The environment encompasses all things with life and without life that exist on Earth or in some region of it and that affect other existing ecosystems and the lives of human beings.
The environment can have different concepts, which are identified by the components that are part of it. Know the most important ones:
Composition of the environment
To the United Nations Organization (UN) The environment is the set of physical, chemical, biological and social elements that can cause direct or indirect effects on living beings and human activities.
The environment is the set of ecological units that function as a natural system. Thus, the environment is composed of all vegetation, animals, micro-organisms, soil, rocks, atmosphere. Also part of the environment are natural resources, such as water and air, and the physical phenomena of the climate, such as energy, radiation, electrical discharge and magnetism.
The environment is made up of four different spheres: atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
The atmosphere is the air layer that surrounds the planet, formed by gases such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen. The lithosphere is the outermost layer of the planet, formed by the ground and a rocky surface, also called the earth's crust.
The hydrosphere, on the other hand, includes all the waters on the planet (rivers, seas, lakes, oceans, etc.) and the biosphere is the layer referring to life and encompasses all forms of life that exist on Earth.
environment and ecology
In ecology, the environment is the ecosystem in which the life of an organism type develops, that is, there are several types of ecosystem in which organisms live.
In the environment there are several external factors that influence the life of organisms. Thus, ecology is an area whose object of study is the relationships between organisms and the environment that surrounds them.
How to preserve the environment?
The preservation of the environment depends a lot on the awareness and participation of all individuals in a society. Citizenship for the preservation of the environment must include activities and notions that contribute to the conservation of the environment.
In this way it is important to instruct and educate citizens of various ages through awareness raising in schools and elsewhere.
In addition to environmental education, sustainability is one of the most important factors to ensure the preservation of the environment.
Environmental preservation through sustainability
Environmental and ecological sustainability is the maintenance of the environment on planet Earth, it is to maintain the quality of life and keep the environment in harmony with the existence of people.
The very concept of sustainability is for the long term, it means taking care of and preserving the entire system so that future generations can also take advantage of it.
Sustainability refers to the various measures and strategies that can be adopted by society so that the environment is preserved and considered sustainable. This means that forms of action must be found that allow people to coexist with the preservation of the environment so that natural resources do not run out.
See also the meaning of Animal Kingdom.
Examples of how to preserve the environment
Some measures of sustainability and preservation of the environment are:
- avoid all kinds of pollution in the waters of rivers, seas, oceans and lakes,
- separate organic waste from recyclable waste and the different types of recyclable waste,
- make conscientious consumption of resources such as water and electricity,
- avoid ecological disasters such as fires, oil spills in water, deforestation and death of animals,
- reduce pollution and emission of polluting gases,
- use reusable and renewable energies, such as solar, wind (wind) and hydroelectric (water),
- decrease the consumption of food and industrialized products,
- use alternative and less polluting means of transport, such as cycling and public transport,
- building sustainable houses that are prepared for the use of alternative and renewable energies.
Windmills in a wind farm: transforming wind into useful energy
In addition to these measures, which can be adopted by the entire society, environmental education is part of sustainability awareness. Education on environmental protection must be provided to citizens and children to ensure the preservation of the environment for future generations.
It is important that the sustainability of the environment is increasingly a priority for politicians and society in general, so that the conservation of the environment can be achieved.
Learn more about Sustainability and see some Examples of Sustainability.
The importance of recycling for the environment
Recycling is a process of great importance for the preservation of the environment. Through recycling and reducing waste, it is possible to reduce air, water and soil pollution
The recycling process encompasses the separation of waste into categories so that the waste can be reused, giving rise to new products. Materials such as plastic, paper, glass, cardboard, wood and metals generally.
Organic waste (household garbage) can be used for the composting process, which transforms it into fertilizer that can be used for planting vegetables, vegetables and fruits.
One of the effective ways to help with recycling is to participate in recycling systems. selective collect. Selective collection collects organic and non-organic waste, which must be separated in homes, businesses and industries.
After the garbage is collected, it is sent to the appropriate places so that it can be reused according to the types of separate materials.
Recyclable Waste Separators
One of the biggest challenges related to recycling is to educate citizens so that they understand that every effort, no matter how small, has a positive impact on preserving the environment.
Learn more about Recycling and Selective collect.
The environment and environmental public policies
Public policies relating to the environment and its preservation are the responsibility of the Ministry of the Environment (Federal Government), of the Environment Departments of states and municipalities.
These bodies are responsible for taking practical measures related to what is provided for in the National Environmental Policy and other laws that deal with the matter. They inspect polluting activities, extract minerals and other activities that may harm the conservation of the country's ecosystems and ecological reserve areas.
To achieve these goals, there are programs linked to the preservation and recovery of the environment, the assessment of water quality and the inspection of the use of natural resources.
These bodies are also responsible for promote educational actions in relation to environmental education, concepts of ecology and increasing the sustainability of cities.
National Environmental Policy
In Brazil there is the PNMA - National Environmental Policy (Law No. 6.938/81). This policy defines the environment as a set of conditions, laws, influences and physical interactions, chemical and biological that allow the existence of life in its most different forms (article 3, subsection I).
The objective of the PNMA is to define criteria and action mechanisms that must be taken by governments to guarantee the preservation of the environment.
Examples of objectives provided for in the law are:
- inspection of the use and consumption of natural resources,
- control of the emission of pollution in the environment,
- control the conscientious use of soil, water and air,
- incentive to study and research in the environmental area,
- protection of ecosystems,
- protection, preservation and restoration of threatened areas.
The PNMA also defines what actions should be implemented by governments to ensure the preservation of the environment from the assessment of environmental impacts that have occurred and the definition of priorities for action.
Some of the measures adopted by the National Environmental Policy are: provision that the agent causing pollution must repair and indemnify the damage caused to the environment, creation of a data record on the quality of the environment and the creation of protection and reserve spaces environmental.
World Environment Week
World Environment Week is celebrated every year in the first week of June, along with the World Environment Day celebrations (June 5). The date has existed since the publication of Decree 86.028 in 1981.
The objective of holding the World Environment Week is to raise awareness about the importance of the participation of all citizens in the preservation of the environment.
Meet some ways to help preserve the environment.