The correct answer is Universal Encyclopedia. Explanation & Key Takeaways: • The word environ means, in French, to surround, envelop, encircle or enclose. Environ means surrounding and “ment” means action, i.e., environment is the interaction between man and nature. • Thus the term “environment” refers to our surrounding and variety of issues related to human activities and its effect on nature. • Environment refers to the surroundings in which living and non-living things live, interact, grow and perish. The conditions present in the surroundings govern the life of creatures therein. • The Environment Protection Act, 1990 defines the environment as “consisting of all, or any of the media – the air, water and land. • The medium of air includes the air within buildings and the air within other natural or man-made structures above or below ground.” • According to the Universal Encyclopedia, Environment means the sum total of all conditions agencies and influences which affect the development, growth, life and death of an organism, species or race”. • Declaration of the UN Conference on Human Environment, Stockholm 1972, defined environment as comprising air, land and water, especially representative samples of natural ecosystems.