Environment

• The term "environment" means total surroundings of an organism.

• Environment is a system of physical, chemical and biological factors in dynamic equilibrium.

Environment

Environment

Abiotic environmentSun light,soil,air,water

Biotic environmentMicroorganisms,plants,animals

Lithosphere

- Solid earth

Basic Components

Environment

Physical environment Biotic environment

Hydrosphere Atmosphere - Water - Gaseous

envelope

Biosphere

Flora Fauna

- Plants, microbes Animals

Biosphere

• It is a complex interacting system of living organisms and the physical environment.

• The biosphere is composed of smaller units called Ecosystems.

Ecosystem

• A dynamically balanced open environmental system.

• Self- sustaining ( ~ self cleaning ability )• Stability ( Buffering ability )

Human –Environment Interactions

• Planet Earth is the Home for human beings, animals and plants.

• Man dominates the world and exploits all available resources.

• He works as the agent of all environmental degradation.

• He also become its prime victim.

Human dependence on the natural Environment

• a resource for food supply

• a major source of medicines

• an energy source • a source for

recreation • natural resources

for industrial products

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Environment

Human wants are never ending

"Overshoot is growth beyond carrying capacity.

Ecological Overshoot

• . The WWF's Living Planet Report 2004 confirms that humanity is now consuming over 20 % more natural resources than the Earth can regenerate.

• We are plundering the planet at a pace that outstrips its capacity to support life.

Did you know ?

• Our current global situation: Since the mid 1980s, humanity has been in ecological overshoot with annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year.

• We maintain this overshoot by liquidating the Earth’s resources. Overshoot is a vastly underestimated threat to human well-being and the health of the planet, and one that is not adequately addressed.

Ecological Disturbance

• Ecological means related to the ecology, which is the totality or pattern of relations between organisms and their environment.

• An ecological disturbance is an event or circumstance that interrupts the relationship between organism and environment.

Ecological Integrity

– The condition of an unimpaired ecosystem as measured by combined chemical, physical and biological attributes.

– ECO = Home or HabitatLOGICAL = Ordered or in an orderly fashionINTEGRITY = Whole or Complete

– "Ecological integrity" - is a term used to describe ecosystems that are self-sustaining and self-regulating.

– For example, complete food webs, a full complement of native species and naturally functioning ecological processes (energy flow, nutrient and water cycles, etc).

– Environmental stress is a challenge to ecological integrity

Human activity = Impacts

• Human activity is a major cause of environmental change

• Environment degradation has an impact not only on human beings but on all species and most natural systems

Human activity = Impacts

Ozone depletionOzone depletion

Loss of Loss of biodiversitybiodiversity

Population increasePopulation increaseEconomic growthEconomic growth

Global warmingGlobal warming

Air ,water & land pollution

Resource depletionResource depletion

WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE ?

• Global change includes natural and human- induced changes in the Earth's environment .

• Global change can be defined as changes in the global environment (including alterations in climate, land productivity, oceans or other water resources, atmospheric chemistry, and ecological systems) that may alter the capacity of the Earth to sustain life.

The Paul Ehrlich Equation

The Paul Ehrlich Equation is presented as:

• I = P * A * T = Eye PAT• Impact = Population x Affluence x

Technology. where:I is the impact on the environment resulting from consumptionP is the population numberA is the consumption per capita (affluence)T is the technology factor

Impact of a country on the global environment

• It can be described as • the product of the numbers of people

(Population), • consumption of goods and services per capita (a

measure of the scale of resource use, termed Affluence for brevity, and convenience), and 

• Technology (a measure of the degree to which inefficient and environmentally unsafe methods are used to produce and consume goods and service).

• Obviously, a high number in any one of the terms--population, affluence, or technology--produce a large impact.

Human Footprint

• the effects humans have on our planet

How Big is Your Footprint?

• Each and every living organism consumes the Earth's resources in order to survive.

• However, this consumption and subsequent waste has an impact on our ecosystems.

• When these consumption and waste activities extend beyond the earth's carrying capacity, an imbalance is struck and ecological degradation ensues.

Ecological footprint

• the amount or the part of nature used by a person to satisfy his needs.

• It is a measure of the demands and the consumption of natural resources by people.

• The sizes of ecological footprint vary from country to country and from person to person.

Ecological footprint

• The ecological footprint is a measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems.

• It compares human demand with planet Earth's ecological capacity ...

• Per capita ecological footprint (EF) is a means of comparing consumption and lifestyles, and checking this against nature's ability to provide for this consumption.

• The footprint can also be a useful tool to educate people about carrying capacity and over-consumption, with the aim of altering personal behavior. 

Ecological footprint analysis 

• Ecological footprint (sometimes called Ecological footprint analysis or EF analysis for short) is measure of human demand on the Earth's ecosystems and natural resources.

•  Ecological footprint analysis compares human consumption of natural resources with planet Earth's ecological capacity to regenerate them.

• Ecological footprint is, therefore, an estimate of the amount of biologically productive land and sea area needed to regenerate (if possible) the resources a human population consumes and to absorb and render harmless the corresponding waste, given prevailing technology and current understanding.

Our current global situation:

•  Since the mid 1980s, humanity has been in ecological overshootwith annual demand on resources exceeding what Earth can regenerate each year.

• It now takes the Earth one year and four months to regenerate what we use in a year.

Carbon Footprint

• The term describes the total set of greenhouse gas emissions caused by one individual.

• It is an impact on the atmosphere similar to the footprint we are leaving in the sand.

• An average Carbon footprint of a British citizen is about 10 tonnes of CO2

• An average Carbon footprint of an Indian citizen is round about 1.5 tonnes of CO2

Carbon Footprint

• A measure of the amount of carbon dioxide emitted through fossil fuel combustion.

Carbon footprint

• Carbon footprint = the amount of greenhouse gases produced by human activities and is measured in the amount of CO2 produced.

• Main activities that will increase our carbon footprint:a) use of transportation (planes, cars, trains)b) burning of fossil fuels (petrol, coal)c) process of manufacturing products (clothing, food, personal products)d) use of household electricity (computers, lights)e) use of pesticidesf) heating and cooling – hot water showers, central heating, air conditioning

Carbon footprint

• A carbon footprint is made up of the sum of two parts: the primary footprint and the secondary footprint.

• The primary footprint is a measure of our direct emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels including domestic energy consumption and transportation. For example, car and plane.

• The secondary footprint is a measure of the indirect carbon dioxide emissions from the whole lifecycle of the products we use. Products with more packaging will generally have a larger secondary footprint than products with a minimal amount of packaging.

Drivers of Environmental change

Drivers of Environmental change

Anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism Human –centered values-Human –centered values-

ContempocentrismContempocentrism Generation – centered values-Generation – centered values-

TechnologyTechnology Population Population growthgrowth

PovertyPoverty AffluenceAffluence

Core valuesCore values

AmplifiersAmplifiers

ConsumptiConsumptive ve

behaviorbehavior

How do human impact the Environment?

A multiplicity of effectsA multiplicity of effects

Human population growth

• Population growth is the central cause of the environmental crisis.

• Human impact on the biosphere is a function of the size of human population and environmental impact per person.

• It also depends on the nature and degree of industrialization.

• The world’s population presently grows by about 250,000 people per day.

Human population growth

• Our population is rapidly rising beyond the earth's ability to regenerate and sustain us .

• We are exceeding the carrying capacity of our planet.

Human population growth

Impact of Population Growth

Deforestation

Over exploitation of Bioresources

Pollution Rapid mining of non-biological resources

Over-population leads to:

• Resource depletion• Resource degradation• Pollution• Loss of biodiversity

Impact of over population

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Chemical inputs

(raw materials

Power inputs

( gas, oil, coal)

Other inputs

(water)

Air Pollution

Water Pollution

Land Pollution

The products

Gaseous effluent

Liquid effluent

Solid Waste

Impact of Industrialization

Small Population and Little Technology-Society has low impact on Environment

SocietyDeplete

Pollute

Environment

Traditional Economics

Resources/Raw materials

Environmentalpollutants

Large Population and Increased Technology-Society has great impact on Environment

Society

Deplete Pollute

Environment

Environmental Economics

Resources/Raw materials

Environmentalpollutants

Chemical industry

Energy

Emissions

Chemical Products

Chemical by-products

Feed Chemicals

Industrial pollution

Life cycle assessment (LCA)

• A Life Cycle Assessment (life cycle analysis, eco-balance, and cradle-to-grave analysis) is the investigation and valuation of the environmental impacts of a given product or service caused by its existence.

Life Cycle Assessment

• The carbon footprint can be efficiently and effectively reduced by Life Cycle Assessment.

• Life Cycle Assessment is to accurately determine the current carbon footprint.

• Identification of hot-spots in terms of energy consumption and associated carbon dioxide emissions also can reduce carbon footprint.

Waste gases

Industrialization

Waste waters

Hazardous wastes

Complexity of wastesToxic, carcinogenic cumulative and synergistic chemicals

Impact of Industrialization

Impact of Industrialization

• Dangerous chemicals entering underground water

• Ecological imbalance• Release of pollutant gases• Release of radioactive rays

causing health problems• Increased salinity• Reduced vegetation

Impact of Urbanization

Urbanization

Over crowding of people

Increased demand for resources

Increased disposal of waste

Air pollution

slums

Environmental Impact of Agriculture

• Agriculture is a major source of environmental pollution.

• Currently, approximately 1/3 of the land area is directly converted to agricultural lands. More than 40% is under conversion and fragmented, and less than 25% remains intact. 

• The main gas fluxes (in volume terms) from agriculture are ammonia, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.

1. Salinization & water logging of soil due to heavy irrigation practices

2. Too much of water used for irrigation.

3. Pollution from pesticide use, fertilizer run-off, buildup of nitrates and phosphates .

4. Clearing of grasslands & deforestation destroy wildlife and habitats and decrease biodiversity.

Impact of Agriculture on the Environment

Agriculture

Desertification

Salinization & water logging

Nitrate build-up

Animal WastesFertilizer run-off

(salts & phosphates)

Pesticidal toxicity

Impact of Agriculture

Impact of Agricultural Pollution• Reduced soil fertility

• Reduced nitrogen fixation• Increased erodibility• Larger loss of top soil and nutrients• Deposition of silt in tanks and reservoirs• Reduced crop yield• Imbalance in soil fauna and flora• The bioaccumulation of pesticides in food

webs.

Human health impacts of pesticidal pollution

• Affect and damage the nervous system.

• Cause liver damage.• Damage DNA and a

variety of cancers• Cause reproductive and

endocrine damage.• Cause other acutely

toxic and chronic effects.

Deforestation

• Tropical forests cover only six percent of Earth’s land surface.

• They contain between 70% and 90% of world’s species .

• Deforestation is causing a loss of biological diversity on an unprecedented scale.

• Loss of biological diversity between 50 and 100 animal and plant species each day

• Tropical rainforests are disappearing at an alarming rate.

Deforestation• Rainforest are one of the most biologically

diverse regions of the world. • More than 50 percent of the tree cover has

disappeared due to human activity. • Trees act as a major storage depot for

carbon. carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is used to produce carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that make up trees.  

• Forests naturally cool down the climate because they help retain moisture in the air.

• Deforestation has been found to contribute to global warming.

Desertification

• Desertification is the persistent degradation of dryland ecosystems.

• Overgrazing results in removal of vegetation and exposing of soil to wind and water erosion.

• Some 10 to 20% of drylands are already degraded.

• The ongoing desertification threatens the world’s poorest populations .

Desertification• Climatic changes can trigger the

desertification process. • But human activities frequently are the

proximate cause.• Desertification is devouring more than

20,000 square miles of land worldwide every year.

Land Degradation• loss of quality and

productive capacity of soil.

• the loss of organic matter and fertility

• the reduction of vegetative cover and

biodiversity• decline in soil life. • Results in compaction

and erosion• a reduction in water

holding capacity and increased salinization.

Health Impacts of land pollution

• Breathing of polluted dust or particles cause problems in the respiratory system

• Eating fruits and vegetables that have been grown in polluted soil lead to birth defects

• Cause problems on the skin• Cause various kinds of cancers

Environmental Pollution

Pollution : A silent Killer

People are exposed to harmful Pollutants in the air they breathe , the liquids they drink, the food they eat, the surface they touch, and the products they use.

When the environment can not process the load of pollutants , pollution takes place . Every environmental system has a carrying capacity .

Pollution is a global problem

• It has affected the lives of millions of people and caused several deaths and health problems .

• According to “the World health report 2002” , indoor air pollution is responsible for more than 1.5 million deaths and 2.7 % of the global burden of diseases.

• WHO (2006) has estimated that around a quarter of the global disease burden is associated with environmental risk factors.

Impact of Air pollution

• Visibility reduction - airborne particles

• Material damage - damage to rubber goods and textiles

• Agricultural damage – damages all kinds of crops

• Psychological effects – psychosomatic diseases

• Physiological and health effects – respiratory / cardiovascular diseases and lung cancer

Impact of air pollution on plants

• Interfere with photosynthesis , carbohydrates production

• Damage to leaf tissue, needles and fruit

• Reduction in growth rate or suppression of growth

• Increased susceptibility to disease, pests and adverse weather

• Reduced crop yields and makes fruit smaller, lighter and less nutritions

Rise in Carbon dioxide Level

Doubling of carbon dioxide

• In 1850, atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide was about 280 ppm.

• Today, it is about 350 ppm. • This increase is due largely to

burning of fossil fuels and clearing of forests.

Global warming

• Global warming is caused by the emission of greenhouse gases.

• 72% of the emitted greenhouse gases is made up of carbon dioxide (CO2).

• Carbon dioxide emissions therefore are the main cause of global warming.

• CO2 is caused by burning fuels.Oil, natural gas, diesel, organic-diesel, petrol, organic-petrol, ethanol.

• Emissions of CO2 have been increasing at a rate of approximately 3% yearly for the past 50 years.It is released to the atmosphere where it remains for 100 to 200 years.

• A warming of 2ºC corresponds to an amount of 250 parts per million (ppm) carbon dioxide concentration in environment.

Impact of increasing CO2 levels in the Atmosphere

• Increased photosynthesis and productivity by the earth’s vegetation .

• Increased plant production also means increased respiration .

• Elevated CO2 means an increase in global temperature - the greenhouse effect

• Increased average surface temperature of the earth by about 0.6° ± 0.2°C.

• This increase in earth’s average temperature is called Global warming. 

• A warmer Earth may lead to changes in rainfall patterns, a rise in sea level, and a wide range of impacts on plants, wildlife, and humans.   

Heat - trapping gases -Greenhouse gases (GHGs)

GHGs

carbon dioxide Nitrous oxide

Methane

Water vapourHalons (halocarbons)

Fire-extinguisher

Chlorofluorocarbons

(e.g. Freon)

A refrigerant

Greenhouse gases

Anthropogenic Green house effect

Co2 - 50% - 60% of global warming, fossil burning

CFCs- 15% - 25% deplete ozone in atmosphere

Methane – 12%- 20% Anaerobic bacteria

Nitrous oxide – traps heat, depletes ozone

Impact of heat – trapping gases (Greenhouse gases)

• The heat retention capacity of methane is 25 times greater than carbon dioxide.

• Nitrous oxide is about 200 times more than carbon dioxide.

• The global surface temperature has risen about 0.5 C since the Industrial Revolution.

• It will rise from 1.5 degrees C to 4.5 degrees C by 2060.

Green house effect

• Single – element molecules: e.g. oxygen, nitrogen –transparent to heat.

• Polyatomic gases: e.g. water vapour , methane, carbon dioxide trap heat in the atmosphere much like glass in a greenhouse traps heat.

• Global Warming increase in the average temperature of the atmosphere, oceans, and landmasses of Earth.

Global Temperature rise

Global Warming

• Increase in Carbon dioxide

• Increase in greenhouse effect

• Increase in global temperature

Impact of Global warming1. Temperature extremes  2.  Rise in sea level, and change in precipitation 3. Storms, coastal flooding  4. Contamination of drinking water  5. Drought  6. Food shortages due to shift in agricultural food

production  7. Air pollution ( made worse by warming)  8. Asthma, bronchitis, emphysema complications 9. Strain on public health systems  10.Increased need to population migrations  11.Unable to control spread of infectious

diseases 

Sea level rise

Ozone hole above Antarctica

• In 1980s scientists discovered a "hole" in the ozone over Antarctica.

• In 1990s atmospheric scientists reported an annual loss of 40-50% of the ozone above Antarctica.

• One CFC molecule can destroy 100,000 ozone molecules.

Ozone hole size changes

Bad Ozone

Unpleasant appearance in urban cities e.g. photochemical smog

Deterioration synthetic rubber, textiles, paints

Leaf damage Reducing crop yields and forest growth

Chlorophyll damage

Discoloration

Impact of Bad Ozone

Health impacts of Ozone depletion• Each 1% drop in ozone is thought to

increase human skin cancer rates by 4-6%.

• The United Nations Environment Program predicts a 26 percent rise in cataracts and non-melanoma skin cancers for every 10% drop in ozone.

• This translates to 1.75 million cases of cataracts and 300,000 more cases of skin cancer every year.

Acid rain

Impact of Acid rain on the Environment

Sterilization of lakes and forests. Reducing the populations of small invertebrates and decomposers. Reducing agricultural yields. Causing extensive structural damage by corroding marble, metal, and stonework. Degrading water supplies by leaching heavy metals from the soil. Increasing lung cancer and colon cancer.

• Over 1 billion people lack access to safe water supplies, while 2.6 billion people lack adequate sanitation.

• Water-associated infectious diseases kills 3.2 million lives each year, approximately 6% of all deaths globally.

• The burden of disease from inadequate water, sanitation, and hygiene totals 1.8 million deaths.

Water pollutionWater pollution

Water pollutants

• Industrial Effluents

• Mining and Agricultural Wastes

• Agricultural pesticides, fertilizers and herbicides

• Sewage Disposal and Domestic Wastes

Impact of water pollution

• Nutrient loading may lead to eutrophication .

• Organic wastes cause oxygen depletion.

• Industrial discharges contain heavy metals , resin pellets, organic toxins, oils, nutrients, and solids.

• Discharges from power stations can also have thermal effects, and these too reduce the available oxygen.

Impact of water pollution

• POPs and heavy metals cause immune suppression ,reproductive failure or acute poisoning.

• Organic pollutants deplete DO and mass fish-kills.

• Suspended particles reduce quality of drinking water, amount of light penetration and growth of photosynthetic plants and microorganisms.

Water-borne diseasesBacterial infectionsBacterial infections – –

Typhoid, cholera, Typhoid, cholera, paratyphoid fever,paratyphoid fever,

Bacillary dysentery.Bacillary dysentery.

Viral infectionsViral infections infectious jaundice , infectious jaundice ,

polio myelitis ,polio myelitis ,Protozoal infectionsProtozoal infections – –

amoebic dysenteryamoebic dysentery

Health impacts of water pollution

Water related Diseases

Water – borne infections-typhoid, cholera, hepatitis

Water – washed infections scabies , conjunctivitis, diarrhea

Water – based infectionsSchistosomiasis,guinea worm

Water – related insect vectorsYellow fever, sleeping sickness

Defective sanitation-Hook worm

Man is subjected to a variety of environmental hazards

Biological hazards - Infectious AgentsChemical hazards - exposure to chemicalsPhysical hazards - Radiation, earthquakes,

Tsunamis, Volcanic eruptions,

Forest fires, Floods,Psychological/ Sociological Hazards – Noise, Traffic congestions,

Lack of privacy, Lack of space.

Health effects of pollution-Over view

Impact of Biodiversity loss

• Biodiversity/biological resources Contribute 40 percent of the world’s economy and 80 percent of the needs of the poor.

• Biodiversity loss has an impact on everything from food, water and energy production, to life saving drug sources to cultural and aesthetic benefits

Threats to Biodiversity

Threats to BiodiversityThreats to Biodiversity

Habitat loss and destruction

Alterations in ecosystem composition

Introduction of exotic species

Over-exploitation

pollution and contamination

Global climate change

Links between climate change and biodiversity

Impact of Biodiversity loss -1

• Climate change is one of the significant causes of biodiversity loss

• Biodiversity is a fundamental determinant of health

Impact of Biodiversity loss - 2

• Reduces ecosystem process rates and ecosystem functioning

• Change the productivity of ecosystem

• Affects food security , vulnerability to natural disasters, energy security and access to clean water and raw materials

Impact of Biodiversity loss -3

• Affects human health , social relations and freedom of choice

• Reduce resistancy of ecosystem - wildfires, pest out breaks

• Impair the ocean’s capacity to provide food, maintain water quality and recover from perturbations

• Impair sustainable livelihoods and sustainable economic growth

Critical environmental issues - marine biodiversity

• The most significant impact of climate change is likely to be warming of the oceans.

• By the 2050s, surface seawater temperatures may be as much as 2.5°C higher in summer and 2.3°C higher in winter than in 2000 (Viles, 2001).

Impact on Marine Life

• Coral reefs provide a unique habitat characterized by high diversity and density of life. They are referred to as ‘the Tropical Rainforests of the Oceans’. 

• Massive coral bleaching episodes have impacted the function of the reefs and increased rates of mortality.  Currently 30% of reefs are recorded as in decline, and up to 60% may be in decline by 2030 (Wilkinson, 2002). 

• Coral reefs are crucial biodiversity hotspots and support both coastal fisheries and tourism in many regions.

Future predictions

Future predictions -1

• Scarce Water - Currently, 434 million people face either water stress or scarcity. By 2025 it may increase between 2.6 billion and 3.1 billion people. 

• Scarce Cropland -The number of people living in countries where cultivated land is critically scarce is projected to increase between 600 million and 986 million in 2025.

• Fisheries - The capacity of coastal and marine ecosystems to produce fish for human harvest is highly degraded by over-fishing, destructive trawling techniques, and loss of coastal nursery areas. Seventy-five percent of all fish stocks are in urgent need of better management. 

Future predictions-2

• Forests – Past Land cover of forests in India is 33%- Present Land cover of forests in India is 12%- Global rate of deforestation is 10 million hectares per year . 

• Global Warming –Average surface temperature of the earth is 15 degrees C. It has risen by 0.6 degrees C. Global temperature will rise by 1.4 to 5.8 degrees C.

• Species Extinction –Present rate of extinction is 1000- 10,000 times higher than the natural extinction.Earth may lose upto 50% of the species by the end of 21 century. In tropical forests the extinction is 2-5 species per hour.

Solving Environmental Problems

Suggestions for Improvement

• Prevent pollution.• Reduce waste. • Use water, energy and other resources

efficiently. • Manage the use of natural resources prudently. • Maintain the diversity of life. • Protect and respect the world's natural, cultural,

indigenous and historical heritage.• Support environmental education and training. • Support local action and community

participation. • Promote practices, methods and technologies

that reduce negative impacts on the environment.

Green Technologies

Green Technologies

What is Green Technology?

• green technology is the technology which is environmentally friendly and is created and used in a way that conserves natural resources and the environment.

• It's main goal is to find ways to produce technology in ways that do not damage or deplete the Earth's natural resources.

• The use of green technology (clean technology) is supposed to reduce the amount of waste and pollution that is created during production and consumption.

It’s your Environment

If you want to be healthy , take care of the environment.

It’s our responsibility to save environment

Thank you for listening