Republic of the Philippines

President Ramon Magsaysay State University

(Formerly Ramon Magsaysay Technological University)
Iba, Zambales, Philippines
Tel/Fax No.: (047) 811-1683
COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

College of Engineering/Department of Civil Engineering

CE 112: Civil Engineering Orientation
1st Semester of A.Y. 2020-2021

UNIT 3 –
Civil Engineering and Environmental Science

Introduction

Environmental science and engineering are young professions compared to many other
disciplines in the physical and natural sciences and engineering. In a span of just a few
decades, advances and new environmental applications of science, engineering, and
their associated technologies have coalesced into a whole new way to see the world.
Science is the explanation of the physical world, while engineering encompasses
applications of science to achieve results. Thus, what we have learned about the
environment by trial and error has incrementally grown into what is now standard
practice of environmental science and engineering. This heuristically attained
knowledge has come at a great cost in terms of the loss of lives and diseases associated
with mistakes, poor decisions (at least in retrospect), and the lack of appreciation of
environmental effects.

Intended Learning Outcomes

This module on Civil Engineering and Environmental Science aims for learners to:

 Understand Environmental Science, its focus, importance and other political/ethical

dimensions.
 Have an overview of Environmental Engineering.

Learning Activities

Watch the following videos:

1. What is Environmental Engineering?:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2xFDIdjX88
2. Environmental Engineering vs Environmental Science
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zimjUH1yooI
3. Preventing Flint – Environmental Engineering: Crash Course Engineering
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHUO6PrsOzg
4. What Environmental Engineers do?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8CvWDt9n3g

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 Content

1. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
As scientists often do, systematic and specific explanations must be applied to practical
knowledge. So, biologists and their subdisciplines began to specialize in what came to be
known as the environmental sciences.

Environmental science brings together the fields of ecology, biology, zoology,

oceanography, atmospheric science, soil science, geology, chemistry and more in an
interdisciplinary study of how natural and man-made processes interact with one another
and ultimately affect the various biomes of Earth.

The environmental sciences, including its subdisciplines specializing in air pollution, apply
the fundamentals of chemistry, physics, and biology, and their derivative sciences such
as meteorology, to understand these abiotic6 and biotic relationships. The idea is to
combine multiple perspectives and data sources, to build up a fuller understanding of
natural and human environments.

2. COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

1) ECOLOGY
Ecology is the study of organisms and the environment interacting with one another.
Ecologists, who make up a part of environmental scientists, try to find relations
between the status of the environment and the population of a particular species
within that environment, and if there are any correlations to be drawn between the
two.

For example, ecologists might take the populations of a particular type of bird with the
status of the part of the Amazon Rainforest that the population is living in.
The ecologists will study and may or may not come to the conclusion that the bird
population is increasing or decreasing as a result of air pollution in the rainforest. They
may also take multiple species of birds and see if they can find any relation to one
another, allowing the scientists to come to a conclusion if the habitat is suitable or not
for that species to live in.

2) GEOSCIENCE
Geoscience concerns the study of geology, soil science, volcanoes, and the Earth’s
crust as they relate to the environment. As an example, scientists may study the erosion
of the Earth’s surface in a particular area. Soil scientists, physicists, biologists, and
geomorphologists would all take part in the study.

Geomorphologists would study the movement of solid particles (sediments), biologists

would study the impacts of the study to the plants and animals of the immediate
environment, physicists would study the light transmission changes in the water
causing the erosion, and the soil scientists would make the final calculations on the

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 flow of the water when it infiltrates the soil to full capacity causing the erosion in the
first place.

3) ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
Atmospheric science is the study of the Earth’s atmosphere. It analyzes the relation of
the Earth’s atmosphere to the atmospheres of other systems. This encompasses a wide
variety of scientific studies relating to space, astrology, and the Earth’s atmosphere:
meteorology, pollution, gas emissions, and airborne contaminants.

An example of atmospheric science is where physicists study the atmospheric

circulation of a part of the atmosphere, chemists would study the chemicals existent
in this part and their relationships with the environment, meteorologists study the
dynamics of the atmosphere, and biologists study how the plants and animals have
affected and their relationship with the environment.

4) ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY
Environmental Chemistry is the study of the changes chemicals make in the
environment, such as contamination of the soil, pollution of the water, degradation of
chemicals, and the transport of chemicals upon the plants and animals of the
immediate environment.

An example of environmental chemistry would be the introduction of a chemical

object into an environment, in which chemists would then study the chemical bonding
to the soil or sand of the environment. Biologists would then study the now chemically
induced soil to see its relationship with the plants and animals of the environment.

3. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE – A FOCUS ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

Environmental science is interdisciplinary. It includes activities that are descriptive (such as studies
of the ranges and distributions of individual species) as well as analytical (such as studies of the
factors influencing those distributions, and of the ways in which they may alter in response to
environmental change). Indeed, given that the earth system is dynamic - in other words, is
constantly changing at all spatial and temporal scales - and because environmental changes
can have profound consequences for human societies and economies, the work of
environmental scientists frequently focuses on the investigation of process and change. In fact,
the task of understanding environmental change is central to environmental science - yet it is a
task that may present formidable challenges, for several reasons:

 scientific knowledge is cumulative,

limited and partial; many environmental changes involve parts of the earth
system that are not yet fully known or understood - as in the case of the
extinction of species that have not yet been formally discovered or identified;

 environmental changes may be cryptic:

impossible (or extremely difficult) to detect, even using modern scientific
techniques - as in the case of changes that occur in the genetic material of
organisms but which are not immediately apparent in the structure or
behaviour of those organisms;

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  environmental changes may occur over vast spatial scales,
it is difficult to establish effective scientific monitoring programmes - as in the
case of changes in the strength or direction of oceanic currents at the global
scale;

 conversely, environmental changes may occur over extremely small spatial scales,
it makes observation and monitoring difficult - as in the case of the
contamination of soils and groundwater by nanoparticles;

 environmental changes may occur over very long temporal scales,

this includes the geological timescale, and they may be imperceptible over the
average human lifespan - as in the case of changes in the amount of solar
radiation received due to variations in the earth's orbit;

 conversely, environmental changes may be extremely rapid

their significance may not be appreciated until it is too late to conduct scientific
monitoring and to establish baselines - as in the case of the collapse of an
animal population following the outbreak of a virulent disease; and

 environmental changes may have both natural and human (anthropogenic) causes,
it may be extremely difficult to disentangle the relative significance of each -
as in the case of vegetation change in pastoral areas that have become
drought-prone and desiccated.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE – INTRINSICALLY POLITICAL

It is important to emphasise a further point about environmental science: it is a subjective and

value-laden activity. Despite the fact that most professional scientists attempt to use
standardised, rigorous, replicable approaches and methods in their work, the pursuit of science
is never truly objective. Even if scientists themselves are motivated by the highest, noblest
principles, their work is produced in diverse social, political and cultural contexts that are
influenced by a variety of concerns besides the pursuit of impartial scientific knowledge and
understanding. At a coarse level, decisions about which scientific studies receive funding tend
to reflect contemporary economic, social, political and cultural priorities. A further issue is the fact
that scientific disciplines are invariably highly specialised and technical, with the result that the
communication between scientists and policy-makers often falls far short of being ideal.
Consequently, articulate, eminent or well-connected representatives of the scientific community
are sometimes able to wield undue influence in decision-making about the allocation of
research funds. Added to this is the fact that governments, corporations, industry lobby groups
and other campaigning organisations sometimes devote copious resources to their attempts to
influence the conduct - and even the outcome - of scientific research studies. Therefore, the
pursuit of science - including environmental science - is intrinsically political and, at times, highly
controversial. The political nature of environmental science has been highlighted in many
international negotiations about global environmental issues, including biodiversity loss and
climate change. Some people would go further and argue that environmental science contains
an ethical and moral, as well as a political, dimension; such a view is typically held by those who

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 claim that environmental science should be used to support efforts, at all scales, to promote
environmental stewardship, conservation and protection.

Do you believe in Global Warming?

What are your opinions about the coal power plants?

What are your thoughts about turning a mangrove forest into a

industrial park or warehouse facility for a seaport?

How about the resumption of mining?

Progress or degradation of environment?

5. WHY IS ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE IMPORTANT?

“Environmental science is important to all of us because we have no 'Planet B' to inhabit.

We must understand the processes of the natural world in which we live and use its
resources wisely in order to sustain life on Earth.”
– Jill Nugent, associate dean of science at Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU)

Not only are the environmental disciplines young, but also many of the environmental
problems faced today differ from those throughout most of human history. The difference
is in both kind and degree. stresses put on ecosystems prior to the Industrial Revolution
were comparatively small in extent of damage. Pollutants have been emitted into the
atmosphere throughout human history, but only recently were such emissions so large and
long-lasting, or of pollutants with such high toxicity, that they have diminished the quality
of entire airsheds.

Environmental science and engineering are evolving endeavors. When public and
scientific interests began to accelerate in the second half of the twentieth century,
pollutants of any type and in any environmental compartment were addressed on a
contaminant-by-contaminant control basis. Each law and regulation addressed a single
compartment.

As evidence, in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was created. With it
came the Clean Air Act of 1970, restrictions on lead-based paint, focus on national air
quality, the Clean Water Act, studies on pesticides and more. These added at least an
acknowledgment for the need to prevent pollution and to minimize the volume and
toxicity of wastes. All of these, along with subsequent life cycle approaches, have been
aimed at reducing risks to acceptable levels.

Through environmental science studies, the government recognized our health and the
health of our environment are intertwined. Now, continuing environmental science

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research and sustainable education are crucial to keeping our ecosystems in balance,
reversing damage we've done and preventing future destruction.

Listed below are some of the reasons why Environmental Science is important:

1) To Realize That Environmental Problems are Global

Environmental science lets you recognize that environmental problems such as
climate change, global warming, ozone layer depletion, acid rains, and impacts on
biodiversity and marine life are not just national problems, but global problems as well.
So, concerted effort from across the world is needed to tackle these problems.

2) To Understand the Impacts of Development on the Environment

It’s well documented and quantified that development results in Industrial growth,
urbanization, expansion of telecommunication and transport systems, hi-tech
agriculture, and expansion of housing.

Environmental science seeks to teach the general population about the need for
decentralization of industries to reduce congestion in urban areas. Decentralization
means many people will move out of urban centers to reduce pollution resulting from
overpopulation. The goal is to achieve all this sustainably without compromising the
future generation’s ability to satisfy their own needs.

3) To Discover Sustainable Ways of Living

Environmental science is more concerned with discovering ways to live more
sustainably. This means utilizing present resources in a manner that conserves their
supplies for the future.

Environmental sustainability doesn’t have to outlaw living luxuriously, but it advocates

for creating awareness about the consumption of resources and minimizing
unnecessary waste.

This includes minimizing household energy consumption, using disposals to dispose of

waste, eating locally, recycling more, growing your own food, drinking from the tap,
conserving household water, and driving your car less.

4) To Utilize Natutal Resources Efficiently

Natural resources bring a whole lot of benefits to a country. A country’s natural
resources may not be utilized efficiently because of low-level training and a lack of
management skills. Environmental science teaches us to use natural
resources efficiently by:
 Appropriately putting into practice environmental conservation methods
 Using the right tools to explore resources
 Adding value to our resources
 Making sure machines are maintained appropriately
 Thorough training of human resources
 Provision of effective and efficient supervision

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  Using the right techniques to minimize exploitation
 To understand the behavior of organisms under natural conditions

Behavior is what organisms manifest to respond to, interact with, and control their
environment. An animal exhibits behavior as the first line of defense in response to any
change of environment. So, critical look at organism’s behavior can offer insightful
information about animal’s needs, dislikes, preferences, and internal conditions
providing that your evaluation of those observations firmly hinge on knowledge of
species’-natural behavior.

5) To Shed Light on Contemporary Concepts Such as How to Conserve Biodiversity

Biodiversity is the variety of life on earth. The present rate of biodiversity loss is at an all-
time high. Environmental science aims to teach people how to reverse this trend by:
 Using sustainable wood products
 Using organic foods
 Embracing the 3R’s, reduce, reuse, and recycle
 Purchasing sustainable seafood
 Supporting conservation campaigns at local levels
 Conserving power
 Minimizing the consumption of meat
 Utilizing eco-friendly cleaning products

6) To understand the interrelationship between organisms in population and communities

Organisms and humans depend on each other to get by. Environmental science is
important because it enables you to understand how these relationships work.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING

Environmental Engineering is currently one of the most exciting aspects of Environmental

Studies as, like other specialties in engineering, there is a demand for trained professionals,
and often, correspondingly good salaries. Environmental engineering is often linked with
civil engineering programs, as so many of the environmental issues fall within issues
classically associated with civil engineers. Waste management; solid, fluid, and gaseous,
are large components of the major. Designing innovative solutions to a diverse set of
environmental and sustainable resource issues using ecological, physical, and
biogeochemical components is the role of an Environmental Engineer.

Assessment

A quiz will be sent to your respective e-mails or in our groups.

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Summary

Environmental science has shown over several decades that society has overshot what
the Earth can provide sustainably. The indicators show we clearly have an environmental
crisis, declining ecosystem services, and face the sobering possibility that by the end of this
century – due to our actions – two-thirds of life on Earth may be extinct. Key indicators
include the ecological footprint, degrading ecosystem services, and exceeded planetary
boundaries, and the results they show are grim. However, these important indicators are
actually anthropocentric to various degrees – they focus on the impact on humanity; they
do not document the crisis the rest of life faces.

The cause is not hard to find – too many people consuming at too high a level using the
stored energy of fossil fuels (creating the climate crisis). Overshoot is thus the ‘canary in the
coal mine’ telling us that all is not well. It would be wise to accept the warning, move past
denial, and solve its causes.

Of help would be incorporating these key points of environmental sciences into our
engineering practice.

References

1. Environmental Science. https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-

sciences/environmental-science
2. The Earth and Its Components. https://www.soas.ac.uk/cedep-
demos/000_P500_ESM_K3736-Demo/unit1/page_09.htm
3. What is Environmental Science? https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/what-is-
environmental-science-and-its-components.php

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