module 1_ environmental studies_edited on 10-12-2009

8/3/2019 MODULE 1_ Environmental Studies_edited on 10-12-2009

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MODULE 1

The Multidisciplinary Nature

of

Environmental Studies

Definition, Scope and importance,

Need for public awareness


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DEFINITION


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What is Environmental Studies?

It.

It is a relatively new field of study which has

evolved from integrated use of many

disciplines

It deals with every issue that affects an

organism

Is a multidisciplinary / Interdisciplinary subjectwhich deals with each and every aspect of life

related with us


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Requires the knowledge of various othersubjects like biology, chemistry, physics,

statistics, micro-biology, bio-chemistry,

geology, economics, law, sociology etc. It is essentially a multidisciplinary approach

that brings about an appreciation of our

natural world and human impacts on itsintegrity


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It is an applied science as it seeks practical

answers to making human civilization

sustainable on the earth's finite resources


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What is the scope of Environmental Studies?

Everything around us forms our environment and our

lives depend on keeping its vital systems as intact aspossible

Environment is nothing but the nature composed of

both biotic and abiotic factors

Its components include Anthropology, Biology,

Economics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Geology,

Health, Philosophy, Physics and Sociology

Is related with every science and scientific aspects in

general and biology in particular

Awareness of environment

Environment and real life situations


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Conservation of resources and Sustainabledevelopment of individuals

Profound effect over the living organisms Awareness about cause and effect of environmental

problems

Exerts influence over metabolic activities of all livingbeings

Makes us understand its importance and enables us totake necessary steps to protect it

Will be a growing field for the future with the growingconcerns about our global warming and climatechanges


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The Importance of Environmental Studies

Is concerned with the day to day interaction with

the surroundings with which human being is closelyassociated

Is concerned with the issues of development,

international environment and population Is related to many branches of the science and is an

interdisciplinary science.

Is concerned with the importance of wild life and itsprotection

Explains the significant role of biodiversity in

establishing ecological balance


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Is concerned with different types of food chains, foodwebs, productivity, biomass, carrying capacity of

ecosystems. Deals with various types of interrelationships existing

between living and non living organisms and also betweendifferent types of living organisms such as symbiosis,

mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, etc. Gives information relating to population explosion, growth

and development, impact of population growth on theresource consumption and national economy.

Explains the coexistence of both living and non livingorganisms and their contribution to the nature for itssustenance.


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Deals with relation with ethos and the impact of ethical

principles in the conservation of wild life, biodiversity

and environment

Deals with different types of ecosystems, biotic and

abiotic factors and their role in the significance and

sustenance of ecosystems Explains the significance of forests and their products in

the human routine and in country's economy

Gives information about water conservation, watershedmanagement and the importance of water as a

universal solvent and the importance of the same in

various physiological, biochemical, internal systems and

external environment


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Environment Issues are of International Importance

It has been well recognized that environment issues

like global warming and ozone depletion, acid rain,

marine pollution and biodiversity are not merely

national issues but are global issues and hence must

be tackled with international efforts and cooperation


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Problems as a side effect of development

Development, in its wake gave birth to Urbanization,

Industrial Growth, Transportation Systems,

Agriculture and Housing etc.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 it is followed by the developingworld


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Exponential increase in population

World census reflects that one in every seven persons

on this planet lives in India

With 16 per cent of the world's population and only2.4 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


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Need for an alternative solution

It is essential, specially for developing countries to

find alternative paths to an alternative goal:

A goal, which is environmentally sound sustainableA goal common to all citizens of our earth

A goal distant from the developing world in the

manner it is from the over-consuming wastefulsocieties of the developed world


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Need to save humanity from extinction

It is incumbent upon us to save humanity from

extinction consequent to our activities constricting

the environment and depleting the biosphere, in thename of development


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Need for wise planning of development

Our survival and sustenance depend on the

environment

Withdrawal of resources, processing and use of the

product have all to be synchronized with theecological cycles in any plan of development our

actions should be planned ecologically for the

sustenance of the environment and development


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REASONS FOR STUDYING ENVIRONMENT

Need for information about environmental

concepts

Need to change the way in which we view our

own environment

Need to create a concern for our own

environment


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NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS

It is essential to make the public aware of the formidable

consequences of the Environmental Degradation. Ifreformative measures are not undertaken, it would result

in the extinction of life

To save our dwindling Natural Resources and continuously

degrading Environment, the public can play a major role inenvironment management by reducing wastage of Natural

Resources and Pollution

To recognize the interdependence among materials intophysical environment, plant and animal life for survival,

growth and development


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To take decisions individually and collectively and initiate

actions for social, cultural and economic survival, growth

and development and for conservation of nature andnatural resources

To identify human, material, space and time resources in

the environment

To recognize ways of making effective use of environmental

resources for social, economic and cultural survival, growth

and development

To take decisions for the effective use of resources, torecognize the special significance of conservation of natural

resources and initiate or support community efforts for the

purpose


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Population Growth

A population of over thousands of millions is growingat 2.11 per cent every year. Over 17 million people

are added each year

It puts considerable pressure on its naturalresources and reduces the gains of development.

Hence, the greatest challenge before us is to limit the

population growth

Population control automatically leads todevelopment


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POVERTY

Poverty and environmental degradation have a nexus

between them The vast majority of our people are directly

dependent on the natural 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

Environment degradation has adversely affected the

poor who depend upon the resources of theirimmediate surroundings

Thus, the challenges of poverty and environment

degradation are two facets of the same coin


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AGRICULTURAL GROWTH

The people must be acquainted with themethods to sustain and increase agricultural

growth without damaging the environment

High yielding varieties have caused soil salinityand damage to physical structure of soil


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USE OF GROUND WATER

Factors like community wastes, industrialeffluents and chemical fertilizers and

pesticides have polluted our surface water and

affected quality of the groundwater


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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 isagricultural land 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.

Out of 226 mha, about 175 mha or 66 per cent is degraded tovarying degrees. Water and wind erosion causes further

degradation of almost 150 mha

This degradation is to be avoided


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REDUCTION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY

Proper measures to conserve genetic diversityneed to be taken

At present most wild genetic stocks have been

disappearing from nature The protected areas network like sanctuaries,

national parks, biosphere reserves are

isolating populations thereby decreasingchances of interbreeding

Remedial steps are to be taken to check

decreasing genetic diversity


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CONSEQUENCES OF URBANIZATION

Nearly 27 per cent Indians live in urban areas Over 30 percent of urban Indians live in slums

Out ofIndias 3,245 towns and cities, only 21

have partial or full sewerage and treatmentfacilities

Hence, coping with rapid urbanization is a

major challenge


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AIR AND WATER POLLUTION

Majority of our industrial plants are usingoutdated technologies and makeshift facilities

devoid of any provision of treating their wastes

Large number of cities and industrial areas havebeen identified as the worst in terms of air and

water pollution

People are to be made aware of the rules,regulations an acts related to environment

Support of the people is indispensable to

implement these rules


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GLOBAL WARMING

There are clear signs of global warming The permafrost and glaciers in the polar and

other regions are melting and the resultant

rise in the sea level is threatening the veryexistence of various islands and continents

Glaciers in the Himalayas are retreating with

alarming speed

module 1_ environmental studies_edited on 10-12-2009

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