College of Forestry

Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science

Nueva Vizcaya State University

Babylyn C. Jurilla
BSES II

ENVIRONMENTAL PRINCIPLES

1.Everything is connected to everything else.

Back in our remote village,we used to burn our garbages since no one is collecting them to
reduce our waste without knowing that it could lead to a more damaging scenario towards our
environment. Now knowing that it could pollute our natural world by just even burning a little
portion which could eventually contribute to a macro negative effect, I now segregate and throw
my wastes in a proper way.

2. All forms of life are important.

My stepfather is always cutting trees that are sorrounding our house to give more space
and backyard to it. I hate him doing that because those are fruit trees which gives us food and I
would hate it even more that it left our house open without protection from the heat of the sun. I
hate it when I keep seeing trees being cut down when it could be left just how it is. Growing a tree
takes too much time and people are cutting them in such a short period of time without realizing
its importance. As a citizen,taking up an environmental science course, I would like further
encourage people to not kill anything else when there is a possible solution.

3. Everything must go somewhere.

Here in Bayombong, I saw a lot of people throwing their garbage on the canal(colocol)
thinking that they get rid of those wastes and have disappear. In such a short period of time,those
accumulated wastes can come back to them with a higher risk of flood just like what is happening
to Manila. The local government should atleast be very strict on their rules about this issue to
prevent such problems in the coming years and people must have respect towards their
environment for the nature can back at us in a single blast and deminish us all. And we citizens
should abide the law towards this government’s code.

4.Ours is a finite Earth.

 College of Forestry
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Nueva Vizcaya State University

Because the Earth has its own limit,we peope should be responsible enough not to
contribute to those man made catasthropes and should be more knowledgeable to the effects of our
actions that are possibly damaging to our nature. Using plastics and non-renewale objects and not
conserving resources is nowadays problem. I know a single person could make a difference when
he/she is accountable for his own actions. Everyone must be willing to help and conserve our
mother nature and not abuse it.

5. Nature knows best.

All things around us has its own purpose. Long before humans thrive there is already an
existing sytem that works and very efficient that nothing is going to waste. Like for instance the
waste of animals will be the food or fuel for plants and in the end of the process the plant will give
off oxygen as a product which will be used by the animals. The pattern is simple and complicated
at the same time.
When humans started inventing things and started using the natural resources it was good
at first but without following the environmental ethics the balance in the system will be so
disturbed especially with the growing needs of the said resources and we are all aware we people
abuses them to our extent. Because of the damages we have created,the nature tends to repair itself
and we must be willingly able to take part of that healing for we always lean on our nature for our
daily needs.
6. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation
The things arround us suggests eveything is provided to us by God for us to survive. As
humans, our complex way of thinking lets us thrive and have more advanced way of living that
eventually passes from generation to generation. Everything that we need is being provided by
nature,we should know how to manage our resources properly and give respect to it. Planting
trees,cleaning our sorroundings,could be a simple gesture but can give a big difference to our
environment.
7. Everything Changes
Nature can naturally change even without the help of humans. As they say, there is nothing
more permanent in this world than change .Take for instance, the human body as you grow older
changes its form in many ways which is very noticeable through our naked eye or in a microscopic
way. Another good example of this is global warming, we humans abused the forest. Fell down
trees weren’t even bothered to be replaced. After several years, those numbers add up not to
mention how our needs on this things multiply exponentially leaving us with a huge land area
without trees, hence lesser oxygen on the atmosphere and hotter climate leads to extinction of other
species. If we are going to take from nature,and has a chance to make a change,we must make sure
that those changes could make a positive contribution to our nature.We must help our nature repair
itself and not be destructive but be productive instead.
 College of Forestry
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Nueva Vizcaya State University

ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS
EXAMPLES

1.Assimilative Capacity
Using chemical fertilizers could help our crops grow faster.However,excessive using of
such substance can lead to negative effects in the long run. Using too much chemical fertilizers
can affect the ferility of the soil and gives negative effects to human health.

2. Carrying Capacity
Human population is growing exponentially and Earth’s carrying capacity can be exceeded
in time. Humans and their unsustainable activities can lead to resources’ scarcity.

3. Ecological niche
Frog role in the ecosystem is either a predator or prey.They eat insects that such as
mosquitos that can give diseases to humans and could serve as prey for other organisms such as
snakes,birds,and other animals.

4.Ecological resillience
Illegal fishing threathens our water ecosytem. Fish population is gradually declining
because of it. But because of laws on combating this illegal activity,it could actually pay off and
give chance to our marine life to multiply again.

5. Emergent property
Mountains are fomed when tectonic plates are smashing together where massive forces
being exerted by the nature which eventually fold and form a large form of rock and soil higher
than the normal landform which is the mountain.

6.Limiting factor
Plants has its limit to produce foods. Plants such as beans and rootcrops will dry and die in
time after producing crops in a period of time.
 College of Forestry
Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science
Nueva Vizcaya State University

7. Material and energy flow

Water is undeniably important to every Earth’s component and in any life form. If it is not
a renewable energy then I don’t think if there is life will tend to exist. From evaporation to
infiltration,it circulates over again and again. However,the climate change can affect this cycle
leading to drought to several places all over the world.

8. Regenerative capacity
Humans have a natural regenerative capacity. If we have cuts or wounds,it is our body’s
natural capacity to repair itself by letting those platelets stick together and block the blood vessels
to stop the bleeding and will heal in time. Same as through with nature. Burned mountains can
again grow its own trees without human with the help of those pollenators though just because we
know that it can go back to its previous state, we are entitled to burn them for our needs. For
example is the Amazon rainforest, it has been burning for number of days. It could still regenerate
to its previous form but it will sure take a very long period of time.

9. Ecological succession
Living trees is important same as with dead trees. Living trees provides as
oxygen,shade,and even food. If we can see its value as that,dead trees also has its own function in
the ecosytem.It serves as food and habitat to other organisms such as insects and fungi. As time
passes by,it decomposes and will be recycled as a nutrient on the soil.