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Introduction to Environmental

Science

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Man and his activities havecreated enormous impact on the

planet that scientists agree a

collapse of our earth is a

possibility unless humanity will

confront and overcome the

economic and ecological

problems of the late 20thcentury.

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What is Environmental Science?A (relatively new) systematic and

interdisciplinary area of study that includes

both applied and theoretical aspects ofhuman impact on the world

A mission-oriented discipline that creates

responsibility to do something about theproblems we have created

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Most of these environmentalproblems are quite complex in

nature.

So, how does one study theenvironment?

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STUDY OF THE

ENVIRONMENT

ENGINEERING:

Waste Management,Water Treatment,

Environmental

Sanitation...

HUMANITIES:

Ethics

SOCIAL

SCIENCES:

Sociology, Political

Science,

Anthropology...

NATURAL SCIENCES:

Biology, Chemistry,Physics, Ecology,

Mathematics,

Meteorology...Environmental

Science

Environmental

Engineering

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Overlaps exist!

Ex. Water Treatment - necessitates knowledge in biology,

chemistry, physics, etc.

New fields have evolved!

Environmental Economics

Environmental Management

Natural Resource Management

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The Many Challenges of

Environmental Work

have the right data and appropriate environmental models

1. Baseline data The description of the system in its normal or original state

It is only by having baseline data that we can determine the effectsof human intervention

2. Preservationist vs. conservationist

3. Issue of economic development and povertyalleviation vs. environmental protection Human centered vs. Life centered

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Environmental

Preservationists

keep what is left of nature alone so it

can regenerate

ensure continuity, regardless of

potential utility

Environmental

Conservationists

utilize nature in a sustainable way

manage use so that it does notexceed capacity of system to renew

itself

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Every environmental issue

may be dissected into its

scientific and technicalaspects and socio-economic

and ethical aspects

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I S S U E

S C I E N T I F IC A N D

T E C H N O L O G I C A L

A S P E C T S

S O C I O -E C O N O M I C

A N D E T H IC A L

A S P E C T S

1 . W a te r - w ater qu al i tymon i to r ing

- c lean -up o f p o l lu tedw a te r bod ies

- w ater r igh ts : w ho s hou ld

get p r iori ty - agr icu l ture ,

dom es t ic o r indus t ry?

2 . A ir P o llu tio n - beha vior and fa te of N O x , SOx , e t c

- heal th ef fec ts

- deve lopm en t o f ma s s

t ranspor t sys tem to

subs tan t ia lly redu ce a i r

pollution

3 . N atio n a l d eb t - u n d e rd ev e lo p ed

cou ntr ies a re unab le to

s uppor t s c i ence an dtechno logy neces s a ry fo r

d e v e l o p m e n t

- la rge a l loca t ion for deb t

paym en t dec reas es

a l loca t ion fo r deve lopmen tand s oc ia l s e rv ices

4 . G r e e n h o u s e g a s e s

5 . Popu la t ion

6 . Pres e rva t ion o f biodivers i ty

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Outward manifestations ofenvironmental problems are the

same all over the world but, at

the local level, the nature of theproblem and the solutions may

require different approaches.

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Think globally, act locally

Environmental

Issue:

DEFORESTATION

Canada/US

resource

management

Philippines/Brazil

poverty national debt

population

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On a typical day on earth

224 square kilometers of tropical rain forest isleveled-off and only 1 in 15 trees is replaced

40 to 100 plants, animals and micro-organisms

become extinct Industrial nations pour out 15 million tons ofcarbon dioxide into the atmosphere and 1.5million tons of toxic waste into the air, water andland

250,000 new people will join the world, each onerequiring food, water, shelter and otherresources

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The United Nations Millennium Goals

1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger

2. Achieve universal primary education

3. Promote gender Equality and empower

women4. Reduce child mortality

5. Improve maternal health

6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other

diseases7. Ensure environmental sustainability

8. Develop a global partnership for development

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History of the Environmental Movement

1962

Early 70s

1972

1974

1984

Bhopal, India

1987

1986 1992

Chernobyl,

Ukaraine Rio de Janeiro,

Brazil

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Sustainable Development

Sustainable development is development

that meets the needs of the presentwithout compromising the ability of future

generations to meet their own needs

- Our Common Future

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Environmental Issue:

What developments occurring during our

biological evolution contributed to the modern-

day environmental crisis? In your opinion, do

these developments mean that we are doomed

to continue to live unsustainably?