Courses, Toolkits, Manuals, Guides and Handbooks

Fundamentals of Environmental Pollution and Control - NPTEL Mining Engineering Course
Fundamentals of Environmental Pollution and Control is a course offered by NPTEL under Mining Engineering, and is structured into 28 video lectures Posted on 30 Jun, 2010 11:26 PM

Fundamentals of Environmental Pollution and Control is a course offered by NPTEL under Mining Engineering, and is structured into 28 video lectures along the following topics:

  • State of the Environment
  • Environmental Movement
  • Definitions of Environmental Terms
Water Footprint Manual: State of the art - A method of water footprint assessment by the Water Footprint Network (November 2009)
The Water Footprint Manual shows how water footprints can be calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses. Posted on 11 Apr, 2010 07:37 PM
he Water Footprint Manual, 2009 by the Water Footprint Network is a comprehensive and up-to-date outline of the method of water footprint assessment. It introduces 
how water footprints can be calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses. 
The concept is introduced as a comprehensive indicator of freshwater resources appropriation, as against the traditional and restricted measure of water withdrawal. 
The hidden water use behind products are measured over the full supply chain and water consumption volumes are measured by source and polluted volumes by type of 
pollution. All components of a total water footprint are specified geographically and temporally. Blue water (surface and groundwater), green water (rainwater stored 
in the soil as soil moisture) and grey water (polluted water) footprints are defined and are included along with the indirect water use in measuring the overall water 
footprints.
The core of the manual deals with the four distinct phases in water footprint assessment: (1) setting goals and scope; (2) water footprint accounting; (3) water 
footprint sustainability assessment; (4) formulation of response. The goals and scope would vary for national governments, river basin authority, company etc. Water 
footprint accounts give spatiotemporally explicit information on how water is appropriated for various human purposes. The manual articulates the need for clarity 
about the inventory boundaries, about where to truncate the analysis, at what level of spatiotemporal explication and for which period of data when setting up a water 
footprint account. It in addition deals with difficult questions like whether to include the water footprint of labour, transport or energy applied in a production 
system in the assessment of the water footprint of the final product. 
The manual then goes on to state the inventory boundaries of water footprint sustainability assessment. The sustainability of a water footprint is viewed upon from 
different perspectives: the environmental, social and economic perspective. Besides, sustainability is measured at different levels: local (e.g. violation of local 
environmental flow requirements), catchment or river basin level (e.g. contribution to the violation of environmental flow requirements downstream). In addition, the 
water footprint of a product has implications beyond the level of a particular river basin. In the section on water footprint accounting the coherence between various 
sorts of water footprint accounts is looked at. The manual presents complex equations explicating the water footprints due to processes and products and has sections 
dealing with calculation of (a) green, blue and grey water footprint of growing a crop or tree (b) green and blue evapotranspiration using the CWR (Crop Water 
Requirements) option in the FAO’s CROPWAT model (c) green and blue evapotranspiration using the ‘irrigation schedule option’ in the CROPWAT model. The manual also 
presents the data sources for the calculating these.

Water Footprint Manual - Cover PageThe Water Footprint Manual (2009) by the Water Footprint Network (WFN) is a comprehensive and up-to-date outline of the method of water footprint assessment. It introduces how water footprints can be calculated for individual processes and products, as well as for consumers, nations and businesses.

The concept is introduced as a comprehensive indicator of freshwater resources appropriation, as against the traditional and restricted measure of water withdrawal. The hidden water use behind products are measured over the full supply chain and water consumption volumes are measured by source and polluted volumes by type of pollution. All components of a total water footprint are specified geographically and temporally. Blue water (surface and groundwater), green water (rainwater stored in the soil as soil moisture) and grey water (polluted water) footprints are defined and are included along with the indirect water use in measuring the overall water footprints.

Young Climate Savers programme:Teacher's manual on climate change and energy
WWF-India has designed the Young Climate Savers programme, aimed at imparting education on climate change through teacher training workshops and mainstreaming climate issues in the academic curriculum Posted on 14 Oct, 2009 01:52 PM

In realizing this vision, WWF-India has partnered with Tetra Pak in designing the Young Climate Savers programme, aimed at imparting education on climate change in 200 schools across 10 cities in India through teacher training workshops and mainstreaming climate issues in the academic curriculum.

How to conduct survey of water and sanitation: A reference toolkit by Arghyam
A reference toolkit that captures documents and processes that are required in doing survey Posted on 08 Oct, 2009 02:03 PM

In 2008-2009 Arghyam conducted an extensive household survey of water and sanitation in rural Karnataka, covering 17,200 households and 172 Gram Panchayats.

How to measure water percolation rate
An easy on the field method to calculate water percolation rate Posted on 15 Sep, 2009 04:53 PM

To measure how fast water percolates into the soil, you need to measure the time it takes for a specific amount of water to soak into a specific area of soil. The easiest way to do this is to get a length of cylindrical pipe that is sharp enough to push (or hammer) into the soil at one end. Mark it with two lines – one is the line to which you insert it into the soil, and the other is the line to which you fill the water.

How to measure slope and mark contours
A brief on how to measure slope by making use of gravity with a protractor and a straw Posted on 15 Sep, 2009 04:43 PM

You can measure slope by making use of gravity. Find a protractor for measuring angles. Attach a straw across the straight edge of the protractor.

Agronomic measures in dryland agriculture: An overview
An information kit on the agronomic measures in dryland agriculture Posted on 15 Sep, 2009 10:39 AM

Agronomic Measures in Dryland Agriculture
Soil and water conservation measures consist of agronomical and mechanical methods. Agronomic methods are supported with mechanical measures where land slope exceeds permissible limits and runoff gains erosive velocities.

The following boxes explain the nature of agronomic measures which are essential in inter-bunded or terraced areas. These practices enhance the utility value of all kinds of mechanical structures.

Global Water Tool- For organisations to map their water use
An introduction to the global water tool Posted on 04 Sep, 2009 11:34 AM

The World Business Council For Sustainable Development has developed a Global Water Tool which organizations can use to map their water use, and get a perspective on its use in their work.

 

How to do a fish count in your local water body-Vembanad Fish Count program
An inventory to be able to do a fish count individually Posted on 04 Sep, 2009 10:20 AM

Do a fish count in your local water body and understand the different rhythms of ecological life in your neighbourhood.

Dr Latha Bhaskar and ATREE attempted to do exactly that in their Vembanad Fish Count Program. Download the report, their methodology and tools here.

A training module on water quality monitoring and surveillance
Process for water quality monitoring at state and district level Posted on 01 Sep, 2009 10:49 AM

The monitoring of water quality at the community/cluster or district level involves key processes including survey, processing of data, and implementing remedial and preventive action.

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