Air : A Vital Resource

4/13/2017
AIR: A VITAL RESOURCE
ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
KHYATI GULATI TEWARI
SS MURP 1 (2016-18) | THE MAHARAJA SAYAJIRAO UNIVERSITY, VADODARA

AIR: A VITAL RESOURCE | KHYATI GULATI TEWARI
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Table of Contents
SUMMARY............................................................................................................................................3
AIR COMPOSITION ............................................................................................................................4
IMPORTANCE OF AIR .......................................................................................................................6
USES AND APPLICATIONS OF AIR IN OUR DAILY LIFE ......................................................6
AIR QUALITY......................................................................................................................................10
AIR QUALITY INDEX ....................................................................................................................10
LIFE WITHOUT CLEAN AIR ........................................................................................................12
APPLICATION TO REGIONAL PLANNING STUDIO..................................................................13
CONCLUSION....................................................................................................................................16
REFERENCES ...................................................................................................................................18

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Table of Figures
Figure 1: The Air We Breathe................................................................................................ 5
Figure 2: Importance of Fresh Air.......................................................................................... 9
Figure 3: Revised Indian National Air Quality Standards..................................................... 10
Figure 4: Break Points for Pollutants................................................................................... 11
Figure 5: AQI Category and Health ..................................................................................... 11
Figure 6: Life Without Clean Air .......................................................................................... 12
Figure 7: National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Variations in Indian Cities................ 13
Figure 8: Pollution Facts 01................................................................................................. 16
Figure 9: Pollution Facts 02................................................................................................. 16

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SUMMARY
Planet Earth is the only planet in the solar system that can sustain life – this is possible
because on earth life interacts with the resources earth provides thus creating a balance
between living and non-living resources and making sustenance of both possible.
The three most important non-living resources that the earth provides us with are the air we
breathe, the water we drink and the land we live on. All three resources are important for we
cannot exist without them.
Of these three resources, air and water are more important for the living beings and air is as
important as water if not more – because if water is the medium of life, air is the virtue that
sustains life.
Air, which is always around us, cannot be seen but it always felt. Air, a term often used
interchangeably with oxygen, is actually a mixture of oxygen and various other gases. But of
all its components, it is oxygen that supports life of the mankind and the wildlife.
Air contains enough oxygen to support life on earth. The amount of oxygen in the air is not
because the atmosphere naturally had that composition, but because of living things like plants
that used up carbon dioxide, giving out oxygen and because they have been doing it for over
two billion years.
In recent times, due to various anthropogenic activities, rapid industrialization and urbanization
and increased human interventions, air is being polluted which in turn pollutes both land and
water – thus degrading the quality of all three non-living resources that are important for life to
exist on earth.
Apart from this indirect impact to the life on earth, air pollution causes multiple health hazards
to humans affecting them directly as well as impacting various other functions of air, that it
performs to make life on earth possible and comfortable.
Thus, it is of vital importance to reduce the impact of human interventions on the air and restore
the air to its healthy standards, otherwise climatic patterns would be altered and the existence
of life on earth will be threatened.

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AIR COMPOSITION
“By volume, dry air contains 78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon,
0.04% carbon dioxide, and small amounts of other gases. Air also contains a variable
amount of water vapor, on average around 1% at sea level, and 0.4% over the entire
atmosphere.”
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Earth
Source: http://eesc.columbia.edu/courses/ees/slides/climate/table_1.html
Air comprises of nitrogen, oxygen and other inert gases in varying proportions.
Besides the above-mentioned gases, air also contains hydrogen, carbon monoxide,
carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrous oxide like gases. Air available to us is naturally
clean and it is suitable for human and animal survival.

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Figure 1: The Air We Breathe
Source: http://bcairfilter.brinkster.net/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/air-pie-chart1.jpg

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IMPORTANCE OF AIR
USES AND APPLICATIONS OF AIR IN OUR DAILY LIFE
As discussed earlier, air is a vital resource that supports and makes life on earth possible. But
apart from that, air finds multiple uses and applications in our day to day life…
“…(Air) it regulates the temperature of the earth and causes weather to occur. Without
the atmosphere’s moderating effect, the earth would be fried during the day and would
be freezing cold in the night. The movements of air (wind) bring us rain every
monsoon.”
Source: http://byjus.com/biology/water-air-soil/
AIR: ESSENTIAL SUPPLIER OF ENERGY
Plants and animals, both are dependent on air and its components for generation of energy.
In animal body, the cells use oxygen from the blood (which gets dissolved in the blood during
the respiration process) to generate valuable life energy in the form of ATP’s. This biochemical
reaction taking place in the body to form ATP is a basic requirement for sustenance of life on
earth.
AIR: CONDUCTING MEDIUM FOR SOUND
Air being a good conductor of sound, enables us to hear the sound of speech, cry, noise etc.
Thus, in the absence of air, we simply cannot hear anything.
“Even the music instruments make use of resonance and bass with the alteration of
air and sound combination.”
Source: http://www.rajaha.com/importance-of-air/
AIR: SUPPORTER OF WATER CYCLE
Water cycle involves evaporation, condensation and precipitation. In this cycle, air plays an
important role during the precipitation stage – it is because clouds get cooled by the air, the
precipitation occurs. Besides this, air also facilitates movements of clouds.
“…we can find heavy rains at places of many trees as air gets cooled there
in comparison to deserts.”
AIR: HELPS WITH POLLINATION
Air or rather air flow helps with pollination by helping the pollen travel and in the process even
enabling cross pollination.

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AIR: MAINTAINS TEMPERATURE ON EARTH’S SURFACE
The movement of hair between the heated land surface and cooler water surfaces helps
maintain the temperature on earth surface.
AIR: BRINGS MONSOON
“Monsoons are the ones by which we have rains in rainy season. This is done
due to currents of wind (air) across the earth surface. Lack of wind can delay
monsoons and rains and there by deplete water levels for drinking, irrigation
and other usage in our daily lives.”
AIR: HELPS IN TRANSPORTATION
Air facilitates flying for birds and insects as well as for air-planes and choppers. This
is due to the fact that air helps reduce the friction thus enabling transportation
AIR: AERODYNAMICS OF LANDING
Parachutes, hot air balloons and other such chutes land safely because of buoyancy and
upward pressure of air.
AIR: BALANCES HUMIDITY
“Land when gets wet by rains is dried due to air. The air on the immediate wet surface
is very moist. So, these moist layers of air are replaced by less moist or dry layers of
air. The new dry layer on the surface takes up moisture from wet surface and
the cycle continues till the surface dries. Thus, air help in drying by maintenance of
humidity. Even our clothes when washed gets dried by same manner.”
AIR: NORMALISES TEMPERATURE
“A piece of ice melts due to air and hot piece of metal cools due to air. Here air acts as
a heat conductor and tries to bring these materials to normal surrounding temperature.
Hence the phenomenon of ice melting and metal cooling is seen.”
AIR: HELPS REDUCE FRICTION IN TYRES
Tyres in the automobiles are inflated with the help of air. The air in the tyre helps reduce friction
and thus enabling easy movement of vehicles.

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AIR: MINIMIZES POLLUTION
Current lifestyle of humans is leading to all sorts of pollution. Flowing air helps reduce air
pollution by blowing away the pollution making cities suitable to live instead of polluted and
clogged vacant cities.
AIR: HELPS GENERATE ELECTRICITY
With the help of wind turbines, the energy of the wind flowing in high speeds is tapped into to
generate electricity.
AIR: IMPORTANT AIR PRESSURE
“Air pressure is important for activities like spraying, spreading, forming of
droplets etc. Air helps liquid and other powder forms to disperse into fine
droplets or particles. This air pressure has many applications. In sterilization
by using autoclave, steam under pressure spreads into cavities of material to
help effective microbial kill.”
AIR: VACUUM OR SUCTION PRESSURE
“Vacuum or suction pressure is created due to lack of air inside a cavity or pipe.
This is useful for water pumping (bore wells), vacuum cleaner etc. Due lack of
air there is intense negative pressure which lets water to move up inside the
vacuum space. This is how water is pumped from bore wells and sump to the
surface or top of the buildings.”

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Figure 2: Importance of Fresh Air
Source: https://image.slidesharecdn.com/chapter6airpollution-130608000250-
phpapp01/95/air-pollution-19-638.jpg?cb=1370650054

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AIR QUALITY
AIR QUALITY INDEX
“One way to describe air quality is to report the concentrations of all pollutants with
acceptable levels (standards). As the number of sampling stations and pollution
parameters (and their sampling frequencies) increase, such descriptions of air quality
tend to become confusing even for the scientific and technical community… To
address the above concerns, the concept of an Air Quality Index (AQI) has been
developed and used effectively in many developed countries for over last three
decades (USEPA 1976, 2014; Ontario, 2013; Shenfeld, 1970).”
Source: CPCB Report on AQI
Air Quality Index (AQI) is an overall scheme that turns weighted value of air pollution related
individual parameters like SO2, CO and others into a single number or even a set of numbers.
In India, not many efforts have been made to develop or use AQI primarily because in India
air quality monitoring programme started only in 1984 and public awareness is almost non-
existent.
A significant step in this direction was taken in 2014, when India moved closer to international
practice of colour coding urban air quality based on the AQI where a common denominator
was derived based on list of pollutants with the varying degree of standards as well as level of
impact on human health.
Figure 3: Revised Indian National Air Quality Standards

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Figure 4: Break Points for Pollutants
Figure 5: AQI Category and Health
Source: http://www.indiatogether.org/uploads/picture/image/2590/IT_airquality.png

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LIFE WITHOUT CLEAN AIR
Figure 6: Life Without Clean Air
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/ninie_niki/importance-of-keeping-the-air-clean

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APPLICATION TO REGIONAL PLANNING STUDIO
Outdoor air pollution is the nation’s fifth largest killer after high blood pressure. 620000
premature deaths were reported in India in 2010 because of outdoor air pollution as against
100000 deaths in 2000 (Global Burden of Disease Report 2013).
As a planner, it is in the hands of planner to take steps towards the betterment of the area
being planned for.
Figure 7: National Ambient Air Quality Standards and Variations in Indian Cities
Source: https://i1.wp.com/www.sixdegreesnews.org/wp-
content/uploads/2017/01/airpoclypse-not-just-delhi-air-in-most-indian-cities-hazardous-
greenpeace.jpg
The study area extends from Tapi on the north and up till Umargaon (Gujarat-Maharashtra
border) in the south and covers five districts and two union territories.
Well connected through air, land, water and road, total area of the study region is
approximately 15000 sq,kms. with a population of 10650237 (2011 Census).
The region is, as compared to the rest of the Gujarat, biologically rich with multiple
ecosystems, perennial rivers and fertile land owning to the presence of varied physiography.
It is the land of seven sisters with a heavy rainfall between the ranges of 1000mm to 2000mm.
30% of the area has hilly terrain and 50% of the area has rich soil type and agro-climatic
conditions to support agriculture. The region also has a long coastline as well as 16% of

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Gujarat State’s wetlands. Also, annual ground water recharge is more than the net ground
water availability.
Despite the positives of the region, it faces issues like high surface water runoff and ground
water percolation leading to water crisis in the hilly region and ultimately resulting in migration
from hilly parts of the region for socio-economic security.
Other issues include deforestation, soil erosion and depletion of top fertile soil, salinity ingress
and degradation of land and water due to various anthropogenic activities and a significant
change in climatic conditions of the region thus disturbing the existing eco-systems in a
significant manner.
Last but not the least, the impact of all the industrialization, urbanization and various
anthropogenic activities is leading to increasing amounts of air pollution. This air pollution in
turn is worsening the already degraded condition of the natural system as well as impacting
the human health.
Because of the interdependence of these natural resources, often a step taken for one issue,
helps resolve issues of the different natural resources. Some of the steps that can be taken
that will directly impact the quality of air are as follows:
AFFORESTATION
Afforestation helps lower air pollution as the trees help
filtering the air from the dangerous pollutants.
Carbon Sequestration is another benefit that comes out
of afforestation where trees lower the levels of carbon in
the air reducing the carbon footprint and at the same time
pumping oxygen in the air.
DEDICATED GREEN BELTS AND CORRIDORS
All major roads if provided with dedicated green corridors on either
side will absorb the gaseous emissions from the vehicles and help
reduce air pollution.
Also, limiting how much a city expands with dedicated green belts
around them will help contain and reduce the damage to the air
because of urbanization and various other anthropogenic activities.

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URBAN FORESTRY
Urban forestry also helps filtering out pollutants from the air and
carbon sequestration is an additional benefit – this will make the
urban areas more liveable with improved experiential quality.
Also, a micro level solution of planting air purifying plants in the
dividers in urban area can also help reduce the impact of vehicular
emissions on the air.
CLEANER PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGIES
Rendering Clean Production Clean Technology
norms compulsory for all the new industry to enter
the region will definitely benefit the region as one
outcome of following these norms is reduction in
emissions which implies reduction in air pollution.
Also, needed along with this measure is to
mandate for the existing industries to upgrade to these norms so as to further reduce
emissions and thus air pollution.
MASS RAPID TRANSIT SYSTEMS
Proposing, mandating and developing an efficient
mass rapid system will ensure there is reduction in use
of private vehicles.
And reduction in private vehicle directly affects the air
quality and makes it better.

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CONCLUSION
Air being one of the three vital resources necessary for the sustenance of life on earth, it is
important that we take care of it and nurture it. The increasing pollution levels in the air are
impacting the other two vital resources i.e. water and land – threatening life as we know it on
the earth. And it is impacting the health of all living beings as reported by EMBARQ India in
their webinar…
Figure 8: Pollution Facts 01
Figure 9: Pollution Facts 02
Source: https://www.slideshare.net/EMBARQNetwork/webinar-why-carfree-weekdays-can-
become-a-game-changer-for-india-case-studies-from-gurgaon-hyderabad

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If this is not the end, that mankind is looking forward to, then there is a need to mend our ways.
A planner can only lay down the framework, but what the community does with it lies in the
hands of the community.
If nothing else, because humans are by nature selfish when it comes to their life, they should
move to work towards cleaner air – because healthier air implies healthier lives.
Source: http://www.anarrayofthoughts.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/project_slides-
healthy_air-011-1024x576.jpg

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REFERENCES
• CPCB Report on AQI
• EMBARQ Webinar on Car Free Days
• http://sciencing.com/importance-air-6330367.html
• http://www.rajaha.com/importance-of-air/
• http://byjus.com/chemistry/importance-of-air/
• http://byjus.com/biology/water-air-soil/
• http://www.indiatogether.org/cost-of-environmentally-smart-cities-and-air-quality-
index-environment

Air : A Vital Resource

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