Stubble burning

The burning of stubble has both positive and negative consequences. Generally helpful effects • Cheaper and easier than other removal methods • Helps to combat pests and weeds • Biochar • Reduced methane emission from biomass decay • Can reduce nitrogen tie-up Generally harmful effects • Loss of nutrients. • Pollution from smoke. Including greenhouse gases and others that damage the ozone layer. • Damage to electrical and electronic equipment from floating threads of conductive waste. • Risk of fires spreading out of control. • Additionally, prolonged stubble burning kills beneficial microflora and fauna in soil which reduces organic matter and destroys the carbon-nitrogen equilibrium. Health concerns related to stubble burning A wide array of health disorders are associated with the stubble burning emission releases which have caused people to develop lung cancer and respiratory infections. The emissions also threaten the health of children who tend to have weaker organs. Not only that but the smog from the stubble burning also severely affects people with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder as it worsens their health conditions. India also has the highest number of blind people in the world and if the smog gets in your eyes you are more likely to develop cataracts. Additionally, people who have been exposed to smog can develop eye irritation, eye-watering, and conjunctival hyperemia symptoms. In order to reduce pollution there needs to be severe attention to the issue involved with effective sustainable management practices enforced by the government. The Indian government has been receiving intense backlash for not reacting quickly enough to the health emergency, especially amongst the green revolution that is bringing attention to climate change concerns. Alternative to stubble burning The solutions to reduce the pollution from stubble burning involve mitigating crop farming, adhering to diversification of agriculture, adopting the paddy straw farming technique, and making biomass pellets. Agriculture residues can have other uses, such as in particle board and biofuel, though these uses can still cause problems like erosion and nutrient loss. Spraying an enzyme, which decomposes the stubble into useful fertiliser, improves the soil, avoids air pollution and prevents carbon dioxide emissions. Several companies worldwide use leftover agricultural waste to make new products. Agricultural waste can serve as raw materials for new applications, such as paper and board, bio-based oils, leather, catering disposables, fuel and plastic. Another important way to manage the agricultural waste from stubble burning would be to detoxify the soil after it has been burned and using aerobic and anaerobic techniques that recycle organic matter. Empowering farmers to use sustainable solutions Another way to reduce particulate matter pollution entails the requirement of bringing severe attention to the issue in accordance with effective sustainable management practices and government support. Active stakeholder acknowledgment by the farm owners that are producing the products that are used in stubble burning will need to form agreements with the government too. Unfortunately, many of the farmers that contribute to the pollution are unaware of the implications of how harmful stubble burning is for the earth especially as to how it depletes soil of nutrients and contaminates the air. Empowering farmers and educating them about the harmful consequences that stubble burning causes to the atmosphere is also necessary for stubble burning pollution reduction. ==Attitudes toward stubble burning==