No other species in Earth's history has been able to disregard the natural laws that govern population size quite like humans have. And as a result we have experienced an unfathomable population explosion: a nearly 7-fold increase in three centuries and from 3 billion to 6.6 billion in just 45 years (1961 to 2006). But population growth has come with an increase in resource consumption, which has created a number of environmental problems: Farmland is being degraded, fresh water is becoming polluted, fish are being overharvested, forests are being flattened, fossil fuel emissions are driving global warming, and the list goes on. Many scientists suggest that society must now develop sustainably, improving the current economic and social circumstances while protecting the environment for future generations.The insightful ''Humans and Natural Environment'' presents these eye-opening facts in a manner accessible to young readers, thanks to its abundant full-color photographs and illustrations, readable text, and helpful sidebars.