What is Environmental Science?

Environmental science is based on the impact of human actions upon terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and
develops ideas and plans for restoring these ecosystems. Environmental scientists also help planners develop and
construct buildings and other modules to help benefit water resources and efficient land usage. Environmental
research is commonly conducted among many different interdisciplinary sciences to produce one goal. Since most
environmental issues deal with human activities, study of economics, law and social sciences are often used in
conjunction with environmental science.

Environmental science deals with a wide range of issues including: climate change, conservation, biodiversity,
water quality, soil and groundwater contamination, natural resources, waste management, development, disaster
reduction, and various pollutions.

What is the main goal of environmental science?

The three main goals of environmental science are: to learn how the natural world works, to understand how
humans interact with the environment, and to find ways to deal with environmental problems and live more
sustainably.

What are the effect of business on environment?

The issues related to environmental impact in business are diverse and wide-ranging. They include resource
depletion, pollution of air, water, and soil, habitat destruction, greenhouse gas emissions, waste generation, and
the loss of biodiversity.

What are the business activities that affect the environment?

Let us take a deep-dive into the various ways' businesses affect the environment:

 Accelerated Natural Resource Consumption. Many industries use coal, wood or oil to generate electricity
or other forms of energy. ...
 Noise Pollution. ...
 Commercial Waste. ...
 Air Pollution. ...
 Water Pollution. ...
 Aesthetic Damage.

What type of environment impacts a business?

The external business environment consists of economic, political and legal, demographic, social, competitive,
global, and technological sectors. Managers must understand how the environment is changing and the impact of
those changes on the business.

The Top 6 Environmental Issues in Business

Environmental issues have no borders. As environmental issues continue to worsen globally, businesses are seeing
the responsibility they have to reduce their elephantine carbon footprints. Mass production needs mass amounts
of resources. If we do not care for the planet, the precious resources we have will deplete, to the detriment of all.

Companies that face environmental and ethical issues in business with solutions have a market advantage.
Consumers are increasingly more likely to purchase from businesses with strong CSR strategies.

Below are some of the major environmental issues the world, and business world, are facing:

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1. Pollution

Pollution is when contaminants gather in an environment and cause harmful or unfavorable effects. We see
pollution in the air, water, and soil of our planet that have a harmful effect on human beings and global
ecosystems.

The main contributor to air pollution is the excess burning of fossil fuels. Burning products that produce carbon
dioxide, like fossil fuels, cause C02 levels to become unbalanced and affect our air quality.

Major contributors to water pollution are industrial waste, marine dumping, and the agricultural industry. Water
pollution is from improper waste disposal and the use of harmful chemicals that seep into our water sources.

How Pollution Affects Business

These are the primary ways that pollution can affect business:

Loss of Employees

Pollution affects business because it causes health problems in the workforce. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), air pollution causes 4.2 million deaths every year globally.

Pollution causes health problems in humans which has a direct effect on sick days and health benefits requested by
employees. When employees face health problems, productivity decreases.

Loss of Resources

Pollution affects business because it depletes usable resources.

Of the 3% fresh water available on the planet, only 0.5% is drinkable. This is because the other 2.5% is frozen in
glaciers or too polluted to consume. If we continue to pollute our water, we will continue to make scarce a life-
giving resource.

Why Businesses Should Reduce Pollution

Pollution is one of the top environmental issues that businesses have a role in reducing. A 2017 study found
that 100 businesses contributed nearly 71% of the greenhouse gas emissions on our planet.

If businesses make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint and use water-safe practices, the global production of
air and water pollution will reduce dramatically.

Businesses produce large amounts of pollution to manufacture and transport products and power warehouses
and storefronts. Consumers are aware that corporations have a larger environmental impact than single entities
and are holding companies accountable for their environmental actions.

For example, airline companies are aware of their impact on global C02 emissions and are working to use cleaner
fuel sources to combat their carbon footprint.

The company AeroFarms uses vertical gardening with 95% less water use than conventional agricultural practices
and no pesticides.

These companies have recognized the impact of pollution and have made steps to mitigate their effects on the
environment.

2. Climate Change

Climate change is a result of global warming. Climate change is the long-term shift in weather patterns and global
temperatures due to rising carbon levels. Carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses trap heat in our atmosphere
resulting in slight but ever-increasing temperature changes.

Climate change is one of the biggest environmental issues that we face because it affects all weather systems and
climates around the globe. Droughts, forest fires, floods, storms, and natural disasters are all a result of climate
change.

The main contributors to climate change are burning fossil fuels, industrial and agriculture practices, and
deforestation.

How Climate Change Affects Business

These are the primary ways that climate change can affect business:

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Loss of Employees

Climate change affects businesses because employees are relocating due to natural disasters.

Another way businesses lose productivity because of climate change is from increased sick leave requests. As a
result of the California wildfires, laws were put in place to protect employees when requesting sick leave.

Loss of Product

Climate change affects businesses because natural disasters destroy warehouses, natural resources, and interrupt
transportation schedules.

Why Businesses Should Care About Climate Change

Companies are seeing that going carbon neutral is beneficial to business.

Businesses are not impervious to the effects of climate change. Natural disasters affect crop production, destroy
infrastructure, and destroy resources. A 2021 study of 750 executives reported that more than 25% are already
noticing a scarcity of resources in the supply chain due to the effects of climate change.

Which brings us to our next environmental issue in business...

3. Depleting Natural Resources

Natural resources are objects sourced from the earth that we use in the production and manufacturing of goods.

We see examples of depleting natural resources from deforestation, mining, and agriculture. Deforestation is
depleting our forests. We are using unsustainable amounts of wood in our production methods.

Mining is depleting fossil fuels and mineral deposits. At the same time, mining contributes to pollution and habitat
destruction.

Overfarming is depleting the nutrients in our soil and our water supply.

We need to seek renewable energy sources, sustainable materials, and updated decision-making methods to
ensure that the resources are protected for future generations.

How Depleting Natural Resources Affects Business

These are the primary ways that depleting natural resources can affect business:

Loss of Product

Depleting natural resources affects businesses because products that use the resource will be more expensive and
difficult to manufacture.

If businesses do not have the resources they need to produce their products, what happens to that business if it
does not adapt to a green future? It goes extinct too.

Loss of Profit

Depleting natural resources affect businesses because scarcity increases overhead.

Scarcity creates more market competition which increases prices for consumers. However, a higher sticker price
does not result in increased profits, since overhead prices in production also increase.

Why Businesses Should Care About Depleting Resources

Economic sustainability is in the best interest of a business, especially one that relies on natural resources.
Economic sustainability examples include companies like AgroFarms and Source water producing solar panels,
which make a profit from sustainable methods of business.

Protecting natural resources gives longevity to a company, protecting the planet as well as profits.

As fossil fuels continue to be depleted, locally sourced products will have a market advantage with lower fuel costs.

According to one source, the return of investment on clean water is quadrupled due to reduced healthcare costs,
increased productivity, and fewer premature deaths.

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4. Habitat Destruction

Habitat destruction is when an environment becomes unsuitable to sustain normal life for inhabitants of that area
or ecosystem. Habitat destruction is one of the top environmental issues in business because it contributes to
depleting natural resources, pollution, and climate change.

We see habitat destruction of pandas, elephants, and tigers from the depletion of forest environments due to
deforestation and human influence. But humans are increasingly finding their own habitats being destroyed which
has a direct effect on business.

The 2020 wildfires in the United States burned millions of acres of forests. This destroyed animal habitats,
displaced families, and resulted in increased insurance rates which drive up living costs.
The main contributor to habitat destruction is human influence from mining, deforestation, and overpopulation.

How Habitat Destruction Affects Business

These are the primary ways that habitat destruction can affect business:

Loss of Employees

Habitat destruction affects businesses because as houses get destroyed and insurance rates increase, families
relocate to cost-friendlier areas. The reduction of a viable workforce results in reduced production.

Loss of Product

Habitat destruction affects business because as we deplete our natural resources, products that use those
resources can no longer be sourced. Habitat destruction results in higher overheads and, eventually, the inability
to continue production of the product.

Loss of Profits

Habitat destruction goes hand in hand with resource depletion which raises overhead costs and cuts into company
profits.

Another way habitat destruction affects business profits is through government initiatives to go green. Anti-plastic
laws changed the ways we used plastic bags and straws seemingly overnight. Companies that produced these
plastic products needed to sustainably adapt in order to hold onto the market and their profits.

Why Businesses Should Care About Habitat Destruction

Companies face turnover from something that seems out of their control. At first glance, a raging forest fire
burning down an employee's house does not seem to be the responsibility of the company. However, when the
employee relocates and seeks new employment in a new city, the company suffers and must retrain a new staff
member.

When businesses care about habitat destruction and source raw goods from more sustainable sources,
like bamboo instead of wood, employees and CEOs benefit.

Bamboo toothbrushes have seen a steady increase in sales, showing that consumers are increasingly interested in
purchasing sustainably sourced products

5. Overpopulation

Overpopulation means the number of people on the planet or given environment outnumbers the resources
available to sustain that population.

Overpopulation contributes to pollution and climate change, improper waste disposal, habitat destruction, and the
depletion of resources.

How Overpopulation Affects Business

These are the primary ways that overpopulation can affect business:

Loss of Employees

Overpopulation affects business because it correlates to lower education rates and low-income rates.
Overpopulation reduces the talent pool of an educated and qualified workforce making it more difficult for
companies to secure the employees they are looking for.

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Loss of Profits

Overpopulation affects business profits because more people means higher inflation rates. As inflation rates rise,
resources cost more which cuts into business profits.

Why Businesses Should Care About Overpopulation

Overpopulation is the main contributor to most of the environmental challenges we face today. Businesses have
an impact on overpopulation that requires long-term thinking.

In the short-term, overpopulation means more market competition which is good for business. However,
overpopulation has negative consequences on our environment and it reduces the quality of life for low-income
families.

Businesses have an impact on overpopulation. Families in poverty have more children than higher-earning families.
Livable wages contribute to education and medical care which in turn results in fewer children per family.

When a business invests in livable wages for their employees, they are investing in a higher quality of life and a
more educated workforce for the future generation.

Why Businesses Should Care About Overpopulation

Overpopulation is the main contributor to most of the environmental challenges we face today. Businesses have
an impact on overpopulation that requires long-term thinking.

In the short-term, overpopulation means more market competition which is good for business. However,
overpopulation has negative consequences on our environment and it reduces the quality of life for low-income
families.

Businesses have an impact on overpopulation. Families in poverty have more children than higher-earning families.
Livable wages contribute to education and medical care which in turn results in fewer children per family.

When a business invests in livable wages for their employees, they are investing in a higher quality of life and a
more educated workforce for the future generation.

6. Improper Waste Disposal

Improper waste disposal is one of the top environmental issues in business. Due to overpopulation and improper
waste disposal, we are polluting our land, water, and air.

Improper waste disposal is seen in nearly every product; from single-use plastic water bottles to fast fashion, to
where we put animal feces from factory farms.

How Improper Waste Disposal Affects Business

These are the primary ways that improper waste disposal can affect business:

Loss of Profits

Improper waste disposal affects business profits because government policies are being put in place to keep
companies financially accountable for their environmental effects.

For example, in 2020, Walgreens was fined USD 3.5-million for improper waste disposal.

Loss of Employees

Improper waste disposal has serious health consequences for employees and anyone living in areas surrounding
production plants.

For example, farms that used dangerous chemicals in agricultural practices have now poisoned the drinking water
of this California town. Relocation and sick leave reduce the workforce for businesses.

Why Businesses Should Properly Dispose of Waste

Improper waste disposal from one part of the planet can have long-term effects on the entire planet. A new study
in 2022 found microplastics in human blood. Microplastics are associated with improper plastic disposal and have
been found in rainwater.

Businesses produce a lot of waste and benefit from the continuous purchase of goods. Fast fashion is an example
of a business model that has a responsibility to consider the end location of last season's fabrics.

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For example, the jean brand Levi’s released a new line of jeans called WellThread which uses sustainable materials
and no harmful chemicals.

Proper waste disposal will preserve our global freshwater sources from contaminants to keep employees and
consumers healthy. Recycling practices will give us multiple uses of resources to preserve the raw goods we have
so that production lines can continue meeting consumer needs.

The Bottom Line

Our planet faces environmental challenges that have direct and negative consequences on the longevity of current
business practices.

Pollution, climate change, habitat destruction, overpopulation, depleting resources, and improper waste disposal
all have cyclical effects on profits, employee turnover, and productivity.

Businesses have the worldwide reach, the resources, and the technology to make scaleable changes to their
procedures to reduce their impact on the environment. When businesses acknowledge and take responsibility for
their large-scale environmental impact, the whole planet benefits.

9 External Factors tha Affects Business

What are external environment factors?

External environment factors are elements that exist outside of a company's internal environment that can affect a
company's operations. These outside forces can help the business or present challenges to its current processes.
Managers often keep track of external environment factors so they can recognize and resolve the issues the factors
cause and make appropriate changes.

Related: General Environment: Six Factors That Influence Business

Why are external environment factors important?

External environment factors are important because they can cause direct and indirect effects on business
operations, personnel and revenue. The external environment of a company changes constantly in ways beyond
the company's control, but executives and managers can track these changes and minimize their consequences.
Choosing to monitor the dynamic nature of external environment factors allows businesses to protect themselves
against predictable events and mitigate the effects of unexpected changes.

9 types of external environment factors

Here are the nine types of external environment factors that affect businesses:

1. Technological factors

As technology continues to advance, companies can benefit from these breakthroughs or face challenges in
competing with them. For example, a company that manufactures GPS devices for personal cars may experience a
decline in business because of the integration of GPS on mobile devices, but it can confront these challenges by
developing new products. Other companies, such as health care providers, can use modernized methods to collect
information from their patients, keep patient records and streamline patient care.

2. Economic factors

The state of the economy plays an important role in every aspect of daily life from the well-being of personnel to
the ability of a company to thrive. When the economy trends downward and unemployment rises, businesses may
have to work harder to keep their staff and change their processes to continue earning revenue. If the company
produces products for retail sale, for instance, it may consider lowering the price to increase sales and positively
affect its revenue.

3. Political and legal factors

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As political officials leave office and new ones replace them, the policies they implement often affect businesses in
relevant industries. Because of the inconsistent nature of politics, businesses monitor legislative bills closely to
prepare for potential changes. Policies that can have long-term effects on companies include:

 Taxation

 Tariffs

 Employment law

 Competition regulation

 Import restrictions

 Intellectual property law

Companies affected by political decisions must modify their processes to comply with new legislation and
regulations but doing so can keep them in business.

4. Demographic factors

Companies with successful products and services evaluate the demographics of their target market to ensure they
meet the needs of those who benefit from their offerings. They also perform tests to measure how well they serve
their customers. This helps them understand if their target market has changed and how they can develop better
ways to serve their loyal customers and earn new ones. Demographics that affect business decisions and processes
include:

 Age

 Gender

 Race

 Nationality

 Belief system

 Marital status

 Occupation

 Income

 Level of education

For example, when mobile phone companies emerged in the 1990s, their marketing efforts focused on young,
successful professionals. Now, people of all ages use mobile devices daily. Telecommunications companies have
adapted to this change by modifying the features of their products and taking different approaches to advertising
methods.

Related: What Are Demographics? (Definition, Examples and Uses)

5. Social factors

Where people live, their personal values and their socioeconomic status affect what, where and why people make
purchases. Businesses take social factors into consideration when developing and marketing products, and many
use current events, movements and social issues to appeal to their customers. For example, a company that
supports a women's organization may earn the trust and loyalty of customers who identify as female. Catering to
the specific preferences and expectations of underrepresented groups, who have more influence on the market
today than in past years, can also contribute to customer satisfaction and business growth.

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6. Competitive factors

Businesses can increase their market share and stay relevant to their customers by keeping track of their
competitors. They can identify and evaluate successes and challenges, thus learning what to incorporate into their
own processes and how to prevent revenue loss. They can also use the information they gather to develop ideas
for product changes, product relaunches and new product development.

7. Global factors

Executives have a duty to keep track of both domestic and global issues, especially if they conduct business
internationally. By learning about social issues that affect those in other countries and their cultural norms,
consumer trends and economic status, company leaders can provide their teams with relevant training. This
enables them to develop products or offer services that meet the needs of international customers by providing
solutions to challenges they face as consumers.

8. Ethical factors

Because each individual has a distinct concept of ethics and morality, some companies may find it challenging to
balance the personal lives of staff members with their expectations in the workplace. Employees' leisure activities,
such as social media accounts, can reflect on their employer. As representatives of the company, they have a
responsibility to avoid behavior that could negatively affect the business. Managers can address issues such as
sharing classified information or the harassment of a colleague outside of work by establishing guidelines and
taking disciplinary action when necessary.

9. Natural factors

As environmental awareness continues to grow, more consumers have realized the effects of business processes
on the planet. Some consumers have used their purchases to support companies that develop ecologically friendly
practices, such as using compostable packaging and solar energy. By paying attention to these external concerns
and changing their operations, businesses can make changes that help them protect the environment, retain
customers and increase revenue.

Top 5 Environmental Issues That Will Affect Your Business

As climate change continues, the costs have nowhere to go but up. This includes the cost of doing business. With
top environmental issues becoming increasingly urgent, all kinds of businesses will suffer, including your own. The
following five issues are the most likely to affect your business going forward.

1. Demographic Displacement

Rising sea levels are one of the top environmental factors that threaten business as usual. Your marketing
department has the flexibility to follow its target market from north to south, urban to rural, but vast migrations of
people in coastal cities would be difficult if not impossible to track, especially when they are fleeing flooding or the
threat of severe storms. Natural disasters brought about by a warming planet could cause the disintegration of
your company’s client base.

Similarly, residents of areas experiencing severe drought will be displaced and forced to relocate, further
disrupting your company’s carefully planned marketing outreach. In addition, the World Health Organization
reports an increase in infectious disease due to climate change that would certainly affect consumer markets.

2. Shifting Food Supply

Agriculture and fisheries depend upon specific climatic conditions, according to the EPA. Warming seawater is
bringing about shifts in ocean ecosystems. If you own a restaurant, provide food service or cater executive
events, scarcity of shellfish, salmon, halibut, tuna and other ocean catches will force menu changes and
ultimately make it more difficult for you to supply your clientele.

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Climate change affects crop yields, too, causing shortages in the food supply chain as well as losses for farmers.
Business Insider reports that as much as 63 percent of the world’s top wine-growing regions may be in jeopardy
by mid-century because grapes are extremely sensitive to changes in temperature.

Drought conditions are already driving changes in agricultural regions. Over the next few decades, global
warming will negatively affect most crops and livestock, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Farmers will be forced to adjust to the warming environment by making changes in the crops they grow. The
stress of increasing temperatures is likely to influence the growth, fertility and performance of livestock raised
for food. Costs for comestibles will rise, and supplies are likely to become scarce. Business owners will need
agility to keep pace.

3. Inflation

Direct and indirect increases in the cost of food and goods typically follow supply shortages, and inflation affects
all aspects of the economy.

Time magazine reports that researchers project a 23 percent drop in the average salary by 2100 due to climate
change. It follows that the average business will experience a drop in revenue as well. Throughout the world,
productivity depends on a climate that fosters those conditions where people perform the best. Rising
temperatures are likely to affect how well people can do their jobs, how hard they are able to work and how
effective they can be.

The choice right now is not one of the economy or the environment. Instead, it is a matter of protecting the
environment to safeguard the future economy. If the federal government took steps now to mitigate future
inflation due to a changing climate, it might be able to minimize economic crisis. If it does nothing, it will pay
double once the economy reacts to the disruption of warming temperatures.

4. Uncertainty

The uncertainty that climate change brings about is one of the most compelling ways the environment will affect
your business, according to Triple Pundit. With business and industry unable or unwilling to reduce their
greenhouse gas emissions to the level that would significantly slow climate change, the future is uncertain and
risky. The type, timing, locations and magnitude of changes due to global warming are difficult to predict and
even harder to prepare for. Many businesses are likely to hunker down until these effects become clear, slowing
the economy and precluding growth. Others may take leaps of faith that do not pan out, thus experiencing
significant losses.

Civil unrest will increase with the uncertainty of a changing climate. Compounded with rising sea levels that
cause displacement and drought that exacerbates famine and disease, civil unrest disrupts business as usual
with looting, theft and destruction of property. If your establishment is a storefront, it could suffer physical
destruction. If it is online, it could be hacked and your customers’ sensitive personal information stolen. When
crisis triggers people’s survival instincts, fear and uncertainty drives aberrant behavior and lawlessness.

5. Expense

Depending upon the kind of business you own, you may need to budget for equipment upgrades or retrofits to
make it cleaner and greener, according to Investopedia. Throughout the world, leaders are pledging to reduce
those emissions that insulate the earth and accelerate climate change. If you own a delivery business, for example,
you may face replacement of your fleet with hybrid or electric vehicles to reduce carbon emissions. If you are in
manufacturing, you may have to retrofit your machinery to comply with stricter environmental regulations. For
more ideas on making your business greener, you should read our post on 9 must-have products to go green at
work.

The U.S. alone must cut 80 percent of its greenhouse gas emissions, and that represents a big expense for
taxpayers, according to the National Resources Defense Council. It projects that the cost of water for the nation
will near the trillion dollar mark by the year 2100, an over four-fold increase compared to today. The expense of
real estate losses will multiply by a factor of 10 and storm damage by a factor of 40.

Conclusion

Top environmental factors that will affect your business include storms, loss of resources, inflation, and scarcity of
food and water. These economic concerns are likely to be secondary to the risks to human health. As NRDC states,

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the longer people wait to address these factors, the more expensive a final solution will be – for the economy, for
society and for the earth itself.

Most people are conscious about their environmental footprint, but you can leave an environmental footprint with
your business as well. How can your business make a positive impact on the environment? Here are three ways
you can reduce your business’s environmental footprint.

How Your Small business Ca Make Positive Impact On The Environment.

Use Sustainable Materials

Sustainable materials are materials that are replenished at the same rate that they’re being used. For example,
according to Vetta, some fabrics are much more sustainable than others. If your business uses fabrics to produce
an item that you sell, instead of making clothing out of traditional fabrics like polyester or nylon, try bamboo or
hemp as those are sustainable materials that will not have a negative impact on the environment. Paper, cork,
wood and aluminum are examples of sustainable materials as they can either be recycled or are grown back at
very quick rates. In order to make a positive impact on the environment, make sure that what you use for your
business doesn’t hurt the environment.

Reduce Energy Use

Another thing you can do to help your small business make a positive impact on the environment is reduce your
energy use. Make sure that all lights are turned off before people leave for the day and that fans and other
electronics are turned off when not in use. According to Ideal Windows, you can save on energy simply by
improving glass performance. You might have to replace your windows, but it can be energy reducing and cost
effective to replace your windows rather than having to constantly increase your HVAC use. Another thing you can
do to reduce energy use is use renewable energy sources like solar or wind power. Reducing your energy use can
help mitigate your negative impact on the environment.

Recycle

Yet another thing you can do is recycle. Often, things get thrown away after they’ve served their purpose. Glass,
aluminum and paper are all recyclable and all it takes is to have a recycle bin available and encourage employees
to recycle rather than throw items away. Plastic bags are the number one cause of litter in cities and in the oceans,
so your business should do its best to avoid using plastic bags and recycle them if you do use them.

Your small business can have a large impact on the environment, but it’s up to you as to what kind of impact that
will be. Your influence can affect the environment for generations.

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