One of the primary goals of geology is to understand how the mountains, volcanoes, ocean, rivers, lakes and other landforms were created by studying the behavior of the earth in recent times and in the geologic past. By understanding these processes, geology helps scientists, politicians, and industries to make decisions about the use of the Earth's natural resources, the protection of humans against natural disasters, and the protections of our environment. The qualityof the soil in your yard, the water that you use and the air that you breathe are affected by the types of rocks that are prevalent in your area. Because geologists study the Earth, they often spend a lot of time outdoors studying rocks, streams, and other geologic features.
Geologists tend to enjoy hiking, camping and canoeing since they work in the environment.
Geology is the application of other sciences to questions and problems associated with the Earth, so a good background in chemistry, physics, and biology is necessary for a career in geology. Many fields of geology also require a strong background in mathematics to excel. As humans have become more aware of the importance of environmental protection, government and business leaders often use geologic principles to help them determine the impacts of human interaction with the Earth on the quality of the environment. In addition to the scientific aspect of geology, a good geologist is also capable of reading technical papers, writing reports on her findings, and speaking to other professionals and the public about geologic issues. Geologists are employed in many areas of business, government, education and law.