THE MULTIDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

BY VASAV DUBEY

CONTENTS
Definition Components Scope of environmental studies. The start of industrialization Sustainable Development Causes and implications of unsustainable civilization. Need Importance of environmental studies. Productive Value of nature Aesthetic value of nature Optional value of nature

DEFINITION
Environmental studies deal with every issue that affects a living organism. It can be essentially defined as a multidisciplinary approach that brings about an appreciation of our natural world . Apart from this it also concentrates on the human impact on nature , over the years, and its consequences.

 May also be defined as an applied science that aims at seeking practical answers to the vital question of achieving a sustainable human civilization, given Earths finite resources.

COMPONENTS.
Biology Geology Chemistry Physics Engineering Sociology Health Anthropology Economics Statistics Computers Philosophy

SCOPE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Our daily lives are inextricably linked with our surroundings , and inevitably affect them. Our dependence on nature is so vast that we cannot live without preserving its resources.

 Most of us today, live in landscapes that have been conveniently modified by human beings, in villages , towns or cities. Those of us living in towns are also dependent largely on nearby villages for their food supplies. Everything around us forms our environment ,and our lives depend on keeping its vital systems intact.

Therefore we are largely dependent on natural landscapes , like forests ,grasslands seashores, and rivers for basic resources, some of them listed below : Water for agriculture Fuel wood Fodder Fish

THE START OF INDUSTRIALIZATION

Over the past 200 years , however , modern societies have indiscriminately used technological innovations, for fast results and rapid development. This has clearly led to undesirable consequences, as the non renewable resources seem to have started to perish.

 Extensive use of chemical fertilizers to achieve better results , gradually decreases land productivity and quality.

The development of a large number of industries, obviously leads to increased levels of pollution.

Irrigation by using mega dams, though is a convenient method for large scale irrigation, leads to deforestation.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

The need for sustainable development is the key to the future of mankind . Industrial development and intensive agriculture that provide goods for our increasingly consumer-oriented society uses up large amounts of natural resources .

 Non renewable resources such as minerals and oil are those which will exhaust in future . It is imperative that we spare a thought for the consequent generations before continuing to extract them carelessly.

CAUSES &IMPLICATIONS OF UNSUSTAINABLE CIVILIZATION

Over population is one of the major reasons behind the sorry state of Earth. It automatically leads to the overuse of resources. Therefore we are using up natural resources at a rate , faster than we can replace them, leading to deforestation, which disturbs the water cycle, thus affecting the rain patterns.

 A collective effort is required by every human being , to avoid waste of natural resources and inculcate an environmentally positive approach in our day today activities.

IMPORTANCE
Environment is an integration of several subjects that include both science and social studies. We live in a world with limited amount of resources. These resources , i.e. forests, grasslands, oceans , are all a part of our life support system.

 We waste or pollute a large amount of natures clean water. We create more materials like plastic, that we discard after single use. We waste colossal amounts of food. Manufacturing procedures create of solid waste byproducts . Chemicals that floe out as liquid waste , pollute water bodies, and gases pollute the air.

NEED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS.

 These accumulate in our environment , leading to a variety of diseases, and innumerable other adverse environmental impacts, affecting our lives.

PRODUCTIVE VALUE OF NATURE

With new technological advancements in fields like biotechnology , it has been discovered that the worlds species contain a large number complex chemicals. These can act as raw materials for new medicinal and industrial products. Therefore it becomes inevitable for us to save every other species of living organisms , from becoming extinct , by saving their habitat.

RECREATIONAL VALUE OF NATURE

The aesthetic and recreational value that nature possesses, enliven our existence on Earth. This is achieved by building national parks and wildlife sanctuaries. A wilderness experience has a great recreational value , described as wildlife tourism , nature tourism or eco tourism.

 In urban areas , botanical gardens or a zoo can be created . These are great ways of instilling awareness, respect and love towards nature among people. This would bring home to the visitor the importance of protecting our dwindling wilderness areas.

THE OPTIONAL VALUE OF NATURE

The optional value allows us to use its resources sustainably and preserve its goods and services for the future. The nature provides us various options on how we utilize its goods and services. We can utilize the resources greedily and destroy its integrity and long term value, or we can use them sustainably and reduce our impact on the environment.

THANKYOU