What Is Environmental Science?

What Is Environmental Science?

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What is Environmental Science?

 Environmental science is the study of the natural and man-made environment. It is a multidisciplinary approach to questions related to life on the Earth, degradation caused by pollution and disturbance, the sustainability of resource use, endangerment of species and natural systems. It provides a holistic perspective on environmental problems by combining the knowledge from various scientific disciplines: geography, geology, biology, chemistry, mathematics, computer science and engineering.

Environmental science is the study of natural and modified environments and their interactions with biological (including human) systems. It is a multifaceted field that combines aspects of chemistry, biology, ecology, physics, statistics, and human behavior. 

It can also be defined as the study of the interactions among the physical, chemical and biological components of the environment; with focus on pollution and degradation of the environment related to human activities; and the impact on biodiversity and sustainability from local and global development. It is a interdisciplinary field drawing up from its core scientific areas as well as knowledge from non-scientific studies like economics, law and social sciences.

Field of studies tapped from includes; Physics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, biochemistry, maths and computer science, geomorphology, cartography, GIS and remote sensing, engineering, law, agriculture, ethics and philosophy, religion, art, political science, economics, sociology, history and earth sciences.

Environmental science interests is focused on issues such as climate change, ozone layer depletion and greenhouse gases, conservation of natural resources, biodiversity and deforestation, groundwater, surface water and soil contamination, waste management, pollution, sustainable development, energy conservation (by promoting green technologies) and endangered species.

 

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The environmental and ecosystem sciences major at WSU provide a comprehensive understanding of environmental science in an ecological context. The program emphasizes strong scientific knowledge and hands-on experience. Students learn to assess beneficial and disruptive impacts on ecological systems and get hands-on experience in the methods used to analyze these complex systems. 

The Environmental science undergraduate programme of The Federal University of Petroleum Resources, Effurun (FUPRE) is a 4 year course of study fashioned out as a means of highlighting sources, fate, effects and control of pollutants,  as well as addressing waste management, occupational and health safety, environmental management tools, analysis of environmental problems using geoinformatics, and conservation of natural resources.

Careers in Environmental Sciences

Careers for environmental science graduates include: hazardous materials manager, spatial data analyst, fishery manager, city or regional planner, oceanographer, water resources manager, parks and recreation planner, earth science editor and writer, forester, ground water advisor, marine conservation biologist, marine fish conservationist, water pollution control technician, watershed specialist, health advocate, soil consultant, weather forecaster, ecological restoration consultant, wetland scientist, and sustainable business consultant.

Environmental scientists evaluate the air, water and soil for signs of pollution and develop ways to correct it and other environmental problems. They may specialize in environmental biology, environmental chemistry or environmental engineering, or they may work with politicians to develop laws to protect the environment or with companies to help them follow those laws. If you don't mind the long hours that may be involved and enjoy investigating and problem-solving work out in the field.

An environmental scientist could...Conduct experiments with dyes to see how chemicals might disperse during a toxic spill. Create maps and graphs showing air pollutants over time to help politicians make informed decisions. Evaluate how increasing human populations influence interactions between wildlife and people. Monitor water quality at beaches, lakes and rivers to detect contaminants and keep people safe.