Mission Possible: Engineering for the Environment

Engineers are vital to society for the development and provision of infrastructure and systems required for modern living. It is true that engineers once went about their work with little regard for the environment. However, this lack of concern is no longer acceptable, and engineers now recognise that they are a crucial element in environmental protection and management. Engineers, whether they are civil, electrical, mechanical, chemical, mining or one of the newer emergent disciplines, all need to ensure their work is environmentally sound and sustainable. In particular, environmental engineers have a key role to play in proactively managing the environment and helping society to ensure that our modern lifestyle is sustainable. This book is primarily aimed at engineering students in the first year of their undergraduate engineering studies. It provides an overview of: Engineers, and the nature of engineering; The environment, and the rise of society’s concern about environmental degradation; The impact of environmental concern on engineers and engineering; and The emergence and nature of environmental engineering. Thus, it takes engineering students on a journey from the origins of engineering through to the exciting and diverse range of engineering projects involving environmental issues. The final section of the book uses India as a case study.