-          Focus on the Science behind the stories and emphasize the need to think critically about major topics such as human population, growth, sustainability, biogeochemical cycles, ecostystems processes, ecosystems management, global warming, air pollution, water pollution, waste management, and environmental planning.  This is done by creating a framework around a set of Big Questions.  Each chapter opens with a Big Question.  These questions are designed to focus the students on the main theme of each chapter, so they are not distracted or overwhelmed by the numerous facts and terminology.

-          Standard chapter topics are covered, but written in a condensed and presented at a level intended for students with very little background in science and are intending to major in in business, social sciences or the humanities.

-          Begin the chapter with a set of Learning Objectives for that chapter. This brief overview and set of objectives serve to focus students’ attention on the key topics to come so that they understand right from the start where they are going.

-          A short Case Study is included in every chapter and is intended to highlight a particular issue or story of environmental significance to the chapter and position the ideas presented as a real-world application.

-          At the end of the chapter, a return to the Big Question presented at the beginning of the each and  a Summary and  list of Key Terms to help students organize their studying.

-          Includes three types of study questions. The first group, Getting It Straight, reviews the basic factual information. The second, called What Do You Think?, encourages critical thinking about issues. The last group consists of broader questions that involve Putting It All Together as a way of integrating knowledge.

-          Available with Wiley PLUS!  Wiley PLUS is a powerful online tool that provides instructors and students with an integrated suite of teaching and learning resources in one easy-to-use website.  Organized around the essential activities needed for course success, Wiley PLUS includes an area – Prepare and Present -- with resources to ease the preparation for instructors and enhance the classroom experience, an area for students to Read, Study, and Practice - including an online version of the text -- and an Assessment area that allows instructors to assess student understanding more closely and analyze results with an automatic gradebook.