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Objectives
At the end of the session the students should be able to:
1. Show the distinction between the term environmental science and other related terms.
2. Can discuss the history of conservation and environmentalism
3. Can define scientific method and its part
4. Can elucidate the environmentalist of the Philippines
Introduction to Environmental Science
Science
SCIENTIA – “knowledge”
Systematized body of knowledge gained through observation and experimentation.
Scientific Method
Scientific method is a set of techniques used by the scientific community to investigate natural phenomena.
Steps in Scientific Method
1. Problem identification
2. Gathering data
3. Hypothesis formulation
A “hypothesis is said to be an educated guess since it is based on the research information.”
4. Experimentation
5. Conclusion
A final answer to the problem.
6. Application
Definition of Terms
Environment
Pertains to the natural surroundings wherein an organization of living organisms operates.
Environmental Science
The study of the interaction of humans with the environment.
Environmentalism
Advocacy of the preservation, restoration, and improvement of the natural environment.
Environmentalist
A person who promotes environmental awareness and works to protect the natural world.
Conservation
The wise use of natural renewable resources.
Brief History of Conservation & Environmentalism
Beginning in Europe in the very early 1800s, environmentalism came into existence through an another ideology; Romanticism.
Romanticism placed a lot of emphasis on nature, wanting people to appreciate the woods for their beauty, which challenged the solely scientific view many had of nature at the time..
Later in the late 1800s, the environmental movement grew strongly in Britain as a response to the Industrial Revolution. With no environmental regulations to stop them, the factories of the Industrial Revolution polluted air and water and expanded out into beautiful farmland.
Early conservation groups, like ‘the Society for the Protection of Birds (1889)’ and ‘the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (1894),’ began popping up all over England.
The environmental movement began to take shape in North America when John Muir, one of the earliest environmentalist, convinced the U.S. congress to create the Yosemite National Park to preserve the beautiful valley.
And in 1916, President Woodrow Wilson founded the National Park Service, which deeply supported the growing environmental movement. In the early 20th century, environmental laws and government agencies began to pop up all over the world.
The environmental movement only continued to grow in the 1950s, 60s, and 70s with many influential books being published, such as ‘A Sand County Almanac (1949)’ and ‘Silent Spring (1962).’ Silent Spring, written by American biologist Rachel Carson, is especially influential as it exposed the harmful and dangerous effects of the pesticide DDT.
The 1970s were greatly important for the green movement with many groups, like Greenpeace, forming in the 1970s. The first Earth Day and the UN’s first environmental conference also happened in the 70s. Into the 1980s, a growing awareness on global warming brought the environmental movement even more into the mainstream.
Subfield of Environmental Science
Ecology – study of ecosystem
Biology – study of living things
Physics – study of matter and energy and its interaction
Chemistry – the branch of science that deals with the identification of the substances of which matter is composed; the investigation of their properties and the ways in which they interact, combine, and change; and the use of these processes to form new substances.
Botany – study of plants
Zoology – study of animals
Mineralogy – study of minerals
Oceanography - science that deals with the physical and biological properties and phenomena of the sea.
Limnology - the study of the biological, chemical, and physical features of lakes and other bodies of fresh water.
Soil science - the branch of science concerned with the formation, nature, ecology, and classification of soil.
Geology - the science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it.
Atmospheric science - s the study of the Earth's atmosphere
Environmentalist of the Philippines
Chit Juan - Chit is a pillar of the slow-food movement in Asia, building connections between producers and consumers, and championing organic farming and the preservation of heritage foods. She’s also president and cochair of the Philippine Coffee Board and the brains behind EchoStore, a sustainable lifestyle retailer.
Gina Lopez - former secretary of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources; she fought against open-pit mining and its devastating environmental impact; she became the first Filipino to win the Seacology Prize, which honours individuals working to preserve the environment. Her achievements include the rehabilitation of Manila’s polluted Pasig River and the transformation of the once-threatened La Mesa Watershed into an eco-park.
Illac Diaz - With just a disposable plastic bottle and a few basic household items, Illac discovered he could bring light into the homes of the Philippines’ poorest. Illac’s Liter of Light initiative now provides low-cost sustainable lighting solutions to more than 353,000 homes in 15 countries. In January, he made it into Guinness World Records for teaching the world’s largest class on sustainability (there were 280 students in the room).
Anna Oposa - Don’t let her quirky job title fool you, the chief mermaid (and co-founder) of Save Philippine Seas is set on protecting her country’s precious marine resources. Anna’s conservation initiatives include the Shark Shelter Project on Malapascua Island, the annual Sea and Earth Advocates Camp for young people, and Earthducation, a programme that trains teachers in educating their students about environmental issues.
Vincent Perez - In 2001, Vincent became the youngest person to serve as secretary of the Philippine Department of Energy (he was 42), where he pushed for reforms that boosted energy self-sufficiency and promoted clean energy. He went on to found renewable energy company Alternergy Partners, and co-founded Solar Pacific, which provides clean energy through solar power to off-grid communities in the region, and is behind energy advisory firm Merritt Partners.
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