04
Environmental Problems and
Sustainable Development
According to the information available so far about the planets that exist
in the universe, the most unique planet is the earth. Keeping the Sun as its head,
its location and the geological and biological evolution has created a living
environment. The biosphere consists of an atmosphere which is formed by the
amalgamation of atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere and it has created a
conducive environment for the plants and animals in the biosphere.
In recent times the concept of environment has attracted the attention of
human society as it has been subjected to various changes mainly due to its effect on
the human society. Even though, previously, man has maintained interrelationships
with environment they did not influence so much because the environment could
bear those changes. Therefore, in order to get a proper understanding of the
environment it is quite important to understand the real meaning of the environment,
its components and its extent.
Interpretations and views on Environment
We are part of the earth and it is part of us.
The perfumed flowers are our sisters.
The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers.
The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of
the pony, and man all belong to the same family.
Chief Seattle's Letter - 1854
82 For free distribution F
, “The Environment is a blend of external states which influence the existence
of living beings.”
Garen Johns - Dictionary of Environmental Science – 1990
‘The Environment is the physical, chemical and biological states that exist
around a living being.”
- Dictionary of Environment
“The environment of a person is his surroundings. In the same manner the
environment of a plant or an animal is also consists of the things that can be
found around it.
- Man and the Environment -1998
According to this, environment is a mixture of living and non living things.
Accordingly all the animals including humans, plants, living and non living things
belong to the environment. All of them have complex and diverse inter relationships
between each other. The existence and processes occur by their inter relationships.
Activity 4.1
²² Develop a common definition to interpret the environment.
²² Prepare a collection of definitions written on environment.
For free distribution 83
,Components which form the environment
Nonliving (Non-biological) Components
This includes atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The atmosphere
includes the air on earth, the lithosphere consists of the crust and the outer mantle
and the hydrosphere includes the ocean and freshwater. All these components
interrelate with plants and other living beings in various ways. Many physical and
chemical factors that affect living systems can be seen in these main components.
For example, solar radiation, temperature, rainfall, salinity, acidity and bases (PH
value), etc.
Living (biological) Components
Living components consist of all the animals including man, plants
and micro - organisms. The process that produces food essential for the living
components produced using the energy of the sun is known as primary production.
Social Environment
Social environment is a part of non physical environment. Multi ethnic
status, religion, castes, heritages, customs, rights, duties, responsibilities, cultures
are included in the physical setting of the social environment. This has been
developed with the intervention of man.
Environment is the surrounding that we live in. Ancient Greeks refered to
the environment as Oikos. They point out that the surroundings that one lives in
consist of all the living beings, the interrelationship that exists among them and the
physical, chemical and biological operations that contribute to its existence.
Fundamental study of the earth environment reveals that it can be classified
as man made environment and social environment. This can be analyzed in another
way as physical environment, biological environment and human environment.
Natural Environment
Natural environment is composed of living and non-living components.
These things function as natural systems without human influence. It consists
of all the plants, animals, rocks, soil, water, air, weather, energy, radiation and
electricity as well as natural phenomena that occurs within them.
84 For free distribution F
, Community that belongs to the natural environment-
Fig 4.1-A Forest Fig 4.2- A Mountain Range
Fig 4.3- Animals Fig 4.4- Plant types
Fig 4.5- Birds
Fig 4.6- A Cross section of soila
Fig 4.7 - A river Fig 4.8- Sun light
For free distribution 85
Environmental Problems and
Sustainable Development
According to the information available so far about the planets that exist
in the universe, the most unique planet is the earth. Keeping the Sun as its head,
its location and the geological and biological evolution has created a living
environment. The biosphere consists of an atmosphere which is formed by the
amalgamation of atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere and it has created a
conducive environment for the plants and animals in the biosphere.
In recent times the concept of environment has attracted the attention of
human society as it has been subjected to various changes mainly due to its effect on
the human society. Even though, previously, man has maintained interrelationships
with environment they did not influence so much because the environment could
bear those changes. Therefore, in order to get a proper understanding of the
environment it is quite important to understand the real meaning of the environment,
its components and its extent.
Interpretations and views on Environment
We are part of the earth and it is part of us.
The perfumed flowers are our sisters.
The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers.
The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of
the pony, and man all belong to the same family.
Chief Seattle's Letter - 1854
82 For free distribution F
, “The Environment is a blend of external states which influence the existence
of living beings.”
Garen Johns - Dictionary of Environmental Science – 1990
‘The Environment is the physical, chemical and biological states that exist
around a living being.”
- Dictionary of Environment
“The environment of a person is his surroundings. In the same manner the
environment of a plant or an animal is also consists of the things that can be
found around it.
- Man and the Environment -1998
According to this, environment is a mixture of living and non living things.
Accordingly all the animals including humans, plants, living and non living things
belong to the environment. All of them have complex and diverse inter relationships
between each other. The existence and processes occur by their inter relationships.
Activity 4.1
²² Develop a common definition to interpret the environment.
²² Prepare a collection of definitions written on environment.
For free distribution 83
,Components which form the environment
Nonliving (Non-biological) Components
This includes atmosphere, hydrosphere, and lithosphere. The atmosphere
includes the air on earth, the lithosphere consists of the crust and the outer mantle
and the hydrosphere includes the ocean and freshwater. All these components
interrelate with plants and other living beings in various ways. Many physical and
chemical factors that affect living systems can be seen in these main components.
For example, solar radiation, temperature, rainfall, salinity, acidity and bases (PH
value), etc.
Living (biological) Components
Living components consist of all the animals including man, plants
and micro - organisms. The process that produces food essential for the living
components produced using the energy of the sun is known as primary production.
Social Environment
Social environment is a part of non physical environment. Multi ethnic
status, religion, castes, heritages, customs, rights, duties, responsibilities, cultures
are included in the physical setting of the social environment. This has been
developed with the intervention of man.
Environment is the surrounding that we live in. Ancient Greeks refered to
the environment as Oikos. They point out that the surroundings that one lives in
consist of all the living beings, the interrelationship that exists among them and the
physical, chemical and biological operations that contribute to its existence.
Fundamental study of the earth environment reveals that it can be classified
as man made environment and social environment. This can be analyzed in another
way as physical environment, biological environment and human environment.
Natural Environment
Natural environment is composed of living and non-living components.
These things function as natural systems without human influence. It consists
of all the plants, animals, rocks, soil, water, air, weather, energy, radiation and
electricity as well as natural phenomena that occurs within them.
84 For free distribution F
, Community that belongs to the natural environment-
Fig 4.1-A Forest Fig 4.2- A Mountain Range
Fig 4.3- Animals Fig 4.4- Plant types
Fig 4.5- Birds
Fig 4.6- A Cross section of soila
Fig 4.7 - A river Fig 4.8- Sun light
For free distribution 85
