean, and provide homes for animals.
5. It means to use less, use things again, and recycle waste to make new things.

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Protecting the environment is everyone's responsibility. Start today and make a difference!