CHE110: Environmental Studies - Definition & Origins

• CHE110 is a course in Environmental Studies at Lovely Professional University.

Definition of Environment

• The term "environment" describes all external forces, influences, and conditions affecting the life, nature, behavior, growth, development, and maturity of living organisms.
• Environment means the sum total of all conditions surrounding man at a given point in space and time.
• Environment encompasses the range of external influences acting on an organism and the interactions with natural and man-made surroundings.

Origins of Environment

• "Environment" derives from the Old French word "environ," meaning "to surround" or "encircle."
• The first known use of "environment" in English was in 1603.
• In 1950, it described limited conditions at home or work.
• The modern concept includes complex interactions between people and the natural environment, as well as ecological, economic, aesthetic, and ethical concerns.

Types of Environment

• Natural Environment:
  • Lithosphere: The solid outer part of Earth.
  • Hydrosphere: Water.
  • Atmosphere: Layer of gases.
• Anthropogenic Environment:
  • Alteration of the natural environment for specific uses such as agricultural fields and aquaculture farms.

Realms of the Earth

• Air, water, land, living organisms, and materials surrounding us and their interactions constitute our environment.

Components of Environment

• Biotic Components: All living things.
  • Producers (Autotrophs).
  • Consumers (Heterotrophs): Primary, Secondary and Tertiary.
  • Decomposers.
• Abiotic Components: Non-living things.
  • Physical Environment: Light, temperature, humidity, soil.
  • Chemical Environment: Organic and inorganic compounds, water, acids.

Environmental Fields

• Environmental Science: Addresses environmental problems through interdisciplinary study.
• Environmental Engineering: Applies science and engineering principles to environmental issues.
• Environmental Studies: Focuses on the interaction of human beings with the environment.

Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental Studies

• Environmental Studies integrates concepts from physics, chemistry, biology, law, sociology, history, economics, art, religion, mathematics, and engineering.
• Basic and Applied Studies involves Life Sciences (Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology) and Physical Sciences (Physics, Chemistry, Earth Science, Atmospheric Science, Oceanography and Geography).
• Modelling is used in Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science.
• Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Hydraulics and Nanotechnology are used in Technology.
• Environmental Studies also incorporates Economics, Politics, Sociology, Law, Education, Management, Mass Communication, Philosophy, and Ethics in Management & Awareness.

Importance of Environmental Studies

• Helps to understand current environmental problems.
• Aids in maintaining ecological balance.
• Provides basic knowledge of the environment and related issues.
• Helps achieve sustainable development and understand the relationship between development and environment.
• Educates people regarding their duties towards the environment.
• Focuses on environmental management.
• Relates environment with the economy.
• Aims to protect biodiversity.
• Involves agriculture and the design of sustainable products.
• Addresses information related to population explosion, growth, and development.

Scope of Environmental Studies

• Environmental Management.
• Ecosystem Structure and Function.
• Research and Development.
• Environmental Pollution Control.
• Natural Resource Conservation.
• Ecology and biodiversity.
• Industries.
• Social development, including NGOs.
• Environmental Journalism.
• Environmentalist actions.
• Green Advocacy.
• Green Marketing.

Sustainable Development

• Sustainable development refers to the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Key Aspects of Sustainable Development

• Proper distribution of renewable and non-renewable resources is key.
• Inter-generational equity: Every generation holds the Earth in common with both present and future generations.
• Intra-generational equity: Distribution of resources within the same generation.

Measures for Sustainable Development

• Implementing effective planning for population control.
• Using effective/appropriate technology, such as "Design with Nature."
• Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle (3R's) Approach.
• Using effective planning for regeneration of natural resources.
• Improving quality of life including social, cultural and economic dimensions.

Waste Management/Circular Economy

• R0 Refuse: Make product redundant.
• R1 Rethink: Make product use more intensive.
• R2 Reduce: Increase efficiency in product.
• R3 Reuse: Reuse by another consumer.
• R4 Repair: Repair and maintenance of defective product.
• R5 Refurbish: Restore an old product.
• R6 Remanufacture: Use parts of discarded product in a new product with the same function.
• R7 Repurpose: Use discarded product in a new product with a different function.
• R8 Recycle: Process materials to obtain the same (high grade) or lower (low grade) quality.
• R9 Recover: Incineration of material with energy recovery.
• R10 Re-skill
• R11 Re-vision
• R12 Recover

Promoting Environmental Awareness

• Promoting Environmental Education.

Resource Utilization as Per Carrying Capacity

• Carrying capacity is the number of individuals of a species that a region/system can sustain.
• Supportive Capacity: assessment of the stock of available resources with their regenerative capacity on a natural/sustainable basis.
• Assimilative Capacity: the ability of the environment to carry waste material without adverse effects; pollution occurs when this capacity is exceeded.

The Political Process

• 1992: Agenda 21 (Rio).
• 2002: World Summit on Sustainable Development.
• 2012: The Future We Want (Rio+20).
• 2015: Sustainable Development Goals.
• The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) or Global Goals are a collection of 17 interlinked global goals designed to be a "blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all".
• The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly (UN-GA) and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.
• They are included in a UN-GA Resolution called the 2030 Agenda or what is colloquially known as Agenda 2030.

Seventeen Sustainable Development Goals

• End poverty in all its forms everywhere.
• End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.
• Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all stages.
• Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.
• Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.
• Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
• Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
• Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.
• Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.
• Reduce inequalities within and among countries.
• Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.
• Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• Take urgent actions to combat climate change and its impact.
• Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.
• Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably managed forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.
• Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.
• Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development.

Problems of Sustainable Development

• Disagreements between stakeholders, e.g., problem between different communities (Development, economic growth).
• Uncertainty: e.g., Global environmental issue.
• Consumption and lifestyle: Comparison between developed and undeveloped countries.
• Arguments over cause and responsibility: e.g., Pollution, global warming, etc.