Unit 1 Introduction to Environment Science

Unit 2 Ecosystems

Environmental Unit 3 Natural Resources

Science Theory Unit 4 Environmental Pollution

into Practice Unit 5 Global Environmental Issues and Policies

Unit 6 Biodiversity and Conservation

Unit 7 Human Communities and Environment

Introduction To
Environmental Science
By: Koshal Rajora
 Environment is derived from the French word Environner
which means encircle and surrounding.

Environment means the surrounding area, it is defined as the

sum total of all living (biotic) and non living (abiotic)
Environment components.

Environmental Protection act 1986 defines Environment as the

sum total of water; air and land, their inter-relationship among
themselves and with the human beings, other living beings and
property
 ❖Environmental science is the field of
science that studies the interactions of the
physical, chemical, and biological
components of the environment and also
the relationships and effects of these
Environmental components with the organisms in the

Studies environment.

❖Environmental sciences apply

interdisciplinary approach for
understanding the different aspects of
environment and to address the
environmental issues and problems.
 Environmental science is also referred to as an interdisciplinary
field because it incorporates information and ideas from multiple
Multidisciplinary disciplines.
nature of
Environment
Studies The science of environment studies is a multi-disciplinary in nature
because it comprises of various branches of studies like chemistry,
physics, biology, geosciences, ecology etc.
 Environmental issue Major Subjects
Nature and reaction of air pollution Chemistry
Effects of air pollutions on human being, Zoology, botany and life science
animal and plants
Effect of air pollutants on materials Meteorology
Effect of climate on air pollution Mathematics modelling etc.
Air pollution control systems Physics and Chemistry
Economic impact of air pollution Economics, Demography
Sociology impacts of air pollution Sociology
Alternative fuels Physical Science
Conservation of resources and pollution Various branches of physical and
control political science
Ozone hole and global warming Almost all the fields under the sun have
got something to contribute to
understanding and prevention of these
phenomenon.
 Atmosphere

There are four components of

environment Hydrosphere

Components of
Environment Lithosphere

Biosphere
  A blanket of gases called the atmosphere surrounds the earth and
protects the surface of earth from the Sun’s harmful, ultraviolet
rays. It sustains life on the earth. It also regulates temperature,
preventing the earth from becoming too hot or too cold. It saves it
from the hostile environment of outer space.
Atmosphere
 The atmosphere is composed of nitrogen and oxygen besides, argon,
carbon dioxide and trace gases.

 The Atmosphere forms a distinctive protective layer about 100 km

thick around the earth.
Different layers
of atmosphere
 The Hydrosphere comprises all types of
water resources oceans, seas, lakes,
rivers, streams, reservoirs, polar icecaps,
glaciers, and ground water .

Oceans represent 97% of the earth’s water

Hydrosphere and about 2% of the water resources is
locked in the polar icecaps and glaciers.

Only about 1% is available as fresh water

as surface water in rivers, lakes, streams,
and as ground water for human use.
 Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth. It consists of
minerals occurring in the earth’s crusts and the soil e.g. minerals,
organic matter, air and water.

Lithosphere
 It is a region where lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere all are
present and life can exist. It is defined as the thin layer of soil, rock,
water and air that surround the earth along with the living organism.

Lithosphere

Biosphere

Biosphere

Atmosphere Hydrosphere
 ✓ Sustainability means meeting our own needs without compromising the ability of
future generation to meet their needs.

✓ Sustainability is derived from the Latin word sustinere ie, to hold and sustain.
Sustain is to maintain. It is related to the quality of life in a community whether the
economic, social and environmental systems that make up the community are
providing a healthy, productive, meaningful life for all community residents, present

Concept of and future. Sustainability can be defined as the practice of maintaining processes of
productivity (natural or human made) indefinitely by replacing resources used with
Sustainability resources of equal or greater value without degrading or endangering natural biotic
systems.

✓ The concept of sustainable development has two related concepts, i.e., the right to
develop and the need to sustain the environment, which need to be balanced for
achieving future development in a sustainable manner. It is the practice of
developing land and construction projects in a manner that reduces their impact on
the environment by creating energy efficient models.
 In 1987 the World Commission on Environment and Development
sought to address the problem of conflicts between environment and
development goals by formulating a definition of sustainable
development:

Sustainable Sustainable development is development which meets the

needs of the present without compromising the ability of
Development future generations to meet their own needs.

-World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987.

 Economic: An economically sustainable system must be able to produce goods
and services on a continuing basis, to maintain manageable levels of
government and external debt, and to avoid extreme sectoral imbalances which
damage agricultural or industrial production.

Environmental: An environmentally sustainable system must maintain a stable

resource base, avoiding over-exploitation of renewable resource systems or
Essential environmental sink functions, and depleting non-renewable resources only to
aspects of the extent that investment is made in adequate substitutes. This includes
maintenance of biodiversity, atmospheric stability, and other ecosystem
Sustainable functions not ordinarily classed as economic resources.

Development Social: A socially sustainable system must achieve fairness in distribution and
opportunity, adequate provision of social services including health and
education, gender equity, and political accountability and participation.

They are three pillars of sustainability.

Sustainable development promotes the idea that social, environmental,
and economic progress are all attainable within the limits of our earth’s
natural resources. Sustainable development approaches everything in the
world as being connected through space, time and quality of life.
Sustainable
Development
Goals
  GDP Growth: Higher total production growth rate facilitates employment, price stability and
material welfare. An indicator of sustainability, it helps in eliminating poverty.

 Population Instability and Water Availability: Over population leads to over-exploitation of

resources and is a hindrance in sustainability. Availability of sufficient water for consumption,
industrial and agricultural use is to be ensured.

 Clean Air Index and Energy Resources: Pure and clean air is essential for survival of human
Indicators of beings and other species. Air pollution, acid rain and greenhouse effects are threats for

Sustainability sustainability. To achieve long-term sustainable use of renewable sources must be lower than its
rate of regeneration.

 Human Resource Development: It incorporates health care, nutritional standards, standard of

living and education as indicators emphasized by the World Bank and UNDP.

 Soll Degradation and Forest Coverage Ratio: Loss of soil fertility and topsoil due to erosion
poses an environmental threat. The forests coverage ratio has to be balanced. Declining forest
cover means loss of water, climate, and soil and is a threat to existence of ecosystems.
 ❑Solar and wind energy.
Energy from these resources is limitless, meaning we have the ability to
eliminate dependence on non-renewable power sources by harnessing
power from renewable resources.
❑Sustainable construction.
Common Homes, offices and other structures that incorporate recycled and
renewable resources will be more energy efficient and stand the test of
examples of time.
sustainable ❑Crop rotation.
Many farmers and gardeners are using this method as a chemical free
development way to reduce diseases in the soil and increase growth potential of their
crops.
practices ❑Water fixtures.
Water conservation is critical to sustainable development, and more and
more products are available that use less water in the home, such as
showers, toilets, dishwashers and laundry systems.
 ➢Environmentalism deals with analysis of earth's environmental problems and
coming up with solutions in a holistic manner. It is closely related to various
environmental activities to preserve and conserve environment.

➢The first real Indian movement related to environmentalism was started by

Brief history of Bishnois, activists of Khejarli of Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Bishnois were

slaughtered by the Maharaja of Jodhpur in 1720 for protecting the forest that
Environmentalism he had felled to build a palace. Later on, during 1970s, Chipko movement
(forest conservation) started in Uttarakhand, (then a part of Uttar Pradesh)
India. The movement was a trendsetter for starting non-violent protest in
India and became a rallying point for many future environmental movements
all over the world.