With its lush wetlands, miles of beaches, and wide array of colorful wildlife, Florida is a fascinating and important ecosystem to study. Using this state as a model, this text offers a systems approach to understanding the environment and discusses the interactions between human systems and natural systems. "...I encourage you to read Environment and Society in Florida. It is more than a simple textbook. It addresses the issues that will face all of America in the very near future. Can we live within our environmental means? Can we preserve the earth that supports us? This book is part science and part philosophy. Read it carefully. Take it seriously. Consider it thoughtfully. The final will be graded by your children and grandchildren."-Buddy MacKay, Former Lieutenant Governor of the State of Florida