Environmental biology | Importance, Goals, Categories of Environmental Issues, Air Pollution ( part 1)

 

Environmental biology  

Environmental biology is a relationship of living things of a region with each other and with the non-living things of their environment.

• It is the study of how the nature works
• How environment affects us, and 
• How we affect the environment

Importance of Environmental Biology

• Environmental science is essential to save our world from destruction of the natural resources and the ecosystem.
• There is a need to study the environment and the sciences applied into it to discover solutions to different environmental issues.
• Education and communication of the global issues, via journals, international conferences, and the media so that immediate solutions can be applied

Goals of Environmental Biology

1. To understand that environmental problems are global
2. To understand the effects of development on the environment
3. To discover sustainable ways for living
4. To make use of natural resources efficiently
5. For conservation of the biodiversity
6. To learn and raise awareness about environmental problems at local, national and international levels.

Categories of Environmental Issues

Environmental issues can be studied by assembling them into three wide categories:

1.  Damage due to pollution and disturbances, including the endangerment of biodiversity
2.  The utilization and depletion of natural resources
3.  The causes and effects of the rapidly increasing human population

Why Environmental Biology

o   International issues

Ø  Marine pollution

Ø  Air pollution

Ø  Climate Change

Ø  Global Warming

Ø  Oil Spill

Ø  Energy Crises

o    National Issues

Ø  Solid waste

Ø  Nitrogen Deposition

Ø  Soil erosion

Ø  Land degradation

Ø  Water and health

International Issues

• Every year over 8 million tons of garbage thrown into the ocean
•  Every year more than 220 million tons of plastic are produced.
• 60 - 90% of marine pollution is consist of different types of plastic.
• In 2006, the UN Environment Program estimated that 46,000 pieces of floating plastic is present in every square mile of ocean.
• In the marine environment, plastic bottle can last up to 450 years.

Air Pollution

• Combustion of fossil fuels produce air pollutants such as nitrogen and sulfur dioxide.
• Industries and factories release large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, chemicals and organic compounds into the air.
• Agricultural activities also cause air pollution due to the use of pesticides, insecticides,

      and fertilizers that emit dangerous chemicals.

• Generation of methane from solid waste in landfills.
• Every year, US is producing 147 million metric tons of air pollution alone.

 

   Environmental biology | Importance, Goals, Categories of Environmental Issues, Air Pollution