The environment is everything around us, whether living (biotic) or non-living (abiotic). It consists of all physical and chemical forces that interact with one another, such as air, soil, water and sunlight.
There are two primary types of environments – natural and constructed. Natural environments refer to those which occur naturally on Earth, like oceans, rivers and lakes; whereas artificial ones are man-made and include things like aquariums, crop fields and gardens.
Natural environments strive for balance between living and non-living elements. Plants need minerals and sunlight in order to thrive, while insects require air and food in order to survive.
Environmental scientists study and promote the natural world, striving to make it a healthier place for humans to live in. Furthermore, they apply their knowledge in order to protect the environment from pollution and aid its recovery from damage.
Human activities have caused numerous environmental issues in the past, and we must do our best to avoid them in the future. For instance, stopping forest clearing for new homes and roads will prevent trees from losing their leaves and oxygen – essential elements for healthy living.
Climate change is a pressing concern that affects us all. It can bring on droughts, floods and extreme weather events; it even has the potential to influence how food and drinks are produced.
There are many ways we can make the environment a healthier place for everyone to live in. For instance, we can reduce our carbon footprints and use less energy. Furthermore, we should utilize less hazardous chemicals and products.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) strives to enhance Europe’s environmental quality. To do this, they provide assessments and indicators on key areas like air, noise and chemicals as well as alerting them to emerging issues that could have an adverse impact on health.
For instance, the European Environment Agency is working on ways to prevent anti-microbial resistance and changes in human exposure to hazardous chemicals. Furthermore, they are studying ways we can adapt to climate change while increasing recycling materials in everyday life.
We offer some fantastic resources to teach your students about different environments and the components that make them up. Check out our user-friendly Natural, Constructed and Managed Environment Fact File – targeted at year 3-4 students; it uses straightforward language to describe each type of environment along with the features applicable to it.
It can be challenging to get your students interested in the environment. Yet it is vitally important that we do so, as the environment plays such an integral role in our lives.
Ecosystems are groups of animals and plants that depend on each other to survive in their environment. This could be a natural or artificial ecosystem, as both biotic and abiotic components exist there.
On Earth, there are various ecosystems such as deserts, grasslands, forests, mountains and ponds. Some are naturally occurring like the Amazon River or Great Barrier Reef while others are manmade like crop fields or zoos.
