Environmental Science For Dummies

Ace your environmental science class and get smart about the environment

Environmental Science For Dummies is a straightforward guide to the interrelationships of the natural world and the role that humans play in the environment. This book tracks to a typical introductory environmental science curriculum at the college level—and is great as a supplement or study guide for AP Environmental Science, too. Uncover fascinating facts about the earth’s natural resources and the problems that arise when resources like air, water, and soil are contaminated by pollutants. If you’re in need of extra help for a class, considering a career in environmental science, or simply care about our planet and want to learn more about helping the environment, this friendly Dummies resource is a great place to start.

• The key concepts of environmental science, clearly explained
• All about the changing climate, including new understanding of methane release in the arctic
• Earth’s natural resources and the importance of protecting them
• A new chapter on environmental justice, where issues of poverty and sustainability intersect

A solid foundation in environmental science is essential for anyone looking for a career in the field—and is important knowledge for all of us as we work together to build a sustainable future.

Alecia M. Spooner has 17 years’ experience teaching Earth and environmental sciences. She specializes in the interdisciplinary study of paleoecology, paleoclimate, and archaeology. She is the author of Geology For Dummies.

Introduction 1

Part 1: Demystifying Science and the Environment 5

Chapter 1: Investigating the Environment 7

Chapter 2: Thinking Scientifically: The Scientific Method and Other Ways of Knowing 17

Chapter 3: What’s the Matter? Living and Nonliving Material 31

Chapter 4: Making Things Happen: Energy 49

Chapter 5: Studying the Environment and Your Place in It 59

Part 2: Living on Earth’s Surface: Ecosystems, Biomes, and Climate 71

Chapter 6: Exploring Ecosystems 73

Chapter 7: Biogeography: How Earth’s Climate Shapes Global Ecosystem Patterns 91

Chapter 8: Playing Well with Others: Population Biology 109

Chapter 9: Heating Things Up: Living in a Changing Climate 133

Part 3: Getting Your Needs Met: Earth’s Natural Resources 157

Chapter 10: Water, Water Everywhere: Freshwater Resources 159

Chapter 11: This Land Belongs to You and Me: Land as a Resource 171

Chapter 12: Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts: Biodiversity 181

Chapter 13: Dishing It Up: Food Resources 197

Chapter 14: Hitting the Hard Stuff: Geologic Resources and Hazards 219

Chapter 15: Shifting Gears: Alternative Energy 237

Part 4: Giving a Hoot: Pollution and Environmental Quality 253

Chapter 16: Breathing Room: Addressing Man-Made Air Pollution 255

Chapter 17: Spilling Over: Water Pollution 269

Chapter 18: What’s Your Poison? Toxins and Infectious Disease 281

Chapter 19: Wading Through the Waste Stream: Solid and Hazardous Waste 297

Part 5: Expanding the Definition of Sustainability 311

Chapter 20: Reevaluating the Value of the Environment 313

Chapter 21: Decolonizing Environmental Science 327

Part 6: The Part of Tens 343

Chapter 22: Ten International Agreements on Planetary Stewardship 345

Chapter 23: Ten Real-Life Examples of the Tragedy of the Commons 351

Index 357

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