Environment – GK Questions

Landfills need significant space, liners, leachate collection, and gas management for decades after closure to prevent environmental contamination.

Recycling reduces the need for raw material extraction, saves energy, and minimizes waste sent to landfills or incinerators.

Composting uses microorganisms to decompose organic matter aerobically, producing compost that improves soil fertility and structure.

Source segregation is fundamental to effective waste management, enabling recycling, composting, and safe disposal of different waste streams.

Heat action plans include forecasts, public awareness, cooling centers, and healthcare preparedness to protect vulnerable populations.

Lead exposure, even at low levels, impairs cognitive development, reduces IQ, and causes behavioral problems in children.

Chronic noise exposure can cause permanent hearing damage, hypertension, sleep disturbance, and psychological stress.

India's AQI is based on PM10, PM2.5, NO2, SO2, CO, O3, NH3, and Pb, providing a comprehensive assessment of air quality.

Incomplete combustion of biomass fuels releases CO, a colorless, odorless gas that reduces blood oxygen-carrying capacity, causing health hazards.

Chronic fluoride exposure causes dental fluorosis (tooth discoloration) and skeletal fluorosis (bone/joint damage), prevalent in parts of India.

Climate change affects temperature and rainfall patterns, altering the geographic range and seasonality of malaria-transmitting mosquitoes.

One Health is a collaborative approach to achieve optimal health outcomes by recognizing links among people, animals, plants, and their shared environment.

Fine particles penetrate deep into lungs and bloodstream, causing asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks, and premature death.

Blackfoot disease, a peripheral vascular disease, is linked to chronic arsenic exposure through contaminated drinking water, notably in West Bengal.

Sagarmala aims to harness India's coastline and waterways for economic growth while ensuring sustainable coastal management.

The Sundarbans, spanning India and Bangladesh, covers about 10,000 sq km and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Ramsar site.

An estimated 80% of marine plastic originates from land via rivers, runoff, and inadequate waste disposal systems.

Harmful algal blooms (HABs) by dinoflagellates can discolor water, produce toxins, and cause fish kills and human health issues.

Chilika Lake in Odisha was designated India's first Ramsar site in 1981 for its rich biodiversity and importance as a wetland habitat.

Lower pH reduces carbonate ion availability, making it harder for corals, mollusks, and plankton to build and maintain shells/skeletons.