DESCRIBE IN BRIEF THE SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENT

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Prof. Mahendra Kumar Ghadoliya

INTRODUCTION Environment is the sum total of what is around something or someone. Environment means the surroundings or conditions of life, may be social,

political, economic, cultural, natural etc. Natural resources are used with other man made resources in order to produce goods in agriculture, industry or other spheres of economic activity. With continuous use of these natural resources some get depleted, some may get degraded (lose their quality) or some may get polluted, as such on account of these, the future generation will not get enough of such resources for their use and that will adversely affect their output, income, and living standards.

Therefore, we should preserve environment by minimizing harm to it

Scope of environment consists of four segments as under:Atmosphere: The atmosphere implies the protective blanket of gases, surrounding the earth:• It sustains life on the earth.• It saves it from the hostile environment of outer space.• It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from outer space and a major portion of the electromagnetic radiation from the sun.• It transmits only ultraviolet, visible, near infrared radiation (300 to 2500mm) and radio waves. (0.14 to 40m) while filtering out tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves below 300 nm. The atmosphere is composed of nitrogen and oxygen. Besides, argon, carbon dioxide, and trace gases.

• Environment is the sum total of what is around something or someone.• It includes living things

and natural forces.• There is a constant

interaction among plants, animals, soil, water, temperature, light and other living and non-living things.

Earth’s Atmosphere

Hydrosphere: The Hydrosphere comprises of all types of water resources oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, reservoir, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground water.• Nature 97% of the earth’s water supply is in the oceans,• About 2% of the water resources are locked in the polar icecaps and glaciers.• Only about 1% is available as fresh surface water-rivers, lakes streams, and ground water fit to be used for human consumption and other uses.

Lithosphere: Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid earth. It consists of minerals occurring in the earth’s crust and the soil e.g. minerals, organic matter, airand water.Biosphere: Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their interactions with environment, viz atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere..