Environmental Science and Engineering: 10 Key Issues

Environmental Science and Engineering

• Environmental Science is the study of how humans interact with their environment.
• Environmental Engineering uses this understanding to develop and apply technologies that maintain or improve environmental quality.

Environmental Issues

• There are 10 major environmental issues:
  • Population
  • Climate Change
  • Loss of Biodiversity
  • The Phosphorus and Nitrogen Cycles
  • Water
  • Ocean Acidification
  • Pollution
  • Ozone Depletion
  • Overfishing
  • Deforestation

Factors Affecting the Environment

• Pollution is the introduction of substances or energy into the environment, liable to cause harm to living creatures or ecological systems.
• Causes of pollution:
  • More sophisticated lifestyles
  • Growing needs of people
  • Accelerated rates of human and economic activities

Types of Pollution

• Air Pollution: introduction of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials into the atmosphere, causing harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms.
• Water Pollution: contamination of water bodies (e.g. lakes, rivers, oceans, and groundwater).
• Land Pollution: degradation of Earth's land surfaces, often caused by human activities and their misuse of land resources.
• Noise Pollution: excessive, displeasing human, animal, or machine-created environmental noise that disrupts the activity or balance of human or animal life.

Renewable Energy

• Solar Energy
• Wind Energy
• Hydroelectric Power

Importance of Environmental Science

• Biodiversity loss is a major environmental problem, as extinct species are gone forever.
• Environmental science helps us understand our relationship with the environment and informs our attempts to solve and prevent problems.
• Solving environmental problems can lead to health, longevity, peace, and prosperity.
• Environmental science can help find balanced solutions to environmental problems.

Conclusion

• The environment encompasses the whole of life on earth and the complex interactions that link the living world with the physical world.
• Environmental science is crucial in understanding and addressing sudden and dramatic natural changes to the environment.