Lecture # 1

The environment
encompasses the
whole of life on earth
and the complex
interactions that link
the living world with
the physical world

Environmental engineering
is the application of
science and engineering
principles to improve the
environment (air, water,
and/or land resources), to
provide healthy water, air,
and land for human
habitation and for other
organisms, and to
remediate polluted sites.

Scienceimprove our
understanding of
natural processes
Engineeringuse this
understanding to
develop and apply
technologies that will
maintain or improve
environmental quality

POPULATION
A population is one
species living in a
specific area.
For example, all foxes
living in an area form a
population.

COMMUNITY
A community is formed
from all living populations
found in an area.
All the foxes, dandelions,
grasshoppers, snakes,
hawks, deer, and skunks
living in one area each
form their individual
populations, but together
make up a community
ECOSYSTEM
An ecosystem is
formed by the
interactions between
all living and non-
living things

Ecology is how living
and non-living things
affect each other in
their environment.

Buildings
Roads
Bodies of water
Automobiles
Traffic lights

The introduction of
substances or energy
into the environment,
by people, liable to
cause harm to living
creatures or
ecological systems.

How did pollution begin?
1. More sophisticated
lifestyles.
2. Growing needs of people.
3. Accelerated rates of
human and economic
activities.

Waste becomes
pollution if the level
discharged exceeds
the capacity of the
environment to
absorb it without
adverse effect.

The types of pollution
that we are going to
look at:
Air Pollution
Water Pollution
Land Pollution
Noise pollution
Thermal pollution
Radiation pollution

Air pollution is the
introduction of
chemicals, particulate
matter, or biological
materials that cause
harm or discomfort to
humans or other living
organisms, or cause
damage to the natural
environment or built
environment, into the
atmosphere

Water pollution is
the contamination of
water bodies (e.g.
lakes, rivers, oceans
and groundwater).

Land pollution is the
degradation of
Earth's land surfaces
often caused by
human activities and
their misuse of land
resources.
Noise pollution is
excessive, displeasing
human, animal or
machine-created
environmental noise
that disrupts the
activity or balance of
human or animal life.