CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

At the end of the chapter, the students should be able to:

A. Integrate the basic environmental science concepts in the stakeholders daily

living

What do most people think of environmental science? It has something to do

with the surroundings, with its occupants: plants, animals and microorganisms as
well as the non-living occupants. Major topics such as concepts, food, Energy,
human population, biodiversity, resources, legislative measures and global changes
of the modern world will be discussed there are various definitions of this discipline.
One is that environmental science is a scientific study of the nature and how it is
affected by humanity. environmental science as an Wikipedia.com defines
interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physical, biological and information
sciences (including ecology, zoology, biology, physics, chemistry, plant science,
mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography
including geodesy and atmospheric science to the study of the environment, and the
solution of environmental problems.

Environmental science is a field that concerns with the study of cooperation or

interaction between mortal systems and natural systems. Natural systems involve
the planet Earth itself and life. Mortal systems are primarily the populations of the
Earth. Environmental science is the academic field that encompasses physical,
biological and chemical sciences to contemplate the environment and unearth
solutions to environmental problems. In general, sciences used in environmental
science include geography, zoology, physics, ecology, oceanology, and geology.

Environmental science also annexes environmental studies and environmental

engineering. It provides interspersed and multifaceted approach to the study of
environmental problems.

Environmental science implicates different fields of study. Oftentimes, the study

of environmental science includes the study of climate change, natural resources,
energy, pollution, and environmental issues. In environmental sciences, ecologists
study how plants and animals interact with each other, chemists study the biotic and
abiotic chemical components of the environment, geologists study the formation,
structure and history of earth, biologists study the diverse organisms, physicists are
involved in thermodynamics, computer scientists are involved in technical
innovations and computer modelling and biomedical experts study the impact of
environmental issues on human health and social lives.

How important is environmental science? To begin, to envisage that

environmental problems are global, environmental science lets you notice that
environmental problems such as the most familiar climate change (global warming
and global cooling), ozone layer depletion, acid rains, and impacts on biodiversity
are not just national problems but global problems as well. So, united effort from
across the globe is needed to try to solve these problems.

Secondly, to understand the brunt of development on environment, it's well

documented and quantified that development results in industrial growth thereby
pulling economy up high, urbanization where there are conversions of agricultural
lands for permanent human settlements, expansion of telecommunication and
transport systems, hi-tech agriculture and expansion of housing from low-cost to
medium to high end. Environmental science pursues to teach the humdrum people
about the need for dispersion of industries to reduce bottleneck in urban areas.
Dispersion or decentralization means many people migrate out of urban centers to
reduce pollution resulting from overpopulation. The goal is to achieve all this as
certain ability without negotiating the future generation's ability to appease their own
needs.

Thirdly, to discover sustainable ways of living, environmental science should be

more concerned with discovering ways to live more sustainably. This means exploit
present resources in a way that take care of their supplies for the future.
Environmental sustainability doesn't have to drift living extravagantly, but it lawyers
for creating awareness about consumption of resources and minimizing worthless
waste. This encompasses minimizing household energy consumption, using proper
disposals to dispose of waste, eating locally produced products, recycling more,
growing your own (organic) food, drinking from the potable, clean and tap water,
wisely utilize household water, and driving your vehicle intelligently and economically
but fewer times only.

Fourthly, to take advantage of natural resources pertinently, natural resources

should bring a combo of benefits to a country. A country's natural resources may not
be utilized efficiently because of hush-hush training and insufficient management
skills. Environmental science teaches us to use natural resources efficiently by: (a)
Pertinently putting into action environmental control methods; (b) Using the right
instrument to scrutinize nature's assets; (c) Adding value to nature's assets; (d)
Making sure apparatus are managed properly; (e) Intensive training of human
assets; (i) Planning of powerful and competent oversight; (g) Using the appropriate
modes to downplay exploitation; and (h) To comprehend demeanor of organisms
under instinctive conditions.

Fifthly, to shed light on contemporary concepts such as how to conserve biodiversity,

biodiversity must be true to its form as it means an assortment of life on Earth. The
present rate of biodiversity decline is at an all-time high. In order to reverse this
situation, environmental science aims to enlighten people by: (a) Using sustainable
or viable wood products; (b) Using biological or organic foods; (c) Grasping or
embracing the 4R's, reduce, reuse, recycle and repent; (d) Procurement of
sustainable seafood; (e) Supporting at community levels; (f) campaigns conservation
Conservancy of power; (g) Reducing consumption of meat products; and (g)
Discharge of environment-friendly household and or personal cleaning products.

Sixthly, to comprehend the interdependence between organisms in population

and communities, organisms and humans bank on each other to get by.
Environmental science is important because it allows humanity to understand how
these dependences work. For example, humans give off carbon dioxide as a waste
product which plants need for photosynthesis. Plants, on the other hand, produce
and discharge oxygen, as their waste product, to the atmosphere, which humans
need for respiration. Animal poops are sources of nutrients for plants and other
microorganisms. Plants are sources of food in the higher hierarchy in the animal
kingdom. In short, organisms and humans are partners for survival. They are
commensals to each other.

Seventhly, to create and master awareness about environmental problems at

local, national and international levels, environmental problems at local, national and
international levels mostly develop due to lack of consciousness. Environmental
science intents to educate and equip humanity with necessary environmental
competence to pass to the community in order to create awareness. Environmental
consciousness can be created through social media.

MAJOR COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

Ecology

Ecology (oikos, in the house and logos, to study) is the study of organismns
and the environment interacting with one another. It other words, it is about the
relationship between organisms and surroundings. Ecologists, the practitioners, who
make up a part of environmnental scientists, try to look for relations between the
state of the environment and the population of a particular species within that
environment, and if there is any competence to be drawn between the two. For
example, ecologists might take into consideration the population of a particular type
of avian with the status of the part of the Palawan Rainforest that population is living
in.

Geoscience

Geoscience (geos, earth)is concern with the study of geology, soil science,
volcanoes, and the Earth's layers as they relate to the environment. Geologists may
study the erosion of the Earth's surface in a particular mountainous area. This is
multidisciplinary discipline. Geomorphologist would study the movement of solid
particles (sediments), biologists would study the brunt of the study to the plants and
animals of the immediate environment, physicists would study the momentum and
gravitational influence that may cause changes in the water and eventually loosen up
mineral particles causing the erosion, and the soil scientists would make the final
forecast on the flow of the water when it infiltrates the soil, loosening up the materials
to full capacity causing the erosion.

Atmospheric Science

Atmospheric science is the study of the Earth's atmosphere. It scrutinizes the

relation of the Earth's atmosphere to the atmospheres of other systems. This
includes a wide variety of scientific studies relating to outer space, astrology and the
Earth's atmosphere: meteorology, pollution, gas emissions, and suspended
particulate matter. Scientists such as the physicists would study atmospheric
dissemination of a part of the atmosphere, chemists would study the chemical
existence and their relationships with the environment, meteorologists study the
dynamics or various phenomena of the atmosphere, and biologists would study how
the plants' and animals' existence are affected and their relationship with the
environment.

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental chemistry is the study of the changes that chemicals make in

the environment, such as contamination of the environment, dégradation of
chemicals beneficial to the organisms, and the transport of chemicals upon the
plants and animals of the immediate environment. An introduction of a chemical
object into an environment will bring changes into the condition and status of the
surroundings, thereby creating changes in the systems of the organisms. Biologists
would then study the effects of chemically induced surroundings to see its
relationship with the plants and animals of the environment would eventually alter
their existence.

7 ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES

There are guiding principles used to evaluate how environment is coping with
various threat and how its resources are supposed to be conserved. These
principles are enumerated as follows:

1. Nature knows best.

2. Everything is connected to everything else.
3. Everything changes.
4. Ours is a finite Earth.
5. Everything goes somewhere.
6. Nature is beautiful.
7. Principle of ecological balance

1. Nature knows best.

This principle is the most essential and encompasses all the other principles.
Humans have to comprehend nature and have to obey by the rules nature dictates.
The bottom-line is one must not go against the natural processes if one would like to
make certain a continuous and non-stop or steady supply of resources. One natural
process that needs serious attention is nutrient cycling. In nature, nutrients pass from
the environment to the organisms and back to the environment at the end of
organisms' lifeline. Any disruption in the cycle can bring about imbalance. As a
matter of truth, this principle only surfaced when many of the pernicious effects of
technology were recognized and thereon is the birth of ecological backlash.

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 on species, it is apparent that all living things must be considered as
invaluable in the maintenance of homeostasis in the eco system. It is easy to
appreciate the beautiful butterflies, especially knowing their important role the
elephants, the whales, in pollination. The giant beasts the alligators - are objects of
awe and the products the yield respectively ivory, oil, leather - are highly prized. But
when it comes to unlovely, wriggly, and troublesome creatures, this principle is
unusually over looked. For instance, it has been customary for many to step on any
without even wriggling creature (e.g. earthworm) considering why God made them in
the first place. People also react adversely to the presence of snakes. At home,
spiders are looked at with disdain. Humanity awareness of the snakes' role in limiting
the rat.

3. Everything is connected to everything else

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

ecosystem, all biotic and abiotic components interact with each other to make sure
that the system is extant. Any outside interference may cause an imbalance and the
decline of life of the system.

In a freshwater (lake) ecosystem, the organisms are linked to one another

through their feeding habit/level and are interdependent to the physico-chemical
factors in the lake like the amount of nutrients, amounts and types of gases,
temperature, PH, etc. simultaneously, these factors are influenced by the terrestrial
environment that envelopes it. The nutrients that managed to reach the lake cause a
stimulated growth of phyto plankters, which may lead to aquatic dilemmas like algae
bloom, red tide, or other such phenomena.
 This principle may be the talk of the century in local, regional, or global
perspective. Deforestation in the mountains may bring catastrophes to the lowlands
through floods, drought, and erosion. Whatever happens to one community may
affect other communities. When radiation from the Chernobyl accident leaked, it
affected a lot of countries through the transfer of radioactive substances by natural
agents such as wind and water, as well as human activities like the export of
contaminated food. Up to this time, the effect is still affecting the next generation
organisms' growth and development.

4. Everything changes

It is often said that the only permanent thing in this world is change. This
change may be linear, cyclical or random. For example, in linear change, the
evolution of species has brought about higher and conglomerated types of
organisms. Cyclical change may be depicted by intervals and the cadences in floral
and faunal life stages that go with the seasons. An example of random change is the
killer eruption of Mt. Pinatubo, which brought about great temblor in many parts of
Luzon and changes in the topography of the nearby surroundings.

The environment is constantly changing. Organisms also evolve through time.

New species, new strains. Unfortunately, man's technology has affected these
natural changes often to a growing, problematic extent. Although anomaly is a
natural change, hazardous chemicals such as pesticides have persuaded insect
mutations, which are not rivalled by natural checks and balances.

Humans should revaluate their accord with the environment. Changes that
they think may be the solution the or beneficial an to environmental problem
environment may turn out to be disastrous. Environmental technologies should be
given preference if humanity would want more positive changes in the environment.

5. Everything must go somewhere

When a piece of waste is thrown away, it disappears temporarily from sight

but it does not stop to exist. It ends up somewhere. Gases released in smokestacks
may disperse but it will end up a suspended particulate matter or component of the
atmosphere or brought back to land by rains. Every particular type of waste does to
the earth's repository should be of concern to everyone. It may be a pollutant or a
resource depending on certain factors. Since wastes are not lost permanently and
even goes back to one's own backyard in some other forms, it is vital that one
becomes aware of the different types of wastes whether they are hazardous or
otherwise. Classification of wastes facilitates their proper disposal and minimizes, if
not prevents, the entry of toxic wastes in vital ecosystems and ensures reconversion
into useful forms.

6. Ours is a finite earth

 The earth's resources can be either renewable or non-renewable. Renewable
resources are those that can easily be replaced or replenished by natural cycles
(e.g. water, air, plants, and animals) while non-renewable resources are those that
cannot be replenished or replaced through natural cycles (e.g. ores of various
metals, oil, coal).

It is important to consider that these are renewable only as long as they are
not overused nor destroyed from such factors such as pollution. However, the
growing global population seems to ignore the present situation and condition of our
environment. To ensure that these resources will be continually replenished, it is
important to know how much of a resource can be consumed at a given time to
balance the rate of exploitation with the rate of replenishment. It is better to conserve
and preserve what is left in our environment now than pay the price of agony later. In
order to sustain the demands of humanity on the Earth's resources, the following
factors should be checked: population growth, lifestyles, and polluting technologies
or else, our dear planet Earth will collapse and this beyond prevention. Human's
consumerist attitude shall be changed and his desire to develop processes and
technology would bring about recycling a great number of resources.

7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God's creation

Of 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
rationale, intelligent and gifted creation, humans are capable of manipulating
creation to their own advantage. This creation exists and destined not to be ravaged
or abused but to be taken care of. Humans cannot exist without nature but nature
can exist without humans. They are co-natural with the environment they live in. If
the environment they live in is destroyed and made unlivable with humans, with it,
Homo sapiens will go and his evolution stops.

This principle is engraved in all religious and tribal beliefs. Teachings of

Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam asks everyone to respect everything that has life
and the order of nature. Words of American Indian Chief Seattle, Macli-ing Dulag of
Luzon, and Chito Mendez of South America point to our duty to discern the true
worth of modern systems and techniques to reject those few but influential and
powerful elites that degrade and promote those that uplift the human condition.
These personalities sacrifice their lives for the next generation to come.