Environmental Science

Environmental issues affect every part of your life. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE: WORKING WITH THE EARTH, Twelfth Edition, shows you how nature works, how we interact with it, and how we have sustained—and can continue to sustain—our relationship with the earth by applying nature's lessons to our economies and individual lifestyles. This central theme of sustainability—the ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions—is clarified by an emphasis on natural capital (resources) and degradation, solutions, trade-offs, and the importance of individuals. If you have little or no science background, the book provides you with a solid grounding in the basics that will help you better understand environmental science concepts. Case studies—on topics ranging from the importance of insects to the reintroduction of wolves in Yellowstone Park to the world of nanotechnology—illustrate key topics and issues that affect your life. These cases inspire How Would You Vote? questions, which sharpen your critical thinking by asking you to consider facts, conflicting solutions, and trade-offs surrounding the issues, and then cast your vote. Multimedia resources offer other ways to learn. CengageNOW features Personalized Study Plans and interactive exercises and animations that help you master concepts. MP3 audio study tools can be included with your text at your instructor's request, or can be purchased separately through www.iChapters.com. There's an eBook too, which is available for purchase.

GG. Tyler Miller, Jr., has written 58 textbooks for introductory courses in environmental science, basic ecology, energy, and environmental chemistry. They include ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE, LIVING IN THE ENVIRONMENT, SUSTAINING THE EARTH, and ESSENTIALS OF ECOLOGY. Since 1975, Miller's books have been the most widely used textbooks for environmental science in the United States and throughout the world. They have been used by almost 3 million students and have been translated into eight languages. Miller has a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and has received two honorary doctorate degrees for his contributions to environmental education. He taught college for 20 years and developed an innovative interdisciplinary undergraduate science program before deciding to write environmental science textbooks full time since 1975. Currently, he is the President of Earth Education and Research, devoted to improving environmental education. He describes his hopes for the future as follows: "If I had to pick a time to be alive, it would be the next 75 years. Why? First, there is overwhelming scientific evidence that we are in the process of seriously degrading our own life support system. In other words, we are living unsustainably. Second, within your [students'] lifetime we have the opportunity to learn how to live more sustainably by working with the rest of nature, as described in this book."

Scott Spoolman is a writer with over 25 years of experience in educational publishing. He has had a lifelong interest in the environmental sciences and believes that education provides the best hope for our dealing with environmental problems and finding more sustainable ways to work, play, and live on our planet. Spoolman holds a master's degree in science journalism from the University of Minnesota. He has authored numerous articles in the fields of science, environmental engineering, politics, and business. He worked as an acquisitions editor on a series of college forestry textbooks. He has also worked as a consulting editor in the development of more than 70 college and high school textbooks in the natural and social sciences fields. With Tyler Miller, Spoolman has coauthored several editions of Living in the Environment, Environmental Science, and Sustaining the Earth. In his free time, he enjoys exploring the forests and waters of his native Wisconsin along with his family—his wife, environmental educator Gail Martinelli, and his children, Will and Katie.