Introduction to Energy and Climate Developing a Sustainable Environment

The purpose of this textbook is to provide a well-rounded working knowledge of both climate change and environmental sustainability for a wide range of students. Students will learn core concepts and methods to analyze energy and environmental impacts; will understand what is changing the earth’s climate, and what that means for life on earth now and in the future. They will also have a firm understanding of what energy is and how it can be used. This text intends to develop working knowledge of these topics, with both technical and social implications. Students will find in one volume the integration and careful treatment of climate, energy, and sustainability.

Understanding the Environment: Resources, Climate, Energy, and Sustainability. Section I The Earth’s Climate Balance and Consequences of Climate Change. The Climate System. Greenhouse Gases. Effects on Ecosystems. Sociological and Psychological Considerations to Climate Change. Geopolitical Considerations. Public Perception and Economic Issues.Climate Change Mitigation Options. Section II Energy Sources, Their Future, and Sustainable Living. Energy: Basics, Concepts, and Quantification. Nonrenewable Energy Resources. Renewable Energy Resources. Consequences of Energy Sources on the Environment. The Geopolitics of Energy. Applying Technology to Sustainability, Part I: Urban Planning and Green Buildings. Applying Technology to Sustainability, Part II: Smart Transportation, Alternative Fuels, and New Fuel Technology. Sustainable Agriculture and Industry. Green Careers and Ecotourism. Your Home and Backyard. The Sustainable Lifestyle: Low Impact and Healthy Living. Making Changes for the Benefit of Future Generations. Glossary. Periodic Table.

Julie Kerr has been an earth scientist for nearly 40 years, promoting a healthier and better-managed environment. She holds a PhD in earth science with an emphasis in remote sensing satellite technology from the University of Utah and has dealt with the hands-on applications of resource and climate change management, as well as renewable energy and environmental sustainability; focusing on the delicate balance of the multifaceted issues involving the politicl, economic, and sociological components in both short-and long-term applications with real-world ramifications. She has been involved specifically with projects such as forest management, classification and monitoring of desertification, rangeland change detection and management, vegetation inventory and health assessment, and land-use change. Dr. Kerr approaches the subject with a background uniquely blended with conservation and land-use management expertise with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, military applications with the U.S. Air