Synopses & Reviews
Smelting is an industrial process involving the extraction of metal from ore. During this process, impurities in oreandmdash;including arsenic, lead, and cadmiumandmdash;may be released from smoke stacks, contaminating air, water, and soil with toxic-heavy metals.
The problem of public health harm from smelter emissions received little official attention for much for the twentieth century. Though people living near smelters periodically complained that their health was impaired by both sulfur dioxide and heavy metals, for much of the century there was strong deference to industry claims that smelter operations were a nuisance and not a serious threat to health. It was only when the majority of children living near the El Paso, Texas, smelter were discovered to be lead-exposed in the early 1970s that systematic, independent investigation of exposure to heavy metals in smelting communities began. Following El Paso, an even more serious led poisoning epidemic was discovered around the Bunker Hill smelter in northern Idaho. In Tacoma, Washington, a copper smelter exposed children to arsenicandmdash;a carcinogenic threat.
Thoroughly grounded in extensive archival research, Tainted Earth traces the rise of public health concerns about nonferrous smelting in the western United States, focusing on three major facilities: Tacoma, Washington; El Paso, Texas; and Bunker Hill, Idaho. Marianne Sullivan documents the response from community residents, public health scientists, the industry, and the government to pollution from smelters as well as the long road to protecting public health and the environment. Placing the environmental and public health aspects of smelting in historical context, the book connects local incidents to national stories on the regulation of airborne toxic metals.
The nonferrous smelting industry has left a toxic legacy in the United States and around the world. Unless these toxic metals are cleaned up, they will persist in the environment and may sicken peopleandmdash;children in particularandmdash;for generations to come. The twentieth-century struggle to control smelter pollution shares many similarities with public health battles with such industries as tobacco and asbestos where industry supported science created doubt about harm, and reluctant government regulators did not take decisive action to protect the publicandrsquo;s health.
Review
andquot;An engaging, well-crafted addition to the literature on the sociology of disasters in the face of climate change, Superstorm Sandy provides an impressively clear exploration of the events surrounding the hurricane. Readers can feel themselves walking down the boardwalk alongside the author and worrying alongside the residents.andquot;
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andquot;Malin provides a compassionate and intriguing ethnography of communities harmed by uranium mining and milling, of government duplicity in covering up hazards, and of the inspiring citizen science with which opponents have mapped cancer clusters and conducted health surveys. This book helps us understand how uranium production, along with other harmful energy production can beget structural violence, disease, and perpetuate inequalities.andquot;
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andquot;An enjoyable and accessible book, The Price of Nuclear Powerand#160;provides great insight into the central problem facing natural resource communities across the globe, and is rich in ethnographic details that focus on environmental inequalities.andquot;and#160;
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andquot;Musil uses the life and writings of Rachel Carson as an exemplar of womenand#39;s participation in the American environmental movement. He places Carsonand#39;s achievements in contexts by illuminating...the lives of trailblazing female scientists who inspired her and for whom she, in turn, paved the way. Extremely well-researched.andquot;
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andquot;An eloquent and moving tribute to the women at the heart and soul of the environmental movement. It is a story of brilliant science, courage, stamina, and a passion for life. We are in debt beyond counting to them and to Robert Musil for telling their stories so well.andquot;
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andquot;This is a long overdue book, giving great credit to the long line of women who have done so much to shape our culture's view of the world around us and of our prospects in it. We desperately need that culture to heed their words!andquot;
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andquot;A vibrant, engaging account of the women who preceded and followed Rachel Carsonandrsquo;s efforts to promote environmental and human health. In exquisite detail, Musil narrates the brilliant careers and efforts of pioneering women from the 1850s onward to preserve nature and maintain a healthy environment. Anyone interested in women naturalists, activists, and feminist environmental history will welcome this compelling, beautifully-written book.andquot;
Review
andquot;Bob Musil brilliantly documents the rich trajectory of womenandrsquo;s intellectual and political influence, not just on environmentalism but on public policy and activism. Musil offers fascinating details of Rachel Carsonandrsquo;s struggles to be taken seriously as a scientist and unearths the stories of the womenandmdash;unsung heroes allandmdash;who influenced her. A must read for anyone interested in American history, science and environmental politics.andquot;
Review
andquot;A treasure! A welcome discovery of the linkages among profoundly caring, ecologically-aware women across time, and the truths of our ecological crisis. Musil shows clear-eyed science and heartfelt story-telling are not mutually exclusive.andquot;
Review
andquot;Bob Musil provides an important contribution to the history of the environmental movement. He paints a compelling portrait of Rachel Carson and the remarkable women who preceded her and who continue her legacy. He reminds us of the struggles and achievements of Ms. Carson and, just as significantly, the pivotal and courageous role that women have played in fighting for a safer and healthier world.andquot;
Review
andquot;With deep grounding in women's history, environmentalism, and public healthandmdash;and, just as importantly, with great reverenceandmdash;Musil introduces us to a pantheon of remarkable women, true heroines every one. This book offers a new perspective, countless wonderful stories, and inspiration. A great read!andquot;
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andquot;This book is one-of-a-kind. Musil provides a remarkable new perspecti
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andquot;An absolutely wonderful book! Bob Musil shows Rachel Carson not as a lone voice, but an eloquent one who drew inspiration from female predecessors and those around her. He argues persuasively that we can understand Carson better if we see her in relation to other women, to the broader environmental movement, and to working in community. Should be required reading for anyone interested in where we have been, and where we need to go.andquot;
Review
andquot;Rachel Carson is only the best-known example amidst an inspiring cast of pioneering and modern women environmental leaders that Musil brings to life. Readable, reliable, and rousingandmdash;a book for anyone who cares about Americaandrsquo;s past and future.andquot;
Review
andquot;In Rachel Carson and Her Sisters,Musil fills the gap by placing Carsonand#39;s achievements in a wider context, weaving connections from the past through the present. Readers will find new insight into Carson and contemporary figures she influenced...who have historically received less attention. Musiland#39;s respect and enthusiasm for these women is evident throughout the book, making it a deeply engaging and enjoyable read. A valuable addition to scholarship on Rachel Carson, female environmentalists, and the American environmental movement in general.Highly recommended. All academic and general readers.andquot;
Review
andquot;Rachel Carson and Her Sisters makes a number of important contributions to both environmental history and womenandrsquo;s history. Musilandrsquo;s genius is weaving his intriguing, thoroughly researched mini-biographies of individualand#160;women into a cohesive larger story of overlapping and mutually reinforcing actions and ideas.andquot;
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andquot;In celebrating Rachel Carsonand#39;s work, Musil takes on the important task of contextualizing this environmental luminary within a tradition of womenand#39;s research, activism, and authorship.andquot;
Review
andquot;Tainted Earthand#160;stands out as a compelling demonstration of just how central lead and copper smelters were to the making of our modern science and regulation of environmental pollution in the United States.and#160;The research and writing on display are smoothly woven and in places, inspired.andquot;
Review
andquot;Sullivanandrsquo;s comparative study is unique; she sets many of the regulatory problems of smelters into a firm analytical frameworkand#160;that will be useful for many years.andquot;
Review
andquot;
Tainted Earth provides a detailed history, with a technical focus, of the environmental impact of three metal smelters located in Tacoma, Washington, El Paso,and#160;Texas, and Kellogg, Idaho. This is a well-documented story, providing a warning to other nations where the smelters now glow.andquot;
Review
andquot;Sullivan weaves compelling stories of communities where childrenand#39;s health was irreversibly damaged by heavy metal pollution following smelting industry efforts to downplay and obfuscate the risks of pollution, and efforts to stave off environmental regulation. Well-written and engaging...Tainted Earth will appeal to students oand professionals across a variety of fields, including public health, history of science, toxicology, geography, and environmental policy.andquot;
Review
andquot;Impressive and compelling. The historical, political, and ecological perspectives? offered in The Tragedy of the Commodity are vital to understanding the link between the and#39;tragedyand#39; inherent in many and#39;common propertyand#39; situations.andquot;
Review
andquot;The Tragedy of the Commodityand#160;is a timely, readable, comprehensive, and critical guide to what is wrong with our relationship with the sea and its creatures and what can be done to recreate this necessary relationship. A must read for anyone interested in knowing what is wrong with our relationship with the sea and how to go about changing it for the better.andquot;
Review
andldquo;Musil concludes that andlsquo;those who pollute and plunder have huge resources at their command. They challenge serious science, real reform, and . . . block every reasonable effort to build a better, healthier environment for our children and generations yet to come.andrsquo; Nevertheless, andlsquo;their sway is slowly, steadily, being reduced over time by the determination of ordinary citizens. . . . We can draw inspiration and leadership from the long line of American women who somehow defied the cinched circumstances and enervated expectations for their gender to become extraordinary leaders of many kinds. They have brought us thus far,andrsquo; and andlsquo;we can start now down the path that they have set before us.andrsquo; People who want to learn more about this path can turn to
Rachel Carson and Her Sisters for a richly detailed, documented, and eloquent historyandmdash;a ground-breaking account of undaunted American women, determined to prevent environmental catastrophe.andrdquo;
Review
andldquo;Musil...contextualize[s]and#160;Silent Springand#160;as the culmination of decades of work by other women in science, who were consistently overlooked, under-appreciated and dismissed by their male peers and institutions. These ladies ranged from Victorian garden observers to die-hard chemists and marine biologists. andlsquo;They are tied together by a fierce sense of activismandrsquo; and beautiful writing.... Their writing is what drew Musil in.and#160; He too wants andlsquo;people to connect with science in an approachable way.andrsquo;andrdquo; and#160;
Review
andldquo;A great read for anybody who is interested in learning about Rachel Carsonandrsquo;s role in a delicate web of connections that makes up the environmental movement. Also, if anybody is interested in the human aspect, the personal lives, and the trials of each of these women, this book certainly will deliver. [andhellip;] Musil has stitched together a wonderful collection of true stories about the amazing women who have changed, and are continuing to change, the way we see the world.andrdquo;and#160;
Review
andldquo;Superstorm Sandy and#160;provides a vivid description and wide-rangingand#160;explanation of that huge stormandrsquo;s impact on Americans.and#160; It is a andlsquo;must readandrsquo; as we prepareand#160;for future storms in coastal America.andrdquo;and#160;
Synopsis
Why do people build in areas open to repeated natural disasters? Drawing on a variety of insights from environmental sociology,
Superstorm Sandy offers a wide-ranging look at the Jersey Shore both before and after this disaster, examining the many factorsandmdash;such as cultural attachment, tourism revenues, and governmental regulationandmdash;that combined to create a highly vulnerable coastal region and that fueled the demand to rebuild.
Synopsis
Sandy was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history after Katrina, but the waters had barely receded from the Jersey coast when massive efforts began to andldquo;Restore the Shore.andrdquo;and#160; Why do people build in areas open to repeated natural disasters?and#160; And why do they return to these areas in the wake of major devastation?and#160; Drawing on a variety of insights from environmental sociology,
Superstorm Sandy answers these questions as it looks at both the unique character of the Jersey Shore and the more universal ways that humans relate to their environment.and#160;
and#160;
Diane C. Bates offers a wide-ranging look at the Jersey Shore both before and after Sandy, examining the many factorsandmdash;such as cultural attachment, tourism revenues, and governmental regulationandmdash;that combined to create a highly vulnerable coastal region. She explains why the Shore is so important to New Jerseyans, acting as a key cultural touchstone in a state that lacks a central city or even a sports team to build a shared identity among the stateandrsquo;s residents. She analyzes post-Sandy narratives about the Jersey Shore that trumpeted the dominance of human ingenuity over nature (such as the stateandrsquo;s andldquo;Stronger than the Stormandrdquo; advertising campaign) or proclaimed a therapeutic community (andldquo;Jersey Strongandrdquo;)andmdash;narratives rooted in emotion and iconography, waylaying any thought of the near-certainty of future storms. The book also examines local business owners, politicians, real estate developers, and residents who have vested interests in the region, explaining why the Shore was developed intensively prior to Sandy, and why restoration became an imperative in the post-storm period.
and#160;
Engagingly written and insightful, Superstorm Sandy highlights the elements that compounded the disaster on the Shore, providing a framework for understanding such catastrophes and preventing them in the future.and#160;
Synopsis
In The Price of Nuclear Power, environmental sociologist Stephanie Malin offers an on-the-ground portrait of several uranium communities caught between the harmful legacy of previous mining booms and the potential promise of new economic development. An insightful look at the local impact of the nuclear renaissance and community membersandrsquo; shifting notions of environmental justice, this book warns that this industry needs to be closely followed to mitigate the social and environmental tensions inherent in the rebirth of uranium mining.and#160;
Synopsis
Rising fossil fuel prices and concerns about greenhouse gas emissions are fostering a nuclear power renaissance and a revitalized uranium mining industry across the American West. In
The Price of Nuclear Power, environmental sociologist Stephanie Malin offers an on-the-ground portrait of several uranium communities caught between the harmful legacy of previous mining booms and the potential promise of new economic development. Using this context, she examines how shifting notions of environmental justice inspire divergent views about nuclear powerandrsquo;s sustainability and equally divisive forms of social activism.and#160;and#160;Drawing on extensive fieldwork conducted in rural isolated towns such as Monticello, Utah, and Nucla and Naturita, Colorado, as well as in upscale communities like Telluride, Colorado, and incorporating interviews with community leaders, environmental activists, radiation regulators, and mining executives, Malin uncovers a fundamental paradox of the nuclear renaissance: the communities most hurt by uraniumandrsquo;s legacyandmdash;such as high rates of cancers, respiratory ailments, and reproductive disordersandmdash;were actually quick to support industry renewal. She shows that many impoverished communities support mining not only because of the employment opportunities, but also out of a personal identification with uranium, a sense of patriotism, and new notions of environmentalism. But other communities, such as Telluride, have become sites of resistance, skeptical of industry and government promises of safe mining, fearing that regulatory enforcement wonandrsquo;t be strong enough. Indeed, Malin shows that the nuclear renaissance has exacerbated social divisions across the Colorado Plateau, threatening social cohesion. Malin further illustrates ways in which renewed uranium production is not a socially sustainable form of energy development for rural communities, as it is utterly dependent on unstable global markets.and#160;
and#160;The Price of Nuclear Power is an insightful portrait of the local impact of the nuclear renaissance and the social and environmental tensions inherent in the rebirth of uranium mining.
and#160;and#160;
Synopsis
and#160;Inand#160;
Rachel Carson and Her Sisters, Robert K. Musil redefines the achievements and legacy of environmental pioneer and scientist Rachel Carson, linking her work to a wide network of American women activists and writers and introducing her to a new, contemporary audience.
On the fiftieth anniversary of her death,
Rachel Carson and Her Sisters helps underscore Carsonandrsquo;s enduring environmental legacy and brings to life the achievements of women writers and advocates who influenced and were influenced by her and
Silent Spring.
Synopsis
Inand#160;Rachel Carson and Her Sisters, Robert K. Musil redefines the achievements and legacy of environmental pioneer and scientist Rachel Carson, linking her work to a wide network of American women activists and writers and introducing her to a new, contemporary audience. Rachel Carson was the first American to combine two longstanding, but separate strands of American environmentalismandmdash;the love of nature and a concern for human health. Widely known for her 1962 best-seller,and#160;Silent Spring, Carson is today often perceived as a solitary andldquo;great woman,andrdquo; whose work single-handedly launched a modern environmental movement. But as Musil demonstrates, Carsonandrsquo;s lifeandrsquo;s work drew upon and was supported by already existing movements, many led by women, in conservation and public health.
On the fiftieth anniversary of her death, this book helps underscore Carsonandrsquo;s enduring environmental legacy and brings to life the achievements of women writers and advocates, such as Ellen Swallow Richards, Dr. Alice Hamilton, Terry Tempest Williams, Sandra Steingraber, Devra Davis, and Theo Colborn, all of whom overcame obstacles to build and lead the modern American environmental movement.
Synopsis
Thoroughly grounded in extensive archival research, Tainted Earth traces the rise of public health concerns about nonferrous smelting in the western United States, focusing on three major facilities: Tacoma, Washington; El Paso, Texas; and Bunker Hill, Idaho. It documents the response from community residents, public health scientists, the industry, and the government to pollution from smelters and the long road to protecting public health and the environment.
Synopsis
The Tragedy of the Commodity explores the role of human agency in the overfishing crisis, highlighting the social and economic forces behind this looming ecological problem. In a critique of the classic theory andldquo;the tragedy of the commonsandrdquo; by ecologist Garrett Hardin, the authors argue that it is the commodification of aquatic resources that leads to the depletion of fisheries and the development of environmentally suspect means of aquaculture.
Synopsis
Although humans have long depended on oceans and aquatic ecosystems for sustenance and trade, only recently has human influence on these resources dramatically increased, transforming and undermining oceanic environments throughout the world. Marine ecosystems are in a crisis that is global in scope, rapid in pace, and colossal in scale. In The Tragedy of the Commodity, sociologists Stefano B. Longo, Rebecca Clausen, and Brett Clark explore the role human influence plays in this crisis, highlighting the social and economic forces that are at the heart of this looming ecological problem.and#160;In a critique of the classic theory andldquo;the tragedy of the commonsandrdquo; by ecologist Garrett Hardin, the authors move beyond simplistic explanationsandmdash;such as unrestrained self-interest or population growthandmdash;to argue that it is the commodification of aquatic resources that leads to the depletion of fisheries and the development of environmentally suspect means of aquaculture. To illustrate this argument, the book features two fascinating case studiesandmdash;the thousand-year history of the bluefin tuna fishery in the Mediterranean and the massive Pacific salmon fishery. Longo, Clausen, and Clark describe how new fishing technologies, transformations in ships and storage capacities, and the expansion of seafood markets combined to alter radically and permanently these crucial ecosystems. In doing so, the authors underscore how the particular organization of social production contributes to ecological degradation and an increase in the pressures placed upon the ocean. The authors highlight the historical, political, economic, and cultural forces that shape how we interact with the larger biophysical world.and#160;A path-breaking analysis of overfishing, The Tragedy of the Commodity yields insight into issues such as deforestation, biodiversity loss, pollution, and climate change.and#160;
About the Author
STEFANO B. LONGO is an assistant professor of sociology at North Carolina State University at Raleigh.and#160;and#160;REBECCA CLAUSEN is an associate professor of sociology at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado.and#160;and#160;BRETT CLARK is an associate professor of sociology at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City and the author or co-author of three books, including The Ecological Rift.and#160;
Table of Contents
List of Figures
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. The Tacoma Smelter
2. City of Destiny, City of Smoke
3. Uncovering a Crisis in El Paso
4. Bunker Hill
5. Tacoma: A Disaster Is Discovered
6. A Carcinogenic Threat
7. Sacrificed
Conclusion
Notes
Index