This document discusses fundamental concepts of the environment from a lecture given by Wan Zuhairi Wan Yaacob at the National University of Malaysia. It covers four key topics: 1) population growth and its environmental impacts; 2) the concept of sustainability and balancing needs of current and future generations; 3) limitations of resources and debates around finite vs. renewable nature; and 4) hazardous earth processes and how to reduce risks from floods, earthquakes, volcanoes and other events. The document provides definitions, examples, and conclusions on each of these fundamental environmental issues.

1. National University of
Malaysia
Fundamental Concepts of
Environment
Wan Zuhairi Wan Yaacob (Assoc. Prof, PhD)
Faculty of Science and Technology
National University of Malaysia
43600 Bangi, Selangor, MALAYSIA.
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2. Environment
National University of
Malaysia
Definition: The sum of all conditions surrounding us
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3. Environment
National University of
Malaysia
“It was not given to you by your parents, but it is
loaned to you by your children….”
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4. Fundamental concepts of Environment
(Keller, EA. 2000, eight edition)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Population growth
Sustainability
Limitation of resources
Hazardous earth processes
5.
6.
7.
8.
National University of
Malaysia
Systems
Uniformitarianism
Geology as a basic environmental science
Our obligation to the future
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Content of
this lecture
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5. 1. Population growth
National University of
Malaysia
• Garrett Hardin :
Total environmental impact of population = product of impact per person
x the population
• Population increases; impact
increases; more resources are
needed.
• Problems:• Pollution of ground and surface
waters;
• hazardous waste;
• exposure of people and human
structures to natural hazards.
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6. World population
National University of
Malaysia
• World population
•
•
•
•
•
World (7 B)
Malaysia (29 M)
Japan (127 M)
China (1.3 B)
India (1.2 B)
• Population bomb:
exponential growth-very
dynamic process
Exponential “J” shape
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7. POPULATION (Malaysian Culture)
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National University of
Malaysia
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8. Population growth
National University of
Malaysia
• The present population is already over the
comfortable carrying capacity for the planet.
• The role of education is paramount; greatest hope for
population control.
• Pessimistic scientists:• Population growth will take care of itself thru disease and catastrophes
(famine lack of food) ; WAR
• Optimistic scientists:
• Hope we will find better ways to control the population of the
world within the limits of our available resources, space and other
environmental needs.
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9. Pessimistic scientists
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
National University of
Malaysia
Korean War (1950-53): 2 800 000 death
Afghanistan (1979-2001): 1 800 000
Iran-Iraq War (1980-88): 1 000 000
Every 3.6 seconds someone dies of hunger
Disease : AIDS – H1N1 (avian flu) – Bird flu
Tsunami Acheh : 300 000
Earthquake (Haiti) : 222,570
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10. National University of
Malaysia
Pessimistic scientists
25-30 million death
1340
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200 million lives
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11. Optimistic Scientists
National University of
Malaysia
One family, one child policy in China
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12. National University of
Malaysia
Which Group Do You Favor ?. Optimistic Or Pessimistic?
Optimistic
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Pessimistic
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13. 2. Sustainability
National University of
Malaysia
• The World Commission on Environment and Development defined
sustainable development in 1987:
“Sustainable Development is a form of
progress that ensures human development
and that ‘meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”
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14. National University of
Malaysia
"Sustainable development will enable all people
throughout the world to satisfy their basic needs and
enjoy a better quality of life, without compromising the
quality of life of future generations.”
Securing the Future, the UK Government's 2005
sustainable development strategy
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15. National University of
Malaysia
+ Respecting the
limits of
environment,
resources &
biodiversity
+ Policy based on
strong scientific
evidence
+ Good Governance
+ Ensuring a strong,
healthy & just
society
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+ Sustainable economy
(opportunity for all)
+ Polluter pays principle
+ Efficient resource use
+ tax (landfill tax; waste
tax)
+ new tax structure to
encourage population
control and wise use of
resources
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16. Sustainable or not ?
National University of
Malaysia
• Example 1
The office will provide employment and
so help in economic and social
sustainability. Building the offices will
use up natural resources but it does
contain recycled materials, have good
insulation and use solar power
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17. National University of
Malaysia
• Example 2:
Organic farming does not use pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
Some people say that food produced organically tastes better
and is good for the environment. She produces less and so sells
her vegetable at a higher price compared to ones grown by
intensive farming. Not everyone can afford them. This could
affect their social and economic sustainability
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18. 3. Limitation of resources
National University of
Malaysia
• Two fundamental truths
– 1. the earth is indeed the
only place to live that is now
accessible to us
– 2. Our resources are limited,
and while some resources are
renewable, many are not.
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19. National University of
Malaysia
Two Major views on natural resources
– 1. Finding resources is not so much a problem as is
finding ways to use them (i.e. easy to find new
resources)
NO resource crisis
• Efficient and intelligent use of materials
– Use lightweight material to build a car
– New technology to save fuel
• We know more about extracting minerals than we did in the
past
– Find new resources faster
– Mining lower grade of minerals
• Recycling of resources can help us meet the needs of the
future.
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20. National University of
Malaysia
– 2. A finite resources cannot support an
exponential growth of people forever. And we
are in a resource crisis due to:-• Improvements in medical technology contributing to
over population
• Ever increasing gross national product based on
obsolescence (design not to last long) and waste.
• The finite nature of the minerals
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21. National University of
Malaysia
Natural Resources
Six (6) options to solve resource crisis:-Find more (exploration)
Recycle or reuse
Waste less
Use less
Alternative energy source
Wait for another million years
styrene-butadiene rubbers
(S-SBR)
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22. National University of
Malaysia
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23. Smelting plant in Japan
National University of
Malaysia
Zinc (99.995%)
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24. Urban Mining vs Ore Mining
National University of
Malaysia
Urban Mining
Ore Mining
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25. National University of
Malaysia
Ore Mining (analogy)
2 grains of gold in 1 tonne sand in a lorry – 2ppm (part per million)
+
Two grains of Gold
Can you imagine how much waste is produced??
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26. 4. Hazardous earth processes
National University of
Malaysia
• Earth processes hazardous to people
– Flooding; earthquakes; volcanic; landslides; mudflows
• Must be recognized and avoided
• Reduce threat to human life and property
“Earthquakes do not kill, buildings do”
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27. National University of
Malaysia
Hazardous Events
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28. Hazardous earth processes
• Conflict between human vs nature
• Earth scientists / Engineers:
– identify potentially hazardous
processes
– make info available to
planners/decision makers
(communication)
– avoiding/minimizing the threat to
human life/property (Action !)
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National University of
Malaysia
Merapi
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29. National University of
Malaysia
 April 2009, 6.3 M, 300 killed.
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30. National University of
Malaysia
Houses on fault, whose fault is it?
Wellington Fault passes through the
suburb of Thorndon
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31. National University of
Malaysia
Merapi volcano, Indonesia
Scenery from the golf course
Tourism
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Agriculture
Best fruit
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32. Conclusions
National University of
Malaysia
1. Population growth
– No 1 environmental problem
2. Sustainability
– Development that meets the needs of the present
and future generations
3. Limitation of resources
– We need to use our resources wisely and keep part
of it for future generations
4. Hazardous earth processes
– cannot be avoided, but the hazards can be
minimized and controlled.
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33. The End
National University of
Malaysia
Another way to tame the Merapi Volcanic eruption in Indonesia
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