Environmental Science Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)

BACHELOR OF COMPUTER APPLICATIONS

SEMESTER 1

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

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Environmental Science Manipal University Jaipur (MUJ)

Unit 1
Introduction to Environmental Science

Table of Contents
SL Topic Fig No / Table SAQ / Page No
No / Graph Activity
1 Introduction - -
3-4
1.1 Learning Objectives - -
2 Multidisciplinary Nature of Environmental - 1
Studies
2.1 Meaning and Definition of Environment - -
5-9
2.2 Definition of Environmental Studies 1 -

2.3 Meaning of natural resources and types - -

of natural resources
3 Scope of Environmental Studies - 2 10-11
4 Importance of Environmental Studies - 3 12-13
5 Sustainability and sustainable development - 4

5.1 Principles of Sustainability-Three pillars 2, 3 -

13-23
5.2 Sustainable Development - -

5.3 Importance of Sustainable Development 4 -

6 Summary - - 23-24
7 Case Study - - 24-25
8 Terminal Questions - - 25
9 Answers - - 26-28
10 Suggested Books and e-References - - 29

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1. INTRODUCTION
The environment consists of the surroundings where we live, and it is the basic necessity of
all living beings. The environment helps an individual to survive and provides natural
resources for livelihood. In this chapter, we will learn about the multidisciplinary nature of
environmental studies, the importance of understanding the concept, and the ways in which
it develops a sustainable environment. In the present times, our environment is facing many
issues such as loss of natural resources, depletion of the ozone layer, global warming, etc.

In the multidisciplinary approach, we study the different disciplines that help understand
the concept in-depth, i.e., we study this topic from various other points of viewer disciplines.
The branches of environmental studies include medicine, agriculture, chemistry, geography,
and so on. Environmental studies help understand various environmental changes and how
to make a clean, safe, and healthy ecosystem for survival.

As we know, our daily lives are directly linked with the surroundings and the environment.
It is our responsibility to take care of the environment and understand the importance of
available resources. Environmental study is basic and applied science. It is based not only on
scientific principles but also interlinked with various social sciences concepts.

In this chapter, we will study various concepts related to our daily lives, such as making
decisions, with the environment as the pivot of all these activities. Used resources in the
industries and households are disposed into the environment. The disposal of such items
that cannot be reused or recycled in any form will harm the environment, which further
causes many health, physical, and environmental problems. Therefore, it is important to
know that there is a proper procedure for recycling and decomposing the products that we
consume.

Ecology is a widely used word in environmental concepts—the word is derived from the
Greek word "oekologue", which means the study of the surroundings. Ecology is a concept
that studies organisms, animals, plants, and their relationships.

In environmental studies, we study the ecosystem as a whole, including nature's functional

units, such as living organisms that interact with the surrounding physical environment and
each other. The ecosystem is very wide and is spread across a large space. This is because it

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includes small ponds as well as large forests. The multidisciplinary approach gives a broad
view of the ecosystem, that is, the role that every plant, animal, or living organism plays in
the environment.

In environmental studies, the ecosystem's structure works to create a final output using
inputs such as productivity. This also includes the process of energy transformation, such as
in the food chain, nutrient cycling, etc. This ultimately results in the output, i.e., energy loss
and degradation. The whole cycle works in a circular flow.

1.1. Learning Objectives

After studying this chapter, you will be able to:
❖ Explain the meaning of the Environment.
❖ Define Environment Studies
❖ Explain the scope and importance of Environment Studies
❖ Describe the concept of Sustainability
❖ Explain the importance of Sustainable Development

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2. MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The multidisciplinary approach means understanding one concept from different angles or
different points of view to identify factors, causes, solutions, etc., with ease. It is a
combination or mixture of different disciplines to provide relevant information on the
concept. We can study the environment from different perspectives or various disciplines.

We will study the environment and environmental studies through a multidisciplinary

approach. The environment comprises of natural resources that are present in our
surroundings. It helps earn a livelihood for some individuals. We will study natural resources
and their types in more detail in further sections of this unit. Survival of the human race on
this planet is impossible without natural resources.

It is essential to understand the importance of natural resources in the environment and

identify the problems related to the exploitation of natural resources that may arise in the
near future. A multidisciplinary approach is a wide concept of environmental studies
consisting of living and non-living species. We must study the ecosystem from various points
of environmental studies. In a multidisciplinary nature, we make decisions to protect our
ecosystem from external environmental changes and disturbances.

The ecosystem has a different lifecycle as it works with the help of biogeochemical cycles
and mechanisms of energy transfer. It consists of abiotic features in an ecosystem, which are
known as non-living organisms such as air, climate, water, etc. It also includes biotic features
or living organisms such as plants and animals.

Environmental studies are a multidisciplinary approach which aims at defining the

correlation between the human beings and the nature. The study of physics, chemistry,
geography and geology talks about the functional and structural organization of the
environment. It also reveals the physical characteristics of the environment. The concepts of
statistics and computer application are applied for data simulation and performing
interpretation of data.

Economics help to develop the knowledge about the social background for growth and
development. The policies formulation for the implementation of all the subject knowledge

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is done with the help of management studies. Thus, environmental studies can be thought as
a multidisciplinary approach.

2.1. Meaning & Definition of Environment

The environment is the outer or external surroundings that help maintain the lifecycles of
human beings, animals, and plants. The environment provides us with natural resources that
are further used for production activities. Various factors influence and affect the growth of
people, animals, and plants in the environment.

The environment also explains the interrelationships among different organisms, factors,
etc. For example, in the environment, man is the geological force that helps maintain balance
in the environment, reshapes the landscape, and favours some organisms. Humans help
protect the natural resources in the environment necessary for survival and growth on the
earth.

2.2. Meaning & Definition of Environmental Studies

Environmental studies deal with the key aspects and issues affecting the natural
environment, different organisms, and human life. Environmental studies incorporate
scientific studies and applied science to seek practical solutions to make everyone's life more
sustainable on earth. The basic necessities for human beings' survival are provided by
nature, i.e., food, shelter, air, and water.

Environmental studies are systematic studies that observe a human's effect on the
environment. In simple words, it studies the effect of the decisions or actions that an
individual or organisation takes every day with respect to the environment, and how it
affects the surroundings.

Environmental study is a single concept itself, but when we talk about the systematic study,
it means involvement of science, which discusses the relationship between human beings
and the environment. Science also focuses on the multidisciplinary view. It is made from the
different disciplines, and it includes the following fields, as shown below:
• Physics
• Biological science
• Geography

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• Philosophy
• Agriculture
• Medicine
• History
• Geology
• Ecology
• Chemistry

Environmental science does not study all concepts. If a researcher or an individual is

interested in studying a certain aspect, he will have to link suitable fields as per the
requirements. For example, if someone wants to study the effect of pollution on
groundwater, he will have to consider the fields of chemistry, biology, geology, etc.

In environmental science, it is known that all organisms have positive or negative effects on
the environment. It is also true that the environment is capable of affecting organisms if
living beings misuse resources. In society, some people recognize themselves as
protectionists or conservationists. These are the people who protect the environment from
any harmful activities and focus on sustainable resource utilisation. Environmental science
helps create awareness among the public about the protection of natural resources and
induces effective decision-making with respect to the use of natural or man-made resources.

Sociology

Economics History

ENVIRONMENTAL
STUDIES

Technology Biological
science
Engineering

Fig 1: Branches of Environmental studies

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2.3. Meaning Of Natural Resources and Types of Natural-Resources

Natural resources are available in the environment and do not involve any human efforts for
production. Natural resources include land, air, water, and minerals, which are very scarce
in our society. We have to protect them from exploitation sit is impossible to survive in an
environment without natural resources, these being the basic necessity for living on the
earth.

The industries that produce goods and services for fulfilling society's requirements are using
natural resources at a large scale, and in the process, are also depleting them. There are two
types of pollutants in the environment, i.e., biodegradable and non-biodegradable pollutants.
Bio-degradable pollutants can be easily decomposed in nature, whereas non-biodegradable
are those that cannot be decomposed in nature. The government of every country takes
necessary actions against the individuals and organizations that participate in the depletion
of natural resources. There are two categories of natural resources, as mentioned below:
A. Renewable natural resources: These are the resources that can be used and
generated with other natural processes.

For example, a forest is a renewable resource, and if trees from the forest are cut down to
produce goods, we can plant new trees and take measures to conserve the forest. Another
example is solar energy, which can be produced with the help of solar panels, thus saving
electricity costs. Solar energy is generated with the help of sun rays on solar panels.

B. Non-renewable natural resources: These resources cannot be regenerated, and their

absence will affect the environment badly. Thus, it is very important for society to
procure and safeguard non-renewable resources.

These resources are not available in large quantities as they are limited, and we cannot
increase their availability. The two types of non-renewable resources are mentioned below.

1. Recyclable: Example: Aluminium from old cars, Aluminium cans

2. Non-recyclable: Example: Coal, Fossil fuels, Mineral Oil

For example, fossil fuels are available today, but if they get depleted in the future, it will not
be possible to reconstitute them or make them available in the environment again.

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Natural resources cannot be developed as they are available naturally under the surface,
above the surface, and on the surface. Under-the-surface, resources like coal, minerals, etc.,
are further used to produce industrial equipment. Several countries have a large number of
natural resources, i.e., they could be rich in any kind of natural resources such as petroleum,
coal, etc.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 1

1. Which of the following branches does environmental studies not include?

a) Accounts
b) Geography
c) Technology
d) Economics
2. In Recyclable resources we include things which can be recycled such as
Aluminum cans, etc. [True/False]
3. Non-renewable resources are available in huge quantity and can be consumed
at large scale. [True/False]
4. How will you create awareness about the positive measures needed for the
benefit of the environment?
a) By creating social groups in society
b) By spreading information on social media
c) By providing the right guidance to the people
d) All of the above
5. _______________ is the energy that can be converted with the help of sun rays.
6. Pollutants that are easy to manage and decompose in nature are known as
_____________________.

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3. SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

The scope of environmental studies encompasses the aspects related to environmental
studies or sciences. Scope enables decision-making and helps in finding a suitable solution
against environmental exploitation. We know that the urban and rural population and
industries use the resources. However, most of the resources in huge quantities are
consumed by the urban population, who are also the least food producers. Urban people
generate a large amount of waste after the consumption of resources as compared to rural
people. Understanding the scope is equally important for everyone in society. The study has
a broad scope and helps identify the environment's cause-and-effect relationships.

• It explains the different types of resources available in the environment, i.e., non-
renewable, and renewable resources.
• It also identifies alternative solutions to environmental problems.
• It applies theoretical knowledge to the practical world and helps in understanding
multiple uses of the environment.
• It creates awareness among people for sustainable utilisation of the available
resources.
• It focuses on developing eco-friendly technologies for the production processes in
companies
• It emphasizes more on research and developmentin the area of resource utilization.
Environmentalists focus on promoting a sustainable culture
• It gives information related to ecology and how to protect the species of animals and
plants from danger
• It also guides and helps citizens who live and use natural resources from their
surroundings to make good choices and appropriate decisions by knowing
environmental facts, rules, regulations, etc., to protect the environment
• It also helps in guiding the people about 3 R's in environmental studies, i.e., reduce,
reuse and recycle. Everyone needs to understand this for a safe and clean environment

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There are four segments that we need to focus on, in order to understand the components of
the earth. They are given as follows:
1. Atmosphere: It is composed of oxygen and nitrogen and saves all species, including
humans, from the hostile environment of outer space. The atmosphere helps to sustain
life on the earth. It absorbs the cosmic rays and radiation from the rays of the sun.
2. Hydrosphere: This segment consists of all types of water resources that are naturally
available to the environment, such as rivers, oceans, lakes, glaciers, seas, etc. In the
hydrosphere, 100 percent of the water resources are distributed in the following ways:
a. About 97 percent of the earth's supply of water is in the oceans.
b. Only 2 percent of water is available and locked in the glaciers.
c. 1 percent of water is available as fresh water in rivers, lakes, etc.
3. Biosphere: It consists of all the living organisms and their interaction with the
surroundings, atmosphere, and other environmental components such as the
hydrosphere and lithosphere.
4. Lithosphere: It consists of the natural resources available under and above the surface,
such as minerals, and it is the outer layer of solid earth. It includes various types of
rocks on the earth.

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 2

7. Which of the following combinations is the best fit for the 3 R's that are
concerned with the environment?
a) Reduce, reuse, recycle
b) Recall, register, read
c) Reuse, recall, rate
d) Restrict, recycle, read
8. Which of the element includes interaction between surroundings and other
environmental components?
a. Lithosphere
b. Biosphere
c. Hydrosphere
d. Atmosphere
9. __________________ Segment or Sphere of Earth is composed of nitrogen and
oxygen.

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4. IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

As the environment is very dynamic in nature, we should understand the importance of the
environmental study based on the comprehensive view related to the environment system.
The understanding helps make citizens to independently take decisions to protect the
environment.The citizens who live in the present environment are responsible for positively
and negatively impacting the environment. Listed below is the importance of environmental
studies.

• As we know, the population is increasing day by day, so we need to control the

utilization of resources
• In today's time, resources are exploited to the fullest, and it is important to take action
to reserves resources for the future needs
• It is essential to provide education and create awareness about the environment,
biodiversity, and ecology. There is a rise in pollution and other harmful activities in the
environment, affecting the life of a human being
• The environmental study helps in maintaining the ecological balance between the
environment and the organisms, as it makes people aware of our surroundings
• The environmental study also allows the solving of real-time problems by applying
methodologies, techniques, and ethical practices in the businesses and by doing CSR
activities
• As we know, pollution is a result of the decomposition of waste from various industries,
which affects the rivers, air quality, etc. It is important to consider the economic
activities or the activities to operate the business and earnings for survival. However,
it is important to understand the environmental studies approach to take necessary
actions for controlling pollution and preserving the environment from side effects.
• This multidisciplinary approach in environmental studies includes management and
awareness that tries to identify how society can make profits without exploiting the
environment. As the natural resources get exploited to a large extent for the growth of
society's can balance our environmental condition only by using minimum natural
resources and by avoiding methods or practices that lead to environmental pollution.
So the concepts of geology, economics, and ecology are consideredimportant in the
study of the environment

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• The environment provides the natural resources required by man for producing goods
and services. These resources include land, air, water, food, timber, etc. We have
studied that some resources are renewable, and some are non-renewable. Hence, it is
important to preserve these resources and save them for future needs. Everyone is
aware that most natural resources are scarce. Hence it becomes essential to adopt the
optimum utilization of resources

SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 3

10. It is very important to create awareness among people, about the scarcity of
resources and for better utilization of resources so that we can preserve resources
for fulfilling future needs. [True/False]
11. To understand the concept of Environmental Studies, Geology, Ecology and
Economics are not required. [True/False]

5. CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABILITY
Have you ever considered what if all the resources available today will get depleted and not
available for use in the future? What if the coming generations would not be able to use these
available resources? How will they survive and live their lives without these resources that
are the necessities of life?

The population of the world is growing at a constantly increasing rate. The availability of
resources is limited. How will upcoming generations be able to use these resources? To
resolve this problem, here comes the concept of sustainability. The word sustainability has
been derived from the Latin word 'sustinere,' which means to hold or support. The basic
meaning of the word sustainability is something that can be kept continued.

The concept of sustainability depicts that the available resources should be used in the most
efficient ways to be saved to the maximum limit for future use. The existence of humankind
cannot be possible without the sustainability concept. All the civilizations that existed in
history have made use of sustainability and had spread awareness during their time so that
the natural resources could be saved for the future to fulfill the upcoming civilizations' needs.

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Every civilization is responsible for giving rise to another civilization in the form of human
life that cannot survive without having the necessities of the life-like water, food, land,
forests, etc. But such natural resources are limited and take a longer time to renew. They
may soon get depleted too if not used judiciously. To preserve these resources that are
normally an essential part of the people's daily lives for billions of years, these resources
need to be taken care of, properly.

To sustain the environment, the environment's ecological balance should not be disturbed
so that the resources can take their natural processes to get renewed over a specific time.
This can be explained best through the example - If the rate of deforestation keeps on
increasing at an alarming rate, there are more possibilities that there will be less rain or no
rain in the upcoming years, that in turn will ruin the soil fertility, stop plant growth, dry up
natural water bodies, drop the availability of the water on land, make the air drier and
polluted, and increase the temperature. Infertile land will not grow crops well.

Evaporated water bodies will confine the accessible amount of water downpour which
assists with absorbing the destructive particles in the air. The temperature will increase due
to the unavailability of rain that can increase the effect of scorching heat. Such problems will
give rise to many disasters like famine, floods, drought, earthquakes, etc., that can be a reason
to end human life to a larger extent. This is why we need to study the concept of
sustainability, as it helps in utilizing the available resources as per the individual's
requirement and sustaining them for future requirements.

5.1. Principles of Sustainability

There are three aspects of sustainability, such as social aspects, environmental aspects, and
economic aspects. These are also called pillars of sustainability, which depict that the process
of sustainability cannot be implemented without satisfying these three principles. These
three principles are interrelated to each other such that if any one of these aspects is not
satisfied, the process of sustainability cannot be completed. Let us understand how these
pillars affect sustainability.

1. Social aspect: The social parameter of sustainability depicts society and its adapted
cultures and practices. It emphasizes spreading awareness in society to conserve

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natural resources and adopt practices that will encourage others to conserve the
environment and be attentive towards the efficient use of resources.

Many laws and legislation are being formulated and implemented to support these
conservative practices, non-compliance, which can be considered a severely punishable
offence.

This can be explained with an example. Water is required for performing some household
chores like dishwashing. In order to conserve water, people are informed to practice water-
saving techniques to complete household chores. People are recommended to use practices
such as rainwater harvesting, installing hand pumps, etc., and in some countries, people are
instructed by law to pay water tax for using water resources. The revenue from such tax
collection is used to install water-saving techniques in the country.

2. Economic aspect: More often, business firms have access to natural resources for
using them in business operations. Business firms make profits by establishing their
operations by using these resources. So, to preserve the resources from being exploited
by the businesses, certain eco-friendly operations are to be implemented. Businesses
are directed to pay the cost so as to use these resources in the form of doing something
for environmental conservation. For example, manufacturing businesses are instructed
to treat the chemicals that are used in the production of their products before dumping
them into the water bodies. Business firms are also directed to pay all the required
taxes to use natural resources for commercial purposes in order to comply with all the
established laws and legislation.
3. Environmental aspect: This aspect depicts the concept of reuse and recycle. The social
and economic aspects consist of the environmental concept. Every entity, whether an
individual person or a business firm, is formalized to take up eco-friendly practices that
will not disturb the ecological balance. Every entity that is deriving any kind of benefit
from the environment should contribute to the environment. This, in turn, will add
balance to the environment and maintain the same for the longest period. People and
business entities are required to use bio-degradable products that will not harm the
biological elements such as wildlife and plants on the earth. People using banana leaves

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as a plate for consuming food in the Indian state of Kerala can be considered as one of
the best eco-friendly practices.

Social

Economic

Environmental

Fig 2: Three Pillars of Sustainability

You must now know how social aspect, economic aspect, and environmental aspects are
interrelated to each other. Let's take another example to clearly understand the relationship
between these three pillars and how they are interdependent on each other.

Farmers in Rajasthan are in the habit of practicing rainwater harvesting to conserve water
in the rainy season so that it can be used for the entire year as Rajasthan receives less rainfall
and often encounters a shortage of the water level in the state. So, farmers build multiple
cement tanks in their farmyards or keep big drums in their houses that can be filled by
rainwater in the rainy season. After the rainy season ends, these tanks and drums are
covered for using the stored water over a period of one year. The water is used for household
and irrigation purposes. The tanks and drums are fitted with pipelines to provide irrigation
facilities to the crop fields for the whole year. Various farmers pool money to construct the
tanks as it is costly, and when the cycle revives, they construct more tanks together with the
money they receive after selling their crops.

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Similarly, hand pumps are fitted in every house to use conserved groundwater in desert
areas. Also, the groundwater conservation facilities are fitted with pipelines to use
groundwater for irrigation purposes rather than household purposes.

A few more sustainability practices are mentioned below

Use of cow Use of solar

dung as biogas enery for
to cook food. electricity.

Construction
Use of
of artificial
paperbags
lakes to
instead of
conserve
plastic bags.
water.

Fig 3: Sustainability in Practice in the Real World

You have studied how resources can be preserved through various traditional and eco-
friendly practices rather than modern technology-oriented practices. You must have noted
that there were many traditional practices in history, which were successful in using natural
resources without any wastage.

The alarming rate of depletion of resources has made some countries strict and aware of
environmental resources. Many countries have passed the laws and implemented them
strictly to follow the sustainability concept mandatorily. Some of the laws are stated below.
❖ Environment Protection Act, 1986, India
❖ Environmental Impact Assessment Act, China
❖ Environmental Impact Assessment Act, 2000, Austria
❖ Air Pollution Control Law, Japan
❖ Water(Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, India
❖ The Forests Act, Kenya

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❖ Chemical Act of 2008, Ireland

These laws are meant to protect the various bio-diversities in the environment, non-
compliance of which can be considered a severe offense and can attract heavy punishments
and penalties. Multinational companies are specially administered to follow these laws and
regulations on a mandatory basis. They are supposed to pay various taxes and complete legal
procedures to use environmental and societal resources. These taxes and legal procedures
ensure that any activity done for the purpose of business would not harm the environment
and society. In fact, companies are often told to execute some welfare programs for the
environment and society to exchange the resources used for business purposes.

5.2. Sustainable Development

You must have often watched around you the construction of certain heavy infrastructure
such as dams, installation of windmills, construction of water tanks at height, the
establishment of artificial lakes, installation of solar panels, etc. These infrastructures are
built to preserve natural resources and use them for various personal or commercial
purposes such as producing electricity and energy, providing irrigation facilities, and many
more.

Thus, we can say that infrastructure is developed to assist the sustenance of natural
resources. This is called sustainable development. Sustainable development refers to
meeting the present human needs by keeping in mind the needs of future generation.
Sustainable development ensures that the future generation needs will not be compromised
for meeting the present needs. Let us now discuss some of the techniques of sustainable
development to understand the concept more clearly.

1. Use of wind energy: Wind is considered as a renewable source of energy and is

available permanently. The wind is used to produce electricity and power using
windmills and wind turbines. These are the heavy pillars installed in the large open
grounds where the flow of wind is uninterrupted.
2. Use of solar energy: Sun is an unlimited source of energy, and so, solar panels are
installed to produce electricity and thermal energy to make it useful for various
commercial and personal purposes.

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3. Crop rotation: It is the practice of planting different crops in the same field to enhance
or increase soil fertility for a longer period. Some of the crops are planted as they are
good for improving the soil's quality so that other crops planted subsequently can
receive the required nutrients and minerals.
4. Green Space: Green spaces are created or left for the wildlife and the plants to grow
and prosper. There are green fields that are specially created for the flora and fauna so
that they can grow and develop without any hindrances.
5. Rainwater harvesting: Rainwater harvesting is the practice of collecting and storing
rainwater in cemented tanks or in an artificial reservoir so that it can be used later for
various purposes. It is very important to implement rainwater harvesting practices as
we know there is a shortage of water due to dried lakes, rivers, etc.
6. Use of CNG gas: Nowadays, motor vehicles are fitted with compressed natural gas
rather than tanks of petrol and other fuels. CNG is also an environment-friendly gas that
does not produce pollution, thus reducing air pollution.
7. Use of biogas: Earlier, rural areas used biogas for cooking with the help of cow dung
and food waste, but now urban areas have also adopted the same practice, reducing the
use of liquefied petroleum gas. Biogas is made using natural waste from the
environment and is eco-friendly in nature. Today, many households in urban areas are
fitted with biogas pipelines.

5.3. Importance of Sustainable Development

Let us now understand the importance of sustainable development:
1. Eco- friendly: The techniques used for sustainable development and conservation of
nature are eco-friendly and do not introduce any harmful emissions and waste material
into the environment.
2. Limited use of scarce resources: The concept of sustainable development makes it
possible to use scarce natural resources in a limited and restricted form. This promotes
the idea of using such resources in the most efficient ways.
3. Promotion of efficient living: Sustainable development focuses on implementing the
techniques that will make the living standard of urban and rural people efficient
enough. It mainly focuses on practicing the lifestyle that is based on saving up the
resources and hence, satisfying all the basic needs of the people.

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4. Promotion of a healthy lifestyle: Sustainable development lays emphasis on using

renewable sources of energy for daily life activities. This prevents every person from
getting exposed to harmful emissions and production of waste from man-made sources
of energy that pollute the environment and hence, saving the people from suffering due
to severe diseases.
5. Maintaining ecological balance: The use of eco-friendly practices and renewable
sources of energy does not hamper the growth and balance of the environment and
prevents the occurrence of any disaster. The environment and its elements can take
their own natural time to prosper and renew.
6. Depletion of limited or natural resources: If we know that the natural resources are
available in limited quantity in the environment, it can be substituted by unlimited
resources such as human-made resources. Only those resources can be replaced that is
possible to do. This will help to reduce the rate of depletion of natural resources. As
well as, nature can preserve them for a more extended period.
7. Up gradation of living standards: As discussed above, sustainable development lays
focus on efficient living and so, it allows human beings to develop through these
efficient ways. It establishes the techniques to develop a standard of living and increase
the quality of life.
8. Clean energy and clean water: The concept of sustainability provides us with clean
energy to use, which will not harm us and the planet earth in any way. The methods of
sustainability make it possible for us to use clean water that is preserved and purified.

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SELF-ASSESSMENT QUESTIONS – 4

12. What refers to the development done for making the natural resources to
sustain?
a) Sustainable development
b) Sustaining development
c) Infrastructure development
d) None of the above
13. What is called the space created for the growth of flora and fauna?
a) Wide space
b) Green space
c) White space
d) None of the above
14. What do you mean by sustainable development?
a) Eco-friendly in nature
b) Helpful in attaining healthy lifestyle
c) Helpful in conserving the natural resources
d) All of the above
15. _________________ is the process of cutting down of forests.
16. The _________________ aspects of Principle of Sustainability talks about using
eco-friendly business operations for manufacturing of goods and services
and for earning profits in business.
17. Environmental Impact Assessment Act, China is considered as the law to
protect biodiversities from exploitation. [True/False]
18. The process of collecting and storing rainwater in cemented tanks or in an
artificial reservoir is known as Rainwater harvesting. [True/False]

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Introduction to
Environmental
Science

Importance
of
Multidisciplinary
environment
nature of
al studies
environmental studies

Scope of
environment
Meaning and al studies
Meaning of
types of
environment
natural
resources

Definition of Concept of
environmental sustainability Importance
studies of
sustainable
development

Principles of
sustainability Sustainable
Meaning and development
description of
environmental
studies

Fig 4: Conceptual Map

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6. SUMMARY
• The environment consists of living and non-living things that are important for
economic growth. Each and every species, human being, plants have a major role in
economic growth.
• Various elements are present in the environment,contributing to the ecosystem and
playing a vital role in economic development
• There are two types of resources, renewable and non-renewable, provided to us by
nature. Renewable resources such as timber can replenish with natural regrowth, but
non-renewable resources cannot replenish and are thus available in a limited quantity
• Various problems, such as over-exploitation, and scarcity of resources,
industrialization, pollution, deforestation, etc., affect our environment
• There is a need to create public awareness to stop unethical, illegal, and hazardous
activities that damage our environment
• The multidisciplinary approach involves the study of environmental science from the
aspect of physics, sociology, geology, history, law, and chemistry
• In a multidisciplinary approach, there are three economic development concepts:
environmental pollution and conservation of resources
• The scope of environmental studies focuses on how we can use technology for the
purpose of environmental safety
• Sustainability is the process of using the available resources to meet the requirement
of the present generation such that it does not compromise the needs of the future
generation
• There are three pillars of sustainability—social, economic, and environmental.
• The governments of different countries have implemented various laws that help
citizens comply with sustainability
• Multinational companies are specially instructed to follow the laws for the use of
natural resources for business purposes
• Sustainable development involves such infrastructure development that the natural
resources remain conserved for future use
• Sustainable development can be implemented in various ways, such as the use of wind
and solar energy, rainwater harvesting, crop rotation, use of CNG and biogas

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• The concept of sustainable development is important in various aspects such as social,

economic and environmental
❖ Social aspects talks about creating awareness among people for conserving natural
resources, better living standards, etc.
❖ Economic aspects talks about the generation of income, profits for livelihood. It
includes activities related to employment, economic growth, research and
development.
❖ The environmental aspect talks about the scarcity of resources how we can preserve
natural resources for fulfilling future needs. It includes resource management,
policies related to the prevention of resources, etc.

7. CASE STUDY
COCA-COLA, INDIA
In 2009, Coca Cola faced severe criticism for exploiting the ground water and natural
resources for its plant operations at various remote locations in India. The company
allegedly overused the ground water and other natural resources for operating its plants and
dumped the wastewater in the agricultural fields. It also dumped toxic wastes near its
bottling facilities. All this affected the lives of the poor farmers and the local people by
polluting the natural resources and preventing them from using those resources. The
depletion of ground water caused water scarcity in the area which led to severe criticism.

To redress these criticisms and allegations, Coca-Cola took many initiatives for
implementing sustainability development at the location of its plants. It undertook many
practices such as rainwater harvesting and groundwater restoration. It adopted water-
neutral methods to minimize the use of water in its operations.

Coca Cola also took initiatives such as recycling and reusing its bottles to prevent the
excessive use of natural resources and conserve them. It also started many welfare
programmes for the benefit of the local communities near its plants. Coca Cola took these
initiatives on the global level to encourage green and eco-friendly strategies.

Source: Article from times of India newspaper, 27 November 2017

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Discussion Questions:
1. Discuss all the concerns hampering the environment in the case of Coca Cola.
2. In reference to the Coca Cola case, explain why is it the need of the hour to change the
industrial development strategy globally and focus on sustainable socio-economic
development?
3. Discuss few other ways by which industries or businesses can be made more
responsible for sustainable development of the environment.

8. TERMINAL QUESTIONS
Short Answer Questions
Q1.List some natural resources?
Q2. Differentiate between renewable and non-renewable resources.
Q3.What is meant by multidisciplinary nature?
Q4.What is sustainable development?
Q5. What are the three principles of Sustainability?

Long Answer Questions

Q1.Explain the scope and importance of environmental studies.
Q2.List three elements of Sustainability and explain them.
Q3.Explain the three pillars of Sustainability in your own words.

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9. ANSWERS
Self-Assessment Questions
1. A. Accounts
2. True
3. False
4. D. All of the above
5. Solar energy
6. Biodegradable pollutants
7. A. Reduce, reuse, recycle
8. B. Biosphere
9. Atmosphere
10. True
11. False
12. A. Sustainable development
13. B. Greenspace
14. D. All of the above
15. Deforestation
16. Economic
17. True
18. True

Terminal Questions
Short Answer Questions
Answer 1: Natural resources are generated from the environment, i.e., resources that are
naturally and freely available such as air, sunlight, minerals, etc. Human beings cannot
generate natural resources as we have only one source for natural resources, i.e., the
environment. Natural resources are of two types, renewable resources, and non-renewable
resources.

Answer 2: Renewable resources can be renewed over time from available resources. Ex:
Electricity can be generated from solar panels. Renewable resources can be generated if they
are not present in the environment with natural process help such as solar energy, wind

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energy, wood, etc. At the same time, non-renewable resources cannot be renewed over time
due to the scarcity of resources such as natural gas, oil, and coal. They cannot be generated
with natural processes.

Answer 3: Multidisciplinary nature helps understand environmental studies from different

perspectives such as philosophy, physics, geography, history, etc. With this help, we can
understand the problems and solutions related to environmental problems from various
aspects and make decisions accordingly.

Answer 4: Sustainable development is recognized as an organizing principle related to the

economic growth that is continuously involved in maintaining the ecosystem and natural
resources. It is considered as a development that focuses on current requirements without
compromising on future needs.

Answer 5: There are three principles of sustainability, which are as follows:

1. Social aspect: The social aspect of sustainability encourages society's people to
conserve natural resources. It includes environmental safety and health, use of
marketing communication for creating awareness related to natural resources, etc.
2. Economic aspect: The economic aspect depicts how the business uses eco-friendly
resources to operate its business to earn revenues. Economic elements talk about the
financial position of the economy. Businesses should prevent our resources by utilizing
them in a better way so that they will not cause any harm to society. In this, it includes
giving better product and services to society, Employment opportunity, etc.
3. Environmental aspect: The environmental aspect helps use eco-friendly products for
business operations, that can be easily recycled and reused. It includes green initiatives,
resource management, etc.

Long Answer Questions

Answer 1: The scope and importance of environmental studies are very important to
understand, as listed below:
• It helps in creating public awareness among citizens and industries
• As we know, resources are scarce in nature, and their preservation is very important
• It is important to develop eco-friendly products and technologies for safety purposes.

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• As the population is increasing, the utilization of resources is also increasing, and we

should use resources as per our requirement only and do not waste them.

Answer 2: Sustainability is described as an ability to endure continually. It concentrates on

the needs or requirements of the present generation without disturbing the future
generation's needs. The three elements of sustainability are:
• Environmental: the environmental element is also informally recognized as the
planet. The environmental element introduces the concept of recycling and reuse. It
assists businesses or individuals to utilize the eco-friendly practices that later recycle
and reuse.
• Social: The social element is also recognized as people. It involves spreading
information in society regarding how to preserve natural resources.
• Economic: Economic element of sustainability is also known as profit. It emphasizes
the business to use eco-friendly procedures and resources which help in protecting the
environment. It also helps cut-off extra expenses and keeps nature happy.

Answer 3: The three pillars of sustainability are social, economic, and environmental
1. Social Pillar: Social pillar of sustainability involves spreading awareness among the
society and culture to prevent natural resources. It also encourages people to use the
natural resources attentively that do not harm the environment or surrounding. To
protect the environment, many laws, rules, and regulations are imposed by the
government.
2. Economic Pillar: Many companies or businesses utilize natural resources in their
production and operations in today's era. The economic pillar suggests that the
industries use eco-friendly resources, so they are later recycled or reused, reducing
production costs and protecting the environment.
3. Environmental Pillar: The environmental pillar introduces the theory of recycling and
reuse. Environmental pillars highlight the use of eco-friendly resources to reduce the
expense and emphasizes other people to adopt eco-friendly practices.

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11. SUGGESTED BOOKS AND E-REFERENCES

BOOKS:
• Agarwal, K.C. (2001) Environmental Biology, Nidi Publ. Ltd. Bikaner.
• Bharucha Erach, The Biodiversity of India, Mapin Publishing Pvt. Ltd., Ahmedabad –
380 013, India,
• Dr. B.S. Chauhan, (2008) Environmental Studies, Laxmi publications Pvt. Ltd. Delhi.
• Dr. Y.K. Singh, Environmental Science, New age international private publishers, Delhi.
• Sharma, P.D., (1997), Ecology and Environment, Rastogi Publications, Meerut

E-REFERENCES:
• Environmental Studies for undergraduate courses, viewed on 14 February 2021,
<https://www.ugc.ac.in/oldpdf/modelcurriculum/env.pdf>
• Environmental Studies, viewed on 14 February 2021,
<https://books.google.co.in/books?id=Pw6WiYiHPhIC&printsec=frontcover&source=
gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false>
• Sustainability-What is it? Definition, Principles and Examples, viewed on 15 February
2021, <https://youmatter.world/en/definition/definitions-sustainability-definition-
examples-principles/>
• Sustainable Development, viewed on 15 February 2021, <https://www.conserve-
energy-future.com/what-is-sustainable-development-and-its-goals.php>
• Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies, viewed on 14 February
2021,<https://aits-tpt.edu.in/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Environmental-Studies-
Lecture-notes.doc-I_Betech_-ECE-CSE-EEE-CEME_III-Sem_BR.pdf>
• Multidisciplinary nature of Environmental Studies, viewed on 14 February 2021,
<http://assets.cambridge.org/97811075/36173/excerpt/9781107536173_excerpt.p
df>

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