Energy, Environment and Climate

Richard Wolfson is the Benjamin F. Wissler Professor of Physics at Middlebury College, where he also teaches environmental studies. He holds a BA in physics and philosophy from Swarthmore College, an MS in environmental studies from the University of Michigan, and a PhD in physics from Dartmouth. His research involves solar astrophysics and terrestrial climate, and he has published nearly 100 papers in the scientific literature. Wolfson's other books include several introductory physics texts, as well as Nuclear Choices: A Citizen's Guide to Nuclear Technology (1993) and Simply Einstein: Relativity Demystified (2003). He has five video courses for the Teaching Company's Great Courses series: Einstein's Relativity and the Quantum Revolution: Modern Physics for Nonscientists (1999); Physics in Your Life (2004); Earth's Changing Climate (2007); Physics and Our Universe: How It All Works (2011); and Understanding Modern Electronics (2014).

In this new study of energy use and global climate change,
Richard Wolfson outlines basic science concepts as well as
specific, contemporary applications in energy production and their
environmental consequences. Energy, Environment, and
Climate is structured on the premise that climate change is
the dominant energy-related environmental issue of the twenty-first
century. Traditional concerns like pollution and conservation of
energy resources are covered with clear, scientific explanations.
Unique to this text, a full five chapters?about one-third of
the content?are devoted to climate and an understanding of
the energy/climate link. Included are over 250 photographs and
illustrations