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

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 runoff, garbage, plastic, etc. etc. So much seems to be broken that it's difficult to figure out what to begin fixing--especially when you're just an average consumer. Where to begin? And even if you do begin, can you really make a difference?

The virtue of this *Consumer's Guide* is that the authors help us separate the urgent from the not-so-urgent, the easily doable from the this'll-take-more-time-and-effort. They pinpoint three major areas in our consumption in which we can make immediate changes that really do impact for the better on the environment: vehicle usage, how we heat/cool our homes,and what we eat. Almost all of us use our cars more than we need to, and a growing number of us have vehicles much larger than we really need; all of us can do better about insulating our homes, cutting down on electricity, and using environmental-friendly appliances; and we don't really need to eat as much meat as we do--growing food animals is a colossal waste of grain protein as well as a major water and air polluter.

Just as handy, the *Consumer Guide* gives tips for social and political as well as individual action. Changing one's own behavior is essential; but building coalitions with others and putting pressure on corporations and the government to be more eco-responsible is essential too.

Finally, Susan Strasser's concluding essay, "From Walden to Wal-Mart," a reflective analysis of our consumerist culture, is by itself worth the price of the book. Very nice indeed!

So get this book, read it, and take hope: you CAN make a difference! ... Read more

Book Description

David Quammen's book, The Song of the Dodo, is a brilliant, stirring work, breathtaking in its scope, far-reaching in its message -- a crucial book in precarious times, which radically alters the way in which we understand the natural world and our place in that world. It's also a book full of entertainment and wonders.

In The Song of the Dodo, we follow Quammen's keen intellect through the ideas, theories, and experiments of prominent naturalists of the last two centuries. We trail after him as he travels the world, tracking the subject of island biogeography, which encompasses nothing less than the study of the origin and extinction of all species. Why is this island idea so important? Because islands are where species most commonly go extinct -- and because, as Quammen points out, we live in an age when all of Earth's landscapes are being chopped into island-like fragments by human activity.

Through his eyes, we glimpse the nature of evolution and extinction, and in so doing come to understand the monumental diversity of our planet, and the importance of preserving its wild landscapes, animals, and plants. We also meet some fascinating human characters. By the book's end we are wiser, and more deeply concerned, but Quammen leaves us with a message of excitement and hope. ... Read more

Reviews (52)

Thoughtful, entertaining, and important
*The Song of the Dodo* is a very long book on what some of us believe to be a vitally important subject, the ongoing loss of worldwide bioversity. Anyone interested in the fate of the world's wild creatures and yes, the fate of the world itself should read it and will likely enjoy it.

David Quammen does an exemplary job of leading his readers through almost two centuries of significant ideas and debates related to "island biogeography," a subject which is a lot more interesting and certainly a lot more significant than it might sound. Begining with the fascinating story of the Darwin vs. Wallace story vis-a-vis "who really came up with the theory of evolution first?" Quammen goes on to explain and illustrate just why the biogeography of islands is so important to any consideration of biodiversity and wildlife conservation for the world as a whole.

In weaving this historical narrative, Quammen doesn't just encapsulate theories (though he does this in some detail), he takes his reader into the field where the sometimes abstract principles behind diversity/rarity/extinction are actually demonstrated through the predicaments faced by various creatures. Quammen ventures to the Aru Islands, the Galapagos, Madagascar, Guam, Tasmania, Mauritius, Barro Colorado Island in Panama, the Amazonian rain forest, and on and on. It's a veritable world tour of places where rare and endangered animals struggle for existence in a world where human encroachment is causing an alarming acceleration in the rate of species extinction.

Through his mostly fascinating discussion of places, species, and biologeographical theories and the people behind those theories, Quammen shows an unusual ability to restate abstruse ideas in clear and understandable terms. He also writes with humor, a gentle and humane world-view, and an excellent eye for empirical detail.

For me, the most painful chapter was "Rarity Unto Death," in which he recounts selected stories revealing how various animals (and peoples) have been lost to extinction. The discussions of the extinction of the dodo and other wild creatures are terribly sad; the horrifying tale of the demise of the Tasmanian aborigines is heart-rending and infuriating.

In the end, Quammen's workmanlike effort establishes a "big picture" demonstrating how small, isolated ecosystems render their wild inhabitants increasingly vulnerable to extinction. We come to see that the biological notion of "islands" applies increasingly not just to small land bodies surround by water, but to more and more of our continental ecosystems as they are carved up into isolated pockets of habitat through human encroachment and development. Indeed, increasingly, the world's ecosystems are composed of various kinds of "islands," a situation that threatens to result in catastrophic losses of biodiversity over time.

That the situation is not entirely hopeless for all creatures is shown by the remarkable, human-aided recovery of the Mauritius kestrel, rescued in recent years from the very brink of extinction. But certainly the message overall delivered by Quammen is not a comforting or upbeat one.

In a book of this length and scope, there inevitably will be sections that particular readers may not like. I found the chapter on theorists McArthur and Wilson a bit pedantic and boring in places, partly due to the very abstruse nature of their mathematical theories. However, it also irked me a bit that Quammen took such an awe-filled, uncritical attitude here, particularly in his worshipful presentation of his audience with the Great Man, Edward O. Wilson. Wilson is a towering figure in the history of biology and biography, certainly but a few words of criticism might have been in order here. Yes, the leftist activitists of the mid-seventies were out of line in pouring water on Wilson's head at a scientific meeting and their accusations toward him vis-a-vis his theories of sociobiology were shrill and excessive. But the truth is that some of Wilson's human-related "speculations" in the final chapter of his book on sociobiology *were* overreaching, inappropriate, and yes, foolish, and he deserved some of the criticism he received. In providing a discussion of the furor raised by the mathematical grand theorizing proposed by MacArthur and Wilson and other scientists beginning in the sixties, Quammen also could have pointed out that the often emotional debate over "mathematical modeling" vs. "detailed, real world empirical research" took place (and in some ways, continues) not just in the biological sciences but in a large number of academic fields. Whereas it's easy to dismiss extremist critics of truly useful mathematical models as narrow-minded or antediluvian, the proliferation of derivative, marginal, and in some cases, fairly useless "quantitative models" has at times threatened to eviscerate various fields of study, emptying them of virtually all attention to empirical detail and rendering them arid and lifeless.

I also was just a tad disappointed in the book's final section, where Quammen pays all too short shrift, in my view, to the question of "so what?" as it relates to the ongoing loss of world biodiversity. He makes the point that human encroachment is creating mass extinctions, but really doesn't drive home his thoughts as to why urban dwellers with no plans to visit the rainforest or the Galapagos should really care. I guess to Quammen the tragedy represented by this trend is self-evident, but what's really frightening to some of us is just how easy it is for people to live out their lives without ever having to give a darn about these broad, long-term issues of biodiversity. The question, "Why should people care?" needed atleast a bit more attention, I think.

Overall, however, this is a fine, readable, well-crafted, and wonderful book. I salute David Quammen for his accomplishment.

A great book about ecology and travel
This is unquestionably the finest book I've read that explains biogeography and population ecology in clear, concise English for the average intelligent person interested in the natural world who lacks a background in science. Quammen deserves highest praise for devoting much time to learn relevant science and then disseminating this knowledge to his readers. Much to my amazement, Quammen fully understands the implications of MacArthur's and Wilson's theory of island biogeography, encompassing such diverse subjects as determining the appropriate size of wildlife refuges to studying cycles of mass extinction in the marine invertebrate fossil record. He gives compelling descriptions of Alfred R. Wallace, Robert H. MacArthur, and E. O. Wilson as scientists and people, pointing out the importance of Wallace's and MacArthur's work towards our understanding of biogeography and indeed, of biological diversity. To his credit, Quammen mentions other signficiant players, such as Ernst Mayr, Daniel Simberloff, Jared Diamond, and of course, Charles Darwin himself. Mixed successfully with biography and scientific research are lyrical passages about the many islands Quammen visited in pursuit of Wallace's footsteps and ongoing important ecological research. Anyone wishing to catch more than a glimpse of great science and how it pertains directly to preserving endangered species should read this magnificient book.

From Anecdotes to Science
This is a terrific read on important biological questions which lie in the scientific stratum far above the world of molecular biology, which has come to dominate so much of the field, almost to the point of extinguishing the venerable methods of systematics, evolution, and field studies of actual organisms. Quammen transports us into a world where interactions of animals in real ecological systems are the object of study, charming us into seeing its importance, and introducing us to the people who are working to advance our understanding of the natural world.

The central theme of the book is the importance that islands have played in this area of research, starting from the work of Darwin and Wallace, extending to the modern work of men such as E. O. Wilson, Macarthur, Simberloff, and Lovejoy. What is revealed is a science progressing from anecdotes and scattered observations of curiosities to something with its own generalizations and laws that can be have an increasing certainty, backed by sound statistical studies, and that produces graphs and tables, equations, useful computer models and testable hypotheses. The majesty of the process is astounding.

Quammen writes clearly and spares no effort to involve the reader, mixing a historical treatment of the process, interviews of the modern players, and his own thrilling explorations of the remote islands--he splendidly communicates his excitement and involvement.

Excellent overall, but...
Quammen has an engaging writing style that cuts through the scientific jargon and allows the layman to feel as if he understands the broad issues that occupy biogeography. His historical account (from Wallace and Darwin up to the present) of how we've come to understand speciation and extinction is captivating.

Contrary to what some other reviewers have said, he does NOT disparage Darwin. He merely highlights some aspects of the Darwin/Wallace controversy that are not well-known to the average person. Wallace may have been 'rehabilitated' long ago in the scientific community, but to the average person Darwin is the "father of the theory of evolution", so Quammen's discussion -which emphasizes that both deserve alot of credit-is a useful antidote for that.

Where i take issue with Quammen is his failure to tie declining bio-diversity with any stakes for humans beyond the aesthetic. He strikes me as being guilty of "biological snobbery". Take, for example, the cases where an island that was previously filled with wondrous songbirds and exotic, unique lizards is overrun by rats, pigs, and house cats that were brought to the island by humans. The rats, et al. either eat the exotic wildlife or so alter the environment that they can't survive, thereby going extinct. Quammen obviously considers these situations to be tragic. He disparages the newly-arrived animals as "pestiferous" (p.561), or "junk" or an "ecological blight" (pp.562). His tone is rather gleeful when he describes how a bioligist kills a "pest species" mongoose by bashing its skull against a rock, and when another researcher squashes a "pest species" preying mantis between his fingers. Quammen seems to *like*, in an aesthetic sense, birds of paradise and cinnamon-coated lemures more than rats and cats, and that colors his analysis.

But beyond the aesthetic, why should anyone care if cats overrun a tropical island and kill off the native turtles? Why are the cats any less entitled to live there than the birds are? The turtles reached the island some time in the past by floating in on flotsam, the rats by stowing away on a ship. What's less "natural" about the latter than the former?

Quammen doesn't explain that, so the reader is left wondering what the stakes for humanity or for "the planet" actually are.

A wonderful, important book.
I don't usually write reviews of books that already have a bunch here, but this book is important enough to make an exception.
I forget now how I came across this book, but I'm glad I did. Quammen writes in very clear prose, keeps the story moving, and provides a wealth of detail. If I were the editor, I might have shortened some of the personal accounts, but that's about the strongest criticism I can come up with.
The book explicates the theory of island biogeography, the theory of islands are where species develop, and that in a larger sense, continents are both islands and collections of islands. It's much more complicated than that, but I don't read thousand-word reviews, so I shouldn't write one.

The book is complete, and very well thought out. Midway through the book, as he's discussing species extinctions, I'm thinking, why doesn't he talk about the passenger pigeon? And, in the next chapter he does.

One of the things he does is remind us of WHY the theory of evolution became unavoidable to a generation of people trained in Biblical literalism (Darwin himself was a Anglican seminary graduate, and took his voyage on the Beagle before settling down as a parish priest.) There's a "movement" nowadays which purports to prove that there's no real evidence for evolution, that It's really a lie told by Bible-hating scientists. If this book did nothing but dispel that myth, it would be worth reading. (a synopsis of his account would take me a couple of pages.) But it does more, so much more that.
A modern book discussing extinctions must almost inevitably be depressing, but he manages to close the book with a note of hope, almost triumph.
Read this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Hydrodynamics and Transport for Water Quality Modeling presents a complete overview of current methods used to describe or predict transport in aquatic systems, with special emphasis on water quality modeling. The book features detailed descriptions of each method, supported by sample applications and case studies drawn from the authors' years of experience in the field. Each chapter examines a variety of modeling approaches, from simple to complex. This unique text/reference offers a wealth of information previously unavailable from a single source.The book begins with an overview of basic principles, and an introduction to the measurement and analysis of flow. The following section focuses on rivers and streams, including model complexity and data requirements, methods for estimating mixing, hydrologic routing methods, and unsteady flow modeling. The third section considers lakes and reservoirs, and discusses stratification and temperature modeling, mixing methods, reservoir routing and water balances, and dynamic modeling using one-, two-, and three-dimensional models. The book concludes with a section on estuaries, containing topics such as origins and classification, tides, mixing methods, tidally averaged estuary models, and dynamic modeling. Over 250 figures support the text.This is a valuable guide for students and practicing modelers who do not have extensive backgrounds in fluid dynamics. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Environmetal Studies
This book provides a good fundamentals on learning the movement of water and chemicals in water. The different conepts in applying models for a specific study can be judged using this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Indoor Air Quality: Sampling Methodologies provides environmental professionals and industrial hygienists with the latest information available in "indoor air quality sampling." In most instances, there are no established government protocols. In this book, the author presents prominent contributions and discusses the practical concerns that determine which sampling approach is best for a given situation.The author defines and clarifies indoor air quality and its historic background. She presents a diagnostic approach to addressing health concerns, brief overview of air handling systems, observations to be made regarding indoor activities, information regarding air emissions from other buildings, and a discussion of individual susceptibilities to various substances. The book covers sampling strategies, sampling/analytical protocols, suggested uses for these protocols, and a means for interpreting results. A one-of-a-kind, practical guide for assessing indoor air quality, this book gives you step-by-step instructions for all sampling tasks and includes background information, occurrence and uses of contaminants, exposure and diagnostic sampling and analytical protocols, and helpful hints based on the author's observations and experience. It shows you how to develop a theory and follow it through to identification of unknown air contaminants. The book contains more than 150 charts, tables, photographs, and drawings and includes an extensive glossary and symptoms index. No other book offers you the concise, in-depth, and practicalcoverage you will find in Indoor Air Quality: Sampling Methodologies. ... Read more

Book Description

Raymond S. Bradley provides his readers with a comprehensive and up-to-date review of all of the important methods used in paleoclimatic reconstruction, dating and paleoclimate modeling. Two comprehensive chapters on dating methods provide the foundation for all paleoclimatic studies and are followed by up-to-date coverage of ice core research, continental geological and biological records, pollen analysis, radiocarbon dating, tree rings and historical records. New methods using alkenones in marine sediments and coral studies are also described. Paleoclimatology, Second Edition, is an essential textbook for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate students studying climatology, paleoclimatology and paleooceanography worldwide, as well as a valuable reference for lecturers and researchers, appealing to archaeologists and scientists interested in environmental change.

* Contains two up-to-date chapters on dating methods
* Consists of the latest coverage of ice core research, marine sediment and coral studies, continental geological and biological records, pollen analysis, tree rings, and historical records
* Describes the newest methods using alkenones in marine sediments and long continental pollen records
* Addresses all important methods used in paleoclimatic reconstruction
* Includes an extensive chapter on the use of models in paleoclimatology
* Extensive and up-to-date bibliography
* Illustrated with numerous comprehensive figure captions ... Read more

Book Description

Soils would not exist without the complex and heterogeneous activities of microorganisms. For the third volume of Soil Biology, an international board of renowned scientists shed light on the significant role of these organisms. The following key topics are covered: Microorganisms in bioerosion, humification, mineralization and soil aggregation; Microbial energetics and microbes in biogeochemical processes such as carbon and nitrogen cycles and phosphorus bio-availability; Interactions in the mycorrhizosphere, e.g. between mycorrhizal fungi and bacteria; Impact of microbes on plant nutrient cycling and the possible effects of transgenic rhizospheres on soil fungi; Functions of microbes in specific soil compartments such as soil surface or toxic metal polluted soils; Regulation of microbial activities in functional domains that are influenced by biotic or abiotic factors; Use of marker genes and isotopes as examples for modern techniques in soil microbiology.

Book Description

Hardbound. In this book, major emphasis is placed on the effects of processing and food components upon the flavor of foods and beverages. Topics discussed include: roasting of peanuts; extrusion of cooking poultry; spray drying of natural flavor materials; cooking rates of foods; gamma radiation of packaging films; stir-frying of sautéd flavors; emulsification properties of egg yolk and lupin proteins; the interaction of flavor compounds with flour, starch, and polysaccharides; factors affecting development of flavor in whisky, wines, fermented products, alcohol precursors, and model food systems; applications of enzymes for production of flavor in fish, lobster and pork; and the development and application of analytical methods for isolation and identification of volatile compounds and flavors from a variety of food products.

Information presented in this book will be useful to chemists, scientists, and technologists working in flavor chemistry ... Read more

Book Description

This second edition of the widely acclaimed Geophysical Fluid Dynamics by Joseph Pedlosky offers the reader a high-level, unified treatment of the theory of the dynamics of large-scale motions of the oceans and atmosphere. Revised and updated, it includes expanded discussions of * the fundamentals of geostrophic turbulence * the theory of wave-mean flow interaction * thermocline theory * finite amplitude barocline instability.

From the reviews:

"The author has done a masterful job in presenting the theory with the necessary mathematical foundation, while keeping the physical aspects in clear view...it is an outstanding introduction to a complex and important subject." - GEOPHYSICS ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Intuition First
All the math in the world would be useless in any applied subject without physical intuition about the phenomena and a clear passage between the intuition and the math. Pedlosky's book has it all - intuition and math. I have loved studying it as my first step in the direction of geophysics from a career in pure mathematics. The book is clear, easy to read, interesting, fascinating. Thank you Pedlosky for a magnificent textbook.

GFD Bible
If you trully want to understand geophysical fluid dynamics (ocean/atmosphere) you can not avoid this great book. I strongly suggest it, specially if you are a graduate student going through a GFD course. Years from now you will still go back to Pedlosky to clarify your doubts.

Highly recommended for oceanographers and meteorologists.
Boy, I wish this book had been out when I was in grad school! (Physical oceanography). This is an essential work for the shelf of anyone interested in dynamic meteorology or oceanography. Well organized, thorough, and easy to follow (at least for the intended audience.) ... Read more

Book Description

This 23rd edition of Annual Editions: Environment 04/05 is a compilation of current articles from the best of the public press. The selections explore the global environment, the world's population, energy, the biosphere, natural resources, and pollution. A listing of related Web sites is included and access to the student support site Dushkin Online (www.dushkin.com/online). ... Read more

Book Description

Here is the most comprehensive and up-to-date treatment of one of the hottest areas of chemical research. The treatment of fundamental kinetics and photochemistry will be highly useful to chemistry students and their instructors at the graduate level, as well as postdoctoral fellows entering this new, exciting, and well-funded field with a Ph.D. in a related discipline (e.g., analytical, organic, or physical chemistry, chemical physics, etc.). Chemistry of the Upper and Lower Atmosphere provides postgraduate researchers and teachers with a uniquely detailed, comprehensive, and authoritative resource. The text bridges the "gap" between the fundamental chemistry of the earth's atmosphere and "real world" examples of its application to the development of sound scientific risk assessments and associated risk management control strategies for both tropospheric and stratospheric pollutants.

Key Features
*Serves as a graduate textbook and "must have"reference for all atmospheric scientists
* Provides more than 5000 references to the literature through the end of 1998
* Presents tables of new actinic flux data for the troposphere and stratospher (0-40km)
* Summarizes kinetic and photochemical date for the troposphere and stratosphere
*Features problems at the end of most chapters to enhance the book's use in teaching
* Includes applications of the OZIPR box model with comprehensive chemistry for student use ... Read more

Reviews (1)

New Horizons
The scope and technical detail of this seminal work covering the cutting edge in Atmospheric chemistry is beyond remarkable. Just the number of references is mind boggling. The book presents the material in a very readable and understandable style. The authors have kept the reader in mind. They also add surprising levity on occasion and show a keen grasp of areas outside chemistry. I know of no other work in this field that is more current, comprehensive, and helpful. If only other scientific works were as thorough and readable. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A Book to Reinvent Our Goals
Alan Weisman, a journalist hired by NPR to investigate solutions for environmental crises, spent years collecting information in a tiny, remote village at the eastern edge of the war-torn country of Colombia. That village was Gaviotas; this book is his result.

I read this book on a recommendation from Daniel Quinn, author of "The Story of B" and "Beyond Civilization." Quinn's entire philosophy rests on two ideas: living in a sustainable manner, and allowing the reader to come up with their own solutions for doing so. Gaviotas is a community where people did just that - through ingenuity, creativity, and hard work, the residents of this planned village created a place where water is pulled from the ground using pumps attached to children's see-saws, heat is provided by the sun, and electricity by the wind.

It's a progressive's dream come true, and an experiment that has succeeded in all possible ways. This book lays out the history of Gaviotas and its unique founder, Paolo Lugari, and places it within the context of the ongoing struggles in Colombia. In the wake of the World Trade Center attack, I decided to re-read Gaviotas to remind myself that not only is there hope for humanity as a whole, but hope that individuals will begin to take responsibility to begin freeing ourselves from the confining forces of our self-imposed prisons called "civilization," but still manage to retain the good things, too.

Every person on earth should read and re-read this book. If you haven't, buy it now or start hoofing it to the library.

Wonderful, Inspiring, Hopeful!
It was one of the best books I've ever read.
Go get it right now!

Gaviotas is an inspiring story of hope and success
Gaviotas the place is amazing! I can't believe how many good ideas were put into practice in one community! Incredible. All working/aspiring engineers, city planners, architects, etc. should having a working knowledge of the theories and practices Alan Weisman describes in this book.

Humans CAN be part of a non-destructive, even a positive, productive relationship with their surroundings. We CAN prosper without decimating everything with which we interact. Gaviotas is a good start--a good example for the rest of the world.

READ THE BOOK! BUY THE BOOK!

Hope Floats
I read this book after one of my Colombian friend recommended it. I could not put it down once I started reading it. It is not an easy reading and it requires you to think about how everybody in the western world takes life and facilities for granted which people in countries like Colombia strive hard to achieve.

This book is a fantastic tale of individuals who don't take no for an answer, who had a dream and they worked to achieve it and in the process created an outstanding example of the fact that 'life and nature can co-exist' because that is how they were before we made discoveries and inventions to conquer nature.

The book ends with a final message...If you have a dream then pursue it...you will meet people along the way who share your thinking...Hope floats.

A vision of humanities existence
Gaviotas

I can honestly say that this book completely changed the way I look human existence and relation to nature. Not only are the people of Gaviotas innovators, but visionaries aided by the studies past and present technologies. While reading this tale I was not only amazed by the resourcefulness of a few people, rather what the implications are to the human family as a whole. It seems that the people of Gaviotas have given themselves an education that no classroom can offer. In fact quite the contrary, they are scholars of the laws of nature.
One thing that I learned from this book is that it is easy to get stuck thinking within the parameters of modern society. It seems that every technology around us is based purely on the short term and hard resources. However it is the natural dynamics of Earth which run the resource base for the natural world, the wind, hot, cold and ultimately the sun. ... Read more

Book Description

Vandana Shiva, "the world's most prominent radical scientist" (the Guardian), exposes yet another corporate maneuver to convert a critical world resource into a profitable commodity. Using the global water trade as a lens, she highlights the destruction of the earth and the disenfranchisement of the world's poor as they lose their right to a life-sustaining common good. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Don't take water for granted!
Water is an essential part of life most Americans take for granted. It's easy to dismiss water quality or availability issues, but they affect everyone.

Although Shiva puts a decidedly anti-corporation spin on her anecdotes, she raises many interesting points and asks some tough questions. Everyone should be concerned with environmental quality, and this book is a good start.

The book isn't merely about environmentalism, however. It also covers the economic, political, and financial impact of control over water. Those who control water, control the world!

The book is well-written and intriguing. Shiva's environmental science is solid, but described in a way laymen can understand.

This book is a TREASURE!
It should be required reading in every college and university!

You don't need to be a rocket scientist to realize that corporations want to control all of our natural resources. If these temples of greed could bottle and sell the air we breathe, they would! And, guess what, every living thing on earth needs water, either directly, or indirectly, to survive. I would even dare say water is more precious than oil!

This is a very well reasoned and articulate book. While some reviewers are satisfied with ridiculous ad hominem attacks, I say you be the judge! Don't let someone with ax to grind influence your decision about what to read!

total garbage
The author obviously doesn't have the slightest understanding of the basis of economics.

Much potential, but lost in hurried and cursory analysis
The term "water wars" has gained popular currency ever since Joyce Starr wrote an article by this title in Foreign Policy almost 12 years ago regarding hydropolitics in the Middle East. The alliterative ring of the phrase has endured many empirical studies that dispute its relevance, including some by erstwhile proponents of environmental determinism such as Thomas Homer-Dixon. Such is the allure of the term that only last year (2002) two books of this title were authored (the other one by the American journalist Diane Raines Ward).

Vandana Shiva is a renowned Indian environmentalist who is known for her eclectic interests. However, in the last few years she has focused her indignation for the world's problems on private capital. Thus her eclecticism has reached a rather reductionist end, which unfortunately leads her popular writings to shed more heat than light. In "Water Wars," Shiva weaves together anecdotes (largely from India) and secondary references to present yet another scathing indictment of multinational corporations and international development institutions.

After presenting a brief history of water property rights, which she largely dismisses as "cowboy economics," Shiva goes on to describe instances of conflicts pertaining to water in four areas: i) climate change, ii) dams, iii) potable water supply and iv) irrigation. In all these cases, she makes connections -- some more tenuous than others -- to multinational corporations and international development institutions. In the last two chapters, she prescribes atavistic solutions predicated on traditional practices, such as the Bihari irrigation system of ahars and pynes. The book concludes with theological and transcendental references to the sacred spirit of water and an appendix enlisting a 108 names of the Ganges River.

Overall, Shiva's sincerity of purpose shines through the text, but preconceived notions and normative assertions occlude any rigorous analysis. Regrettably, Shiva appears to have abandoned her methodological roots as an academic physicist. Instead of laying out all the evidence and the arguments in favor and against particular schemes, she chooses to harp on negative cases and offer broad generalizations, which often limit the credibility of her argument. While the book serves a useful purpose of sounding the alarm about world water issues, it does not go the next measure to provide a coherent and constructive vision for change.

Is Water worth fighting for?
With the debate around water scarcity expanding across the globe, Vandana Shiva's Water Wars is an important book to read. With it, she has produced another collection of thought-provoking and well-researched essays. A physicist turned environmental activist, Shiva has a passion for the "essence of life". Water, she argues, is intrinsically different from other resources and products and can NOT be treated simply as a commodity: without water people and the environment cannot survive. To subject water to commercial restrictions and to control its availability to people and communities is unacceptable.

Vandana Shiva discusses the failures and successes of diverse water management systems, past and present. She builds her case by reviewing traditional water systems and evaluating the impact of modern dam building. She examines the recent and current conflicts around water and access controls between countries and peoples. Contrary to others who claim that water scarcity will lead to conflicts in the future, Shiva brings evidence that water wars are already with us and are happening all over the world. She is furthermore convinced, based on her research, that conflicts will become increasingly violent as fresh water resources dwindle.

Destruction of fragile ecosystems and the displacement of people and communities have resulted from the construction of the huge dams, so popular in the sixties to the eighties. She describes the impacts of some of the best-known big dams in India, the United States, Mexico, and China. Using her in-depth knowledge of the Indian Subcontinent she strengthens her arguments with many examples from that region. But she has also studied the conflicts surrounding the Rio Grande rerouting and the big Hoover Dam that has channeled huge amounts of water from Texas and other crop growing regions to satisfy the ever-increasing water hunger of California.

For some readers, Vandana Shiva's focus on Indian examples of water system mismanagement may seem a bit tedious. However, it is worth persisting as there are important lessons to be learned from her examples, in particular, as numerous successful projects have also emerged from India. The successful traditional and present-day initiatives, which she cites, are primarily based on locally managed and community controlled water systems. Experience in many developing countries confirm her conclusions that water is most valued and best preserved for people and environment when managed at the community level with user participation. The ch