Environmental studies is the scientific study of our environment and our place in it. It is an interdisciplinary field that includes both scientific and social aspects of human impact on the world. Environmental studies requires skills from various disciplines like chemistry, biology, earth sciences, and geography. The environment can be divided into four main segments - the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere. Understanding environmental issues is important for solving problems like pollution, overexploitation of resources, and achieving sustainable development. Public awareness and participation are needed to address environmental degradation.

1. Environmental Studies
Subject Code: 110007 (GTU)

2. Environment,
Ecology and Ecosystem
“Environmental studies” is the scientific study of our environment
and our place in it.
Definition: “Environmental studies” is the study of environmental
issues
INTRODUCTION TO ENVIRONMENT
UNIT 1

3. Definitions
• The term environment is derived from a French word environner
which means ‘surrounding’. It refers to an aggregate of all
conditions that affect the existence, growth, and welfare of an
organism or a group of organisms.
OR
OR

4. Environment
• Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field
that includes both scientific and social aspects of
human impact on the world.
• The word environment is usually understood to
mean the surrounding conditions that affect
organisms.
• In a broader definition, environment is
everything that affects an organism during its
lifetime.
• In turn, all organisms including people affect
many components in their environment

5. Multidisciplinary Nature of
Environmental Studies
1
Environmental Studies requires skills that encompass a range of
disciplines including chemistry, biology, earth sciences, atmospheric
science, statistics, mathematics, and geography.

6. Classification of Environment

8. Components of Environment
• Abiotic or non-living components of environment include all the
physical and chemical factors that influence living organisms.
Examples of abiotic components are air, water, soil, rocks, etc.
• Biotic or living components are the living components of
environment and include microbes, plants, animals, and human
beings.
Biotic components: All living organisms around us viz. plants, animals, and
microorganisms

9. •These biotic and abiotic components are in dynamic state; they
constantly affect each other and cannot be isolated from each
other.

11. Components of Environment
• Earth’s environment can be further
subdivided into the following four segments:
(1) Atmosphere
(2) Lithosphere
(3) Hydrosphere
(4) Biosphere

12. Atmosphere

13. Earth's AtmosphereEarth's Atmosphere
TheThe atmosphereatmosphere is a thin layer of air that protects the Earth’sis a thin layer of air that protects the Earth’s
surface from extreme temperatures and harmful sun rayssurface from extreme temperatures and harmful sun rays
Figure 1.2Figure 1.2
Thin Gaseous envelope

15. Composition of Atmosphere
(Mixture of gases, solids, and liquids)
• Nitrogen - 78%
• Oxygen - 21%
• Water Vapor – 0 to 4%
– Used for clouds and precipitation
• Carbon Dioxide - .037%
– Keeps Earth warm and is used by plants to
make food
• Argon - .93%
• Traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton,
xenon, hydrogen, and ozone

16. Atmospheric Gases
(Mixture of gases, solids, and liquids)
• Atmosphere is changing with the
introduction of pollutants; increasing human
energy use is increasing the amount of
carbon dioxide
• Pollutants mix with oxygen and other
chemicals to form smog
– Aerosols include solids such as dust, salt,
and pollen
– Liquids include water droplets and
droplets from volcanoes

17. Other Components of the Atmosphere
• Water Droplets
• Ice Crystals
• Sulfuric Acid Aerosols
• Volcanic Ash
• Windblown Dust
• Sea Salt
• Human Pollutants
3. Composition of the Atmosphere

18. Composition and Altitude
• Up to about 80 km, atmospheric composition
is uniform (troposphere, stratosphere,
mesosphere)
This zone is called the homosphere
• Above 80 km light atoms rise
This zone is sometimes called the
heterosphere

19. Earth’s atmosphere is made up of
5 different layers…

20. Why is the atmosphere divided
into 5 different layers?
 The atmosphere is divided intoThe atmosphere is divided into
five different layers because thefive different layers because the
atmosphere is not uniform, itsatmosphere is not uniform, its
properties change with altitude.properties change with altitude.
 Two properties change withTwo properties change with
altitude, the AIR PRESSUREaltitude, the AIR PRESSURE
and the AIR TEMPERATUREand the AIR TEMPERATURE

21.  The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere nearest to
earth.
 The troposphere goes from 0km to 16km.
 All weather happens in the troposphere-contains 99% of
the water vapor and 75% of the atmospheric gases
 The troposphere is the first layer above the surface and
contains most clouds and half of the Earth's atmosphere.
 More than half the air in the total atmosphere is in this
layer. Weather occurs in this layer
 The temperature drops as the altitude increases
(6.5o
C/Km).
TROPOSPHERETROPOSPHERE

22. What is OZONE?
• A gaseous layer in the upper
atmosphere that protects the earth
from harmful ultraviolet radiation. At
lower levels, ozone becomes a major
pollutant.
What is SMOG?What is SMOG?
 Pollution formed by the
interaction of pollutants and
sunlight (photochemical
smog), usually restricting
visibility, and occasionally
hazardous to health.

23.  The stratosphere goes from 16km to 50 km.
 The temperature goes up with altitude.
 Most jets fly in this layer because it is very stable.
 The protective ozone is at the top of the atmosphere (It
protects us from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun.)
 Rivers of air, called Jet Streams, can be found at the base
of this layer.
STRATOSPHERESTRATOSPHERE

24. The third layer of the atmosphere is
the…
The Mesosphere goes from 50km
to 90km.
In the mesosphere, the
temperature drops with altitude.
The mesosphere is the coldest
layer of the atmosphere.
Meteors burn up in this layer.
Radio waves are reflected back to
earth in the mesosphere.
MESOSPHEREMESOSPHERE

25. Why is the Mesosphere so Cold?
• Stratosphere warmed because of ozone layer
• Thermosphere warmed by atoms being
accelerated by sunlight
• Mesosphere is sandwiched between two
warmer layers

26. The fourth layer of the atmosphere is the…
 The thermosphere thickest atmospheric layer goes
from 90km to 300km.
 In the thermosphere the temperature goes up with
altitude.
 The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the
atmosphere.
 Curtains of light called auroras known for its high
temperatures occur in this layer.
 The Ionosphere is found in the thermosphere. This is the
component of the thermosphere that makes the auroras.
 Warms as it filters out X-rays and gamma rays from the Sun
 Ionosphere here, too – help carry radio waves.
THERMOSPHERETHERMOSPHERE

27. The last layer of the atmosphere is the…
 The exosphere is the
outermost layer of the
atmosphere.
 The temperature in the
exosphere goes up with
altitude.
 Satellites orbit earth in
the exosphere.
 Outer layer where space
shuttle orbits.
EXOSPHEREEXOSPHERE

28. Layers of
Atmosphere

29. Structure of atmosphere

30. Temperature in atmospheric layers
• The troposphere is warmed primarily by the
Earth’s surface; temperature decreases as
altitude increases in this layer.
• Temperatures increase as altitude increases in
the stratosphere, particularly in the upper
portion – ozone
• Temperatures decrease with altitude in the
mesosphere
• Thermosphere and exosphere are the first to
receive Sun’s rays, so they are very hot

31. Water Cycle – water makes up 70% of
Earth’s surface!!

32. Water Cycle
• Water moves back and forth between Earth’s
atmosphere and surface
• Energy from the sun causes water to evaporate from
the hydrosphere and rise as vapor
– Sun provides water cycle’s energy
– Water on the surface absorbs heat and evaporates,
entering the atmosphere
– Condensation – water vapor changes back into liquid
– Clouds of water become heavy and water falls to
Earth as precipitation
– The cycle repeats itself continuously

33. WEATHER
AND
CLIMATE
Are Weather and Climate
the Same?
Weather is defined as the state of the
atmosphere at some place and time,
usually expressed in terms of
temperature, air pressure, humidity,
wind speed and direction,
precipitation, and cloudiness.
Meteorologists study weather.
Climate is defined in terms of the
average (mean) of weather elements
(such as temperature and
precipitation) over a specified period of
time (30 years according to the World
Meteorological Organization).

34. Why do we predict the weather?
Weather is the condition of the
atmosphere outside at any
given time.
The weather can change quickly
and is sometimes even dangerous!
People need to know how the weather
might change while they are playing or
working outdoors.

35. Weather Forecasting.
Weather is not something we can control.
Meteorologists are scientists who study weather
and try to predict it. They use what they learn
about changing conditions in the atmosphere to
predict the weather for the next few days or
week. These predictions are called weather
forecasts.

36. Weather Forecasting
Weather has six main factors:
• Temperature
• Air pressure
• Wind speed
• Humidity
• Precipitation
• Cloudiness

37. Weather Instruments
• Temperature: Thermometer
• Pressure: Barometer
• Humidity: Hygrometer
• Wind Velocity and Direction:
Anemometer and Wind Vane

38. Weather Forecast Template(°F)
SATSAT SUNSUN MONMON TUETUE WEDWED THUTHU FRIFRI
THUNDER,
HEAVY
RAIN
SUNNY,
LIGHT
SNOW
CLOUDY,
LIGHT RAIN
HEAVY
CLOUD
FEW
CLOUDS
CLOUDY
SUNNY,
WARMER
63°F63°F 65°F65°F 64°F64°F 69°F69°F 71°F71°F 72°F72°F 70°F70°F
41°F41°F 42°F42°F 43°F43°F 40°F40°F 42°F42°F 39°F39°F 65°F65°F
***

39. Single Day Weather Report
63°F63°F
Hi: 65°F Lo: 49°F°F Lo: 49°F
Rain: 0.1”Rain: 0.1”
Gust: 7mph EGust: 7mph E
So far today:
Humidity: 87%Humidity: 87%
Dew Point: 41°FDew Point: 41°F
Saturday:
Hi: 71°F°F
Lo: 62°FLo: 62°F
Sunday:
Hi: 65°F°F
Lo: 50°FLo: 50°F

40. Atmosphere
Constituent Volume %
– Nitrogen 78.1
– Oxygen 20.9
– Water vapour 0.1–5
– Argon 0.9
– Carbon dioxide 0.03
– Trace constituents* Balance
– *The trace constituents include Helium, Neon, Krypton,
xenon, SO2, NO2, Ammonia, Ozone, and
– Carbon monoxide etc.
 The atmosphere, which is a gaseous cover, protects the
earth from cosmic radiations and provides life sustaining
Oxygen, the macronutrient Nitrogen and Carbon dioxide
needed for photosynthesis.
 The atmosphere screens the dangerous UV radiations from
the sun and allows only radiations in the range of 300 nm –
2500 nm (near UV to near IR) and radio waves.
 The atmosphere plays a major role in maintaining the heat
balance of the earth by absorbing there-emitted radiation
from the earth.
It is the mixture of various gases, water vapour and
subatomic particles that entirely covers the earth
extending outward several thousand kilometers.

41. Lithosphere
• The earth’s crust consisting of the soil
and rocks is the lithosphere. The soil is
made up of inorganic and organic
matter and water.
• The main mineral constituents are
compounds or mixtures derived from
the elements of Si, Ca, K, Al, Fe, Mn, Ti,
O etc. (Oxides, Silicates, and
Carbonates).
• The organic constituents are mainly
polysaccharides, organo compounds of
N, P and S.
• The organic constituents even though
form only around 4% – 6% of the
lithosphere, they are responsible for
the fertility of the soil and hence its
productivity

42. Hydrosphere
 This comprises all water resources both surface
and ground water.
 The world’s water is found in oceans and seas,
lakes and reservoirs, rivers and streams, the
Polar Regions in addition to ground water below
the land areas. The distribution of water
 among these resources is as under
– Oceans and Seas 96–97 %
– Glaciers and polar icecaps 2–3 %
– Fresh water < 1%
 The water locked up in the Oceans and Seas are
too salty and cannot be used directly for human
consumption, domestic, agriculture or Industrial
purposes.
 Only less than 1% of water resources are
available for human exploitation. Water is
considered to be a common compound with
uncommon properties. These uncommon
properties (e.g. anomalous expansion of water)
are mainly responsible for supporting terrestrial
and aquatic life on earth.

43. Biosphere
• The biosphere is a capsule encircling the
earth’s surface wherein all the living
things exist. The living organisms
interacting with each other in biosphere
and sustain their life
• This portion extends from 10000 m below
sea level to 6000 m above sea level.
• Life forms do not exist outside this zone.
• The biosphere covers parts of other
segments of the environment viz.
Lithosphere, Hydrosphere and
Atmosphere.
• Life sustaining resources like food, water
and oxygen present in the biosphere are
being withdrawn and waste products in
increasing quantities are being dumped.
The system is in operation for millions of
years but now showing stress due to
impact of human on environment.

44. Planet Earth: Segments of Environment
Journey To The Centre Of The
Earth
•Lithosphere:
Crust: < 1% (Thin)
Everest: 8.85 km
Mantle, Cores
•Hydrosphere:
(oceans, sea, rivers)
•Atmosphere: ~1%:
30 km (99% of air)
extends to 120 km
•Biosphere: All life
extending thousands of kilometers into space

45. Types of Environment
• Natural Environment
– The environment that comes in
its existence by its own or
naturally.
– Without interference of humans
– It operates through self
regulating mechanism
• Man-made
Environment(Anthropogenic)
– Env. Is modified by human activity
– Scientific technology which is result
of human brain is decorating the
natural environment.

46. Objective of Environmental education
• Awareness:
Knowledge: To help individuals and social groups to acquire
basic understanding of the environment, its associated
problems and their responsible role towards the betterment
of the environment.
Attitudes:To help individuals and social groups to acquire
social values, strong feeling of concern for the environment
and the motivation for actively participating in its protection
and improvement.
To help individuals and social groups to acquire basic
awareness of and sensitivity towards the environment & its
related problem.

47. Skills: To help individuals and social
groups to acquire the skills for solving
environmental problems.
•Evaluation ability: To help individuals
and social groups to evaluate
environmental measures and education
program in terms of ecological, political,
economical, social, aesthetic and
education factors.
•Participation: To help individuals and
social groups to develop a sense of
responsibility and urgency regarding
environmental problems to ensure
appropriate action to solve those problems.

48. Importance of Environmental science
• Solving the issues related to environment
– Pollution
– Over exploitation of non-renewable sources
– Food problem
– Sustainable development
– Maintain the ecological balance
– Eco friendly product
– Conservation of natural sources
– Understand the food chain
– Inculcating attitude and value
– Encouraging Environment protection

49. Importance of Environmental Studies
 Environmental Studies is useful in checking environmental pollution and
related solutions.
 It helps in maintaining ecological balance.
 It helps to gain skills to assess the environmental impact of human
activities. Environmental study will help to protect biodiversity.
 It gives us basic knowledge of environment and associated problems.
 It helps to achieve sustainable development .
 It helps to educate people regarding their duties towards the protection
of environment.
 The knowledge of environmental science will be applied to the study of
agriculture.

50. 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.
 Individual/group efforts in their own every possible way has to
be made to protect our environment.
 Mass public awareness: newspapers, radio, television strongly
influences public opinion on conserving our environment.

51. Methods for Public Awareness
 Environmental education
 Through media
 Through organizing seminars & conferences
 Entertainment
 Science centers
 Involvement of youth
 Through print, broadcast and internet
A Chinese proverb
“ If you plan for one year, plant rice, if you plan for 10 years
plant trees and if you plan for 100 years, educate people”

54. Some of the activities handled by
Environmental Engineer
• Waste Management,
• Toxic Material Control,
• Water Supply,
• Storm Water Management,
• Solid Waste Disposal,
• Land Management,
• Public Health & safety,
• Radiation Protection,
• Industrial Hygiene,
• Air Quality Control

55. Man is the only living
organism capable of
modifying environment
according to the need

66. Man and Environment
• Natural Conservations
– Sacred Groves of India
– Water storage : Water reservoir
• Traditional methods of Agricultures
• Traditional Methods of fishing
• Ecosystem Balance

67. Traditional Man and environment relationship
Sacred Groves of India
Traditional uses:
– Ayurvedic medicines.
– Replenish able resources like fruits and honey.
– The vegetation cover helps reduce soil erosion and
prevents desertification,
– Water requirements of local communities.
• Modern uses:
– biodiversity hotspots,
– Sacred groves often contain plant and animal species
that have become extinct in neighboring areas.
– sacred groves in urban landscapes act as "lungs" to the
city as well, providing much needed vegetation cover.
• Threats
– Urbanization, over-exploitation of resources
– Environmental destruction due to religious practices.
– Other threats to the sacred groves include invasion.
A sacred Hindu grove near Chandod on the banks of the
Narmada River, drawn by James Forbes, 1782.
Banyan Tree at a temple in Kannur, India

68. Traditional Method of Farming
• Traditional Use
– Planting were coordinated with the
movement of plant and stars
– Harmony with the local Environment
and Seasons
– Cultivate large no of Crops varieties.
– Rotation of crop and Soil fertility
– Mixing sand, Slit and clay in right
proportion.
• Modern Use
– Heavy use of chemical and pesticides
– Local biodiversity affected
– Use of Vehicles.
• Treats
– Food security
– GMO Food
– Pesticides

69. Traditional method of fishing
• Traditional
– Fishers have extensive knowledge
of oceans and fisheries
– Mesh size of the nets was
designed to catch only a particular
species, and among them only the
adult fish
• Modern
– Mechanized boats and later big
trawlers.
– Outsiders entered in the business
with the aim of cating as much fish
as possible
• Threats
– No regards for conservation of
resource.

70. Impact of Science and technology on the
environment
• Advancement of technology & machines, has increased
industrialization and increased pollution as a result of
which environment has deteriorated.
New and better technology is being introduced, by each passing
day. In every field, new technology is introduced very frequently.
This advancement of technology is beneficial, but has also
created adverse effects on the environment.
• Advancement in weapon technology had also considerably
affected the environment.
• New technology means more production and more consumption
like vehicles, which creates pollution.
• Thus technology, on one hand can be beneficial, but can create
a bad impact on the environment.

74. Impact of Science and technology on
the environment
• Invention of Engines and Automobiles
• Invention of concrete building of dams, and
diversion of rivers water for agriculture and
power production
• Chemical fertilizer and pesticides
• Huge amount of ground water is extracted with
pumps
To increase his comforts he started distributing each and
every components of environment.
Man has started hunting animals and cutting trees for his basic
needs.

76. In developing countries three Ps or
P3 i.e. population, poverty and
pollution are key factor for rapid
environmental degradation.

77. Environmental Degradation
What is environmental degradation? Let us understand it.
 It is the process by which our environment i.e., air, water and land, is
progressively contaminated, over- exploited and destroyed.
 When the environment becomes less valuable or damaged,
environmental degradation is said to occur.
 In specific term, environmental degradation is the deterioration of the
environment through depletion of resources such as air, water, soil and
forest; the destruction of eco-systems and the extinction of wildlife.

78. Causes of Environmental Degradation
Social factors
 Growing Population
 Poverty
 Urbanization
 Changing life style
Economic factors
 Agricultural Development
 Industrialization
 Economic Development

79. Growing Population
 Population is the greatest resource of any country and a major
contributory factor for development, and yet it is a major cause of
environmental degradation.
 As we find, the rapid pace of population growth has led to the excessive
utilization of natural resources.
 Huge population also leads to huge production of wastes.
 The resultant outcomes are loss of biodiversity, pollution of air, water and
soil and increased pressure on arable land. All these have been putting
great stress on the environment.

80. Poverty
 Poverty is said to be both the cause and effect of environmental
degradation.
 You may have seen that the poor people use natural resources more than
the rich.
 They use these for building their huts, for cooking, for their food and for
meeting many other needs.
 In this way they deplete these resources faster as they have no
opportunity of gaining access to other types of resources that are primarily
exploited by the rich.
 As we know, the more the resources are utilized, the more degraded the
environment becomes.
 The more the environment deteriorates, the more impoverished the poor
will be.

81. Urbanization
 You may have observed a large number of poor people from villages
moving to towns, cities and mega cities to earn their livelihood. This has led
to unplanned and rapid expansion of cities, creating enormous pressure on
the infrastructural facilities.
 If you live in a city, you may be experiencing these pressures on housing,
water and electric supply and sewage.
 You would be aware of the growing slums.
 Urban slums are major sources of pollution and suffer from the worst kind
of unhygienic conditions.
 The fast pace of urbanization has also been responsible for the depletion
of forests and irrational use of other resources.

82. Changing Life Style
 There has been a remarkable change in the style of living of people.
 This change is visible not only among the people living in cities and towns
but also among those who live in villages.
 The changing life style of people has enormously increased their level of
consumption.
 It has also resulted in the increase of human activities that are causing
serious damage to environment in many ways.
 It has contributed to air, water, sound, vehicular and industrial pollution.
 The fallout of the fast increasing use of modern gadgets like refrigerators
and air conditioners is the release of harmful gases in the atmosphere.
 This has been causing global warming which is very dangerous. In fact, due
to overuse of modern gadgets, harmful gases like carbon monoxide and
carbon dioxide
are released which lead to global warming

83. Agricultural Development
Agricultural development is so important for a country
like ours. But this has been affecting the environment adversely.

84. ECOLOGY
How does “Environment” differ from “Ecology”

85. Ecology
(Greek word: Okologie; meaning: “place to live”)
“
Branch of science that deals with the scientific
study of the interrelationships between living
organisms with respect to each other and to their
surroundings.
Ecology= Oikos + Logos
•Oikos means house or dwelling place
•Logos means study of

86. Sustainable Development
The concept of sustainable development can be interpreted in many different
ways, but at its core is an approach to development that looks to balance
different, and often competing, needs against an awareness of the
environmental, social and economic limitations we face as a society.
All too often, development is driven by one particular need, without fully
considering the wider or future impacts. We are already seeing the damage this
kind of approach can cause, from large-scale financial crises caused by
irresponsible banking, to changes in global climate resulting from our
dependence on fossil fuel-based energy sources.
The term sustainable development refers
to the development that meets the needs
of the present without compromising the
ability of the future generations to meet
their own needs.
Every generation should leave air, water and soil as pure and unpolluted as possible.

87. Measures for Sustainable Development
Effective planning for population control
Reducing per capita demand of natural resources
Using efficient technological devices
Following the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycling) approach
Promoting environmental awareness through education
Effective planning for regeneration of natural resources
Using cleaner fuel and technologies.
By using effective environmental management tools.(EIA, EMS)

88. Sustainable Building Materials: Approach