"Environmental science is an interdisciplinary academic field that integrates physics, biology, and geography (including ecology, chemistry, plant science, zoology, mineralogy, oceanography, limnology, soil science, geology and physical geography, and atmospheric science) to the study of the environment and the solution of environmental problems."
The study of the natural world and the interactions between the living and non-living environments.
Environmental policy: The laws, regulations, and guidelines governing the management of the environment at national, regional, and international levels.
Ecology: The study of the interactions between living organisms and their environment.
Climate change: The human-induced changes in the Earth's climate, including global warming and related phenomena such as sea level rise, drought, and extreme weather events.
Sustainable development: A holistic approach to meeting human needs, while protecting and conserving the natural resources that support those needs.
Environmental ethics: A branch of philosophy concerned with the moral and ethical implications of human actions on the environment.
Environmental management: The science and practice of managing the environment, including the conservation and restoration of natural resources, pollution prevention, and waste management.
Environmental impact assessment: The process of evaluating the potential environmental impacts of proposed development projects, policies, or activities.
Environmental economics: The study of how economic activities affect the environment, and how the environment, in turn, affects the economy.
Environmental justice: The concept of fair treatment and meaningful involvement of all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, in environmental decision-making.
Environmental education: The process of teaching people about the environment and how to live sustainably.
Conservation Biology: The study of the preservation and management of ecosystems and species diversity, including the management of natural resources, habitats, and endangered species.
Ecology: The study of interactions between organisms and their environment, including the study of relationships between organisms and other species, biogeochemical cycles, ecosystem function and structure, and population dynamics.
Environmental Engineering: The application of engineering principles to solve environmental problems, such as water and air pollution control, waste management, and sustainable development.
Environmental Health: The study of the impact of environmental factors on human health, including toxicology, epidemiology, and environmental policy.
Environmental Policy: The study of public policy associated with the environment, including international treaties, national and regional legislation, environmental regulations, and government programs.
Environmental Education: Education focused on Environmental studies and conservation.
Environmental Chemistry: The study of the chemical processes and reactions that take place in the environment, including the study of how pollutants interact with the environment.
Environmental Geology: The study of the Earth's geological processes, including land use planning, natural hazards, groundwater contamination, and geological resource management.
Environmental Sociology: The study of the social impacts of environmental issues, including environmental justice, sustainability, and public perceptions of the environment.
Ecohydrology: The study of the interactions between vegetation, water, and the physical landscape.
Agroecology: The study of how agricultural practices can impact ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health.
Renewable Energy: The study of the development and use of sustainable and renewable energy sources, including solar, wind, and geothermal energy.
Environmental Economics: The study of the economic impacts of environmental policies, including market-based systems and governmental environmental regulations.
Environmental Ethics: The study of the moral and ethical implications of environmental issues, including the relationship between humans and the natural world.
Sustainability and sustainable development: The study of sustainable development practices that ensure long-term environmental, economic, and social sustainability.
"Environmental science emerged from the fields of natural history and medicine during the Enlightenment."
"Today it provides an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary approach to the study of environmental systems."
"Environmental studies incorporates more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions, and policies towards the environment."
"Environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect."
"Environmental scientists seek to understand the earth's physical, chemical, biological, and geological processes."
"Environmental scientists study issues such as alternative energy systems, pollution control and mitigation, natural resource management, and the effects of global warming and climate change."
"Environmental issues almost always include an interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes."
"Environmental scientists bring a systems approach to the analysis of environmental problems."
"Key elements of an effective environmental scientist include the ability to relate space and time relationships as well as quantitative analysis."
"Environmental science came alive as a substantive, active field of scientific investigation in the 1960s and 1970s."
"The development of environmental science was driven by the need for a multi-disciplinary approach, the arrival of substantive environmental laws, and growing public awareness of a need for action."
"Events that spurred this development included the publication of Rachel Carson's landmark environmental book Silent Spring along with major environmental issues becoming very public, such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and the Cuyahoga River of Cleveland, Ohio, 'catching fire'."
"The publication of Rachel Carson's landmark environmental book Silent Spring...helped increase the visibility of environmental issues and create this new field of study."
"Major environmental issues becoming very public, such as the 1969 Santa Barbara oil spill and the Cuyahoga River of Cleveland, Ohio, 'catching fire'."
"Environmental science integrates physics, biology, and geography...to the study of the environment and the solution of environmental problems."
"Environmental studies incorporate more of the social sciences for understanding human relationships, perceptions, and policies towards the environment."
"Environmental engineering focuses on design and technology for improving environmental quality in every aspect."
"Environmental issues almost always include an interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes."
"The growing public awareness of a need for action in addressing environmental problems."