Introduction

The close of the first decade of the 21st century posed additional pressing environmental issues related to human activities and their effects on the planet. The need to protect the planet seems frequently to be in conflict with the need to feed the earth’s inhabitants and to supply the energy required for industry, transportation, regulating our indoor environment, and fueling other needs. The corporate world sometimes seems to have a callous disregard for the safety of its workers and the public at large. This e-book discusses the ecological and health impacts of aquaculture, the Alberta tar sands development, the Gulf Oil disaster of 2010, the hazards of inadequately safeguarding water supplies, and global warming, to name some of the important topics. This e-book will be very useful to students of environmental science, ecology, ecotoxicology and others interested in a broad overview of contemporary environmental issues. It is presented in a highly readable manner that makes it accessible to well-informed members of the public. Complex biochemical and chemical equations are avoided. Nonetheless, current primary sources of scientific information are used and referenced, making it easy for a reader to pursue a topic in greater depth if so desired.