Course

Unit 1

Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies. Renewable and non-renewable Naturalresources. Overexploitation and conservation of the following natural resources — forest,water,food,energy,mineral,andlandresources.Conceptofsustainability,sustainabledevelopment. Concept of three Rs (Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle). Concept of zero waste.Needforenvironmentaleducation.

Unit 2

Concept of ecosystem.Components,structure and function of an ecosystem.A brief description of forest ecosystem and desert ecosystem. Food chain and food web, Ecological Pyramids. Bio geochemical Cycles(examples Carbon,Nitrogenand Phosphorous).Ecosystem Services(example forest). Threats to ecosystems.Conservation of ecosystems.

Unit 3

Concept of Biodiversity, hot spots of biodiversity, India as a mega diversity nation, Threats tobiodiversity, Value of biodiversity, Brief description of economic valuation of biodiversity,Red Data Base and Red data Book, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)Red ListofThreatened Species(Briefdescription),Conservationofbiodiversity.

Unit 4

Pollution of air, acid rain, global warming and climate change, ozone layer depletion, Waterpollution, Soil pollution. Industrial and urban solid wastes, Hospital wastes, Hazardous waste,Collection, segregation of solid wastes, Different household disposal methods for degradablesolid wastes, Commercial water purification devices for households, Plastic pollution, microplasticsandits environmentalandhealtheffects.E-waste.

Unit 5

Ecological foot prints-brief description of Carbon Footprint and Water Footprint, Linear and Circular resource management, System thinking, Industrial ecosystems, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA), Environment Management Plan (EMP), Green Technology, Green Business, Green Accounting, Green Buildings, Eco-Labeling, Sustainable (Green) Cities. Role of individuals in the up keeping of environment.

Course Objective:

To provide a general understanding of our environment, problems during exploitation of natural resources, the importance of biodiversity and the need for its conservation, pollution and its impacts, and approaches for environment sustainability.

Course Outcomes:

CO-PO Mapping 

Evaluation Pattern

Reference

1. Palanisamy P. N., Manikandan P., Geetha A., Manjula Ran – Environmental Science, Pearson Education.
2. Harikumar P.N., Susha D. And Manoj Narayanan K. S. – Environment management and human rights. Himalaya Publishing House.
3. Asthana D.K and Meera Asthana – A Textbook of Environmental Studies, S.Chand & Company Pvt Ltd. Ran Nagar, New Delhi -110055.

Reference

1. BalaKrishnamoorthy–Environment al management:Text and Cases. PHI Learning Private Limited.
2. Jacob Thomas – Environmental management: Text and Cases. Pearson.
3. Rajagopaln R. – Environmental Studies: From crisis to cure. Oxford University Press