Environmental Science Planet Earth.

Earth is the third closest planet to

the Sun, and it is the only place in the universe that
Introduction: Environmental Science
is definitely known to sustain life and ecosystems.
Basic Concepts of Science Other than sunlight, the natural resources needed
Science - “scientia” - knowledge to sustain the human economy are restricted to
Matter - anything that occupies space and contains the limited amounts that can be extracted on
mass Earth.
Mass- the amount of matter an object contains
https://youtu.be/HCDVN7DCzYE
Weight - the force that results from the action of
Scope of the Environment
gravity on mass
Everything in Earth's system can be placed into one
Atoms- smallest particle that can contain the
of four major subsystems: land, water, living
chemical properties of an element
things, or air. These four subsystems are called
Protons (+ charged); Electrons= - charged);
"spheres."
Neutrons (neutral)
Atmosphere- air
Molecules- particles that contain more than one
atom ○It contains all the air in Earth's system. It extends
Compounds- molecules that contain one element from less than 1 m below the planet's surface to
(H20) more than 10,000 km above the planet's surface.
The upper portion of the atmosphere protects
Change the organisms of the biosphere from the sun's
Physical and Chemical Changes ultraviolet radiation. It also absorbs and emits
Element- substance composed of atoms that can heat. When air temperature in the lower portion
not be broken down into smaller, simpler of this sphere changes, weather occurs. As air in
components (94 elements in a periodic table) the lower atmosphere is heated or cooled, it
Solids ( copper moves around the planet. The result can be as
Liquids (mercury simple as a breeze or as complex as a tornado.
Gases (nitrogen
System- any set of interacting components that Hydrosphere- water
influence one another by exchanging energy or ○ It contains all the solid, liquid, and gaseous water
materials of the planet. It ranges from 10 to 20 kilometers
Chemical Reaction- when atoms separate from the in thickness. The hydrosphere extends from
molecules they are part of or combine with other Earth's surface downward several kilometers into
molecules the lithosphere and upward about 12 kilometers
Energy into the atmosphere. A small portion of the
The ability to do work or transfer heat ( example water in the hydrosphere is fresh (non-salty). This
natural gas, coal, wind water flows as precipitation from the
Key in understanding Environmental Science atmosphere down to Earth's surface, as rivers
Measurements of Energy: and streams along Earth's surface, and as
JOULES- unit of energy, one joule is required to groundwater beneath Earth's surface. Most of
light a one watt bulb for one second Earth's fresh water, however, is frozen. Ninety-
Calorie- the amount of energy needed to raise one seven percent of Earth's water is salty. The salty
gram of water ( H2O) one degree centigrade water collects in deep valleys along Earth's
surface. These large collections of salty water are
Earth referred to as oceans. The image above depicts
the different temperatures one would find on
○Environment
oceans' surfaces. Water near the poles is very
○Climate cold while water near the equator is very warm.
○Soil and landforms The differences in temperature cause water to
○Water sources change physical states. Extremely low
○Other living organism temperatures like those found at the poles cause
water to freeze into a solid such as a polar icecap,
a glacier, or an iceberg. Extremely high
 temperatures like those found at the equator study the effects of volcanic eruptions on the
cause water to evaporate into a gas. lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere and
biosphere. Such studies are important because
Lithosphere- land volcanic eruptions will continue to occur, and
○ It contains all of the cold, hard solid land of the will have increasing impact on humans as
planet's crust (surface), the semi-solid land people continue to settle lands closer to
underneath the crust, and the liquid land near dormant volcanoes.
the center of the planet. The surface of the  In addition to the above four event sphere
lithosphere is very uneven. There are high interactions, there are six interactions that
mountain ranges like the Rockies and Andes, occur among the spheres themselves
huge plains or flat areas like those in Texas, Iowa,  The ten types of interactions that can occur
and Brazil and deep valleys along the ocean floor. within the earth system often occur as a series
The solid, semi-solid, and liquid land of the of chain reactions. This means one interaction
lithosphere form layers that are physically and leads to another interaction, which leads to
chemically different. If someone were to cut yet another interaction--it is a ripple effect
through Earth to its center, these layers would be through the earth's spheres.
revealed like the layers of an onion. The  Volcano >> lithosphere >> atmosphere >>
outermost layer of the lithosphere consists of hydrosphere >> biosphere
loose soil rich in nutrients, oxygen, and silicon.  Volcanoes (an event in the lithosphere) release
Beneath that layer lies a very thin, solid crust of a large amount of particulate matter into
oxygen and silicon. Next is a thick, semi-solid the atmosphere. These particles serve as
mantle of oxygen, silicon, iron, and magnesium. nuclei for the formation of water droplets
Below that is a liquid outer core of nickel and (hydrosphere).
iron. At the center of Earth is a solid inner core of  Rainfall (hydrosphere) often increases
nickel and iron. following an eruption, stimulating plant
Biosphere- living things growth (biosphere). Particulate matter in the
○It contains all the planet's living things. This air (atmosphere) falls out, initially smothering
sphere includes all of the microorganisms, plants, plants (biosphere), but ultimately enriching the
and animals of Earth. Within the biosphere, soil (lithosphere) and thereby stimulating plant
living things form ecological communities based growth (biosphere).
on the physical surroundings of an area. These  Volcano >> lithosphere >> hydrosphere >>
communities are referred to as biomes. Deserts, biosphere Volcanoes (events in the
grasslands, and tropical rainforests are three of lithosphere) may release a substantial amount
the many types of biomes that exist within the of hot lava (lithosphere), which causes
biosphere. mountain glaciers (hydrosphere) to melt.
Interaction of the 4 spheres Mudflows (lithosphere) and flooding may
 Although the four systems have their occur downstream from volcanoes and may
individual identities, there is important inundate streamside communities (biosphere).
interaction between them. Environmental  Volcano >> lithosphere >> atmosphere >>
scientists study the effects of events in one biosphere >> lithosphere Volcanoes (events of
sphere on the other spheres. There are ten the lithosphere) release a large amount of
possible types of interactions that could occur carbon dioxide (atmosphere), the raw material
within the earth system. Four of these for sugar production in plants (biosphere). This
interactions are between the event and each may increase photosynthetic production and
of the 3 earth's spheres. The double-headed eventually increase the amount of biomass,
arrows indicate that the cause and effect which, after a very long time, forms coal and
relationships of these interactions go in both oil deposits (lithosphere).
directions.  Volcano >> complex interactions. Volcanoes
 For example the Volcanic Eruption in (lithosphere) may emit large quantities of
Pampanga, the Mt. Pinatubo. This event sulfur dioxide (atmosphere). When
altered the surrounding environment, and atmospheric sulfur dioxide combines with
provided scientists with an opportunity to
 water (hydrosphere), sulfuric and sulfurous and in fact the terms are often confused.
acid form. Ecology may be defined simply as the study of
 Rain (hydrosphere) may bring these acids to the relationships of organisms with their
the Earth, acidifying soils (lithosphere), lakes environment. Ecology is itself a highly
and rivers (hydrosphere). Acidic water leaches interdisciplinary field of study – it mostly
nutrients from the soil (lithosphere) into the involves biology, but knowledge of chemistry,
water table (hydrosphere), making the soil less computer science, mathematics, physics,
fertile for plants (biosphere), and the geology, and other fields is also important.
subterranean water supply (hydrosphere) less Geography is another interdisciplinary field
potable for humans (biosphere). that is central to environmental science.
 Acid rain falling on lakes and streams reduces Geography can be simply defined as the study
the pH of the water (hydrosphere), which may of natural features of Earth’s surface, including
result in a decrease in phytoplankton and climate, soil, topography, and vegetation, as
zooplankton growth (biosphere). ϖ If well as intersections with the human economy.
photosynthesis is reduced, atmospheric Obviously, ecology and geography are closely
concentrations of carbon dioxide can build up related fields.
and stimulate global warming (atmosphere)  Increasing numbers of scientists are studying
which may contribute to increased melting of human (or anthropogenic) influences on
glaciers (hydrosphere). ecosystems, occurring as a result of pollution,
disturbances, and other stressors.
Environmental Science
 An interdisciplinary field that requires the Scope of Environmental Studies
study of interaction with the elements of the  Conservation of natural resources, ecological
environment aspects, pollution of the surrounding natural
 Physical, Chemical, biological resources, controlling the pollution, social
components science of physical phenomena in issues connected to it, impacts of human
the environment population on the environment
 It is a science that comprises chemistry,  Every one of us is sustained by various kinds of
physics, life science, medical science, natural resources – such as food, materials,
agriculture, public health, sanitary and energy that are harvested or otherwise
engineering, geography, geology, atmospheric extracted from the environment. Our need for
science, ecology those resources is absolute – we cannot
 Major fields are Social Sciences, Geo Sciences, survive without them. Moreover, the same is
Environmental Chemistry, Atmospheric true of all other species – every organism is a
Science, and Ecology component of an ecosystem that provides the
 Fundamental insight of Environmental Science means of subsistence.
Humans are part of the world and we can  Collectively, the needs and activities of people
change it comprise a human economy. That economy
 Our behavior and interactions have impact operates at various scales, ranging from an
 Environmental Science is the study of human individual person, to a family, to communities
interactions with the natural environment such as towns and cities, nation-states, and
 Environmental science has an interdisciplinary ultimately the global human enterprise. While
character. All scientific disciplines are relevant an enormous (and rapidly growing) number of
to the identification and resolution of people are supported by the global economy,
environmental issues. However, the work a lot of environmental damage is also being
requires an interdisciplinary approach that caused. The most important of the damages
engages many disciplines in a coordinated are the depletion of vital natural resources,
manner. This integration is suggested by the various kinds of pollution (including climate
overlaps among the disciplinary fields. change), and widespread destruction of
natural habitats to the extent that the survival
 Of all of the academic disciplines, ecology is
of many of the natural ecosystems and species
the most relevant to environmental science,
of Earth are at grave risk.
 These issues are of vital importance to all and Ph.D. in physics from the University of
people, and to all life on the planet. Their Iowa. From 1962 to 1966 he participated in a
subject matter provides the context for a wide- NASA graduate traineeship. He is best known
ranging field of knowledge called for his work in climatology and for his
environmental studies, an extremely broad testimony to Congressional Committee on
field of knowledge that examines the scientific, climatic change in 1988.
social, and cultural aspects of environmental  Philip Weller: the executive secretary of the
issues. As such, the subject matter of International Commission for of the Protection
environmental studies engages all forms of of the Danube River. Philip Weller is a
understanding that are relevant to identifying, Canadian environmental scientist. Since 2003,
understanding, and resolving environmental he has been the executive secretary of the
problems. International Commission for of the Protection
of the Danube River.
Environmental Scientists  Peter Newman: is best known for introducing
 generalist who uses science-related the term automobile dependence and had
knowledge relevant to environmental quality been involved in the renovation of the Perth
 An environmental scientist is a generalist who railways since 1969.Peter William Geoffrey
uses science-related knowledge relevant to Newman, commonly known as Peter Newman,
environmental quality, such as air or water was born in 1945 and is based in Perth,
chemistry, climate modelling, or the ecological Australia as an environmental scientist, author,
effects of pollution. and educator. He received his Ph.D in
 Dame Jane Morris Goodall: primatologist, Chemistry from the University of Western
ethologist, and anthropologist.was born to Australia and completed his post doctoral
Herbert Morris-Goodall and Margaret studies in environmental science at Deft
Myfanwe Joseph on April 3, 1934 in London. University. He is best known for introducing
She is a multidisciplinary environmental the term automobile dependence and had
scientist and is better known as a been involved in the renovation of the Perth
primatologist, ethologist, and anthropologist. railways since 1969. The Perth Rail system is
 Rachel Carson she was opposed by the considered a model for the car-dependent
synthetic pesticides’ producers; ban on DDT cities to devise a more sustainable transport
and formation of U.S. Environmental system. He is known for his book Cities as
Protection Agency.was born to Maria Frazier Sustainable Ecosystems: Principles and
and Robert Warden Carson on May 27, 1907 in Practices, which he coauthored with Isabella
Springdale, Pennsylvania, U.S. and died on Jennings.
April 14, 1964 at the age of fifty-six years, in  John Muir: best known for his advocacy
Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. She is best known regarding the preservation of the American
for her book Silent Spring, published in 1962. Wilderness. remembered as an ecological
She is also known for her bestselling book The thinker, and many important locations have
Edge of the Sea. Although she was opposed by been named in his honor.John Muir was born
the synthetic pesticides producers, her book to Muir and Ann Gilrye on April 21, 1838 in
caused two major decisions of historical Dunbar, East Lothian, in Scotland and died on
importance, being the ban on DDT and December 24, 1914 at the age of seventy six
formation of U.S. Environmental Protection years, in Los Angeles, California. He was a
Agency. Scottish-born American naturalist and author.
 Dr. James Hansen: best known in climatology He is best known for his advocacy regarding
and for his testimony to Congressional the preservation of the American Wilderness.
Committee on climatic change in 1988. was In acceptance of his petition the U.S. Congress
born to James Ivan Hansen and Gladys Ray passed the 1890 bill, which resulted in
Hansen on March 29, 1941 in Denison, Iowa, establishment of Yosemite Valley and Sequoia
U.S. He received his bachelor’s degree in National Park. He is remembered as an
Physics and Mathematics, M.Sc in Astronomy ecological thinker, and many important
locations have been named in his honor,
 including the John Muir Trail, Muir Woods  Julia Hill: known for living in an eighteen-
National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir hundred feet tall and fifteen-hundred year old
College, Mount Muir, Muir Glacier, and Camp California Redwood tree.
Muir.  Janice Lao a renowned environmental scientist
 Aldo Leopold: founder of wildlife and development economist, one of Forbes’
management. He was at first assigned to hunt top sustainability women leaders of the world,
and kill bears, wolves, and mountain lions in the director for group corporate responsibility
New Mexico in accordance with prevalent and sustainability at The Hongkong and
philosophy of human dominance. Rand Aldo Shanghai Hotels, and one of the 26 women
Leopold was born to Carl Leopold and Clara who have succeeded in STEM (Science,
Starker on January 11, 1887, in Burlington, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)
Iowa, U.S. and died on April 21, 1948 at the careers in the world.
age of sixty one years in Baraboo, Wisconsin,
U.S. He was an American environmental General Principles of Environmental Science
scientist, ecologist, author, and forester. He is  The Principle of Sustainable Development
best known for his book A Sand Country  The Principle of the Conservation of Energy
Almanac, of which more than two million  The Principle E = MC2
copies were sold. He is considered the founder  The Principle of the Conservation of Matter
of wildlife management. He was at first  The Entropy Principle
assigned to hunt and kill bears, wolves, and
 The Principle of Evolution
mountain lions in New Mexico in accordance
 The Notion of a System
with prevalent philosophy of human
dominance. Leopold developed ecological
 The Principle of Population
ethics, giving respect and importance to the  The Principle of Ecology
predators, which afterwards returned to their  Vicious Circle Principle
original habitat.
 Julia Hill: Julia Lorraine Hill, nicknamed Principles of Sustainability
Butterfly, was born to a traveling preacher,  The German equivalent, Nachhaltigkeit (1713)
Hill, and his wife Kathy on February 18, 1974 at describe Sustainability- as systems and
Mount Vernon, Missouri, United States. She is processes that are able to operate and persist
an environmental scientist best known for on their own over long periods of time .
living in an eighteen-hundred feet tall and We humans must move towards the adoption of a
fifteen-hundred year old California Redwood lifestyle that can continue indefinitely.
tree. She lived in the tree which was dearly Pillars of Sustainability:
known as Luna. Starting from December 10, ○Equity
1997 to December 18, 1999, she lived in it for ○Economy
738 days. Her object was to prevent the Pacific ○ Environment / Ecosystem
Lumber Company from cutting it down.  Sustainable is an adjective for something that
is able to be sustained, i.e, something that is
Several well-known environmental scientists who bearable and capable of being continued at a
have worked in Canada are: certain level. In the end, sustainability can
 William Rees of the University of British perhaps be seen as the process(es) by which
Columbia, who studies ecological economics something is kept at a certain level.
and footprints, David Schindler of the
University of Alberta, who studies the effects  Nonetheless, nowadays, because of the
of pollution and climate change on lakes, environmental and social problems in societies
Bridget Stutchbury of York University, who around the world are facing, sustainability has
examines factors affecting bird conservation, been increasingly used in a specific way.
and Andrew Weaver of the University of Nowadays, sustainability is usually defined as
Victoria, who studies the causes and the processes and actions through which
consequences of climate change. humankind avoids the depletion of natural
resources, in order to keep an ecological
 balance that doesn’t allow the quality of life of  Forms of Energy
modern societies to decrease.  Chemical Energy.
 In this way, the term “sustainability” has been  Thermal Energy.
broadly applied to characterize improvements  "Sensible" Energy or sensible heat,
in areas like natural resources  "Latent" Energy or latent heat
overexploitation, manufacturing operations  Mechanical Energy.
(its energy use and polluting subproducts), the  Electrical Energy.
linear consumption of products, the direction
 Energy can take many different forms and do
of investments, citizen lifestyle, consumer
many different types of work. One very
purchasing behaviours, technological
important law of nature, which guides the
developments or business and general
process of energy management, is that energy
institutional changes.
cannot be created nor destroyed, only
 As long as an action causes little, less, or no converted from one form to another.
harm to the natural world – under the belief
 The Principle of Conservation of Energy states
(not always ensured) ecosystems will keep on
that:
operating and generating the conditions that
 Energy cannot be created or destroyed, it
allow for the quality of life of today’s modern
can only change from one form to another
societies not to decrease – someone is often
claimed to be sustainable
 This means the total amount of energy in
a closed system remains constant,
 Social equity: covering aspects such as
although how much of each form there is
education, health, personal safety and leisure.
may change
The aim is to maintain social cohesion and it
relates to respecting the environment and the
 Common examples of energy
transfers are:
economic resources of the place.
 Economic feasibility: a productive system
 A falling object (in a vacuum):
gravitational potential energy ➝
must meet the needs of that society without
kinetic energy
jeopardizing the natural resources and
wellbeing of future generations. Therefore, its  A battery: chemical energy ➝
application will be closely related to the needs electrical energy ➝ light energy (if
of the population and environmental limits. connected to a bulb)
 Environmental protection: in order to exploit  Horizontal mass on a spring:
natural resources without exhausting them elastic potential energy ➝ kinetic
and contributing to their recovery for energy
subsequent uses, a special environmental  Forms of energy:
protection is required which, as occurred in  Chemical Energy. Chemical energy is the
previous cases, must also take into account energy which helps to "glue" atoms
the needs of the population and the economic together in those clusters called
resources of the society in which they are molecules, or chemical compounds. Of
applied. special interest to us are substances such
as natural gas, or propane, or oil that are
capable of releasing some of that energy.
When we burn these fuels, we unglue
some of the atoms from each other,
liberating the chemically-bound energy
that held them together. In the process,
Principle of Conservation Energy the chemical energy is changed in form to
 R.J. Mayer-1842 high temperature heat energy, a form well
 First Law- Energy can neither be created nor suited to doing many different kinds of
destroyed, only transformed from one form to work. This process takes place every time
another we flick a butane lighter.
 Second Law= when energy is transformed  Thermal Energy. Thermal energy involves the
there is always a loss in energy quality microscopic movement of atoms and
 molecules in everything around us. Thermal also ends up as thermal energy in the form of
energy is often commonly referred to as heat. sensible heat. Some devices such as electric
In fact, there are really two types of thermal heaters convert the energy directly; other
energy. devices such as motors convert electricity to
 "Sensible" Energy or sensible heat, is energy mechanical energy which eventually becomes
that jostles molecules and atoms in substances heat. The trick to optimizing electricity use is
such as water. The more movement, the to maximize the amount of work done by
hotter the substance becomes. Sensible electricity before it is lost as heat. Typically,
energy gets its name from the fact that we can this also involves optimizing the use of
sense it, by touching the substance directly or mechanical energy.
indirectly with a thermometer of some type.
When we add heat to water in a kettle, we The Principle E = MC2
increase its temperature.  propounded by Albert Einstein in 1905 – that is
 "Latent" Energy or latent heat, is the energy important for environmental science is that a
that is needed to make a substance such as matter is a form of energy
water (a liquid) change to a different form (or
phase) of the same substance such as water  E = mc2. It's the world's most famous
vapour (a gas). The change of form happens equation, but what does it really mean?
when enough sensible heat is added, and the "Energy equals mass times the speed of light
molecules move too fast to be connected squared." On the most basic level, the
together and eventually separate. It gets its equation says that energy and mass (matter)
name from the fact that it lies hidden or latent, are interchangeable; they are different forms
until the conditions are suitable f If enough of the same thing. Under the right conditions,
heat is added to liquid water 100oC, it energy can become mass, and vice versa. We
eventually boils and becomes a vapour, also humans don't see them that way—how can a
called a gas. If enough heat is removed from beam of light and a walnut, say, be different
liquid water at 0oC, it eventually turns into the forms of the same thing?—but Nature does.
solid we call ice. Heat will always naturally flow  this is an equation of German-born physicist
from a higher temperature to a lower Albert Einstein's theory of special relativity
temperature. Thermal energy may move in that expresses the fact that mass and energy
many different ways, between many different are the same physical entity and can be
substances, and change back and forth changed into each other.
between its sensible and latent forms.  For hundreds of years, there was an
Throughout this guide, much of the discussion immutable law of physics that was never
is concerned with understanding and challenged: that in any reaction occurring in
managing every form of energy, its movement the Universe, mass was conserved. That no
and transformations. matter what you put in, what reacted, and
 Mechanical Energy. Mechanical energy is the what came out, the sum of what you began
energy of physical movement, such as moving with and the sum of what you ended with
air or water, a ball being thrown, or even a would be equal. But under the laws of special
person sanding a piece of wood. As with many relativity, mass simply couldn't be the ultimate
forms of energy, mechanical energy eventually conserved quantity, since different observers
ends up being released or lost as thermal would disagree about what the energy of a
energy. A good example of this is the way that system was. Instead, Einstein was able to
the sandpaper and wood convert mechanical derive a law that we still use today, governed
energy to sensible energy that you feel as by one of the simplest but most powerful
heat. equations ever to be written down, E = mc2
 Electrical Energy. Electrical energy involves the
movement of electric current through wires. Principle of Conservation of Matter
Electrical energy is a very useful form of
energy because it can perform many functions.
 Antoine Laurent Lavosier in 1789.
Ultimately, most electrical energy or electricity
 The law states that we can not easily dispose  The entropy of a closed system (isolated such
nuclear waste that no matter/energy enters or leaves the
 Biologically hazardous waste system) always increases
 Car batteries
 Co2 from coal industries
Principle of Evolution
 One scientific law that provides the foundation
for understanding in chemistry is the law of  Charles Darwin 1859
conservation of matter. It states that in any  Fundamental principle of Modern Biology:
given system that is closed to the transfer of  Life forms on earth have evolved from a
matter (in and out), the amount of matter in common source, each surviving as a species as
the system stays constant. A concise way of a result of its being genetically adapted to its
expressing this law is to say that the amount of biological and physical environment.
matter in a system is conserved. Atomic  in Charles Darwin's book origin of species
theory underlies this law: if matter is published in 1859. he describes how
composed of small particles we cannot see organisms evolve over generations through
that are not created or destroyed, then it the inheritance of physical or behavioral traits.
stands to reason that macroscopic matter The theory starts with the premise that within
which we can see is conserved as well since it a population, there is variation in traits
is made up of those particles.  According to this principle, individuals with
 Antoine Lavoisier’s 1789 discovery that mass is traits that enable them to adapt to their
neither created nor destroyed in chemical environments will help them survive and have
reactions. The Law of Conservation of Mass more offspring, which will inherit those traits.
holds true because naturally occurring Individuals with less adaptive traits will less
elements are very stable at the conditions frequently survive to pass them on. Over time,
found on the surface of the Earth. the traits that enable species to survive and
 What does this mean for chemistry? In any reproduce will become more frequent in the
chemical change, one or more initial population and the population will change, or
substances change into a different substance evolve.
or substances. Both the initial and final  Through natural selection,
substances are composed of atoms because all
matter is composed of atoms. According to the The Notion of a System
law of conservation of matter, matter is  Newton’s third law – another principle, already
neither created nor destroyed, so we must expressed by Aristotle – which states that
have the same number and type of atoms after physical cause and effect are equal and
the chemical change as were present before opposite, or, to every physical action
the chemical change. corresponds an equal and opposite physical
reaction.
The Entropy Principle  Notion of a system, Newton’s third law which
states that physical cause and effect are equal
 Second Law of thermodynamics. It states that: and opposite, or, to every physical action
Energy tends to dissipate. corresponds an equal and opposite physical
 Sadi Carnot- 1824 reaction.
 is a fundamental concept that applies to all Principles of Population
nature, including human activity. There are
various ways to describe the concept of  Thomas Malthus in 1798- biological principle
entropy: of evolution.
 Entropy is a measure of the disorder that  First Formulation of the principle says that:
exists in a defined system. Higher entropy There is a tendency for the human population
means higher disorder. (and that of any species) to be as large as its
environment will allow.
 The second is: If there were no checks to carried out to control, supervise and
population size, that of the human (or any) regulate activities on toxic chemicals and
population would tend to increase indefinitely. hazardous waste. Under this act, the
importation, manufacture, processing,
Principle of Ecology handling, storage, transportation, sale,
distribution, use and disposal of all
 Various groupings of living beings constitute unregulated chemical substances and
systems, each of which may or may not be in mixtures in the Philippines, as well as the
equilibrium with the other systems entry even in transit, or storage and
constituting its environment. disposal of hazardous and nuclear wastes
 There are certain basic fundamental ecological are regulated.
principles which describe various aspects of ○Clean Air Act (RA 8749)
living organisms e.g. evolution and distribution  RA 8749- Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise
of plants and animals, extinction of species known as the Philippine Clean Air Act, is a
consumption and transfer of energy in comprehensive air quality management
different components of biological policy and program which aims to achieve
communities, cycling and recycling of organic and maintain healthy air for all
and inorganic substances, interactions and FilipinosThe Act provides for the creation
inter-relationships among the organisms and of a national program of air pollution
between organisms and physical environment management focusing primarily on
etc. pollution prevention; for the promotion of
Vicious Circle of Principles mass media
○Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA
 Principle of Human Ecology
9003)
 Human development consists in an
accelerating movement from situations of
 RA9003-The Republic Act (RA) 9003,
otherwise known as the Ecological Solid
resource scarcity, to technological innovation,
Waste Management Act , provides the
to resource increase, to increased
necessary policy framework, institutional
consumption, to population growth, and back
mechanisms and mandate to the local
to resource scarcity.
government unites (LGUs) to achieve 25%
Environmental Laws of the Republic of the
waste reduction through establishing an
Philippines
integrated solid waste management plans
○Environmental Impact Assessment Law (PD based on 3Rs (reduce, reuse and recycling)
1586)  This Act provides for the abatement and
 PD 1586 - In the Philippines, we have control of pollution from land based
Environmental Impact Statement System sources, and lays down water quality
under Presidential Decree 1586 which was standards and regulations.
ratified on June 11, 1978. The main
objective of this law is to maintain the ○Clean Water Act (RA 9275)
balance between the environment and the  RA9275. REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9275 AN ACT
socioeconomic development of the PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE
country. It aims to protect the WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT AND FOR
environment despite the increasing OTHER PURPOSES. The Act shall apply to
demand of natural resources and water quality management in all water
development to attain sustainability. bodies: fresh, brackish and marine waters.
It shall be the policy of the State to:
○Toxic Substances And Hazardous Waste prevent, control and abate pollution of the
Management Act (RA 6969) country’s water resources; promote
 RA6969- Republic Act 6969 of the environmental strategies for the
Philippines is also known as "Toxic protection of water resources; formulate a
Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear national program of water quality
Wastes Control Act of 1990". The act was management; promote commercial and
 industrial processes and products that are  The Seventh Generation Principle is based on
environment friendly and energy efficient; an ancient Haudenosaunee (Iroquois)*
etc. The Act among other things shall philosophy that the decisions we make today
provide for: the designation of water should result in a sustainable world seven
quality management areas by the generations into the future. although the
Department, in coordination with the actual date is undetermined, the range of
National Water Resources Board; the conjectures place its writing anywhere from
designation of water bodies where specific 1142 to 1500 AD. The Great Law of
pollutants from either natural or man- Haudenosaunee Confederacy formed the
made sources have already exceeded political, ceremonial, and social fabric of the
water quality guidelines as non- Five Nation Confederacy (later Six). The Great
attainment areas for the exceeded Law of Haudenosaunee Confederacy is also
pollutants; a national program on credited as being a contributing influence on
sewerage and septic management; the American Constitution, due to Benjamin
domestic sewage collection, treatment Franklin’s great respect for the
and disposal; water pollution permits and Haudenosaunee system of government, which
charges; offences and penalties; etc in itself is interesting from the perspective that
○Environmental Awareness And Education Act the United States formed their Constitution
(RA 9512) not on the principles of European
 RA 9512= Republic Act No. 9512 on governments, but rather on that of a people
National Environmental Awareness and considered “savages”.
Education Act. The National  The Seventh Generation Principle today is
Environmental Awareness and Education generally referred to in regards to decisions
Act promotes national awareness of the being made about our energy, water, and
importance of environmental education natural resources, and ensuring those
for sustainable national development in decisions are sustainable for seven generations
the Philippines. This policy mandates that in the future. But, it can also be applied to
environmental education be integrated relationships - every decision should result in
into school curricula at all levels, and that sustainable relationships seven generations in
students are provided with a core the future.
curricular foundation in environmental Summary
issues and laws, the state of international
and local environmental policy, citizens'  ES- broad interdisciplinary field that is
responsibilities to participate in concerned with different issues associated
environmental behavior, and sustainable with the rapidly increasing human population.
development. The Philippines also fosters  Principles are available to guide every
participation in environmental behavior individual to be responsible and with
through national awareness events and knowledge to maintain and to sustain earth’s
national programs that encourage the resources.
greening of schools, communities, offices  Reflect on the Law of the 7th Nation and that
and industries. we must consider our impact in the next 7
generation”
7th Generation Principles  Environmental science is a highly
interdisciplinary field that is concerned with
 Nature knows best issues associated with the rapidly increasing
human population, the use and diminishing
 All forms of life are important
stocks of natural resources, damage caused by
 Everything is connected to everything else pollution and disturbance, and effects on
 Everything changes biodiversity and the biosphere. These are
 Everything must go somewhere extremely important issues, but they involve
 Ours is a finite earth complex and poorly understood systems. They
also engage conflicts between direct human
 interests and those of other species and the
natural world.
 Ultimately, the design and implementation of
an ecologically sustainable human economy
will require a widespread adoption of new
world views and cultural attitudes that are
based on environmental and ecological ethics,
which include consideration for the needs of
future generations of people as well as other
species and natural ecosystems. This will be
the best way of dealing with the so-called
“environmental crisis,” a modern phenomenon
that is associated with rapid population
growth, resource depletion, and
environmental damage. This crisis is caused by
the combined effects of population increase
and an intensification of per-capita
environmental damage.
 Finally, it must be understood that that the
study of environmental issues is not just about
the dismal task of understanding awful
problems. Rather, a major part of the subject
is to find ways to repair many of the damages
that have been caused, and to prevent others
that might yet occur. These are helpful and
hopeful actions, and they represent necessary
progress toward an ecologically sustainable
economy.