According to Douglas and Holland, "the term environment is used to describe, in aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms".
Multidisciplinary Aspects
A multidisciplinary approach means involvement of appropriate input from many subjects to refine the problems which are outside the boundary of a single discipline.
Such approach helps formulating solutions based on new, integrated understanding of complex situations. It includes Biology, Microbiology, Genetics, and Biochemistry that help us in understanding the biotic components. For understanding the physical and chemical structure of abiotic components, we can use Physics, Chemistry, Geology, Atmospheric Sciences, Oceanography, and Geography. Further, Mathematics, Statistics and Computer Science serve as effective tools in environmental modelling.
Subjects like Economics, Management, and Sociology provide the inputs for dealing with the socio-economic aspects associated with various developmental activities. Environmental laws provide the guidelines and legal measures for effective management and protection of the environment.
Components of the Environment
Atmosphere
It is a mixture of gases in which N2 is 78.09%, O2 is 20.94%, inert gases are about 1% and rest are water vapours and dust particles. N2 is an essential macronutrient for plants. CO2 is essential for the process of photosynthesis. The structure of the atmosphere includes:
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
- Exosphere
Hydrosphere
It includes all the surface and ground water resources like oceans, seas, rivers, streams, lakes, glaciers, ice-caps, groundwater and other water resources. Oceans act as the largest carbon sink.
Lithosphere
The outermost layer of the Earth crust is called lithosphere. The soil covering the rocks is also considered as an important part of the lithosphere.
Biosphere
This is the region of the Earth where life exists and it includes the hydrosphere, lithosphere and atmosphere. Biosphere covers the entire realm of living organisms and their interactions with the other segments of the environment – lithosphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere.
SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
- Green Advocacy
- Green Media
- Green Marketing
- Research & Development
The ISO 14000 standards provide a guideline or framework for organizations that need to systematize and improve their environmental management efforts.
IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
Environmental studies teaches us to understand its role in the environment. It also makes us learn to live with limited natural resources to avoid future disasters. Unlimited exploitation of nature by the mankind for the sake of development has threatened the survival of all living beings. Environmental studies helps in learning more about the challenges we are facing today.
Sustainable Development
Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their demands. The key of sustainability is saving. It can be seen as some percentage of the GDP (economic saving), protection of forests from deforestation, pollution reduction, resource conservation (environmental saving) and integration of educational, institutional, personal, moral, ethical practices in next generation (social saving). There are three determinants of sustainable development, i.e., production, consumption and distribution.
Principles of Sustainable Development
- Principle of Equity
- Principle of Public Trust Doctrine
- Precautionary Principles
- 'Polluter Pays' Principle
- Principle of Common but Differentiated Responsibilities
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