Preface

What is Environmental Science?

Environmental science is more than just an academic subject. It is a way of thinking about the world we live in and our connections to it. Never before have so many shared such a keen interest and deep concern for the well being of our planet — its majestic ecosystems and biomes, its treasure of natural resources, and its rich diversity of living resources. As a result, worldwide attention is focused on the earth’s biosphere because we now know that many of the planet’s life-support systems are being threatened.

The environmental problems we face today are many. They include human population growth, deforestation, water pollution, rising demands for non-renewable resources, toxic effects of hazardous chemicals, global climate change, and stratospheric ozone depletion. The aim of environmental science is to understand these problems and learn how to manage, if not solve, them. It is an immensely important and exciting venture because life on earth may well "hang in the balance."

Why I Decided to Write this Book

I have been teaching college-level environmental science courses for thirty years. It is an adventure in learning for myself, and my students, because environmental problems and issues are "front-page" news almost every day. Engaging them in reasonable and rational ways requires reliable insights to environmental science principles. Gaining these insights can be strongly reinforced through major case studies — carefully researched, real-world narratives describing environmental problems and issues that have been or are being successfully addressed.

I am sure that most educators use case studies in one form or another. Often, they are brief narratives focused on a particular point being made. What I have found is that up-to-date, in-depth case studies and regional perspectives capture student attention, underscore scientific principles, clarify technical concepts, and illustrate alternative approaches to problem solving. I believe that this approach helps students to comprehend critically important connections in environmental science subject matter.

Connections in Environmental Science: A Case Study Approach is different from other textbooks. Reviewers state that it is well written, comprehensive, technically penetrating in its development, and unbiased in its treatment of scientific questions and issues. Educators who choose to adopt the book will find that their students actually read it!

Acknowledgements

I am deeply appreciative and most grateful to McGraw-Hill Publishers for their decision to help develop and publish this book. I am particularly indebted to:

Marge Kemp, Senior Sponsoring Editor, who from the very start demonstrated faith in the concepts that were to shape the book and lead the way to McGraw-Hill’s publication decision.

Kathy Loewenberg, Senior Developmental Editor, who orchestrated the evolution of the book and its principal features, and whose expertise and wisdom are reflected in the book itself.

Kennie Harris, Copyeditor, whose brilliant ideas, literary excellence, and perseverance guided the book’s progress, unfolding, and final configuration.

Jayne Klein, Senior Project Manager, who skillfully directed the editing, final assembly, and production of the book and all of its elements.

I am grateful as well to the many others at McGraw-Hill who together have made the publication of Connections in Environmental Science: A Case Study Approach a successful venture. They include:

Dianne Berning, Editorial Assistant:LouAnn Wilson, Permissions Researcher: Mary Reeg, Photo Research & Permissions Editor: Michelle Watnick and Heather Wagner, Marketing Directors: Tara McDermott, Advertising Coordinator

The following individuals have made valuable technical contributions to the development of this book by providing information, perspective, data, and special insights to different case studies and regional perspectives. I am deeply grateful to them for their generous assistance.

Kay W. Whittenburg
Tennessee Valley Authority
Chattanooga, Tennessee

Dr. Roger Rowe
Deputy Director General of Research
CIMMYT, Mexico City, Mexico

Dr. Alfred E. Slinkard
Senior Research Scientist
Crop Development Centre
University of Saskatchewan
Saskatoon, SK. Canada

Dr. Joel A. Tarr
Professor of Urban Environmental
History and Policy
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Clarence and Ray Bauml
Organic Farmers
Marysburg, Saskatchewan

Mary E. Garren
Remedial Project Manager
Massachusetts Superfund Section
Boston, Massachusetts

John C. Miles
Professor and Director
Center for Geography and Environmental Social Sciences
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Lee Jackson
Extension Agronomist
Agronomy & Range Science
University of California, Davis

Lauren Wenzel
Planner Coastal Zone Management Program
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Annapolis, Maryland

Richard A. Oatley
Senior Pollution Officer
Environment Agency
Thames Region, UK

Elmer Laird
Organic Farmer
Davidson, Saskatchewan

John F. McLaughlin
Professor of Environmental Science
Western Washington University
Bellingham, Washington

Mark Rodekohr, Ph.D.
Director Division of Energy Markets
and Contingency Information
Energy Information Administration
U.S. Department of Energy

Ed Best
Corporate Library
Tennessee Valley Authority
Knoxville, Tennessee

I am also indebted to the many reviewers who provided detailed analysis of the textbook during its development. In the midst of their busy schedules, they took the time to read the manuscript and offer advice that greatly improved the final effort.

Mark C. Belk
Brigham Young University

Del Blackburn
Clarke College

Guy E. Farish
Adams State College

David G. Fisher
Maharishi University of Management

Kevin M. Fitzsimmons
University of Arizona

Stephen Fleckenstein
Sullivan County Community College

Lesley C. Garner
University of West Alabama

Stephen R. Herr
Oral Roberts University

Peggy S. M. Hill
University of Tulsa

Wendel J. Johnson
University of Wisconsin–Marinette

Jason W. Kelsey
Marymont University

Richard A. Lewis
Grant MacEwan Community College

Charles McClaugherty
Mount Union College

Gary C. Meyer
University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point

Stephen N. Sarikas
Lasell College

Douglas J. Spieles
Southwest State University

Thomas A. Storch
Marshall University

Chris Tarp
Contra Costa College

Trevor Taylor

Dennis Todd
University of Oregon

Jack A. Turner
University of South Carolina–Spartanburg

Stephen Van Horn
Muskingum College

Guided Tour

Organization and Principal Features

This book is organized in five parts:

• Understanding and Protecting Natural Environments

• Water and Air: Fundamental Resources

• Human Populations, Agricultural Soils, and Food Supply

• Energy Production and Consumption

• Global and Regional Environmental Problems.

Introductory Chapter

An Introductory Chapter presents the book’s major themes and identifies key environmental science principles.

Chapter Openers

Each chapter begins with a Table of Contents, an Opening Quote, and an Introduction.

A detailed Background discussion provides the necessary foundation for students to comprehend and appreciate the upcoming case study.

Introspective Boxed Readings

"Insights" Boxed Readings, Charts, and Tables all support the main text by adding significant, applicable information.

Line Drawings

Unique tutorial Line Drawings have helpful explanatory boxes directly in the art to provide students with key information where they need it most. This makes the art an active part of the teaching process.

Case Study Approach

No other environmental science textbook has this Case Study Approach! Students learn the important concepts of environmental science through reading about actual events. The Case Study narratives do not dwell on disaster stories. They identify environmental problems and issues, discuss them in the light of alternative solutions, and examine the progress being made in discovering and implementing acceptable answers.

Regional Perspectives

Regional Perspectives take the concepts covered in the case study and discuss them within different geographical and cultural contexts. Seeing these applications helps students to better understand the core principles of environmental science.

Key Terms

Important Key Terms are highlighted to signify definitions and help students review the chapter material.

End of Chapter

Key Terms, Discussion Questions, an Independent Project, and Suggested Readings at the end of each chapter provide an opportunity for students to test their understanding of the material just covered. Internet websites list key topics in the chapter that are repeated in the Online Learning Center as hyperlinks to websites that offer additional information and resources for continued research.

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