Highly disappointing
8/4/2006
While the class I took that used this textbook was informative, this book was full of what seemed to be the authors' personal opinons. Like another person said here in the reviews about blame on the Bush administration, and lack of references aside from photo credits, this book seemed to be geared more towards giving you the biased outlook of the author than an unbiased view of environmental science.
I agree that this book is not fit for a college textbook, or any other type of education.
Workbook - Environmental Science
8/21/2007It is a workbook and not what I was attempting to order. I expected a reading/learning media. This is only for use in classroom setting.
Low on Up-to-date Information, High on Dogma
1/29/2008
This book is sadly out-of-date and useful only to those new to biology. The concepts are questionable and Mr. Wright doesn't provide any factual basis for his opinions despite his own strong feelings about "sound science" versus "junk science." For example, most scientists have agreed for over a decade that Natural Selection is too simplistic, and yet the book is based on its principles with no attempt to study them in depth.
"Facts" are thrown out with little reference to studies, competing studies or information about the political leanings of the scientists who conducted the research. Some studies are bashed and a counter-study is presented, and yet the reader is given no reason or understanding about why Wright supports one study over another. It all becomes a he-said/she-said argument. The moral of this book: humans suck. Whether or not that is true, I'd appreciate some sound scientific evidence to support, and I would expect that a book about environmental SCIENCE would be able to point out a sound reason or two.
Greatest Textbook ever!
4/9/2008
I used this book to write essays for school and online tests. GREAT book, a must own for its category!
Excellent overview for nonscience students
4/17/2008I have been using this book for an online environmental science class for six years and for in-person classes before that. The students find it to be very readable and engaging. I've reviewed many other books and found that they never measure up to this textbook. As another evaluator noted, it's a great resource. I also teach science to environmental lawyers, who can use this book for a quick review of a topic.