Question

1. The environment means .....
2. On a local scale, the environment is .......
3. On a larger scale, the environment is
4. The natural environment comprises .....
5. The natural environment is contrasted with
6. We might be concerned about ......

Answer 1

1. The environment refers to the natural world that surrounds us, including air, water, soil, plants, animals, and non-living things such as minerals and climate. It can also refer to the conditions in which we live, such as the buildings, roads, and infrastructure that we use every day.

2. On a local scale, the environment refers to the direct environment surrounding you or your community, such as the air you breathe, the water you drink, the soil and plants you interact with, and the animals and non-living things you come across. This can refer to the entire environment in your particular region or even the immediate surroundings of your home and workplace. An awareness of the local environment is essential for living in harmony with the natural world and working towards sustainable practices.

3. On a larger scale, the environment refers to the whole of planet Earth, including its atmosphere, oceans, forests, deserts, climates and everything in between. This includes the entire globe and its interaction with living organisms, both human and non-human. On this scale, the environment encompasses the interactions of people, the climate, and the natural world, making it a complex web of interconnected systems. This interconnectedness of the environment allows for the formation of ecosystems, which in turn help regulate conditions that keep the planet habitable for life.

4. The natural environment comprises all the ecosystems and habitats that are untouched or minimally disturbed by human actions. This includes forests, grasslands, deserts, mountains, and oceans, which support a diversity of plant, animal, and microorganisms. Additionally, this includes the climates and weather systems of the earth, which are essential to sustaining the natural environment. These systems include water cycles, the food chain, nutrient cycling, carbon emission and carbon capture processes, and biogeochemical cycles. All of these elements, working together, form a complex system which is essential for the health and sustainability of the planet.

5. The natural environment is often contrasted with the built or artificial environment, which refers to the areas that are modified by humans through construction, development, and other activities. The artificial environment includes buildings, roads, infrastructure, farming, and industrial areas which serve human purposes and often disrupt or replace the natural environments.

6. One concern regarding the artificial environment is its impact on the natural environment, and the threat of environmental degradation. The destruction of habitats, pollution, and disruption of natural processes can cause irreparable damage to the planet's ecosystems and biological diversity. This can have negative consequences for human health and well-being, as well as for the sustainability of the natural world.
Another concern with the artificial environment is the potential for excessive consumption of limited resources and overproduction of goods and materials, which can lead to environmental degradation and depletion of natural resources. In addition, the disposal of waste and emissions from production processes can contaminate the environment and have harmful effects on us, human beings.