Women and the Environment illuminates the complex, many-layered relationship between women and a wide range of different physical environments, such as homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, communities, cities, and various public settings. It studies all the significant environments of a woman's life cycle from childhood to late adulthood, addressing such vital subjects as the interplay between women of varying ages, races, economic classes, occupations, communities, educations, and family structures and environments; obstacles and opportunities regarding women's roles in community action and public policymaking; legal and legislative barriers to environmental change, highlighted by successful case examples of women creating positive social change; and the philosophy of design and research issues involving women and environments.

As society changes - due to (among other factors) political upheaval, racial tension, economic stress, and the rise of cultural subgroups - the changing roles of women in the public and private sectors are uniquely challenged by constraints and public policies regarding the physical environments in which women live and work.