Top 10 Environmental Issues Engineering.pdf

Top 10 Environmental Issues Engineering 1. Population 2. Climate Change 3. Loss of Biodiversity 4. The Phosphorus and Nitrogen Cycles 5. Water 6. Ocean Acidification 7. Pollution 8. Ozone Depletion 9. Over Fishing 10. Deforestation Science...improve our understanding...

Top 10 Environmental Issues Engineering 1. Population 2. Climate Change 3. Loss of Biodiversity 4. The Phosphorus and Nitrogen Cycles 5. Water 6. Ocean Acidification 7. Pollution 8. Ozone Depletion 9. Over Fishing 10. Deforestation Science...improve our understanding of natural processes Engineering...use this understanding to develop and apply technologies that will maintain or improve environmental quality Environmental Engineering … It is the application of science and engineering principles to minimize the adverse effects of human activity on the environment What is an engineer? Problem solver. Specifically, one who uses science to solve real world problems. SO, what about an environmental engineer? Solves environmental problems using scientific tools Although it is impossible to eliminate negative impacts, human effects can be diminished and brought under control through..... Public education Conservation Regulation The application of good engineering practice Factors Affecting the Environment 1. Increasing number of humans on earth (population growth) 2. The rising standard of living (advances in agriculture, urbanization, industrialization) Man exerts a tremendous impact on the environment through..... Extraction of resources Modification and manipulation of the environment  Pollution resulting from deposition of wastes Engineering Ecological Impact on Environment On the productivity of the ecosystem (green plants, atmospheric oxygen) On other organism (microorganism, insects, animals) On climate (global warming, ozone hole, acid rain) Health Impact Due to microbiological pollution Due to microchemical pollution Water Quality Engineering Water treatment - take water from a source and subject it to treatment processes to make the water suitable for its intended use Waste water treatment - after water is used, it is collected and treated to make it suitable to be returned to the environment A first Water Quality Engineering Problem 1854, outbreak of cholera in London 10,000 deaths John Snow mapped victims addresses Convinced city official to remove pump handle A few problems that we need to solve! RUN-OFF: Contamination of aquatic environments by fertilizers and pesticides in agricultural runoff GROUNDWATER CONTAMINATION: Contamination of groundwater resources, especially by hazardous wastes REUSE: Treating wastewater for reuse AIR QUALITY Engineering Apply science and technology to control adverse effects of air pollution on human health and welfare, on other organisms, on materials, or on ecosystems Most efforts focus on emission sources since once pollutants are emitted into the atmosphere, there are no practical engineering techniques for removing them Pollution doesn't have boundaries  This dust plume passed over urban areas in China, Korea and Japan, cruised over the Pacific Ocean and eventually made its way to Alaska. WHY DO WE CARE?? Some air pollutants cause adverse health effects, and we don't like feeling bad or dying young. A few problems that we need to solve! ACID RAIN: Deposition of contaminants emitted into the atmosphere that have been converted to acidic species OZONE HOLE: Depletion of stratospheric ozone by chlorine from CFCs HAPS: Reduction of hazardous air pollutant emissions (carcinogens, teratogens, etc.) BIOMASS COMBUSTION: Exposure of women and children to emissions from biomass cook stoves in rural areas in developing countries Hazardous Waste Management Creation, growth of the chemical industry during the 20th century established need Hazardous if...corrosive, ignitable, reactive, toxic, radioactive, infectious... What needs to be done? Develop, apply methods for proper use, treatment and disposal Identify and remediate contaminated waste sites Sustainable Development Sustainable development refers to a mode of human development in which resource use aims to meet human needs while ensuring the sustainability of natural  systems and the environment, so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for generations to come. "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."