Artificial Intelligence

Class 9 – Unit 5: Green Skills – Complete Notes

Class 9 · Artificial Intelligence

Unit 5: Green Skills

Green Skills help us understand the relationship between society, the environment and natural resources. They enable us to use resources efficiently, reduce pollution, conserve nature and support sustainable development.

Key Idea: Economic development should go hand in hand with environmental protection. Natural resources must be used efficiently so that they remain available for future generations.

Session 1: Society and Environment

Everything around us forms our environment. Human life depends on the interconnected web of life consisting of plants, animals and other components of nature.

However, economic growth and increased human activities have also resulted in environmental degradation. One important example is the excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.

Agricultural Impact

High-input agriculture has increased food production, but the overuse of chemical fertilizers and pesticides has contributed to soil degradation and environmental damage.

Fundamental Sources of Energy

Energy available in the environment comes from several fundamental sources.

S. No.	Source of Energy
1	Nuclear fusion in the Sun – solar energy
2	Gravity of the Earth and Moon
3	Nuclear fission reactions
4	Energy stored in the interior of the Earth
5	Energy stored in chemical bonds

Categories of Natural Resources

Natural resources can be categorised according to their availability and ability to be replaced.

Category	Meaning	Examples
Inexhaustible	Resources that cannot be exhausted by human consumption.	Solar radiation, wind, water power
Exhaustible	Resources available in limited quantities that can eventually be used up.	Coal
Renewable	Resources that are constantly available or can be reasonably replaced.	Water, forests if managed sustainably
Non-renewable	Resources that cannot be easily replaced once destroyed.	Fossil fuels, gold and silver

Pollutants

Pollutants are substances that cause harm to the environment. They can be classified according to their ability to decompose naturally.

Type	Meaning	Example
Biodegradable	Pollutants that break down naturally into harmless substances through moisture, bacteria and other natural processes.	Biodegradable organic waste
Non-biodegradable	Pollutants that cannot decompose naturally and remain in the environment for long periods.	Plastic

Types of Pollution

Type of Pollution	Description
Land Pollution	Damage to land caused by harmful substances.
Water Pollution	Pollution of rivers, oceans and other water sources by harmful bacteria or chemicals.
Air Pollution	Pollution caused by harmful gases and particles such as carbon dioxide, methane and CFCs.

Remember: Natural resources are limited in different ways. Their careless use, along with pollution, can damage the environment and affect future generations.

Session 2: Conserving Natural Resources

Conservation means the proper management of natural resources to prevent their exploitation and destruction while using them efficiently and less wastefully.

The 3 Rs of Conservation

3 Rs	Meaning	Example
Reduce	Use fewer resources and avoid unnecessary consumption.	Avoid leaving excessive empty space while writing to save paper.
Reuse	Use an item for a longer period or give it another useful purpose.	Give old books to someone else or make writing pads from old notebook sheets.
Recycle	Process used materials to make new products.	Convert used materials into useful new products.

Water Conservation

Water conservation involves protecting water resources and improving the availability of water.

Method: Growing vegetation in catchment areas helps hold water in the soil and allows it to percolate into groundwater.

Energy Conservation

Energy should be used efficiently to reduce unnecessary consumption. The following practices help conserve energy:

Switch off electrical appliances when they are not in use.
Use energy-efficient bulbs.
Keep bulbs clean to improve lighting levels by about 10–20%.
Use pressure cookers to save cooking fuel.
Keep cooking vessels covered to reduce fuel consumption.
Travel by bus or use carpooling instead of travelling alone.

Soil Conservation

Soil conservation involves protecting soil from erosion and degradation.

Contour Ploughing: Ploughing at right angles to a slope helps trap water and prevents soil erosion.

Session 3: Sustainable Development and Green Economy

Sustainable Development

Sustainable development means meeting the needs of the present without destroying the environment and resources required by future generations.

Focus of Sustainable Development: Meet present needs while protecting natural resources and the environment for future generations.

Green Economy

A green economy is an economy that uses fewer resources and produces less pollution while providing growth and opportunities for all.

Knowledge and Skills for a Green Economy

Area	Required Knowledge and Skills
Managing Natural Resources	Assessing environmental impact, designing resource-saving technologies and understanding sustainable legislation.
Climate Resilience	Developing models for climate projections and creating risk management strategies for resource availability.

Successful Green Projects in India

1. Swachh Cooperative – Pune

Swachh Cooperative is wholly owned by waste pickers. It integrates waste pickers into the city's waste management system while providing them with dignity.

2. Biogas

Biogas is a mixture of gases such as methane and carbon dioxide produced from waste.

Methane burns easily and can be used as a clean fuel source.

3. Modern DEEP Chulha

The Modern DEEP Chulha is an energy-efficient biomass stove designed to reduce the consumption of wood and the amount of smoke produced.

Benefit	Reduction
Wood consumption	50%
Smoke	80%

4. GSF Biotoilet

A GSF Biotoilet uses a bio-digester tank and aerobic bacteria to convert human waste into water.

The resulting water can be reused for purposes such as flushing or irrigation.

Quick Revision

Concept	Key Point
Environment	Everything around us that supports life.
Natural Resources	Resources obtained from nature and used by humans.
Biodegradable	Can break down naturally into harmless substances.
Non-biodegradable	Cannot decompose naturally and remains in the environment.
3 Rs	Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
Conservation	Efficient and less wasteful management of natural resources.
Sustainable Development	Meeting present needs without destroying resources for future generations.
Green Economy	Uses fewer resources and produces less pollution while providing growth for all.
Biogas	A gas mixture containing methane and carbon dioxide produced from waste.
Modern DEEP Chulha	Reduces wood consumption by 50% and smoke by 80%.
GSF Biotoilet	Uses a bio-digester tank and aerobic bacteria to convert human waste into reusable water.

Key Takeaway: Green skills encourage responsible use of natural resources, conservation of water, energy and soil, reduction of pollution and adoption of sustainable solutions that protect both society and the environment.