Book Description

Wetlands are unique and fragile environments that provide a transition between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Focusing on freshwater wetlands with emergent vegetation, this book considers productivity in relation to communities of animals and plants and their environments, mineral cycling, hydrology, and management. The contributors emphasize the biological interactions and processes underlying the structure and functioning of wetlands, revealing the need to appreciate the dynamics of the system to establish appropriate management and conservation practices. Based largely on research carried out during the International Biological Programme, this unique synthesis brings together a wealth of information, which until now had been widely dispersed in the literature and often difficult to locate.This comprehensive volume will be an important resource for all those concerned with the ecology, management and conservation of these sensitive natural habitats. ... Read more

Book Description

Step-by-step procedures for planning, design, construction and operation: *Health and environment *Process improvements*Stormwater and combined sewer control and treatment*Effluent disposal and reuse*Biosolids disposal and reuse*On-site treatment and disposal of small flows*Wastewater treatment plants should be designed so that the effluent standards and reuse objectives, and biosolids regulations can be met with reasonable ease and cost. The design should incorporate flexibility for dealing with seasonal changes, as well as long-term changes in wastewater quality and future regulations. Good planning and design, therefore, must be based on five major steps:characterization of the raw wastewater quality and effluent, pre-design studies to develop alternative processes and selection of final process train, detailed design of the selected alternative, contraction, and operation and maintenance of the completed facility. Engineers, scientists, and financial analysts must utilize principles from a wide range of disciplines: engineering, chemistry, microbiology, geology, architecture, and economics to carry out the responsibilities of designing a wastewater treatment plant. The objective of this book is to present the technical and nontechnical issues that are most commonly addressed in the planning and design reports for wastewater treatment facilities prepared by practicing engineers. Topics discussed include facility planning, process description, process selection logic, mass balance calculations, design calculations, and concepts for equipment sizing. Theory, design, operation and maintenance, trouble shooting, equipment selection and specifications are integrated for each treatment process. Thus delineation of such information for use by students and practicing engineers is the main purpose of this book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best book of wastewater treatment plant design
This book is explained very clearly on how to design the WWTP. Especially, it is only book in the world that shows the design examples of the biological nutrient removal treatment processes. All design calculations are shown in every step that necessary for real design. ... Read more

Book Description

The Practical Handbook of Compost Engineering presents an in-depth examination of the principles and practice of modern day composting. This comprehensive book covers compost science, engineering design, operation, principles, and practice, stressing a fundamental approach to analysis throughout. Biological, physical, chemical, thermodynamic, and kinetic principles are covered to develop a unified analytical approach to analysis and an understanding of the process.A brief history of the development of composting systems, which leads to descriptions of modern processes, is presented.The Practical Handbook of Compost Engineering also discusses the elements of successful odor management at composting facilities, including state-of-the-art odor treatment and enhanced atmospheric dispersion. The book is excellent for all engineers, practitioners, plant operators, scientists, researchers, and students in the field. ... Read more

Book Description

All manner of models are used to describe, simulate, extrapolate, and ultimately understand the function of dynamic systems. These sorts of models are usually based upon a mathematical foundation that can be difficult to manipulate especially for students. Modeling for All Scales uses object-oriented programming to erect and evaluate the efficacy of models of small, intermediate and large scale systems. Such models allow users to employ intuitively based symbols and a systems ecology approach. The authors have been leaders in the systems ecology community and have originated much of the scientific vocabulary of the field. After introducing modeling and its benefits, there is a series of chapters detailing the more particular elements of successful simulation. There follows another series of chapters, each devoted to models of different sorts of systems. Small scale models of growth, competition, and evolution give way, successively, to larger and larger scale models such as international trade and the global geobiosphere. Anyone interested in an easy to use approach to modeling complex systems authored by perhaps the most original systems ecologists of the century will want this book. To further enhance the users ability to apply the lessons of this book, there is included a CD-ROM disc which provides the fundamental tools for modeling at all scales.

Key Features
* The book makes it possible to teach modeling and simulation without much prior knowledge of mathematics
* Reasons for modeling and simulation are discussed
* The book makes modeling and simulation fun by keeping focused on simplified overview minimodels that have important principles to science and society
* The steps in successive chapters are arranged so that readers can teach themselves modeling, simulation, and the programming necessary to simulate the systems they diagram
* The CD-ROM has minimodel programs and versions of QuickBasic and EXTEND to run them ... Read more

Book Description

This text provides a foundation in both the theoretical and practical aspects of radiative transfer, for advanced students of atmospheric, oceanic and environmental sciences. The transfer of solar and infrared radiation through optically-thick clouds, aerosol layer, and the oceanic mixed layer is presented through the use of heuristic models of scattering and absorption, and a systematic approach to formulation and solution of the radiative transfer equation. Problems such as the the transmission of ultraviolet radiation through the atmosphere and ocean, remote sensing, solar heating and infrared cooling processes, UV biological dose rates, and Greenhouse warming are solved using a variety of methods. This self-contained, systematic treatment will prepare students from a range of disciplines in problems concerning the effects of solar and infrared radiation on natural systems. The hardback edition received excellent reviews. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Great physical insight solving radiative transfer problems
This text covers a broad range of topics in radiative transfer with clarity and style. What is particularly appreciated is that the text not only provides detailed solutions to radiative transfer problems, but discusses their weaknesses and strengths in practical applications, and also provides unusual insight into their physical meaning. My only complaint is that the notation is somewhat unconventional (for example the single-scattering albedo is represented by 'a'), and this takes some getting used to. ... Read more

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Reviews (9)

Bring this book to the Cape and read it on the beach!
If you really want to know a lot about Cape Cod start here. It is probably the best nature book ever written. Clear and well-thought, it is a journey through a single year in the Cape's history. As I side note: if you are interested in Coast Guard history you will find this book very interesting.

Know Thyself
Henry Beston on the trail of Thoreau's great hike along the cape stays to capture if he can "the very psyche of animals" and rises to metaphysical levels with the greatest command of the English language. Nature exists, he finds, and "creation is here and now." Everything acts, and acts characteristically, and in detailing their interactions he discovers that he is in them also. Outermost house leads inevitably to innermost house.

Thoreau meets Proust on Cape Cod.
I had never heard of Henry Beston until a friend lent me--or, more accurately, pressed on me--his copy of The Outermost House. After reading this book, I understand his sense of urgency: this is a work of unique and lasting beauty, surely one of the greatest nature books ever written. In detailing his year in his cottage at Eastham Beach (now Coast Guard Beach) on the Atlantic side of Cape Cod, Beston combines a Thoreauvian zeal for nature and the examined life with a Proustian ability to record exactly the sight, sound, feel and scent of the world around him. Page after page is filled with unforgettable passages; his descriptions of the markings and songs of the shore birds alone are enough to move you to tears. His story of the plight of a doe caught in an icy flood is almost as suspenseful as a Hitchcock movie; his tribute to the courage of the Coast Guard "surfmen" who rescue shipwrecked sailors is particularly resonant to us who--after Sept. 11, 2001--have learned something about the value of those who safeguard the public. Beston is so quotable a writer that I'm shocked he's not better known. A few quotes should demonstrate:
"Nature is a part of our humanity, and without some awareness and experience of that divine mystery man ceases to be man."
"Man can be either less than man or more than man, and both are monsters, the last more dread."
"Poor body, time and the long years were the first tailors to teach you the merciful use of clothes! Though some scold today because you are too much seen, to my mind, you are not seen fully enough or often enough when you are beautiful."
"Poetry is as necessary to comprehension as science. It is as impossible to live without reverence as it is without joy."
Henry Beston found urban life insupportable in the mid-1920s; who could know the dismay he would feel in 2002, when computers, television and jet planes make the world pass in a blur! Beston is out to teach us how to slow down, to learn to live again according to the patterns and rhythms of nature. For those who are willing to read and understand, The Outermost House remains a haven of peace and beauty.

An American classic
The Outermost House is a classic, not just of natural history literature, but of American literature. If you love the outdoors, or the sea, or prose that flows like poetry, you should keep this small book always nearby. The harried introvert will especially appreciate it: reading even a page or two will transport you to a quiet place where the wind through the dune grass is the only sound that strikes your ear.

In addition to being a great writer, Beston is an acute observer biological phenomena, and not a bad theorist either. His discourse on the relationship other animals bear to us ("They are not brethren, they are not underlings; they are other nations...") does more to unlink the Great Chain of Being than any philosophical essay. And Beston's influence has been wide-ranging, not only among natural history writers, but among writers in general: unless I am mistaken, The Outermost House is one of the sources for the "Dry Salvages" section of T.S. Eliot's Four Quartets. (If no one else has noticed that before, I want coauthorship on the paper!)

Some books are so memorable that parts of them become internalized on first reading. The first time I read The Outermost House, its final sentence -- as graceful an example of polysyndeton as you will find in English -- became mine. Now, I pass it on to you: "For the gifts of life are the earth's, and they are given to all, and they are the songs of birds at daybreak, Orion and the Bear, and dawn seen over ocean from the beach."

A wonderful & relaxing book
The Outermost House is one of my favorite books. Henry Beston has a wonderful writing style that produces vivid images of his year spent living in a small house on the dunes of the beach on Cape Cod in 1926. We see through his eyes a year of seasons passing, birds in migration, storms, shipwrecks, and peaceful solitude.

I've read this book several times. Beston's imagery is excellent, making it easy to picture the Cape Cod setting, see what he saw, walk where he walked, and at the same time feel the sea breeze on your face and relax.

Another tribute to this book is that you can literally open it to any page, any paragraph and find fresh and descriptive writing. Here, I'll pick a truely random page now:

"...Streaming over the dunes, the storm howled on west over the moors. The islands of the marsh were brownish black, the channels leaden and whipped up by the wind; and along the shores of the desolate islands, channel waves broke angrily, chiding, tossing heavy ringlets of lifeless white. A scene of incredible desolation and cold. All day long I kept to my house, building up the fire and keeping watch from the windows..."

I highly recommend this book, I know I will read yet again someday. ... Read more

Book Description

Extensively illustrated, balanced, broad–based, and up–to–date, this book explores the nature and critical issues of all major types of earth resources--energy, metallic, nonmetallic, water, soil--and the impacts that resource usage has on the earth environment. It provides geologic background of resource formation and occurrence of most of the various types of resources; offers an international perspective; discusses resources not only from the scientific point of view, but also from the point of economic, political, historical considerations; and considers how the extraction and use of the resources creates impacts--local or global, immediate or delayed, visible or invisible, singular or cumulative.Minerals: The Foundations of Society. Plate Tectonics and The Origins of Mineral Resources.Earth's Resources Through History. Environmental Impacts of Resource Exploitation and Use. Energy from Fossil Fuels. Nuclear Power and Alternative Energy Sources. Abundant Metals. The Geochemically Scare Metals. Fertilizer and Chemical Minerals. Building Materials and Other Industrial Minerals. Water Resources. Soil as a Resource. Future Resources.For anyone interested in earth resources. ... Read more

Book Description

October 1991. It was "the perfect storm"--a tempest that may happen only once in a century--a nor'easter created by so rare a combination of factors that it could not possibly have been worse. Creating waves ten stories high and winds of 120 miles an hour, the storm whipped the sea to inconceivable levels few people on Earth have ever witnessed. Few, except the six-man crew of the Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing boat tragically headed towards its hellish center.

Reviews (836)

A modern day Moby Dick!
When I started this book, it grabbed me, and I couldn't put it down. Fortunately, it's a relatively short book and can be read in a few hours. Sebastian Junger introduces the reader to the world of long-line swordfishing off the Grand Banks. One comes to know the occasionally wild and sometimes desperate captains and crewmembers of the fishing boats. Junger minutely details the work done and dangers faced by the men (and women) who go to sea (his work as a freelance journalist for Outside and other magazines comes in here).

In this book, Junger gives a "true" account of the Andrea Gail and her crew facing and ultimately losing to the storm of the century in October 1991. He used interviews with the surviving associates of the crew and other research. He then made educated guesses as to what happened when the ship actually sank, since there were no survivors to tell, so that part is historical fiction, if you will.

I heartily recommend this book as a quick exciting read. It made a round-trip flight from Denver to Boston and back pass quickly and saved me from the in-flight movies. I have not seen the movie based on this book, so I cannot pass judgment on the cinema version.

The Perferct Storm eclipses its self-named movie!
I had already seen the cinematic version of this book before reading it the other day, but decided to read it any way. Several folks I know had read it and enjoyed the book, so I was curious.
I'm glad I picked it up and read it. The books back story and additional information blew away what was covered in the movie. Many non-fiction books can be page-yawners, but this was a true page burner. Junger does a great job weaving the dialogue, facts, weather reports, and bits of history in the gripping work to make this so interesting.
The descriptions of Gloucester, it's haunts and people were intriguing. The fisherman's lifestyle of the rich and famous (for a week, anyway ) activities as decribed sounded harsh... but I empathized with their plight and silently applauded their lust for life.
Junger's words created a picture of the fiery sailors, ferocious mako, fighting swordfish, and frenetic actions on board a fishing vessel. It made me appreciate what these sailors deal with twenty hours a day for weeks at a time.
If some of you out there are still hesitant about reading this because you saw the movie... even if you saw it on the big screen... don't be... you need to get this book and devour it.

EVER BEEN THERE?
9 OF 10 ADVENTURE STORIES (INC. WAR STORIES)i find lacking & Mr. Junger & His perfect storm qualifies.Perhaps as a novel it would have worked but unfortunetly it isn't that! While the best combat stories are NOT always written by those who've been there(and the same holds true for sea stories etc.-)the old journalism device of "joining the brotherhood" so as to "understand & qualify" generally doesn't work here.!Had Mr Junger been a commercial fisherman some years before writing his "storm " perhaps I could be less subjective.Conrad was a seaman not because He wanted a license to write! A working Class hero is still something to be (as Mr. Lennon said so well.)---"R.V.N. COMBAT INFANTRY 68-69,TAYLOR DIVING & SALVAGE North Sea -78-79 Ocean Sailor- Force 12experience-ongoing sailor.

The Storm of the Century
Those who make a living catching fish from the ocean are always placing themselves at great risk. They often spend several weeks out in the ocean on a relatively small vessel (usually less than 100 feet in length), hoping that they will land that once- in- a- lifetime catch of fish that will improve their financial well- being.

When things go as planned, the life of a fisherman can be adventurous and rewarding. But when the search for sea- dwelling creatures is interrupted by a violent storm, a fun situation can turn critical and even fatal. Such is the case of the men and women who became stranded at sea in the "storm of the century", back in October of 1991. Also referred to as the "perfect storm", this violent act of nature left many people dead without a trace. Author Sebastian Junger wrote this book about the people who were aboard these boats, with quotes from some of the survivors and speculation about what could have happened to those who never returned.

The "Perfect Storm" occurred in the North Atlantic Ocean, just east of the New England states, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. This area is not normally known for producing violent storms, due to its northern latitude. This sudden turn in the weather took everyone by surprise, including those who were out at sea. They had no forewarning about the intensity of this storm, which seemed to brew up out of nowhere. Most of the captains and crew members have dealt with storms before so they knew what procedures to follow. But nothing could properly prepare them for the massive force with which they were suddenly faced.

Junger spends most of this book talking about the people who manned these boats, the events leading up to when they set sail, and the storm itself. Junger is best when he is describing the actual human events during the storms and the heroic efforts of the Coast Guard and Air National Guard to rescue these sailors. Throughout the book, he gets sidetracked from his story and starts talking about statistics and facts about hurricanes, drowning, rainfall, and other data. Some of these facts are interesting and they add to the enjoyment of the book. Other things are annoying and not very useful and they get in the way of the telling of the story.

Junger makes frequent mention of the "Andrea Gail"- one of the boats that was out in the water when the storm picked up speed and was lost without a trace of anything- people or vessel. It was obviously ripped apart in the storm. Junger mentions it from time to time, and he reports the few facts that are known. While the storm is taking place and afterward, when rescue attempts are being made, there is no more contact with the Andrea Gail. Junger provides some speculative guesses about what was likely taking place on the boat, in an effort to keep the reader informed about this particular fishing vessel. But there is no way to know what was really taking place after the radio communication ended suddenly on October 28, 1991.

Junger writes pretty well throughout this book, and he effectively captures the terror that must have been felt by those who were caught in this violent act of nature. The book could have been better, however, if he had included more interviews and quotes from survivors not only on the boats, but also those who were affected when the storm ran ashore and damaged their coastal properties. It also could have been improved with a better ending. Junger ends the writing suddenly, with a few paragraphs about another vessel whose crew was lost in a storm. There is no conclusion or anything to wrap up the book and summarize the key events. It just ends abruptly.

Finding ones' self caught in a bad storm in the middle of the open sea is frequently- occurring nightmare for some people, but it has become reality for a few. This book shows that the life of a fisherman is not all drinking, fun, and games. There are tremendous risks involved when one decides to spend several weeks at sea, and author Sebastian Junger presents a pretty good book about the perils of this lifestyle. It's a book worth reading, although it could have been better with a few improvements.

Vivid and moving
Very detailed and moving account of the sinking of a ship off the coast of Massachusetts. Paints a very clear picture of the power and unpredictability of the sea and the weather, and what options humans have when they become caught in it. Occasionally overdid the technical information, but overall, a very vivid and good book. ... Read more

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Book Description

Reviews (5)

This book made me want to stay indoors forever
I could not put this book down. It is so gruesome, but every story is true! There are bear attacks, people falling through ice, plane crashes, ice storms...you name it; if it can happen in Alaska, then someone has lived to tell about it! I find it facinating to read about unbearable situations that people have survived. This book isn't for those of you who don't want to read the gory details, but if that's what you live for, then this is your book!!

Good for reading at bedtime or while camping
Alaska, despite its many cities and roads, is still a land with large vistas of wild, untamed territory. Kaniut's book is a collection of several dozen Alaskan tales of death and survival, ranging from plane crashes in poor weather to bear attacks, climbing accidents, entrapment in mudflats as the tidewater poured in, winter stranding on ice floes, badger mauling, frostbite on hunting forays gone wrong, and many other true dramas. While the book is rather limited in its straightforward, no-nonsense approach (one could, without being disrespectful, call the style prosaic), it does make for good bedtime reading before drifting off to sleep. The wildness of nature that demonstrates the numinous aspect of God's creation in the last few chapters of Job can be seen in these stories, reminding us that man is not the master of everything he surveys. Nature is wild, dangerous, and commands attention and respect. Ignore this and you might die or be severely crippled (as some of these stories demonstrate.) Overall, this was not a great book, but a good one, a decent selection to take along on a camping trip.

THE ULTIMATE HUMAN TRIUMPHS AND TRADGEDIES
READING THESE REAL LIFE ACCOUNTS WILL LEAVE YOU MARVELING AT THE POWER OF THE HUMAN SPIRIT AND THE WILLPOWER SOME MEN HAVE TO LIVE. YOU WILL SEE HOW TRADGEDY CAN STRIKE EVEN THE WELL PREPARED AND HOW NATURE CAN PUSH MAN TO UNTHINKABLE LIMITS. BY FAR, LARRY KANIUT'S BEST BOOK.

spine tingling tales make toes curl
As a long time Alaskan, I enjoyed the true to life tales shared by the adventurers within the covers of the book. I found myself pacing the floor as I scanned the pages of this book. Not only was I unable to put it down, I was unable to sit down and read it. Good, book, Mr. Kaniut and contributors.

Bill Zeddies

Mind numbing true adventure!
This is easily the best collection of true adventure tales ever assembled. I was blown away by the courage, danger, and pure adrenaline running through these stories. My advice: run to your nearest bookstore and BUY THIS BOOK! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Excellent Book
As we expect to build a house off the grid in the near future, I found the book very informative and easy to read. It provided me with an excellent description of the various system options available. My only concern is that it was last updated in 1993 and I expect there have been breakthroughs since then on the efficiency of the solar cell.

Solar Electric Home
I found the information provided by the author to be informative and very detailed. He provided a variety of examples for system designs in varying complexities, from Stand-a-lone to Utility Interactive.

My only disappointment in this book was that it seemed to be dated. It appears the last update was in the early 90's and although the principles and formulas are still practical, the equipment described by the author is not up to today's standards.

If you are looking for a book to teach the fundamentals and be thought provoking, this is a good book for you.

...the most comprehensive solar electric book available
Steven Strong's book "The Solar Electric House" is the most comprehensive book available regarding the application of solar-generated electricity (photovoltaics). The book is well organized, well written, and easy to understand.

Although this book was first printed in 1987, it is amazingly current today (1999). I have been using this book since 1987 when I build my stand-alone PV-powered home in Prescott Arizona, and referred to Mr. Strong's book on a regular basis during design and construction of the solar-electric system. I still use this book today -- as the primary textbook in two classes that I teach at Arizona State University: "Introduction to Solar Energy and Photovoltaics" and "Photovoltaic System Design".

A necessary companion for those building a solar house
I have long wanted to be able to harvest the sun's energy for heat and electricity, but I was in doubt about whether the technology was dependable or affordable. Steven Strong's book erased my concerns. While the science of converting the sun's rays to electricity eludes me still, I found Steven's down-to-earth examples reassuring - so much so that we engaged him to design our solar home in Maine. This book will help us all envision a new Millenium with less pollution and more independence. ... Read more

Book Description

Practical Environmental Analysis is supplemented by theoretical material explaining, amongst other concepts, the principles behind each method and the importance of various pollutants. Also included are suggestions for projects and example calculations. ... Read more

Book Description

Geography

On the 25th anniversary of its publication, a new edition of this foundational work on human geography.

In the twenty years since its original publication, Space and Place has not only established the discipline of human geography, but it has proven influential in such diverse fields as theatre, literature, anthropology, psychology, and theology. Eminent geographer Yi-Fu Tuan considers the ways in which people feel and think about space, how they form attachments to home, neighborhood, and nation, and how feelings about space and place are affected by the sense of time. He suggests that place is security and space is freedom: we are attached to the one and long for the other. Whether he is considering sacred versus "biased" space, mythical space and place, time in experiential space, or cultural attachments to space, Tuan's analysis is thoughtful and insightful throughout.

Until retiring in 1998, Yi-Fu Tuan was a professor of geography at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is ranked among the country's most distinguished cultural geographers and has earned numerous honors, among them a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Bracken Award for landscape architecture, and an award for meritorious contribution to geography from the Association of American Geographers.He was recently named the Lauréat d'Honneur 2000 of the International Geographers Union.He is the author of many essays and books, including Escapism (1998) and Cosmos and Hearth (Minnesota, 1999). ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Importance of Meaning in Architecture
This book was one of several books I studied to better understand the role of place in architecture and interior design. It helped me understand the importance of working with clients to understand the meanings they infer from the environment around them. In the book, Tuan highlights the importance of meaning and an insider's view. He describes place as humanized space. The contrast of open space with enclosed, comforting areas enhances both. As a person's emotional bond to a space increases, so do familiarity, comfort, and the sense of insideness. Without personal control over space, this emotional bond is slow to develop. To create place, Tuan suggests that memorable architecture should strenghen our memories, enhance the self, and provide layers of meaning to a space. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Great Environmental Chem Text
I took a web-based environmental chem course, and this book was used in lieu of lectures. The author does an outstanding job of presentation and the text is very well-organized. Includes a lot of current information. The problems within the text are very challenging and reflect real world issues (i.e., PCB concentrations in the Great Lakes) My only criticism is that the chapters are sometimes overly long. Other than that, this is one of the best E-chem texts I've come up against, and I certainly learned more from it than I would have from listening to a prof lecturing for a term. Recommended highly!

Good presentation of a broad topic.
I am also a chemistry student and I found the book to be rather easy, but that is because the text is very clearly written with good presentation and concise wording. It is certainly a good place to start in trying to understand an environmental problem, especially if the readers background in chemistry is only on a general and limited organic level.

Informative, easy to understand
Environmetal chemistry is a very helpful book for studensts in environmental chemistry studies. But as a pure chemistry student i find some parts of the book too easy, even boring at times, specially the chapters on organic environmental chemistry.On the other hand the chapters on physical environmental chemistry are very good and contain challenging problems. ... Read more

Book Description

Bjørn Lomborg, a former member of Greenpeace, challenges widely held beliefs that the world environmental situation is getting worse and worse in his new book, The Skeptical Environmentalist. Using statistical information from internationally recognized research institutes, Lomborg systematically examines a range of major environmental issues that feature prominently in headline news around the world, including pollution, biodiversity, fear of chemicals, and the greenhouse effect, and documents that the world has actually improved. He supports his arguments with over 2500 footnotes, allowing readers to check his sources.Lomborg criticizes the way many environmental organizations make selective and misleading use of scientific evidence and argues that we are making decisions about the use of our limited resources based on inaccurate or incomplete information. Concluding that there are more reasons for optimism than pessimism, he stresses the need for clear-headed prioritization of resources to tackle real, not imagined, problems. The Skeptical Environmentalist offers readers a non-partisan evaluation that serves as a useful corrective to the more alarmist accounts favored by campaign groups and the media.Bjørn Lomborg is an associate professor of statistics in the Department of Political Science at the University of Aarhus. When he started to investigate the statistics behind the current gloomy view of the environment, he was genuinely surprised. He published four lengthy articles in the leading Danish newspaper, including statistics documenting an ever-improving world, and unleashed the biggest post-war debate with more than 400 articles in all the major papers. Since then, Lomborg has been a frequent participant in the European debate on environmentalism on television, radio, and in newspapers. ... Read more

Reviews (276)

Lomborg is skeptical of agendas
Lomborg educates the reader about using statistics to arrive at conclusions in a political environment. His book operates at the levels of statistical methodology and analysis. Method requires using the best available data, including both the data points that support and detract from the thesis, and plotting the data in every way that makes sense.

His premise is that most of the statistical analyses put forth by environmentalists support an activist agenda. Support the Kyoto Protocol to stop global warming. Eliminate pesticides. No frankenfoods. Swap your SUV for a bicycle. Don't eat meat. Put a high tax on gasoline because we are running out of oil. His observation is that advocates often tend to use sloppy statistics to support radical positions. They incite fear that things are getting worse, whereas by almost any statistical measure life on earth is getting better in almost every way.

After presenting his methodology, Lomborg looks into the trends for world hunger, illness and mortality, pollution, depletion of natural resources and energy sources and global warming. Statistics in large measure disprove a number trends that we have been lead to fear: the increase in the incidence of cancer and infectious diseases, air and water pollution and the health risks associated with pesticides. Though statistics support other trends such as the hole in the ozone layer, extinctions, fossil fuel depletion and global warming, Lomborg finds that the extent of the problem, the projected direction and scale, and the threats are often terribly overblown.

Lomborg observes that statistics about the environment are inevitably politicized because they feed a political process. What problems need to be addressed, how do we address them, and how much and whose money do we use to do it? Above than that there is a question of whose values will be imposed on the society. Will we outlaw frivolous consumption just because it wastes our resources?

A key conclusion, certainly not original with Lomborg, is the need to impose a calculus on the value of human life. Because legislators act out of fear rather than fact, some environmental regulations cost $20 billion per life saved while others cost virtually nothing. While savings lives is certainly good, the obvious conclusion is that far more lives would be bettered by choosing the cheaper options, and in fact more good might result from spending a sum like $20 billion on education rather than the environment. Educated people live longer.

Lomborg would purport that his own agenda is to advance the understanding and use of scientific method. His statistics demonstrate he is not in the pay of the tobacco or oil companies. I think he's right, and would ask that a skeptical reader question the motivation of his detractors.

Is the glass half empty of half full?
Firstly, this book is very controversial. *Mr Lomborg's basic assertion, is that the state of the world, as a whole, and human life in general, is getting better, not worse, and that the alarmist claims of some environmentalists are exaggerated*.

Mr Lomborg is an expert in statistics, with a background in political science. A very readable and up to date overview of the human and environmental state of the world is presented, and includes:

a) Human welfare-life expectancy, infant mortality, infectious disease rates, food availability, dietary habits.
b) future human prosperity based on measurable trends-forest cover, energy resources, non-energy resources, water availability and quality.
c) pollution issues-air, acid rain, indoor pollution, allergies and asthma, water pollution (eg Exxon Valdez and other oil spills), waste issues.
d) Future issues-chemical, pesticides, cancer rates and causes, GM foods, biodiversity, extinction, global warming-causes and consequences.

The first 2 chapters concern discussion of the more common doomsday reports, the underlying assumptions upon which some of these are based, and the problems of a sensationalist-driven media. It is obvious from these initial discussions, and what is just common sense, that selective reporting and human politics pervades environmentalism as much as any other human activity. What Mr Lomborg tries to show, is that we need to channel peoples concerns and energies, as much as possible, into real priorities concerning the environment, and not rely on the doomsday theorists to frighten us by selective use of statistics, and thus clouding issues of prioritisation.

He presents longer term trends to show how human welfare is in some ways getting much better (infant mortality, illness decline, technological advance, increased wealth, life expectancy), however some or much of this is undoubtedly due to 'environmental' achievements (such as lower pollution, regulation of food and drugs). Many environmentalists of course contend that human prosperity is occurring at the great expense of the environment in general, however Mr Lomborg's general assertion is that this effect itself is declining, not increasing, even as humans increase-(eg due to better technology, more efficient use of resources, recycling, research, alternative materials, environmental priorities, etc).

One major concern in the book is that there seems to be little express acknowledgement that the committment, energy, and scientific concern that people genuinely concerned about the environment, misguided in some instances or not, have had on the very statistics which he presents. It is implied, but not expressly discussed.

His assertion that biodiversity decline is real but grossly exaggerted is one of his more questionable assertions. He challenges the specialist biologists on this matter directly, and I think here, as in a few other cases, he is mistaken, claiming that extinction rates over the next 50 years are likely to be 'only' about 0.7%. It even seems that he uses weaknesses in his detractors arguments to support some of his assertions, eg that because we can't measure species decline in many small species for example, this means it is exaggerated. What also is not discussed, is whether some of the effects of this decline are overstated. Ecosystems are interconnected and fragile, but if a more benign species increases at the expense of a less benign species, is this desirable? Are selective pressures partially manageable?

Whilst he has made some very good points, especially with regards to human welfare (the past was never a 'golden age'), he does appear to have overstated his case with regards to more direct environmental issues (eg extinction, biodiversity, forest cover). It is important to stress that Mr Lomborg does some very good work in exposing some blatant and serious mistakes about environmental data (eg the claim that 40% of deaths are caused by pollution, that we woud run out of oil by 1992). In covering a range of difficult scientific specialities, no doubt he has made some factual errors. (I can see one with regard to my field of geology-there is no mention of the problem of rate of extraction of oil shale/tar sands). But the point is not trivial mistakes, but broad themes, are things getting worse or better?-well it really depends on what you are referring to.

Some people have pointed out that the material in this book will be used by those in power to further their own exploitative ends and/or maintain the status quo. Of course, unfortunately, this is true. But what this book is trying to explain, is that *these sorts of things also go on amongst those who have an active concern for the world*. It simply isn't always as obvious.

Mr Lomborg, I hope, is not about undermining the passion of those who are actively concerned about this beautiful planet. What he is about, is targetting and setting this good energy where it needs to be, in informed decision making. People like to see things in relative terms-the glass is "half full" or "half empty", but really without proper use of statistics and a good understanding of that great leveller-time-we often can't see what is 'relatively' going on. That is what this book is about-what we need to chose to do, what to prioritise, what to use and what to save-natures cup, not constraining human delusions.

There is nothing to be skeptical about
This book shows concern for the earth's environment, but at the same time refutes catastrophic ecological events and processes. It's clear that both sides (environmentalists vs. everyone else) have their own agendas, which is why they argue their viewpoints as they do. So many biases based on innumerable experiences, ideologies, faiths, etc. come into play when discussing environmental issues that any debate is futile unless certain standards are set. In my view, this book is used best for studying the data provided, and making a conclusion based on your own educated reasoning - of course not until you have read the same data as interpreted by true blue 'environmentalists'. Data can be manipulated in countless ways to accommodate many viewpoints, so instead of looking at numbers in order to prove their point, I would say it's time to use some common sense, and perhaps some plain old human emotion to determine our environmental policy stances. The book itself is well written, interesting, and informative, but I wouldn't use it as a sole basis for determining an environmental viewpoint.

Interesting debate
I have read the (book-length) debates between the author and environmental scientists, and from that I've learned a tremendous amount about the extent of our knowledge of weather and ecosystems. The most informative debate is Lomborg's point-by-point rebuttal of criticism which appeared in Scientific American. (You can find all of this on the web.) In a nutshell, the scientists do not sound very scientific.

I think there is a reason for the disgust of many scientists. Lomborg attacks the evidence of several kinds of environmental catastrophe. The scientists, on the other hand, begin from a conservative point of view in their concern for the mere possibility of irreparable damage to the earth. They are obviously correct to realize that we cannot afford to lose the earth, and we should therefore be wary of any significant perturbation made by mankind.

I believe that the scientists get angry because Lomborg refutes their favorite arguments in favor of strict environmental policies, those which purport that a catastrophe has already begun. Lomborg, on the other hand, does not understand that the strongest argument is that we can always be wrong.

We cannot afford a mistake which destroys our only viable planet, which is why we must limit the global impact of our activities. But this is not the point addresed by either Lomborg or his critics.

Lomborg has done a significant service in pointing out some flaws and biases in scientific research, but you would learn more by following the debates than by reading this large, tendentious book.

Doom for the doomsayers
This excellent book illustrates that the world isn't on the verge of some "Day After Tommorrow" Apocalypse. If you need this proven to you, if you're skeptical of the skeptics, you should read this book w/ an open mind. Many environmentalists are sincere--however, many are members of a "secular" cult, reverse-evangelicals, who have a God (Mother Nature), a Devil (Man), prophets (Ehrlich, Nader), demons (Capitalists), a way of salvation (Green Socialism), and a nightmare Armageddon (when Nature takes her vengeance on man's greed). The former, the reasonable people should read this book, because they can be persuaded by Lomborg's most important thesis: that the solution to whatever environmental problems we face, will come from economic growth, not anti-industrialism, anti-globalization.

The Kyoto Treaty is not the solution, but would actually exacerbate the problem of Global Warming by restraining technological development and human employment. You want a worldwide Great Depression, put the Kyoto Treaty in practice, and then see if mankind has the collective resources to find alternative sources of fuel or, heck, build new air conditioners. Lomborg shows that as the economy grows, so does environmental problems like pollution reduce.

He also shows that the warming and cooling of the Earth is cyclical, possibly (or probably) tied to Sunspots. At the end of the Medieval Period, the earth was as warm as it is now (possibly warmer), and 1400-1900 the Earth was in a mini-Ice Age. London had worse pollution in 1700 than today. I guess you could say that the internal combustion engine is so metaphysically evil, so powerful, that it's vile emissions travelled back in time to warm the earth around 1300 and to pollute London in 1700. But more likely, the .6% increase in worldwide temperature since 1900 is the result of the workings of the solar system and not evil, vile technology. ... Read more

Book Description

This book systematically covers underlying principles of hydrology in chapters 1 - 10 and then delves deeper into the application of these principles to practical problems in the field throughout the remainder of the prose.Covers all aspects of the hydrologic cycle, and the manner in which they may be modified to deal with floods, droughts, potable water supply and urban drainage.For anyone who expect to become involved in programs that are concerned with the development, management and protection of water resources. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

???????
This book is a VERY difficult read. Not only do you need to try and understand the concepts of hydrology but you must also attempt to navigate your way through a confusing maze of "wording" that could easily have been more understandable. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1992 the Centre of Environmental Science (CML) at LeidenUniversity, The Netherlands, published a Guide on Environmental LifeCycle Assessment (LCA) methodology. Many copies of this guide havebeen sold all over the world, setting the standard for a longtime.Since then LCA methodology has progressed enormously and theInternational Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published aseries of Standards on LCA. These developments have now beenincorporated into a new Handbook on LCA authored by CML incooperation with a number of other important institutes in the area ofLCA. The general aim of this Handbook on LCA is to provide a stepwise`cookbook' with operational guidelines for conducting an LCA studystep-by-step, justified by a scientific background document, based onthe ISO Standards for LCA. The different ISO elements and requirementsare made operational to the `best available practice' for each step.This book will appeal to persons from a wide range of scientificdisciplines working in industry, in government, as consultants, or atuniversity, who are interested in learning more about LCA and inperforming LCA studies. It will be of especial interest to studentsand researchers in the field of LCA, industrial ecology, and thoseinterested in environmental sciences in general. CML is strongly involved in the development of a standard methodologyto determine environmental impacts of products, i.e., LCA. This isdone within international fora such as the Society for EnvironmentalToxicology and Chemistry (SETAC), the International Organization forStandardization (ISO), and the United Nations Environmental Programme(UNEP). ... Read more

Book Description

Environmental Soil Physics is a completely updated and modified edition of the Daniel Hillels previous, successful books, Introduction to Soil Physics and Fundamentals of Soil Physics. Hillel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, one of the true leaders in the field of environmental sciences. The new version includes a chapter and problems on computational techniques, addresses current environmental concerns and trends.

* Updates and expands the scope of Hillel's prior works, Fundamentals of Soil Physics (1980)and Applications of Soil Physics (1980)
* Explores the wide range of interactions among the phases in the soil and the dynamic interconnections of the soil with the subterranean and atmospheric domains
* Draws attention to historical and contemporary issues concerning the human management of soil and water resources
* Directs readers toward solution of practical problems in terrestrial ecology, field-scale hydrology, agronomy, and civil engineering
* Incorporates contributions by leading scientists in the areas of spatial variability, soil remediation, and the inclusion of land-surface processes in global climate models ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a civil engineer /hydrologist
a great book for reference and detailed study . clear concepts and i believe a must buy for studying transport through soils ... Read more

Book Description

Completely updated to keep pace with current technology.
* Provides a firm grounding the fundamentals, theory, and latest techniques.
* Includes completely updated case studies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Paper or plastic? Cloth or disposable? Regular or organic? Every day, environmentally conscious consumers are faced with the overwhelming catch-22 of a capitalist society--reconciling the harm we do by consuming, while still providing ourselves and our families with the goods and services we need. It's enough to make a city dweller crazy. Fret no more! The Union of Concerned Scientists has put together a well-researched and eminently practical guide to the decisions that matter. The authors hope that the book will help you set priorities, stop worrying about insignificant things, and understand the real environmental impacts of household decisions. For instance, you may be surprised to learn that buying and eating meat and poultry is much more harmful to the environment than the packaging the meat is wrapped in, even if it's Styrofoam. This guide takes on both sides of the consumer-impact argument, goring sacred cows of the environmentalist movement (like the strident emphasis on recycling) and the industrialist perspective (like the relentless message to buy more, more, more). If you're confused and overwhelmed by all the environmental decision-making in the modern world, you'll find new inspiration in this book. --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A great practical book for the environmentally-concerned
This book, written by two PhD scientists, documents and explains what actions consumers can take to help the environment. Unlike some other books on the subject, it is not just a laundry list of ideas...The authors have built a model which attempts to assess the environmental impact of various consumer products ranging from refrigerators to diapers.
The basic conclusions are that some things are worth worrying about (e.g., what kind of car you drive and how much you drive, how energy-efficient your house and the major appliances you own are, what sort of food you eat). Others are not (e.g., "paper of plastic", cloth or disposible diapers, occasional use of disposible cups and silverware). Perhaps the best summary of the conclusions is provided by Denis Hayes (Chair of Earth Day 2000) as quoted on the back cover: "Too many people drive their Land Rovers to the grocery store and think 'paper or plastic' is a meaningful choice. [This book] will help you to distinguish the crucial from the trivial and make choices that are congruent with your values."
I found this book to be an excellent attempt to assess the environmental consequences of one's lifestyle choices. It is not the last word on the subject, of course. No such study is perfect. However, the results are cogently and honestly presented (and with good humor too). I think it sets a new high standard for discussions about how to protect the environment through your purchases.

Wonderful information for concerned but confused consumers
The "Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices" offers an excellent and inspiring look at choices that we consumers make every day in a clear, objective and interesting way. The authors offer plenty of information to help concerned folks make decisions on a daily basis, keeping in mind that most people would rather focus on several changes in lifestyle that will make a big impact rather than worrying about small or negligible actions. They also suggest steps for improving policies of local, state and national government. Excellent resources are included for further information on a number of issues, including websites. This is an empowering, extremely practical book, which I would recommend for everyone, especially well-intentioned but guilt-ridden, overwhelmed people like me.

Thought-provoking
This book is a guide to spending your money in a way that does less harm to the environment than the way you are spending it now. The authors began their book by undertaking a project to identify the greatest environmental problems caused by consumer activities, and find ways to measure which consumer activities cause the most damage. First, they gathered data about environmental problems, compared the data and analyzed the numbers. Through this research, they determined that the greatest environmental problems in the US related to consumer activities are air pollution, global warming, habitat alteration, and water pollution.

Having determined the greatest environmental problems related to consumption, they then looked at all the ways a household consumes, and quantified the percent of the household's total environmental damage caused by each item on their list. This enabled them to determine which items on the list are most damaging. Another way they looked at consumption was to take the average cost of each item on the list, and calculate the environmental damage associated with each dollar of expenditure in that category. This is used to find which items on the list give us the worst bang for the buck.

Based on these numerical calculations, the authors determined that the worst consumer activities that the average household engages in are cars and light trucks, meat and poultry, fruit, vegetables, and grains, home heating, hot water, and air conditioning, household appliances and lighting, home construction, and household water and sewage. With the worst activities identified in this way, they go on to make the following suggestions to address these specific items: choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive; think twice before purchasing another car; choose a fuel-efficient, low-polluting car; set goals for reducing your travel; whenever practical, walk, bicycle, or take public transportation; eat less meat, buy certified organic produce; choose your home carefully; reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water; install efficient lighting and appliances; choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy.

The authors also point out some non-issues, like landfill space, paper vs. plastic shopping bags, disposable vs. cloth diapers, styrofoam cups, and cotton vs. synthetic materials for clothing. In each of these cases, either the environmental harm of the item is often played up out of proportion to the harm caused by other consumer activities, or the two choices are more or less equal in terms of environmental damage caused. The authors argue that if we really want to make a difference, we need to focus our efforts on the big items, like transportation, food, and housing, rather than on these minor items. There's no sense putting a lot of effort into using cloth napkins instead of paper while ignoring the fact that you have an old water-hog clothes washer and an electric full-time water heater in a room lit by incandescent bulbs.

The authors also include a chapter on priority actions government should take to decrease damage to the environment. There is an epilogue by Susan Strasser covering the history of consumption in America, an appendix, where the authors describe their research methods and results, a second appendix providing resources for concerned consumers, footnotes citing sources of data and statistics, and an index.

Overall, I found the book quite interesting. In reading the appendix covering the methods and results, I am not completely convinced I agree with all of their methodology. In general though, the results the authors come to are plausible. One direction I would like to investigate next is to complete the cost-benefit analysis. In this book, the authors mainly focus on costs- -what are the environmental costs of each activity? But what if we were to focus on benefits instead, and ask, what are the environmental benefits of taking each action that they suggest? For example, if all Americans gave up their private cars and trucks tomorrow in favor of public transit and bikes, the environmental benefits would be obviously tremendous. But what would happen if all Americans became vegetarians tomorrow? How would the environmental impact shake out then? It would be interesting for the authors to do a follow-up study that quantifies potential environmental improvements based on each type of consumer action aimed at reducing environmental costs. These results could be compared with the costs of the associated actions to the consumers in terms of money and time. Then we would have even better answers about prioritizing our actions aimed at lessening our environmental load.

Very interesting and easy to apply in your life
This books is very good and gives clear updated information about what are the choices you can take in your life to avoid causing bad consequences to the environment.

They can easily be applied in your life, often saving you money too.

I feel that people need to be educated about the consequences and repercussions that their daily choices and lifestyles can cause. It is essential to realize that our children will not be able to live in the same beautiful environment we grew up into, if we don't revise our wasteful, egocentric and inconsiderate behavior.

Also check their web site, http://www.ucsusa.org/
a lot of information there as well.

Roberto

You really CAN make a difference!
If you're like me, you feel overwhelmed at times with environmental problems: global warming, water depletion and pollution, ozone alerts, animal waste ru