Basics of Environmental

Studies
Introduction to Environment,
Ecology, Ecosystem
• Components of Environment, Relationship
between different components

• Man-Environment relationship

• Impact of Technology on the environment

• Environmental Degradation
 Important Questions
• Definitions: Environment, Ecology, Ecosystem, explain its
components
• Explain Man and Environment Relationship.
• Explain Impact of Technology on Environment.
• Write a S.N. on Environmental Degradation.
• Explain Importance of Environmental Education.
• Explain IPAT Equation.
• Discuss Biotic and Abiotic Components of Environment.
• What is the role of Environmental Engineer ?
• Discuss the physical components of environment
 Environment
• Environmental Science: “The systematic & scientific study of
our environment and our role in it. This branch include the
knowledge of Pure science & to some extent Social Sciences”.
• Environmental Studies: “The branch of Study concerned
with environmental issues. It has a broader coverage than
environment science and includes the social aspects of the
environment”.
 Environment
• Definition:- “All the living and non living factors affecting an
organism and ultimately determining its form and survival is
known as Environment.”

• Some other Definitions of Environment:-

• “ All the external factors influencing the life and activity of
people, plant and animals”.

• “ All the things (i.e. Object & Circumstances) surrounding us

is known as Environment”.
 Most Precise Definition of Environment
• Environment is Defined as “The Complex of Physical, Chemical
& Biotic factors affecting an organism and ultimately
determining its form and survival” is known as Environment.
 Ecology

• Definition:- Ecology is derived from two Greek words “Oikos”

& “Logos”

• Ecology= Oikos + Logos

• Oikos means house or dwelling place

• Logos means study of

• Thus Ecology can be defined as “Study of organisms with

respect to their house or dwelling place”.
 Ecosystem

A place of nature where biotic and abiotic components interact

among them as a result of exchange of materials (energy) from
biotic to abiotic or vice versa.
 Components of Environment
• Environment can be divided into following Components

Environment

Biotic Abiotic
i.e. Living i.e.
Components Non-Living
Components
 Components of Environment

• Biotic: It Includes all the living organisms.

e.g. plants, animals, birds etc.

• Abiotic: All the non living things are included in this

category.

e.g. Climatic conditions, soil, minerals, water, etc.

 Components of Environment

•Environment can also be classified into various Physical Components

Environment

Atmosphere Hydrosphere Lithosphere Biosphere

 Components of Environment
• Atmosphere: Theregion surroundingthe earth is known as
atmosphere.
Atmosphere is generally a mixture of gases surrounding the
earth.
• Hydrosphere: All the water bodies on the earth surface are included
in hydrosphere. It includes Oceans, rivers, glaciers, lakes, ponds,
etc.
 Components of Environment
• Lithosphere: The uppermost part of the earth crust is known
as Lithosphere. Lithosphere includes, soil and its particles,
rocks, metal. etc.

• Biosphere: The life supporting mantle of the earth

extending from few kilometer into the atmosphere to the deep
ocean is known as Biosphere
Theregion of the earth where life exist is known as
Biosphere.
Importance of Environmental Education

• Environmental education is a integral process which deals with

man’s interrelationship with his nature and man made surroundings
including the relation of population growth, pollution, resource
allocation and depletion, conservation, technology, and urban and
rural planning to the total human environment.
• Environmental education is a study of the factors influencing

ecosystem, mental & physical health, living and

conditions, decaying cities working and population
Environmental education is intended pressure.
to promote among citizens
the awareness and understanding of the environment, our
relationship to it, and the concern and responsible action
necessary to assure our survival and to improve the quality of life.
 Objectives of Environmental Education

• Awareness: To help individuals and social

groups to acquire basic awareness of and
sensitivity towards the environment & its related
problem.
• Knowledge: To help individuals and social
groups to acquire basic understanding of the
environment, its associated problems and their
responsible role towards the betterment of the
environment.
• Attitude: To help individuals and social groups to
acquire social values, strong feeling of concern for
the environment and the motivation for actively
participating in its protection and improvement.
• Skills: help individuals and social
To
groups to acquire the skills for solving
environmental problems.

• Evaluation ability: To help individuals

and social groups to evaluate
environmental measures and education
program in terms of ecological, political,
economical, social, aesthetic and
education factors.

• Participation: To help individuals

social groups to develop a sense
and
responsibility and urgencyregarding
of
environmental problems to ensure
appropriate action to solve those
problems.
 Role of Environmental Engineer
• Environmental engineer are the technocrats who are committed to
protect human beings from the harmful effects of environmental
degradation caused by the pollution in the environment due to
population growth, rapid industrialization and urbanization.

• Environmental engineer generally acts to build a bridge between

engineering, technology and biology. Following are the duties of an
environmental engineer.

• Environmental engineer basically make environmental strategies like

evaluation of environmental quality, steps for improvement in quality
of water, air and food as well as suggestions regarding the proper
collection and disposal of solid and liquid wastes from the city.

• Environmental engineers do the design, construction and operation of

treatment facilities for water, air, and solid waste. These treatment
facilities, which are designed by the environment engineers are mainly
based on the assimilating capacity of lithosphere, atmosphere and
hydrosphere.
 Role of Environmental Engineer
• Environmental engineers design the different processes to handle large
volumes of pollutants with the principles of optimization, socio-
economic effects and rapid treatment to convert any objectionable
material to a less objectionable material.

• Environmental engineer also keep in mind to protect natural resources

from the effect of disposal of hazardous waste, toxic chemicals and
radioactive waste.
• Environmental engineer have a special role of having good
coordination with other technocrats and engineers to make rapid
advancement in cleaning up the environment with eco-friendly
techniques.

• The basic challenging role of an environmental engineer is to make

public aware about the environmental degradation and also to impart
training in such a way, so that people participate in the programs of
keeping the environment clean.
 Man –Environment Relationship
Q. Man and environment relationship.

• Environment Man
The relationship between humans and environment has varied from the early
periods of human settlement on the earth to the present day. The relationship
between environment and human beings has also being varying from place to
place at any given period of time. For example, early humans considered the
environment to be dominant. They were afraid of lightning and thunder, dense
forests, wild animals, vast oceans and large rivers, to name a few.

The environment has considerably affected human beings right from his evolution.
The environment affects humans in many ways. Population on the earth varies due
to variation in the environment. The main factors which affect the distribution of
population and human settlement are:
 Man –Environment Relationship
1) Topography of Land
The populations in the high mountainous areas, such as the Himalayas in
India, Andes in South America, Rocky in North America, etc., have very
low settlement level. This is because the relief is rugged here which
represents obstacles in the construction of roads, railways and
communication. Due to steep slopes, agriculture is done with a great
difficulty and industries also could not be established. These places having
very less economic activity have less population and hence have small
isolated settlements.
Whereas the plain areas of the world are most suitable for human settlement.
Fertile plains of Ganga in India, Indus in Pakistan, Hwang-Ho in China and
plains of Europe have huge population concentration having compact or
huge semi-compact type of settlement.
 Man –Environment Relationship
2) Climate
Most of the areas of the earth having density less than two persons/sq.
km are not favorable for settlement because of their unfavorable
climate.
Areas of cold climate-North Siberia, North Canada, Alaska etc. have
low density of population. Hot and arid regions of -Sahara, Kalahari
Desert in Africa, Great Australian Desert etc. are not suitable for
human settlement. In tropical regions due to heavy rain and
temperature, the density of population is very low, example in Amazon
basin population density is less than two persons/sq. km. But places
with favorable climate and favorable terrain, have dense population
and hence have compact settlement.
 Man –Environment Relationship
3) Soils
Fertile alluvial soils encourage dense population which in turn gives rise
to compact type of settlement. This is so because alluvial soils give rise
to agricultural activities. Java Islands of Indonesia has fertile soil of
young volcanic material and agriculture is an important activity, hence
dense and compact settlements are found here. Whereas in Sumatra, due
to infertile soil, the population density is very low.
 Man –Environment Relationship
4) Mineral Deposits

Mineral wealth is yet another factor responsible for population

distribution and density. The presence of coal and iron-ore in different
parts of the world has attracted huge population. Coal mining regions
have become regions of dense population for example, Jharkhand in
India and gold mines in Australian desert.
 Man –Environment Relationship
5) Water supply
Population distribution is very much affected by water supply. The
earliest settlements or civilizations developed on the banks of major
rivers, example-Nile, Indus, etc. Adequate water supply provides
irrigation facilities to farmers and hence population increases due to
increase in primary activities. In dry regions, population is
concentrated in those areas where there is water, hence nucleated-
circular settlements are found.
 Man –Environment Relationship
• Thus it can be said that the environment plays an important role in
deciding population distribution, density, settlement type and pattern.
• The Industrial Revolution which provided mechanical power, invention
of steam engine and other machinery, greater use of metals etc. gave
them opportunities to modify the environment. At the same time
agriculture provided abundant food so that they could settle down
permanently. The family grew in size and people migrated to different
parts, via rail, road and sea, because of improvement in transport
system, example the new lands in America and Australia were settled
by people from Europe.
• Another development which enabled humans to survive was the use of
preventive and cumulative steps taken to protect them from epidemics
and diseases-it increased the span of human life and reduced death rate.
 Man –Environment Relationship
• Man Environment

• With increase in the knowledge and skill and development of human

economy there was a gradual increase in carbon dioxide content. It is
estimated that carbon dioxide content has increased by 25% in last
100yrs and the global temperatures have risen between 0.3 degree
Celsius to 0.7 degree Celsius. Increase in carbon dioxide is attributed
to large scale deforestation and will lead to increase in sea level
causing submergence of coastal regions.

• Burning of coal, oil and petroleum adds sulphur dioxide to

atmosphere. Lead,
the carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are added to the
atmosphere from automobile exhaust. These gases result in acid rain which
affects aquatic life, example acid rain in industrial regions of Europe and
North America.
• Even now substances which were not present previously, are introduced into
the air, water and soils. The most dangerous one is radioactive substance
spewed into the atmosphere by nuclear explosions. They have adverse
effects on organisms including man and cause death, impairment of limbs,
diseases and psychological disorders.
 Man –Environment Relationship

• The catastrophe of nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in Ukraine (1988)

is a burning example of adverse environmental effects of use of
minerals like uranium, thorium etc. through most advanced and
sophisticated technology.
• The environment has already been degraded to such an extent in
certain areas that people are forced to migrate. They are facing
scarcity of resources like Man's food energy.
impact on environment has and resulted pollution
environment which not only affects air, waterin of also
and land but
organisms of biosphere. Themain points summing up the
impact of man on environment are:
 Man –Environment Relationship
Air pollution-burning of fossil fuels in large quantities from jet aircraft, CFCs used
in aerosol spray cans, refrigerators and farm blowing are responsible for depletion
of ozone to 3-4% in last 100 years.

Water pollution- leakage of petroleum from huge ships and oil tankers into the sea,
causes oil slicks which spread rapidly over water and spell disaster to marine life
and to human depending on marine resources..
The most widespread source of water pollution is disposal of sewage of urban
centers into rivers. The Ganga and Yamuna are polluted in this way and the same
rivers provide domestic water supply as well. Ocean waters are polluted by
discharge of sewage from cities located along the coast.

Land degradation-dumping of solid waste from urban centers and waste materials
from mining centers renders the land unsuitable for any use. Surface run-off from
such areas pollutes streams and ground water seepage. Saline encrustation of
irrigated lands is another example of land degradation. In the semi-arid region, wind
action causes deposition of sand on a large scale over cultivated land rendering them
unfit for cultivation. This marks the beginning of the process of desertification.
 Man –Environment Relationship
• Depletion of resources-population growth in the recent past has resulted in
rapid depletion of all kinds of resources. The most striking example of such
resource depletion is the food deficit faced by about 100 countries of the world.
• Forest and soil resources are getting depleted at a fast rate owing to population
pressure. Tropical forests are depleting at a rate of 2% per annum. It is estimated
that the world is losing 7% of top soil per decade.
• Depletion of resources is most significant in respect of non-renewable mineral
and power resources. The world is facing energy crisis as existing oil resources
may last for a few decades. Though coal reserves are adequate for a few
centuries but it cannot replace oil, especially for transport.
• Humans have come to realize that their economic activities are threatening their
survival on earth. Their survival depends on their realization that they have to
live in harmony with the various elements of environment which are
interconnected. An understanding of the components and processes which take
place in environment, the relationship between biotic and abiotic components,
and the assessment of resources with reference to need of people in a region is
essential for their survival.
Impact of Technologies onEnvironment
• New and better technology is being introduced, by each passing
day. In every field, new technology is introduced very frequently.
This advancement of technology is beneficial, but has also created
adverse effects on the environment.
• Advancement technology & machines, has increased
of
industrialization and increased pollution as a result of which
environment has deteriorated.
• Advancement in weapon technology had alsoconsiderably
affected the environment.
• New technology means more production and more consumption
like vehicles, which creates pollution.
• Thus technology, on one hand can be beneficial, but can create a
bad impact on the environment.
Impact of Technologies onEnvironment
• If we discuss the effect of machines on environment. More and
better machines mean that there will be rapid industrialization. No
doubt industrialization is beneficial for the economy, and as well as
for the people living in the country. But,
• Industrialization would create pollution including; noise
pollution, air pollution and water pollution
• With development in technology and industrialization , many areas
with natural beauty will be destroyed, in order to establish
industries, thus creating bad impact on environment.
• Improvement technology willimprove the production of
in
weapons, and when these weapons will be tested and used; then
also the environment will get polluted. Increased use of cars will
increase the pollution and destroy the environment.
Impact of Technologies onEnvironment

• Improvement in technology has also led to pollute children's mind.

Media and the computers are the source of technology, but they
have led in polluting the mind, and destroying their health and
environment of studies.
• Children spend more time watching television or
computers, so less using
time for studies & recreation; which has
affected their physical & mental growth.
Impact of Technologies onEnvironment
• Technology has also created problem for peoples. As
environment is polluted, different and fatal diseases are being given
'birth'. These diseases are very dangerous for humans. Due to the
cost of health products, pollution and the different diseases, which
attack people, health costs have increased. On the other hand, the
government are also facing problems, as they would have to give
health subsides, and try to overcome the fatal diseases, their costs
would rise too; Because of people illnesses
they would be unable to work, thus problems for
again government as per head GDP, would
decrease
(and production would also fall.)
• We discussed about the negative impact of technologies on
environment. Now, if we say that is technology beneficial? The
answer would most likely be yes! But depends upon the people and
government, that how they use the technology.
• If we consider improvement in technology then as mentioned earlier
that it would increase industrialization. Industrialization is most
likely beneficial, as production would increase, supply would
increase and ultimately the prices would be less. When there would
be more production, then it means businesses would expand; thus,
employment rate will increase too.
• Standard of living will improve as income would be more.
• Exports would increase, as production would be more (and imports
will fall) Thus beneficial for the economy.
• So, we can say technology can be beneficial, but it depends on the
way it has been used. Remedies can be that government should
make laws about how to use technology; so that it does not affect
the environment.
 Classification of Impacts
• Direct Impact: Theimpacts which directly affect the
environment due to deforestation, urban development,
rapid industrial growth.
• Indirect Impacts: These impacts willindirectly affect the
environment,which may be called as chain impact. For e.g. the
indirect impact of deforestation may result in extinction of some
species in forest and other consumers at later stage.
• Cumulative Impacts: These impacts will be the result of direct &
indirect impacts. The ultimate effect on the environment will be
very dangerous as it progresses at slow rate.
• The environmental impact can also be categorized as:
• Positive & negative Impacts: Development of road will give
employment to the people at the same time it will result in
deforestation.
• Local & widespread Impact: For e.g. construction of road will
affect the local region while industrial development due to air
pollution may enhance the phenomenon like global warming, acid
rain, or ozone depletion.
• Temporary & Permanent impacts: Some projects may affect the
environment for temporary duration and some project may have
permanent impact on the environment.
• Short term & long term impacts:
• Random Impacts:
• Predictable impacts & non-predictable impacts:
 IPAT Impact Equation
• One of the earliest attempts to describe the role of multiple factors
related to human society in determining environmental degradation
was IPAT equation.
• Paul Ehrlich and John Holdren proposed the following equation to
estimate the overall impact of economic activity on the
environment.
• The equation has since been known as “IPAT” equation or also
the” Master Equation”
• The equation describes the contribution of population (P), affluence
(A) and technology (T) to the Environment Impact (I).
 IPAT Impact Equation
• I= Environmental Impact (I) may be expressed in terms of
resource depletion or waste generation
• P= The size of Population
• A= Affluence refers to the level of resources consumed by that
population
• T= Technology refers to the processes used to obtain resources.
• In order to make IPAT equation more useful & meaningful, it has
been split into 3 parts,
• I= P1A1T1+ P2A2T2+P3A3T3
 IPAT Impact Equation
• I= P1A1T1 + P2A2T2 + P3A3T3
First World Countries Second world Countries Third world Countries
First world: Highly Developed nations ( USA, Canada, Europe,
Japan), Relative clean Technologies ( T1 ), Population is stable ( P1 ),
bur the problem is of affluence ( A1 ).
Second world: Transition nations: (Brazil, Russia, India, China)
Moderate affluence(A2), but dirty technologies (T2), for
some population (P2).
Third World Countries: Poor nations: ( Bangladesh, Pakistan) very
little affluence(A3), some dirty technologies (T3), and high
population(P3).
.
 Environmental Degradation

• Definition: Deterioration of the Environment is known as

Environmental Degradation.
• Environmental degradation is caused due to following factors:
• Population
• Pollution
• Exploitation of Natural resources
• Disturbance in Ecosystem
• Waste Generation and Disposal
 Population
• Increase in Population will require more food which result in
increase in more food production and more cultivation which
require more nutrients from land which will degrade the land. Use
of fertilizers will further degrade the land.
• Increase in population will require more houses or land to reside
which result in cutting of forest to build houses, as a result of which
forest ecosystem are destroyed, which results in problem like Soil
erosion, change in rainfall patterns
• Increase in population will result in increase of infrastructures i.e.
Roads, Industries, railways, houses, flyovers, etc. which will lead to
pollution of different environmental components.
 Pollution
• Air pollution is causing tremendous damage to
the of global warming, ozone depletion,
environment in terms
acid rains.
• Water Pollution is also contributing heavily in degradation of
Environment. Waste water from municipal and Industries
degrades the quality of fresh water.
• Land pollution occurs, due to over irrigation, soil erosion,
deforestation, waste disposal on land.
• Noise Pollution occurs due to increase in no of vehicles and
industries. It causes decrease in efficiency of Person, and
causes some serious health problems.
Exploitation of Natural Resources
Man has been using air, water, land, forest, and all the things which
are available to him naturally, which has resulted in disturbance of
ecological balance, depletion of ground water, deforestation,
endangered species, all this factor caused degradation of
Environment.
 Disturbance in Ecosystem
Each organism has unique role to play in the environment, change
in the environment has proven to be harmful for these organisms
and has lead to extinction of certain species.
 Waste Generation
Waste generated from household industries and municipal
sources are the major cause of air, water, noise, and land
pollution.
 Activity
Explain what can we do to save the planet.
Make a note of Important days of Environmental
Significance .
 Assignment
Explain interrelationship between various components of the
environment. Why is Environmental Protection discussed recently?
Explain the term Clean Technology and its usefulness.