Chapter-1

Introduction to
Environment
Environmen
t External Surroundings and condition which is directly or
indirectly affects the living organisms.
OR
 Environment is sum total of water, air and land,
interrelationship among themselves and also with the
human beings, other living organisms and property.
Ecology
 The word Ecology is derived from two Greek words “oikos”
meaning house, habitation or place of living and “logas”
meaning study.
 Ecology is the study of the interrelationship between living
organisms and their physical and biological ENVIRONMENT.
Ecosystem:
“
Scopeof Environment
Science
 It is Scientific Study of our environment and our place in it.
 Environment science is the study of earth, air, water living
organisms and the man with is impact on environment.
 It is highly multidisciplinary integrating disciplines of physical,
chemical and biological science, geology, mathematics,
Sociology etc.
 Environment studies(science) is therefore a multi disciplinary
subject where different aspects are dealt with a holistic
approach.
ComponentsOfthe
Environment
Environment
Atmosphere

Hydrosphere

Biotic Abiotic
i.e. Living i.e. Non-Living
Lithosphere
Components Components

Biosphere
ComponentsOfthe
Environment
 Atmosphere: The region surrounding the earth is known as
atmosphere. Atmosphere is generally a mixture of gases
surrounding the earth.
 Components of the Environment
 On the basis of temperature profile and other related
phenomena, atmosphere is divided into following major
layers.
 Troposphere:- ( 0 To 12 Km) Contains 75 % of the gases in
the atmosphere. This is where we live and weather occurs.
 Stratosphere:- (12 – 50 Km) this layer contains ozone layer.
Ozone acts as a shield for the earth’s surface. It absorbs
ultraviolet radiations from the sun. This causes temperature
increase in the upper part of the layer.
 Mesosphere:- ( 50 to 80 Km) This is the coldest region of the
atmosphere. This layer protects the earth from meteoroid.
They burn up in this area.
Componentsof the Environment
 Thermosphere:- ( 80 Km and above) The air is very thin in
this region. Thermosphere means “Heat Sphere”. The
temperature is very high in this region
 Ionosphere:-This is the lower part of the thermosphere. It
extends from 80 Km – 550 Km. This layer generally helps in
radio communication.
 Exosphere:- The upper part of the thermosphere. It extends
from 550 km and above. Air is very thin here this is the area
where satellite orbits the earth.
Componentsof the Environment
 Hydrosphere: Hydrosphere is
in fact water environment,
about 70
% of earth is covered by water.
 Water is available in seas,
oceans, lake, river, glaciers
etc.. It is estimated that the
hydrosphere contains about
1360 million cubic km of water
out of which 97 % is in oceans
and sea, 2 % is in glaciers and
ice caps while remaining 1 %
of fresh water is available for
human consumption.
Componentsof the
Environment
 Lithosphere: The uppermost
part of the earth crust is
known as Lithosphere.
 Lithosphere includes, soil and
its particles, rocks, metal etc.
, Lithosphere plays an
important role as it not only
produces food for human
beings and animals, but also
the decomposition of organic
waste is carried out by a host
of microorganisms in the soil.
Componentsof the Environment
 Biosphere: The life supporting mantle of the earth extending
from few kilometer into the atmosphere to the deep ocean is
known as Biosphere. The region of the earth where life exist
is known as Biosphere.
Interaction betweenDifferent Componentsofthe
Environment
Atmospher
e

Biosphere
Lithosphere

Hydrospher
e
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 Worshipping of trees and rivers, animals and the birds was
not based on the superstition; but there was a hidden
message preserving and protecting of the environment.
 The religious rituals served an important purpose- they made
people aware of the environment and its important and so
indirectly helped preserve and nourishes it.
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 community participation in all those practices that would lead
to the maintenance of ecological balance.
 Man is the only living organism capable of modifying its
surrounding environment according to the need. Other
animals change according to the environment.
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 First man starting hunting the animals and cutting trees for
his basics need gradually with the time he started
cultivating food grains for that he started hunting animals
and cutting trees for his basics needs, gradually with time
he started cutting forests and converting them in to grass
lands/agricultural fields. To increase his comforts he started
disturbing each and every component of the environment.
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 With the start of the industrial revolution the total scenario
changed.Quantity of carbon dioxide emission increased
tremendously which has started showing effect in the form of
discharge of industrial waste and sewage. Major
environmental issues arising due to human activities are
global warming, acid rain, ozone depletion and population
explosion.
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 Emission of co2 and the other gases in atmosphere from
fossil fuel burning and other human activities may raise the
temperature of the earth’s lower atmosphere several
degrees by 2050. This would disrupt food production and
flooding of low-lying coastal cities and croplands.
Man and EnvironmentRelationship:
 An estimated 36500 spices of plants and animals become
extinct each year, mostly because of human activities.
 The main factors which affect the distribution of population
and human settlement are: Relief of land, climate, soils,
mineral deposits, water supply...
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Over the centuries we, Indians,
have worshiped nature. We
have lived in harmony with
nature. However, of late, we
have followed western countries
past of conflict with nature.
 The result is that today, we
observe and experience, over
all environmental degradation.
 Any objective view of state of
environment, of or
India would an
developing countries
clearly show that: y
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Soils are eroding.
 Forests retreat.
 Water quality is
unsatisfactory.
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Urban air quality is worse.
 Watersheds are losing storage
capacity.
 Reservoirs are filled up with
sediments.
Environmental
Degradation
 Wildlife and their habitats are being
eliminated.
 Solids wastes pile up and smolder.
 Costal spawning grounds disappear
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Some of these components have changed to such an extent
that cannot be set right by self-regulatory mechanism of the
environment. Consequently, the changed environmental
conditions adversely affect the living organisms of the
biosphere.
Environmental
Degradation
 Environmental degradation thus can be defined as the
lowering of environmental qualities due to the damaged
caused by both natural events and human activities in the
basic structure of the environment at local, regional and
global levels adversely affecting all living organism including
man.
EnvironmentalDegradation
 The total environmental degradation and pollution arises
mainly due to consumption of natural resources by over
population of the developing countries and wasteful over
consumption of recourses by developed countries.
 IPAT equation popularly known as the impact
equation as presented .
 I =PAT {P=population, A= affluence T= Technology}
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Environmental degradation has led to the destruction of the
environmental stability and ecological balance. Some of the
natural events that cause environmental degradation are
volcanic eruption, forests fires, earthquakes, floods.
EnvironmentalDegradation
 Examples of human activities causing pollution and
degradation of environment are nuclear explosion, release
of toxic gases from automobiles, power plants and various
industries etc.
Environmental Education:
Importance
 The objective of environmental education is to make public
aware about environmental problem, and importance of
environment protection.
 It gives us the basic understanding about various aspects of
environment and its associated problem.
 It teaches us the concept of sustainable development.
 It gives an idea about beneficial use of natural resources
without damaging it much.
 It teaches us how to conserve energy and save our planet.
 It develops skills to identify environmental problems and
their solution
Environmental Education:Objectives
Environmental Education:Principle
 Environmental education considers environment in totality.
 It is not a one short learning process but it requires a
holistic approach as it multidisciplinary in nature.
 Environmental hazards are controllable and every citizen
has a moral obligation and responsibility towards this.
Education must be given to all section of the society.
 Help learner to discover the systems and causes of
environmental problems.
Importance of Different EngineeringDisciplines:
1. Mechanical Engineering:
 it deals with design and operation of many combustion
processes.
 He/she try to increase the efficiency of combustion process,
as incomplete combustion leads to production of carbon
dioxide and other air pollutants.
 Use of refrigeration which have higher global warming
potential ,
which may eliminate the use of these environmentally.
2. Civil Engineering:-
 Demolition and construction waste are produce in large
quantity in various works related to civil engineering.
 If a civil engineering is aware of the problems cause in
handling and disposing of waste.
Importance of Different Engineering Disciplines:
3) Electrical Engineering :-
 Producing energy by conventional energy sources
causes depletion of natural resources and large amount
of pollution.
 Power sector is one of the largest contributor.
 Basic knowledge of different types of pollutant produce in
power generation and their impacts on environment.
4) Computer/IT Engineering:-
 It includes of e-waste, it source and impacts on the
environment.
 Computer engineers with a sound knowledge of
environmental science would try to develop technologies
which can use to upgrade existing computer and IT gadgets
easily there by reducing need of replacing the existing one.