Needed: A Science of Sustainability

When world leaders and delegates from 190 nations met in Johannesburg, South Africa in 2002 for the World Summit on Sustainable Development, a host of urgent issues filled their agenda. Among the pressing problems they debated were global climate change, freshwater shortages, dwindling forests, biodiversity losses, food insecurity, over-exploited fish stocks, emergent ecological diseases, dependence on fossil fuels, and the role of social, political and economic factors in environmental degradation.

Underlying these issues was a division between the world's rich citizens, who want to protect nature and the 80 percent of the world's population living in the poorest countries who insist that they can't be concerned with safeguarding natural resources until they achieve simple survival. This division was highlighted by South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki who said in his opening comments: "A global human society based on poverty for many and prosperity for a few, characterized by islands of wealth, surrounded by a sea of poverty is unsustainable. The tragic result of this is the avoidable increase in human misery and ecological degradation."

One answer to this dilemma is sustainable development that addresses immediate human and social needs while preserving the earth's fragile life support systems. But good science is needed to provide answers about how we can achieve these goals. The Paris-based International Council for Science, which was invited to prepare briefing documents as background for the World Summit, said, "the transition towards sustainable development is inconceivable without science, engineering, and technology. We need rigorous scientific information that addresses issues people care about."

To reach the goals of sustainability, we also need an educated public that understands some of the scientific basis of the complex problems and difficult trade-offs we face. A broad-based environmental science course is an excellent way to teach a wide range of students about both scientific and social issues. It can show how valid information is gathered and analyzed as well as how to think critically about complex issues. Many instructors have asked for a textbook that gives students a strong foundation in the basic principles of environmental science. We understand and agree with that goal.

This book provides a solid foundation in scientific approaches to environmental problems and solutions. We integrate information from a wide range of disciplines from both the natural and social sciences. And we attempt to present a balanced, objective perspective that presents both sides of controversial issues. Although this book is suitable for non-science majors, you will find that it isn't simplistic or condescending. The presentation, while condensed, remains sophisticated and discerning.

Why a Smaller Book?

In recent years, environmental science textbooks have gotten bigger, more encyclopedic, and increasingly expensive. Both instructors and students call for a concise and affordable text. This book was written to fill that need. Rather than the 25 to 30 chapters found in most environmental science textbooks, we've limited this book to 15 chapters, or about one chapter per week for a typical semester course. The more concise presentation focuses on key principles, on scientific methods and ideas, and on life-long learning skills for students. We have also included enough case studies and current events to provide the real-world context for the themes discussed here. Additional case studies and current issues are available on the book's web site to help enrich your course's content. At the same time, the moderate size and price of this book should allow you to add supplementary materials to meet your individual teaching and learning objectives The outline of this book follows a topic sequence widely used in many environmental science textbooks and courses, but we know that many instructors choose to organize their courses around their own outlines. We've written each chapter in a way that doesn't assume that students have already read other chapters in any particular order. If instructors prefer a different organization of course topics, chapters can be presented in any order that suits their course's needs.

Active Learning and Critical Thinking

Learning how scientists approach problems can help students develop habits of independent, orderly, and objective thought. But it takes active involvement to master these skills. Throughout this book, we encourage students to practice thinking for themselves. Data and interpretations aren't presented as immutable truths, but rather as evidence to be examined and tested. We try to give a balanced view of controversial topics. Orderly, critical assessment of complex problems is a key part of scientific literacy, which is essential for understanding current environmental science. In every chapter, students are invited to practice critical thinking and to apply new ideas. We also include case studies demonstrating how scientists have thought about important environmental questions.

Because we think a discouraged student is unlikely to take positive action toward sustainability, we also strive to avoid "gloom and doom" or "shame and blame" attitudes. Instead, we adopt a thoughtful but cautiously optimistic view that will encourage readers to look for ways that we can solve problems and make our world a better place in which to live. In nearly every chapter, we include "What can you do?" boxes that give practical suggestions for things individuals can do to make a difference. Most chapters also have short applications boxes that invite the reader to stop for a moment and practice using the principles they've learned.

An introductory story at the beginning of each chapter illustrates an important current issue and shows how it relates to practical environmental concerns. These stories also start the process of exploring how scientists study complex issues. In addition to these introductory stories, case studies and examples of how scientists investigate our environment appear periodically throughout the book to remind readers about the practical importance of these issues.

Integration and Sustainability

Environmental problems and their solutions occur at the intersection of natural systems and the human systems that manipulate the natural world. In this book we present an integrated approach to physical sciences--biology, ecology, geology, air and water resources--and to human systems that affect nature--food and agriculture, population growth, urbanization, environmental health, resource economics, and policy. Although it is tempting to emphasize purely natural systems, we feel that students can never understand why coral reefs are threatened or why tropical forests are being cut down if they don't know something about the cultural, economic, and political forces that shape our decisions.

This integrated approach is essential if we are to work toward sustainable solutions in our environment. Throughout the book, we present sustainability as an ultimate goal for both preserving nature and improving the lives of people everywhere. Sustainability implies that human wellbeing and environmental health need to be complementary, not contradictory, efforts. The goal of sustainability also requires a global view. We take a global perspective in this book because we believe that the most important and difficult environmental problems we now face involve worldwide resources and international institutions. To help students gain geographical literacy, we have included many maps and international case studies in this book, including a valuable set of world maps in the appendices.

Currency

Throughout this book, we present up-to-date tables and graphs with the most current available data. We hope these data will give students an appreciation of the kinds of information available in environmental science. Among the sources we have called upon here are geographic information systems (GIS) data and maps, current census and population data, international news and data sources, and federal data collection agencies.

This text has had the benefit of input from more than 400 researchers, professionals, and instructors who have reviewed this book or our larger text, Environmental Science: A Global Concern. These reviewers have helped us keep the text current and focused. We deeply appreciate their many helpful suggestions and comments.

Web-enhancement

The world wide web has become a vast and valuable resource for students. You can find a wealth of information there to update or supplement topics in environmental science. We incorporate this resource more fully in this text than in any other environmental science book currently available. Every chapter opens with a list of web-based resources that relate to and enrich the chapter contents. We have also placed further readings and extra case studies on the web, and referenced these readings in the text. We encourage instructors to make use of these additional resources. At the end of each chapter a web-based exercise invites students to visit specific web pages and use the data found there to create graphs, make comparisons, or do some other practical analysis of real data. These aren't simplistic exercises that just ask the reader to look at a site and report on what it contains. Rather, we ask the student to really explore these resources and use the information they find in pragmatic ways. Note that these exercises are just a beginning: instructors and students can modify or add to these exercises if they wish. One of our objectives in these exercises is simply to expose students to important data sources. Another objective in these exercises is to make students work with data, create graphs, map data, and experience some of the ways that scientists create and share information today.

William P. Cunningham
Mary Ann Cunningham