Food, Population, and the Environment, covers the rising concerns about the degradation of the planet's ecosystems following World War II, one of the most environmentally destructive wars in history. The vast increase in the use of pesticides and other chemicals after the war signaled some of the first alarms, as did population growth and food security. And as scientists and activists became more aware of the damages from climate change, pollution, deforestation, and desertification, an environmental movement began to translate into local and international action.