1.1. Defining the Environment

The term “environment” originates from the Old French word environer, meaning to surround or encircle. It refers to the aggregate of conditions and surroundings in which all living organisms exist and interact with non-living things.

• Core Principle: All living beings and their environment are mutually reactive, affecting each other continuously. The environment is not static but a dynamic system of interacting elements.
• Constituents of the Environment:
  • Physical Elements: Includes space, landforms, water bodies, climate, soils, rocks, and minerals. These define the opportunities and limitations of a habitat.
  • Biological Elements: Encompasses all living organisms, including plants (flora), animals (fauna), microorganisms, and humans.
  • Cultural Elements: Comprises economic, social, and political conditions, which are largely man-made features.

1.2. Types of Environment

The environment is broadly classified based on its components:

• Physical (Abiotic) Environment: Composed of non-living elements in solid (lithosphere), liquid (hydrosphere), and gas (atmosphere) states.
• Living (Biotic) Environment: Consists of all life forms, including flora and fauna. Humans are a significant factor within this category.
• Social and Cultural Environment: Includes the varied aspects of socio-cultural interactions and their outcomes, such as beliefs, attitudes, and both tangible and intangible features.
• Psychological Environment: Pertains to the perception and experience of an environmental setting, which can be stimulating or dull, particularly relevant in organizational contexts.

1.3. The Man-Environment Relationship

The relationship between humanity and the environment has evolved significantly over time, from total dependence on nature to large-scale modification of it. This dynamic is studied through several key philosophical approaches.

• Determinism: Championed by geographers like Friedrich Ratzel and Ellsworth Huntington, this approach posits that “man is largely influenced by nature.” It argues that human life—physical, social, economic, and political—is dominantly controlled by the physical environment. Charles Darwin’s work laid the foundation for this concept.
• Possibilism: Founded by French historian Lucien Febvre, this approach is a critique of determinism. It suggests that “the physical environment is passive and man is the active agent at liberty to choose between wide ranges of environmental possibilities.” While acknowledging that man cannot fully tame nature, it emphasizes human initiative and mobility as the primary drivers of activity patterns.
• Ecological Approach: This modern approach views humans as an integral part of the environment. It is based on the principles of ecology—the study of mutual interactions between organisms and their environment. It emphasizes the “wise and restrained use of natural resources” and the application of environmental management to restore the health and productivity of nature.