ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Module 1: Introduction to the subject

Faculty Name: Prof. Suchitra Umalkar, MAHE Dubai

 Course outline
S. No. Module Weeks
Module 1: Introduction of the subject: meaning, multidisciplinary nature
of environmental science/studies, applications of environmental science
/engineering in various engineering disciplines. environmental ethics,
1 sustainable development : a global concern. [2] 2
Basic components of the environment: Various spheres of the Earth :
Atmosphere, Lithosphere, Hydrosphere - Internal structure of the earth.
[2]

Module 2:Natural Resources: Renewable and non-renewable resources-

Forests, Water- water conservation- Rain water harvesting, watershed
management & Interlinking of rivers, Minerals, Air Land, Energy
2 resources. [4] 4
Environmental Pollution and control : Causes, effects, control - water,
air, land, noise, Municipal solid waste, biomedical waste, nuclear, Marine,
e-wastes , Drinking water treatment and sewage treatment concepts. [7]
Introduction to Environmental Science/Studies - Revision

 Definition of Environmental science

It is the field of science that studies the interactions of the physical,
chemical, and biological components of the environment and also
the relationships and effects of these components with the living
beings in the environment.
 The Course Objectives:
 This course will help you understand the interdependency between living
beings and the environment.
 It will provide you the skills necessary to understand current environmental
problems.
 This study focuses on addressing the environmental issues we are facing
today by examining scientific principles and the application of those
principles to natural systems.
 Introduction Cont..

 To appreciate various pollution control concepts which improve the quality of

environment by learning about various pollutants their effects and remedies
 This course will survey some of the many environmental science topics
ultimately considering the sustainability of human activities on the planet.
 To understand disaster management and use it more scientifically with the
use of modern technology.
 To learn about various existing laws, policies and acts related to Environment
 Importance of Environmental Science
 The world around us is changing at a very rapid pace. Some changes are
beneficial, but many of the changes are causing damage to our planet.
 The field of environmental science is a valuable resource for learning more
about these changes and how they affect the world we live in.
Environmental Studies
 Environmental studies is an interdisciplinary subject,
examining the interplay between the following
aspects of environmental issues
◼ social,
◼ legal,
◼ management, and
◼ scientific aspect

 Students of environmental studies are expected to

learn the causes, effects, and possible solutions to
address important environmental problems.
Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies

 Environmental studies deal with every issue that affects an

organism.
 It is brings about an appreciation of our natural world and
human impacts on its integrity.
 It is an applied science as it seeks practical answers to
making human civilization sustainable on the earth’s finite
resources.
 Its components include biology, geology, chemistry, physics,
engineering, sociology, health, anthropology, economics,
statistics, computers and philosophy.
 Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies, and its
application to various engineering disciplines

Civil Engineering, Chemical

engineering, hydraulics ,
Nanotechnology etc.

Physical Science
Economics, sociology, law,

Technology
Physics, chemistry, earth science, management, mass
Atmospheric science, communication etc.
oceanography, geography etc.

Life Sciences
Modeling
Biology, Biochemistry, Environmental Mathematics, statistics,
microbiology, computer sciences etc.
Biotechnology etc Studies
Multidisciplinary nature of EVS
 Physical and Life Science - Find and analyze the issues
 Engineering – find alternatives, such as degradable plastic,
safe Waste disposal system, development of Disaster
management software,
 Sociology – Awareness campaign, road shows

 Economic – reward for non-users, tax penalty on

distributors
 Political – Legislation for pollution control, Ban on usage

 Cultural – Adopting more sustainable practices

 Environmental ethics

 Environmental ethics believes in the ethical relationship

between human beings and the natural environment.
 Environmental ethics says that one should base their
behavior on a set of ethical values that guide our
approach toward the other living beings in nature.
 Environmental ethics is about including the rights of non-
human animals in our ethical and moral values.
 Even if the human race is considered the primary concern
of society, animals and plants are in no way less important.
They have a right to get their fair share of existence.
 Environmental ethics specify appropriate human
relationships to the nonhuman world.
 Environmental ethics

 Environmental ethics considers the ethical relationship between

people and the natural world and the kind of decisions
people have to make about the environment
 It forces us to ask many vital questions such as;
➢ Should we continue to cut down the rain forests for the sake of
human consumption?
➢ Should we continue to manufacture petrol driven cars when we
have the technology to make cars which do not pollute the
environment?
➢ Should we knowingly cause the extinction of other species?
➢ What are our environmental obligations to future generations?
➢ Should humans be forced to live a simpler lifestyle in order to
protect and preserve the environment?
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
 Sustainable Development
 What is sustainable development
“Sustainable development is development which meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs”.
 It 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.
 Aspects of Sustainability
 Economic: Economic sustainability refers to practices that support
long-term economic growth without negatively impacting social,
environmental, and cultural aspects of the community.

 Environmental: An environmentally sustainable system must

maintain a stable resource base, avoiding over-exploitation of
renewable resource systems, and depleting non-renewable
resources only to the extent that investment is made in adequate
substitutes. This includes maintenance of biodiversity, atmospheric
stability, and other ecosystem functions.

 Social: A socially sustainable system must achieve distributional

equity, adequate provision of social services including health and
education, gender equity, and political accountability and
participation.
 Aspects of Sustainability
 Socially sustainable system must provide
 Good quality of Life
 Easy availability of Education
 Sustained community development
 Equal opportunities
 Strong laws and ethics
 Economically sustainable system must provide
 Smart growth opportunities
 Long range planning
 Cost savings (Profitability)
 Lower cost of living
 Environmentally sustainable system must provide
 Efficient resource management
 Environmental Protection
 Habitat restoration and preservation
What UN says about Sustainable Development

 The Sustainable Development Goals are the

blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable
future for all. They address the global challenges
we face, including those related to poverty,
inequality, climate, environmental degradation,
prosperity, and peace and justice.
 The Goals interconnect and in order to leave no one
behind, it ís important that we achieve each Goal
and target by 2030.
UN Sustainable development goals
UN Sustainable development goals
UN Sustainable development goals
UN Sustainable development goals
UN Sustainable development goals
UN Sustainable development goals

 Make a difference – You can learn more about these

individual goals here -
https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainabl
e-development-goals/
 Sustainable Development A global concern –
Case Studies

 Some of the recent episodes of unsustainable practices,

where the all out approach has backfired in a very
negative way;

➢ Financial crisis/ Global Economic Recession (2008-2010)-

Irresponsible banking

➢ Flint,Michigan water crisis (2014 - Present) - On April 25,

2014, officials looking to save money switched Flint, Michigan’s
drinking water supply from the Detroit city system to the Flint
River.
 Flint, Michigan, water crisis (2014 - Present)

A story of environmental injustice and bad decision making, the water

crisis in Flint, Michigan, began in 2014
 What is Flint Water crisis

 Flint once thrived as the home of the nation's largest General Motors
plant. The city's economic decline began during the 1980s,
when GM downsized.
 In 2011, the state of Michigan took over Flint's finances after an audit
projected a $25 million deficit.
 In order to reduce the water fund shortfall, the city announced that a new
pipeline would be built to deliver water from Lake Huron to Flint. In 2014,
while the pipeline was under construction, the city turned to the Flint River
as a water source. Soon after the switch, residents reported changes to the
water's color, smell and taste.
 Tests in 2015 by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Virginia
Tech indicated dangerous levels of lead in the water at residents' homes.
 Lead consumption can severely affect the heart, kidneys and nerves.
 Health effects of lead exposure in children include impaired cognition,
behavioral disorders, hearing problems etc.
 What caused the Flint water crisis

1. Flint city was facing an economic decline after one of the biggest industry in the
city down sized its operations.
2. The city municipality was projecting a huge financial deficit.
3. In a cost-saving move the city switched its drinking water supply from Detroit’s
system to the Flint River .
4. The water was released for the consumption without any adequate treatment and
testing
5. Issues were chronically ignored, overlooked, and discounted by government
officials
6. the Flint River, which flows through the heart of town, has served as an unofficial
waste disposal site for treated and untreated refuse from the many local
industries
7. The waterway has also received raw sewage from the city’s waste treatment
plant, agricultural and urban runoff, and toxins from leaching landfills.
Flint water quality
Effects of Consumption of contaminated water on
Flint city residents

 the foul-smelling, discolored, and off-tasting water piped

into Flint homes was causing skin rashes, hair loss, and itchy
skin.
 The incidence of elevated blood-lead levels in children
citywide had nearly doubled since 2014, and nearly tripled in
certain neighborhoods.
 Outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease (a severe form of
pneumonia) that killed 12 and sickened at least 87 people
between June 2014 and October 2015.
 Elevated levels of total trihalomethanes (TTHM) as a result of
excess chlorination without properly testing the water, which is
a cancer-causing chemicals
 Does Flint have safe water yet?

 Governor seemed to signal the all-clear in April 2018 when

he announced that the city would stop providing bottled water to
residents.
 Indeed, there is some evidence that the situation in Flint is improving,
with lead levels remaining below the federal action level for the
past four six-month monitoring periods, from July 2016 to June
2018.
 However, it is important to note that thousands of Flint residents are
still getting their water from lead pipes.
 Financial crises/ Global Economic Recession (2007-
2010)

As the world economies stumbled. The 2008 financial crisis was the
worst economic disaster since the Great Depression of 1929.
What happened during the financial crisis?

 This resulted in what's known as the Great Recession, which led to

falling housing prices and sharp increases in unemployment. The
associated repercussions were enormous, and are still influencing
financial systems today.
 In the US alone, more than eight million citizens lost their jobs,
 approximately 2.5 million businesses were devastated,
 Close to four million homes were foreclosed in less than two years.
 From food insecurity to income inequality, many have lost faith in the
system.
 The recession officially ended in 2009, but many continued to suffer
long after it, especially in the US. The unemployment rate reached
10% in 2009 and was only recovered to pre-crisis levels in 2016.

 Financial crises/ Global Economic Recession (2007-
2010)

 What caused the great recession

1. Unregulated Real-estate Price rise
Inflation is when the price of an asset
increases above their legitimate intrinsic
worth. (e.g.- the fundamental value/ intrinsic
worth of pen is AED 20. But, price rises to
above 1000.)
From the 1990s until February 2007, prices
of houses in the US increased by a
staggering 130 %. (Housing Bubble)
 Financial crises/ Global Economic Recession (2007-
2010)

2. Use of complex financial

instruments
➢ Unregulated money lending by the
Banks
➢ Collateral Debt obligations
➢ The securities can be traded like shares
3. Use of Short term Funding or
commercial paper
➢ Unsustainable transaction by the large
companies to meet their short term
funding requirements by issuing
commercial paper as a security which
has a short maturity span and can be
traded in the market for funds
 Financial crises/ Global Economic Recession (2007-
2010)

4. Poor risk management by the

financial institutions
➢ Risk was spread throughout the
system, because of complexity of
the financial instruments.
➢ No financial cushion to absorb
losses. (increased leverage)
Financial crises/ Global Economic Recession (2007-
2010)
Environmental Sustainability - we have choices
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnYHFRq7-5s