Lesson 1 - Environmental Protection and Management

Introduction

Environment is sum total of water, air, animals , human man beings and other living
organisms lives. Air, water, and land constitutes our surrounding and is directly
influencing us. Singh categorized environment into four scopes: atmosphere,
hydrosphere and lithosphere and the biosphere.

According to the National Geographic, we live at the bottom of an

invisible ocean called the atmosphere, a layer of gases surrounding
our planet. Nitrogen and oxygen account for 99 percent of the gases in dry air,
with argon, carbon dioxide, helium, neon, and other gases making up minute portions.
Water vapor and dust are also part of Earth’s atmosphere.

Hydrosphere comprises the total amount of water on a planet. It includes the oceans,
seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, polar ice caps, glaciers and ground water. It is
interconnected with the other "spheres" of the Earth. Water reserves of the world are
consists of 97.6% saline or ocean water and only 2.4% freshwater. The abundance of
water on Earth clearly distinguishes our uniqueness from other planets in the solar
system. Water is a basic element of the planet. Water is an important element of
the life support system in which all biochemical reactions within a living organism
and the other forms of terrestrial life rely. It is vital for self-reproducing life. It is a
universal solvent and carrier of substances.

Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth. It’s the earth’s outermost rigid rock
layer composed of plates that float on the asthenosphere. It consists of minerals
occurring in the earth’s crust and the soil. Minerals are metallic and non-metallic
elements or compounds of elements or compounds of elements that occur naturally on
the earth’s crust. Minerals are used in many different ways, in domestic, agricultural,
industrial and commercial sectors and helps every nation’s economy. Soil is the upper
layer of the earth’s crust and supports plants, animals and microorganisms.

Biosphere is the layer of the earth that contains all living organisms. It is the global
ecological system integrating all living beings and their relationships, including their
interaction with other elements( lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere

Environmental awareness is being aware of the state of the environment. The

environment refers to all parts of nature, living and non-living.

Being aware of the environment is particularly important, given the increasing

environmental challenges we are facing, such as:

▪ climate change
▪ global warming
▪ water scarcity
▪ droughts
▪ deforestation
▪ floods
▪ pollution
Environmental Education

It refers to organized efforts to teach about how natural environment function and,
particularly, how human beings can manage their behavior and ecosystems in order to
live sustainably. The term is often used to imply education within the school system,
from primary to post-secondary. However, it is sometimes used more broadly to
include all efforts to educate the public and other audiences, including print
materials, websites, media campaigns, etc. Related disciplines include outdoor
education and experiential education.

Environmental education is a learning process that increases people's knowledge and

awareness about the environment and associated challenges, develops the necessary
skills and expertise to address the challenges, and fosters attitudes, motivations, and
commitments to make informed decisions and take responsible action (UNESCO,
Tbilisi Declaration 1978).

Environmental Education is a process which is very useful to human beings in order

to manage well their environment and instill the right behavior that serves as key to
sustainable development.

Environmental Management
Environmental Management is defined as an attempt to control human impact on and
interaction with environment to preserve natural resources. It focuses on the
improvement of human welfare for present and future generations. Contrary to what
the terms suggests, environmental management is not the management of the
environment but rather is the management of the interaction of modern human
societies with, and their impact on the environment

3 main issues that affect environmental managers

1. Politics

2. Programs

3. Resources

Environmental Protection
The aim of Environmental Protection is to reduced risks to the environment from
contaminants such as hazardous materials and wastes, fuels, and oils. It address
pollution prevention measures and regulatory compliance by providing procedures for
safely working with these materials, inspecting the storage vessels and locations, and
designating preventative maintenance procedures. Also included are environmental
emergency plans, which provide the appropriate actions to be taken in the event of a
spill or release.
Following are the factors that affects the environment:

Impacts of Technology on the Environment

Technology’ refers to the application of scientific knowledge for practical

purposes and the machinery and devices developed as a result. It has
provided humans with countless benefits and has made human lives a lot
easier. In the environment, technology has both positive and negative
impacts. As the technology is improving, the air and water pollution is
drastically increasing. One of the negative impacts includes the amount of
energy that is consumed globally. Advance technology also require more
energy for equipment and machines. Industrialized countries are considered
as the greatest contributor of greenhouse gases that causes global
warming. Despite of the negative effects, it also brought a lot of positive
impacts. Promoting awareness on the impacts of technology advance in the
environment, many countries are now engaged in "green technology"

Human Impacts on the Environment

According to Berg, et al, human species is the most significant agent of
environmental change on earth, however, our intellectual capacity has made
it possible to explore our environment to made changes on our environment.
These changes made by humans triggered climate change, soil erosion, poor
air quality, and undrinkable water. have greatly taken toll on our
environment. Some of the impacts made by humans are overpopulation,
pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation.

Impacts of Population and Consumption on the Environment

The continuous growth of population lead to environmental degradation as
greater population means more consumption of food, water, energy and raw
materials. Huge populations also produces enormous amounts of wastes and
population. Consumption, the human use of material and energy can also
have the same impact as overpopulation. High population means higher
demand for resources such as food, water and shelter.

Impacts of Agriculture on the Environment

The traditional agricultural practice, slash and burn and shifting agriculture
has led to deforestation and decline in land quality. Modern agriculture
practices resulted to greater environmental degradation. Soil quality
degradation such as salinity, nitrate pollution, water logging and nutrient
imbalance resulted from too much use of pesticides has led to the evolution
of more virulent and resistant pests.

Impacts of Mining on Environment on the Environment

Mining is done to extract minerals or fossil fuels from deep deposits in the
soil by subsurface mining. The latter is more destructive dangerous and
expensive including risks of occupational hazards and accidents.
 3 types of surface mining:

⚫ Open-pit Mining
⚫ Dredging
⚫ Strip Mining

Impacts of Transportation on the Environment

Transportation is the movement of materials and human beings from one

place to another. It could be carried out by several ways, it could be by land
or by water. Fossil fuels are usually used to run the automobiles. The
widespread use of automobiles brought about significant environmental
problems.

Road and highway construction caused land conversion, loss of fertile top
soil, soil erosion and clearing of forest in the mountain areas.

The Global Warming

Global warming is defined the warming of the earth's lower atmosphere because
of increases in the concentrations of one or more greenhouse gases primarily as a
result of one or more changes in any aspects of the earth's including temperature,
precipitation and storm activity. Climate change is usually seen as a result of
global warming.

Greenhouses gases that absorb and trap the sun's infrared radiation causing the
warming of the atmosphere is transferred back to the earth's surface warming the
land and ocean. The effects of global climate change include the melting of land
and ocean, sea level rise, change in the precipitation patterns and impacts on
agriculture, health and other organisms. Greenhouses gases can remain in the
atmosphere for hundred of years.

2 Identified ways in managing global climate change:

Mitigation- moderation or postponement of global climate change through

measures that reduce greenhouse gases emission

Adaptation- planned response to changes caused by global climate change.

Importance of Environment Education:

1. All major natural resources in the country are in grave danger of irreparable
damage.

2. A society cannot survive if its natural resources are rendered unfit for use by
its people.

3. The only hope of salvaging this grave situation is by making the young aware
that they need to proactively begin to protect the environment they will inherit.
 4. Science and Technology can help in a limited way but cannot deliver it.

5. It is a moral and ethical education for changing people's attitude.

6. To protect children living in polluted regions, environmental education

represents a relevant means of prevention.

7. It is a need of the time to propose environmental education delivered with

moral concept.

8. It is concieved to sustain participation of the citizens especially the youth

particularly in combating ill effects of climate change.

Susan Toth, a Professor of Environmental Education at University of Wisconsin –

Stevens Point, asked each of her classes to share their reasons they teach EE, what it
means to them, and how it can benefit learners of all ages. Here are our top ten
benefits of EE.

Top 10 Benefits of Environmental Education

1. Imagination and enthusiasm are heightened

EE is hands-on, interactive learning that sparks the imagination and

unlocks creativity. When EE is integrated into the curriculum, students
are more enthusiastic and engaged in learning, which raises student
achievement in core academic areas.

2. Learning transcends the classroom

Not only does EE offer opportunities for experiential learning outside of

the classroom, it enables students to make connections and apply their
learning in the real world. EE helps learners see the interconnectedness
of social, ecological, economic, cultural, and political issues.

3. Critical and creative thinking skills are enhanced

EE encourages students to research, investigate how and why things

happen, and make their own decisions about complex environmental
issues. By developing and enhancing critical and creative thinking
skills, EE helps foster a new generation of informed consumers,
workers, as well as policy or decision makers.

4. Tolerance and understanding are supported

EE encourages students to investigate varying sides of issues to

understand the full picture. It promotes tolerance of different points of
view and different cultures.

5. State and national learning standards are met for multiple subjects
 By incorporating EE practices into the curriculum, teachers can
integrate science, math, language arts, history, and more into one rich
lesson or activity, and still satisfy numerous state and national academic
standards in all subject areas. Taking a class outside or bringing nature
indoors provides an excellent backdrop or context for interdisciplinary
learning.

6. Biophobia and nature deficit disorder decline

By exposing students to nature and allowing them to learn and play

outside, EE fosters sensitivity, appreciation, and respect for the
environment. It combats “nature deficit disorder” … and it’s FUN!

7. Healthy lifestyles are encouraged

EE gets students outside and active, and helps address some of the
health issues we are seeing in children today, such as obesity, attention
deficit disorders, and depression. Good nutrition is often emphasized
through EE and stress is reduced due to increased time spent in nature.

8. Communities are strengthened

EE promotes a sense of place and connection through community

involvement. When students decide to learn more or take action to
improve their environment, they reach out to community experts,
donors, volunteers, and local facilities to help bring the community
together to understand and address environmental issues impacting their
neighborhood.

9. Responsible action is taken to better the environment

EE helps students understand how their decisions and actions affect the
environment, builds knowledge and skills necessary to address complex
environmental issues, as well as ways we can take action to keep our
environment healthy and sustainable for the future. Service-learning
programs offered by PLT and other EE organizations provide students
and teachers with support through grants and other resources for action
projects.

10. Students and teachers are empowered

EE promotes active learning, citizenship, and student leadership. It

empowers youth to share their voice and make a difference at their
school and in their communities. EE helps teachers build their own
environmental knowledge and teaching skills. I hope these “top ten”
benefits will give you the confidence and commitment to incorporate
EE into your curriculum!
Learn more about the related Laws in Promoting Environment Education

An act to promote environmental awareness through environmental education and for

other purposes. This Act is Known as the "National Environmental Awareness and
Education Act of 2008". In , Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy states that:

Consistent with the policy of the State to protect and advance the right of the
people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and
harmony of nature, and in recognition of the viral role of the youth in nation
building and the role of education to foster patriotism and nationalism,
accelerate social progress, and promote total human liberation and development,
the state shall promote national awareness on the role of natural resources in
economic growths and the importance of environmental conservation and
ecological balance towards sustained national development.

Republic Act 9003: January 26, 2001 - This is an act providing for an ecological
solid waste management program, creating the necessary institutional
mechanism and incentives, declaring certain acts prohibited and providing
penalties appropriating funds thereof, and for other purposes.

Republic Act No. 9275: March 22, 2004 - An Act providing for a comprehensive
water quality management and for other purposes.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - The State shall pursue a policy of economic

growth in a manner consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the
quality of our fresh, brackish and marine waters.

Republic Act 8749: June 23, 1999 - "Philippines Clean Air Act of 1999" an act
providing for a comprehensive air pollution control policy and for other
purposes.

Republic Act No. 9147 - An act providing for the conservation and protection of
wildlife resources and their habitats, appropriating funds therefor and for other
purposes.

Republic Act No.9175 - An act regulating the ownership, possession, sale,

importation and use of chainsaws, penalizing violations thereof and for other
purposes.

Lesson 2 - Seven Principles of environment and

Environmental Laws
The Seven Environmental Principles

The key to understanding the environmental problems that we encounter today is to

learn about our ecosystem. This section highlights the basic environmental principles,
varied types of ecosystem, current environmental issues, anthropogenic activities that
threaten the environment and the role of youth in protecting our environment.

1. Everything is connected to everything else.

This principles is best exemplified by the concept of the ecosystem. In an

ecosystem, all biotic and amniotic components interact with each other to ensure
that the system is perpetuated. Any outside interference may result in an
imbalance and the deterioration of the system.

2. All forms of life are important.

Each organism plays a fundamental role in nature. Since such occupational or

functional position, otherwise known as niche, cannot be simultaneously
occupied by more than one specie, it is apparent that all living things must be
considered as invaluable in the maintenance of homeostasis in the ecosystem.

3. Everything must go somewhere.

When a piece of paper is thrown away, it disappears from sights but it does not
cease to exist. It end up elsewhere. Gases released in smokestacks may disperse
but it will end up a component of the atmosphere or brought down by rains. What
a particular type of waste does to the earth's repository should be of concern to us.
It may be a pollutant or a resource depending on certain factors.

4. Everything change.

It is said that he only permanent things is change. As a general classification,

change may be linear, cyclical or random. As example of linear change is
evolution of species, which has bought about higher and more complex types of
organisms. Cyclical change may be exemplified by seasons and the rhythms on
floral and faunal life stages that go with the seasons. An example of random
change is the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, which brought about great upheaval in
many parts of Luzon and changes in the topography of the land.

5. Nature knows Best.

This Principle is the most basic and in fact encompasses all the others. Humans
have to understand nature and have to abide by the rules nature dictates. In
essence, one must not go against the natural processes if one would like to ensure
a continuous and steady supply of resources.

6. Our is a finite earth.

The earth's resources can be classified as either renewable or non-renewable.

Renewable resources are those that can easily be replenished by natural cycle
(e.g. water, air, plants, and animals) while non-renewable resources are those that
cannot be replenished through natural cycles (e.g. ores of various metals, oil,
coal).
7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God's creations.

Among all creatures, humans are the only ones made in God's image and have
been given the right to have dominion over all His creations. Being the most
intelligent and gifted with reason, humans are capable of manipulating creation to
their own advantage. Yet creation exist not to be ravaged or abused but to be
taken care of. Humans cannot exist without nature. They are co-natural with
the environment they live in is destroyed, with it will go Homo Sapiens.

Lesson 3 -Climate Change and Air Pollution

What is climate change?

Climate Change is any change in climate over time whether due to natural processes
or as a result of human activity. It is a change of climate which is attributed directly
or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere
and which is, in addition to natural climate variability, observed over comparable time
periods (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change).

How does it occur?

The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC, 4AR 2007) concludes that climate change is already occurring and that further
acceleration will result in a two (2) degree increase in global temperature and of
extreme weather conditions.

Climate Change is caused by the increase volume of Greenhouse Gases(GHG) in the

atmosphere. Greenhouse gases are goes that absorb and re-emit infrared radiation,
warming the earth's surface and contributing to climate change (UNEP 1988). These
gases are water vapor, methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone,
hydrofluorocarbon, perfluorocarbon, and surfur hexafluoride. When these gases
increase in volume, more solar heat will be trapped resulting to a warmer
atmospheric condition. This phenomenon is known as the "greenhouse effect". Global
warming is the increase in the average temperature of the earth's near-surface air and
oceans that is associated with the increased concentration of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere.

Human are responsible for the accelerated warming of the earth. before the advent of
human, climate changes were naturally caused. Many greenhouse gases occur
naturally like methane, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone and even water vapor.
Other greenhouse gases like hydroflurocarbons (HFC), perflurocarbon (PFC), and
sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) which absorb and hold greater heat are human-made. These
are produced through industrial processes, However, human activities also add to the
increase of the naturally occurring greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

What are the effects of climate change or global warming?

The warming of the Earth's atmosphere result in the melting of snow covers and
glaciers, the rise of sea level, shorter winters, early springs, hotter summers and
delayed coming of autumns, altered forest productivity and composition, habitat shifts
of some animals, changes in the behavior patterns of flora and fauna, spread of
diseases, stronger and more frequent typhoons, more floods, severe droughts, stronger
heat waves and heavier rains and more.

These changes in the environment as a result of climate change have already made
their impact on human population in a global scale. Socio-economic problems and
difficulties will be amplified compounding the already heavy burden of the poor
sectors. Agriculture become less or non-productive due to droughts and flooding.
Mounting social pressure on the damaging effects of climate change will influence
political priorities and direction.

What can be done locally?

The following can be done:

1. Mitigation - Reduce the sources of green house gas emissions or enhance their
sink or capture.

2. Adaptation - Moderate the harmful effects of climate change and exploit its
beneficial opportunities.

3. Awareness - Support or join awareness raising of people in your

locally/community about climate change.

4. Capacity Building - Carry out concrete disaster prevention, mitigation and

management activities.

5. Advocate- Suggest or advocate the integration of climate change mitigation and

adaptation into organizational/institutional plans to mainstream this consciousness.

6. Policy Development- Lobby for and/ or support climate change responsive policies
and ordinances.

7. Reduce vulnerability- Synergize efforts with other enlightened individual or group

stakeholders.

8. Develop a stable resource mobilization mechanism or system - To ensure and

facilities the flow of financial and technical support to local implementers.

Lesson 4 - Water Sanitation and Conservation

The nation faces significant challenges in terms of water and sanitation access, our
national government aim to develop an efficient water resources management system.
As per United Nation - Water, around 2.2 billion people lack access to safe drinking
water services and 4.2 billion people lack safely managed sanitation services. In our
country, seven million count on unsafe and unsustainable water and about 24 million
lack access to improved sanitation.
Drinking safe water is a global concern. Drinking water sources are progressively at risk
from contamination, the impacts of it is not only on the health of the humans, but also
on the economic, environmental and social development of communities and nations.

According to Unicef, WASH stands for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene. These three core
issues are grouped together to represent a growing sector. While each a separate field of
work, each is dependent on the presence of the other. For example, without toilets, water
sources become contaminated; without clean water, basic hygiene practices are not
possible.

The main components of water resources management in the Philippines are vested in
the mandates of the various government agencies that undertake most of the water
resources programmes and projects in the country. Good hygiene were practices by
many Filipinos and know the that it can reducing the spread of diseases but if water
sanitation is not improved, human waste cannot be separates from human contact
Unsafe hygiene practices are widespread, compounding the effects on people’s
health. The impact on child mortality rates is devastating with more than 297
000 children under five who die annually from diarrhoeal diseases due to poor
sanitation, poor hygiene, or unsafe drinking water.

We urge every students to promote sustainable water and sanitation programs

through doing the given tips at home in relevant and cost effective ways. are all
looking forward improve the water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
situation of the poorest communities in the Philippines.
Lesson 5 - The role of the youth in the environmental
protection and management
Environmental education connects us to the world around us, teaching us
about both natural and built environments. It raises awareness of issues
impacting the environment upon which we all depend, as well as actions
we can take to improve and sustain it.

Whether we bring nature into the classroom, take students outside to learn,
or find impromptu teachable moments on a nature walk with our families,
it has many benefits for youth, educators, schools, and communities.

Schools should encourage youth to share their environmental knowledge

with their friends and family. A good way to do this would be to
encourage them to practice at home. It’s not as useful if children use
water sparingly at school, but leave taps dripping at home. These
principles will help produce kids who are more knowledgeable about
environmental issues.