Environmental quality facts for kids
Environmental quality is all about how good our surroundings are for us and for other living things. It looks at the features of our environment, both big and small. It measures how healthy an environment is for different plants, animals, and for people's needs.
This includes both the natural environment (like forests and oceans) and the built environment (like cities and towns). It covers things like how clean the air is, how pure the water is, and how much pollution or noise there is. All these things can affect our physical and mental health.
Protecting Our Environment in the United States
In the United States, there are special rules and laws to protect environmental quality. These rules are watched over by government groups. Every state in the U.S. has a department or commission that helps with this.
- They check the quality of the environment.
- They respond to complaints from people.
- They make sure environmental rules are followed.
The main group that helps carry out most big federal environmental laws, like the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act, is the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Other important federal groups that help protect the environment include the Council on Environmental Quality, the Department of the Interior, and the Army Corps of Engineers.
Protecting Our Environment in the United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, the main group in charge of the environment is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). This department was created in 2001. Its job is to connect activities in the countryside with the natural environment.
Some of these responsibilities are also handled by local governments:
- The Scottish Government works with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
- The National Assembly for Wales also has environmental duties.
Many other groups help DEFRA with environmental projects. These include British Waterways, the Environment Agency, the Forestry Commission, and Natural England. DEFRA also looks at how activities in built areas affect the environment and manages the United Kingdom Climate Change Programme.
See also
- Environmental impact assessment
- Environmental law
