environmental studies
TRANSCRIPT
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Mr.VIJAYJRF
Gandhi Institute of Technology
Definition of Environment
Environment -French word - 'environ’ -surroundings. Hence, everything surrounding us -"ENVIRONMENT". Environmental Protection Act (1986) defined “Environment
as the sum total of water, air and land, their interrelationship among themselves and with the human beings, other living beings and property.”
It can also be defined as “ external surroundings and conditions which directly or indirectly affects the living conditions which directly or indirectly affects the living organism”
Environmental science is a systemic study of our environment and our place in it - mainly the abiotic and biotic components.
It is a comprehensive sum of all living and non – living things and their interactions.
It is an applied science as its seeks practical answers to making human civilization sustainable on the earth’s finite resources.
Its components include biology, geology, chemistry, physics, engineering, sociology, health, anthropology, economics, statistics, computers and philosophy.
Multidisciplinary nature
Environment
• Atmosphere - The atmosphere implies the protective blanket of gases, surrounding the earth.
• Hydrosphere - The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water resources oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoirs, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground water.
• Lithosphere - Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth.
• Biosphere - Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their interactions with environment, viz atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere
Elements of Environment
• Physical elements - space, landforms, water bodies, soils, rocks and minerals.
• Biological elements - plants, animals, • Biological elements - plants, animals, microorganisms and men.
• Cultural elements - economic, social and political elements are essentially manmade features
Why I should know Environment
• According to UNESCO (1971), the objectives of environmental studies are:
(a) Creating the awareness about environmental problems among people.
(b) Imparting basic knowledge about the environment and its allied problems.and its allied problems.
(c) Developing an attitude of concern for the environment.
(d) Motivating public to participate in environment protection and environment improvement.
(e) Acquiring skills to help the concerned individuals in identifying and solving environmental problems.
(f) Striving to attain harmony with Nature.
The importance’s of environmental studies are as follows
1. To clarify modern environmental concept like how to conserve biodiversity.
2. To know the more sustainable way of living.3. To use natural resources more efficiently.3. To use natural resources more efficiently.4. To know the behaviour of organism under natural
conditions.5. To know the interrelationship between organisms
in populations and communities.6. To aware and educate people regarding
environmental issues and problems at local, national and international levels.
Current Environmental Problems
Current Environmental Problems
• POLLUTION
Air Pollution.Water Pollution.Noise Pollution.Noise Pollution.Littering (spilling of oils in oceans)Soil contamination (by lead, heavy metals) Radioactive contamination.Thermal pollution.Visual Pollution.
A Broader View of Pollution
Estimated world population- 7 billion
population of population of India - 1.252 billion
Natural Resource Depletion
Improper waste disposal
Improper Dumping of Domestic waste Sewage waste
Plastic abuse Industrial Chimney
Climate change
NATURAL CAUSES
Volcanic eruptions
Ocean currents
Solar Variation
HUMAN CAUSES (Anthropogenic or Man-made causes)
Greenhouse gases Coal mining Burning of fossil fuels
Deforestation Industrial processes Agriculture
Effects of Climate Change
Melting ice sheets Sea level rise
• Heavy rainfall across the globe
…… Extreme drought Hurricanes
Decline in crop productivityRise in temperature
THREATS TO BIODIVERSITY
Natural causes:
Narrow geographical area
Low population
Low breeding rate
Natural disasters
Anthropogenic causes:Anthropogenic causes:
Habitat modification
Overexploitation of selected species
Innovation by exotic species
Pollution
Hunting
Global warming and climate change
Agriculture
Extinct organisms of India
Indian Cheetah Indian AurochsIndian Cheetah
Pink-Headed DuckSumatran Rhinoceros
Indian Aurochs
Sivatherium
Deforestation
Causes for Deforestation
Effects of Deforestation
Ocean Acidification
Effect of ocean acidification
• The main impact is on shellfish and plankton in the same way as human osteoporosis.osteoporosis.
Ozone Layer Depletion•absorbs most of UV light from sun in stratosphere
•Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)•Halon.•Carbon tetrachloride (CCl ), •Carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), Methyl chloroform (CH3CCl3)•Hydrobromofluorocarbons(HBFCs)•Hydrochlorofluorocarbons(HCFCs)•Methyl bromide (CH3Br)•Bromochloromethane(CH2BrCl)
• O
Ozone Hole on Antarctica
What happens in absence of Ozone
Progressive increasing in the Ozone Hole
Acid Rain
Adverse effects
Surface waters and aquatic animals Forests and other vegetation
Soils Acidification Human health effects
National Environmental Problems
• India’s Food Crises
• Food Security exists, when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preference for an active and healthy life.
(World Food Summit, Rome, 1996)(World Food Summit, Rome, 1996)
•Improper methods of cultivation- not much use of
science and technology.
•Poverty and ignorance of Indian formers-Not much
financial support to farmers
•Wastage of food-in wrong process of cooking.
•Ignorance of preserving method-Improper storage facility.
•Defective food habit.
Cause of food shortage of India
Poverty
•Defective food habit.
•Dishonesty of dealers.
•Excessive growth of population.
•Loss of fertility of soil by pollution
•Industrialization- Land loss
•Least interest on Agriculture –new generation
•Climate change –Improper rain-Acid rain
•Salinity in soil- soil pupation
Wastage of food
Improper storage of food
Stark Realties
• INDIA has witnessed high economic growth in last one decade and high total production of food grains at the national level.
BUT India has
• 29% of the 872.9 million undernourished people (FAO)• 29% of the 872.9 million undernourished people (FAO)
• 49% of the world’s underweight children (WHO)
• 34% of the world’s stunted children (WHO)
• Over 46% undernourished children (WHO)
• India is ranked 67 way below neighboring countries like China, Nepal & Pakistan, in 2011 Global Hunger Index by the IFPRI.
• As for child nutritional status & child mortality rate, India is doing worse than some Sub-Saharan African Countries & South Asian neighbours (FOCUS 2006).
INDIAN AGRI-BUSINESS:FACTS AND FIGURES
2nd largest arable land(184 million hectares) in the world.
Largest irrigated land(55 million hectares) in the world.
Largest producer of :Wheat(15% of global production)Pulses(21% of global production) Milk(90 million tones).
Are we really food short?
37
Milk(90 million tones).
Largest producer and exporter of spices.
2nd largest producer of rice(22% of global rice production) and the largest producer of world’s best BASMATI RICE.
Largest livestock population.
2nd largest producer of fruits and vegetables.
source: FICCI, Ministry of Agriculture(2008)
How to solve the food problem of India:• Introduction of improved method of cultivation based on science and
technology.• Improvement of financial and educational status of the Indian
cultivators.• Attracting educated people to the profession of cultivation.• Provision of water-pipes, electricity, insecticides, fertilizer and
research work for agriculture.• Mechanization of agriculture.• Equitable land-reform.• To refrain from holding feast and picnics in order to check the
possible wastage of food.possible wastage of food.• To know the proper method of dressing and cooking in order to
check the wastage of food.• To know the method of food preservation in order to save the
perishable foods from wastage.• Provision of cold storage in every village and refrigerator in every
household.• Changing food habit on everybody’s part.• Family-Planning through birth control.
Case study
Water Scarcity in India• renewable resource- but finite resource• only 3 per cent of the world’s water is fresh-
roughly one-third of it is inaccessible• Simply put, water scarcity is either the lack of
enough water (quantity) or lack of access to safe water (quality).
• It currently affects around 2.8 billion people around the world, on all continents, at least one month out
• It currently affects around 2.8 billion people around the world, on all continents, at least one month out of every year and more than 1.2 billion people lack the access to clean drinking water.
Survey
• The United Nations' FAO states that by 2025, 1.9 billion people will be living in countries or regions with absolute water scarcity, and two-thirds of the world population could be under stress conditionsstress conditions
• 780 million people lack access to clean water.
• Inadequate access to safe drinking water for about 884 million people.
• In the 20th Century,Population grew 3 fold but Water demand grew to 6 folds!
India's water crisis is mainly a
man-made problem.
Causes for water scarcity
• Population growth-over population• Food production-Agricultural
irrigation • Climatic change and variability• Land use-industrialization • Water quality-pollution • Water quality-pollution • Water demand-various purposes • Ground water exploitation• Improper Biogeochemical cycle-
Pollution • Wastage of water
Effects
• 1 out of every 4 deaths under the age of 5 worldwide is due to a water-related disease.
• 80% of the Illness cause by unsafe water and Sanitation condition in world.
.• Every day in rural communities and poor urban
centres throughout sub-Saharan Africa, hundreds of millions of people suffer from a lack of access to clean, safe water.
• Women and girls especially bear the burden of walking miles at a time to gather water from streams and ponds - full of water-borne disease that is making and ponds - full of water-borne disease that is making them and their families sick.
Freshwater fish are going extinct at five times the rate of marine fish species
In the last 100 years 50% of the world’s wetlands have been lost to development
India is facing a water crisis that
has implications
.
has implications
not only for its
1.1 billion people,
but for the entire globe.
Water Conservation Tips for Indoors
• Let your parents know about leaks in your house– Leaks are easily fixable
and – save you water and money
• Tell your parents about high-efficiency washers,efficiency washers,faucets, and toilets
• Run your dishwasher or washing machine only with full loads
• Turn off the faucet when brushing or shaving
• Take shorter showers
Case study
Sustainable Development
• The use of renewable and nonrenewable resources in a manner that satisfies our current needs but does not compromise the future availability of resources
• According to the UN, sustainable • According to the UN, sustainable development “meets the needs of the present without sacrificing the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
