ENVIRONMENT: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE
Environment as a concept is this multidisciplinary involving a number of disciplines.
Micro-level and Macro level Environment:
Micro-level environment refers to social, psychological, ethical and motivation process involved in the impact assessment of the environment. Examples are human, likes and dislikes, stress and enjoyment, privacy, the effect of crowding, ambience, etc. These factors are included in this group of environmental analysis. Macro-level factors include pollution, greenhouse effect, temperature, large space crowding etc. the next chapter deals with these aspects in greater details.
Man-made and Natural Environment:
The environment could also be understood as man-made the environment and the natural environment. Engineering science and architecture contribute immensely to the design of the environment, environment development which is largely man-made. The natural environment, on the other hand, refers to the forest, climate, water resources etc. In this process user, human interface, economic ethical, social, political, and governance aspects become inevitable aspects of environmental analysis. In order to have a high-quality environment and quality of life, it is inevitable to look into environment protection and environmental crisis.
Environmental Protection:
Environment means our surroundings. The concept is relative to whatever object that is surrounding us. Einstein once remarked, “The environment is everything that is not me” (Singh, 1995). Environmental protection means protection of nature and surroundings. Environmental protection is not new in the Indian Context. Love of nature is not a new phenomenon. It existed even from the beginning of human life and its mention is available in pre-historic phase too. Man cannot survive without nature. As a result, it is the duty of man to protect nature and thus the environment.
Environmental crisis:
The environmental crisis is a global phenomenon. More recently there has been a major concern over the environment protection and environmental development. The rapid economic development, Technological and scientific advancements have increased their impact on the natural environment. They have added to the environmental degradation and ecological imbalances. Increasing damage to the environment and ecological imbalance has created a fear in the minds of people in both developing and developed countries. In this direction, the Stockholm Conference in 1972 is significant which emphasized on dealing with the aspects of the environment. After the conference, all the countries made environmental protection enactments on various aspects from time to time.
Evolution of Environmental concerns over time:
Very little is known about pre-historic civilizations and environment issue. Only the last 200 years have been discussed in different sources. During the middle ages, there have been eminent people who have developed our sciences, arts and literature. Archimedes, Newton, Dalton, Alexander G Bell, Einstein, Charles Gagan, Monet, Mozart, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Thomas Hardy, Ernest Hemmingway, Sigmund Freud and many others. They have all emphasized on environmental issues related to mankind. Contemporary technology, the arts, music and literature have evolved from their work
The concept of environmental jurisprudence in India is not new. The age-old environmental jurisprudence in Indian civilization – to live in harmony with nature is almost forgotten. Worshipping nature as a deity and recognizing the earth as a mother shows a kind of conservation ethics that comes to us through our history, culture, religion and Vedic philosophy. In order to understand the concept of environmental jurisprudence in Indian society, we can discuss this aspect in different periods. They are Ancient Period, and Pre-Historic time, Historic Period, British Period, and Post Independence Era.
The environment in Ancient and Prehistoric time:
Protection of the environment was prevalent in our ancient Indian society. The concept of environment was best explained by the word Paryavarana, meaning something that envelops us. Some Indian literature of olden times especially mentioned about the worship of plants, trees, mother earth, sky, air, water, and animals. As a philosophy of life, it has been considered as the duty of mankind to protect nature. Atharva Veda considers Earth to be the mother and the other creations are its offspring’s. Man has thus, no right to destroy the value creation of God. Respect for nature, environmental harmony and conservation through trees, animals, hills, mountains and rivers are worshipped as symbols of gods and goddesses, representing nature has been emphasized in ancient scriptures like Vedas, Upanishads, Smritis, Puranas, Mahabharata, Geeta, Bible & the Holy Quran, Guru Granth Sahib and mythological literature. These are full of revelations of the idea of harmony with nature and respect of nature. Fig 1.3 presents a……
Sages, Saints and great thinkers and teachers of India lived in the forest, as a result, people dared not destroy the forest, Protection of nature was considered to be the duty of everyone. Rig Veda. Manu Smriti, Charak Samhita have emphasized the purity of water and healing and medicinal value of water. Because of this a system of Maryada (code of conduct) developed in Indian society to keep the water clean and wholesome (Shashtri, 2002).
Hindu society, in Vedic era, was conscious of adverse pollution effects of indiscriminate destruction of plants and forests. They gave respect and consideration for the natural world including animals and birds. Yajurveda Veda emphasizes the relationship with nature and animals; it should not be that of dominion and subjugation but of mutual respect and kindness (Tiwari, 1989)
Most of the mythologies have adequately conveyed the importance of the environment in prehistoric time too. The religions all over the world have so much to say about the relationship between human life and nature. The world is green and beautiful, and human beings as his stewards to protect it. One can observe that most of the religious texts i.e. from Islam, Christianity. Sikh, Buddha, Jainism and Hindu emphasize on the importance of the environment in some way or the other.
All the religious texts preach about the importance of the natural world. In Islam, there is close harmony between man and nature. The Holy Quran declares that Allah created the heaven and the earth. From clouds he released water. On earth, he made rivers and raised mountains. As per Islam, everything is created from water, thus there is a sign of purity of water. Mankind is the trustee of nature, whereas the other living creatures are considered to be the beneficiaries. Destruction of nature is the destruction of life. Christians are baptized in water as a sign of purification. It also gave importance to the protection and preservation of the natural environment.
In Sikh religion also the concern for the environment is evident from the fact that it considers every creature to be the incarnation of God and hence conservation of preservation is essential principles.
Ancient jurisprudence in relation to the environment had close proximity to the prehistoric era. Gautam Buddha the greatest rationalist, humanist and environmentalist of the era derived enlightenment while meditating under the Bodhi tree. The basic tenets of Buddhism are simplicity and ahimsa or non-violence. The principles of simplicity teach us that man should not overexploit natural resources. Buddhism preaches the norms of respect for ecology. It believes in the non-separable relationship of man with trees and forests. To Buddhism tree is a potential source of food and shelter for man and animals. Buddha preached compassion towards every living creature (Desai. 1998).
Jainism condemns sacrifice of animals to the sacred tire. It disapproved captivity. Whipping, overloading or depriving animals of adequate food and drink. Jainism also based on the principle, which is in close harmony with nature and help in protecting and preserving nature.
Mahavira Swami proclaimed a profound ecological truth saying that One who neglects or disregards the existence of earth, air, fire, water and vegetation, he himself disregards his own existence”. Lord Mahaveer thus explained that man has no existence exclusive of nature.
