Intro to Environmental Engineering

• Environmental Science


  A mixture of traditional science, individual and societal values, economic factors, and political realities that are important to solving environmental problems
• Henry David Thoreau: '"I wish to speak a word for Nature, for absolute freedom and wildness, as contrasted with a freedom and culture merely civil... to regard man as an inhabitant, or a part and parcel of Nature, rather than a member of society."'
• First Earth Day on April 22, 1970 - began with philosophers like Thoreau and scientists like Rachel Carson
• Concept of Interrelatedness


  Changes in one species (wolves) can have cascading effects on other species (elk, vegetation, beavers) and the entire ecosystem
• Ecosystem


  A region where living organisms (plants, animals, microorganisms) and the physical environment (soil, water, air) interact as a unit
• Ecosystem Approach


  • Takes into account the entire system rather than focusing on individual components in isolation
• Environmental issues often span across multiple political jurisdictions

  Boundaries - environmental issues often span across multiple political jurisdictions
• Environmental Issues Intersect with Economic Factor

  Economic incentives and regulatory environments can drive industrial decisions, sometimes at the expense of environmental protection
• Hunter-Gatherer Waste Management


  Nomads left waste (often buried) wherever convenient
• Settled Society Waste Management

  Continued traditional waste disposal methods near settlements
• Unsustainable Practices like deforestation contributed to the downfall of communities in places like southern Israel (6000 BCE), Sumeria (2700 BCE), and Troy (1200 BCE)
• Historical Examples of Resource Conservation

  • The Phoenicians (2600 BCE) and Minoans (1450 BCE) engaged in large-scale cutting of trees for commercial purposes
• Importance of surface water

  Water is essential for almost every application such as drinking, cooking, cleaning, and even transportation
• Historical Practices of Water Management

  • China used deep wells (1,500 ft) and possibly water treatment with alum for centuries
  • Rome built dams for reservoirs and an extensive network of aqueducts and sewers, setting a high standard for public health
  • Egypt practiced water disinfection with a chlorine-like substance as early as 3000 BCE
• Natural Sources of Air Pollution

  Volcanic eruptions and wildfires caused air pollution even before humans lived together
• Human Contributions to Air Pollution

  Harnessing Fire<|>Metalworking and Smelting<|>Burning wood and tanning processes<|>Decaying trash in urban areas
• In 61 CE, Seneca, a philosopher, noted how escaping the city's oppressive atmosphere, filled with kitchen smoke and soot, immediately improved his health
• Challenges During the Middle Ages

  Urbanization: Feudalism led to a surge in city populations, with many poor people moving in with no owned land<|>Pollution: This rapid growth caused problems with waste, water, and air pollution<|>Health Crisis: Famines and widespread diseases added to the misery. Most notably, the Bubonic Plague, estimated to have affected 30-60% of Europe's population
• Challenges of Solid Waste Management in the Middle Ages

  Urbanization: Cities grew quickly, and there wasn't enough space to deal with all the garbage<|>Disposal Methods: People burned, buried, or just left trash in the streets. Resulting in polluted air and infestation of pests like rats that spread disease<|>Public Health: The Black Death, a deadly disease, highlighted the need for change
• Challenges of Water Management in the Middle Ages

  Decline of Roman Infrastructure: With the fall of Rome, the sophisticated water supply systems also fell into disrepair<|>Contaminated Water Sources: Communities reverted to using wells and surface water, which were often contaminated due to overuse and lack of proper waste disposal
• Early Improvements in Water Management

  • Inventions: In 1589, Sir John Harrington invented the water closet, a precursor to the modern toilet
  • Legislation: In 1388, the English Parliament passed an act prohibiting the disposal of filth and garbage into waterways, although enforcement and infrastructure lagged
  • Sewer Systems: Paris built an extensive sewer system in the 1690s, marking significant progress in urban sanitation
• Challenges of Air Quality in the Middle Ages

  Common Practices: Burning wood, coal, and even garbage in homes and streets filled the air with pollutants<|>Industrialization: From 1560 to 1600, England's rapid industrialization led to wood shortages, increasing the reliance on sea-coal, which has a high sulfur content
• Early Awareness and Solutions for Air Quality

  • John Evelyn's Fumifugium (1661): Evelyn highlighted the severe air pollution in London, comparing it to hell and proposing the need for cleaner fuel sources and criticized the excessive use of sea-coal
  • Leadership: As James I succeeded Queen Elizabeth, the king ordered cleaner-burning coal from Scotland to be used, but it would be decades before air pollution was addressed as a public health issue
• Challenges of Public Health in the Middle Ages

  Lack of Modern Practices: There were no modern solid waste management systems, but early legislation began to show government involvement in public health<|>Occupational Health Concerns: The growth of industry raised concerns about the health impacts of occupational practices
• Early Efforts in Public Health

  • Legislation: Restrictions on dumping waste into public waterways and areas marked the beginning of governmental intervention in public health
  • Pamphlets on Occupational Health: In 1473, Ulrich Ellenbog wrote the first pamphlet on occupational diseases and injuries, focusing on goldsmiths
  • In 1556, Agricola (Georgius Bauer) published a treatise outlining the hazards and techniques associated with assaying, mining, and smelting metals
• The Enlightenment (1650-1800) was a transformative period marked by significant advancements in science specifically in physics and chemistry, mathematics, philosophy, and music
• Humanitarian Efforts and Public Health in the Enlightenment

  Humanitarian Concerns: The Enlightenment fostered a growing concern for human welfare. Humanitarians advocated for the application of scientific discoveries to improve public health and hygiene<|>Public Health Improvements: The era marked the beginning of efforts to spread scientific and medical knowledge for the betterment of public health. This included promoting hygiene and preventive measures to combat diseases
• Solid Waste Management Practices in the Enlightenment

  • Philadelphia: Benjamin Franklin led efforts to regulate waste disposal and water pollution, showcasing early attempts at organized waste management
  • London: Jonathan Swift described the filthy conditions in London's gutters, indicating a lack of effective waste management and the resulting public health issues
• Sustainability Efforts in the Enlightenment

  • Soil Conservation: Jared Eliot promoted soil conservation in his writings, recognizing the importance of sustainable agricultural practices
  • Environmental Activism: In India, the Bishnoi villagers protested against the destruction of khejri trees, demonstrating a deep understanding of and commitment to environmental conservation
  • Resource Conservation: Benjamin Franklin advocated for the use of coal instead of wood in France and Germany to conserve forests, showing an early awareness of the need for sustainable resource management
• Early Improvements in Water Management

  • Filtration Techniques: Joseph Amy (1746) created a filter using a perforated box filled with sponges, and James Peacock (1791) developed an upflow sand filter with a downflow washing system
  • Public Water Supply: New York City (1744) initiated a limited public water supply, Providence, RI (1772) began distributing water within the city, and London (1800) installed the first modern municipal sewers, significantly improving water sanitation and public health
• Challenges of Air Quality in the Enlightenment

  Increased Use of Sea Coal: The importation and use of sea coal (high in sulfur) in London and other cities increased air pollution<|>Solution: The primary remedy at the time was to build taller chimneys to disperse smoke higher into the atmosphere, though this did not eliminate the problem
• Early Efforts in Public Health

  • Understanding Illness: Lead Poisoning (1723) recognized as a cause of severe abdominal pain due to its presence in alcohol stills, and Cancer in Chimney Sweeps (1775) identified by English scientist Percival Pott
  • Occupational Health Monitoring: Manchester Board of Health formed by Sir Thomas Percival to supervise textile mills, recommending better hours and working conditions
• The Industrial Revolution (1760-1890) had a gradual but transformative impact on business and society, shaping the modern world
• Emergence of Environmental Engineering

  • American Society of Civil Engineers marked the formalization of civil and environmental engineering as professional fields
  • John Snow, the father of modern epidemiology
  • Henri-Philibert-Gaspard Darcy made significant contributions to the field of hydraulics and water filtration, foundational to environmental engineering
• Notable Figures of the Industrial Revolution


  • Thomas Edison developed the electric light bulb and many other innovations
  • Charles Darwin proposed the theory of evolution
  • Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone
  • Nikola Tesla developed the alternating current (AC) electric system
• Manchester Board of Health

  Formed by Sir Thomas Percival to supervise textile mills, it recommended better hours and working conditions, reflecting an early attempt to regulate occupational health and safety
• The Industrial Revolution


  1760-1890
• The Industrial Revolution


  • Gradual but transformative impact on business and society, shaping the modern world
• Major Developments of the Industrial Revolution

  • Mechanization of the Textile Industry
  • Creation of the Steam Engine
  • Advances in Metallurgy
  • Emergence of Environmental Engineering
• American Society of Civil Engineers

  Marked the formalization of civil and environmental engineering as professional fields