Think about the most fundamental concepts of modern Earth science, and the key learnings from the past hundred years.  What could you outline on a single page that matters most, and that everyone should know?  Here is our list:

1. The Earth has a long history.
   The immense stretch of geologic time is hard for us humans to grasp.
   Some geologic processes happen very slowly.
2. The Earth is always changing.
   We live on a very active planet.
   Some changes are fast, others slow, but nothing is forever.
3. Understanding present Earth processes is the key to unraveling the past.
   We look for the results of past process in the rock record to reveal Earth’s history.
   In turn, the rock record helps us understand the present (and future).
4. Modern society exists at the whim of Earth processes.
   We depend on Earth resources, and are at the mercy of Earth hazards.
   We don’t need to save the planet, but we might save ourselves.