MEANING NATURE,SCOPE AND IMPORATANCE OF STUDY

Environment is derived from the French word Environner, which mean encircle or surrounding.
Environment is a complex of many variables, which surrounds man as well as the living
organisms. Environmental studies describe the interrelationships among organisms, the
environment and all the factors, which influence life on earth, including atmospheric conditions,
food chains, the water cycle, etc. It is a basic science about our earth and its daily activities, and
therefore, this science is important for one and all.

SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENT STUDIES

Environmental studies discipline has multiple and multilevel scopes. This study is important

and necessary not only for children but also for everyone. The scopes are summarized as follows:

1. The study creates awareness among the people to know about various renewable and
nonrenewable resources of the region. The endowment or potential, patterns of utilization and
the balance of various resources available for future use in the state of a country are analysed in
the study.

2. It provides the knowledge about ecological systems and cause and effect relationships.

3. It provides necessary information about biodiversity richness and the potential dangers to the

Species of plants, animals and microorganisms in the environment.

4. The study enables one to understand the causes and consequences due to natural and main

induced disasters (flood, earthquake, landslide, cyclones etc.,) and pollutions and measures to
minimize the effects.

5. It enables one to evaluate alternative responses to environmental issues before deciding an

Alternative course of action.

6. The study enables environmentally literate citizens (by knowing the environmental acts,
rights,
Rules, legislations, etc.) to make appropriate judgments and decisions for the protection and

improvement of the earth.

7. The study exposes the problems of over population, health, hygiene, etc. and the role of arts,

science and technology in eliminating/ minimizing the evils from the society.

8. The study tries to identify and develop appropriate and indigenous eco-friendly skills and

Technologies to various environmental issues.

9. It teaches the citizens the need for sustainable utilization of resources as these resources are

inherited from our ancestors to the younger generating without deteriorating their quality.

10. The study enables theoretical knowledge into practice and the multiple uses of environment.

IMPORATANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Environmental study is based upon a comprehensive view of various environmental systems. It

Importance

• World population is increasing at an alarming rate especially in developing countries.

• The natural resources endowment in the earth is limited.

• The methods and techniques of exploiting natural resources are advanced.

• The resources are over-exploited and there is no foresight of leaving the resources to the

Future generations.
• The unplanned exploitation of natural resources lead to pollution of all types and at all levels.

• The pollution and degraded environment seriously affect the health of all living things on earth
including man.

• The people should take a combined responsibility for the deteriorating environment and begin
to take appropriate actions to space the earth.

• Education and training are needed to save the biodiversity and species extinction.

• The urban area, coupled with industries, is major sources of pollution.

• The number and area extinct under protected area should be increased so that the wild life is

Protected at least in these sites.

• The study enables the people to understand the complexities of the environment and need for
the people to adapt appropriate activities and pursue sustainable development, which are
harmonious with the environment.

• The study motivates students to get involved in community action, and to participate in various
Environmental and management projects.

• It is a high time to reorient educational systems and curricula towards these needs.

• Environmental studies take a multidisciplinary approach to the study of human interactions

• Environmental study is a key instrument for bringing about the changes in the knowledge,
values, behaviors and lifestyles required to achieve sustainability and stability within and among
countries.
COMPONENTS OF ENVIRONMENT

Environment consists of four components or segments, they are:

(1) Atmosphere;

(2) Hydrosphere;

(3) Lithosphere; and

(4) Biosphere.

(1) Atmosphere:

The invisible protective thick gaseous cover of air which envelopes the earth is known as
atmosphere. It sustains life on earth and saves living organisms from the hostile environment of
outer space. It extends to a height of about 1600km. from the earth’s surface.

Some important functions of atmosphere are outlined below:

(i) It maintains heat balance of the earth through absorption of infrared radiation emitted by the
sun and re-emitted from the earth.

(ii) It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a major portion of the
electromagnetic radiation from the sun.

(iii) It filters tissue damaging ultraviolet radiation below 300 nm.

(iv) It is a source of oxygen (for respiration), carbon dioxide (for photo-synthesis) and nitrogen
(for nitrogen fixation).

(v) It is a medium for the operation of different bio- geochemical cycles.

(vi) It acts as a carrier of water from ocean to land.

(vii) It maintains and stabilises weather and climate.

The hydrosphere includes all types of water resources such as oceans, seas, rivers, lakes, streams,
reservoirs, glaciers, polar ice caps and ground water. Out of the total water resources, 97% is
present in oceans as salty water, 2% is present as ice cap and rest 1 % is available as fresh water
for our day-to-day use.

Some important uses of water are as follows:

(i) It is used for drinking, cooking and cleaning purposes

(ii) It is used for irrigation and power generation.

(iii) It is used in different industrial operations.

(iv) It is used for navigation, fisheries and aquaculture.

(v) Its most important use is waste disposal.

3. Lithosphere (Land):

Land forms the crucial platform for a dynamic interaction in between the biotic and abiotic
environment. It is the outer mantle of the solid earth, consisting of minerals occurring in the
earth’s crust and the soil. The soil consists of a complex mixture of minerals, organic matter, air
and water.

In the present technologically developed world, changes in the farming practices with continued
use of agricultural chemicals, industrial proliferation, mining activities and unplanned
urbanization have altered the land forms and their quality, making land more and more scarce.

Some important uses of land are as follows:

(i) It is used for agriculture and horticulture (to get food)

(ii) It is used for afforestation.

(iii) It is used for industrialization and urbanization.

(v) It is used for amenity and recreation.

4. Biosphere:

Biosphere is that part of atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere where all the living organisms
survive together and interact with one-another.

In atmosphere, the living organisms exists up to a distance of 6 km from the surface of the earth
and in ocean, the living organism exists up to a depth of 7 km from the surface. Such a distance
of 13 km is known as biosphere. The living species in biosphere may be animals or plants. The
living organisms in biosphere differ from one-another by their shape, size, distribution and
characteristics.

Both the biosphere and environment are influenced considerably by each other. For example,
green plants use carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and in turn release oxygen in the
atmospheres. On the other hand, animals inhale oxygen during respiration and release carbon-
dioxide.

Thus, a continuous set of interactions takes place among the living organisms of the biosphere.
Besides, all the living organisms depend upon abiotic environment for their survival and entire
unit is responsible for the existence of living organism or biosphere.

Need for Public awareness about the Environment

After the scientific and industrial revolution in the recent past, there has been immense impact of
man on his environment. Man has failed to realize that any new factor upsets the balance of the
ecosystem as a whole/the environment.

Huge industrial installations every year, introduction of the faster mode of transport, sprouting
up large crowded cities (urbanization), changing the food habits, deforestation and decreasing the
agricultural land, the main outcomes of the modern civilization: wide spread use of insecticides,
pesticides, improper use of fertilizers and chemicals in environment are some others contributing
factors which challenged the life of man, animals specially birds and other organisms.

Industries are causing much danger to man's life (causing air pollution), Similarly water
pollution, soil pollution, marine pollution, noise pollution, global warming, effects of nuclear
hazards etc. are some major factors for which public awareness is necessary.

The Active co-operation of every one, at every level of social organizations, scientist
educationists, social workers, politicians, administrators and public is needed for issues
concerning environment. Individuals collectively make a society or a state.

Movements, which begin at gram root levels, effects the ideologies and policies of a country or
the nation as a whole more effectively than the policies introduced from top to downwards.

When the opinion of the public will change, ii will affect the govt. policies, which transform in to
actions. Therefore little efforts on the part of each individual shall add up to introduce significant
improvements of the environment.

Over exploitation of natural resources is a basic concern for everybody. Food shortage we
increase in frequency and severity if population growth, soil erosion and nutrient depletions we
continue at the existing rate. Therefore, it is our duty and we can accept the family planning
schemes this will not only reduce the population but also solve the problems of food and
rehabilitation. Burning fossil fuels (oil, coal and natural gas), we release carbon-dioxide and
other heat absorbing; gases, that cause global warming and may bring about sea level rise and
catastrophic climatic changes.

Acid rain is the result of it. Chlorinated compounds such as chlorofluorocarbons used in
refrigerator and air conditioner also contribute to global warming as well as damaging the
stratospheric ozone that protect us from cancer causing ultraviolet radiations in sunlight.

Now a day's everybody talks about environment but how many of us are serious about it. How
many of us (from all walks of life) have clear concepts of environment. There must be planning
about the effects and control measures of environmental pollution. Govt. should initiate and help
by awareness campaigns to save environment.

There should not be the political propaganda but should be the integral part of our educational
programmes. By writing on walls the word "save water", "save oil" is not enough for Govt. or
people.

We should opt some programmes relating to it. We should discourage to use fuel vehicles, until
it is not necessary. For short routes, we should use bicycle; on foot. We should accompany the
four seated or so with others over use of water, for cleaning and other purposes should be
decreased.

Rain water harvesting is another example for using the rain water instead flowing out. Any
government at its own level cannot achieve the goals of sustainable development until the public
has a participatory role in it.It is only possible only when public aware about the ecological and
environmental issues. For example ban the littering of polythene cannot be successful until the
public understands the environmental implications of the same.

Public should understand about the fact that if we degrading our environment, we are harming
ourselves. This is the duty of we educated people to educate the others about the adverse effect
of environment.

For the first time, the attention of general public was attracted at global level when "Earth
Summit" in 1992 was held in Rio de Janerio on environment and development. Later on another
world summit on "Sustainable Development" at Johannesburg in 2002 was also held to discuss
the environment and aware the public to save the environment.

In these directions, United Nations has organised several conferences in different parts of the
world (Stockholm 1972, Vienna 1985, Montreal 1987, Brazil 1992 etc) to work out the action
plan from time to time for fighting with menace of environmental pollution. We should keep the
earth green and alive as it provides shelter, food and protective cover.

The soil degradation, soil erosion, deforestation, losing wetlands, land conversion etc. are the
measure issues which force ourselves to think and aware the public in this regard. Because
human himself is responsible for these environmental deterioration. Therefore, it is necessary to
check all these destructive processes. Govt. also doing some efforts on national level but still
much more has to be done. The marine ecosystem includes the oceans, seas, sea shores, bays and
summaries of the world. The physical factors like wares, tides, currents, salinities, temperature,
pressures and sunlight dominate life in the ocean and determine the makeup of biological
communities. These communities have significant effect on biomass, leakage from oil tankers,
oil drilling, catchment area (coastline) and rivers polluted the sea water, which effects sensitive
flora and fauna, various species of invertebrate, mammals, coral reps, fishes and other organisms.

A Diesel vehicle emits particles in their exhaust which have a diameter less than 10 microns
(PH-10). It is easily inhaled. Any amount of these particles in the air is dangerous for health
(particularly effects lungs). In India about 20 million people are asthmatics.
Mine waste and effluents from mining and metallurgical industries give a number of physical
and chemical problems to human beings. Certain other industries like paper and pulp industries,
fertilizer industries, explosive industries, soap and detergent industries, chemical industries, food
processing industries, textile, tannery, leather, and petroleum industries release/discharge
undesirable and harmful constituents which are responsible for air and water pollution, causes
great public concern.

Sewage begins to cause nuisance as it starts to become stale. It is therefore necessary to dispose
it off as soon as possible. Proper methods of disposal and its treatment should be applied
otherwise causes the chronic diseases. When sewage is applied continuously on a part of land,
the pores or voids of the soil are clogged and free circulation of air is prevented.

As a result anaerobic conditions are developed in place of aerobic conditions and the land is not
capable of taking further sewage load. At this stage, decomposition of sewage takes place and
offensive gases are produced. This is called the sewage sickness of land. People should aware of
it. The noise which is increasing pollution is one of the important factors of environment due to
population's explosion, rapid industrializations and urbanisations. We should know the
consequences of noise pollutions. Ear drum can be damage when exposed to very loud and
sudden noise. Noise pollution affects human health, comfort and efficiency.

It causes contraction of blood vessels, high blood pressure, mental distress, high cholesterol,
heart attacks, neurological problems, birth defects, abortion etc. The department of environment
realised the importance of creating a sound research base for scientific studies relating to
environmental problems. Environmental protection act was introduced in 1976 as the 42nd
amendment act in the constitution.

Only by celebrating "World Environmental Day" we cannot get rid of this concern. Govt. along
cannot do anything until unless every citizen is aware of the environmental pollution & their
effects. This is the time to make aware and motivate each and every individual for environmental
consciousness.