CHEM Module 1

Module 1: Humans and the Environment
Topics: The man-environment interaction: Mastery of fire; Origin of

agriculture; Emergence of city-states; Great ancient civilizations and
the environment.
Self-learning topics: Humans as hunter-gatherers; Industrial revolution and its impact on the
environment; Environmental Ethics and emergence of environmentalism.
The man-environment interaction:
Dynamic interactions between human social system and their surrounding environments
Anthropogenic activities : Effect on environment caused by human activities such as disturbance in food
chain, imbalance of resources, population of organism.
➢ Agriculture
➢ Urbanization
➢ Deforestation
➢ Mining
➢ Fishing
➢ Waste Disposal
➢ Population
Understanding and managing these interactions are essential for addressing

environmental challenges, conserving biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and
ensuring a sustainable future for both human societies and the natural world.
The man-environment interaction: Dynamic interactions between human and their surrounding environments
Anthropogenic activities : Effect on environment caused by human activities
Agriculture: The cultivation of crops and livestock is a significant human-environment interaction.

Deforestation: Clearing forests for agriculture, urban expansion, and logging affects biodiversity, climate patterns.
Urbanization: The growth of cities and urban areas alters the landscape, leading to changes in land use, infrastructure
development, and resource consumption.
Waste Disposal: Improper disposal of waste, including plastic pollution and hazardous materials, can harm ecosystems
and human health.
Mining: Extracting minerals and resources from the Earth can have detrimental effects on ecosystems and
water quality if not managed sustainably
•Environmental Education: Promoting awareness and education about environmental issues
encourages responsible behavior and conservation efforts.
•Climate Change Mitigation: Efforts to reduce carbon emissions, increase energy efficiency, and
adapt to climate change are critical human-environment interactions.
Fishing: Human activities like overfishing can deplete marine resources and disrupt aquatic ecosystems.
Sustainable fishing practices aim to minimize these impacts.
•Water Management: Human activities like dam construction and water diversion impact aquatic
ecosystems and water availability.
•Wildlife Conservation: Protecting endangered species and their habitats is a crucial interaction
between humans and the environment
Human-Environment Interaction comes in many forms…
➢ From everyday use of consumer products
➢ Political agreements (policies and regulations) over environment resource
use, pollution control and conservation.
➢ Natural hazards
Human-environment interaction focuses on three main ideas.

1) Depends on the Environment
2) Adapting the environment
3) Modifying the environment
Adaptation
A change in human behavior to survive with environmental conditions. When
people make adjustment to environment.
Modification
The process by which human activity permanently changes the environment.
When people change the earth to fit their need.
Modification
Humans have actually changed some part of the physical environment.
Adaptation vs. modification
Terraced Farming
➢ To survive people depend on the physical environment
➢ They adapt to it and modify it to suit their changing needs for things such as food,
clothing, water, shelter and energy
➢ In meeting their needs, humans bring knowledge and technology to cope with physical
systems.
Physical Environment
➢ Humans have altered the balance of nature in ways that have brought economic
prosperity to some areas and created environmental dilemmas and crises in others.
✓ Clearing land for settlement
✓ Mining
✓ Agriculture
➢ Altering physical systems can transform human populations, wildlife and vegetation.
Reshaping the Environment
Slash and Burn Coal mining Urbanization
Tourism
Human Responses to Natural Disasters and Nature
➢ Hot and cold climates
➢ Tornadoes
➢ Earthquakes
➢ Flooding
➢ Hurricanes and tsunamis
➢ Drought
Human Evolution
Gradual development of brain
Paleolithic Man Neolithic Man

Occupation
Hunting - Gathering - Fishing
Invention of Fire
Agriculture
Invention of Wheel and Pottery Making
Emergence of city-states
❖ The emergence/rise of city-states was a significant development in human history and
represents a crucial step in the development of complex societies and civilizations.
❖ City-states were self-governing urban centers and their surrounding territories, acted as
independent political entities with their own laws, governments, and distinct economic &
cultural.
How city-states emerged?
More Food: People began to grow extra food, allowing them to stay in one place rather than
moving around. This led to the growth of villages and towns.
Valuable Locations: Located near important resources like good land, water, or trade routes.
Leadership: As populations grew, leaders emerged to keep order and manage resources.
Economic Specialization: With settled communities, people could focus on different jobs besides
farming, like crafting, trading, and governing.
Independence: Over time, some settlements became city-states with their own rules and cultures.
Cultural Flourishing: City-states often became hubs of culture, arts, and learning. For example,
ancient Greek city-states like Athens and Sparta made important contributions to philosophy,
democracy, and the arts.
Great ancient civilizations and the environment
Four Early River Valley Civilizations
➢ Sumerian (Mesopotamia) Civilization - Tigris & Euphrates Rivers (Ur, Uruk, Babylon etc.)
➢ Egyptian Civilization - Nile River valley and delta
➢ Indus Valley Civilization - Indus River (Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro)
➢ Ancient China - Huang He (Yellow) River
Indus Valley Civilization - Indus River (Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro)
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Module 1: Humans and the Environment

Topics: The man-environment interaction: Mastery of fire; Origin of

Understanding and managing these interactions are essential for addressing

Agriculture: The cultivation of crops and livestock is a significant human-environment interaction.

Human-environment interaction focuses on three main ideas.

➢ To survive people depend on the physical environment

clothing, water, shelter and energy

✓ Clearing land for settlement

Slash and Burn Coal mining Urbanization

➢ Hot and cold climates

➢ Hurricanes and tsunamis

Paleolithic Man Neolithic Man

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