Basics of Environmental Science

Definition, Scope and Importance of Environment
• Scope of Environmental Studies and its applications
• Importance with respect to the society
• Relationship of Environmental Studies with other subjects (Multidisciplinary nature of Environment)

Environmental Pollution
• Water Pollution: Definition, sources and effects
• Air Pollution-Definition, sources and effects (Acid Rain, Ozone Depletion, Global warming, Smog)
• Noise Pollution-Definition, sources and effects

Natural Resources
• Definition (Renewable and non renewable)
• Natural resources and associated problems:
(a) Forest Resources- Use and over-exploitation, deforestation and its effects
(b) Water Resources- Use and over-utilization of surface and ground water and its effects
(c) Land Resources- Land degradation; Soil erosion and desertification.
(d) Mineral resources : Use and exploitation, environmental effects of extracting mineral resources

Environmental Management
• Environmental management systems- Benefits, principles and elements of successful environmental management
• Key aspects of the international standard ISO 14001.
• Environmental Labeling.
Environmental Protection Act, 1986

Environmental Auditing
• Objectives of Environmental auditing
• Importance of Environmental auditing
• Steps of Environmental Auditing (outline)