UNIT 1 INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Environment ‘The word environment is d ed from the old French word environer* — which means to surround, enclose, and en Meaning of Environment: Environment refers to an aggregate of conditions or surroundings in which living beings such as humans, animals, and plants live or survive and non-living things exist. All living beings including man and their environment are mutually reactive, affecting each other in a number of ways. It is generally equated with nature wherein physical components of the planet earth such as earth, air, water, etc, support and affect life in the biosphere. In scientific manner environment means interaction of biotic and Abiotic factors present in surrounding. Biotic factors describes a living component of an ecosystem; for example organisms, such as plants and animals, Abiotic factors refer to all the non-living components like physical conditions (temperature, pH, humidity, salinity, sunlight, etc.) and chemical agents (different gases and mineral nutrients present in the air, water, soil, etc.) in an environment. Environmental components ‘The four major components of environment include lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and corresponding to rocks, water, air and life respectively. 1, Lithosphere; is the outermost layer of earth called crust, which is made of different minerals. Its depth can reach up to 100 kilometres and is found on both land (terrestrial crust) and oceans (oceanic crust). The main component of lithosphere is earth's tectonic plates. In other words, it includes the crust and the uppermost mantle that constitutes the hard and rigid outer layer of our planet Earth. The uppermost part of the lithosphere which chemically reacts to the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere through the soil forming process is known as the pedosphere. In other words, it has got different layers of rocks which include sedimentary rocks on the top, then there are granitic and metamorphic rocks in the middle and finally, at the bottom, there are basaltic rocks. phere, Layers of the Earth ‘ikesphore Crust Mantle Outer core: Inner core1. Hydrosphere; comprises of all forms of water bodies on earth including oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, ponds, streams ete. It covers 70% of earth's surface. 97.5% of water found on Earth is in the oceans in the form of salt water. Only 2.5 % of water on Earth is freshwater. Out of this, 30.8% is available as groundwater and 68.9% is in frozen forms as in glaciers. Amount of 0.3% is available in rivers, reservoirs and lakes and is easily accessible to man. 2. Atmosphere; is gaseous layer enveloping the Earth, The atmosphere with oxygen in abundance is unique to Earth and sustains life. It mainly comprises 78.08% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.038% carbon dioxide, and traces of hydrogen, helium, and noble gases. The amount of water vapor present is variable. Earth's atmosphere has five major and several secondary layers. From lowest to highest, the major layers are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere. 3. josphere; refers to all the regions on Earth where life exists. The ecosystems that support life could be in soil, air, water or land, The term Biosphere was coined by Geologist Edward Suess who used this term for place on Earth where life can be found. Biosphere refers to the sum total of all living matter, pes of Environment ‘The classification of the environment broadly divides it into two categories — Natural and Manmade environment, 1. Natural Environment Natural environment is the terrestrial environment that is a creation of complex natural and environmental conditions. Although it arose independently of humankind, it is the complement of direct interaction between nature and human society. Natural environment is also called a geographical environment as it interacts with nature. The earth surface, rivers, mountains, deserts, land, water, oceans, volcanoes, ete. 2. Man-made or artificial Environment Man cannot directly live in the geographical environment, so he creates some of his environmental conditions to adjust to it. This is a man-made or human-made environment, a human creation, A man-made environment is also called a social environment. Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies; Environmental Study is a vast subject to be studied upon. It has all the aspects of various subjects such as anthropology, science, social science, statistics, economics, computers, geology, health, and sociology. It illustrates the multi-sectoral and multidimensional study in various fields. It also educates us about the Physical, Social, Cultural, and Biological aspects. It brings our natural environment and human impacts altogether. It is a multidisciplinary approach that deals with every issue that affects an organism. It covers the impacts of environmental science and social aspects of the environment as well Environmental studies are made up of several components. They are as follows: + Anthropology: It is the study of human traits, biological and psychological well-being, communities and cultures, and the growth and evolution of humans. EVS is connected to anthropology since it studies humans and their environments throughout place and time. jology: It is a field of science that focuses on the study of living creatures. Their physical structure, chemical processes, molecular interactions, development, and evolution are all included. EVS is connected to biology since it is concerned with the natural environment of living creatures. 7+ Its afield of science that examines chemicals and the components that makeup matter. Understanding natural occurrences in EVS necessitates knowledge of chemistry. + Computers: As the world has progressed, computers have become a need for everyone. Computers are used by the Environmental Protection Agency to keep track of pollutants found in soil and water. + Geology: It is the study of physical structures and substances found on Earth, as well as their history and the processes that they go through. EVS is also concerned with the study of the earth and environment. * Economics: It is a field of study concerned with the production, consumption, and distribution of commodities and services. Various economic strategies have been established to preserve the environment from pollution, global warming, and climate change by evaluating and developing answers or cures for environmental concerns. + Physics: It isa field of science that examines energy and matter in space and time, as well as their interactions. Physics is concerned with energy conservation, atmospheric modelling, and many environmental concerns. + Sociology: Itis the study of social life, change, social causes, and the social repercussions of human action. It also addresses the connection between contemporary society and the environment. + Statistics: It is the study of quantitative data collection, analysis, interpretation, and presentation. It is. also used to evaluate data in order to find trends and recommend the optimal environmental growth. Scope of environmental studies The scope of Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies consists of various aspects such as biological, cultural, social, and physical. It is also related to other subjects such as science, geography, economics, statistics, health, technology, population, and ecology. Biological aspects — This is one of the most essential aspects of environmental studies. It is the solution of an organism, or a population, or a community to changes in its environment. Human beings, plants, animals, microorganisms, birds, insets are all included in the biological aspects. Cultural aspects — The environment gives knowledge about different customs, laws, dresses, values, and religious beliefs. They all are included under cultural aspects. Environmental studies help us in understanding these diverse aspects. Physical aspects — The environment which is shaped by human activities are considered as physical aspects, for example, bridges, roads, buildings, industries, etc. Apart from them, natural resources such as land, air, water, minerals, vegetation, landforms like hills, oceans, mountains, forests, etc. Social aspects — It illustrates the standard of living, tastes, preferences, educational status, and etiquettes of \dividuals living in society. Environmental Studies give acquaintance about people who have linguist cultural, and educational differences in societies. Importance of environmental studies Environmental Studies is essential as it helps us to understand our surrounding environment and natural phenomena. Numerous points provide us the importance of the Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies. They are: 1. Ithelps in gaining knowledge about the current environmental issues. It provides us with the necessary skills to obtain solutions for various environmental issues such as pollution, global warming, and climate change. 2. It helps in maintaining the ecological balance through fundamental knowledge of environmental systems and processes.3. It provides us information about the changes in the environment due to anthropogenic factors. It also provides us the skills for analysing different environmental systems and changes in the environment because of human activities. 4, It aims to preserve and protect biodiversity. It makes us familiar with the various species of flora and fauna. It provides us with different ways to preserve and protect them, 5. It provides us the consciousness about our duties towards the environment. It additionally educates us about the various environmental issues which need to be resolved at a faster pace Various more issues such as the depletion of natural resources, growing human population, rising numbers of natural calamities, for instance, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, drought, are all serious concerns that need to be taken seriously. EVS makes us understand the harmful and drastic effects of these issues on the environment, and humans as well. 7. By studying Environmental Studies, people can explore and connect with their natural and surrounding environment. It helps people in developing their insights for understanding human processes, natural phenomena, and various changes in the environment. 8. Ithelps in understanding current environmental problem 9. Knowledge about waste management, treatment and disposal techniques. 10. It helps in conservation and management of natural resources 11. It helps in maintaining ecological balance and controlling environmental _ pollution. 12. It helps in sustainable development 13. It helps in educating people regarding their duties towards environment 14, It is helpful in environmental management 15. It aims to protect biodiversity 16. It helps in developing social responsibilities towards protection of environment. 17. It helps to conservation of fast depleting natural resources Concept of sustainability and sustainable development Sustainable development Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Sustainabi Sustainability we must balance economic, environmental and social factors in equal harmony. This may be illustrated with a sustainability venna diagram, as shown below; Social crmironen Economic This is also known as the Three pillars of sustainability. 9So to achieve true sustainability we need to balance economic, social and environmental sustainability factors in equal harmony. The three core elements of sustainable development are briefly discussed below: 1. Environmental Conservation: ‘The primary focus of sustainable development is to protect the environment so that the resources provided by it do not get destroyed. Social Development: It aims to attain the well-being of an individual and society at large. It entails the availability of necessary resources, proper healthcare, and good quality of life for people. Economic Progress: Itencourages people to invest in sustainable efforts by persuading them through its long-term benefits and supporting both the environmental and social elements of the cause. Strategies for sustainable development 1. Use of Non-conventional Sources of Energy India, as you know, is hugely dependent on thermal and hydro power plants to meet its power needs. Both of these have adverse environmental impacts. Thermal power plants emit large quantities of carbon dioxide which is a green house gas. It also produces fly ash which, if not used properly, can cause pollution of water bodies, land and other components of the environment. Hydroelectric projects inundate forests and interfere with the natural flow of water in catchment areas and the river basins. Wind power and solar rays are good examples of conventional. 2. LPG, Gobar Gas in Rural Areas Households in rural areas generally use wood, dung cake or other biomass as fuel. This practice has several adverse implications like deforestation, reduction in green cover, wastage of cattle dung and air pollution. To rectify the situation, subsidised LPG is being provided. In addition, gobar gas plants are being provided through easy loans and subsidy. As far as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is concerned, it is a clean fuel — reduces household pollution to a large extent. Also, energy wastage is minimised. For the gobar gas plant to function, cattle dung is fed to the plant and gas is produced which is used as fuel while the slurry which is left over is a very good organic fertiliser and soil conditioner. 3.CNG in Urban Areas: In Delhi, the use of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) as fuel in public transport system has significantly lowered air pollution and the air has become cleaner. In the last few years many other Indian cities also began to use CNG. 4, Wind Power and Solar Power In areas where speed of wind is usually high, wind mills can provide electricity without any adverse impact on the environment. Wind turbines move with the wind and electricity is generated. No doubt, the initial cost is high. But the benefits are such that the high cost gets easily absorbed. India is naturally endowed with a large quantity of solar energy in the form of sunlight. We use it in different ways. For example, we dry our clothes, grains, other agricultural products as well as various items made for daily use. We also use sunlight to warm ourselves in winter. Plants use solar energy to perform photosynthesis. Now, with the help of photovoltaic cells, solar energy can be converted into electricity. ‘These cells use special kind of materials to capture solar energy and then convert the energy into electricity. 6. Bio composting In our quest to increase agricultural production during the last five decades or so, we almost totally neglected the use of compost and completely switched over to chemical fertilizers. The result is that large tracts of 10productive land have been adversely affected, water bodies including ground water system have suffered due to chemical contamination and demand for irrigation has been going up year after year. Farmers, in large numbers all over the country, have again started using compost made from organic wastes of different types. In certain parts of the country, cattle are maintained only because they produce dung which is an important fertiliser and soil conditioner. Earthworms can convert organic matter into compost faster than the normal composting process. This process is now being widely used. Indirectly, the civic authorities are benefited too as they have to dispose reduced quantity of waste. Conelusion- Economic development, which aimed at increasing the production of goods and services to meet the needs of a rising population, puts greater pressure on the environment. In the initial stages of development, the demand for environmental resources was less than that of supply. Now the world is faced with increased demand for environmental resources but their supply is limited due to overuse and misuse. Sustainable development aims at promoting the kind of development that minimises environmental problems and meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of the future generation to meet their own needs. uw