General Foundation Course

( Environmental Sciences)

I Semester
NIT Delhi, Delhi

Dr. Rahul Kumar Meena

Assistant Professor
Department of Civil Engineering
Multidisciplinary Nature
of Environmental Science

Unit-1
• Definition
• Scope and Importance
• Need for Public Awareness
 Environment

⚫ Environment is ‘a word which describes, in the

aggregate, all of the extrinsic (external) forces
influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature,
behaviour and the growth, development of living
organisms’.

⚫ ‘Environment covers all the outside factors that have

acted on the individual since the beginning of life’.
 Environment

⚫ Environment is the aggregate of physical, chemical, biological

and social components on Earth which are capable of causing
direct or indirect effects in the short or long term on living and
non-living things and their interactions and activities.

⚫ Based on this enviroment is defined as the sum of total of water,

air and land ant the inter-relationship that exist among them and
with the human beings, other living organisms and materials.
Environment
Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies
 Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

⚫ The study of environmental components is multi

disciplinary in nature. Since it includes all disciplinary
such as science, humanities, commerce, meteorology,
climatology, geography and other disciplines.
⚫ Environmental studies is a multi disciplinary programme
created to promote the study of our natural surrounding.
Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies
 Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

⚫ Life sciences including botany, zoology, microbiology,

genetics, biochemistry, biotechnology help in understanding
the biotic components and their interactions.

⚫ The physical and chemical structure of the biotic components

and energy transfer and flow are understood with the help of
basic concept of physics, chemistry, atmospheric science and
oceanography.

⚫ Mathematics, statics and computer science serve as effective

tools in environmental modelling and management.
 Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

⚫ Economics, sociology and mass communication provides the

input for dealing with socio economic aspects associated with
various developmental activities.

⚫ A synthesis with environmental engineering, civil engineering

and chemical engineering form the basis for various
technologies dealing with the control of environmental
pollution, waste treatment and development of cleaner
technologies that are important for protection of environment.

⚫ Environmental laws provide the tools for effective

management and protection of the environment.
 OBJECTIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES
 Creating the awareness about environmental problems in the students.

 Giving basic knowledge about the environment and its related

problems to the students.

 Developing an attitude of concern for the environment amongst the

students.

 Motivating students to participate in environment protection and

environment improvement.

 Acquiring skills to help the concerned individuals in identifying and

solving environmental problems.
 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Scope of the environmental studies is broad based and it

encompasses a large no of areas and aspects broadly listed
below.

⚫ 1. Natural resources–their conservation and management

⚫ 2. Ecology and biodiversity
⚫ 3. Environmental pollution and control
⚫ 4.Social issues in relation to development and
environment
⚫ 5. Human population and environment
 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

⚫ Natural resources-conservation:- Natural aspects such as

forests contribute towards maintaining a balance in the
environment, managing and maintaining of forests and
wild life is an important task under natural resources
conservation.

⚫ Ecosystem structure and function:- The study of the

ecosystem mainly consists of the study of the processes
that link with the biotic components to the non living (or)
abiotic components.
 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

⚫ Environmental pollution and control:- With the knowledge of

the environmental science one can look for methods to control
pollution and manage waste effectively.

⚫ Environmental management:- There are several independent

environmental consultants working with the central and state
pollution control boards. These consultants offer advice related
to environment problems and their solutions. The consultants
involved in policy making, pollution control and maintenance
of ecological balance
 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

⚫ Research and development:- With increase in public

awareness, regarding environment issues, there is
tremendous scope for research and development in this
field. They conduct research studies in order to develop
theories of monitoring and controlling environment.

⚫ Environmental journalism:- There is an increasing

demand for people who can report on environment issues
to generate awareness among people. Environmental
journalism is an emerging field which helps in bringing
environmental problems to public notice.
 SCOPE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

⚫ Industry:- Environmental scientists work towards

maintaining ecological balance, conservation of bio
diversity and preserve the natural resources. Rapid
industrialization is increasingly degrading the
environment to minimize this, there is a growing trend
towards manufacturing of “green” goods and products.
 NEED FOR PUBLIC AWARENESS

⚫ Environmental pollution is effecting on plant, animals and

human life. The soil, minerals, water, fuel, plants and
animal resources are being depleted and climatic changes,
desertification and floods are becoming drastic.
⚫ More over, the human population is growing faster than
ever and creating more pressure on the environment.
⚫ More of the environmental problems are global in nature
therefore every citizen of the world needs to be aware and
actively participate in protecting in protecting global
environment for participation, public awareness is
essential.
 OBJECTIVES OF PUBLIC AWARENESS

⚫ It can be introduced as a course in school and colleges. It

is the most successful method of propagating
environmental awareness.
⚫ This course spread awareness regarding the protection of
the environment.
⚫ A government at its own level cant achieve the goals of
sustainable development until the public has a
participatory role in it.
⚫ The public has to be educated about the fact that if we
degrading our environment we are actually harming our
own selves.
 THROGH MASS MEDIA

⚫ Mass media as news papers, magazines, radios, t v etc.,

can play an important role in educating the masses
regarding environmental problems and issues.
⚫ Through organizing seminars and conferences, organizing
meeting seminars, and conferences at various levels help
in spreading environmental information to general public.
⚫ Awareness can also be spread by organizing various
competitions on environmental problems, non
conventional energy sources etc., such competitions may
also help in disseminating information regarding various
environmental issues.
 ENTERTAINMENT

⚫ Environmental awareness can also be propagating through

folk songs, street plays, documentaries etc.,
 IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

1) Environmental studies helps maintain ecological balance by

providing a basic operating knowledge of environmental system
and processes.
2) It gives information regarding the changes that takes place due to
anthropogenic factors and helps gain skills of analysing various
environmental system and the effect of human activities on them.
3) Environmental studies help to achieve sustainable development
and understand the relationship between development and the
environment.
4) This discipline helps to educate people regarding their duties
towards environmental protection.
 IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

5) Environment is one subject that is actually global in nature.

6) Environmental study deals with the analysis of the processes
in water, air, land, soil, and organism which leads to pollution
(or) environment degradation.
7) It also deals with the most important issues like safe and clean
drinking water, hygienic living conditions, clean and fresh air,
healthy food for man and for development.
8) The discipline provides us with basic knowledge of the
environment and various environmental issues. It examines the
scientific basic for environmental and social concerns about
our present energy needs, global climate changes, toxic
emission and waste disposal.
 IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

9) It also provide knowledge about the development and

utilisation of energy resources and the role of public
policy there in.

10) Environmental law, business administration and

environmental engineering are emerging as new career
opportunities for environment protection and
management.
 IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

11) Environmental studies also aims to protect bio diversity

growth in human population and the resulting increase in
material consumption and technological development
have increased the rate and scale of degradation of the
environment.
12) The concepts from environmental studies can be applied
to the study of agriculture and the design of sustainable
production system.
13) With the pollution control laws becoming more
strengthen, are finding it difficult to dispose off the
produced wastes.
OUTCOMES OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

 Illustrate Depleting Nature of Environmental Resources, Global

Environmental Crisis and the concept of Ecosystem

 Adapt to the concept of 3R (Reuse, Recovery, Recycle).

 Suggest different control measures related to Environmental Pollution.

 Illustrate and analyse various Case Studies related to Environmental

Legislation.

 Demonstrate the working of Renewable Energy sources.

 Illustrate the Techniques of Disaster Management and Green Building