People generally think they understand the environment and how humans use natural resources, but these ideas are often understood only superficially. Instead of thinking, I should turn off the light, we should be asking, "Why should I turn off the light?" Using case studies and defining key concepts, Environmental Geography explains exactly how individuals and society as a whole impact the earth.
A flick of a light switch affects the demand for electricity, which is then related to sources of energy, policies about renewable energy sources, and ultimately environmental degradation and climate change. Likewise, a person's decision to eat a cheeseburger versus a salad also affects the earth, though most of us don't think about how our daily choices impact the earth.
Leslie A. Duram provides meaningful examples from around the world that demonstrate both the devastating impacts that humans have on the environment and the increasing awareness of these consequences that is bringing hope for a more sustainable future. Likewise, she examines the widening rift of economic inequality, with examples of how poorer people are significantly more vulnerable than richer people to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, and the effects of climate change. Environmental Geography provides concrete information that shows readers how they can learn, advocate, and take action to bring about a more sustainable future.
Leslie A. Duram is a professor of geography and the director of environmental studies at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale. She is the author of Good Growing: Why Organic Farming Works (Nebraska, 2005) and the editor of Encyclopedia of Organic, Sustainable, and Local Food (Nebraska, 2011).
