• Humans are a component of the environment in which they live. They rely heavily on the several natural resources available on the earth.
• We rely on the environment for raw resources for direct use and manufacturing. This includes resources that are both renewable and nonrenewable.
• Another important aspect of human connection with the environment is the waste we generate during production and consumption. Pollution, for example, wreaks havoc on the environment.
• Human effect on the environment has increased as science and technology has advanced. Over the last several decades, there has been an increase in the concern about the environment in which we live.

Learn more about our environment to prepare for competitive exams.

Concept of Environment

• The term “environment” refers to the totality of nonliving objects and living organisms that are interrelated and interact in multiple ways.
• There are biotic elements such as animals, birds, humans, plants, and so on, and abiotic elements such as water, minerals, rocks, and so on.
• All natural resources for human activity are provided by the environment.
• The economy’s primary and industrial industries rely totally on the environment for basic resources.
• The environment is a source of both renewable and nonrenewable resources.
• Because no organism can exist without interacting with other species, each organism’s environment includes other helpful organisms.
• All creatures are either directly or indirectly dependent on plants, especially green plants that produce their own sustenance. Plants rely on animals for a variety of tasks, including flower pollination and fruit and seed dispersion.

Read about various environmental issues here.

Functions of the Environment

Maintains life

• The environment comprises the sun, soil, water, and air, all of which are necessary for human survival.
• It maintains life by supplying genetic variation and biodiversity.

Source of Resources

• The environment offers resources for production and consumption. It includes both renewable and non-renewable resources.
• Examples: Wood for furniture, soil, land, etc.

Waste assimilation

• Waste is produced as a result of both production and consumption.
• This is most commonly seen in the form of garbage.
• The environment aids in the removal of waste through decomposition.

Check Out Essay on Environment here!

Improvement of Quality of Life

• The environment improves one’s quality of life. It is a reservoir of aesthetic beauty.
• Humans love the beauty of nature, which includes rivers, mountains, deserts, and so on.

Read about EPA (1986) here.

Natural Resources

• Renewable resources are those that can never be depleted or exhausted through continuous use.
• There is an endless supply of renewable resources. Water, plants etc. are some examples.
• Non-renewable resources are those that deplete as a result of extraction and usage. Coal, petroleum, iron ore, and other minerals are examples.

Learn more about Renewable Resources.

Ecosystem

• Plants, animals, and people all cohabit with a wide variety of different life forms. An ecosystem is a complex natural organisation having living and non-living elements that regulate and nourish it (ecological system).
• An ecosystem has both biotic and abiotic components.
• Nonliving elements such as energy, water, atmospheric gases and wind, fire, gravity, terrain, geologic subsystems, soil, and so on are examples of abiotic components.
• The availability of energy determines the distribution of organisms in the environment.
• Plants, animals, microbes, and other living things are examples of biotic components.

We hope this article helped you learn more about the Environment. Download the Testbook app for more exam preparation material.