Cleanfax, August 2019

and biological world surrounding us The basic sciences have their origins in the discipline known as natural philosophy which is the logical and systematic examination of the natural and man made world Through the longterm examination of nature there have evolved fundamental concepts we use to make decisions about how we live in relation to natural processes Scientific knowledge is derived from the scientific method The scientific method is a process known as hypothesis testing It is an analytical procedure in which we conjecture possibilities hypothesize design and execute an experiment to test the hypothesis make observations measure conditions collect and analyze data and draw conclusions whereby we accept or reject the hypothesis We refer to the scientific method as research Research is the process of guided learning The scientific method forces us to go beyond personal opinion and political correctness Through the scientific method we discover and demonstrate facts Science always requires that we show the data Science has limitations Science is a body of knowledge that is constantly changing and growing Science is the only discipline that opens itself to disproof Environmental science Environmental science is a robust body of knowledge that brings all the basic sciences into one arena where we use them to take a broad view of the world around us and better explain how complex environmental systems work One cannot manage what one does not understand Science explains how the environment works Without a basic understanding of environmental science we cannot effectively manage the environment natural or built Here are some useful reasons why you should know the basic environmental science concepts and methods Environmental science is the basis for informed judgments and sensible decisions that help us maintain a sustainable society Environmental science uses all the basic sciences to look at the world broadly Environmental science forces us to use systemsthinking to realize all conditions are connected Environmental science helps us better understand the essential conditions for a healthy human existence Without a basic understanding of environmental science we cannot effectively manage the environment natural or built In environmental science we examine matter and energy flowing in and between the compartments that make up the environmental system We identify and study the life affecting processes these flows create Particular attention is given to the effect humans have on these natural processes and the influences these processes have on human wellbeing Environment defined and described To understand the environments we build we first must define environment and then describe environmental system at least on a general level We need to pay particular attention to how matter and energy flow in and out of environmental compartments and how that flow affects human existence An environment consists of all the surrounding interacting conditions essential for human existence and that of all living creatures Environment is the totality of all the constantly changing surrounding biotic and abiotic conditions that affect the life of an organism Biotic conditions are life forms viruses for the purposes of this article bacteria fungi animals and plants are life forms Movement organization constant conditions within the body energy use reproduction and growth characterize life Abiotic conditions are nonliving In the natural environmental system we know these to include chemicals rocks water air and sunlight The natural environmental system is represented as interconnected compartments The lithosphere atmosphere hydrosphere and biosphere The lithosphere is made up of land sediments and rocks The atmosphere is a mixture of gases largely oxygen and nitrogen held to Earth by gravity The hydrosphere is the watery gaseous envelope surrounding Earth and the liquid water reservoir in and on Earths surface The biosphere is the living and dead organic components of the planet All of these along with their subcompartments intersect and interact with each other One of these subcompartments is the built environment AUG 2019 cleanfax com 11 Understanding an environment allows us to know the natural tendencies so that we can be most effective