ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

- science dealing with the study of our environment

either globally or locally, its living and nonliving

components ; a. living - biological factors like plants and animals esp. human beings. b. nonliving - physical factors like air, water, soil, light, etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
an interdisciplinary study that examines the role of humans on

the earth using concepts and information from other sciences to help us understand how the earth works and how we are affecting the earths life-support systems for us and other species.
it is a composite entity incorporating the different fields in science such as :

NATURAL SCIENCES biology, chemistry, earth science, physics and medicine, SOCIAL SCIENCES - economics, political science, sociology, history, philosophy and ethics. OTHER SCIENCES - mathematics, statistics, technology, business and management, law, religion, morality and aesthetics.

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
knowledge and technology are products of

environmental sciences, the study of how humans interact with their environment and what can be done to improve these interactions.

Resource management and resource technology are

significant features of environmental science.

GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

1. To develop a sustainable world, a

world in which the supply of food, water, building materials, clean air, and other resources can sustain human populations to continue to exist definitely with high standard of living and health.

GOALS OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE

2. To study environmental problems

and issues, priorities regarding acceptable environmental preservation of natural species and habitats, freedom of nations to do as they wish, within their own potential boundaries, and issues of quality of life, fairness and ethics.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
- process by which people develop awareness, knowledge,

and concern of the environment and its diverse values and processes, and learn to use this understanding to preserve, conserve and utilize the environment in a sustainable manner for the benefit of present and future generations.

- involves the acquisition of skills, motivations and

commitment to work individually and collectively toward the solution of current environmental problems and prevention of new ones.
natural and man-made, and promotes a holistic, dynamic and interactive view of its biological, physical, social, economic, technological and cultural components.

- adopts an integrated approach to the environment both

ROLES OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

1. It must work to help each citizen develop an

awareness of and a sensitivity to the environment and its problems.

2. It must help each citizen acquire the knowledge and

understanding needed to solve problems.

3. It must foster positive attitudes and patterns of

conduct toward the environment.

SCOPE AND MEANING OF ECOLOGY

ENVIRONMENT

- encompasses all that surround us: the natural world in which we live, and all the things that were produced by people.

refers to all external conditions and factors that affect the

living organisms.
every aspect of human behavior has some relationship to

the natural environment: our existence depends much on what the environment can provide. As our numbers grow our demands in our environment also increases.

ECOLOGY
- study of the relationships of the living organisms

with each other and with their environment. gateway to the understanding of the interactions of the biological, physical and social components of our environment. science for survival as viewed in the 1970s when environmental problems were becoming more serious and peoples awareness and involvement were increasing, hence, was expected to provide solutions to these problems.

The Spectrum of Life - the levels of organization of life.

P- protoplasm: the living substance of the cell. C- cell; the basic unit of life. T- tissue; group of cells performing a specific function. O- organ; a group of tissues carrying out a particular function. O- organ system; a group of organs doing a specific function. O- organism; formed by levels of organization from the protoplasm to the organ systems. P- population; a group of organisms of the same kind or species occupying a particular place at a particular time. C- community; a group of populations occupying a given area. E- ecosystem; basic unit of ecology that refers to the interaction between the organism and its environment. B- biosphere; portion of the earth and its environment within which life in any of its form is manifested.

Implications of the biological spectrum:

1. Life begins with a mass of protoplasm and operates

within the biosphere. It follows a continuous pattern. 2. There is an increasing complexity as one proceeds from one level to another. 3. The levels of organization are interrelated with one another. One cannot exist without the other- there cannot be a cell without a protoplasm, a tissue without cells, etc. 4. The interrelationships of these different levels show that the organisms are dependent on one another. No organism lives alone.

LAWS OF ECOLOGY:
1. Everything is connected to everything else.

-relationships among organisms as well as their relationship with the physical factors. - teaches us how to care not only of ourselves but also of others; to think of the present and of the future.

LAWS OF ECOLOGY:
2. There is strength and stability in the unity of

differences. a group of people with diverse specialties or expertise, is likely to meet the varying needs of the people. In nature, nothing is said to be more important than another because each has a role to perform which is vital to the efficiency of the whole system, therefore, the stability of the ecosystem depends on all the functions of the components of the system.

LAWS OF ECOLOGY:
3. Consumption must not exceed production. for an ecosystem to exist, ability to provide for the

necessities of life (carrying capacity) should not be exceeded by consumption. In this way homoeostasis is maintained.

LAWS OF ECOLOGY:
4. Everything has a purpose. every structure corresponds to a function.

stresses that each of us has a role to perform and

responsibility to protect the environment.

Environmental Principles
1.

Nature knows best. - humans have to understand nature and have to abide by the rules nature dictates - in nature, nutrients pass from the environment to the organisms and back to the environment - any disruption in the cycle can bring about imbalance

Environmental Principles
2. All forms of life are important.
- each organism plays a fundamental role in nature called niche - it is apparent that all living things must be considered as invaluable in the maintenance of homeostasis in the ecosystem.

Environmental Principles
3. Everything is connected to everything else. - in ecosystem, all biotic and abiotic components interact with each other to ensure that the system is perpetuated - any outside interference may result in the imbalance and deterioration in the system

Environmental Principles
4. Everything changes - environment is constantly changing - organisms may evolve through time - change may be linear (evolution of species), cyclical (seasons), or random( eruption of Mt. Piatubo)

Environmental Principles
5. Everything must go somewhere. - if a disappears from sight, it does not cease to exist; it ends up somewhere - this principle opens up ones eyes to the need to turn back from attitudes inherent in a throw-away society

Environmental Principles
6. Ours is a finite earth. - how long would the earth be able to sustain the demands on its resources? - to ensure that these resources will be continually replenished, it is essential to know how much of the resources can be consumed at a given time

Environmental Principles
7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of Gods creation. - this is inherent in all religious and tribal beliefs - teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, and Islam enjoin everyone to respect all life and the order of nature - among all creatures, humans have been given the right to have dominion over all His creation.