Living with Earth: An Introduction to Environmental Geology

Living with Earth: An Introduction to Environmental Geology fosters a better understanding of how people interact with Earth and how our actions can affect Earth's environmental health. Informal and reader-friendly, this book is organized around a few unifying perspectives: how the various Earth systems interact with one another; how Earth affects people (creating hazards but also providing essential resources); and how people affect Earth. Greater emphasis is placed on environment and sustainability than on geology, unlike other texts on the subject. The book provides the scientific foundations needed to understand Earth's history, structure and processes as well as the way in which Earth systems interact. It illustrates through cases how science can help us by providing not just insights but also tools for wisely utilizing Earth's resources and ways of mitigating its hazards. Useful for undergraduate and postgraduate students of Geology and Geography. About The Author: TRAVIS HUDSON , American Geological InstituteNational Association of Geoscience Teachers. Table of Contents Preface 1: What Does "Living with Earth" Mean? 2: Earth Systems 3: The Dynamic Geosphere and Plate Tectonics 4: Geosphere Materials 5: Earthquakes 6: Volcanoes 7: Rivers and Flooding 8: Unstable Land 9: Changing Coasts 10: Water Resources 11: Soil Resources 12: Mineral Resources 13: Energy Resources 14: Atmosphere Resources and Climate Change 15: Managing People's Environmental Impact Glossary Photo Credits Index