INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Definitions
The term environment is derived from a
French word environner which means‘surrounding’. It refers to
an aggregate of all conditions that affect the existence, growth, and welfare
of an organism or a group of organisms.
The term may be defined in a number of ways.
Environment is the sum total of all social, economical, biological, physical, and chemical factors which constitute the surroundings of humans, who are both creators and
moulders of the environment.
Environment is the sum total of influences which modify and
determine the development of life and its associated characteristics.
Types of Environment
Natural Environment
It includes components such as air, water, soil, land,forest,
wildlife,flora, fauna, etc
The natural environment on Earth is divided into the following four
realms:
• Mesosphere
• Biosphere
• Lithosphere
• Hydrospher
Anthropogenic Environment
It includes components that have been introduced by human beings depending on their needs and
requirements.
Components of Environment
The components of environment are broadly
classified as abiotic and biotic components.
Abiotic or non-living
components of environment include all the physical and chemical factors that influence living organisms.
Examples of abiotic components are air, water,
soil, rocks, etc.
Biotic or living
components are the living components of environment and include microbes,
plants, animals, and human beings.
Environmental Studies
Environmental Studies refers to the study of the environment. It is
not restricted to the point of view of one particular discipline but involves
all disciplines that may affect the environment in any possible way. It
involves the study and understanding of the fact that even a single phenomenon
can affect the environment in a variety of ways with varying degrees of
complexity, and each of these effects can be understood from different
perspectives rooted in different disciplines.
Scope of Environmental Studies
•Ecosystem structure
and function
•Natural resource conservation
•Environmental pollution control
•Environmental management
•Environmental impact
assessment
•Research and development
•Social development
•Forest management
•Environmental consulting firms
•Environmental journalism
•Environmentalists
Importance of Environmental Studies
•Environmental
Studies is useful in checking environmental pollution
•It helps in maintaining ecological balance.
•It helps to gain skills to assess the environmental impact of human activities.
•It gives us basic knowledge of environment and associated problems.
•It helps to achieve
sustainable development
•It helps to educate people regarding their duties towards the
protection of environment.
