Environmental science

Environmental science is an academic field that combines many areas of learning, such as biology, chemistry, and physics. It studies and solves problems about our world. This field looks at how nature works together and helps us understand big issues that affect the air, water, and land.

Environmental science became more important in the 1960s and 1970s when people realized how serious some environmental problems were. Books like Silent Spring by Rachel Carson helped people understand the need to take care of our planet. Big events, like an oil spill and a river catching fire, showed that we needed new ways to protect our environment.

Today, environmental science helps us make better decisions to keep our world healthy and safe for all living things. It uses many kinds of science to find answers and create rules that protect nature and people.

Terminology

See also: Glossary of environmental science

People sometimes use "environmental science" and "ecology" as if they mean the same thing. But ecology is just one part of environmental science. Ecology studies how plants and animals interact with each other and their surroundings.

Environmental science is broader. It also looks at how chemicals can affect health. Ecologists usually don’t study this.

Environmental science shares ideas with fields like fisheries, forestry, and wildlife. Environmental studies focuses more on how people think about and make decisions about the environment. It uses ideas from social sciences. Environmental engineering uses technology and designs to help make the environment healthier for everyone.

History

Ancient civilizations

People have always cared about the environment, especially when it affected their farming and natural resources. Around 6000 BCE, some ancient towns collapsed because their forests were cut down. This led to laws against cutting trees in places like Mesopotamia around 2700 BCE. Later, around 2500 BCE, people in the Indus River Valley watched their rivers to keep water clean for health. In Central America, cities declined around 1500 BCE due to soil losing its nutrients from too much farming. The Minoan civilization on Crete also declined around 1450 BCE because forests were lost and resources ran out. The Roman writer Pliny the Elder wrote about these early environmental concerns in his book Naturalis Historia.

Even though wars and diseases were big problems, the environment was important for ancient societies to survive and stay strong.

Beginnings of environmental science

18th century

In 1735, Carolus Linnaeus introduced a way to name all living things, which helped people understand how they interact with their environment.

19th century

In the 1820s, scientists studied gases in the air and how they trapped heat from the Sun. They discovered that Earth went through an Ice Age and that warming was linked to gases like carbon dioxide.

20th century

Environmental science grew a lot in the 1900s with more research and global teamwork.

In 1962, Rachel Carson wrote Silent Spring, which helped people understand the need to protect the environment. Major events like the Cuyahoga River catching fire in 1969 and oil spills pushed the United States to make laws like the Clean Water Act. The first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, and the Environmental Protection Agency was created.

In the 1970s and 1980s, disasters like the Love Canal pollution raised awareness about environmental dangers. The world also started agreements to protect the ozone layer by banning certain chemicals.

21st century

Since 2000, environmental science has focused on climate change and finding ways to reduce harm. Countries like the United Kingdom passed laws to cut down on carbon dioxide. International agreements like the Paris Agreement aim to limit temperature rises.

Disasters like the Deepwater Horizon oil spill and wildfires have shown the need for better resource management. Technology has improved, with tools like Geographic Information Systems (GIS) helping track pollution and manage water. Clean energy sources like wind and solar power are growing, and computers help collect and share data worldwide.

Components

Atmospheric sciences

Main article: Atmospheric sciences

Atmospheric sciences study Earth's air, or atmosphere. They look at weather, gases that trap heat, and how pollution moves. Scientists use computers to see how the atmosphere moves and how chemicals react. They also study how plants and animals affect gases like carbon dioxide.

Ecology

Main article: Ecology

Ecology is the study of how living things, including humans, interact with their environment. Ecologists look at how plants, animals, and other organisms relate to each other and to air and water. They study how animals are affected by changes like pollution. Ecology brings together many areas of science to understand nature.

Environmental chemistry

Main article: Environmental chemistry

Environmental chemistry looks at how chemicals change and move in the world. This includes studying pollution in soil and water, and how chemicals break down or spread. Scientists study how a spill affects soil and animals. They use computer models to understand how chemicals move and how they might harm plants and animals.

Geosciences

Main article: Geosciences

Geosciences study the Earth, including rocks, soil, and processes like volcanoes. This area also covers water on Earth, such as rivers and oceans. Scientists might look at how soil erodes, how sediments move in rivers, and how changes in water clarity affect plants and animals. They use many kinds of science to understand these processes.

Open-pit coal mining at Garzweiler, Germany

Regulations driving the studies

In the United States, the National Environmental Policy Act from 1969 makes the government study how its actions, like building roads, affect nature. Many states have their own rules to protect local areas, too. This means lots of research happens before big projects start.

You can learn more by reading reports called Environmental Impact Statements. These reports cover plans like cleaning wastewater in the San Diego/Tijuana area, growing the San Francisco International Airport, building roads in Houston, improving buses in Boston, and building Interstate 66 near Arlington, Virginia.

In England and Wales, the Environment Agency helps protect and improve nature. It started in 1996 and works with the government to make sure rules are followed.