Unit 1

Syllabus

• Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies; components of environment:

atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and biosphere.

• Scope and importance; Concept of sustainability and sustainable development; Brief

history of environmentalism.

Suggested Readings
1. Raven, P.H, Hassenzahl, D.M., Hager, M.C, Gift, N.Y., and Berg, L.R. (2015). Environment, 8th Edition. Wiley
Publishing, USA. Chapter 1 (Pages: 1-17); Chapter 2 (Pages: 22-23); Chapter 3 (Pages: 40, 41); Chapter 4
(Pages: 64, 66).
2. Singh, J.S., Singh, S.P., and Gupta, S.R. (2017). Ecology, Environmental Science and Conservation. S. Chand
Publishing, New Delhi. Chapter 1 (Page: 3-28).
 Environmentalism-> Ecology & the human health
•Worshiping and embracing nature
•A perspective that encompasses a broad
range of views concerned with the
preservation, restoration, or improvement of
the natural environment.
• An advocacy to limit negative human
impacts on the environment.
• Sustainable development
•The term "environmentalism" is associated
with other modern terms such as "greening,"
"environmental management," "resource
efficiency and waste minimization,"
"environmental responsibility," and
Environmental ethics and justice.
 History of environmentalism
• Anthropologists have found evidence of human-induced animal and plant extinctions from
50,000 BCE, when only about 200,000 Homo sapiens roamed the Earth.
• Ecological awareness first appears in the human record at least 5,000 years ago. Vedic sages
praised the wild forests in their hymns, Taoists urged that human life should reflect nature’s
patterns and the Buddha taught compassion for all sentient beings.
• Five thousand years ago, the Indus civilization of Mohenjo-Daro (an ancient city in modern-day
Pakistan), were already recognizing the effects of pollution on human health and practiced
waste management and sanitation.
• In Greece, as deforestation led to soil erosion, the philosopher Plato lamented, “All the richer
and softer parts have fallen away, and the mere skeleton of the land remains.”
• China, India, and Peru understood the impact of soil erosion and prevented it by creating
terraces, crop rotation, and nutrient recycling.
• The Greek physicians Hippocrates and Galen began to observe environmental health problems
such as acid contamination in copper miners.
• In 1306, the English king Edward I limited coal burning in London due
to smog. In the 17th century, the naturalist and gardener John Evelyn
wrote that London resembled “the suburbs of Hell.” These events
inspired the first ‘renewable’ energy boom in Europe, as governments
started to subsidise water and wind power.
• In the 16th century, the Dutch artist Pieter Bruegel the Elder painted
scenes of raw sewage and other pollution emptying into rivers, and
Dutch lawyer Hugo Grotius wrote The Free Sea, claiming that pollution
and war violate natural law
• Bishnoi Hindus of Khejarli, who were slaughtered by the Maharaja of
Jodhpur in 1720 for attempting to protect the forest that he felled to
build himself a palace.
•The Alkali Act 1863 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. To curb
discharge of muriatic acid gas (gaseous hydrochloric acid) into the air from Leblanc
alkali works - soda ash (sodium carbonate) - raw material for glass, detergents and
soaps, chemicals .

•In United States, traced back in 1739 - to stop waste dumping and remove
tanneries from Philadelphia's commercial district.

•In 1962, Silent Spring A book by American biologist Rachel Carson.

•In the 1970s, the Chipko movement - the slogan "ecology is permanent
economy.“ In India, villagers in Gopeshwar, Uttarakhand, inspired by Gandhi and
the 18th century Bishnoi Hindus, defended the forest against commercial logging
by encircling and embracing trees. Their movement spread across northern India,
known as Chipko (“to embrace”) – the original tree-huggers.
 Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies
• Environmental – it includes water, air and land and the inter-relationship which exists
among and between water, air and land, and human beings, other living creatures, plants,
micro-organism and property. (Environment (Protection) Act, 1986)
• Environmental studies – to deal with the complex environmental issues knowledge
and understanding of many subject is required. This make the framework of Environmental
studies.
Life science
❖Life on earth
➢Five kingdoms
• Monera
• Protista
• Fungi
• Plantae
• Animalia
 Physics
physics, science that deals
with the structure of matter
and the interactions between
the fundamental constituents
of the observable universe. In
the broadest sense, physics
(from the Greek physikos) is
concerned with all aspects of
nature on both the
macroscopic and
submicroscopic levels.
Chemistry
chemistry, the science
that deals with the
properties, composition,
and structure of
substances (defined as
elements and
compounds), the
transformations they
undergo, and the energy
that is released or
absorbed during these
processes.
Earth science

• Earth Science is
the study of
the Earth and
its neighbors in
space.
Components of environment
• Atmosphere - The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the

planet.

• Hydrosphere,

• Lithosphere, and

• Biosphere
 Atmosphere
The atmosphere is a mixture of gases that surrounds the planet.

Mesopause
Troposphere
Atmospheric layers

Stratosphere

Mesosphere
Stratopause

Thermosphere

Exosphere

Ionosphere Tropopause
Troposphere
• Lowest layer of our atmosphere.
• Extends upward to about 10 km above sea level.
• Humans live in the troposphere,
• Nearly all weather occurs in this lowest layer.
• Most clouds appear here,
• 99% of the water vapor in the atmosphere is found
• Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder with altitude
Stratosphere
• The next layer up
• Extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 km above the ground.
• The infamous ozone layer is found within
• Ozone molecules in this layer absorb high-energy ultraviolet (UV) light from
the Sun, converting the UV energy into heat.
• Gets warmer with alttude
• Lack of air turbulence and updrafts.
• Commercial passenger jets fly in the lower stratosphere, partly because
this less-turbulent layer provides a smoother ride.
• The jet stream flows near the border between the troposphere and the
stratosphere.
Mesosphere
• Above the stratosphere.
• Extends upward to a height of about 85 km above our planet.
• Most meteors burn up here.
• Temperatures once again grow colder with altitude.
• The coldest temperatures in Earth's atmosphere, about -90° C (-130°
F), are found near the top of this layer.
• The air in the mesosphere is far too thin to breathe;
• air pressure at the bottom of the layer is well below 1% of the
pressure at sea level, and continues dropping with altitude.
Thermosphere
• The layer of very rare air above the mesosphere
• X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed in the thermosphere, raising its
temperature to hundreds or at times thousands of degrees.
• the air in this layer is so thin that it would feel freezing cold to us
• It more like outer space than a part of the atmosphere.
• Many satellites actually orbit Earth within the thermosphere!
• Variations in the amount of energy coming from the Sun exert a powerful influence on
both the height of the top of this layer and the temperature within it.
• Top of the thermosphere can be found anywhere between 500 and 1,000 km above the
ground.
• Temperatures can range from about 500° C (932° F) to 2,000° C (3,632° F) or higher.
• The aurora, the Northern Lights and Southern Lights, occur in the thermosphere.
Exosphere
• Although some experts consider the thermosphere to be the uppermost
layer of our atmosphere
• others consider the exosphere to be the actual "final frontier" of Earth's
gaseous envelope.
• the "air" in the exosphere is very, very, very thin, making this layer even
more space-like than the thermosphere.
• In fact, the air in the exosphere is constantly - though very gradually -
"leaking" out of Earth's atmosphere into outer space.
• There is no clear-cut upper boundary where the exosphere finally fades
away into space.
• Different definitions place the top of the exosphere somewhere between
100,000 km (62,000 miles) and 190,000 km (120,000 miles) above the
surface of Earth.
• The latter value is about halfway to the Moon!
Ionosphere
• The ionosphere is not a distinct layer like the others mentioned
above.
• the ionosphere is a series of regions in parts of the mesosphere and
thermosphere where high-energy radiation from the Sun has knocked
electrons loose from their parent atoms and molecules.
• The electrically charged atoms and molecules that are formed in this
way are called ions, giving the ionosphere its name and endowing this
region with some special properties.
 Lithosphere

Crust + upper mantle

Separated by Asthenosphere from mantle

Continental crust
Oceanic crust
 Hydrosphere
• The hydrosphere is the combined mass of
water on, under, and over the surface of
the Earth.
• Most (97.5%) of it is found in the oceans
• Freshwater accounts for just 2.5% of the
hydrosphere
• Most of the FW is locked in glaciers,
permanent snow cover at the poles, and in
mountainous regions
• The rest is in lakes, rivers, and ground
water.

What is the role of water in an organism’s life?

Dissolution capacity of water

Primitive atmosphere - H2, He The Air
Lost due to lighter weight and weak gravity of early earth.
Differentiation of earth’s core and development of earth’s magnetic field

Gasses from volcanoes - H2O, CO2, SO2, CO, S2, Cl2, N2, H2, NH3, CH4

O2 formed by photolysis of water in photochemical reactions on earth

H2O

Photolysis By BGA
O2
UV
O2 On saturation with Oxidising
oxidisable rocks atmosphere
Captured by evolved
oxidisable rocks
(rich in Fe)
O3
 Biosphere
• Biosphere on the planate evolve slowly in billions of year.
• The evolution of Biosphere starts from primitive cells (about 3.5 to 4 billion years ago)
The prokaryotes – Bacteria like cells
• Initially, our atmosphere was CO2 rich and considered as reducing atmosphere
• Over the course of time the Cyanobacteria (Blue green algae) performed
photosynthesis and made the atmosphere O2 rich which is considered as
Oxidising atmosphere.
• Huge amount of organic carbon (the dead organism and their body parts) was
buried under the earth surface. This also supports the increase in atmospheric
O2.
• The O2 rich atmosphere is the primary requirement for the Eukaryotic cells,
from which the present organism of the planate are made up of.
 Biosphere

• The first organism with eukaryotic cell evolve on earth was a single cell protistan.
• Over the course of time the single cell organisms evolve to multicell organism and
after a long time the evolution leads to the development of animals and plants
body (based on organ systems), which we are witnessing today.
• So it was Oxygen rich atmosphere which permits us to evolve on this Planate.
• Today we are observing huge diversity of organisms
➢Fungi – the mushrooms
➢Plants – the algae, the grasses, the herbs, the shrubs, the trees
➢Animals – The worms, the insects, the molluscans, the amphibians, the reptiles, the Birds
and the mammals.
• In the course of evolution the planate has faced many mass extinctions.
Mass extinction.
The
extinction of
large reptiles
leads to the
evolution of
large
mammals
and the
Human
Biosphere

The Biosphere
Terrestrial
 Scopes
• The study creates awareness among the people to know about various renewable
and nonrenewable resources of the region. The endowment or potential,
patterns of utilization and the balance of various resources available for future
use in the state of a country are analyzed in the study.
• It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause and effect
relationships.
• It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the potential
dangers to the species of plants, animals and microorganisms in the environment.
• The study enables one to understand the causes and consequences due to
natural and man induced disasters (flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclones etc.,)
and pollutions and measures to minimize the effects.
• It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before
deciding an alternative course of action.
 Scopes
• The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the
environmental acts, rights, rules, legislations, etc.) to make appropriate
judgments and decisions for the protection and improvement of the earth.
• The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc.
and the role of arts, science and technology in eliminating/minimizing the
evils from the society.
• The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous eco-
friendly skills and technologies to various environmental issues.
• It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of resources as
these resources are inherited from our ancestors to the younger generating
without deteriorating their quality.
• The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple
uses of environment.
 Importance
• World population is increasing at an alarming rate especially in developing
countries.
• The natural resources endowment in the earth is limited.
• The methods and techniques of exploiting natural resources are advanced.
• The resources are over-exploited and there is no foresight of leaving the
resources to the future generations.
• The unplanned exploitation of natural resources lead to pollution of all types and
at all levels.
• The pollution and degraded environment seriously affect the health of all living
things on earth , including man.
 Importance
• The people should take a combined responsibility for the deteriorating
environment and begin to take appropriate actions.
• Education and training are needed to save the biodiversity and species extinction.
• The urban area, coupled with industries, is major sources of pollution.
• Protected areas should be increased so that the wild life is protected at least in
these sites.
• The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the environment
and need for the people to adapt appropriate activities and pursue sustainable
development, which are harmonious with the environment.
 Importance
• The study motivates students to get involved in community action, and to
participate in various environmental and management projects.
• It is a high time to reorient educational systems and curricula towards
these needs.
• Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of
human interactions with the natural environment.
• It integrates different approaches of the humanities , social sciences,
biological sciences and physical sciences and applies these approaches to
investigate environmental concerns.
• Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about the changes in
the knowledge, values, behaviors and lifestyles required to achieve
sustainability and stability within and among countries.
Concept of sustainability
• Sustainability – meeting the
needs of the present without
compromising the ability of
future generations to meet their
own needs. (Brundtland Commission's
report)

• The concept is often broken into

three core concepts or "pillars":
economic, environmental, and
social.
 The sustainable development
1. Wind energy is one of the most popular non-
conventional sources of energy. It is mainly used in the
coastal regions where the wind velocity is higher. Being
abundantly available in nature, wind energy is a highly
reliable source of energy. Therefore, utilizing wind to
meet the energy requirements does not harm the
environment. Hence, it is a prominent example of
sustainable development.
3. Crop rotation is the process of planting different
crops in the same location after consecutive seasons.
This helps in restoring the nutrients back to the soil
before sowing the next crop. Crop rotation effectively
reduces the risk of nitrate by minimizing the need for
nitrogen fertilizer. It considerably improves soil structure
and diminishes soil erosion. This results in lowering
down water pollution and the greenhouse effect. Hence,
the crop rotation technique comes under the category of
substantial development
2. Solar energy is a clean source of energy generation that
does not cause any harm to the environment or to human
health. It makes use of the sun’s heat and light radiations to
generate thermal or electrical energy. There are many
advantages of using solar energy including stable energy price,
inexhaustible energy, etc. It is yet another notable example of
sustainable development.
4. Sustainable Constructions - The process of
building and construction uses a lot of resources and produces
waste material in bulk. This damages the land by reducing its
water-retaining capacity. With the help of sustainable
construction procedures, these unfavorable outcomes can be
significantly minimized. Employing sustainable construction
measures allows the person-in-charge to utilize eco-friendly
products as raw material for construction. Thereby, decreasing
the adverse side effects caused to the land and various other
resources. It also terminates the need for rebuilding a structure
and reduces the existing water pollution
 The sustainable development
5. Efficient water fixtures - A significant amount of
water gets wasted daily during everyday water-consuming
activities, such as bathing, showering, washing dishes, etc.
Proper use of water fixtures reduces the amount of water
that gets wasted during consumption by supplying only the
required quantity of water. Employing this technique in
everyday life supports the ideology of water conservation
7. Sustainable forestry - Sustainable forestry is
making use of suitable measures to protect the forests. By
following some basic steps, for example, by avoiding
deforestation and promoting afforestation, a number of
environmental issues can be controlled. These measures are
necessary to establish ecological stability and improve
environmental health. The genetic diversity of the trees can
also be suitably expanded by employing sustainable forestry
procedures. This helps in maintaining soil fertility and
provides proper habitat for the wildlife
6. Green spaces - The urban areas are rich in artificially
constructed fascinating structures, but they lack greenery.
Adding green spaces to a modern urban area adds a natural
touch to the appearance of the city or town. It also helps in
balancing the air quality index by regulating the proper flow of
oxygen in the surroundings. It reduces heat generation by
providing shade and synchronizing the flow of air, thereby
reducing air pollution. Planting trees and shrubs in suburban
areas notably helps in diminishing soil erosion
8. Sustainable transportation - A remarkable amount
of pollutants are generated from vehicles and automobiles. By
making use of sustainable transportation techniques the
number of these pollutants can be minimized, thereby reducing
air pollution, land pollution, noise pollution, etc. The idea of
sustainable transportation includes carpooling, using CNG
vehicles, and promoting eco-friendly transportation mediums
such as cycles, public transport, etc. It also improves the air
quality index and helps in reducing the carbon content in the
environment
 The sustainable development
9. Hydropower sustainability - Hydropower is one
of the best methods to generate energy for commercial and
personal consumption. It makes use of the law of
conservation of energy under which the energy is converted
from one form to another without getting lost. Hydropower
releases a negligible amount of carbon content and pollutants
into the air. Therefore, it is an air pollution-free method of
energy generation. No waste products are released openly
into the water bodies, thereby making it water pollution
resistant. These characteristics are responsible for the listing
of hydropower under the category of sustainable
development
11. Community food forests - A community food
forest represents a group of a number of trees that are able to
produce edible products. Building a community food forest is
one of the best methods of utilizing an existing free open
space. It helps to overcome the problem of food scarcity by
providing an easily accessible source of food to the general
public. The advantage of building a community food forest is
that even if the food production is low, it still provides an area
that can serve as the green space region
10. Sustainable fishing - Fishing is one of the most
popular sources of food for humans as well as for wildlife.
Practicing fishing culture has been a trend since the beginning
of the human age. In the coastal areas, fishing provides
occupation to a large population. Sustainable fishing allows the
fishers to operate ships that consume less diesel. It also allows
them to navigate through the places beforehand in order to
predict the weather conditions and better location of the
fishes. This advanced judgment of the number of fishes allows
them to increase their profits and reduce their efforts
12. Waste recycling - The process of waste generation
while performing any process is inevitable. This waste needs to
be managed properly. Sustainable development suggests a
number of ideas to develop useful products out of this waste.
One such idea is to convert the waste into energy. This helps in
reducing the need for fossil fuels, thereby minimizing the
adverse side effects caused to the earth and its environment.
The process of waste to energy conversion helps to overcome
the scarcity of energy; moreover, it helps in proper waste
management. Waste recycling can also be used to generate
new products that can be further used constructively
Sustainable development
• Sustainable development refers to the process of improving economic
well-being and quality of life while balancing the ability of future
generations to do the same.
• The United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals
• Among the 2021 goals, for example, are ones that aim to fight a list of
things that include inequality, environmental degradation, and
poverty.
• The Paris Climate Accord, also called the Paris Agreement, is a legally
binding international treaty, signed by 196 countries in 2015, that
seeks to lower global warming "well below 2, preferably to 1.5
degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
• This agreement marks the current international standard for reducing
climate change.