Syllabus

ENVA 351: ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS

Course Description:

This course provides and emphasizes students with the scientific principles, concepts, and methodologies required to understand the interrelationships of the natural world, to identify and analyze environmental problems both natural and human-made, to evaluate the relative risks associated with these problems, and to examine alternative solutions for resolving and/or preventing them.

Course Objectives:

The aim of the course is to:

1.      Understand current concern about our impact on the environment.

2.      Recognize the things and processes that affect the environment.

3.      Promote green practices at home and at work.

4.      Identify pollutants in plant environments and identify actions that minimize pollution.

5.      Describe what is being done and what we all can do to help prevent harm to the environment.

6.      Discuss the impact of environmental issues on industry.

7.      Describe environmental, health, and safety regulations.

Learning Outcomes:

At the end of the course the learner will be able to:

1.      Identify environmental impacts on the universe and human beings.

2.      Understand key terms and definitions of pollution.

3.      Learn basic principles, key concepts and importance of environmental law.

4.      Understand business benefits of adopting an environmental management system.

5.      Identify key issues related to energy use and waste minimization, water use, pollution andemergency planning.

6.      Encourage and motivate others to practice stewardship, and preservation of the environment for the future generations.

7.      Maintain “Swatch Bharat” as a gift to the citizens of India.

8.      Appreciate nature and the Creature of the Universe

Course Outline

Unit 1: Introduction to Environmental Science

Unit 2: Enviromental Education

Unit 3:  Environmental Stewardship

Unit 4: Resources and Ecosystems-8

            a. Natural resources (Renewable and non-renewable)

·         Forest resources

·         Water resources

·         Mineral resources

·         Food resources

·         Energy resources

·         Land as a resource

• Equitable use of resources for sustainable lifestyles.          

 b. Ecosystems

• Concept of an ecosystem.

• Structure and function of an ecosystem.

• Producers, consumers and decomposers.

• Energy flow in the ecosystem.

• Food chains, food webs and ecological pyramids.

• Introduction, types, characteristic features, structure and function of the following ecosystem:

o   Forest ecosystem

o   Grassland ecosystem

o   Desert ecosystem

o   Aquatic ecosystems (ponds, streams, lakes, rivers, oceans, estuaries)

Unit 5: Biodiversity and Conservation strategies

•         Value of biodiversity

•         Relationship between human activity and species extinction

•         Endangered and endemic species of India

•         Role of an individual in conservation of natural resources

•         Strategies for conservation of biodiversity: global scenario

Unit 6: Environmental Pollution -10

Concept of environmental pollution

• Cause, effects and control measures of:-

o   Air pollution

o   Water pollution

o   Soil pollution

o   Marine pollution

o   Noise pollution

o   Nuclear hazards         

             Solid Waste management

·         Causes, effects and control measures of urban and industrial wastes.

Unit 7: Environmental Health

·         Human diseases

·         Climate change and human health

·         Vector borne diseases

·         Metal toxicity

·         Radiation damage

           

Unit 8: Current Environmental Issues -

·         Global warming and Greenhouse effect

·         Acid rain

·         Radiation hazards

·         Environmental degradation

·         Non-conventional energy management

·         Environmental ethics

·         Disaster management