Leaving Eden is a wide-ranging survey of what is arguably the greatest challenge facing humanity today: the preservation of the natural environment. Nesbit discusses the primary physical, chemical, and biological controls on the natural environment, focusing on the complex interplay between atmospheric and terrestrial elements such as the sun, the oceans, and the systems. Integrating discussions of scientific puzzles with problems facing humanity at large, the author addresses issues such as the greenhouse effect, acid rain, deforestation, chlorofluorocarbons, nuclear waste, agricultural subsidies, and population management. The book also offers an extensive discussion of the ways in which the environment can be protected. With its particular emphasis on the interaction of human behaviour and nature, this book is suitable not only for individuals interested in environmental studies, geography, economics, and earth science, but to all those concerned with the future of the Earth.