Env 1

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
Fall 2019
OUTLINE
 Definition of the Environment
 Importance of the Environment
 Environmental Movement and Activism
 Environmental Movement in Bangladesh
 Environmental Problems, Causes and

Sustainability
DEFINITION
 Environment (from the French environner) can
be defined as (1) the circumstances or conditions
that surround an organism or group of
organisms, or (2) the complex of social and
cultural conditions that affect an individual or
community.
TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
 Physical Environment
 It is also known as a-biotic environment and
natural environment.
* Non living or physical things (sunbeams,

rainwater, precipitation, moisture, pressure and
wind speed)
 Biotic environment (Known as biological
environment and organic environment.)
• Biological environment is the environment which

involves the living part of the earth
plants, trees, animals, mammals, underwater

living beings including human beings and
microorganisms like bacteria and fungi.
 Social and Cultural environment (culture and life
style of the human beings)
 Created by the man through his different social

and cultural activities and thinking.
 The historical, cultural, political, moral, economic

aspects of human life constitute to the social or
cultural environment
ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
 The Environmental Systems focuses on the
processes that shape the physical features of the
landscape. Climate, geology, and biology interact
in complicated ways to result in the weather,
landforms, and life that characterize any place.
CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
 Complex nonlinear interactions of different

components
 The main forcing variable of environmental
systems are related to climate, topography, soil
types, population density.
 The environmental systems are Temporal (time)
and spatial (distance) scales oriented
 Incompitable scales
 Environmental systems are inaccessible

(difficulties in measurements of observations of
oceanic systems)
ENVIRONMENTAL SYSTEMS
 Hydrological systems
 Surface water systems
 Subsurface water systems
 Coastal systems
 Ecological systems
 Agricultural systems
 Wildlife systems
 Environmental Science is the systematic study
of our environment and our proper place in it.
 It is highly interdisciplinary, integrating natural

sciences, social sciences, and humanities in a
broad, holistic study of the world around us.
 By nature, it can be both scientific and science-

based.
 Environmental Science helps us to understand

 How the Earth works
 How we are affecting the Earth’s life support systems
 How to deal with the environmental problems we face

IMPORTANCE OF THE ENVIRONMENT
 It helps to maintain a natural balance.
 It helps to control pollution.
 It supplies human beings with food, water, and

other amenities which they need.
 It supplies the raw materials for many of the

modern luxuries we enjoy.
ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT AND
ACTIVISM
 Environmental Movement is a diverse

scientific, social and political movement for
addressing environmental issues.
 Environmental Activism is a varied group of

activities for addressing environmental issues.
 List some examples of movement and activism

ENVIRONMENTAL ACCIDENTS
MINAMATA DISEASE
 Minamata disease : Minamata City in Kumamoto
prefecture, Japan (1956).
 "Minamata disease is considered to be poisoning
by a heavy metal
 Causes: Methylmercury ( continued from1932 to
1968.)
 Finding the cause: Same family members, staple
food of the victims was fish and shellfish
 What is the relationship among Population,
Development and Environment
Development Growth, Progress, Positive

change and Success
Utilization of natural resources, skills, and technical knowledge
Fulfill human need and aspiration
Physical, Social, Economic aspect

CONCEPT OF DEVELOPMENT
 Development of Human Skill

 Equity and liberty
 Environmental balance
 Promotion of quality of life
 Promotion in the sense of self-esteem
 Get rid of poor economic trap
 Mobilization of resources
 Orientation from traditional to modern perspective
 Economic, social, political and cultural progress
 Response to effective and goal oriented demand
 Production of necessary goods and services
 Poverty alleviation and fulfillment of needs
 Socio- economic transformation
 Development of technology
ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS
 Number of clean air days.
 2. Minimum level of waste.
 3. Nature-based environmental designs.
 4. Percentage of population using potable water.
 5. Percentage of population using sewers.
 6. Percentage of population using public transport or carpooling.
 7. Percentage of prime agriculture land.
 8. Percentage of households participating in recycling programmes.
 9. Tons of hazardous waste generated annually.
 10. Tones of per capita of solid waste generated annually.
 11. Tons of toxic release annually.
 12. Number of institutions dealing with environmental issues.
 13. Number of environmental education classes in public and private academic
institutions.
 14. Legal environmental structure.
 15. Awareness among the people about collective benefits of clean environment.
 16. People sensitivity to pollutions.
 17. Nature of waste management system.
 18. Budgetary allocation for environmental projects.
 19. Volume of the use of chemicals and chemical fertilizers.
 20. Level of health hazards
KUZNET’S CURVE AND THREE STAGE
DEVELOPMENT MODEL
INTERACTIVE QUESTIONS
 What is an environmentally sustainable society?
 How rapidly is the human population growing?
 What is economic growth?
 What is economic development?

 Economic growth: increase in the capacity to
provide people with goods and services.
 Economic development: improvement of living

standards by economic growth.
 Growth and development are needed for the

progress of society, but too much can harm the
environment.
ISSUES
 Population Growth
 Increasing Resource Use
 Global Climate Change
 Increasing Natural Disasters
 Premature extinction of plants and animals
 Pollution
 Poverty
Is anything missing from this list?

NATURAL RESOURCE
Natural resources is anything obtained from the

environment to meet human needs and wants
Food, water, shelter, manufactured goods,

transportation, communication, recreation.
Are things getting better or worse?
Resources

Env 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Env 1

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Env 1

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

 Importance of the Environment

 Environmental Movement and Activism

 Environmental Movement in Bangladesh

 Environmental Problems, Causes and

* Non living or physical things (sunbeams,

• Biological environment is the environment which

plants, trees, animals, mammals, underwater

 Created by the man through his different social

 The historical, cultural, political, moral, economic

 Complex nonlinear interactions of different

 Environmental systems are inaccessible

 Subsurface water systems

 It is highly interdisciplinary, integrating natural

 By nature, it can be both scientific and science-

 Environmental Science helps us to understand

 How to deal with the environmental problems we face

 It helps to control pollution.

 It supplies human beings with food, water, and

 It supplies the raw materials for many of the

 Environmental Movement is a diverse

 Environmental Activism is a varied group of

 List some examples of movement and activism

Development Growth, Progress, Positive

Fulfill human need and aspiration

Physical, Social, Economic aspect

 Development of Human Skill

 What is economic growth?

 What is economic development?

 Economic development: improvement of living

 Growth and development are needed for the

 Global Climate Change

 Increasing Natural Disasters

 Premature extinction of plants and animals

Is anything missing from this list?

Natural resources is anything obtained from the

Food, water, shelter, manufactured goods,

Are things getting better or worse?

You might also like