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What is the physical environment?

The perfect blend of the Built and Natural Environments

The physical environment can be broken down into two parts.

1. Built environment
2. Natural environment

Caring for our built environment

The built environment refers to the manmade surroundings that provide the setting for human activity. This therefore includes where we live, work, entertain and some times have fun. Very often however these two are intertwined so what we do in our built environment affects the natural environment.

We can care for our environment by keeping our cities and neighbourhood clean and tidy by:

• Throwing all garbage in bins
• Keep grass on lawns cut low
• Clean up excess leaves and grass
• Remove all water collecting items to avoid mosquito invasion
• Up keep area by cleaning and repainting to maintain good aesthetics
• Maintain landfills and dumps

Self Assessment

Question: What is the natural environment? The natural environment comprises all living and non-living things that occur naturally on Earth. In its purest sense, it is thus an environment that is not the result of human creativity.

Self Assessment

Question: What is environmental sustainability? Environmental degradation is the damage to a part of or a whole natural environment due to human activity. Environmental sustainability requires that human activity, at a minimum, only uses nature's resources at a rate at which they can be replenished naturally.

Why would we want to kill such a beautiful work of art?

What causes environmental degradation?

Environmental degradation occurs when nature's resources (such as trees, habitat, earth, water and air) are being consumed faster than nature can replenish them. It occurs when the environment is not used in a sustainable manner. It also occurs when pollution results in irreparable damage done to the environment or when human beings destroy or damage ecosystems in the process of development.

Major causes of such degradation include:

1. overpopulation
2. urban sprawl
3. industrial pollution
4. waste dumping
5. intensive farming
6. over fishing
7. industrialisation
8. introduction of invasive species
9. lack of environmental regulations.

The goal of environmental sustainability is to minimize these and other causes, to halt and, ideally, reverse the processes they lead to.

Environmental degradation leads to declining standards of living, the extinctions of large numbers of species, health problems in the human population, conflicts, sometimes violent, between groups fighting for a dwindling resource, water scarcity and many other major problems.

Self Assessment

Question: Why care for the natural environment? Human life and the quality of life we live is dependant on certain factors; the air we breathe water we drink, food we eat and where we live. The quality of these factors is dependant on what we put into them or do around them. If air is polluted we suffer from respiratory problems, acid rain affects our food and our water becomes polluted. Care for our environment therefore in the long run means care for ourselves and other organisms.

Sweet Trinidad and Tobago

About Trinidad and Tobago

Trinidad and Tobago are the most southerly isles of the Caribbean archipelago. Trinidad still possesses vast tracts of rich rain forests unlike many other Caribbean countries In contrast; you will find flat lands, mostly agricultural, in the Central Plains, while Southern Trinidad is full of gently undulating hillsides.

Tobago's Eastern Interior rises steeply into tall peaks with lower lying lands that include a protected reserve area. Tobago's topography consists mainly of volcanic rock, which is in stark contrast to its Caribbean blue waters. Together, our twin islands measure 2000 square miles.

Fauna and Flora of T&T

Trinidad and Tobago has some of the richest natural communities in the Caribbean. Unlike most of the islands of the Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago supports a primarily South American flora and fauna. As a result, Trinidad and Tobago is richer in plant and animal species than is the rest of the Caribbean. Trinidad is home too little over 100 species of mammals which includes bats, the ocelot, deer, armadillo, porcupines, raccoon and the otter.

468 species of birds have been recorded in Trinidad and Tobago. There are few places in the world where so many birds can be seen in such a small area, and many of them are unique, very rare, or of particular interest. . Our geographic location is the perfect stopping point for Northern or Southern migratory birds, butterflies or anything drifting in the ocean or wind currents.

Brain Coral in Buccoo Reef Tobago - Largest Brain Coral in the World

The Scarlet Ibis, the Blue Crowned Mot- mot, and the Violaceous Trogon

Trinidad's western and southern coastal waters are highly influenced by the outflow of freshwater from the adjacent Orinoco River of Venezuela. As such, the waters here are fairly low in salinity and high in sediment/nutrient content and relatively shallow. These facts coupled with the highly sheltered nature of the Gulf of Paria create ideal breeding/spawning grounds for many marine fishes and invertebrates, including shrimp.

The waters of Tobago are less affected by the outflow of fresh water from the Orinoco and as such are far more saline and clearer than that of Trinidad. A number of coral reefs are thus able to exist around Tobago, the most famous being the Buccoo Reef. Tobago's reefs are reputedly home to the largest examples of brain coral.

Environmental Problems in Trinidad

See if you can see the crab amonst all the oil.

Oil Spills - An oil spill is the intentional or unintentional release of oil into the natural environment as a result of human activity. The fate, behaviour, and environmental effects of spilled oil can vary depending upon the type and amount of material spilled. An oil spill can have a devastating effect on soils, marine life, the coast line and those dependent on these for survival. One of the largest oil spills in the world occurred off the coast of T& T in 1979. In Trinidad the most recent oil spill was in Chaguaramas. This would greatly affect the tourism from yachters, the marine life and those of us who use this area for activities.

Take a deep breath in....

Air Pollution- Air pollution is the presence of any chemical, physical (e.g. particulate matter), or biological agent that modifies the natural characteristics of the atmosphere. The Ozone layer depletion and respiratory illness are two of the main consequences of air pollution. The greatest source of air pollutants are automobiles. With the rapid car industry growth in Trinidad is therefore a serious environmental issue. Use of other forms of fuel is one immediate method of improving air quality example bio-ethanol or solar energy.

I wonder if anyone was charged or fined?

Littering- Littering is the unlawfully scattering and or abandonment waste and personal property outdoors. It has become a very serious issue especially in Port of Spain where the flooding that occurs is due to bottle and plastic clogged drains and sewers. Much of the litter found off the north western coast ends up on the beaches of Chacachacare.

Would you like to swim in this?

Water Pollution- Water pollution is a large set of adverse effects upon water bodies as lakes, rivers, oceans, groundwater caused by human activities. Pollutants include sewage , pesticides, fertilizers, industrial waste, hot water, silt from construction sites and pathogens. These pollutants have a range from increased cost to clean water to ill and even death. Globally it a serious problem and it has been suggested that it is the leading worldwide cause of death and disease, and that it accounts for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. Pollution and waste disposal from both domestic and industrial sources has contributed to fish kills in the gulf and our rivers, death and bleaching of corals, lead and mercury poisoning in oysters, and has been known to affect the human population in a number of instances.

With no regard for the enviroment, the trees are disposed of.

Deforestation-Deforestation is the conversion of forested areas to non-forest land use such as arable land, urban use, logged area or wasteland. The removal or destruction of significant areas of forest cover has resulted in degraded environments with reduced biodiversity. In developing countries, massive deforestation is ongoing and is shaping climate and geography. In Trinidad the most recent deforestation has taken place in Chatham where an aluminum smelter is proposed to be built. The following pictures show the effects of such in other countries.

Can the environment afford the cost of progress?

Industrialization- Industrialization is a contributor to air, water and land pollution. It does not always cause a problem but in the processing of certain materials as ammonia or methanol as in done in the Point Lisas industrial estate, the fumes if released are very toxic.

The emergence of the Leather Back Turtles

Endangered species - An endangered species is a population of organisms which because it is either:

1. Few in number or
2. Threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters, is at risk of becoming extinct.

Due to high levels of habitat destruction, over-hunting and rapid population growth many species are becoming endangered and extinct. Trinidad has a number of endanger species. These include the manatee, the pawi, blue, yellow and gold macaw.

What once was coral, now looks like this ... a wasteland

Coral Reef Destruction- Humans continue to represent the single greatest threat to coral reefs living in Earth's oceans. Pollution from land, over-fishing, physical destruction of reefs due to boat and shipping live food fish trade and coral bleaching due to change in climate conditions are the most serious threats to these ecosystems. According to The Nature Conservancy, if destruction increases at the current rate, 70% of the world’s coral reefs will have disappeared within 50 years. This loss would be an economic disaster for peoples living in the tropics.

Self Assessment

Question: Are there any laws to govern the Environment? Trinidad has local legislation to deal with some environmental issues but they are also signatory to some treaties and conventions. Local Legislation: Environmental Management Act Noise Pollution Rules Water Pollution Rules Air Pollution Rules Environmentally Sensitive Areas Environmentally Sensitive Species Signatory to: Ramsar Wetlands Convention Convention on Biological Diversity Migratory Bird Treaty Member of International Whaling a Commission T&T is signatory to a number of other international treaties designed to protect or manage biological resources Doing your part for the environment Check vehicles regularly to ensure that they are working properly Buy CFC free products Avoid burning rubber and plastics Do not litter Pick up garbage when outdoors Walk with a garbage bag Do not dump anything in rivers Avoid throwing chemicals down the drain Ensure that sewer system is working efficiently Learn proper agricultural methods Do not throw lit cigarettes out the window Hunt only during the specified season Do not step on corals when visiting reefs Do not remove coral and reefs fishes Keep noise to a minimum in protected and forested areas Abide by laws Educate others

Self Assessment

Question: What is a natural disaster? A natural disaster is the consequence of the combination of a natural hazard (a physical event e.g. volcanic eruption, earthquake, and landslide) and human activities. Human vulnerability, caused by the lack of appropriate emergency management, leads to financial, structural, and human losses. The resulting loss depends on the capacity of the population to support or resist the disaster, their resilience. “Disasters occur when hazards meet vulnerability” A natural hazard will hence never result in a natural disaster in areas without vulnerability, e.g. strong earthquakes in uninhabited areas. The term natural has consequently been disputed because the events simply are not hazards or disasters without human involvement.

What is T&T vulnerable to?

The blue is the hurricane cloud and the centre is the 'eye' which is the calm in the midst of it all.

Hurricanes and tropical storms- Because of T&T geographic position and characteristics we are not very vulnerable to hurricanes. The Northern Range acts as a barrier to strong winds and rains. Tobago also gets some protection from its mountain range. Coral Reefs also provide shore protection in Tobago. We do however get tropical storms. Tropical storms can produce extremely strong winds, tornadoes, torrential rain, high waves, and storm surges. The heavy rains and storm surges can produce extensive flooding. Although their effects on human populations can be devastating, tropical cyclones also can have beneficial effects by relieving drought conditions. They carry heat away from the tropics, an important mechanism of the global atmospheric circulation.

The result of an earthquake

Earthquakes - An earthquake is a phenomenon that results from and is powered by the sudden release of stored energy that radiates seismic waves. At the Earth's surface, earthquakes may manifest themselves by a shaking or displacement of the ground and sometimes tsunamis, which may lead to loss of life and destruction of property. Earthquakes are unpredictable. T&T has never had a very serious earthquake. This however does not mean that it is impossible so being prepared is always important.

Flash Flooding in the area of Diego Martin

Flooding - Flooding has become a serious problem especially in Trinidad. Numerous developments taking place on hills slash and burn farming, construction in low lying areas, deforestation and pollution has moved flooding from a natural disaster to a man made disaster. However flooding still occurs naturally in low lying area and when rivers burst their banks.

Self Assessment

Think about a major environmental issue that is plaguing the country at the moment or in the past. Discuss the causes, the effects and what could be done or what was done to mitigate the problems or consequences Choose one topic or issue presented to research and formulate preventative measures to protect one’s environment. Design a fliers/ brochures or handouts on ways of safeguarding the environment against fires and floods.

Portfolio Contents

1. Fliers, Brochures and Handouts

Unit Summary

In this unit you learned about the physical environment. You realised that the two parts of the physical environment; the built and the natural are inseparable in terms of the effect one has on the other. You should be able to educate others on certain aspects of the environment, the effects of development and some of the mitigating strategies of the effects. You should be able to tell the difference between a natural disaster and a natural occurrence. You may have recognized some way in which you can contribute to better the environment by participating in community groups. Also the way you interact with the environment may change positively.

Checklists of Performance Task

1. Discussion

2. Work

3. Designing Fliers and Brochures