People and the Earth: Basic Issues in the Sustainability of Resources and Environment [Hardcover]

John James William Rogers (Author), P. Geoffrey Feiss (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521560284 | ISBN-13: 978-0521560283 | Publication Date: March 13, 1998

People and the Earth examines the numerous ways in which this planet enhances and limits our lifestyles. Written with wit and remarkable insight, and illustrated with numerous case histories, it provides a balanced view of the complex environmental issues facing our civilization. The authors look at the geologic restrictions on our ability to withdraw resources--food, water, energy, and minerals--from the earth, the effect human activity has on the earth, and the lingering damage caused by natural disasters. People and the Earth examines the basic components of our interaction with this planet, provides a lucid, scientific discussion of each issue, and speculates on what the future may hold. It provides the fundamental concepts that will enable us to make wise and conscientious choices on how to live our day-to-day lives. People and the Earth is an ideal introductory textbook and will also appeal to anyone concerned with our evolving relationship to the earth.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a novel, from-the-ground-up approach to the overwhelming socioeconomic, political, scientific, and technological problems that face humanity as we approach the 21st century....As a beginning text in environmental or Earth systems science, it hits the mark squarely and effectively." GSA Today

"An exceptional book that also goes beyond the basics by tightly focusing at length on classical case studies that give students a sense of how truly complex many topics can be." Northeastern Naturalist

"...novel, entertaining, and refreshingly contentious...recommended reading for all those interested in earth's finite resources and the increasingly complex environmental issues that result from their continued exploitation." Earth Science Reviews

"The book is more than a well-balanced textbook for college or advanced secondary classes. And it is more than a handbook of the science of what many of us call `human ecology' in the broadest sense of the term." Science Books & Films

"The impact of human society on the environment is becoming an increasingly visible subject of debate....This excellent introduction to this vast subject is designed as a text for an undergraduate course." The Leading Edge

"...provides a balanced view of the complex environmental issues affecting our civilisation." Geography, The Magazine of the Geographical Association

Book Description

People and the Earth examines the basic components of our interaction with this planet, including the geologic restrictions on our ability to withdraw resources--food, water, energy, and minerals--from the earth, the effect human activity has on the earth, and the lingering damage caused by natural disasters. This book provides a lucid, scientific discussion of each issue, and speculates on what the future may hold. Written with wit and remarkable insight, and illustrated with numerous case histories, this ideal introductory textbook provides a balanced view of the complex environmental issues facing o ur civilization.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 360 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press (March 13, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521560284
• ISBN-13: 978-0521560283
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #494,197 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Some Good Discussions, Often Poorly Illustrated, February 5, 2002

By 

Kevin R. Henke (Lexington, KY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: People and the Earth: Basic Issues in the Sustainability of Resources and Environment (Paperback)

The book contains some good discussions on overpopulation, food supplies, water pollution and other environmental issues. However, more detailed introductions are required on plate tectonics and soils so that novice readers may better understand earthquakes and food production, respectively. Each chapter contains a number of useful math problems and thought questions. There are also numerous tables of data, which are interesting, but may overwhelm some students. Some of these data may be more understandable if they were graphed. All of the photographs are in black and white, but are usually satisfactory. However, many of the illustrations are only rough sketches and do not adequately illustrate important concepts for beginning undergraduates (as examples: plate margins [Figure 3.3, p. 75] and active and passive coastlines [Figure 3.21, p. 109]).