Environmental Protection and Management PDF

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT JONALYN CIELITO UY- FRANCISCO,RN,MSN NSTP INSTRUCTOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve n...

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT JONALYN CIELITO UY- FRANCISCO,RN,MSN NSTP INSTRUCTOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION Environmental protection is the practice of protecting the natural environment by individuals, organizations and governments. Its objectives are to conserve natural resources and the existing natural environment and, where possible, to repair damage and reverse trends.  ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT refers to the management of modern human society with, and its impact on, the environment. Because natural resources are finite and limited, they can only support a certain population within any species Environmental management means different things to different people. is the process by which environmental health is regulated. It does not involve managing the environment itself, but it is the process of taking steps and behaviors to have a positive effect on the environment. To reduce the risk of these environmental impacts’ occurrence, we clearly set objectives and targets such as: Protection of Land Conservation of Water; Protection of Forests; Animals in Our Environment; Our Climate. CHARACTERISTICS OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT It deals with world affected by humans; It supports sustainable development It demands a multidisciplinary approach; It has to integrate different development view points; It seeks to integrate natural & social science, policy making & planning. CONCEPT OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT is an attempt to control human impact on and interaction with the environment in order to preserve natural resources. Environmental management focuses on the improvement of human welfare for present and future generations. Administrative functions that develop, implement, and monitor the environmental policy of an organization. Environment management implies not only a mere management of environment but it is essentially the management of various activities with intolerable constraints imposed by the environment itself and with full consideration of ecological factors. Thus it involves environmental planning, conservation of resources, environmental status evaluation and environmental legislation and administration. SIGNIFICANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IS AN APPROACH WHICH INTEGRATES ECOLOGY, POLICY MAKING, PLANNING AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT. ITS MAIN OBJECTIVES ARE AS FOLLOWS: To prevent and solve environmental problems. To establish limits To develop research institutions and monitoring systems. To warn threats and identify opportunities.  To suggest measures for resource conservation. To develop a strategy for the improvement of quality. To suggest long-term and short-term policies for sustainable development. To identify new technology for future development SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF ENVIRONMENT 1. Everything is connected to everything else. (Ang lahat ng bagay ay magkakaugnay.) Human interaction with nature oftentimes alters the ecosystems. The waste we improperly dispose of brings about the deterioration of land and water quality. This may in turn reduce their capacity to provide life for other organisms. Deforestation causes soil erosion and the earth deposited on the water bodies covers the coral reefs resulting to fishery loss. Suspended particulates from vehicular and stationary sources may cause lung problems among city residents. War causes destruction of wildlife and habitats. There is a cause and effect chain, even when it is neither always visible nor observable. 2. All forms of life are important. (Ang lahat na may buhay ay mahalaga.) All living organisms were created for a purpose in relation to humans, other species on earth and global ecosystem in general. Thus, when a species becomes extinct, it is like removing a piece of a jigsaw puzzle from the web of life. The variety of life forms, manifested by the different levels of biological diversity – community, species and genes – contributes to the stability of the environment. Food webs, food chains and ecological relationships link plants and animals together in the web of life. Even bacteria, insects, snakes and rats have ecological functions even though humans perceive them as parasites or pests.  The composition of biological diversity naturally changes slowly but the rate of transition has become faster due to factors such as habitat destruction. Deforestation may diminish forest species such as birds that are vulnerable to modification of their home. Pollution of waters reduces the quantity of fishes, shells, algae and other aquatic life. Over harvesting of natural products likewise contributes to the unsustainable use of food and material resources. To maintain ecological balance, therefore, the conservation of genes, species and ecosystems becomes essential to keep life together. Biodiversity conservation strategies commence with the protection of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Land uses, such as protected areas, ensure that the natural state of these habitats continue to exist in designated areas. Community-based approaches in conservation maximize citizens’ participation in protected areas. Integrity of natural ecosystems can likewise be guarded through the preservation of indigenous species. 3. Everything must go somewhere. (Ang lahat ng bagay ay may patutunguhan.) By-products of consumption go back to the environment. Everything that we throw away – pieces of paper, left-over food, peelings of fruits, plastic wrappers, used containers – have to go somewhere. Even plants and animals have their own wastes – feces, urine, dead leaves and branches. It is the law of nature that the by-products of metabolism return to the soil, acted upon first by worms, bacteria and fungi, and then converted into minerals, to be again absorbed by plants and eaten by animals. In short, they enter into a material cycle that is an integral part of the ecosystem. But what happens if what we throw is an artificial product such as plastic? Then natural bacteria can not recognize them and may not be capable of breaking them apart. These non-biodegradable products must enter another material cycle – the one that goes to the factory to be manufactured into a new product. Thus the retrieval, collection and recycling of these materials become necessary so that they do not pollute land and water habitats. 4. Ours is a finite earth. (Ang kalikasan ay may hangganan.) Everything that we need is provided by nature in abundance – food, water, energy, minerals and air. However, some resources that we depend upon nowadays are extracted excessively but are slow to replace. These non-renewable resources experience limits of supply. For instance, fossil fuels produced over thousands of years may be exhausted in a hundred years. Some energy sources like water, and wood may be replaced easier but have become inaccessible due to pollution and excessive extraction. Diminishing forest cover have resulted from logging, ineffective reforestation and continued land conversion. However, food scarcity and poverty may have resulted from failed distribution systems rather than inability of the land and water bodies to yield food. 5. Nature knows best. (Ang kalikasan ang mas nakakaalam.) Nature manifests certain processes that enable it to maintain balance and remain in a state of equilibrium. The nutrient cycling of nitrogen, carbon, sulfur and phosphorous in the air, water and land indicates that minerals are utilized within the confines of the earth. The flow of energy from the sun enables light to be converted into sugar in plants through photosynthesis, and later for consumer organisms to obtain energy from plant starch. Food chains and food webs allow transfer of energy from producers and consumers and provide the means for all living organisms to acquire nutrition. Population control also occurs naturally through predator – prey relationships. The equilibrium in the ecosystem is maintained, thus if humans intervene, unforeseen negative impacts known as ecological backlash, may arise. Floods are often times backlashes of excessive felling of trees. The importation of golden kuhol, that became a pest, reminds us that biological organisms may not acclimatize in a new environment or may cause harm to indigenous species. 6. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation. (Ang kalikasan ay maganda at tayo ang tagapangasiwa ng lahat na nilikha ng Diyos.) Different religions from Islam to Buddhism to Judeo-Christian to indigenous people’s animism express the belief of caring for the earth, including all creatures. Thus it is the goal of environmental education and biodiversity conservation education to motivate target audiences towards developing an eco-spirituality that moves them into a more meaningful relationship with nature and a greater participation in the biophysical economic processes that make this world a better place to live in. 7. Everything changes. (Ang lahat ay nagbabago.) Changes in the biophysical world occur naturally. As they say, there is nothing more permanent in this world than change. Consider the following examples. Metamorphosis of caterpillars to butterflies illustrates morphological changes that occur in living forms. The increase of vegetation on earth augmented the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere through time. Seasons are cyclic changes that contribute to the diversity of flowers, fruits, vegetables and other crops during the year. Random changes manifested by natural catastrophe such as typhoons destroy forests, coral reefs and mangroves. Volcanic eruptions annihilate surface flora and submerge rivers. THE SEVEN LAWS OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION LAW LAW DESCRIPTION In partnership with stakeholders, 1. R.A. 9003 – the law aims to adopt a Ecological Solid systematic, comprehensive and Waste Management ecological solid waste Act of 2000 management program that shall ensure the protection of public health and environment. The law ensures proper segregation, collection, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the formulation and adaptation of best eco-waste products. 2. R.A. 9275 – The law aims to protect the Philippine Clean country's water bodies from Water Act of 2004 pollution from land-based sources (industries and commercial establishments, agriculture and community/household activities). It provides for comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through a multi-sectoral and participatory approach involving all the stakeholders.  The law aims to protect the country's 3. R.A. 6969 – Toxic water bodies from pollution from Substances, land-based sources (industries and Hazardous and Nuclear commercial establishments, Waste Control Act of agriculture and 1990 community/household activities). It provides for comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and minimize pollution through a multi- sectoral and participatory approach involving all the stakeholders 4. R.A. 8435 – Agriculture It establishes that the Department of and Fisheries Agriculture, together with other Modernization Act of 1997 appropriate agencies, should take into account climate change, weather disturbances and annual productivity cycles in forecasting and formulating appropriate agricultural and fisheries programs.  This moves for an 5. R.A. 8749 – effective air quality Clean Air Act of management program that will 1999 mitigate the worsening problem of air pollution in the country.  This promotes national 6. R.A. 9512 – awareness on the role of National natural resources in Environmental economic growth and Awareness and the importance of environmental Education Act of conservation and 2008 ecological balance towards sustained national development. 7. R.A. 9513 – It promotes the Renewable Energy development, utilization and Act of 2008 commercialization of renewable energy resources. FOREST PROTECTION CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT Forest protection is a branch of forestry which is concerned with the preservation or improvement of a forest and prevention and control of damage to forest by natural or man made causes. (example - fire, animals, insect, fungi, injurious plants and adverse climatic conditions.) This forest protection also has a legal status and rather than protection from only people damaging the forests is seen to be broader and include forest pathology too. Thus due to this the different emphases around the world paradoxically suggest different things for forest protection. THE TYPES OF MAN-INDUCED ABUSE THAT FOREST PROTECTION SEEKS TO PREVENT INCLUDE:  Aggressive or unsustainable farming and logging  Pollution of soil on which forests grow  Expanding city development caused by population explosion and the resulting urban sprawl FOREST CONSERVATION Did you know that forests are called the lungs of the environment? They are a factory of oxygen and various other very important natural resources. Can humans live without their lungs? Similarly, the environment too would not survive without forests. Let us take a look at forest conservation.  Forest conservation as the name suggests is the preservation and the protection of forests. It also involves the reversal of deforestation and environmental pollution. The preservation of all natural resources is absolutely essential for the balance of our ecosystem. IMPORTANCE OF FORESTS Let us take a look at why forests are so very important to us and our environment. We are basically dependent on forests for our survival. And so their conservation is of essential importance. The most important function of forests is that it produces mass amounts of oxygen as a by-product of photosynthesis. Oxygen is the main respiratory gas for all animals, it ensures our survival. And while photosynthesis, trees also absorb carbon dioxide from the air. This is one of the main pollutants of air pollution. Hence forests also reduce air pollution. Forests also prevent soil erosion and keep soil pollution in check. Deforestation, in fact, leads to soil erosion on a large scale since the topsoil comes loose.  Forests also play an important part in the water cycle and control moisture levels of our ecosystem.  And finally, forests are the natural home and habitat for millions of species of animals, birds, and insects. WAYS TO CONSERVE THE FOREST Controlled Deforestation While deforestation cannot be avoided completely, we must look to control it. Young and immature trees should not be felled as far as possible. We must look to avoid large-scale commercial deforestation as well. Adapting practices such as clear-cutting or selective cutting will be beneficial in the long run. WAYS TO CONSERVE THE FOREST Protect against Forest Fires Forest fires are the most common and deadly cause of loss of forests. They can start due to natural causes or can be accidents caused by man or even intentional in some cases. Once a fire spreads in a forest it is very difficult to control. Precautions must be taken for such incidents. Making fire lanes, spreading chemicals to control fire, clearing out dry leaves and trees etc. WATER CONSERVATION What is Water Conservation? Water conservation is a practice in which people, companies, and governments attempt to reduce their water usage. Water is essential to life on earth. We need water to grow food, keep clean, provide power, control fire, and last but not least, we need it to stay alive! If water is constantly being cleaned and recycled through the earth’s water cycle People use up our planet’s fresh water faster than it can naturally be replenished. WATER CONSERVATION Ways on how to conserve water: 1. Take short showers and share bathwater. Showers use much less water. The other choice is to fill a bucket with water and take a can or a jug, and keep filling it with water from the bucket and pouring it over your head - if you have some extra water save it for some other person to use. You can lather yourself up with the water turned off in the middle of the shower. 2. Pollute less. When washing dishes, wash greasy pans last to keep the water clean. 3. Turn off taps properly. Especially when brushing your teeth - every little bit helps. WATER CONSERVATION 4. Fix dripping taps. The constant drip wastes water, energy and money, so repair them as soon as possible. You can also save by installing an inexpensive "flow control" device in shower heads and faucets. 5. Use appliances efficiently. Running the clothes washer with a full load and using cold water (30 degrees Celsius) whenever possible can lead to big energy savings. Use detergents that clean clothes effectively in colder water. Thank you!