Recognize different types and components of environment 1.1 Definition and Scope The surroundings or settings in which a human being, animal, or plant lives or operates or it is a set of conditions of a living being all the natural forces which provide settings for development and growth as well as danger and damage. In a comprehensive form the environment may be defined as “sum total of living, non-living components; influences and events, surrounding an organism.” Environment is defined more comprehensively by others ‘as a holistic view of the world as its functions at any point of time, with a multitude of spatial elemental and socio-economic systems distinguished by quality and attributes of space and mode of behaviour of abiotic and biotic forms.’ (K.R. Dikshit, 1984) Environment means: ‘The term environment is used to describe, in the aggregate, all the external forces, influences and conditions, which affect the life, nature behaviour and the growth, development and maturity of living organisms’ (Douglas and Holland). ‘Environment refers to the sum total of all conditions which surround man at a given point in space and time’ (C.C.Park)