Synopses & Reviews
"What about the twenty-first century? Will we finally accept our responsibilities as guardians of planet Earth, the biological living trust, for the beneficiaries, the children of today, tomorrow, and beyond? Or, will it too be a century of lethal, economic struggle among the polarized positions of the supremely dysfunctional among us? Are they—once again—to be allowed to determine the legacy we, as a society, as a nation, bequeath those who follow us? The choice is ours, the adults of the world. How shall we choose?"So writes Chris Maser in this compelling study of three interactive spheres of the ecosystem: atmosphere (air), litho-hydrosphere (rock that comprises the restless continents and the water that surrounds them), and biosphere (all life sandwiched in between).
Rich in detail and insightful analogies, Earth in Our Care addresses key issues including land-use policies, ecological restoration, forest management, local living, and sustainability thinking. Exploring our interconnectedness with the Earth, Maser examines today's problems and, more importantly, provides solutions for the future.
Review
andquot;Gorman has writtenand#160;an extremely readable natural and human history and a compelling account of the foundations of science that continue to reshape our view of what is possible in the natural future of our planet.andquot;
Review
andquot;Hugh Gorman has written a wonderfully accessible study that uses the history of the nitrogen cycle to explore the concept of sustainability and to make recommendations for the integration of ecological limits into market decisions.andquot;
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andquot;This is a profound book about humans, the biogeochemical cycles of the planet, science and technology, market capitalism, ecological limits, and government regulatory processes, all illustrated through the history of our relationship with nitrogen and the nitrogen cycle. This is an important book.andquot;
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andquot;Gordon Patterson has written a detailed history of mosquito control and eradication efforts throughout the United States.andquot;
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andquot;This is a singularly impressive work that will appeal to a broad audi
Review
andquot;Patterson tells a complex and nuanced story of how politics, individuals, and science combined to combat mosquitoes throughout the twentieth century. He demonstrates that policy decisions emerged at the intersection of knowledge and culture, resulting in a continually changing approach to insect control.andquot;
Review
andquot;An expertly written story of the origins and development of public mosquito abatement in the United States. I know of no other author having a better understanding of the subject.andquot;
Review
andquot;This is a fascinating, well-informed study of the campaign spanning twentieth century American history to control deadly mosquitos. It has important, thought-provoking ecological lessons.andquot;
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"There is a vast literature on water in the Middle East, but few studies that take on such a balanced approach as Water Wisdom. The book makes a great addition to academic libraries around the world and for scholars involved in water policy studies."
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"This comprehensive, informed, and balanced volume provides invaluable insights into the roots of the water management challenges in the Middle East and charts a course for resolving this pressing issue."
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Water Wisdom holds considerable comparative interest for agricultural historials of arid lands and regions with histories of military conflict and occupation."
Synopsis
The Story of N analyzes the notion of sustainability from a fresh perspective, the integration of human activities with the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen, and provides a supportive alternative to studying sustainability through the lens of climate change and the cycling of carbon. It is the first book to examine the social processes by which industrial societies learned to bypass a fundamental ecological limit and, later, began addressing the resulting concerns by establishing limits of their own.
Synopsis
In
The Story of N, Hugh S. Gorman analyzes the notion of sustainability from a fresh perspective--the integration of human activities with the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen--and provides a supportive alternative to studying sustainability through the lens of climate change and the cycling of carbon. It is the first book to examine the social processes by which industrial societies learned to bypass a fundamental ecological limit and, later, began addressing the resulting concerns by establishing limits of their own
The book is organized into three parts. Part I, "The Knowledge of Nature," explores the emergence of the nitrogen cycle before humans arrived on the scene and the changes that occurred as stationary agricultural societies took root. Part II, "Learning to Bypass an Ecological Limit," examines the role of science and market capitalism in accelerating the pace of innovation, eventually allowing humans to bypass the activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Part III, "Learning to Establish Human-Defined Limits," covers the twentieth-century response to the nitrogen-related concerns that emerged as more nitrogenous compounds flowed into the environment. A concluding chapter, "The Challenge of Sustainability," places the entire story in the context of constructing an ecological economy in which innovations that contribute to sustainable practices are rewarded.
Synopsis
Among the struggles of the twentieth century, the one between humans and mosquitoes may have been the most vexing, as demonstrated by the long battle to control these bloodsucking pests. As vectors of diseases such as malaria, yellow fever, encephalitis, and dengue fever, mosquitoes forced open a new chapter in the history of medical entomology. Based on extensive use of primary sources,
The Mosquito Crusades traces this saga and the parallel efforts of civic groups in New Jersey's Meadowlands and along San Francisco Bay's east side to manage the dangerous mosquito population.
Providing readers with a fascinating exploration of the relationship between science, technology, and public policy, Gordon Patterson's narrative begins in New Jersey with John B. Smith's effort to develop a comprehensive plan and solution for mosquito control, one that would serve as a national model. From the Reed Commission's 1900 yellow fever experiment to the first Earth Day seventy years later, Patterson provides an eye-opening account of the crusade to curtail the deadly mosquito population.
Synopsis
Israel and Palestine are, by international criteria, water scarce. As the peace process continues amidst ongoing violence, water remains a political and environmental issue. Thirty leading Palestinian and Israeli activists, water scientists, politicians, and others met and worked together to develop a future vision for the sustainable shared management of water resources that is presented in Water Wisdom. Their essays explore the full range of scientific, political, social, and economic issues related to water use in the region; acknowledge areas of continuing controversy, from access rights to the Mountain Aquifer to utilization of waters from the Jordan River; and identify areas of agreement, disagreement, and options for resolution. Water Wisdom is model for those who believe that water conflict can be an opportunity for cooperation rather than violence.
About the Author
ALON TAL is on the faculty of Ben Gurion University of the Negev where he conducts interdisciplinary research on water management, biodiversity, desertification, and development policy. Previously he was the founding director of Adam Teva Vadin (The Israel Union for Environmental Defense), Israel's leading environmental advocacy organization, and chairman of Life Environment, Israel's Green NGO Umbrella Group. ALFRED ABED RABBO is on the faculty of Bethlehem University, specializing in environmental chemistry with a particular interest in water science, and the founder and director of the university's Water and Soil Environmental Research Unit. He is author and coauthor of many books and publications.
Table of Contents
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Of Ignorance and Knowledge
Everything has a Tradeoff
Our Ever-Changing Landscape Patterns
How Species Enrich Our Lives and the World
Act Locally and Affect the Whole World
The Never-Ending Stories of Cause, Effect, and Change
Is Ecological Restoration Possible?
Where Do We Go from Here?
Appendix
Notes
Glossary
Index