Harmful Effects Of Chemical Fertilizers

              A chemical fertilizer is a fertilizer comprising chemically refined or otherwise processed compounds. Manufacturers create chemical fertilizers from inorganic materials, with the goal being to replicate (and increase the potency of) natural, organic nutrients. Many environmentalists are against the use of chemical fertilizers, as they can produce several negative environmental effects.

• Infertile Soil : The synthesized materials manufacturers use in their chemical fertilizers may help plants grow, but they do not help the soil they grow in.The unnaturally high levels of nutrients that some chemical fertilizers contain can oversaturate soil and cancel out the effectiveness of other vital nutrients.

• Acidic Soil : Another way chemical fertilizers can make soil infertile is by increasing its acidity. Many chemical fertilizers contain sulfuric and hydrochloric acid, which if used in excess can cause serious harm to microorganisms (specifically the type that helps supply plants with nitrogen). 
• This can have a serious impact on the soil's pH and adversely affect plant growth.The acid in the earth converts the soil to matter that is unable to absorb water.
• Physically, chemical fertilizer makes the soil stiff and clumpy. This weakens the roots of the plants as the soil looses its ventilative organization. Also, the soil looses its ability to hold warmth and water when these fertilizers are used. 

• Increased Microorganisms : Nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers can have the complete opposite effect on soil in comparison to more acidic fertilizers. Too much nitrogen can lead to a microorganism population boom. In large enough numbers, these microorganisms, instead of helping plants, will hurt them, as they will consume all of the organic material and nutrients in the surrounding soil.

• Groundwater Pollution : Plants can only absorb a certain amount of nutrients. So if you over apply a chemical fertilizer, not all of the chemically synthesized nutrients within it will actually contribute to the plant's health and growth. Instead, the unused fertilizer will seep into the ground, where it can be carried by rain and irrigation ditches into streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and oceans. The chemical compounds in the fertilizer can contaminate drinking water supplies and disrupt ecosystems.

• Salt Burns : Chemical fertilizers are often very salty. The over-application of chemical fertilizers can thus contribute to plants developing unsightly "salt burns." These occur when an over saturation of salt leads to certain areas of the plant becoming dehydrated, and plant tissues dry out.

• Excess Growth : Due to the high potency of chemical fertilizers, they can sometimes lead to plants becoming too big for their own health.
• Larger limbs and thicker foliage translates to a considerable increase weight, which can put stress on a plant's roots.

Harmful Effects  On Humans :

              Farmers applying such chemicals to their crops soon feel their affects and

become unhealthy, fall into depression (as these chemicals act on their brain) and

loose their desire to work. 

This drains the farmer of the energy needed to make organic compost forcing them to turn to easily applied chemical fertilizers. This cycle continues endlessly.

These chemicals enter our body through our mouths, respiratory systems, and skin. This adversely affects the functioning of our internal organs (autonomic nervous system, endocrine system, sense organs, etc.), and eventually (within ten to thirty years), the chemicals act to destroy all systems of the human body. 

COMPOSTING WASTE

                Composting is a wonderful way to help the environment, reduce waste, and receive benefits from your responsible actions. First, understand what composting is and what it can do for you. Compost is the product that is created from the decomposition of biodegradable organic matter.

                  The natural result of biodegradable substance decomposition replicates the natural cycle of life in the universe. Compost, which occurs naturally across the planet to re-fertilize forests, farms, and all growing things, uses waste to create a new substance that is useful, safe, and productive.


This is a fabulous example of reducing waste, taking eco-friendly action, and using the resulting substance, compost, to have a great looking lawn, delicious home-grown vegetables, or healthy indoor plants.


How can I start my own composting project ?
A compost bin in a little-used corner of your yard will create the magic substance with little extra work. The physical design is simple.


Using some inexpensive wood (or usable scraps you already have), build a box with a hinged top and access to the front or one of the sides. Don't try to make it air-tight. You want a constant flow of air to access your pungent mixture.
                      Put all the biodegradable material you can find, including grass cuttings, dead leaves, food scraps otherwise destined for the garbage disposal, and any other natural substances into your compost bin.


Now, just be patient and let Mother Nature do the rest of the work for you.

The mixture will decay from bottom to top, generating amazing levels of heat. Once your compost starts percolating, just standing near your bin will make you toasty.


Regularly add more "fuel" to your mixture after you cut your lawn or generate more food waste. Just add it to the top so it can take its place in the compost chain.
From a "green" perspective, you are achieving multiple goals by creating and using compost. Most importantly, you are dramatically reducing waste products. Grass cuttings, leaves, and food waste make up a large portion of the contents of over-taxed landfills.


A final eco-friendly benefit of composting is the reduction in the use of synthetic fertilizers and dangerous pesticides. Using compost to fertilize and feed your lawns, gardens, and plants eliminates the need for synthetic products and most harmful pesticides.
 You can feel proud that you have made a real difference in protecting your environment.

Vermiculture

Vermiculture means cultivation of earthworms. And Vermicompost means excreta of earthworms.Vermicompost is one of the most effective and environment friendly fertilizers without any harmful side effects.

 
One major disaster that our world faces today is the fastly deteriorating environment of ours.This includes many causative factors the major one being the loss of plantation cover.Another problem that is fast incrementing is the deficient foodsupply .

One of the major reason for the same is the loss of land under crops to ever increasing population and deteriorating quality of land already under cultivation due to the overuse of artifiscial fertilizers.
Sighting these two problems Aniruddha’s Academy of Disaster Management-AADM , undertook the project of vermiculture under its wings.

 The vermiculture project took shape in the year 2003. Aims and Objectives :

1.Working towards better environment
2.Production of vermicompost thru’ Vermiculture technology which can be put to effective use for-


i) Tree plantation project
ii)To supply the produce to the drought prone areas and to the needy farmers.


Mission of this project is to spread this technology to everyone willing to adopt this system and provide Consultancy and Supervision for the same along with hands-on training for the project on Free of Cost basis.
 
Our beloved P.P.Aniruddha Bapu had once said that there is no other organism as helpful to mankind as the earthworm. The project was first started at residence of volunteers who created vermiculture bins from household items and with initial seed of earthworms provided by the Academy.

• Vermiculture project encompases two components.

a) Vermiculture undertaken on large scale basis such as in Cooperative Housing Societies.
b) Vermiculture on household basis.

• The Basics for any vermiculture projects are

 1. A living environment usually called “ bedding”
 2. A food source
3. Adequate moisture
4.Adequate aeration
5. Protection from extreme temperature

1. Bedding : - Selection of proper bedding material is key element of success of project. Worms can be enormously productive (and reproductive) if conditions are good; however their efficiency drops if the basics are not meet.


2. Food source: - Compost worms are big eaters. Under the ideal conditions, they are able to consume in excess of their body weight each day, although the general thumb rule is ½ of their body weight per day.


3. Adequate Moisture : -The bedding used should be able to hold sufficient moisture if the worms are to have a livable environment. They breathe through their skin and so moisture content is very crucial for their existence.


4. Adequate aeration:- Worms are oxygen breathers and cannot survive anaerobic conditions. They operate best when ventilation is good and the material they are living is porous and well aerated.


5. Protection from extreme temperature: - The temperature control is essential for both vermicomposting and vermiculturing process.


The other important parameters are ph, salt content and proper shadow.
Vermiculture project on a household basis requires a bucket, a nylon mesh, dried cowdung, hay and most importantly earthworm seed.Once the earthworm seed is released in the vermiculture bed ,the vermi bucket is ready to devour our household waste.
 
After a period of two months we have to stop putting the wastes in the bucket for fifteen days. Within this fifteen days all the waste that we had put gets converted to manure. After this period the entire content is removed and put on a sheet of newspaper making a heap.
 
The earthworms have a tendency to move away from light and they go deeper into the heap away from the surface. So we can slowly start collecting the upper layers of manure which are without the earthworms. By continuing this process we are left with little manure alongwith the earthworms.
 
This are then put back into the buckets with a ready bed. Thus a new cycle can be started and the Vermiculture bucket is ready for use.

At first one feels reluctant to touch the earthworms, but once familiar with their touch it is so fantastic to feel them move on slowly on our fingers shying away from light and finding a place to hide within our fingers. There is definitely a sense of attachment that develops within them.

Thus rather than having a single pet we can have hundreds of such pets in the form of this Vermiculture bucket which neither demands a evening walk nor does it dirt your floor, but just ten minutes from your routine.

For more details plz visit ,
http://www.aniruddhasadm.com

“Things to Do on Personal Level”

“Things to Do on Personal Level” on Daily basis from P.P.Bapu’s Ram Rajya Pravachan. one page summary done by Ajaysinh Upponi – Simivalley Upasana Center .