ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

BBA(N)-305
TOPICS TO BE COVERED:
MODULE-I:ENVIRONMENT:
 MEANING

 COMPONENTS

 ENERGY SOURCES & MANAGEMENT

 MAN AND ENVIRONMENT RELATION

 ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION- CAUSE

AND EFFECT
 ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS AND AWARNESS
PROGRAMMES
MEANING: ENVIRONMENT
 The term environment has been derived from a French word
“Environia” means to surround.
 It refers to both abiotic (physical or non-living) and biotic (living)
environment.
 Environment is the sum total of conditions in which an organism has
to survive or maintain its life process.
 According to P. Gisbert “Environment is anything immediately
surrounding an object and exerting a direct influence on it.”
 Environmental science is a field that deals with the study of
interaction between human systems and natural systems. Natural
systems involve the earth itself and life. Human systems are
primarily the populations of the earth.
 Thus, environment refers to anything that is immediately
surrounding an object and exerting a direct influence on it.
COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT:
 The environment consists of various segments such as
atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere and biosphere.
Atmosphere:
 The following points highlight the vital role played by
atmosphere in the survival of life in this planet:
i. The atmosphere is the protective blanket of gases which
is surrounding the earth.
ii. It absorbs 1R radiations emitted by the sun and
reemitted from the earth and thus controls the
temperature of the earth.
iii.It allows transmission of significant amounts of
radiation only in the regions of 300 – 2500
iv. It acts as a source for C02 for plant photosynthesis and
02 for respiration
v. It acts as a source for nitrogen for nitrogen fixing
bacteria and ammonia producing plants.
vi. The atmosphere transports water from ocean to land.
 Atmosphere:

ATMOSPHERE
 The following points highlight the vital role played by
atmosphere in the survival of life in this planet:
i. The atmosphere is the protective blanket of
gases which is surrounding the earth.
ii. It absorbs 1R radiations emitted by the sun
and reemitted from the earth and thus controls
the temperature of the earth.
iv. It acts as a source for C02 for plant
photosynthesis and 02 for respiration
v. It acts as a source for nitrogen for nitrogen
fixing bacteria and ammonia producing plants.
vi. The atmosphere transports water from ocean
to land.
 Hydrosphere:
 The hydrosphere is a collective term given to all
different forms of water.
 It includes all types of water resources such as
oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, streams, reservoirs,
glaciers and ground waters.
 The major problem with global water supply is its
non-uniform distribution, since people in areas with
low precipitation often consume more than people in
regions with more rainfall.
LITHOSPHERE:

THE EARTH IS DIVIDED IN TO LAYERS

THE LITHOSPHERE CONSISTS OF UPPER
MANTLE AND THE CRUST. THE CRUST IS THE
EARTH’S OUTER SKIN THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO
HUMAN. THE CRUST CONSISTS OF ROCKS AND
SOIL OF WHICH THE LATTER IS THE IMPORTANT
PART OF LITHOSPHERE.
BIOSPHERE:
THE BIOSPHERE REFERS TO THE REALM OF LIVING
ORGANISMS AND THEIR INTERACTIONS WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT (VIZ: ATMOSPHERE, HYDROSPHERE
AND LITHOSPHERE)
I. THE BIOSPHERE IS VERY LARGE AND COMPLEX AND
IS DIVIDED INTO SMALLER UNITS CALLED
ECOSYSTEMS.
II. PLANTS, ANIMALS AND MICROORGANISMS WHICH
LIVE IN A DEFINITE ZONE ALONG WITH PHYSICAL
FACTORS SUCH AS SOIL, WATER AND AIR CONSTITUTE
AN ECOSYSTEM.
ENERGY SOURCES AND
MANAGEMENT:
The different sources of energy are as follows:
 Solar Energy: Solar power harvests the energy
of the sun through using collector panels to
create conditions that can then be turned into a
kind of power. Large solar panel fields are often
used in desert to gather enough power to charge
small substations, and many homes use solar
systems to provide for hot water, cooling and
supplement their electricity.
 Wind Energy: Wind power is becoming more and
more common. The new innovations that are allowing
wind farms to appear are making them a more
common sight.
 Geothermal Energy: Geothermal energy is the
energy that is produced from beneath the earth. It is
clean, sustainable and environment friendly. The
largest group of geothermal power plants in the world
is located at The Geysers, a geothermal field in
California, United States.
 Hydrogen Energy: Hydrogen is available with
water(H2O) and is most common element available on
earth. Hydrogen is a tremendous source of energy and
can be used as a source of fuel to power ships,
vehicles, homes, industries and rockets. It is
completely renewable, can be produced on demand
and does not leave any toxic emissions in the
atmosphere.
 Tidal Energy: Tidal energy uses rise and fall of
tides to convert kinetic energy of incoming and
outgoing tides into electrical energy. Tidal energy
is one of the renewable source of energy and
produce large energy even when the tides are at
low speed.
 Wave Energy: Wave energy is produced from
the waves that are produced in the oceans. Wave
energy is renewable, environment friendly and
causes no harm to atmosphere.
 Hydroelectric Energy: The power of the water
is used to turn generators to produce the
electricity that is then used.
 Biomass Energy: Biomass energy is produced
from organic material and is commonly used
throughout the world. Chlorophyll present in
plants captures the sun’s energy by converting
carbon dioxide from the air and water from the
ground into carbohydrates through the process of
photosynthesis. When the plants are burned, the
water and carbon dioxide is again released back
into the atmosphere. Biomass generally include
crops, plants, trees, yard clippings, wood chips
and animal wastes. Biomass energy is used for
heating and cooking in homes and as a fuel in
industrial production. This type of energy
produces large amount of carbon dioxide into the
atmosphere.
Nuclear Power: The energy is created through
a specific nuclear reaction, which is then collected
and used to power generators.
 Fossil Fuels (Coal, Oil and Natural Gas):
Fossil fuels provide the power for most of the
world, primarily using coal and oil. Oil is
converted into many products, the most used of
which is gasoline.
MAN AND ENVIRONMENT RELATION:
Man and environment are inter-related. The
environment influences the life of human beings
and also human beings modify their environment
as a result of their growth, dispersal, activities,
death and decay etc. Thus all living beings
including man and their environment are
mutually reactive affecting each other in a
number of ways and a dynamic equilibrium is
possible in between the two, i.e. human beings
(society) and environment are interdependent.
 The changes in the relationship between man and
environment depend upon the change in organisation and
attitude of society. To improve environmental standard and to
maintain ecological balance, the followings are some issues
before the present civilized society:
 Rapid population explosion: This is due to the fact that
population growth leads to poverty which directly or indirectly
declines the environmental standard.
 Rational use of non polluted water resources: The
restoration of water quality of our water bodies and their
optimum uses are the challenges before the present society.
 To sustain and increase agricultural growth: The over
cultivation of soil, results in nutrient deficiency, lack of
organic matter, soil salinity and damage to physical structure
of the soil.
 To check soil erosion: The soil erosion can be prevented by
the restoration of land or soil resources which are directly or
indirectly related to strategies for the management of land,
water and forest.
 Restoration of forest resources: The forest resources are
depleting at a very faster rate in order to meet growing need of
timber and farmland for the increased population. So it is the
need of the present society to restore our forest resources
possibly through social forestry and afforestation programmes.
 To check pollution: The overexploitation of natural resources, intervention
of bio-geochemical cycles and trace element cycle, extraneous release of
matter and energy etc. cause serious environmental hazards.

 Some possible ways of tackling the problems and maintaining environmental standard are:
 (a) Taking effective measures for population control.
 (b) Optimum use of natural resources.
 (c) Conserving and protecting biodiversity.
 (d) Creating public awareness about the benefits and implications of environment.
 (e) Giving top priority for environmental protection.
 (f) Developing ecofriendly technological processes.
 (g) Promoting sustainable agriculture which will not harm the environment.
 (h) Using bio-fertiliser or ecofriendly fertilisers.
 (i) Using minimum amount of pesticides and insecticides.
 (j) Developing waste land by adopting afforestation programmes.
 (k) Developing suitable biotechnology to clean up hazardous wastes in the
environment.
 (l) Choosing suitable technique to treat the pollutants before their discharge into
environment.
ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION:
 Environmental degradation is the deterioration of
the environment through depletion of resources
such as air, water and soil; the destruction of
ecosystems; habitat destruction; the extinction of
wildlife; and pollution.
 Environmental degradation can be defined as a
risk to which the world is exposed. It is termed as
pollution.
CAUSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL
DEGRADATION:
 Exhaust gas from factories and auto-emissions:
One of the foremost reason that causes pollution is
the exhaust gas emitted from factories. The main air
pollutants are sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide,
nitrogen oxide, ozone and lead.
 Deforestation: Deforestation causes major
environmental problems the most important being
the carbon -oxygen balance of the atmosphere. The
roots of trees hold on to the soil and prevents soil
erosion.
 Technocentrism: Technocentrism is the
concentration of all activities on technology including
industries. Environmentalists are of the opinion that
the rapid pollution of air, water and land is the result
of this rapid industry oriented lifestyle.
 Chemical Effluents: Toxic effluents pose threat to the
environment. Petroleum industries and chemical manufacturing
industries create major waste products which are released directly into
nearby streams without treatment, creating river pollution and causing
harm not only to aquatic life but also man and animals who use the
water for drinking and bathing.
 Transport: Smog is the result of vehicular pollution, and Hydro-
Carbons released from engines are the cause of creation of lower level
ozone that is harmful to humans.
 Unplanned Construction: With the influx of population from the rural
areas to the urban a new activity called real estate has come up. Their
only intention is to convert any available space to high rises. To
maximize their profit, they are carrying out unprecedented construction
activities that are being carried out right now. Wetlands are being filled
up disturbing the ecology of the city and its fringes.
 Secondary Pollutants :Pollutants that are not directly emitted into the
atmosphere but are the result of interaction of primary pollutants are
termed secondary pollutants like the formation of ozone from reaction
between non-burnt Hydrocarbons and Nitrous Oxides. This has led to
formation of ozone holes.
 Defective Agricultural Policies: With the
rapid growth in population there is a
corresponding increase in the demand for
food. This has resulted in increase of growth by
adding harmful chemicals to the soil.
 The Population Explosion: This sudden sharp
increase in the relative numbers of a population
is referred to as population boom. It has created
a number of environmental issues including food
and lodging, but alarmingly increase in the
amount of waste that is generated every day.