Earth Under Siege: From Air Pollution to Global Change Book

In this clear and authoritative text, Richard Turco examines one of the most important problems facing the modern age -- air pollution. Based on his popular course at University of California, Los Angeles, this text, specifically designed for nonscience majors, offers a basic understanding of how the physical environment surrounding us functions and how human activities are affecting it, while presenting sufficient supporting details to hold the interest of science majors. It provides a comprehensive description of the atmospheric environment and details the foundation on which the science and policy of atmosphere-related environmental issues are based. The fundamental scientific concepts that determine the nature and scope of atmospheric environmental problems are introduced, including the behavior of common gases, simple chemical processes in the environment, and the properties of light and heat. Key air pollution issues are addressed in terms of their local, regional, and global implications. In his survey of local and regional issues -- which include indoor air pollution, smog, and acid rain -- the author identifies the sources and effects of major pollutants and discusses the many ways in which people are exposed to environmental toxins. Global environmental issues, such as stratospheric ozone depletion, climate change, and greenhouse warming are treated, along with the potential for "global environmental engineering." Physical and chemical principles are placed in the perspective of real world events, and everyday experiences are used to familiarize students with these principles. Special care has been taken to provide illustrative examples and problems to help students hone their understanding of the concepts and ideas discussed, and to challenge their creative and deductive approaches to all environmental problems, thus requiring more than the rote memorization of facts. The appendix provides a helpful primer to the basic mathematics used throughout the book. Enjoyable, stimulating, and comprehensive, this text is an ideal introduction to environmental sciences for students in the earth and atmospheric sciences, geography, engineering, environmental management and law, and life sciences.Read More