ABSTRACT
Despite the societal infrastructure that we have built up over the years, humankind is still deeply dependent on the environment around us and the diverse services the environment provides. In fact, economists estimate that the natural environment, in addition to its intrinsic worth, provides goods and services to society that are comparable in value to those that we produce for ourselves. Thus, the environment cleans the air we breathe, purifies the water that we drink, generates compounds that make up our medicines, assists in growing the food and fiber that we depend on, and provides the beauty that inspires our souls and enriches our vacations. Everywhere people live, the environment is drawn upon and shapes our lives.
