Introduction to Subject

Role of NGOs, PIL , and Environmental Activism  Ecosystems  Human Population Growth and its effect on environment  Renewable and Non- Renewable  Water Pollution  Air Pollution  Solid waste management  Natural Disasters  Floods /Dams  Indian environmental Laws  EIA and EMS


To gain an understanding of the concepts fundamental to environmental Science  To understand the complexity of ecosystems and possibly how to sustain them  To understand the relationships between humans and the environment.  To understand major environmental problems including their causes and consequences.  To understand current and controversial environmental issues and possible solutions to environmental problems and their pros and cons.  To understand how social issues and politics impact the environment.


 If you plan for one year, plant rice, if you plan for 10 years plant trees and if you plan for 100 years, educate people  So, if we want to manage our earth, we must make people environmentally educated  Environment can be defined as the circumstances or conditions that surrounds an organism  Environmental Sciences, is the systematic study of our environment and existence in it

Scientific Assessment:
o Collection of information, data, simulations , model, predict the future Results from simulations are analyzed. Potential effects Through publications, awareness through media Explanation of the problem along with probable cost Course of Action Actions to be evaluated, monitored Improve the initial assessment

Scientific Assessment

Risk Analysis:
o

Risk Analysis

Public Education and involvement:

o o

Public Education and Involvement

Political Action:
o

Political Action

Evaluation:
o o

Evaluation

Awareness
o To help people acquire an awareness of and a sensitivity to the total environment and its allied problems

Knowledge
o To help people acquire basic understanding of the total environment and associated problems

Attitude
o To help people acquire social values, strong feelings of concern for the environment and the motivation to act in protecting and improving

Skills
o To help people acquire the skills for identifying and solving environmental problems

Evaluation Ability
o Evaluate environmental measures and education programs

Participation
o Active involvement at all levels in working towards resolving environmental problems

Conservation of energy by introduction alternate sources, improved technologies, processes compatible with environment Increase in economic productivity through improved health of people Conservation of fast depleting natural resources New ways and means to maintain ecological balance Knowledge about waste management, treatment and disposal techniques Social responsibility towards control of environmental pollution and protection

Rapid population growth Food shortage and famines Water Storage Depletion of non renewable fossil fuels Damage to the environment
o Acid Rain o Global Warming

Deforestation Disposal of solid and hazardous wastes

Renewable and Non Renewable Resources

Natural Resources
o Natural resources are components of the atmosphere. o Natural resources are goods and services supplied by our environment
o Forest, water, mineral, food, energy, land (soil), Atmosphere (air), plants and animals

o Some resources are get exhausted soon, whereas other resources would be lasting for a long period of time o Depending on this factor, these resources are divided into two categories. o Renewable Resources (Inexhaustible Resources) o Non-renewable Resources (Exhaustible Resources)

Renewable Resources (Inexhaustible Resources)

o Inexhaustible resources have the ability to reappear or replenish themselves by recycling, reproduction or replacement. Includes o Sunlight o Plants o Animals o Soil o Water o Living organisms

Non-renewable Resources (Exhaustible Resources)

o The non- renewable resources are the earth's materials. These renewable sources include
o Minerals

o Fossil fuels

Land, a critically important national resource, supports all living organisms including plants All primary production system such as roads, industries, communication and storage for surface and ground water, among others The soil profile of land determines its ability to serve socio-economic needs

It has been estimated that more than 5,000 million tonnes of top soil is eroded annually along with about 5 million tonnes of nutrients About a third of this is lost to the sea, while the rest builds the silt load in reservoirs and river beds leading to floods Arid areas suffering from moderate or high degree of soil loss comprise up to 4% of the geographical area

Land degradation: is the reduction in the capacity of the land to provide ecosystem goods and services and assure its functions over a period of time for the beneficiaries of these

Forests Area under non- agriculture use (constructed) Barren and uncultivable land Permanent grazing land Cropped areas

Causes of land degradation: Deforestation and removal of natural degradation Over exploitation of wood cover for domestic use Overgrazing Agricultural activities

Soil is thin layer of organic and inorganic material that covers the earths rocky layer Composition
Stone and gravel Coarser sand Fine sand Silt Clay

When plants (trees & shrubs) are cleared from a site, soil is exposed to sunlight and the eroding effects of wind and water.  Soil aeration is increased and the rate of weathering increases.  Apart from erosion, the proportion of organic matter in the soil gradually decreases, through the action of microbes in the soil which use it as a source of energy - unless the new land use provides some replacement.


Soil erosion
o Topsoil of land is of essential nutrients for plants and vegetables o Soil erodes, Rich top layer humus is removed o Unfit for growth for many years

Loss of fertility by mismanagement

o o o o Unscientific cropping practices Imbalance of nutrients Loss of organic matter Soil pollution

Deterioration of soil structure Floods and drought

Sources of Soil Pollution

Disposal Industrial Waste Disposal of Soil wastes in urban areas Accumulation of lead particulates from automobile exhaust Garbage containing plastics, glasses, metallic cans Agricultural practices
x Excessive use of fertilizers x Pesticides used to kill unwanted species

Biological agents
x Excreta, faulty sanitation, municipal garbage

Agricultural
Reduced soil fertility Larger loss of soil and nutrients Deposition of silt in tanks and reservoirs Reduced crop yield Imbalance in soil fauna and flora

Industrial
Dangerous chemicals entering underground water Ecological imbalance Release of pollutant gases Release of radioactive rays causing health problems Increased salinity Reduced vegetation

 

    

Proper dumping of waste Ban on use of plastic bags which are major cause of pollution in cities Recycling of plastic wastes to manufacture many 'remake' items Ban on deforestation Encouraging forest re-plantation programs Undertaking many pollution awareness programs Crop rotation- revive the depleted nutrients

Sustainable development, meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs Environmental sustainability is based on following ideas:
o Earths resources are not present in infinite supply o Live within limits that let renewable resources such as fresh water regenerate for future needs o Share the responsibility for environmental sustainability

Energy consumption is considered as an index of its development The first form of energy known was FIRE Wind and Hydropower have been in use for the last 10,000 years The invention of steam engines replaced the burning of wood by coal and coal was later replaced to a great extent by oil. In 1970s due to Iranian revolution and Arab oil ban the prices of oil shoot up, leading to exploration and use of several alternate sources of energy

Per capita energy use and GNP (Data from World Resources Institute, 1997)

A

source of energy is one that can provide adequate amount of in a usable form over a long period of time  These sources are of two types:

o Renewable Resources which can be generated continuously in

nature and are inexhaustible (also called as non-conventional energy sources) e.g., wood, solar energy, wind energy, tidal energy, hydro power, bio-mass energy, bio-fuels, geo-thermal energy and hydrogen

o Non-renewable Resources which have accumulated in nature

over a long span of time and cannot be quickly replenished when exhausted. e.g., coal, petroleum, natural gas and nuclear fuels like uranium thorium

 Sun  The

is the ultimate source of energy.

nuclear fusion reaction taking place inside the sun release enormous quantities of energy in the form of heat and light for harnessing Solar energy
Solar Cells Solar Water Heaters Solar Power Plants

 Techniques

Solar Heat Collectors Solar Cookers Solar Furnaces

Natural Resources are essential not only for sustaining life but also as an important input for economic growth  Natural resources are essential for production and consumption, maintenance of life-support systems, as well as having intrinsic value in existence for intergenerational and other reasons.