what is environmental science essay

Environmental Science Essay

Environmental Fundamentals Laura Jackson Env/100 April 8, 2013 JOHN ENSWORTH Environmental Fundamentals Introduction Environmental science is defined as the study of the environment and the interconnecting systems it contains, furthermore, the way people interact with their natural surroundings and use natural resources (wise geek, 2013). Scientist in this field is highly interdisciplinary and extremely diverse, for example, a scientist might study volcanoes or climate change. This essay will cover the following; the definition of environmental science, the relationship between science and technology and how it affects environmental problems; the concept of environmental sustainability and why it should be studied; how human …show more content…

Environmental Sustainability Environmental sustainability is the process of making sure current processes of interaction with the environment are pursued with the idea of keeping the environment as pristine as naturally possible based on ideal-seeking behavior (Wikipedia, 2010). What makes environmental sustainability so important is that it demands that society designs activities to meet human needs while indefinitely preserving the life support systems of the planet (Wikipedia, 2010). Human consumption can only use the nature’s resources at a rate that can be replenished naturally. Human Values affecting Society The most devastating environmental change of all is the loss of biodiversity . The rate of species extinction has remained at one species per million per year, furthermore, the accelerating destruction of habitats throughout the world leads to projections of the loss of two-thirds of all species on earth by the end of this century, and millions of years to recover from the Cretaceous period (mindfully.org, 2013). As individuals, we obtain our food, directly or indirectly from plants, for example, plant our primary use of medicines. Biodiversity also determines the properties of communities and ecosystems, which capture energy from the sun. The world is less resilient, more homogeneous, less interesting, and with fewer opportunities for our descendants and ourselves: where the process reaches

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What Is Environmental Science?

Dr. Frederic Beaudry is an associate professor of environmental science at Alfred University in New York.

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• Université du Québec à Rimouski
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Environmental science is the study of the interactions between the physical, chemical, and biological components of nature. As such, it is a multidisciplinary science: it involves a number of disciplines like geology, hydrology, soil sciences, plant physiology, and ecology. Environmental scientists may have training in more than one discipline; for example, a geochemist has expertise in both geology and chemistry. Most often, the multidisciplinary nature of environmental scientists’ work comes from collaborations they foster with other scientists from complementary research fields.

A Problem-Solving Science

Environmental scientists rarely just study natural systems, but instead usually work towards solving problems stemming from our interactions with the environment. Normally the basic approach taken by environmental scientists first involves using data to detect a problem and evaluate its extent. Solutions to the issue are then designed and implemented. Finally, monitoring is done to determine whether the problem was fixed. Some examples of the types of projects environmental scientists may be involved with include:

• Coordinating cleanup efforts at an abandoned oil refinery labeled as a Superfund site, determining the extent of the pollution problem and putting together a restoration plan.
• Forecasting the effects of global climate change and sea level rise on a coastal bay system, and assisting with finding solutions to limit damages on coastal wetlands, shoreline property, and public infrastructure.
• Consulting with a construction team to help them with minimizing sediment pollution coming from the site of a future grocery store.
• Assisting the managers of a state government’s fleet of vehicles with taking steps to reduce carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions.
• Designing a restoration plan to bring acreage of oak savanna in the proper ecological state to host the endangered Karner blue butterfly and its host plant, the blue lupine.

A Quantitative Science

To evaluate the condition of a field site, the health of an animal population, or the quality of a stream most scientific approaches require extensive data collection. That data then needs to be summarized with a suite of descriptive statistics, then used to verify if a particular hypothesis is supported or not. This type of hypothesis testing requires complex statistical tools. Trained statisticians are often part of large research teams to assist with complicated statistical models.

Other types of models are often used by environmental scientists. For example, hydrological models help understand groundwater flow and the spread of spilled pollutants, and spatial models implemented in a geographical information system (GIS) will help track deforestation and habitat fragmentation in remote areas.

An Education in Environmental Science

Whether it is a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or Bachelor of Science (BS), a university degree in environmental science can lead to a wide range of professional roles. Classes typically include earth science and biology courses, statistics, and core courses teaching sampling and analytical techniques specific to the environmental field. Students generally complete outdoor sampling exercises as well as inside laboratory work. Elective courses are usually available to provide students with the appropriate context surrounding environmental issues, including politics, economics, social sciences, and history.

Adequate university preparation for a career in environmental science can also take different paths. For example, a degree in chemistry, geology, or biology can provide a solid educational basis, followed by graduate studies in environmental science. Good grades in the basic sciences, some experience as an intern or summer technician, and positive letters of recommendation should allow motivated students to get into a Master’s program.

Environmental Science as a Career

Environmental science is practiced by people in a wide variety of sub-fields. Engineering firms employ environmental scientists to evaluate the condition of future project sites. Consulting companies can assist with remediation, a process where previously polluted soil or groundwater is cleaned up and restored to acceptable conditions. In industrial settings, environmental engineers use science to find solutions to limit the amount of polluting emissions and effluents. There are state and federal employees who monitor air, water, and soil quality to preserve human health.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts an 11% growth in environmental science positions between the years 2016 and 2026. The median salary was $69,400 in 2017.

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1.S: Environmental Science (Summary)

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• Matthew R. Fisher
• Oregon Coast Community College via OpenOregon

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Science attempts to describe and understand the nature of the universe in whole or in part. Science has many fields; those fields related to the physical world and its phenomena are considered natural sciences. A hypothesis is a tentative explanation for an observation. A scientific theory is a well-tested and consistently verified explanation for a set of observations or phenomena. A scientific law is a description, often in the form of a mathematical formula, of the behavior of an aspect of nature under certain circumstances. Two types of logical reasoning are used in science. Inductive reasoning uses results to produce general scientific principles. Deductive reasoning is a form of logical thinking that predicts results by applying general principles. The common thread throughout scientific research is the use of the scientific method. Scientists present their results in peer-reviewed scientific papers published in scientific journals. Science can be basic or applied. The main goal of basic science is to expand knowledge without any expectation of short-term practical application of that knowledge. The primary goal of applied research, however, is to solve practical problems.

Sustainability refers to three simple concerns: the need to arrest environmental degradation and ecological imbalance, the need not to impoverish future generations and the need for quality of life and equity between current generations. Added up, these core concerns are an unmistakable call for transformation. Business-as-usual is no longer an option. The concept of ethics involves standards of conduct. These standards help to distinguish between behavior that is considered right and that which is considered wrong. The ways in which humans interact with the land and its natural resources are determined by ethical attitudes and behaviors. A frontier ethic assumes that the earth has an unlimited supply of resources. Environmental ethic includes humans as part of the natural community rather than managers of it. Sustainable ethic assumes that the earth’s resources are not unlimited and that humans must use and conserve resources in a manner that allows their continued use in the future. Countries are categorized by a variety of methods. During the Cold War period, the United States government categorized countries according to each government’s ideology and capitalistic development. Current classification models utilize economic (and sometimes other) factors in their determination. Environmental justice is achieved when everyone enjoys the same degree of protection from environmental and health hazards and equal access to the decision-making process to have a healthy environment. Many problems face indigenous people, including: lack of human rights, exploitation of their traditional lands and themselves, and degradation of their culture. Despite the lofty U.N. goals, the rights and feelings of indigenous people are often ignored or minimized, even by supposedly culturally sensitive developed countries.

Review Questions

• Basic science
• Applied science
• Hypothesis-based science
• Descriptive science
• Retrospective science
• Removing invasive species will result in greater biodiversity.
• Introducing invasive species will harm an ecosystem.
• Invasive species are non-native species that alter ecosystems.
• Introducing invasive species will decrease biodiversity by displacing native species
• Ecosystem productivity will decrease when invasive species are introduced.
• Expanding the area covered by a wildlife sanctuary
• Protecting a natural area as a national park
• Sustainable logging of a forest
• Transferring ownership of forestland from private ownership to the federal government
• Extracting copper ore from mineral-rich deposit in a landscape rich in biodiversity
• Sustainability ethic
• Precautionary principle
• Environmental harm dictum
• Environmental injustice
• Presumptive principle
• Competing companies log as many trees as possible for financial gain until no trees are left
• Public forest land is sold to a privately-owned investor group
• Logging forests is dangerous work and ends up killing or injuring many workers
• A careless hiker accidentally starts a wildfire that destroys hundreds of acres of forest
• Government regulations lead to conditions that increase the risk of forest fire on public lands
• Environmental justice
• Sustainability
• Environmental equity
• Ecological footprinting
• Frontier ethic
• Sustainable ethic
• Ethos ethic
• Darwinian ethic
• Every lion you’ve seen on TV hunts gazelles, therefore all lions hunt gazelles.
• All tigers are mammals. All mammals are vertebrates. Therefore, tigers are vertebrates.
• Every lake contains water; therefore, Crater Lake contains water.
• Only plants have flowers. Tulips are a plant because they have flowers.
• The sun emits energy in the form of photons. Visible light is made of photos and thus light is a type of energy.
• Quid pro quo
• Habeas corpus
• Ecologic inclusiveness

See Appendix for answers

• What is science?
• Describe the process of scientific method.
• What are inductive reasoning and deductive reasoning?
• Describe the goals of basic and applied science.
• Give one example of the link between basic and applied research.
• What are peer-reviewed articles?
• Explain the following terms: hypothesis, falsifiability, scientific law.
• Name some indicators of global environmental stress.
• Define sustainability.
• Explain the following terms: frontier ethic, land ethic, environmental ethic.
• What are developed countries according to the World Bank classification?
• Define environmental justice.

Attributions

EEA. (1997). Towards sustainable development for local authorities – approaches, experiences and sources . Retrieved from http://www.eea.europa.eu/publication...07-97-191-EN-C . Available under Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0 ( CC BY 3.0 ). Modified from Original.

Kriebel, D., Tickner, J., Epstein, P., Lemons, J., Levins, R., Loechler, E. L., … Stoto, M. (2001). The precautionary principle in environmental science. Environmental Health Perspectives , 109 (9), 871–876. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1240435/.

NSF. (2009). Transitions and tipping points in complex environmental systems . Retrieved September 24, 2015 from http://www.nsf.gov/geo/ere/ereweb/ac...ort_090809.pdf . Modified from original.

Nuckols, J. R., Ward, M. H., & Jarup, L. (2004). Using geographic information systems for exposure assessment in environmental epidemiology studies. Environmental Health Perspectives , 112 (9), 1007–1015. doi:10.1289/ehp.6738.

Theis, T. & Tomkin, J. (Eds.). (2015). Sustainability: A comprehensive foundation. Retrieved from http://cnx.org/contents/[email protected] . Available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. ( CC BY 4.0 ). Modified from original.

University of California College Prep. (2012). AP environmental science . Retrieved from http://cnx.org/content/col10548/1.2/ . Available under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. ( CC BY 4.0 ). Modified from original.

Page attribution: Essentials of Environmental Science by Kamala Doršner is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Disciplinary Approaches to Composing Texts

Writing in Environmental Science

by Dr. Emily Deaver

Writing is one of the primary forms of communication in Environmental Science. It is important to be able to express yourself clearly regardless of the type of writing you are doing. It is also important to understand what audience you are writing for - a scientific audience or the general public. Communicating results of research by writing papers is critical to advancing the field. You may do Nobel Prize winning work in the lab, but if you never publish a paper on that work then the research will be unknown and essentially worthless. Communicating clearly is also important and relevant to environmental regulations and protection of natural resources, both in terms of advocating for a particular position, educating the general public about natural resources or for proposing specific legislation. 

Types of writing in the field

Writing in the Environmental Science field includes a wide range of styles as well as writing geared toward different audiences. Scholarly writing published in scientific journals is the primary way that researchers communicate and is critical for exchange of information.  These journals are increasingly available online prior to publication in a print format, or even exclusively online.

Environmental writing includes investigative pieces which may focus on discussions of emerging problems, or exposing illegal or unethical practices. These pieces often include facts and data in an effort to communicate new information to the public, or may be more human interest stories that describe specific environmental problems. These stories can be published by newspapers, magazines or broadcast outlets such at National Public Radio. These may be short news style pieces or longer documentaries.

There are numerous environmental magazines like National Parks Magazine, Scientific American, Popular Science, National Geographic and Discover magazine that present news and features stories for the general public in a less technical format and typically include lots of pictures with the articles. There are also a huge number of environmental blogs on the web. Most are designed to provide information as well as encourage readers to become involved in protection and care of the environment (i.e. http://www.theenvironmentalblog.org/ ). 

An additional type of writing would be pieces written for nonprofit conservation organizations like Nature Conservancy , or the World Wildlife Fund . This type of writing often describes a particular landscape, habitat or group of organisms with the aim of getting the reader emotionally invested in the topic. Writing for research stations, such as the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, would be writing that includes reporting on technical research data for the scientific community, but also presenting research data in a less technical way to the general public, with the aim or gaining continued support for their work. 

Federal government agencies such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), US Geological Survey (USGS) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) produce many different types of writing; very technical reports related to research projects, guidance or policy documents on regulations and protection of environmental resources, informational documents to educate the general public, and news releases. Clear written communication is so important that the EPA even has its own writing guide ( https://19january2017snapshot.epa.gov/stylebook_.html) . Much of this information is available in print form but they also have extensive websites with research reports, information on popular topics and news releases easily accessible. A good example of most of these types of writing can be found at the EPA page on Climate Change ( https://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ ). Similar types of writing are done by state (i.e. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, MN Department of Natural Resources, MN Board of Water and Soil Resources) and local agencies (Lyon County Environmental Office) as well. Utility companies (i.e. Marshall Municipal Utilities or Duke Power) and publically owned wastewater treatment facilities produce similar information and types of documents.  

Writers may also work in some type of industry and write industry newsletters and press releases or do technical writing for equipment or consumer products writing procedural manuals, or tutorials and help pages. There are also numerous professional magazines (i.e. Chemical and Engineering News ) that report on new technologies and industry news.

A different type of writing in the environmental field would be nature writers. These works can be environmental fiction (novels or poetry) that describe nature or have plots involving environmental issues (i.e. Wallace Stegner, Wendell Berry and Annie Dillard),) or nonfiction accounts of the wilderness (i.e. Rick Bass and Sigurd F. Olson), writing as an environmental activist (i.e. Lester R. Brown) or  exploring relationships to nature and culture (i.e. Terry Tempest Williams).

Scholarly writing published in scientific journals is the primary way that environmental scientists communicate. All students in Environmental Science should be familiar with, and be able to write in this format. Reporting on scientific information in a less technical fashion to help the general public understand complex scientific issues would be the 2 nd most important type of writing. This information is increasingly important in both paper and electronic formats. 

Writing in the classroom

Depending upon which course they take, students gain experience doing technical writing such as lab reports, research proposals and research papers. These works allow students to practice writing in the style of a published journal article, which is one of the primary forms of communication in the field.  Students also learn to create annotated bibliographies, which teaches them to find and read journal articles and to summarize information from those articles for later reference. This is particularly important when gathering information for research projects. 

Many of the things Environmental Science students and scientists write are lab reports, research reports, and journal articles. A lab report (or journal article) is an example of technical writing, which is different from prose or expository writing (for an English class, for example).  The goal of a lab report is to state facts, procedures, processes, and concepts as clearly as possible. The writer’s opinions or feelings about the process are NOT included, and should be concealed in a scientific paper.

Good technical writing is: clear (not diffuse, vague, or general), accurate (data honestly gathered, accurately reported, edited and proof-read to ensure that it is error-free), concise (not wordy), conventional and consistent (following accepted patterns for reporting information consistently throughout), mechanically correct (proper grammar, spelling and usage), and interesting (has enough stylistic character to be interesting as well as informative to the reader). 

Some of the keys to good scientific writing in general are:

1. Avoid sentence fragments and run-on sentences.

2. Keep tense, person and number consistent within sections.

3. Avoid long words when short ones will do the job equally well. Avoid wordiness, redundancy, clichés, jargon (gobbledygook), overblown phrases and misused words.

4. Keep ideas together within paragraphs of moderate length and make clear transitions between paragraphs.

5. Write naturally while remaining detached from the subject (objective).

6. Concentrate on clarity and coherence.

7. Use graphs for clarity, simplification, emphasis, or summary.

8. Do not excuse, diminish or find fault with the study. Let the reader judge the quality and significance of the study. 

Parts of the Lab Report, Research Report or Journal Article

The elements of the laboratory report (or journal article) are: title (and author), introduction, methods, results, discussion and literature cited (references) sections. Occasionally a lab report may include an abstract and acknowledgments section.

The introduction describes what you planned to do and why. It includes a statement of the problem or question to be studied, and an explanation of why the knowledge gained by this research is of interest and to whom. An introduction includes a hypothesis, or educated guess, as to the process by which the phenomenon under investigation operates. Available background references are used (and cited) to indicate the importance of the research, and to provide information that allows the author to predict an outcome. You should also define any terms in the introduction section.

The methods section is a concise description, written in the past tense, of the procedures used. It describes the equipment used and how information was collected: by laboratory or field experimentation, surveys, or literature review. This section contains the most explicit (exactly described) statements of how you did the experiment or study. The methods section should contain enough detail for someone else to repeat the study based on the description in the paper. The methods section does NOT include a list of the materials used. Any equipment and materials used are described along with the procedures. 

The results section describes what you found out. This section is a presentation and organization of the information (facts, data, and measurements) collected in the study. Often the data is organized into tables and graphs. Graphs and tables are never presented alone - they are used in addition to the text, or descriptive paragraph of the results. The results section simply presents the data, but no explanations or statements about why the researcher thinks the results occurred as they did are provided (that is given in the discussion section).

The discussion section includes explicit statements of what the results mean in a logically unfolding pattern. This section includes statements about why the researcher thinks the results occurred as they did (based on literature or previous studies), and what the results reveal about the way nature works. The discussion section also contains any conclusions or recommendations. It may also include statements about particular sources of error in the study and what the next set of experiments would be to gain further information on this topic.

A laboratory report should contain all of the sections discussed above plus a title that describes the experiment or study. Following the title is the author’s name . References are used to substantiate statements made in the introduction, methods or discussion sections of the lab report. Any references used need to be cited correctly - both in the text of the report (author and year) and at the end of the report in a literature cited section (see the handout on citations for details on the format to use).

Environmental Science Disciplinary Perspective Documentation in Environmental Science Research in Environmental Science Reading in Environmental Science

• Introduction to the Text
• Writing is Important in your Major
• Advice from Students
• Making Your Writing Work: Ethos & Commonplaces
• Professional Associations
• Scholarship as Conversation
• Genres and Finding Sources
• Genres, Metagenres, and the Rhetorical Situation
• Analyzing Scholarly, Trade, and Popular Sources
• Library Research Overview
• Introduction To Research
• Research Process
• Choosing a Topic
• Determining Genres
• Trouble Finding Sources
• Videos Overview
• Special Education
• Annotated Writing Samples
• Agricultural Education Overview
• Documentation
• Scholarly Writing Sample
• Business Administration Overview
• Communication Studies Overview
• Student Writing Sample
• Computer Science Overview
• Education Overview
• Environmental Science Overview
• Exercise Science Overview
• History Overview
• Justice Administration Overview
• Literary Studies Overview
• Marketing Overview
• Math Overview
• Nursing Overview
• Philosophy Overview
• Professional Writing and Communication Overview
• Videos (English)
• Social Work Overview
• Special Education Overview

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Environmental science is the multidisciplinary study of all aspects of the Earth’s physical and biological environments. It encompasses environmental chemistry, soil science, ecology, climatology, vegetation cover, marine and freshwater systems, as well as environmental remediation and preservation, and agriculture and land use.

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Minimum turbidity levels for the maintenance of intertidal areas

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Small-scale decentralized ammonia production could become cost-competitive by 2030

With centralized production, the price of ammonia-based fertilizers is affected by the volatility of the fossil fuel market, complex supply chains and long-distance transportation costs. Now, an analysis of the cost-competitiveness of decentralized low-carbon ammonia production suggests that a substantial fraction of the global ammonia demand could be cost-competitively supplied by small-scale technologies by 2030.

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Why Study Environmental Sciences?

Why should students explore courses in Environmental Sciences? What do gateway courses offer students?

We are connected to the environment in multiple ways and every activity a human engages in has some sort of influence on the environment.  Environmental science courses help students understand and explore the interconnected nature of services the environment provides, such as agricultural production, water purification, timber, climate regulation, and spiritual and leisure activities, among many others.  Our gateway courses provide a foundation for understanding both the scientific aspects of environmental systems as well as the complex or “wicked” nature of developing policies, incentives, and other interventions meant to help preserve the essential services nature provides. 

William Pan talks to Jwalin Patel T'22, an environmental sciences major, during his Graduation with Distinction presentation

What skills do students gain from Environmental Sciences courses that will benefit them moving forward?

As you know, the Nicholas School offers three majors:  Earth & Climate Sciences (ECS) , Marine Science & Conservation (MSC) , and Environmental Sciences & Policy (ENV) . ENV is the largest of these programs and offers students three options: a BS in Environmental Studies; an AB in Environmental Sciences & Policy; and a minor in ENV. Depending on the pathway chosen, students will gain a strong foundation in natural sciences (the BS), science-informed decision-making (the AB), science communication, and have opportunities to conduct field-based environmental experiments.

What are some of the advantages of majoring in Environmental Sciences?

The world economy is transitioning toward a new environmental awareness.  It is very hard to imagine an existing area of the economy that will not become more closely aligned with principles of environmental stewardship and sustainability. Healthcare, industrial manufacturing, utilities, communication and information technology, etc., all sectors of the economy will need expertise and knowledge in environmental sciences to navigate the ongoing changes needed to be competitive and achieve a more sustainable future.

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Home  /  News  /  What Is Environmental Science? 5 Reasons Why To Study It

What Is Environmental Science? 5 Reasons Why To Study It

Do you want to solve environmental problems or help build a more sustainable future? If so, a career in one of many environmental sustainability studies might be the perfect path for you, but first, what is environmental science? 

Even if you are not entirely set on a major yet, keep reading to learn more about how environmental sciences are being developed and applied to practices across industries to conserve resources, reduce carbon emissions, and foster a healthier planet. We start with the definition of environmental science and then explain why it’s such a valuable field of study. 

What Is Environmental Science?

Why is environmental science important, why study environmental science.

What is environmental science about? Explore our  bachelor’s degree in environmental science  to find out. 

Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field of study encompassing aspects of physics, chemistry, biology, geography, and other disciplines. It aims to understand the environment and how humans impact it. It’s not just a study of the environment but also of possible solutions to environmental issues such as deforestation, global warming, and pollution. 

What Do You Learn In Environmental Science?

Let’s dive deeper into the question of what is the study of environmental science. A degree in environmental science covers topics such as ecology, conservation, and environmental law and policy. When you study environmental science, you will develop skills including but not limited to:

• Evaluating alternative energy sources
• Ecosystem analysis
• Environmental impact assessment
• GIS technology
• Implementing sustainable development principles

Environmental scientists  do a lot of “behind the scenes” work in laboratories and on field sites. It’s not always a glamorous job, but this important work often informs policy decisions, business practices, and public awareness. The importance of environmental science has never been greater as the entire natural world is experiencing the negative effects of  climate change . It is key to finding new solutions and ways to adapt to a changing planet.

Understanding The Interconnectedness Of Ecosystems

Environmental science is the study of relationships within and between ecosystems. It helps us understand the complex interactions that occur in ecosystems and the impacts humans have on them. It’s easy for people in the modern world to forget how interconnected we are with nature, but everything we do has cascading effects on the environment around us. Scientists help us understand these effects and how to minimize them.

Addressing Climate Change And Global Warming

We’re already seeing alarming trends from climate change that are predicted to worsen over the coming years, including rising sea levels, more extreme storms, droughts in some areas, and increased wildfires. Some of these impacts may be reversible, while others can only be mitigated at this point. To do anything impactful, we need professionals who fully understand the extent of the problem and have the skills to create new, innovative solutions. A  B.S. in Environmental Science and Climate Change  can provide the skills and knowledge necessary to combat global warming. 

Promoting Sustainable Resource Management

Environmental science guides sustainable resource management by helping us understand and preserve biodiversity as well as maintain soil and water quality. Scientists encourage companies, governmental agencies, and individuals to consume natural resources in responsible and sustainable ways. Depending on their specialization, environmental scientists may work as consultants for businesses or in parks, fisheries, or forests.

Driving Policy And Environmental Legislation

Environmental science also influences and shapes environmental policies and legislation. Not only has scientific research led to the creation of laws and regulations aimed at protecting the environment, but environmental scientists are often responsible for conducting field site surveys and other tests to ensure compliance with those laws and regulations. If you are particularly interested in legislation and public policy, you may find a  B.S. in Environmental Studies  more suitable than environmental science for your career goals. 

Ready To Learn More About Unity Environmental University?

Learn more about the  differences between environmental studies vs environmental science .

Students who graduate with an environmental science degree have numerous career opportunities. You can work in research, consulting, education, or legislation. No matter which path you choose, studying environmental science can empower you to positively impact the planet. 

Why should I learn about environmental science? Below are the top five reasons:

• A career with a purpose:  When you work in an environmental science job, you get to have a positive impact on the planet every day. You can directly impact environmental policies, conservation efforts, and people’s individual choices.
• Job security:  Many  environmental science jobs are in high demand  and will continue to be over the next decade as you enter the workforce. Qualified professionals will be needed to address the continued effects of climate change. In fact, current employment reports show a widening gap between supply and demand for workers with at least one green skill.
• Good earning potential:  While the average salaries for environmental scientists vary greatly by position, there are many  green jobs that pay well . 
• Social and emotional well-being :  Earning a college degree increases your earning potential and gives you access to new opportunities, but did you know it can also make you a happier and healthier person? People with degrees have a longer lifespan on average and report being happier overall than people without degrees.
• Connection with nature:  Many environmental scientists spend a lot of time outside in nature, and research shows that being in  nature has physical, emotional, and cognitive health benefits  for humans, all of which can help increase your overall quality of life.

Start A Career In Environmental Science At Unity Environmental University

Pursuing a career in environmental science is a smart choice for you as an individual and for the planet as a whole. Because of the multidisciplinary nature of the field, there are many different career paths to choose from. Environmentally-focused degrees cover many areas including agroforestry, sustainable business practices, resource conservation practices, regenerative hospitality and much more.

If you want 100% online degrees, check out Unity’s B.S. in environmental science and climate change .

B.S. in Environmental Science and Climate Change

B.S. in Environmental Studies

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Home / Essay Samples / Education / Environmental Education / Understanding Environmental Science: Principles and Applications

Understanding Environmental Science: Principles and Applications

• Category: Education , Environment , Science
• Topic: Environmental Education , Environmental Ethics , Renewable Energy

Pages: 4 (1736 words)

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Role of Information Technology of Environment 

Going digital and advancement in technology, importance of environmental monitoring, how technology can help reduce our impact on the planet, environmental impact of informational technology , first order impact, second order impact.

• Intelligent production processes: Through careful computer-aided design of production facilities and precise control of operations during production made possible by extensive sensors and automated controls.
• Intelligent design and operation of products: enabled by computer-aided, simulations of product performance result in ‘lighter’ products that use less materials to make them operate more efficiently; efficient sensors and controls ensure services/ functions are delivered efficiently when and where they are required.
• Reorganisation of supply chains and business organisation: E-commerce leads to the closure of retails outlets, more efficient inventory and chain management supply, and the rise of tele-working.
• The process of e-materialisation: The substitution of tangible goods for intangible services (for instance, the purchase of e-book rather than book or the purchase of music online rather than music CDs). In conclusion, the IT industry has many impacts on the environment.

Database on Environment System

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