Those who funded the sciences of geology 150 years ago intuitively saw the Earth as a unified whole; the sciences have specialized into physics, chemistry, biology and geology - specialization that has brought advances, but has unfortunately obscured our view of the unique role that life and death play on our planet. Peter Westbroek, in this book, integrates our present knowledge of Earth in a holistic view. Ranging from the dykes of Holland to the Everglades of Florida, Westbroek shows how man has affected geological change and how geological change has influenced man's use of nature, leaving both vastly altered.