E NV IR O N M E NT S Y S TE M

HUMAN
AE L S. B AUT ISTA, MAE D
MICH
HUMAN
• HUMANS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO INTERACT WITH ITS
ENVIRONMENT.
• HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT HAVE THAT
“MUTUAL” INTERACTION WITH EACH OTHER.
• HUMANS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CHANGE OR
INFLUENCE THE BALANCE OF THE SOCIETY.
• HUMANS ALWAYS HAVE THE CAPACITY TO ADAPT TO
ITS ENVIRONMENT.
ENVIRONMENT
• IS A COMPLEX OF MANY VARIABLES WHICH
SURROUNDS MAN AS WELL AS THE LIVING ORGANISMS.
• THE COMPLEX OF PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND BIOTIC
FACTORS (SUCH AS CLIMATE, SOIL, AND LIVING
THINGS) THAT ACT UPON AN ORGANISM OR AN
ECOLOGICAL COMMUNITY AND ULTIMATELY
DETERMINE ITS FORM AND SURVIVAL.
SYSTEM
•IT MAY BE DESCRIBED AS A COMPLEX OF
INTERACTING COMPONENTS TOGETHER
WITH THE RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THEM
THAT PERMIT THE IDENTIFICATION OF A
BOUNDARY-MAINTAINING ENTITY OR
PROCESS.
HUMAN- ENVIROMENT SYSTEM
• IT IS ALSO KNOWN AS THE COUPLED HUMAN AND
NATURAL SYSTEM, OR (CHANS)
• THIS THEORY FOLLOWS THE IDEA THAT SOCIAL AND
NATURAL SYSTEMS ARE INSEPARABLE.
• SYSTEMS WHICH COMBINE BOTH HUMAN AND
NATURAL COMPONENTS TO SHOW COMPLEX
INTERACTIONS, AND FEEDBACK BETWEEN THEM.
COUPLED HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT SYSTEM
•THREE PILLARS OF
SUSTAINABILITY - ECONOMIC
VIABILITY, ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION AND SOCIAL EQUITY.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES (ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AND
EFFECTS)

•MANY OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES TODAY

RELATE TO HUMAN’S OVERUSE OF FINITE
RESOURCES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. AS
A SPECIES, HUMANS TEND TO REGARD THE
ENVIRONMENT AS A NEVER-ENDING SOURCE OF
MATERIALS AND ENERGY.
HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
1. HUMAN OVERPOPULATION- OCCURS WHEN A SPECIES' POPULATION EXCEEDS THE 
CARRYING CAPACITY OF ITS ECOLOGICAL NICHE.

• WATER SCARCITY- IS THE LACK OF ENOUGH AVAILABLE WATER RESOURCES TO

MEET THE DEMANDS OF WATER USAGE WITHIN A REGION.

• LAND RECLAMATION- USUALLY KNOWN AS RECLAMATION, AND KNOWN

AS LAND FILL

• -IS THE PROCESS OF CREATING NEW LAND FROM OCEANS, SEAS, RIVERBEDS OR LAKE

BEDS.

• WASTE DISPOSAL MANAGEMENT- IS THE PROCESS OF TREATING SOLID WASTES AND

OFFERS VARIETY OF SOLUTIONS FOR RECYCLING ITEMS THAT DON'T BELONG
TO TRASH

• URBANIZATION- REFERS TO THE POPULATION SHIFT FROM RURAL AREAS TO URBAN

AREAS
HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
2. INTENSIVE FARMING- OR INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE IS A KIND OF AGRICULTURE
WHERE A LOT OF CAPITAL AND LABOR ARE USED TO INCREASE THE YIELD THAT CAN BE
OBTAINED PER AREA.

• INTENSIVE ANIMAL FARMING- OR INDUSTRIAL LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, IS A TYPE

OF INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE, SPECIFICALLY AN APPROACH TO ANIMAL
HUSBANDRY DESIGNED TO MAXIMIZE PRODUCTION, WHILE MINIMIZING COSTS.

• INTENSIVE CROP FARMING- IS A MODERN FORM OF FARMING THAT REFERS TO THE

INDUSTRIALIZED PRODUCTION OF CROPS.

• PESTICIDE DRIFT- REFERS TO THE UNINTENTIONAL DIFFUSION OF PESTICIDES AND

THE POTENTIAL NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF PESTICIDE APPLICATION, INCLUDING OFF-
TARGET CONTAMINATION DUE TO SPRAY DRIFT AS WELL AS RUNOFF FROM PLANTS OR
SOIL.
HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
• PLASTICULTURE- REFERS TO THE PRACTICE OF USING PLASTIC
MATERIALS IN AGRICULTURAL APPLICATIONS.

• SLASH AND BURN- ALSO CALLED FIRE-FALLOW CULTIVATION, IS A

FARMING METHOD THAT INVOLVES THE CUTTING AND BURNING OF
PLANTS IN A FOREST OR WOODLAND TO CREATE A FIELD CALLED
A SWIDDEN. 

• DEFORESTATION- IS THE PERMANENT REMOVAL OF TREES TO MAKE

ROOM FOR SOMETHING BESIDES FOREST.

• ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS OF MEAT PRODUCTION

HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
3. EXHAUSTIVE LAND USE- INVOLVES THE MANAGEMENT AND MODIFICATION
OF NATURAL ENVIRONMENT OR WILDERNESS INTO BUILT ENVIRONMENT SUCH
AS SETTLEMENTS AND SEMI-NATURAL HABITATS SUCH AS ARABLE FIELDS,
PASTURES, AND MANAGED WOODS.

• HABITAT FRAGMENTATION- ALSO KNOWN AS SPECIES FRAGMENTATION, IS A

PROCESS BY WHICH LARGE AND CONTIGUOUS HABITATS GET DIVIDED INTO
SMALLER, ISOLATED PATCHES OF HABITATS.

• HABITAT DESTRUCTION- OCCURS WHEN NATURAL HABITATS ARE NO LONGER

ABLE TO SUPPORT THE SPECIES PRESENT, RESULTING IN THE DISPLACEMENT
OR DESTRUCTION OF ITS BIODIVERSITY.
HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
• LAND DEGRADATION- IS A PROCESS IN WHICH THE VALUE OF THE
BIOPHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT IS AFFECTED BY A COMBINATION OF HUMAN-
INDUCED PROCESSES ACTING UPON THE LAND.

• BUILT ENVIRONMENT- IT HAS BEEN DEFINED AS “THE HUMAN-MADE

SPACE IN WHICH PEOPLE LIVE, WORK, AND RECREATE ON A DAY-TO-DAY
BASIS”.

• DESERTIFICATION- THE PROCESS BY WHICH FERTILE LAND BECOMES

DESERT, TYPICALLY AS A RESULT OF DROUGHT, DEFORESTATION, OR
INAPPROPRIATE AGRICULTURE.
HUMAN ACTIONS AND ITS ENVIRONMENT
HYDROLOGY- IT IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THE MOVEMENT,
DISTRIBUTION, AND QUALITY OF WATER ON EARTH AND OTHER PLANETS,
INCLUDING THE WATER CYCLE, WATER RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL
WATERSHED SUSTAINABILITY.

• TILE DRAINAGE- IS A TYPE OF DRAINAGE SYSTEM THAT REMOVES EXCESS

WATER FROM SOIL BELOW ITS SURFACE.

• FLOODING- IS AN OVERFLOWING OF WATER ONTO LAND THAT IS

NORMALLY DRY. 

• LANDSLIDE- IS THE MOVEMENT OF ROCK, EARTH, OR DEBRIS DOWN A

SLOPED SECTION OF LAND.
STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES OF HUMAN-ENVIRONMENT
• IT PROVIDES A BIGGER AND WIDER VIEW OF LOOKING AT
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

• IT HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF SYNERGY AND

INTERCONNECTION OR INTERDEPENDENCE OF THE HUMAN SOCIETY
AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

•  IT LOOKS AT THE HUMAN AGENCY AS NOT JUST A USER OF

ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES BUT ALSO PROTECTORS OF THE
ENVIRONMENT AND OTHER SPECIES

• IT REST ON THE IDEA THAT INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY,

HUMANS CAN RESOLVE.