An individual s physical environment encompasses rocks and soil, air and water, such factors as light and temperature, and other organisms present. One s social environment might include a network of family and friends, a particular political system, and a set of social customs that affect one s behavior. Geology is the study of the earth. Because the earth provides the basic physical environment in which we live, all of geology might in one sense be regarded as environmental geology. However, the term environmental geology is usually restricted to refer particularly to geology as it relates directly to human activities, and that is the focus of this book.
Environmental geology is geology applied to living.
One reason for studying environmental geology might simply be curiosity about the way the earth works, about the how and why of natural phenomena. Another reason is that we are increasingly faced with environmental problems to be solved and decisions to be made, and in many cases, an understanding of one or more geologic processes is essential to finding an appropriate solution. Of course, many environmental problems cannot be fully assessed and solved using geologic data alone. The problems vary widely in size and in complexity. Our personal choices will often depend strongly on our beliefs about which considerations are most important.