Education and Development

Need & Scope of Environmental

Awareness- Assignment 2

By Saba Tariq- M Phil Sem-2

Department of Humanities

Faculty of Social Sciences

WE DO NOT INHERIT THE EARTH FROM OUR

ANCESTORS; WE BORROW IT FROM OUR
CHILDREN.
– NATIVE AMERICAN PROVERB

NEED AND SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

What is Environment?

The environment is something you are very familiar with. It's

everything that makes up our surroundings and affects our ability to
live on the earth—the air we breathe in, the water that covers most of
the earth's surface, the plants and animals around us, and much
more.
We live in Earth planet. We all know how a life would look if there
aren't trees, plants, animals etc. They are the ones that make the
planet a living place. Environment includes all living and non-living
objects. We live in the environment and use the environmental
resources like air, land and water to meet our needs.
Environmental Sciences:
Environmental science is defined as a branch of biology focused on
the study of the relationships of the natural world and the
relationships between organisms and their environments. An example
of environmental science is the study of the natural world and how it
relates to recycling and mulching.
What is Awareness?

Awareness is the basic requirement of human survival. Oxford

university define sit as, “knowledge or perception of a situation or
fact”, or knowing that something exists and is
important. Awareness offers more than just hope though. It can to
lead to action. To be effective in our efforts, we need to make sure we
help others translate that awareness into actionable items. This can
be through helping to change behavior or acting upon beliefs.

Human Development and Environment:

Development also means meeting the needs of the people. While

meeting the ever-growing needs, we put pressure on the
environment. When the pressure exceeds the carrying capacity of the
environment to repair or replace itself, it creates a serious problem of
environmental degradation. If we use any environmental resource
such as ground water beyond its limit of replacement, we may lose it
forever. Therefore, there is a need to create ‘awareness’ about
Environmental protection. While efforts are being made at the
national and international level to protect our environment, it is also
the responsibility of every citizen to use our environmental resources
with care and protect them from degradation.

Environmental Issues:

In recent years, scientists have been carefully examining the ways

that people affect the environment. They have found that we are
causing air pollution, deforestation, acid rain, and other problems that
are dangerous both to the earth and to ourselves. These days, when
you hear people talk about “the environment”, they are often
referring to the overall condition of our planet, or how healthy it is.
What is Environmental Awareness?

Environmental awareness is to understand the fragility of our

environment and the importance of its protection. Promoting
environmental awareness is an easy way to become an
environmental steward and participate in creating a brighter future
for our children.

The development of awareness, understanding and consciousness

toward the biophysical environment and its problems; including
human interactions and effects is termed as the environmental
awareness. It is also called thinking "ecologically" or in terms of an
ecological consciousness.

What is an Environmentalist Movement?

To define environmental awareness we must first understand the

environmentalist movement. Environmentalism is an ideology that
evokes the necessity and responsibility of humans to respect, protect,
and preserve the natural world from its anthropogenic (caused by
humans) afflictions.

Environmental awareness is an integral part of the movement’s

success. By teaching our friends and family that the physical
environment is fragile and indispensable we can begin fixing the
problems that threaten it.

Numerous resources are available to promote environmental

awareness; group learning (in or outside of class), informational and
inspirational seminars, and environmental books and brochures are
just a few of the tools that can get you involved in promoting the
environment.

“Go green”- How Does it Contribute to

Environmental Awareness?
This is a widely known slogan not unknown to many. It
is used on posters, ads, and the like carrying the
exhortation ''Go Green!'' But, what does it mean to ''go
green''? It takes a variety of forms, but essentially, going green
means being mindful of the natural environment and making
economic choices that aren't harmful to the earth. For example, this
might mean purchasing a glass or ceramic water bottle instead of
using disposable plastic water bottles. Plastic takes an incredibly long
time to break down, and a significant percentage of plastic makes it
to the oceans, where it kills plant and animal life. Going green might
also involve using an all-natural hair-care product, instead of a can of
aerosol spray containing toxic chemicals.
When people ''go green,'' they are practicing environmental
awareness. The term means exactly what you expect it to: being
aware of the natural environment and making choices that benefit--
rather than hurt--the earth. In recent years, environmental awareness
has gained increased attention. It is fair to say it has become a bit of
a trend: from environmentally friendly tiny homes to organic food,
environmental awareness is a hot topic.

Examples of Environmental Issues That Need Awareness:

Here are several cause-and-effect problems that harm our
environment:

 Oil Drilling- This issue is one that causes a great deal of

environmental destruction. Our dependence on fossil fuel is a
global addiction that affects every aspect of the world. Oil spills
and offshore drilling poison marine life, oil drilling (on land)
suffocates the earth, and the combustion of fossil fuels add to
the increased atmospheric CO₂, which in turns causes the
progression of global warming and ocean acidification. This is a
multifaceted issue and is a good cause to get involved with
because it covers such a broad spectrum of issues.
 Deforestation- Millions of acres of forest are cut down for
industrial benefit, such as large scale farming, oil mining, and
the production of paper goods. Deforestation causes wildlife and
biodiversity extinction. The International Union for Conservation
of Nature (IUCN) has a Red List of environmentally threatened
species with up-to-date information. Oftentimes, the cause for
their threatened existence is listed as loss of habitat as it is for
many Amazonian species.
 Production of Plastic
Goods- Currently our
society creates a great
deal of waste and much of
that waste is comprised of
plastic. According to the
Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA), in 2010
alone 31 million tons of
plastic waste was created. This waste ends up all over the globe
in both land and water, a good example is the Great Pacific
Garbage Patch. Not only is plastic waste an issue, but the
production of plastic is also dependent on fossil fuel combustion.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) in

2010, 191 million barrels of liquid petroleum gases(LPG) and

natural gas liquids (NGL) were used in the U.S. alone to produce
plastic goods.
 Pollution: Environmental pollution is one of the most serious
problems facing humanity and other life forms on our planet
today. It is one of the most serious global challenges.
Environmental pollution is defined as “the contamination of the
physical and biological components of the earth/atmosphere
system to such an extent that normal environmental processes
are adversely affected.” Over the past couple of decades,
various sources of pollution were identified that altered the
composition of water, air, and soil of the environment. The
substances that cause pollution are known as pollutants.
A pollutant can be any chemical (toxic
metal, radionuclides, organophosphorus compounds, gases) or
geochemical substance (dust, sediment), biological organism or
product, or physical substance (heat, radiation, sound wave)
that is released intentionally or inadvertently by man into the
environment with actual or potential adverse, harmful,
unpleasant, or inconvenient effects. Such undesirable effects
may be direct (affecting man) or indirect, being mediated via
resource organisms or climate change. Pollutants can be
naturally occurring substances or energies, but they are
considered contaminants when in excess of natural levels. Any
use of natural resources at a rate higher than nature’s capacity
to restore itself can result in pollution of air, water, and land or
more. Depending on the nature of pollutants and also
subsequent pollution of environmental components, the
pollution may be categorized as follows:
1. Air Pollution

2. Water Pollution

3. Soil/Land Pollution

4. Noise Pollution

5. Radioactive Pollution

6. Thermal Pollution
Possible Project Ideas
The environmental issues once pointed out, the knowledge can be
used to create beneficial project starting from an entity as small as
one’s home and later broadening the horizon to the community and
later the world.

 Instead of using a car to work or school, the bus, carpool,

walking on foot, or a ride on a bike is a better option, to cut
down on greenhouse gas emissions. According to the findings of
EPA, transportation adds to 33% of the total amount of
atmospheric CO2.
 An appropriate technology needs to be invested in; like a clean
renewable power/energy source (as solar or wind), something
that will help us wean ourselves off fossil fuels.
 The use of reusable products such as glass bottles, reusable
bags and cups etc will be another constructive step. Nations
need to avoid buying paper towels, plastic bottles or bags.
 The garbage waste production needs to be reduced by making
local compost and recycling products.
 Local food businesses and organic food farmers need support
who work on pesticide free food. This will help to develop a self-
reliance attribute in a community.
 Long lasting light bulbs like LEDs need to be promoted that are
energy efficient as they reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The
light switch needs to be flipped off when not in use
 Promote environmental awareness so everyone can be a part to
this cause.
 References:
 https://www.pachamama.org/environmental-awareness
 https://www.factmonster.com/math-science/earth-
environment/what-is-the-environment
 https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/literacy.html
 https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-importance-of-
environmental-awareness
 www.yourdictionary.com › environmental-science

 www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com › definition › english ›
awareness
 https://itsyourturnblog.com/the-purpose-of-awareness-
16da947ec074
 International Environmental Education Programme, Glossary of
Environmental Education Terms, Unesco-Unep, Hungary, 1983
 https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-
sciences/environmental-pollution
 https://www.conserve-energy-future.com/21-good-reasons-to-go-
green.php
