ENVEDU REVIEWER It is very much related to reaching a clear goal

either through any specific means, equipment,

conferences, lectures, and seminars. Now it is
Overview of Environmental Education being made accurate on the urban
development side as the topic itself has been
diversified. The philosophy is to create
 It was December 12, 2008, when GMA signed complete awareness by heritage.
into Law Republic Act No. 9512, or the National
Environmental Awareness and Education Act of
2008. The Law requires that environmental Rationale : R. A. 9512
education be integrated in the school curricula
at all levels, public or private. In the Tertiary
level, environmental education is made an  The EE is a vast knowledge. Its vastness
integral part of the National Service Training requires our deeper understanding and
Program (NSTP). sustainable action. Understanding in the sense
that each lessons learned from this curriculum
is a wakeup call reminding us that our
 Environmental Education is the new era of the interrelatedness as man to our culture and
study of the discipline of education. With recent biophysical surroundings requires a process of
development and advances, environmental recognizing our values and clarifying concept.
education is virtually a new source of concern On the other hand, it also require an action
for educators, teachers, and students. As with practicing our decision making and self –
the rapid development in each area, there are formulation of the code of behavior about
problems-both internal and external ones to be problems and issues concerning environmental
confronted and resolved. quality. It should be carried out according to the
principles of life long integral education from
the pre-school stage level continuing through all
formal and non-formal stages and its relevance
should be perceived for real life situation and
 The area of environmental education has should be inter-disciplinary to make a possible
been discussed thoroughly at several national holistic and balanced perspective with desirable
and international seminars, workshops, and attitudinal changes about man’s relationship
conferences. Most of the people have with his natural and man-made surroundings.
recognized the urgent need for environmental
education, but only some have clear ideas and
understanding about the meaning, purpose,
needs and the content of environmental
education that need to be taught to students  Since EE has an ancient roots in our culture,
and other people in the environment. identifying and recognizing our values will help
Therefore, an attempt has been made to educationists, scientists and environmentalists,
explain the concept of ‘environmental to grow environmentally in their knowledge,
education’. attitude, and skills (KAS) since man and
environment are considered to be interrelated
and there is interdependence in them. The
interdependence of man makes the nature or citizenry to the environment and the value of
environment the source of sorrow and conservation, protection and rehabilitation of
happiness because dusts of earth, light and air natural resources and the environment in the
and sky have adverse effect on human beings. context of sustainable development.
Theoretical and practicum modules are
This is the three (3) kinds of God: Celestial,
covered. The latter are comprised of activities,
Aerial and Terrestrial i.e. land, air and water
programs and projects including but not limited
(Rigveda,). It is expected therefore, that
to tree planting, waste minimization,
educationist like us should not only a dispenser
segregation, recycling and composting; fresh
of information and knowledge, but also a
water and marine conservation; forest
manager to teaching learning situations.
management and conservation; relevant
However, becoming an educationist, scientists,
livelihood opportunities and economic benefits
and environmentalists is easy said than done,
and other such programs and undertaking to
the vastness of EE is illustrated with the help of
aid the implementation of the different
the following statements below:
environmental protection law (Republic Act no.
9512 Section 3).

“If you want to grow a crop you have to plan Meaning of Environmental Education
for a year”. It is the job of agriculture scientist.

refers to organized efforts to teach how

“ If you want to grow a plant, you have to plan natural environments function, and particularly,
for ten years”. It is the task of plant scientists. how human beings can manage behavior and
ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-
disciplinary field integrating disciplines such as
“ If you want to grow or educate a man, you biology, chemistry, physics, ecology, earth
have to plan for hundred years”. It is the science, atmospheric science, mathematics, and
responsibility of an educationist. geography. The term often implies education
within the school system, from primary to post-
secondary. However, it sometimes includes all
R.A. 9512 – An Act that promotes efforts to educate the public and other
environmental awareness through audiences, including print materials, websites,
environmental Education & for other purposes media campaigns, etc.

Meaning of Environmental Education Meaning of Environmental Educ.

 to encompass environmental concepts and

principles, environmental laws, the state of  the teaching of individuals, and communities,
international and local environment, local in transitioning to a society that is
environmental best practices, the threats of knowledgeable of the environment and its
environmental degradation and its impact on associated problems, aware of the solutions to
human well-being, the responsibility of the these problems, and motivated to solve them.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Meaning of Environmental Educ.
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) states that EE is
vital in imparting an inherent respect for nature
amongst society and in enhancing public  an awareness of physical and cultural
environmental awareness. environment and perceives its relevance for
real life situation. The problems and issues are
to be identified. The imbalances of environment
 UNESCO emphasizes the role of EE in are to be improved in view of sustainable
safeguarding future global developments of development.
societal quality of life (QOL), through the
protection of the environment, eradication of
poverty, minimization of inequalities and  is a process of providing learning experiences
insurance of sustainable development to obtain knowledge, understanding, skills and
(UNESCO, 2014). awareness with desirable attitudinal changes
about man’s relationship with his natural and
man-made surroundings.
Meaning of Environmental Educ.

 must utilize diverse learning environments

 is the process of recognizing values and and a broad array of educational approaches to
clarifying concept in order to develop skills and teaching learning about and from the
attitude necessary to understand and environment with due stresses on practical
appreciate the inter-relatedness among man, activities and first-hand experience.
his culture and his biophysical surroundings. It
also entails practice in decision making and self-
formulation of a code of behavior about Meaning of Environmental Educ.
problems and issues concerning environmental
quality.
 should be a continues life long process,
beginning at the pre-school stage level
 is a way of implementing the goals of continuing through all formal and non-formal
environmental protection. It is not a separate stages and should be inter disciplinary discipline
branch of science or field of study. It should be in making a possible a holistic and balanced
carried out according to the principles of life perspective.
long integral education.

 a new and latest but it has very ancient roots

 appears to be a process that equips human in our culture. According to Rigveda there are
beings with (KAS) knowledge, skills and three kinds of God. The Celestial, Aerial and
attitudes; awareness and strong commitment to Terrestrial (Sky, Air, and Land). The whole
improve environment. Brahmands was full of peace and happiness
because life and environment were so closely
related that it was difficult to think man and
organism as something separate from nature or  The roots of environmental education can be
environment. traced back as early as the 18th century when
Jean-Jacques Rousseau stressed the importance
of an education that focuses on the
Focus of Environmental Education according to environment in Emile: or on Education. Several
Bamberg & Moeser, 2007; Wals et. Al., 2014 decades later, Louis Agassiz, a Swiss-born
naturalist, echoed Rousseau’s philosophy as he
encouraged students to “Study nature, not
1. Engaging with citizens of all demographics to: books.” These two influential scholars helped
lay the foundation for a concrete environmental
a. Think critically; education program, known as nature study,
b. ethically; and which took place in the late 19th century and
early 20th century.
c. creatively when evaluating environmental
issues;
HISTORY OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUC.

2. Make educated judgments about those

environmental issues;  The nature study movement used fables and
moral lessons to help students develop an
appreciation of nature and embrace the natural
3. Develop skills and a commitment to act world. Anna Botsford Comstock, the head of the
independently and collectively to sustain and Department of Nature Study at Cornell
enhance the environment; and, University, was a prominent figure in the nature
study movement and wrote the Handbook for
Nature Study in 1911, which used nature to
4. To enhance their appreciation of the educate children on cultural values. Comstock
environment; resulting in positive and the other leaders of the movement, such as
environmental behavioral Change. Liberty Hyde Bailey, helped Nature Study garner
tremendous amounts of support from
community leaders, teachers, and scientists and
History of Environmental Education change the science curriculum for children
across the United States.

 Life tells that man and environment

considered to be interrelated and there  A new type of environmental education,
interdependence in them. The nature or Conservation Education, emerged as a result of
environment becomes a source of sorrow and the Great Depression and Dust Bowl during the
in happiness because dust of earth, light and air 1920s and 1930s.
of sky has the adverse effect on human beings.
Therefore, it recognizes the need of
introduction of “environmental education”,
History of Environmental Educ.  One of the first articles about environmental
education as a new movement appeared in the
Phi Delta Kappan in 1969, authored by James A.
 Conservation Education dealt with the natural Swan . A definition of "Environmental
world in a drastically different way from Nature Education" first appeared in The Journal of
Study because it focused on rigorous scientific Environmental Education in 1969, authored by
training rather than natural history. William B. Stapp. Stapp later went on to
Conservation Education was a major scientific become the first Director of Environmental
management and planning tool that helped Education for UNESCO, and then the Global
solve social, economic, and environmental Rivers International Network.
problems during this time period.

History of Environmental Education

 The modern environmental education
movement, which gained significant
momentum in the late 1960s and early 1970s,  Ultimately, the first Earth Day on April 22,
stems from Nature Study and Conservation 1970 – a national teach-in about environmental
Education. During this time period, many events problems – paved the way for the modern
– such as Civil Rights, the Vietnam War, and environmental education movement. Later that
the Cold War – placed Americans at odds with same year, President Nixon passed the National
one another and the U.S. government. Environmental Education Act, which was
However, as more people began to fear the intended to incorporate environmental
fallout from radiation, the chemical pesticides education into K-12 schools. Then, in 1971, the
mentioned in Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, and National Association for Environmental
the significant amounts of air pollution and Education (now known as the North American
waste, the public’s concern for their health and Association for Environmental Education) was
the health of their natural environment led to a created to improve environmental literacy by
unifying phenomenon known as providing resources to teachers and promoting
environmentalism. environmental education programs.

History of Environmental Education  Internationally, environmental education

gained recognition when the UN Conference on
the Human Environment held in Stockholm,
 Environmental education was born of the Sweden, in 1972, declared environmental
realization that solving complex local and global education must be used as a tool to address
problems cannot be accomplished by politicians global environmental problems.
and experts alone, but requires "the support
and active participation of an informed public in
their various roles as consumers, voters, , and
business and community leaders“.
History Environmental Education objectives, characteristics, and guiding
principles of environmental educ.

 The United Nations Education Scientific and

Cultural Organization (UNESCO)an United
Nations Environment Program (UNEP) created
 Later that decade, in 1977, the
three major declarations that have guided the
Intergovernmental Conference on
course of environmental education.
Environmental Education in Tbilisi, Georgia
emphasized the role of Environmental
Education in preserving and improving the
A. Stockholm Declaration
global environment and sought to provide the
June 5–16, 1972 - The Declaration of the United framework and guidelines for environmental
Nations Conference on the Human education. The Conference laid out the role,
Environment. The document was made up of 7 objectives, and characteristics of environmental
proclamations and 26 principles "to inspire and education, and provided several goals and
guide the peoples of the world in the principles for environmental education.
preservation and enhancement of the human
environment.“
 Environmental education has been considered
an additional or elective subject in much of
 B. Belgrade Charter traditional K-12 Curriculum. At the elementary
school level, environmental education can take
October 13–22, 1975 - The Belgrade Charter the form of science enrichment curriculum,
was the outcome of the International Workshop natural history field trips, community service
on Environmental Education held in Belgrade, projects, and participation in outdoor science
Jugoslavia (now Serbia). The Belgrade Charter schools.
was built upon the Stockholm . Declaration and
adds goals, objectives, and guiding principles of
environmental education programs. It defines
an audience for environmental education,
which includes the general public.  EE policies assist schools and organizations in
developing and improving environmental
education programs that provide citizens with
 C. Tbilisi Declaration an in-depth understanding of the environment.
School related EE policies focus on three main
October 14–26, 1977 - The Tbilisi Declaration components: curricula, green facilities, and
"noted the unanimous accord in the important training.
role of environmental education in the
preservation and improvement of the world's
environment, as well as in the sound and
 Schools can integrate environmental
balanced development of the world's
education into their curricula with sufficient
communities." The Tbilisi Declaration updated
funding from EE policies. This approach –
and clarified The Stockholm Declaration and
known as using the “environment as an
The Belgrade Charter by including new goals,
integrating context” for learning – uses the local
  Environmental education is not restricted to
environment as a framework for teaching state in-class lesson plans. Children can learn about
and district education standards. In addition to the environment in many ways. The experiential
funding environmental curricula in the lessons in the school yard, field trips to national
classroom, environmental education policies parks, after-school green clubs, and school-wide
allot the financial resources for hands-on, sustainability projects help make the
outdoor learning. These activities and lessons environment an easily accessible topic.
help address and mitigate “nature deficit Furthermore, celebration of Earth Day or
disorder", as well as encourage healthier participation in EE week (run through the
lifestyles. National Environmental Education Foundation)
can help further environmental education.
Effective programs promote a holistic approach
and lead by example, using sustainable
practices in the school to encourage students
 Green schools, or green facility promotion, and parents to bring environmental education
are another main component of environmental into their home.
education policies. Greening school facilities
cost, on average, a little less than 2 percent
more than creating a traditional school, but
payback from these energy efficient buildings
occur within only a few years. Environmental
education policies help reduce the relatively
 The final aspect of environmental education
small burden of the initial start-up costs for
policies involves training individuals to thrive in
green schools. Green school policies also
a sustainable society. In addition to building a
provide grants for modernization, renovation,
strong relationship with nature, citizens must
or repair of older school facilities. Additionally,
have the skills and knowledge to succeed in a
healthy food options are also a central aspect of
21st-century workforce. Thus, environmental
green schools. These policies specifically focus
education policies fund both teacher training
on bringing freshly prepared food, made from
and worker training initiatives. Teachers train to
high-quality, locally grown ingredients into
effectively teach and incorporate environmental
schools.
studies. On the other hand, the current
workforce must be trained or re-trained so they
can adapt to the new green economy.
 In secondary school, environmental
Environmental education policies that fund
curriculum can be a focused subject within the
training programs are critical to educating
sciences or is a part of student interest groups
citizens to prosper in a sustainable society.
or clubs. At the undergraduate and graduate
level, it can be considered its own field within
education, environmental studies,
environmental science and policy, ecology, or
human/cultural ecology programs.
OBSTACLES EXPERIENCED  IN THE UNITED STATES

 A study of Ontario teachers explored Following the 1970s, non-governmental

obstacles to environmental education. Through organizations that focused on environmental
an internet-based survey questionnaire, 300 K- education continued to form and grow, the
12 teachers from Ontario, Canada responded. number of teachers implementing
Based on the results of the survey, the most environmental education in their classrooms
significant challenges identified by the sample increased, and the movement gained stronger
of Ontario teachers include over-crowded political backing. A critical move forward came
curriculum, lack of resources, low priority of when the United States Congress passed the
environmental education in schools, limited National Environmental Education Act of 1990,
access to the outdoors, student apathy to which placed the Office of Environmental
environmental issues, and the controversial Education in the U.S. Environmental Protection
nature of sociopolitical action. Agency and allowed the EPA to create
environmental education initiatives at the
federal level.

 An influential article by Stevenson (2007) In the United States some of the antecedents
outlines conflicting goals of environmental of Environmental Education were Nature
education and traditional schooling. According Studies, Conservation Education and School
to Stevenson (2007), the recent critical and Camping. Nature studies integrated academic
action orientation of environmental education approach with outdoor exploration (Roth,
creates a challenging task for schools. 1978).
Contemporary environmental education strives
to transform values that underlie decision
making from ones that aid environmental (and
human) degradation to those that support a
sustainable planet. This contrasts with the
traditional purpose of schools of conserving the  Conservation Education brought awareness to
existing social order by reproducing the norms the misuse of natural resources. George Perkins
and values that currently dominate Marsh discoursed on humanity’s integral part of
environmental decision making. Confronting the natural world. The governmental agencies
this contradiction is a major challenge to like the U.S. Forest Service and the EPA were
environmental education teachers. also pushing a conservation agenda.
Conservation ideals still guide environmental
education today. School Camping was exposure
to the environment and use of resources
outside of the classroom for educational
purposes. The legacies of these antecedents are
still present in the evolving arena of
environmental education.
  The first International conference of
Environmental Education was held in New Delhi
 TRENDS OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
(1987) in which the late Mrs. Indira Gandhi
One of the current trends within environmental observed that Environmental Education is to
education seeks to move from an approach of help arouse social consciousness and make
ideology and activism to one that allows community aware of the fact that the good of
students to make informed decisions and take the individual and that of the community are
action based on experience as well as data. both harmed by ecological disruptions. In 1985
Within this process, environmental curricula second International conference on
have progressively been integrated into Environmental Education was held at New
governmental education standards. Some Delhi. New Delhi Capital of India, is one of the
environmental educators find this movement most beautiful known cities of the world and is
distressing and a move away from the original famous for its rich ancient heritage contributed
political and activist approach to environmental by ancient Hindu and Muslim Rulers. Several
education while others find this approach more important points emerge from the deliberations
valid and accessible. of the International, National, Regional and
level Local conferences on Environmental
Education.

 MOVEMENT

 The following aspects were formulated to

A movement that has progressed since the help children and general public to have:
relatively recent founding (1960s) of
environmental education in industrial societies
has transported the participant from nature 1.Awareness- i.e. acquire sensitivity to the total
appreciation and awareness to education for an environment and its allied problems.
ecologically sustainable future. This trend may
be viewed as a microcosm of how many
environmental education programs seek to first 2. Skill – i.e. acquire skill for identifying
engage participants through developing a sense environmental problems.
of nature appreciation which then translates
into actions that affect conservation and
sustainability. Programs range from New York 3. Knowledge- to know conservation of natural
to California, including Life Lab at University of resources.
California, Santa Cruz, as well as Cornell
University in Ithaca.
4. Evaluation Ability- to evaluate Environmental
measures and education programmers in
terms of Social, economic, ecological and environmental education and as such, June 5 of
aesthetic factors. each year was declared World Environmental
Day to proliferate awareness.

5. Attitude- i.e. acquire a set of values and

feelings of concern for the environment and the Principles of Environmental Education
motivation for active participation in
environmental improvement and protection.
 To consider the environment in its totality
(natural, artificial, technological, ecological,
6. Participation- to provide an opportunity to be moral aesthetic).
actively involved at all levels in working towards
the resolution of environmental problems.
 To consider a continuous life process (from
pre-school to higher levels as well as non-
formal).

 President Richard Nixon signed the first  To be interdisciplinary in approach.

Environmental Education Act into Law in 1970.
The Law established the Office of
Environmental Education (OEE), which later  To examine major environmental problems
became an office of the Department of and issues.
Education after the latter’s formation in 1979.
OEE awarded grants to develop environmental
education curricula and provide professional  To focus on current, potential environmental
development for teachers. During the 1980’s, situations.
Congress eliminated OEE as part of general
efforts to decrease federal involvement in
education and increase the role of the states.  To emphasize active participation in
prevention and solution to problems.

 Thus, holding the 10th Congress, passed the

National Environmental Education ACT (NAEEA)  To develop critical thinking and problem
of 1990 that reestablished an Office of solving skills.
Environmental Education but placing it in the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Although the NEE’s authorization expired in
 To promote co-operation in solving problems.
1996, the program has continued to receive
funding through annual appropriations bills.
With such, U.S. Congress still works to
 To discover the symptoms and root causes of
reauthorize the act but remain concerned that
environmental degradation.
housing OEE in EPA, has skewed the science and
goals of the program originally. The act’s goal
was to increase public understanding of
 To provide an opportunity for making relation to environmental issues from an
decisions and accepting their consequences. understanding of the natural and social
The Value of Environmental Education contexts, the person decides whether to keep
or change those value.

 It connects people and nature

 The Action Context. An environmentally
educated person becomes involved in activities
 Prepares students for the future to improve, maintain or restore natural
resources and environmental quality for all.

 Empowers environmental stewards of all ages

Conceptual & Curriculum Framework

 Builds community
A. The Need for Environmental Education

 Changes lives
 All major natural resources in the country are
in grave danger of irreparable damage.
 Opening eyes, hearts and doors on nature

 A society cannot survive if its natural

Outcomes of Environmental Education resources are rendered unfit for use by its
people.

 The Natural Context. An environmentally

educated person understands the scientific  The only hope of salvaging this grave situation
concepts and fact that underlie environmental is by making the young aware that they need to
issues and the interrelationship that shape proactively begin to protect the environment
nature. they will inherit.

 The Social Context. An environmentally  Science and Technology can help in a limited
educated person understands how human way but cannot deliver it.
society is influencing the environment as well as
the economic, legal and political mechanisms
that provide avenues for addressing issues and  It’s the moral and ethical education for
situations. changing people’s attitude

 The Valuing Context. An environmentally

educated person explores his or hers values in
 To protect children living in polluted regions,  human beings are rational creatures who have
environmental education represents a relevant an innate need to rationalize all their actions
means of prevention and thoughts .Moral philosophy provides this
rationale and by doing so gives us our humanity.

 It is need for the hour to propose the

environmental education with the essential  Albert Einstein's statement “Science without
elements of moral philosophy. philosophy is just mechanics”.

 For conceptual change.  The focus must be on reducing consumption

with a view to achieving sustainability. The
content should be holistic, covering all essential
Conceptual & Curriculum Framework aspects.

B .Essential components  The content should comprises two strategic

elements:

 The ‘end- of- the pipe’ element based on

Alerting the public to the need to achieve science and technology to deal with pollution
global sustainable development and the likely already produced.
consequences of failing to do so.

 The ‘ before-the-pipe’ element concerned

Focusing the educational curricula for global with pollution prevention and reduction.
sustainable development by incorporating the
know – how and skills and also moral
imperatives on the mindset of the young. Conceptual & Curriculum Framework

Conceptual & Curriculum Framework Major Areas to Cover:

1. Air Quality

C. Curriculum Development : Special Mention 2. Ecosystems & Biodiversity

here is the Engineering Curricula
3. Energy Resources

4. Land Use

 As future planners, designers, builders and
5. Water Quality
decision makers , engineering students shoulder
special responsibility in protecting the integrity
of nature and the natural environment.

Conceptual & Curriculum Framework

D. Effective Handling of Environmental ✓ Environment is the sum total of all the
Education as a Subject external forces, influences and conditions,
which affect the life, nature, behavior and the
growth, development and maturation of living
 It should be introduced as a voluntary, extra- organisms.
curricular activity to arouse the interest and
✓ ‘The term environment is used to describe, in
awareness of students in green issues.
the aggregate, all the external forces, influences
and conditions, which affect the life, nature,
behavior and the growth, development and
 Environmental education as a curricular
maturity of living organisms.’
offering should be hands-on extra-curricular
activity rather than an academic classroom
subject to arouse growing enthusiasm across
Scope of the Environment
the country.

Module 3 – Taxonomy of Environmental

 Enhancing research activities by providing
Education
incentives to environmental researchers.

1. Atmosphere
1. Environmental Science
The atmosphere implies the protective blanket
of gases, surrounding the earth:
Environmental Science - the branch of science
concerned with the physical, chemical, and
biological conditions of the environment and (a) It sustains life on the earth.
their effect on organisms.
(b) It saves it from the hostile environment of
outer space.
Definitions of Environment (c) It absorbs most of the cosmic rays from
outer space and a major portion of the
electromagnetic radiation from the sun.
✓ ‘A person’s environment consists of the sum
(d) It transmits only here ultraviolet, visible,
total of the stimulation which he receives from
near infrared radiation (300 to 2500 nm) and
his conception until his death.’
radio waves. (0.14 to 40 m) while filtering out
tissue-damaging ultraviolet waves below about
300 nm. The atmosphere is composed of
✓ The Environment comprises various types of nitrogen and oxygen. Besides, argon, carbon
forces such as physical, intellectual, economic, dioxide, and trace gases. When chlorine and
political, cultural, social, moral and emotional. bromine atoms come into contact with ozone in
the stratosphere, they destroy ozone
molecules. One chlorine atom can destroy over
100,000 ozone molecules before it is removed
from the stratosphere. Ozone can be destroyed Mariana Trench
more quickly than it is naturally created. Some
compounds release chlorine or bromine when
they are exposed to intense UV light in the The Mariana Trench is situated at the boundary
stratosphere. These compounds contribute to of two converging plates, where two oceanic
ozone depletion and are called ozone-depleting lithosphere plates collided resulting in one of
substances ODS that release chlorine include them descending into the Earth’s mantle. Ocean
(CFCs), (HCFCs), , and etc. trenches form some of the most profound
valleys on the ocean. An ocean trench is a
downward flexure that is formed at the
Reduced ozone levels as a result of OZONE boundary where two lithosphere plates
DEPLETION mean less protection from the sun’s collided.
rays and more exposure to UVB radiation at
the Earth’s surface. Ozone layer depletion
increases the amount of UVB that reaches the
Earth’s surface. UVB causes non-melanoma skin
cancer and plays a major role in malignant 3. Lithosphere
melanoma development. In addition, UVB has Lithosphere is the outer mantle of the solid
been linked to the development of cataracts, a earth. It consists of minerals occurring in the
clouding of the eye’s lens. earth’s crusts and the soil e.g. minerals, organic
matter, air and water

2. Hydrosphere

The Hydrosphere comprises all types of water 4. Biosphere

resources oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, streams, Biosphere indicates the realm of living
reservoirs, polar icecaps, glaciers, and ground organisms and their interactions with
water. environment, viz atmosphere, hydrosphere and
lithosphere

(i) Nature 97% of the earth’s water

supply is in the oceans Structure of Environment
(ii) (ii) About 2% of the water resources
is locked in the polar icecaps and
glaciers Physical environment: solid (lithosphere), liquid
(iii) (iii) Only about 1% is available as (hydrosphere), gas (atmosphere)
fresh surface water-rivers, lakes
streams, and groundwater fit to be
used for human consumption and
Biological environment: plants (flora) and
other uses.
animals (fauna)

Economic man: The economic man derives and

utilizes resources from the physical and biotic
environment with his skills and technologies. – advent of industrial Revolution (shifted
The economic function makes man an Carbon from underground deposits to the
environment process by transporting matter atmosphere
and energy from one component of the
ecosystem to the other.

The Carbon Cycle ✓ Concentration of CO² in the atmosphere:

✓ 1700s–0.029%

Carbon ✓ Now–0.04%

- Essential to life (proteins, carbohydrates, etc.) ✓ End of 21st century–0.06%

- Atmosphere (Carbon dioxide gas)

- Ocean (dissolved CO2 as carbonates, The Carbon Cycle

bicarbonates, dissolved organic compounds
During photosynthesis, plants/algae/bacteria
from decay processes
remove CO² from the air and fix (incorporate) it
- Sedimentary rocks (limestone) into chemical compounds (sugar).
Photosynthesis is a biological process in which
Carbon cycle is the global movement of carbon light energy from the sun is captured &
between organisms and the abiotic transformed into chemical energy of
environment, including the atmosphere, ocean, carbohydrates (sugar) molecules.
and sedimentary rock.
Photosynthetic pigments, such as chlorophyll,
give plants their green color and absorb radiant
✓ The presence of carbon determines whether energy. 6CO²+12H²O + radiant energy → C6 H12
something is organic or inorganic; all living O6+6H 2O+6O²
things require carbon to live.

✓ Carbon cycles through the ecosystem in Plants, some bacteria, and algae perform
various ways, from photosynthesis and photosynthesis
respiration to weathering and other geologic
processes Human-induced changes to the
Carbon Cycle Photosynthesis incorporates carbon from the
abiotic environment into the biological
compounds of producers The Carbon Cycle. The
✓ Many factors, such as seasons and human chemical energy from plants stored in
activities, influence the concentration of carbon carbohydrates and other molecules is released
in the global atmosphere within the cells of plants, animals, or other
organisms through aerobic cellular respiration

✓ End of 18th century

All organisms including green plants respire providing calcium ions, weathering promotes
(breath) to obtain energy. Some organisms do limestone formation and the removal of carbon
not use oxygen for this process (anaerobic dioxide from the atmosphere. An increase in
bacteria) average temperature would, eventually, favor
decreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide
concentrations and reducing global
temperatures, however, this geochemical
process is too slow to have an effect on human-
Cellular respiration produced global warming.
(producer → consumer →decomposer) returns
CO² to the atmosphere (similar with aquatic
ecosystem) Energy stored in living things as C The Nitrogen Cycle
compounds

Stored Carbon - Wood of trees - Organic

Nitrogen - Crucial for all organisms (essential
remains of ancient marine organisms (fossil
part of biological molecules)
fuels) The balance between weathering,
subduction, and volcanism controls - There would be a possibility of the shortage of
atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations N available to organisms?
over time periods of hundreds of millions of
- Atmospheric Nitrogen (N2)
years but the concentration of CO2 has changed
dramatically. The oldest geologic sediments
suggest that, before life evolved, the
concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide -N2 must first be broken apart before the N
may have been one-hundred times that of the atoms can combine with other elements to
present, providing a substantial greenhouse form proteins and nucleic acids
effect during a time of low solar output. Ice core
samples taken in Antarctica and Greenland have
shown that carbon dioxide concentrations - Essential to the growth of algae and other
during the last ice age were only half of what biological organisms
they are today. Over the lifetime of the earth, – excessive concentrations can cause excessive
roughly 75 % of the carbon injected into the growth.
atmosphere by volcanoes has found its way into
deposits of calcium carbonate (limestone).
Limestone tends to accumulate on the beds of
- TN = organic N + NH4 + NO2 + NO3
shallow seas where the acidity of seawater is
reduced. The acidity is higher on the deep
ocean floor and the shells and skeletons of
THE NITROGEN CYCLE
marine organisms dissolve as fast as they
precipitate. Weathering of limestone deposits
by rain tends to return carbon atoms to the
The nitrogen cycle is the set of biogeochemical
short-term reservoirs and to atmospheric
processes by which nitrogen undergoes
carbon dioxide. Weathering of silicate rocks by
chemical reactions, changes form, and moves
carbonic acid is faster in a warmer climate
because rainfall amounts tend to be greater. By
through difference reservoirs on Earth, available to plants and can cause significant
including living organisms. ecological damage.

✓ Nitrogen is required for all organisms to live

and grow because it is the essential component
of DNA, RNA, and protein. However, most
organisms cannot use atmospheric nitrogen,
the largest reservoir.

✓ The five processes in the nitrogen cycle –

fixation, uptake, mineralization, nitrification,
and denitrification – are all driven by
microorganisms.

✓ Humans influence the global nitrogen cycle

primarily through the use of nitrogen-based
fertilizers.

• The phosphorus cycle is the set of

biogeochemical processes by which phosphorus
undergoes chemical reactions, changes form,
and moves through different reservoirs on
Earth, including living organisms.

• The phosphorus cycle is the only

biogeochemical process that does not include a
significant gaseous phase.

• Phosphorus is required for all organisms to

live and grow because it is an essential
component of ATP, the structural framework
holding DNA and RNA together, cellular
membranes, and other critical compounds.

• Agricultural runoff, over-fertilization, and

sewage all increase the amount of phosphate