The third edition of the Environmental Encyclopedia,
edited by William P.Cunningham carried important
thoughts still applicable to this, the fourth edition.
‘‘As you might imagine, choosing what to include
and what to exclude from this collection has been
challenging. Almost everything has some environmental
significance, so our task has been to select a limited
number of topics we think are of greatest importance
in understanding our environment and our relation to
it. Undoubtedly, we have neglected some topics that
interest you and included some you may consider
irrelevant, but we hope that overall you will find this
new edition helpful and worthwhile.’’
‘‘The word environment is derived fromthe French
environ, which means to ‘‘encircle’’ or ‘‘surround.’’
Thus, our environment can be defined as the physical,
chemical, and biological world that envelops us, as well
as the complex of social and cultural conditions affecting
an individual or community. This broad definition
includes both the natural world and the ‘‘built’’ or
technological environment, as well as the cultural and
social contexts that shape human lives. You will see that
we have used this comprehensive meaning in choosing
the articles and definitions contained in this volume.’’