"Our planet is approaching a critical environmental juncture. Across the globe we continue to deplete the five pools of carbon--soil, wood, coal, oil, and natural gas--at an unsustainable rate. We've burned up half the planet's known reserves of oil--one trillion barrels--in less than a century. When these sources of energy-rich carbon go into severe decline, as they surely will, society will follow. Former archeologist and Sierra Club activist Courtney White calls this moment the Age of Consequences--a time when the worrying consequences of our environmental actions--or inaction--have begun to raise unavoidable and difficult questions. How should we respond? What are effective (and realistic) solutions?"--Back cover.