GST 211: PHILOSOPHY OF SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES:
POLLUTION AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Outline:
By
Dr Oludare temitope Osuntokun
Adekunle Ajasin University,Akungba-Akoko
1. Environment
2. Element of Environment
3. Importance of Environment Studies
4. Environmental Issues
5. Impact on humans on the Environment
6. Environmental Pollution- Types, causes, effects, wastes
7. Environmental degradation
8. Approach to Environment in Developing countries including Nigeria
9. Sustainable Development
1. ENVIRONMENT
Environment as defined by Douglas and Holland is “the aggregate of all the
external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature, behavior
and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms”.
It consists of four segments-
Atmosphere: The atmosphere implies the protective blanket of gases, surrounding the
earth:
Hydrosphere: which comprises all types of water resource ,oceans, seas, lakes, rivers,
streams, reservoir, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground water.
Lithosphere: the outer mantle of the solid earth, which consists of minerals occurring
in the earth‟s crusts and the soil e.g. minerals, organic matter, air and water and
Biosphere: Biosphere indicates the realm of living organisms and their interactions
with environment, viz atmosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere.
2. ELEMENT OF ENVIRONMENT
Environment is constituted by the interacting systems of physical, biological and
cultural elements inter-related in various ways, individually as well as collectively.
These elements may be explained as under:
(1) Physical elements: These include space, landforms, water bodies, climate soils,
rocks and minerals. They determine the variable characters of the human habitat, its
opportunities as well as limitations.
(2) Biological elements: These include plants, animals, microorganisms and men
which constitute the biosphere.
(3) Cultural elements: These are the economic, social and political aspects which are
essentially man made features, which make cultural milieu.
Why this study? To learn from each other a new way of protecting and conserving
the environment
- to help in reducing your environmental impact by a little change in the way you live
- to help you to live a green life.
Planet earth is the only known planet in universe that has life supporting capabilities
and we must keep it clean and green for our sustainable future.
3. IMPORTANCE OF ENVIRONMENT STUDIES
The environment studies enlighten us about the importance of protection and
conservation of our indiscriminate cause of pollution in the environment. A great
number of environment issues have grown in size and complexity day by day,
threatening the survival of mankind on earth. Environment studies have become
significant for the following reasons:
1. International importance It has been well recognised that environment issues like
global warming and ozone depletion, acid rain, marine pollution and biodiversity are
not merely national issues but are global issues and hence must be tackled with
international efforts and cooperation.
2. Problems arise as a result of development Development, in its wake gave birth to
Urbanization, Industrial Growth, Transportation Systems, Agriculture and Housing
etc. However, it has become phased out in the developed world. The North, to cleanse
their own environment has, fact fully, managed to
move „dirty‟ factories of South. When the West developed, it did so perhaps in
ignorance of the environmental impact of its activities.
.3. Explosively increase in pollution World census reflects that one in every seven
persons in this planet lives in India. Evidently with 16 per cent of the world's
population and only 2.4 per cent of its land area, there is a heavy pressure on the
natural resources including land. Agricultural experts have recognized soils health
problems like deficiency of micronutrients and organic matter, soil salinity and
damage of soil structure.
4. Need For an Alternative Solution It is essential, especially for developing
countries to find alternative paths to an alternative goal. We need a goal as under:
(1) A goal, which ultimately is the true goal of development an environmentally
sound and sustainable development.
(2) A goal common to all citizens of our earth.
(3) A goal distant from the developing world in the manner it is from the over-
consuming wasteful societies of the “developed” world.
5. Need To Save Humanity From Extinction
It is incumbent upon us to save the humanity from exinction. Consequent to our
activities constricting the environment and depleting the biosphere, in the name of
development.
6. Need For Wise Planning of Development Our survival and sustenance depend
on these. Resources withdraw, processing and use of the product have to be
synchronised with the ecological cycles in any plan of development, our actions
should be planned ecologically for the sustenance of the environment and
development.
4. ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
Environmental issues are the negative aspects of human activities on natural
environment.
Major Environmental Issues include:
1. Climate Change: The global climate change brings a range of highly threatening
risks of extreme temperatures, uncontrollable natural calamities and disasters, rising
sea level etc. Global warming is the main reason for global climate change and
changing weather patterns. Uncontrolled emissions of greenhouse gases and clearing
of forests for land use are the prime causes of global warming.
2. Environmental Pollution: Air, water, land and soil pollution is eating away our
planet earth from the core and slowly taking the earth towards fatal end. The air we
breathe, the water we drink and the food we eat, all are contaminated by the
environmental pollutants.
3. Loss of Biodiversity/Species Extinction: Nearly 25% of the species are at the edge
of extinction and by the end of year 2100, human activities may drive more than half
of the world's marine and land species towards extinction. Clearing of natural habitats,
relentless hunting and poaching by humans are the main reasons of species extinction.
4. Population Explosion: The rapidly increasing population voraciously consume
resources, pollute the air and water, damage ecosystems, tear down natural habitats
and endangering animal species towards extinction.
5. Deforestation: Earth's forests are under intense pressure due to our hunger for
land, logging, mining and other raw material needs. Tropical forests and rain forests
are depleting at a rate never recorded before. The major causes of deforestation are
agricultural expansion, followed by wood fuel demands from households and other
sources.
6. Melting of Glaciers: Rapidly melting glaciers and retreating Greenland and
Antarctic ice sheets could result in sea level rise from 10-15 feet by the year 2100 and
majority of our mega cities will be engulfed by oceans. Many glaciers have melted so
fast over the past few decades that they have vanished from the face of the earth
forever.
7. Resource Depletion: Natural resources are being depleting at a record high rate
and humans are heading towards potential energy crises. Depletion of finite energy
resources like coal, oil, natural gas and minerals will affect world GDP well before the
humans will actually witness the deadly impacts of global warming.
8. Ocean Acidification: Oceans acts as a carbon sink and absorbs majority of carbon
dioxide released by humans into the atmosphere. Due to this absorption of excess
carbon dioxide from atmosphere, our oceans are becoming acidic day by day and
endangering marine ecosystems. Several species are already under threat of extinction
due to ocean acidification.
5. IMPACT OF HUMANS ON THE ENVIRONMENT
Humans have a greater negative impact on earth's environment than it can
sustain and is outside of its carrying capacity. Studies and scientific research on
environmental degradation reveals that we have only a few years left to change the
way we live, to preserve our depleting ecosystems and natural habitats and to reduce
our emission of greenhouse gases to prevent catastrophic changes in earth's climate
which will result in mass extinction of species.
Humans have altered the face of the earth more than any other species and the
pace with which this change is progressing is threatening. Nearly 80% of the earth's
surface is already marked by humans and the hunt is on to mark the rest. Our hunger
for resources will soon become a challenge to sustain on planet earth. Sustainable
Development is the only solution to combat environmental issues. Though there are
several government and non- government organizations working for environment
conservation, wide gap between the developed and developing economies remains the
biggest obstacle in implementing policies.
6. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
Decline in the acceptable quality of environment under which we live. Pollution is the
introduction of contaminants into a natural environment that causes instability,
disorder of brain, harm or discomfort to the ecosystem (physical systems or living
organisms).
Pollutants can be foreign substances, energies such as noise, heat, light or naturally
occurring contaminants.
• It was the industrial revolution that gave birth to environmental pollution as we
know it today. The emergence of great factories and consumption of immense
quantities of coal and other fossil fuels gave rise to unprecedented air pollution and
the large volume of industrial chemical discharges added to the growing load of
untreated human waste.
The major forms of pollution are listed below along with the particular contaminant
relevant to each of them:
Air pollution:- the release of chemicals and particulates into the atmosphere.
Common gaseous pollutants include carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide,
chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and nitrogen oxides produced by industry and motor vehicles. Photochemical
ozone and smog are created as nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons react to sunlight. Air
pollution produced by ships may alter clouds, affecting global temperatures. The air
pollution comes from both natural and human made(anthropogenic). Agricultural air
Pollution comes from contemporary practices which include clear felling and burning
of natural vegetation as well as spraying of pesticides and herbicides.
*However, globally human-made pollutants from combustion, construction, mining,
agriculture and warfare are increasingly significant in the air pollution. Motor vehicle
emissions are one of the leading causes of air pollution. China, United States, Russia,
Mexico, and Japan are the world leaders in air pollution emissions.
Water pollution, by the discharge of wastewater from commercial and industrial
waste intentionally or through spills) into surface waters; discharges of untreated
domestic sewage, and chemical contaminants, such as chlorine, from treated sewage;
release of waste and contaminants into surface runoff flowing to surface waters
(including urban runoff and agricultural runoff, which may contain chemical
fertilizers and pesticides); waste disposal and leaching into groundwater;
eutrophication and littering.
Light pollution:- includes light trespass, over-illumination and astronomical
interference. Noise pollution:- which encompasses roadway noise, aircraft noise,
industrial noise as well as high-intensity sonar. The dominant source class is the motor
vehicle, producing about ninety percent of all unwanted noise worldwide.
Soil contamination occurs when chemicals are released by spill or underground
leakage. Among the most significant soil contaminants are hydrocarbons, heavy
metals, herbicides, pesticides and chlorinated hydrocarbons. Some of the more
common soil contaminants are chlorinated hydrocarbons (CFH), heavy metals (such
as chromium, cadmium–found in rechargeable batteries, and lead–found in lead paint,
aviation fuel and still in some countries, gasoline), MTBE, zinc, arsenic and benzene.
Ordinary municipal landfills are the source of many chemical substances entering the
soil environment (and often groundwater), emanating from the wide variety of refuse
accepted, especially substances illegally discarded there, or from pre-1970 landfills
that may have been subject to little control in the U.S. or EU. There have also been
some unusual releases of polychlorinated dibenzodioxins, commonly called dioxins,
such as TCDD.
Radioactive contamination: This results from 20th century activities in atomic
physics, such as nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons research, manufacture
and deployment. The development of nuclear science introduced radioactive
contamination which can remain lethally radioactive for hundreds of thousands of
years.
Thermal pollution, is a temperature change in natural water bodies caused by human
influence, such as use of water as coolant in a power plant.
Visual pollution, which can refer to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway
billboards, scarred landforms (as from strip mining), open storage of trash, municipal
solid waste or space debris.
Causes of Environmental Pollution Main causes in today‟s global context : -
uncontrolled population growth, - haphazard urbanization, and - unbalanced
development.
Note:
1) Uncontrolled population growth – the root cause in most of the developing
countries
2) Unbalanced development or no due consideration of potential adverse
environmental impacts –the root cause in most of the developed countries.
Pollution can also be the consequence of a natural disaster.
Effects of Environmental Pollution Human health
1. Adverse air quality can kill many organisms including humans. Ozone
pollution can cause respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease, throat inflammation,
chest pain, and congestion.
2. Water pollution causes approximately 14,000 deaths per day, mostly due to
contamination of drinking water by untreated sewage in developing countries. An 700
million Indians have no access to a proper toilet, and 1,000 Indian children die of
diarrhoeal sickness every day. Nearly 500 million Chinese lack access to safe drinking
water.
3. Oil spills can cause skin irritations and rashes.
4. Noise pollution induces hearing loss, high blood pressure, stress, and sleep
disturbance. Mercury has been linked to developmental deficits in children and
neurologic symptoms.
5. Older people are majorly exposed to diseases induced by air pollution. Those
with heart or lung disorders are under additional risk. Children and infants are also at
serious risk. Lead and other heavy metals have been shown to cause neurological
problems. Chemical and radioactive substances can cause cancer and as well as birth
defects.
Other effects of pollution include: -
Biomagnification describes situations where toxins (such as heavy metals) may
pass through trophic levels, becoming exponentially more concentrated in the
process. - Carbon dioxide emissions cause ocean acidification, the ongoing
decrease in the pH of the Earth's oceans as CO 2 becomes dissolved. - The
emission of greenhouse gases leads to global warming which affects ecosystems in
many ways. - Nitrogen oxides are removed from the air by rain and fertilise land
which can change the species composition of ecosystems. - Smog and haze can
reduce the amount of sunlight received by plants to carry out photosynthesis and leads
to the production of tropospheric ozone which damages plants. - Soil can become
infertile and unsuitable for plants. This will affect other organisms in the food web. -
Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides can cause acid rain which lowers the pH value of
soil. To protect the environment from the adverse effects of pollution, many nations
worldwide have enacted legislation to regulate various types of pollution as well as to
mitigate the adverse effects of pollution.
Waste
Definition of Waste: a material worthless to somebody and which the person
wants to get rid of - a resource material and a source of danger as well,
depending upon situations. Resource: Waste for one person or purpose may be a
material resource for other person or purpose. (Waste is not waste until it is wasted)
Source of danger: Waste may be a source of danger to natural environment and public
health, if not managed properly. a valuable resource material at wrong place
_ Remarks: Other terminologies used for solid waste in West Europe/North America :
_ Refuse: Another term for municipal solid waste (often used interchangeably with
solid waste)
_ Garbage: An American term for domestic waste fraction of MSW which includes
the biodegradable organic wastes such as vegetable/ fruit wastes, food wastes etc.
_ Rubbish : The US EPA defines rubbish as MSW, excluding food waste and ashes
from homes, institutions and working places.
Sources of Solid Waste Wastes are generated from various sources of activities.
The major sources are:
• Households, Commercial Establishments, Institutions, Industries, Municipal
Cleaning Waste, Open Space Defecation, Agriculture, Construction & Demolition
Types of Solid Waste Industrial waste Municipal waste and Stable waste: medical
waste, hazardous items and radioactive wastes not accepted.
Hazardous waste: Controlled waste (not hazardous municipal waste), Stable waste:
all hazardous waste must be put through preliminary treatment, e.g. incineration.
Approved industrial waste Municipal waste and commercial waste, Stable waste and
construction waste and hazardous waste
Municipal Waste
All general waste of non-hazardous nature- generated mainly from residential and
other related activities, which usually include: o Domestic waste o Commercial waste.
due to lack of proper management facilities, it may also contain: o Institutional waste
o industrial waste o Sanitation residues o Municipal cleaning waste o Agricultural
waste o Construction waste
7. ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION
Environmental degradation occurs when humans start exploiting a freely available
natural resource beyond a limit from where natural recovery isn't possible. Since
humans and all other living organisms are interdependent, loss of one element causes
instability in the whole chain and results in further stress on natural resources.
Environmental Degradation occurs in two ways –
1. When natural habitats are destroyed
2. When natural resources are depleted.
Pollution is the main source of environmental degradation which contaminate
the natural resources such as air, water and soil. With population explosion,
world's natural habitats and ecosystems are under stress to give way to accommodate
the extra population. The consequences are reducing green cover of earth and
extinction of wildlife species. Knowing the causes of environmental degradation, it is
the need of the hour that we protect our environment by changing the way we live.
Otherwise it will be too late to act.
Key facts on Environmental Degradation: Global Issue:
Environmental Degradation is a global issue and hence affects all of us. It doesn't
matter which part on earth you live, the impacts of environmental degradation are
global.
Intensity of Disasters: The rate and intensity of natural disasters are directly
proportional to the level of environmental degradation. Past few decades have
witnessed high intensity natural disasters and the rate of disasters have also gone up
significantly. Irreversible Damage: The damage caused to environment is almost
irreversible since nature recovers extremely slow. So the rate at which we are
destroying nature will result in catastrophic changes and extinction of several species.
Diseases: Due to contamination of air, land and water resources, diseases spread with
accelerated rate. Global weather patterns are changing significantly resulting in severe
flooding, droughts and other natural calamities which spread communicable diseases.
High Level threat: Environmental degradation is one of the Ten Threats officially
cautioned by the High Level Threat Panel of the United Nations.
APPROACH TO ENVIRONMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
The nonchalant attitude of Nigerians with respect to environment
- Homes- Concreting everywhere, lack of water channels, lack of toilets
- Proper Waste Disposal- Garbage, refuse and other wastes? homes, big markets,
- Streets- Arbitrary dumping of refuse, food items, banana peel, paper, dirts and
plastic bottles, plastic bags, leaves, biscuit wrappers, polyethylene (nylon) bags, cans
on the tarred road by passengers and even from cars, defaecating in nearby bushes and
urinating on the streets especially in the night. „Enlightened‟ people like graduates
indulge in these acts also.
- Noise- horn of vehicles, churches (during night vigils, town crying) and mosques
with microphones, recording studios?
- Government- No public toilets.
- Others include Oil spills, gas flaring, industrial pollution,
SMOG, incineration of tires and other harmful materials, roadside mechanic shades,
open and decomposing thrash dumps. Niger Delta- people breathe in toxic fumes, eat
food laced with toxic chemicals and drink water that has traces of toxic chemicals in
it, they are bound to get sick, teeter on the edge of ill health or die prematurely.
Average life expectancy for males and females in Nigeria is about 55 years and has
not shown any upward swing in recent times.
Once a spill occurs and enters the creeks, it is carried further, seeping into land, rivers
and the ocean. The surface of the water becomes coated with very thick layers of
crude oil, preventing oxygen from getting to the fish or other marine life in the water.
This leads to the decimation of marine life and consequent death of the organisms.
Some of the fish also die from poisoning after ingesting the deadly crude oil. They
become dispossessed of their source of livelihood and just throw up their hands in
disgust while some with no alternative, resort to eating and selling of poisoned fish.
Many in the Delta Region have complained that water from freshly sunk boreholes
show evidence of oil contamination. This makes the water undrinkable even after
some treatment. .
The other problem with oil spill is that areas that have been known to be fertile for
farming in the past have suddenly become barren or are getting close to being so. The
mangrove forest is slowly withering away and the agricultural industry is suffering.
The Delta region of Nigeria has for over 43 years been subjected to environmental
pollution. Nigerian oil reserves contain high amounts of gas and during the oil
drilling process, the gas is constantly being released and the only way to get rid of it is
by setting fire to and burning it off. Called gas flaring, this process releases carbon
monoxide and other chemicals into the air. Gas flaring has obvious negative health
effects; doctors have found unusually high occurrence of asthma, bronchitis, skin and
breathing problems in communities where gas flaring has been practiced most .
1. Studies should be conducted to ascertain the impact of prospecting in the area.
The result of the study should help in the development of a line of action should
things go awry.
2. The Nigerian government should also impress upon oil companies to become
very responsive when spills occur to restore the pipes.
3. Emergency response teams must always be handy to immediately plug leaks
while full blown maintenance crews are dispatched to provide lasting fixes.
4. Of course, in the unfortunate event of a spill, the companies must always
compensate the communities affected and provide continuous education on how
to deal with the spills.
5. It is also important that more and better-equipped hospitals are provided for
treatment of people who fall sick from ailments that may be pollution-related.
Impact of Oil industry in the Niger Delta Environment
Destruction of vegetation, farmlands, human settlement. Clearing agricultural land
and damaging the soil. Disturbance of fauna and flora habitat. Accumulation of toxic
waste material with the effect of:
(i) Oil pollution of the land, sea or beaches.
(ii) Pollution of underground water for plants. Land pollution from long -
term cumulative effects.
Water and land pollution from sanitary waste, used lubricating oil and solid
waste.
(i) Air pollution from gas and oil processing evaporation and flaring.
(11)Killing of vegetation around the flare area.
(iii) Production of heat.
(iv) Suppressing the growth and flowering of some plants.
(v) Reduces and diminishes agricultural production.
(vi) Destruction of mangrove swamp and salt marsh. Spillage during loading
operations with all its accompanying effects on the fauna and flora.
Land pollution from effluent waste and solid wastes of chemical cans and drums for
the establishment of the storage depots.
Destruction of farmlands and environmentally sensitive areas.
Land pollution from effluent discharge, which contains wide range organic pollutants
such as phenol hydrogen, sulfide, ammonia and gas.
(1) Discharge of untreated waste;
(ii) Discharge of oil, grease or spill oil;
(iii) Discharge of injurious gas such as sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, hydrogen,
sulphides, carbon, ammonia, chlorine, smoke, metallic dust and particles;
(iv) Storage of chemicals, oil, lubricants, petroleum products, cement (except for use
in buildings), radioactive materials or gases in residential and commercial building
(without the permission of the authority);
(v) Waste dumping without permission;
(vi) Dumping of toxic or hazardous matter without permission;
Indiscriminate sinking of well and borehole;
(viii) Use of chemical (Gamalin 20 or any herbicide or insecticide or other chemicals)
to kill fish or destroy marine life in any river, stream, lake or pond within the state.
Improperly disposed waste usually find a way to conspire to further wreak damage on
human existence, besides making the environment sheer unsightly.
Climate change is already devastating African communities and we are fighting
an intense battles in the fronts of adaptation and mitigation. Improper waste
disposal can result in clogging of water-ways, flooding at road sides and soil erosion
– with huge implications on human population. We can begin by changing our
attitudes towards our environment, by showing more respect for the system that
sustains us. We can start by keeping that candy wrapper in our pockets till we find a
waste bin to properly dispose it. We can start by keeping that coke can on the vehicle
floor till we find a basket when we alight. Protecting the environment is a collective
responsiblity…start by changing your attitude today.
9. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Sustainable development is the only viable solution to combat environmental issues
and has been on top of political agenda since 1990. Sustainable development ties
together concern for the carrying capacity of natural systems with the social
challenges facing humanity. It is the process to make sure that our interactions with
the environment are in the way that there is a minimum harm to the environment and
we can keep the environment as pristine (extremely clean) as naturally possible.
The field of sustainable development constitutes three parts - environmental
sustainability, economic sustainability and social responsibility. Sustainable practices
requires that we use natural resources at a rate lower or equal to the rate nature can
replenish them so that whatever damage is done to environment can be recovered by
nature through natural recovery. Failure to sustainable development can lead to
extinction of humanity.
Preparing for the Future: An Introduction for Educators Session
7: A Sustainable Future –David Hicks
Some key characteristics of sustainable development:
The fact that the notion of sustainable development is contested terrain does not mean
we should fail to act in ways that we construe to be more rather than less sustainable.
It is entirely possible to sketch out some of the key features of a more sustainable
society (CAT, 2010) and these can be explored in different ways by pupils in school.
Energy - Continued reliance on fossil fuels will cause further climate change, whilst
the waste from nuclear power stations bequeaths an environmental liability to future
generations. A sustainable future will emphasise a mix of energy sources including
greatly increased energy efficiency and use of renewable energy resources such as
solar, wind, water and biomass.
Transport - Unrestricted use of the car has created a major series of related problems
from severe traffic congestion and dangerous air pollution to urban sprawl. A
sustainable future will minimise the need for people to travel, with jobs being closer to
home, and emphasise use of public transport, buses, trams and cycling.
Environment - Unrestrained consumption of the earth's resources is producing
irreversible damage to the biosphere and a major loss of biodiversity. In a sustainable
future people will see themselves as a part of nature rather than separate and
environmental conservation will be as important as economic growth.
Economics - Traditional models of development focus narrowly on economic growth
as the indicator of 'progress'. Various costs are 'discounted' e.g. environmental
damage, the impact on the poor, the effect on future generations. A sustainable society
will use much more comprehensive indicators of social and environmental well-being.
Cities - Uncontrollable urban growth is having a profound impact on human and
planetary health. In a sustainable future planning will be more participatory and land-
use and transport policies carefully integrated. Homes, jobs, services and amenities
will be mixed together and thus more easily accessible to each other.
Poverty - Debt and falling export prices encourage unsustainable development. A
sustainable future for all requires major change of direction in policies and lifestyles
of the North towards greater equity and justice for all.
Resources - In a sustainable future waste reduction will replace rubbish disposal.
Planned obsolescence, convenience, and the throwaway society will be seen as an
aberration. Manufacturing will become less energy intensive and less polluting.
Farming - Current intensive farming often leads to extensive land degradation and a
massive effort is needed to protect soil and conserve water. In a sustainable future
more emphasis will be put on organic husbandry and mixed farming with biological
pest controls. More food will be grown and consumed locally and regionally.
