Environmental engineering is the study of water, air and soil to determine the positive and negative impacts that people and industries have on these natural resources. Environmental engineers analyze samples, conduct experiments and measure changes to devise plans that reduce pollution, minimize effects on climate and provide healthy resources for people.
Results from environmental studies helps engineers pinpoint and correct a variety of issues that could negatively impact the environment, including excessive amounts of hazardous waste, overcrowded landfills and radical climate change. Environmental issues like these can affect the health and safety of people, animals and the land. Information gathered from soil, water and air experiments and studies helps environmental engineers create new systems for reducing or eliminating harmful contaminants that could result in sickness or death. Some engineers focus on local health and safety concerns like healthy drinking water, while others focus on global concerns like climate change and acid rain.
In addition, information gathered from these studies help scientists, city planners, state and local legislators and other engineers design environmentally-safe procedures for building and expansion. Along with that,it helps provide equipment and supplies for manufacturing and help to pass laws that protect natural resources. Environmental engineers also maintain records of past experiments and studies to determine the long-term impact of environmentally-safe procedures, equipment and laws.