Unit 1: Studies of Environment

1. Multidisciplinary Nature of the studies of Environment

What is Environmental Studies?

Environmental Studies is an academic field that systematically studies human interaction with the environment. It seeks to understand the complex relationships between humans and the natural world, including the social, political, and scientific aspects of environmental problems.

The Multidisciplinary Approach

Environmental studies is "multidisciplinary," meaning it is not one single subject. Instead, it borrows knowledge, methods, and perspectives from many different disciplines to get a complete picture. No single field can explain all environmental issues.

Key disciplines involved include:

• Natural Sciences (The "How it works"):
  • Biology/Ecology: Studies living organisms and how they interact with their environment (e.g., food chains, biodiversity loss).
  • Chemistry: Studies the chemical composition of the environment and the nature of pollutants (e.g., water pollution, greenhouse gases).
  • Geology & Earth Science: Studies landforms, soil, and geological processes (e.g., soil erosion, natural disasters).
• Social Sciences (The "How we behave"):
  • Sociology: Studies how societies are affected by environmental issues and how they respond (e.g., environmental justice, social movements).
  • Economics: Studies the allocation of natural resources, the costs of pollution, and "green" economies.
  • Political Science: Studies environmental policy, laws, and international treaties (e.g., climate change agreements).
  • Geography: Studies the spatial relationship between humans and the environment.
• Humanities (The "How we think"):
  • History (This Paper): Studies the relationship between humans and nature *over time*.
  • Ethics & Philosophy: Asks moral questions about our responsibility to the environment and future generations.
  • Literature: Explores how nature is represented in culture and art.

2. Historical approach to the study of Environment issues

What is Environmental History?

Environmental History is the study of the interaction between human societies and the natural world over time. It is a "two-way" street:

1. It studies how humans have shaped and changed their environment (e.g., through deforestation, agriculture, building cities).
2. It studies how the environment has shaped human history (e.g., how climate, disease, or natural resources influenced civilizations, wars, and migrations).

Why take a Historical Approach?

A historical approach is crucial for understanding *current* environmental issues because:

• It provides context: Today's problems (like climate change or deforestation) are not new. They have deep historical roots. Understanding the *origins* of a problem (e.g., deforestation in the colonial period for railways) helps us understand its scale and complexity today.
• It shows change over time: It reveals that "nature" is not static. Landscapes that we think of as "natural" may be the result of centuries of human activity.
• It challenges simple narratives: It helps us avoid simple "good vs. bad" stories. For example, it shows how "scientific" forestry in the colonial era (Unit 4) was actually a disaster for local communities and biodiversity.
• It offers lessons: By studying past environmental successes and failures (e.g., the collapse of civilizations due to drought, or sustainable farming practices), we can learn lessons for the present.

3. Importance of Environmental education

Definition of Environmental Education (EE)

Environmental Education (EE) is a process that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem-solving, and take action to improve the environment. As a result, individuals develop a deeper understanding of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions.

Components and Importance of EE

The importance of EE can be broken down into five key components:

1. Awareness and Sensitivity:
   • What it is: Making people aware that environmental problems exist.
   • Why it's important: People cannot solve problems they do not know about. EE fosters sensitivity to issues like pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
2. Knowledge and Understanding:
   • What it is: Providing the factual knowledge of *why* these problems exist (the scientific, social, and historical causes).
   • Why it's important: Awareness alone is not enough. Knowledge is needed to understand the complexity of the issues (e.g., knowing *why* plastic is harmful, not just *that* it is).
3. Attitudes and Values:
   • What it is: Fostering a new set of values and an attitude of concern for the environment.
   • Why it's important: It encourages an environmental ethic, a sense of responsibility, and the motivation to participate in protecting the environment.
4. Skills:
   • What it is: Equipping people with the skills to identify, investigate, and help solve environmental problems.
   • Why it's important: This includes critical thinking (e.g., analyzing news about an "eco-friendly" product), problem-solving, and practical skills (e.g., waste segregation, water harvesting).
5. Participation:
   • What it is: The ultimate goal – encouraging people to take action.
   • Why it's important: This can range from personal action (reducing consumption) to community action (organizing a cleanup) to political action (supporting environmental movements, as seen in Unit 5).