Why is environmental science important

What is environmental science?

Environmental science is actually a combination of a number of scientific fields that encompasses certain aspects of physics, biology, chemistry, ecology, geology, soil science, geography and atmospheric science among others. The interdisciplinary field deals with the environment, its problems and possible solutions to those problems. The two active branches of environmental science are environmental studies and environmental engineering; the former deals with understanding of human society and its approach towards the environment, while the latter deals with development of techniques and technologies to solve current and future environmental problems.

The importance of environmental science

Environmental studies keep a track of all the actions we take which harms the environment and aims at finding ways to limit that damage. It makes us aware about the necessity of protecting and conserving the environment against indiscriminate destruction by actions of the emerging modernity. Ignorant as most of us are, there are currently environmental problems present with enough future potential to exterminate life as we know it and the job of the environmentalists is to try and keep that from happening. Here are a few points that make environmental science all the more important.

Civilizations – Developing civilizations must make way for urbanization, industrialization, transportation, agriculture, residence and a host of other things. All of these things are bound to lead to deforestation, ecological destruction and the release of tremendous amounts of pollution into the environment. Without the existence of a methodical scientific approach to keep track of all this and to try and contain or manage the impact, our planet may not have a future.

Issues of international merit – The issues that environmental science deals with are not limited to any particular country or geographical location. Global warming, acid rain, depletion of the ozone layer, loss of biodiversity, etc. are problems of such proportions that they cannot be solved without international cooperation, guided by the studies and efforts of environmental science.

Planned development – We know that the expansion of civilization impacts the environment mostly in a negative way, but it is something that cannot actually be stopped. Therefore, the job of the environmentalists is to devise ways in which to expand with some sort of a plan for the environment as well.

Awareness – Perhaps the most important task of environmental science is to make people aware of the current problems that are plaguing our planet. If the people of the planet join the effort to save it in whatever little way that they can, only then will environmental science make any true progress.

Tomorrow – Even if the environmental problems do not cause extinction in the near future, there is no doubt that it will make sustenance of life harder for most of us. It is not a logical or humane thing to leave our water bodies polluted, air toxic and forests depleted, in order for our descendants to suffer in. Thus, the disciplines of environmental science are all directed towards reserving a tomorrow.