Lecture 1
The environment is defined as ‘the sum total of living, non-living components; influences and events,
surrounding an organism. All organisms (from virus to man) are obligatorily dependent on the other
organism and environment for food, energy, water, oxygen, shelter and for other needs. The relationship
and interaction between organism and environment are highly complex. It comprises both living (biotic)
and non-living (abiotic) components. The environment is not static. Both biotic and abiotic factors are in
a flux and keeps changing continuously.
INTRODUCTION
The word environment is derived from the French word ‘environner’ which means to ‘encircle or
surround’.
Thus our environment can be defined as “the Social, Cultural and Physical conditions that surround,
affect and influence the survival, growth and development of people, animals and plants”
This broad definition includes the natural world and the technological environment as well as the cultural
and social contexts that shape human lives.
It includes all factors (living and nonliving) that affect an individual organism or population at any point
in the life cycle; set of circumstances surrounding a particular occurrence and all the things that surrounds
us.
SEGMENTS OF ENVIRONMENT
Environment consists of four segments.
1. Atmosphere- Blanket of gases surrounding the earth.
2. Hydrosphere- Various water bodies present on the earth.
3. Lithosphere- Contains various types of soils and rocks on the earth.
4. Biosphere- Composed of all living organisms and their interactions with the environment.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
The Environment studies is a multi-disciplinary science because it comprises various branches of
studies like chemistry, physics, medical science, life science, agriculture, public health, sanitary
engineering etc.
It is the science of physical phenomena in the environment. It studies about the sources, reactions,
transport, effect and fate of physical and biological species in the air, water, soil and the effect of
from human activity upon these.
As the environment is complex and actually made up of many different environments like natural,
constructed and cultural environments, environmental studies is inter disciplinary in nature
including the study of biology, geology, politics, policy studies, law, religion engineering,
chemistry and economics to understand the humanity’s effects on the natural world.
This subject educates the students to appreciate the complexity of environmental issues and
citizens and experts in many fields.
By studying environmental science, students may develop a breadth of the interdisciplinary and
methodological knowledge in the environmental fields that enables them to facilitate the
definition and solution of environmental problems.
SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Environmental studies as a subject has a wide scope. It includes a large number of areas and aspects,
which may be summarized as follows:
Natural resources- their conservation and management
Ecology and Biodiversity
Environmental pollution and control
Human population and environment
Social issues in relation to development and environment
These are the basic aspects of environmental studies which have a direct relevance to every section of
society. Several career options have emerged in these fields that are broadly categorized as:
(i) Research and development in environment: Skilled environmental scientists have an important role
to play in examining various environmental problems in a scientific manner and carry out R&D activities
for developing cleaner technologies and promoting sustainable development.
(ii) Green advocacy: With increasing emphasis on implementing various Acts and Laws related to
environment, need for environmental lawyers has emerged, who should be able to plead the cases related
to water, air, forest, wildlife, pollution and control etc.
(iii) Green marketing: While ensuring the quality of products with ISO mark, now there is an increasing
emphasis on marketing goods that are environment friendly. Such products have ecomark or ISO 14000
certification. Environmental auditors and environmental managers would be in great demand in the
coming years.
(iv) Green media: Environmental awareness can be spread amongst masses through mass media like
television, radio, newspaper, magazine, hoardings, advertisements etc., for which environmentally
educated persons are required.
(v) Environmental consultancy: Many non-government organizations, industries and government
bodies are engaging environmental consultants for systematically studying and tackling environment
related problems.
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
The importance of environmental studies is that, the current trend of environmental degradation can be
reversed if people of educated communities are organized, empowered and experts are involved in
sustainable development.
Environmental factors greatly influence every organism and their activities.
At present a great number of environmental issues, have grown in size and complexity day by
day, threatening the survival of mankind on earth. These issues are studied besides giving
effective suggestions in the environment studies.
The environment studies enlighten us, about the importance of protection and conservation of our
natural resources, indiscriminate release of pollution into the environment etc.
Environment studies have become significant for the following reasons:
1. Environment Issues being of International Importance: It has been well recognized that
environment issues like global warming, ozone depletion, acid rain, marine pollution and loss of
biodiversity are not merely national issues but are global issues and hence must be tackled with
international efforts and cooperation.
2. Problems Cropped in The Wake of Development: Development, in its wake gave birth to
Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Transportation Systems, Agriculture and Housing etc. However,
it has become phased out in the developed world. The North, to cleanse their own environment
has, fact fully, managed to move ‘dirty’ factories to South. When the West developed, it did so
perhaps in ignorance of the environmental impact of its activities. Evidently such a path is neither
practicable nor desirable, even if developing world follows that.
3. Explosively Increase in Pollution: World census reflects that one in every seven persons in this
plant lives in India. Evidently with 16 per cent of the world's population and only 2.4 per cent of
its land area, there is a heavy pressure on the natural resources including land. Agricultural
experts have recognized soils health problems like deficiency of micronutrients and organic
matter, soil salinity and damage of soil structure.
4. Need for An Alternative Solution: It is essential, specially for developing countries to find
alternative paths to an alternative goal. We need a goal as under:
A goal, which ultimately is the true goal of development an environmentally sound and
sustainable development.
A goal common to all citizens of our earth.
A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from the over-consuming wasteful
societies of the “developed” world.
5. Need To Save Humanity From Extinction: It is incumbent upon us to save the humanity from
extinction. Consequences to our activities cause destructing the environment and depleting the
biosphere, in the name of development.
6. Need For Wise Planning of Development: Our survival and sustenance depend. Resources
withdraw, processing and use of the product have all to be synchronized with the ecological
cycles in any plan of development. Our actions should be planned ecologically for the sustenance
of the environment and development.
NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS
1. Growing Population: A population of over thousands of millions is growing at 2.11 per cent every
year. Over 17 million people are added each year. It puts considerable pressure on its natural resources
and reduces the gains of development. Hence, the greatest challenge before us is to limit the population
growth. Although population control does automatically lead to development, yet the development leads
to a decrease in population growth rates.
2. Poverty: India has often been described a rich land with poor people. The poverty and environmental
degradation are mixed with one another. The vast majority of our people are directly dependent on the
nature resources of the country for their basic needs of food, fuel shelter and fodder. About 40% of our
people are still below the poverty line.
3. Environment degradation has adversely affected the poor who depend upon the resources of their
immediate surroundings. Thus, the challenge of poverty and the challenge of environment degradation are
two facets of the same challenge.
4. Agricultural Growth: The people must be made familiar with the methods to sustain and increase
agricultural growth without damaging the environment. High yielding varieties have caused soil salinity
and damage to physical structure of soil.
5. Need to Increase Ground water: It is essential of rationalizing the use of groundwater. Factors like
community wastes, industrial effluents, chemical
fertilizers and pesticides have polluted our surface water and affected quality of the groundwater. It is
essential to restore the water quality of our rivers and other water bodies. Suitable strategies for
conservation of water, provision of safe drinking water and keeping water bodies clean should be
developed.
6. Development and Forests: Forests serve catchments for the rivers. With increasing demand of water,
plan to harness the mighty river through large irrigation projects were made. Certainly, these would
submerge forests; displace local people, damage flora and fauna. As such, the dams on the river Narmada,
Bhagirathi and elsewhere have become areas of political and scientific debate. Forests in India have been
shrinking for several centuries owing to pressures of agriculture and other uses. Vast areas that were once
green, stand today as waste lands. These areas are to be brought back under vegetative cover. The tribal
communities inhabiting forests, respects the trees, birds and animals give them sustenance. We must
recognize the role of these people in restoring and conserving forests. The modern knowledge and skills
of the forest department should be integrated with the traditional knowledge and experience of the local
communities. The strategies for the joint management of forests should be evolved in a well planned way.
7. Degradation of Land: At present out of the total 329 mha of land, only 266 mha possess any potential
for production. Of this, 143 mha is agricultural land nearly and 85 suffers from varying degrees of soil
degradation. Of the remaining 123 mha, 40 are completely unproductive. The remaining 83 mha is
classified as forest land, of which over half is denuded to various degrees. Nearly 406 million head of
livestock have to be supported on 13 mha, or less than 4 per cent of the land classified as pasture land,
most of which is overgrazed. Thus, out of 226 mha, about 175 mha or 66 per cent is degraded to varying
degrees. Water and wind erosion causes further degradation of almost 150 mha This degradation is to be
avoided.
8. Evil Consequences of Urbanization: Nearly 27% of Indians live in urban areas. Urbanization and
industrialization has given birth to a great number of environmental problems. Over 30 percent of urban
Indians live in slums. Out of
India’s 3,245 towns and cities, only 21 have partial or full sewerage and treatment facilities. Hence,
coping with rapid urbanization is a major challenge.
9. Air and water Pollution: Majority of our industrial plants are using outdated and pollution causing
technologies and makeshift facilities devoid of any provision of treating their wastes. A great number of
cities and industrial areas have been identified as the worst in terms of air and water pollution. Acts are
enforced in the country, but their implement is not so easy. The reason is their implementation needs great
resources, technical expertise, political and social will. Again the people are to be made aware of these
rules. Their support is indispensable to implement these rules.
