CONTENTS Preface ix INTRODUCTION Prologue: The Conservationist's Lament and the Technologist's Reply 2 1 Planet in Peril: Three Stories 4 THE CRISIS AND ITS CAUSES Prologue: A Fable for Tomorrow 16 2 The Global Environmental Crisis 19 3 Why are We in a Crisis? 32 THE CRISIS DESCRIBED Prologue: How Can One Sell the Air? 46 4 A Thirsty World: Water Scarcity and Water Pollution 49 5 A Warming World: Energy, Global Warming, and Climate Change 67 6 A Toxic World: Waste, Pollution, and Environmental Health 91 7 A World without Life: Forests and Biological Diversity 114 8 A Dying Ocean: Polluted Seas and Coasts 129 9 A World of People: Growing Population and Urbanization 147 10 A Hungry World: Land, Soil, Food, and Agriculture 160 11 A World Past the Tipping Point? 176 THE REMEDY Prologue: The Man Who Planted Trees 188 12. What has the World Done about the Crisis? 191 13. Hope for the Planet and How You Can Help 204 Appendix A: Explore Further 218 Appendix B: Selected List of Environmental Organizations/Departments 221 Appendix C: Find out and be surprised! Question, Answers, Explanations 223 Appendix D: Glossary 227 Index 233