Introduction to environment and environmental studies

“Environmental studies” is the scientific study of our environment and our place in it.
Definition: “Environmental studies” is the study of environmental issues.
It has broader coverage than environmental science and includes social aspects of environment also.

1. INTRODUCTION TO
ENVIRONMENT AND
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
By
SURYAKANT VERMA
Assistant Professor,
Department ofPharmaceutics,
Dr. K. N. ModiInstitute of Pharmaceutical Education &
Research, Modinagar, U.P., India.

2. Environmental Science
•… is an
interdisciplinaryand
multidisciplinary
field, drawing on
many diverse
disciplines.

3. Multidisciplinary nature of the
Environment studies
•“Environmentalstudies”isthescientificstudyof
ourenvironmentandourplaceinit.
•Definition:“Environmentalstudies”isthestudy
ofenvironmentalissues.
•Ithasbroadercoveragethanenvironmental
scienceandincludessocialaspectsof
environmentalso.
•Itdealswithsciencewherenecessaryandalso
includethestudyofphysicalandbiological
environmentandalsoculturalandsocialfactors
andtheirimpactonenvironment.

4. Scope of Environmental Studies
•Naturalresources-theirconservationand
management
•Ecologyandbiodiversity
•Environmentalpollutionandcontrol
•Socialissuesinrelationtodevelopmentand
environment
•Humanpopulationandenvironment

5. Importance of Environmental Education
•EnvironmentalEducationisrecognizedastheprocessthatwould
helpindividualstoacquireessentialknowledgeandskillstotake
positiveactiontowardsabatterenvironment.
•Toclarifymodernenvironmentalconceptlikehowtoconserve
biodiversity.
•Toknowthemoresustainablewayofliving.
•Tousenaturalresourcesmoreefficiently.
•Toknowthebehavioroforganismundernaturalconditions.
•Toknowtheinterrelationshipbetweenorganismsinpopulations
andcommunities.
•Toawareandeducatepeopleregardingenvironmentalissuesand
problemsatlocal,nationalandinternationallevels.

6. Objectives of Environmental Education
1.AnAWARENESSoftheenvironmentandits
problems.
2.BasicKNOWLEDGEandunderstandingofthe
environmentanditsinter-relationshipwithman.
3.SocialVALUESandATTITUDESwhicharein
harmonywithenvironmentalquality.
4.SKILLStosolveenvironmentalproblems.
5.Senseofresponsibilityandurgencytowards
environmentsoastoensureappropriateACTIONS
tosolveenvironmentalproblems.
6.Considerenvironmentinitstotality.

7. Environmental Engineering
•Environmentalengineeringisbasedonthe
designand
manipulationofenvironmentalprocessesto
obtaina
desiredoutcome.
•Environmentalengineersapplytheirknowledge
ofthenaturalsciences(chemistry,biologyand
microbiology)withtheirexpertiseinengineering
tosolve,preventorcorrectenvironmental
problems

8. Cont……
•Designormanagesystemsforwaterdistributionand
collection,watertreatmentsolidwastehandlingand
processingfacilities,landfillsandairtreatmentplants.
•Workwithregulatoryagenciestoreviewproposalsfor
environmentalequipment.
•Collectingdataandassistinginproductdesign.
•Developingimprovedairqualitymodelsandpollution
controlmeasures.
•Workingwithanenvironmentalhealthandsafetyboard
onvariouspoliciesandprocedures.
•Developingmitigationmeasurestoensuresafety

9. Some of the activities handled by
Environmental Engineer
•Waste Management,
•Toxic Material Control,
•Water Supply,
•Storm Water Management,
•Solid Waste Disposal,
•Land Management,
•Public Health & safety,
•Radiation Protection,
•Industrial Hygiene,
•Air Quality Control

10. Definition…..As per "ENVIRONMENT".
Environmental Protection Act (1986)
oTheenvironment“isthesumofthetotalofthe
elements,factorsandconditionsinthe
surroundingswhichmayhaveanimpacton
thedevelopment,actionorsurvivalofan
organismorgroupoforganisms,suchas,we
humanbeings.”
OR
oItcanalsobedefinedas“externalsurroundings
andconditionswhichdirectlyorindirectly
affectsthelivingorganism”

11. Environment -French word -'environ’ -surroundings.
Hence, everything surrounding us -"ENVIRONMENT".
Environmental Protection Act (1986) defined “Environment
as the sum total of water, air and land, their interrelationship
among themselves and with the human beings, other living
beings and property.”
It can also be defined as “ external surroundings and
conditions which directly or indirectly affects the living
organism”
Environmental science is a systemic study of our environment
and our place in it -mainly the abioticand biotic components.

12. It is a comprehensive sum of all living and non –living
things and their interactions.
It is an applied science as its seeks practical answers
to making human civilization sustainable on the
earth’s finite sources.
Its components include biology, geology, chemistry,
physics, engineering, sociology, health, anthropology,
economics, statistics, computers and philosophy.

13. Environment consist of:
•BIOTIC FACTORS = living
components in an environment
•ABIOTIC FACTORS = non-living
components in an environment

14. •BioticfactorsandAbioticfactorsthatsurround
usandwithwhichweinteract.
•Thesebioticandabioticcomponentsarein
dynamicstate;theyconstantlyaffecteachother
andcannotbeisolatedfromeachother.

15. Biotic
Factors
All living
organisms
Plants
Animals
Microorganisms
Abiotic
Factors
Water, soil,
minerals, gases
Temperature,
humidity, wind
Light, nutrients
(C, O, P, N, etc.)

17. COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
•Environment can be divided into four
components:
•Atmosphere
•Hydrosphere
•Lithosphere
•Biosphere

19. Atmosphere:
It is the mixture of various gases, water vapour and
subatomic particles that entirely covers the earth
extending outward several thousand kilometers.

20. Structure of atmosphere

21. Troposphere:
•Lower portion of the
atmosphere
•Extends up to 8 km at the
poles and 16 km at equator,
on an average extend up to
10-11 km from the earth
surface.
•Temperature decrease at
the rate of 5-7
o
C/km.
•Strong vertical air
movement responsible for
rapid and complete mixing.

22. Stratosphere:
•It is above
troposphere and
extends up to50-55
km.
•Up to about 20 km
temp. remains
constant then
increase with
increase in height.
•Ozone layer is in this
layer.

23. Mesosphere:
•It is layer above
stratosphere and
extends up to 80
km.
•Temperature
decreases slowly
with altitude but
then sharply to
about -75
o
C.

24. Thermosphere:
•Temperature
increases rapidly
with increase in
height.
•Heating of this layer
is due to absorption
of the solar energy.
•Within the
thermosphere there
is a layer of charged
particles known as
ionosphere.

25. Exosphere:
•It exist above the
ionosphere and
extend up to 2000 km
above the earth.
•This layer is almost
airless and empty.
•Contains hydrogen gas
in ionized state.
•Very high
temperature(≥
1200
o
C)

26. Hydrosphere:
•About70%ofearthiscoveredbywater.
•Waterisavailableinseas,oceans,lakes,river,
glaciersetc.
•97%isintheoceansandseas,2%inglaciers&
icecaps,1%isfreshwateravailableforhuman
consumption.

27. Lithosphere:
•Outersoilcrustoftheearthislithosphere
•Livingorganisms,plantvegetationare
supportedbythelithosphere.
•Itcontainsresourceslikeminerals,organicand
inorganicmatter,someextentairandwater.
•Roleoflithosphere:
-Producesfoodforhumanbeingsand
animals.
-Soilisthesiteofdecompositionoforganic
wastes.

28. Biosphere:
•Thinoutercrustoftheearthwhichincludesall
thelivingorganismsandtheirenvironment.
•Itextendsfromthelowestseabedleveltoabout
24kmoftheatmosphere.
•Lifesupportingresourcesareavailablefromthe
biosphere.
•Itisthatpartofearthwhereliving(biotic)
organismexistandinteractwitheachotherand
alsowithnon-living(abiotic)components.

30. Activities in biosphere…….
•Thelivingorganismsinteractingwitheach
otherinbiosphereandsustaintheirlife.
•Thewasteproductsingaseous,liquidand
solidformaredischargedinbiosphere.
•Thesustainingandassimilativecapacityofthe
biosphereistremendousbutnotinfinite.
•Thesystemisinoperationformillionsofyears
butnowshowingstressduetoimpactof
humanonenvironment.

31. Interaction between different components of
environment

33. Man and Environment relationship
•Manistheonlylivingorganism
capableofmodifyingenvironment
accordingtotheneed.
•Manhasstartedhuntinganimals
andcuttingtreesforhisbasic
needs.
•Toincreasehiscomfortshestarted
distributingeachandevery
componentsofenvironment.
•Large scaledeforestation,
increasinginquantityofCO
2dueto
burningofforest,grass,cropwaste
areexampleofearlycauseof
pollution.

34. How Does Technology Address Human
Needs and Wants?

35. Impact of Technology on Environment
•Positive Impact
•Negative Impact
–Direct Impact & Indirect Impact
Positive Impact
Waste treatment plants to reduce the pollution.
Electricity generation options
Uses of bio-fuels

36. Impact of Technology on Environment
(Cont…)
•Negative Impacts: Negative effects are further
divided into direct and indirect effects.
–Direct effect:
•Accidents in various industries
•Nuclear pollution
–Indirect effect
•Uses of fossil fuels causes air pollution
•Green house effects
•Acid rain
•Global warming

37. Positive Effect
•Watertreatmentplantshelpustoreuseofdirty
water.
•Windturbineshelptoreducetheneedsforcoal,
electricandothernaturalresources.
•Toimprovelifestyle&safetyofhumanlife,as
wellasimprovetheenvironmentofthisplanet
forthefuture.
•Thescienceofsewagetreatmentisprobablythe
greatestenvironmentalachievementofmankind

38. Negative Effect
a)DirectEffect:
Itincludesaccidents,releaseofpollutantsaffecting
humanhealth,exhaustionofresourcesand
changesinlandscapes.
b)IndirectEffects:
Theseeffectsinterferewiththevitalservices
suppliedtohumanitybynaturalecological
systems.

39. CONT….
•Depletionofozonelayer,whichprotectsthelifeon
earthfromdamagingUV-Bradiationsiscaused
primarilybyCFCemissions.
•Excessiveuseofpesticidesandfertilizersis
decreasingtheinherentfertilityofsoils.
•Thesealevelriseduetomeltingofice-capsin
Antarcticregionduetoglobalwarming,isfrequently
disturbingthecoastalareas.
•Exploitationofresourcesleadingtoexhaustion.
•Testingofatomicbombsmaycausevolcanoesand
earthquakes

42. Environmental Degradation
•Definition:Theoverallloweringofenvironmental
qualitiesduetothedamagescausedbyboth
naturaleventsandhumanactivitiesinthebasic
structureoftheenvironmentatlocal,regional
andgloballevelsadverselyaffectingallliving
organismsincludingman.

43. Cont…..
Environmental degradation arise due to…..
•Consumption of natural resources by over
population of developing countries.
•Wasteful over consumption of resources by
developed countries.

44. Cont…..
•To explain the impact (I) the proposed three
factor model in a given area comprises of:
1.The population size(P)
2.Per capita consumption of resources(A)
3.Degradational pollution caused by per unit of
resources used(T)
Hence I=P×A×T
In developing countries three Ps or P3 i.e.
population, poverty and pollution are key factor
for rapid environmental degradation.

45. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
•Sustainabledevelopment(SD)isapatternof
resourcesuse,thataimstomeethumanneeds
whilepreservingtheenvironmentsothatthese
needscanbemetnotonlyinthepresent,butalso
forfuturegenerations.
•Everygenerationshouldleaveair,waterandsoil
aspureandunpollutedaspossible.Sustainability
meantosustainhumaninstitutionsandecological
systemsinahealthyandfunctionalstate

46. •Conceptsforsustainabledevelopment:
•Controlofpollution.
•Reductionofexcessiveuseofresourcesand
conservingresources.
•Recyclingandreuseofmaterialforwaste
minimization.
•Usingcleanerfuelandtechnologies.
•Developmentofgoodmasstransportation
facilitiestoreduceairpollution.
•Byusingeffectiveenvironmentalmanagement
tools.(EIA,EMS)

47. Thank You