9781422271452

1 Chapter

What Do Environmental Engineering Technicians Do? What is Environmental Engineering

Environmental engineering is an interdisciplinary field that includes engineering, ecology, chemistry, microbiology, geology, hydraulics, hydrology, mathematics, and other fields. It studies and seeks to solve a variety of environmental problems and issues, such as air, soil, and water pollution; water shortages; climate change; drought; deforestation; and toxic waste cleanup, among other issues. Environmental engineering professionals design infrastructure to treat and dispose of waste, supply clean water, reduce damage caused by flooding, and control pollution. They also develop renewable energy resources (wind, solar, etc.); conduct research and experiments to make the mining, extraction, and use of fossil fuels (crude oil, natural gas, and coal) less damaging to the environment; develop construction materials and practices that are more environmentally friendly (this is known as green construction ); and work on a variety of other issues, such as recycling and environmental sustainability .

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