Lecture 1

The Multidisciplinary Nature of

Environmental Studies

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 The Earth
• Earth may seem enormous
– Resources are finite and limited
– We can change the Earth and damage its
systems
 Environment
• Environment: all the living and non-living things around
us
– Animals, plants, forests, farms, etc.
– Continents, oceans, clouds, ice caps
– Structures, urban centers, living spaces
– Social relationships and institutions

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 Humans are part of nature

• Humans depend on a healthy, functioning planet

• The fundamental insight of environmental science:

– We are part of the natural world, but we can also change it
– Our interactions with its other parts matter a great deal

• We depend completely on the environment for survival

– Increased health, longer lives, wealth, mobility, freedom
– But natural systems have been degraded by pollution, soil
erosion, species extinction, etc.
– Environmental changes threaten long-term health and
survival
 Environment

Definition: The complex set of physical, geographic,

biological, social, cultural and political conditions that
surround an individual or organism and that ultimately
determines its form and nature of its survival.

1) All factors living and nonliving that affect an

individual organism or population at any point in the
life cycle.

2) Set of circumstances surrounding a particular

occurrence.

3) All the things that surrounds us.

 Environmental Science

An interdisciplinary branch of science that

investigates questions related to the human
population, resources, and damages caused by
pollution and disturbance.

Environmental science is integrative and involves

complex biology, chemistry, politics, sociology,
geology, agriculture, economics.
 Environmental Science

• Therefore, Environmental science is the study of:

– How the natural world works
– How the environment affects humans and vice
versa

• We need to understand our interactions with the

environment
– To creatively solve environmental problems

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 Why We Want to Study the State of
Environment?
The enhanced pace of development activities and
rapid urbanization have resulted in strees on
natural resources and quality of life.
The trend of increasing pollution in various
environmental media is evident from the
decreasing air and water quality, higher noise
levels, increasing vehicular emission etc.
The need for information that clarifies modern
environmental concepts such as the need to
conserve biodiversity, the need to lead more
sustainable lifestyles and the need to use
resources more equitably.
 Why We Want to Study the
State of Environment?
A need to change the way in which we view our
own environment by a practical approach
based on observation and self learning.
The need to create a concern for our environment
that will trigger pro-environmental action,
including activities we can do in our daily life to
protect it.
To make movement effective public support is very
necessary.
The present generation is the only hope for
sustaining and preventing further damage to
the environment.
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 We rely on natural resources
• Renewable natural resources: such as timber
and water, are those which can be used but can
be regenerated by natural processes such as
re-growth or rainfall.
• But these too will be depleted if we continue to
use them faster than nature can replace them.
• For example, if the removal of timber and
firewood from a forest is faster than the re-
growth and regeneration of trees, it cannot
replenish the supply.
• Nonrenewable natural resources: such as
minerals and oil are those which will be
exhausted in the future if we continue to extract
these without a thought for subsequent
generations.
 Sustainable Utilization

• Our natural resources can be compared

with money in a bank.
• If we use it rapidly, the capital will be
reduced to zero.
• On the other hand, if we use only the
interest, it can sustain us over the longer
term.
• This is called sustainable utilization or
development.
 We rely on ecosystem
services
• Natural resources are “goods” produced by nature
– Earth’s natural resources also provide “services” to us
• Ecosystem services: arise from the normal functioning of
natural services
– Purify air and water, cycle nutrients, regulate climate
– Pollinate plants, receive and recycle wastes
• We degrade ecosystem services
– By depleting resources, destroying habitat, generating
pollution
– Increased human affluence has intensified degradation
 Objective of This Course

• Develop a concern for our environment.

• Begin to act at your own level to protect the

environment we all live in.
 Scope and Importance

• We live in natural surrounding (forest, river, mountain, etc.).

Resources: renewable (forest and water) and non-renewable
(minerals and oil).
• Due to increase in population these resources are getting
depleted gradually.
• There is a need to understand and make ourselves aware of
our natural assets and get concerned about our environment
and utilize the resources sustainably.
• Scope of environmental studies is very wide and nearly
covers some aspects of every major discipline (biology,
chemistry, physics, geography, resource management,
economy, etc.).
 Scope and Importance

• Natural Resources- their conservation and

management
• Ecology and biodiversity
• Environmental pollution and control
• Social issues in relation to development
and environment
• Stabilization of human population and
environment
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 Values of Nature

• What are the benefits that nature provides people and

how much are they worth?
• Ecological, Economic, Cultural and Social Benefits of
Protected Areas
 Values of Nature

• Productive/Consumptive value

• Aesthetic /Recreational value

• Option value

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 Productive/Consumptive Value of Nature

• Nature has species which contain an incredible and

uncountable number of complex chemicals that are
raw material and can be used for developing new
medicines and industrial products.

• It is a storehouse that provides a range of goods,

from agricultural crops to medicines and fibres, and
thousands of other new products that can be
developed.
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• Destruction of these species due to human
activity is happening rapidly and hence
these species might become extinct in
near future.
• Hence there is an urgent need to protect
the natural resources.
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• Consumptive use value is assigned to
goods or services consumed locally that
are neither bought nor sold and therefore
do not contribute to the economy of a
country.
• Eg. Use of fuelwood for heating, fodder for
animals, etc.
• Productive use value is assigned to
those goods harvested from the
environment, which are bought and sold
locally, nationally or internationally
• Major products include construction
timber, fuelwood, fish, fruits and
vegetables, agricultural crops, medicines,
etc.
 Aesthetic and Recreational
Value of Nature

• Nature encompasses every aspect of living

(biodiversity: flora and fauna) and non-living (sea,
forest, desert) part of the earth.

• Nature cheer up our existence on earth.

• Developing national parks and wildlife sanctuaries

in relatively undisturbed areas.
 Aesthetic and Recreational
Value of Nature
• Enjoy the wilderness – nature tourism or wildlife
tourism – pleasurable experience and also
creates a deep respect and love for nature.

• Urban setting there will be green spaces and

gardens – psychological and physical health of
city dwellers and provides aesthetic value and
visual appeal. It also gives access to certain
amount of peace and calm.

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 The Option Values
of Nature

• Day-to-day activities have adverse impacts on

nature’s integrity.

• Present generation’s lifestyles and economies are

based on unsustainable pattern which can lead to
destruction of biodiversity and will leave nothing for
future generations.
 The Option Values
of Nature
• Option value: nature provides us with
options to utilize it resources which we can
use it either greedily (destroy its integrity
and long term values) or sustainably and
reducing our impacts on environment.

• Allows us to use its resources sustainably

and preserve its goods and services for
the future.
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 Need for Public Awareness

• Earth’s resources are dwindling and our

environment is being increasingly degraded by
human activities and hence something needs to be
done.

• Government alone cannot perform all the clean-up

functions.
 Need for Public Awareness

• Individual/group efforts in their own every

possible way has to be made to protect
our environment.

• Mass public awareness: newspaper, radio,

television strongly influences public
opinion on conserving our environment.
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public
awareness
about
environment

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 Individual efforts

• Individuals can join environmental group (WWF-I, BNHS)

• Read environment related magazines such ‘DOWN TO
EARTH’, ‘WWF-I’, BNHS HORNBILL’, etc.
• Practice and promote good civic sense: no spitting, no
tobacco chewing, not throwing garbage on the road, etc.
• Take part in events organized on world environment day,
wildlife week, etc.
• Visit a national park or sanctuary, or spend time in
whatever nature you have near your home.
 Individual efforts
• Lobby for conserving resources by taking up the
cause of environmental issues during
discussions with friends and relatives.

•Practice and promote issues

such as saving paper, saving
water, reducing use of plastics,
practicing the 3Rs principle of
reduce, reuse, recycle, and
proper waste disposal.
 Individual efforts

• Join local movements that support

activities such as saving trees in your
area,
• go on nature treks,
• recycle waste,
• buy environmentally friendly products.

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