"Environmental scientists look at their natural surroundings and think about future generations. They want to understand how the human activities of today are affecting the health of the environment, what that means for the future, and what can be done about it. This title aims to create meaningful connections between the scientific concepts readers learn in the classroom and how they are applied in the real world by environmental scientists searching for answers."

Protecting the planet -- Doing a world of good -- A history of harm -- Scientific investigation -- The powers of observation -- Asking the question -- Cold cases -- Tools of the trade -- Cold hard facts -- Sharing science -- Team earth -- Go green! -- Catch some air -- Investigate! learning more -- Glossary.