Synopses & Reviews
A fascinating account of America's oceans and ocean politics,
Blue Frontier explores the impact of history, commerce, and policy on marine life -- and by extension all life on earth. From the legacy of navy-funded research and development since World War II to the current newsworthy topics such as beach closures, collapsing fish stocks, killer algae, hurricanes, and oil spills,
Blue Frontier takes readers on an adventure-filled tour of America's last great wilderness range.
Despite today's wide-open development along our coasts and in offshore waters, Blue Frontier argues that sensible policies can still halt the onslaught of industrial destruction. An impassioned call for a new approach to ocean stewardship, Blue Frontier is essential reading for anyone interested in saving our maritime culture and heritage.
David Helvarg is a long-time ocean enthusiast whose reporting on the oceans goes back to the 1970s when he wrote an award-winning series of articles on the rush to develop deep sea mining. Since then he has produced dozens of articles and television documentary reports on a range of ocean topics, from off-shore drilling to Navy SEALs to high seas drift nets, as well as profiles of important figures in ocean exploration, which have appeared in Smithsonian, Audubon, Men's Journal, Dive Travel, The San Francisco Examiner, San Diego Union, and on The McNeil-Leherer News Hour, PBS's Green Means, Geraldo Rivera's Now It Can Be Told, The Discovery Channel and A&E. A scuba diver and bodysurfer, Helvarg has written about his experiences diving Australia's Great Barrier Reef, riding a whale shark, and swimming with wild dolphins. He has shot and produced videos from an underwater habitat in the Florida Keys, aboard various ships of war, and on an offshore oil platform near Santa Barbara. In pursuit of stories he has also tagged blue sharks, caught freshwater sawfish, visited nuclear protesters on an island off the coast of Korea, bodysurfed in war-torn El Salvador, and been shipwrecked in Mexico. A contributing editor on NPR's Marketplace, Helvarg delivers a regular radio column on ocean economics.
A Los Angeles Times Best Book
Oceans cover over 71% of the earth's surface, absorb far greater amounts of carbon dioxide than rain forests, and exert a powerful control over climate, clouds, and weather. Yet our living oceans are imperiled as never before, plagued by overfishing, reckless development, and pollution. Will future generations be able to enjoy the riches of our nation's greatest environmental treasure? A fascinating account of America's oceans and ocean politics, Blue Frontier explores the impact of history, commerce and policy on marine lifeand by extension all life on earth. From the legacy of Navy-funded ocean research and development since World War II to the latest controversies surrounding beach closures, collapsing fish stocks, killer algae, hurricanes, and oil spills, Blue Frontier takes readers on an adventure-filled tour of America's last great wilderness range.
Helvarg argues that sensible policies can still halt the onslaught of industrial destruction, despite today's wide-open development along our coasts and in our offshore waters. Profiling the growing number of coastal citizen-activists, local governments, and waterfront communities that are working to protect and restore healthy seas for all of us, he shows how informed individuals can make a difference. An impassioned call for a new approach to ocean stewardship, Blue Frontier is essential reading for anyone interested in saving our maritime culture and heritage.
"I heartily recommend David Helvarg's engaging book. Blue Frontier transports readers on a fascinating and sobering field tripback through key historic events and around the Nation's shorelines and beyond. He weaves together science, politics, anecdotes and history in an informative, readable, knowledgeable and often outraged manner."Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., Oregon State University, Former President, American Association for the Advancement of Science, President-Elect, International Council for Science
"The most comprehensive account available of the state of our nation's oceans."Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
"I heartily recommend David Helvarg's engaging book. Blue Frontier transports readers on a fascinating and sobering field tripback through key historic events and around the Nation's shorelines and beyond. He weaves together science, politics, anecdotes and history in an informative, readable, knowledgeable and often outraged manner."Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., Oregon State University, Former President, American Association for the Advancement of Science, President-Elect, International Council for Science
"Blue Frontier offers an insightful analysis of a spectacular ecosystem, as well as an enlightened view of its stakeholders and the policies that shape its future. My students and I consider Blue Frontier as our Bible on the seas."Robert A. Thomas, Ph.D., Chair in Environmental Communications, Loyola University
"David Helvarg's book presents the case study for the oceans in a highly readable, factual, focused way. Undergraduates in environmental studies, the natural sciences and journalism will find it useful."Mark Neuzil, Ph.D., Chair, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota
"Helvarg's personal insights provide unusual understanding of the political forces responsible for coastal degradation. Informal and easy to read, this book leaves an appreciation of the wonders of this troubled wilderness and the need to get involved."Gary Silverman, Ph.D., Director, Environmental Health Program, Bowling Green State University
"Helvarg writes with humor, compassion, concern, and a keen eye for fascinating detail. Pick up Blue Frontier and you won't be able to put it down."Paul R. Ehrlich, Ph.D., Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University
"David Helvarg has created an infuriating portrayal of mankind's most breathtaking crime, the destruction of the oceans that birthed our species. Blue Frontier shows how not just the oceans
cf0but democracy, justice, sound economies and community dignity are being lost in the triumph of ignorance and greed."Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Clinical Professor, Pace University School of Law
"David Helvarg weaves an engaging account of the beauty, mystery, and importance of the oceans with incisive and thoroughly researched case histories of the costs and consequences of human disturbances to the marine environment."John Ogden, Ph.D., Director, Florida Institute of Oceanography
"Blue Frontier is a very readable compilation of stories (and facts) that highlight our coastal problems, with a broad selection of up-to-date data for CZM (Coastal Zone Management) instructors."George Crozier, Ph.D. , Director, Dauphin Island Sea Lab and NOAA's Coastal Steward of the year 1999-2000
"Helvarg's passion for the ocean soaks through every page of his no-nonsense narrative of the 'blue frontier,' leaving a bittersweet (and salty) taste for the state of the water world in which we live."Kristen M. Kusek, Director, Science Journalism Center, University of South Florida St. Petersburg
"For too long our understanding of the oceans lagged far behind our capacity to extract t
Review
"The most comprehensive account available of the state of our nation's oceans . . ."
--Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
"An infuriating portrayal of mankind's most breathtaking crime, the destruction of the oceans that birthed our species."
--Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"The author connects the dots among the various threats to America's oceans surpassingly well."
--The Washington Post Book World
"A vivid tapestry of an America interwoven with the sea."
--San Jose Mercury News
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Review
"The most comprehensive account available of the state of our nation's oceans . . ."
--Bill McKibben, author of The End of Nature
"An infuriating portrayal of mankind's most breathtaking crime, the destruction of the oceans that birthed our species."
--Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
"The author connects the dots among the various threats to America's oceans surpassingly well."
--The Washington Post Book World
"A vivid tapestry of an America interwoven with the sea."
--San Jose Mercury News
Synopsis
Includes bibliographical references (p. 251-282) and index.
Synopsis
A fascinating account of America's oceans and ocean politics,
Blue Frontier explores the impact of history, commerce, and policy on marine life -- and by extension all life on earth. From the legacy of navy-funded research and development since World War II to the current newsworthy topics such as beach closures, collapsing fish stocks, killer algae, hurricanes, and oil spills,
Blue Frontier takes readers on an adventure-filled tour of America's last great wilderness range.
Despite today's wide-open development along our coasts and in offshore waters, Blue Frontier argues that sensible policies can still halt the onslaught of industrial destruction. An impassioned call for a new approach to ocean stewardship, Blue Frontier is essential reading for anyone interested in saving our maritime culture and heritage.
About the Author
David Helvarg is a long-time ocean enthusiast whose reporting on the oceans goes back to the 1970s when he wrote an award-winning series of articles on the rush to develop deep sea mining. Since then he has produced dozens of articles and television documentary reports on a range of ocean topics, from off-shore drilling to Navy SEALs to high seas drift nets, as well as profiles of important figures in ocean exploration, which have appeared in
Smithsonian,
Audubon,
Men's Journal,
Dive Travel,
The San Francisco Examiner,
San Diego Union, and on
The McNeil-Leherer News Hour, PBS's
Green Means, Geraldo Rivera's
Now It Can Be Told, The Discovery Channel and A&E. A scuba diver and bodysurfer, Helvarg has written about his experiences diving Australia's Great Barrier Reef, riding a whale shark, and swimming with wild dolphins. He has shot and produced videos from an underwater habitat in the Florida Keys, aboard various ships of war, and on an offshore oil platform near Santa Barbara. In pursuit of stories he has also tagged blue sharks, caught freshwater sawfish, visited nuclear protesters on an island off the coast of Korea, bodysurfed in war-torn El Salvador, and been shipwrecked in Mexico. A contributing editor on NPR's
Marketplace, Helvarg delivers a regular radio column on ocean economics.
Table of Contents
1.Fool's gold --2.From sea to shining sea --3.Oceanographers and admirals --4.Quarrel on the littoral --5.Oil and water --6. Arising tide --7.Paradise with an ocean view --8.Flushing the coast --9. Thelast fish? --10.Drowning in red tape --11.Sanctuaries in the sea --12. Theseaweed rebellion.