Fundamentals of Environmental Studies is taught as a compulsory paper to first-year undergraduate students across major technical universities in India. Fundamentals of Environmental Studies introduces the fundamental principles and concepts of environmental science, ecology and related interdisciplinary subjects, such as policy, law, pollution control, economics and natural resource management. It covers a wide range of topics and issues including biodiversity, global warming, acid rain, ozone layer depletion, nuclear accidents, nuclear holocaust, disaster management, manipulation of various natural resources including water, land, forests, food and mineral resources, and the problems associated with natural resource management. It also analyzes different types of ecosystems, biochemical cycles and laws of thermodynamics and provides easy-to-understand examples. In addition, Fundamentals of Environmental Studies offers separate chapters on various types of environmental pollution and waste management, including waste water treatment, solid waste management and green management.
Preface
Acknowledgments
1. Multidisciplinary nature of environmental studies
2. Natural resources - energy
3. Natural resources - water, land, forest, food and mining
4. Ecosystems
5. Biodiversity and its conservation
6. Environmental pollution
7. Waste management
8. Disasters and disaster management
9. Social issues and environment
10. Human population and the environment
Bibliography
Mahua Basu is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at St Xavier's College, Kolkata. She teaches courses in environmental studies, renewable and non-renewable resources and solid waste management at an undergraduate level. Her areas of interest are environmental impact assessment, toxicology, biodiversity and atmospheric pollution, and she has made contributions to several peer-reviewed journals.
Xavier Savarimuthu, SJ, is currently Head of the Department of Environmental Studies at St Xavier's College, Kolkata. He has more than 15 years' teaching experience at the undergraduate level. His areas of interest include epidemiology, remote sensing and arsenic mitigation measures. He teaches courses on environmental ethics, waste water treatment, environmental management, water pollution and water resource management.