Product Description
The traditional landscape genre was radically transformed in the 1960s when many artists stopped merely representing the land and made their mark directly in the environment. Drawn by vast, uncultivated spaces of desert and mountain as well as by post-industrial wastelands, artists such as Michael Heizer, Nancy Holt and Robert Smithson moved earth to create colossal primal symbols. Others punctuated the horizon with man-made signposts, such as Christo's Running Fence and Walter de Maria's The Lightning Field. For Richard Long, journeys became works of art while Dennis Oppenheim immersed his entire body in the contours of the land. In this broad survey of Land Art, Brian Wallis discusses the key artists, works and issues that define Land Art historically, as well as its later ramifications.

This book fully documents the 1960s Land Art movement and surveys examples of Environmental Art to the present day. Earthworks, environments, performances and actions by artists ranging from Ana Mendieta in the 1970s and 80s to Peter Fend in the 1990s are illustrated with breathtaking photographs, sketches and project notes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Artists working within the landscape
The newest addition to Phaidon's Themes and Movements series covering the most important art movements of the twentieth century, is //Land and Environmental Art//. Since I first heard of the English artist Richard Long in the 1970s, I've been a fan of what's come to be called Land Art. Beginning in the '60s, artists disenchanted with contemporary abstractions in big cities like New York and London took to the open spaces and created works that integrated earth and ecology, and were fundamentally incapable of being shown in a downtown art gallery.Long, for example, incorporates walking into inaccessible, unpopulated places like the Himalayas, where he alters the landscape with stones in geometric configurations, which he then documents with maps and photographs.

The book is divided into two sections: a survey text charting the most significant characteristics of Land and Environmental Art, and then a compilation of the key works. Robert Smithson's great bulldozer works, including the Spiral Jetty, Christo and Jeanne Claude's iconic wrapped landscapes, and Andy Goldsworthy's precious short-lived works with found materials, are all amply represented in this well-designed book loaded with spectacular photographs.

Reviewed by Phil Semler

Good survey of the Land Art movement in its context
There are more, and better, images in the Taschen Land Art books, but this is the best source for a serious discussion of the importance and place of the art movement.

The Definitive Land Art Book.
In the 1960's maverick artists stopped merely representing landscapes and turned to making their mark onto the environment itself.Christo/Claude flew onto the scene with sweeping bravado.And we are familiar with De Maria's surreal 'Lightning Field' and Smithson's iconic 'Spiral Jetty'. By the way thanks to global warming the waters have receeded and the Jetty is back!
This fantastic big book sweeps through more than 100 land artists and their various far ranging methods of impressing upon nature. Captivating large photographs are perfectly wed to the text explaining the process of how the pieces were planned and produced.
There are a fair number of environmemental art books on the market. Leave it to Phaidon to present the best one. . . . . Note; another great one is 'Land Art in the US...' by Malpas.

Themes and Movements
This Themes and Movements series of books is an excellent one for the neophyte as well asthe
expert.

Worth buying
Worth the price, a complete and well done editorial work. I recomend the entire series Themes & Movements. ... Read more

Product Description

International environmental law is often closer to home than we know, affecting the food we eat, the products we buy, and even the air we breathe. Drawing on more than two decades of experience as a government negotiator, consultant, and academic, Daniel Bodansky brings a real-world perspective on the processes by which international environmental law develops, and influences the behavior of state and non-state actors.

In self-contained chapters that offer a clear guide to a complex field, Bodansky answers fundamental questions about how international environmental law works. What role can law play in addressing global environmental challenges such as climate change, ozone depletion, and loss of biodiversity?How do environmental problems come onto the international agenda? What are the obstacles to international cooperation, and what can international environmental law do to address them? How do international rules develop?How are they put into practice and what makes them effective?

Customer Reviews (1)

How international environmental law works--and sometimes doesn't work
"The Art and Craft of International Environmental Law" is on the ROROTOKO list of cutting-edge intellectual nonfiction. Professor Bodansky's book interview ran here as the cover feature on April 19, 2010.
... Read more

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Product Description
The unique properties of black carbon-rich soils have only recently been recognized and international efforts have significantly increased to utilize this knowledge to improve agriculture and the environment in several ways.

Biomass-derived black carbon, charcoal or "biochar", as it is nowadays called, can be used as a soil amendment to improve nutrient retention and availability and therefore increase crop yields. Such a use of biochar is a significant advance over conventional organic matter management, as the biochar is more stable in soil and is better able to retain nutrients. In combination with sustainable biomass production, such a biochar sequestration can be carbon negative and therefore be used to actively remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, with obvious significance for mitigation of climate change. Biochar production can also be combined with bioenergy production through the use of the gases that are given off in the pyrolysis process. This book is the first to synthesize the expanding research literature on this topic. This is all the more important at this juncture in the development of a biochar technology, as it requires an interdisciplinary approach involving engineering, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, economics, and policy. The book provides a comprehensive overview of current knowledge of the science and technology of biochar.




... Read more

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Customer Reviews (1)

May be the the best book on this subject
This is the book for those who already have some background in micro economics. So I will not recommend the book for the fresh student. However, if you know some mathematics and have studied micro economics: This is the book for you. In fact it is the best book I have seen on this subject. ... Read more

Product Description
Featuring sixty-two accessible selections--from classic articles to examples of cutting-edge original research--Environmental Ethics: What Really Matters, What Really Works addresses both of the principal areas of inquiry in the field: the exploration of morality from an environmental perspective and the analysis of the current state of our environment. Aiming to determine what issues really matter, the first section of the book responds to such questions as: What is value? What types of things have value? Is the value of a human being fundamentally different from the kind of value we find elsewhere in nature? What role do consumer goods and services play in a good life? and Is there room for environmental consciousness in a good life? The second section turns to the question of what it would take to solve our environmental problems. It strives to go beyond the "hype" to present informed perspectives on the true nature of those problems and investigates important questions like: What is causing or exacerbating these problems? and What solutions have been tried? The selections present philosophical, biological, and social scientific approaches to the major issues. Environmental Ethics features first-hand descriptions from people who have actually been involved in such projects as wildlife management in Africa, ecofeminist initiatives in India, and radical activism on the high seas. It also provides up-to-date data on population issues and community-based wildlife initiatives. Ideal for undergraduate courses in environmental ethics, environmental issues, and applied ethics, this unique text will also be a helpful resource for graduate students and professors, as it retains most of the footnotes from the original articles. ... Read more

Product Description
Having originally defined the Environmental Geology course, this is considered the most comprehensive yet readable book for your course level. Keller continues to offer the most detailed, current research available. He covers a wide range of topics, discussing everything from fundamental geologic principles to the specifics of environmental law and geologic hazards, from a truly environmental perspective. The Ninth Edition emphasizes the engineering geology approach, especially in the discussion of soil and rock mechanics and landslides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

Super buy
I was shocked to be able to get this text book for such a great price.

Great Price and Fast Shipping!!
I purchased the book at a great price and it arrived within a few days!

Disappointed
The book arrived torn from the binding. The cover is dirty and ripped at the edges. There is too much highlighting on the text. When I try to read the book pages fall out.

College Text
This was the required text for my environmental geology class at university.I found the book to be okay.A good presentation of the various geological changes/hazards in our environment, but it does not provide indepth detail.I feel it would be better applied in a high school level course.

Remember, it is a text book.
I bought this book for an environmental geology course at Idaho State University as part of my interdisciplinary studies in the environment. Keller's book is informative and comprehensive providing both wide coverage and indepth calculations and examples of how to measure environmental events quantitatively. The professor of the course used the book's material in class; however, he was often critical of the simplicity of the illustrations and graphs. I will keep the book as a reference for environmental processes and human impact on the environment. I will not read the book for pleasure, though. It is a text book and can put a reader to sleep quickly. ... Read more

Product Description

The Second Edition of Environmental Communication and the Public Sphere remains the only comprehensive introduction to the growing field of environmental communication. This groundbreaking book focuses on the role that human communication plays in influencing the ways we perceive the environment. It also examines how we define what constitutes an environmental problem and how we decide what actions to take with regards to the natural world. Author Robert Cox also draws on his personal experience as the three-time president of the Sierra Club-the largest environmental group in the United States-to offer insights about the workings of news media, Congress, advocacy campaigns, and other real-world cases of environmental communication.

The Second Edition introduces the reader to all the major areas of this growing field-from public participation (including international case studies) and “new media” (Internet news services and blogs) to risk communication campaigns about global warming and “climate justice” activists in nations that are vulnerable to climate change.

Key Features:

• Provides Comprehensive and Updated Coverage: Gives thorough treatment to the complexity and range of major issues and practices in the field. All the basic areas are surveyed, with new information about the U.S. Supreme Court rulings on global warming; environmental journalism and “new media,” including environmental blogs, news services online, and social networking; environmental justice; and corporate advocacy and “green marketing.”
• Blends Scholarship and Hands-On Experiences: Combines recent scholarship with updated examples and case studies (e.g., corporate ads for “clean coal”). The Second Edition extends the coverage of the diverse voices and groups speaking about the environment-climate scientists, citizens, environmentalists, journalists and bloggers, corporate PR ads, “climate justice” activists, public officials, and more.
• Encourages Citizen Participation: Provides practical insights for participating in decisions about the environment; in addition, “Act Locally!” exercises give students the opportunity to apply the principles of environmental communication to their campus and community.

Customer Reviews (4)

Well written and researched, an excellent book. However this second edition is a low quality print.
Excellent book from environmental communication guru Robert Cox. In the age of inconvenient truths, environmental mania and natural resource confusion, environmental communication is fast becoming a professional and research field in its own right.

Anyone involved in this field, from scientists to communications professionals to students will find this book to be the definitive overview of the many ways nature enters into cultures and societies, shaping our actions at a meta-level and in everyday life.

A caveat applies here though: The second edition is updated and relevant, however the quality of the book itself - printing, layout and paper is noticeably lower and less inviting than the first edition, which is dissapointing.

This offers discussion of major issues and practices in the field and adds new information
The second updated edition of this classic college-level survey remains the only comprehensive introduction to the field of environmental communication and thus continues to deserve a place in any collection strong in environmental issues. The author uses his background as three-time president of the Sierra Club to explore the interaction between environmentalists and the political and media systems. This offers discussion of major issues and practices in the field and adds new information about court rulings on global warming, new media and more.

fantastic overview
This book is incredibly valuable to anyone seeking to learn more about environmental and social movement communication.It's one of those rare books that smartly, coherently and comprehensively lays out the state of research on an important subfield of communication studies.It's also written in a way that is accessible to both practitioners and scholars.

Not just book smart
From former Vice President Al Gore to Republican consultant Frank Luntz, there is one thing on which we all agree: in order to make a difference in environmental policy and ethics, we need to reflect on and improve the ways we communicate about the environment in the public sphere.This book is a step in that direction.The author of this textbook is not just book smart.J. Robert Cox, a Professor at the UNC-Chapel Hill, also has served in the Sierra Club as the President of the Board of Directors (2000-2001; 1994-96;2007-present) and as a Director (1993-1999; 2000-2006).
... Read more

Product Description
From one of the most prestigious nonprofit organizations devoted to environmental issues comes a clear, practical, and rational overview of the relationship between consumers and the environment.
        
Paper or plastic? Bus or car? Old house or new? Cloth diapers or disposables? Some choices have a huge impact on the environment; others are of negligible importance. To those of us who care about our quality of life and what is happening to the earth, this is a vastly important issue. In these pages, the Union of Concerned Scientists help inform consumers about everyday decisions that significantly affect the environment. For example, a few major decisions--such as the choice of a house or vehicle--have such a disproportionately large affect on the environment that minor environmental infractions shrink by comparison.
                
This book identifies the 4 Most Significant Consumer-Related Environmental Problems, the 7 Most Damaging Spending Categories, 11 Priority Actions, and 7 Rules for Responsible Consumption. Learn what you can do to have a truly significant impact on our world from the people who are at the forefront of scientific research.Amazon.com Review
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

Customer Reviews (30)

1999 Edition:More Green for your green
This review is of the 1999 paper edition of the book.There is a 2009 digital edition of the book, but it is not an update or a revision.

Unlike other books which overwhelm the reader into inaction with just "50 simple things to do" this book gives the reader a list of only the top 11 most effective actions consumers can take for the enviornment:

Transportation:
1. Choose a place to live that reduces the need to drive.
2. Think twice before purchasing another car.
3. Choose a fuel efficient, low polluting car.
4. Set concrete goals for reducing your travel.
5. Whenever practical, walk, bicycle, or take public transportation

Food:
6. Eat less meat.
7. Buy certified organic produce.

Household Operations:
8. Choose your home carefully.
9. Reduce the environmental costs of heating and hot water.
10. Install efficient lighting and appliances.
11. Choose an electricity supplier offering renewable energy.

The scientists who wrote this book provide ample hard numbers and reasons for their choices, but keep the book very easy and fun to read.

I gave this book 4 stars instead of 5 stars since it is likely out of date having been published in 1999.

excellent green source book
I have read and re-read this book over and over. There is always good information and a lot of good places to start for a weekend green project or a sustainability roundtable. I know a lot of people in various places in the green friendly living cycle, and this book never fails to get people interested and involved. Makes a GREAT gift.

Hard Numbers, Weak Message
The goals of this book are admirable, but the authors (on behalf of the Union of Concerned Scientists) fail to deliver a truly practical message. Brower and Leon constructed a pretty impressive quantitative methodology to measure the true environmental impacts of a wide variety of consumer activities. But while the numbers are impressive, the authors transformed them into confusing and contradictory recommendations for the concerned citizen. The authors certainly found that some consumer behaviors that seem to be harmful to the environment, such as buying the occasional over-packaged grocery item, are not worth worrying about so much (taken individually) when you crunch the numbers. This is the authors' overall message - look at the numbers to determine which consumer behaviors actually harm the environment the most, and which can be worried about a little less by the conscientious citizen. But the problem is that the recommendations lose their focus and bleed into a very inconsistent message for the reader.

Regardless of whether the one Styrofoam cup I use today has a quantitatively small impact on the environment, I'm not buying the authors' contention that I shouldn't worry because it's just one cup amongst billions of tons of waste produced by business and industry. Maybe so, but things add up, and if many people care a little, then even the authors' quantitative methods would detect the long-term benefits. This book is docked an additional star for the epilogue about the history of American consumerism (written by a third author), which is fairly interesting but reads like the literature review for a graduate student thesis. This epilogue is filler at best and not consistent with the general themes of the rest of the book. On the good side, the extensive bibliography, though outdated, offers a plethora of books and websites that would probably tackle the matter of environmental consumerism better than this book does. [~doomssdayer520~]

Are these scientists REALLY concerned about the Environment?
I do agree that it is often important to look at the bigger picture of things.This book helps the reader to focus on the big contributors of environmental damage.However, I disagree on number of things that the the authors claim that people should not be highly concerned about.

The first one is "...by remembering the small weight of many consumer products, you can reduce your guilt and anxiety levels dramatically.Light non-toxic products, such as plastic trash bags, paper napkins, and leather wallets, do not deserve to be high priorities for environmental concern." (pg. 126) If plastic bags are not of high environmental concern, then why do countries like Ireland, Taiwan, and some cities in the US either outright ban or tax the use of plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores?Is it because of the excessive use of these petroleum-based goods (the US alone uses 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually) is creating a problem in landfills, our cities and the ocean?

I also love they way they make us feel so smug about using spray cans, stating that "Most spray cans currently rely on hydrocarbons such as methane, ethane, propane, cyclopropane, butane, and cyclopentane.They do not contribute to ozone depletion, have low toxicity, and have relatively LITTLE impact on global warming given the small quantities in a spray can.You should not feel embarrassed or guilty to SPRAY AWAY." (pg. 135)Please Wikipedia some of the gases mentioned above and perhaps you'll read about it's greenhouse gas effects and toxicity levels.

On page 133 they write "The throwaway drinking cup has become a powerful symbol of America's wasteful, polluting society.Nevertheless, it is not a major sin against the environment to use an occasional paper or plastic cup....of course, you don't want to be wasteful, but a few dozen, or even a COUPLE HUNDRED, disposable cups a year will have relatively little environmental impact."Let's see, a couple hundred cups a year multiplied by 300 million Americans = a HUGE impact to the environment, especially when there are things we can do to not rely so much on disposables like carry your own mug to Starbucks!!!

These are just a few of a number of outrageous claims from the Union of Concerned Scientists that are presented in this book.I don't think this book is entirely worthless.But please use some common sense when taking in their advice.

EVERYONE should read this book
Impeccably researched, well-referenced, and very convincing.This book will convince the shrewdest skeptics.It focuses on high-impact habits, and doesn't harp on the little tiny details that don't make a big difference.A fantastic book; true to its title! ... Read more

Product Description
Although the environmental movement and the environmental justice movement would seem to be natural allies, their relationship over the years has often been characterized by conflict and division. The environmental justice movement has charged the mainstream environmental movement with racism and elitism and has criticized its activist agenda on the grounds that it values wilderness over people. Environmental justice advocates have called upon environmental organizations to act on environmental injustice and address racism and classism in their own hiring and organizational practices, lobbying agenda, and political platforms. This book examines the current relationship between the two movements in both conceptual and practical terms and explores the possibilities for future collaboration.

In ten original essays, contributors from a variety of disciplines consider such topics as the relationship between the two movements' ethical commitments and activist goals, instances of successful cooperation in U.S. contexts, and the challenges posed to both movements by globalization and climate change. They examine the possibility and desirability of one unified movement as opposed to two complementary ones by means of analyses and case studies; these include a story of asbestos hazards that begins in a Montana mine and ends with the release of asbestos insulation into the air of Manhattan after the collapse of the World Trade Center. This book, part of a necessary rethinking of the relationship between the two movements, shows that effective, mutually beneficial alliances can advance the missions of both.

Contributors:
Kim Allen, J. Robert Cox, Vinci Daro, Kevin DeLuca, Giovanna Di Chiro, Daniel Faber, Dorothy Holland, Dale Jamieson, M. Nils Peterson, Markus John Peterson, Tarla Rai Peterson, Phaedra C. Pezzullo, J. Timmons Roberts, Ronald Sandler, Steve Schwarze, Peter Wenz ... Read more

Product Description
This outline summarizes basic black letter rules of environmental law. It outlines environmental law topics such as approaches to environmental regulations, the National Environmental Policy Act, the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act, and toxic substances. It discusses the complex intersection of law; sciences such as biology, geology, and engineering; and important economic, ethical, and social issues. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Better than I thought
The outline book is very good for studying environmental law. It covers most of important things that we need to know. This book is organized and easy to understand.

Also, The book is in a very good condition and no writing in it. No difference between new and used one. Thx ... Read more

Product Description
Here are the exercises which began as radical departures from standard actor training etiquette and which stand now as classic means through which the performer discovers his or her true power of transformation. Available for the first time in fifteen years, this new expanded edition offers a new generation of theater artists the gospel according to Richard Schechner, the guru whose principles and influence have influenced a quarter century of theater. ... Read more

Product Description

This second edition of An Environmental History of the World continues to present a concise history, from ancient to modern times, of the interactions between human societies and the natural environment, including the other forms of life that inhabit our planet. Throughout their evolutionary history, humans have affected the natural environment, sometimes with a promise of sustainable balance, but also in a destructive manner. This book investigates the ways in which environmental changes, often the result of human actions, have caused historical trends in human societies. This process has happened in every historical period and in every part of the inhabited earth.

The book is organized into ten chapters. The main chapters follow a chronological path through the history of mankind, in relationship to ecosystems around the world. The first explains what environmental history is, and argues for its importance in understanding the present state of the world's ecological problems. Chapters two through eight form the core of the historical analysis, each concentrating on a major period of human history (pre-civilized, early civilizations, classical, medieval, early modern, early and later twentieth century, and contemporary) that has been characterized by large-scale changes in the relationship between human societies and the biosphere, and each gives several case studies that illustrate significant patterns occurring at that time. The chapters covering contemporary times discuss the physical impacts of the huge growth in population and technology, and the human responses to these problems. Our moral obligations to nature and how we can achieve a sustainable balance between technology and the environment are also considered. This revised second edition takes account of new research and the course of history containing new sections on global warming, the response of New Orleans to the hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the experience of the Dutch people in protecting their low-lying lands against the encroachments of rivers, lakes, and the North Sea. New material is also offered on the Pacific Islands, including the famous case of Easter Island.

This is an original work that reaches further than other environmental histories. Rather than looking at humans and the environment as separate entities, this book places humans within the community of life. The relationship between environmental thought and actions, and their evolution, is discussed throughout. Little environmental or historical knowledge is assumed from the reader in this introduction to environmental history. We cannot reach a useful understanding of modern environmental problems without the aid of perspective provided by environmental history, with its illustrations of the ways in which past decisions helped or hindered the interaction between nature and culture. This book will be influential and timely to all interested in or researching the world in which we live.

Product Description
Environmental Organic Chemistry focuses on environmental factors that govern the processes that determine the fate of organic chemicals in natural and engineered systems. The information discovered is then applied to quantitatively assessing the environmental behaviour of organic chemicals. Now in its 2nd edition this book takes a more holistic view on physical-chemical properties of organic compounds. It includes new topics that address aspects of gas/solid partitioning, bioaccumulation, and transformations in the atmosphere.

-Structures chapters into basic and sophisticated sections
-Contains illustrative examples, problems and case studies
-Examines the fundamental aspects of organic, physical and inorganic chemistry - applied to environmentally relevant problems
-Addresses problems and case studies in one volume ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Perhaps a good reference text, but it's supposed to be a graduate intro text
Compared to the 1st edition this text is about twice the size.It is a monstrously large book.However, the book fails to teach the concepts in a clear fashion required when one is just starting in the field.Too much attention is spent to minute details that confound the subject.A great deal of space is used on deriving formulas.

It is without a doubt that the authors are exceptional minds in their fields, and have a fine understanding of the material.However, speaking as a student, they do me no favors in explaining what is going on.This text needs to be rewritten and edited to serve as a useful textbook for graduate students.Until then, the book will possibly be useful as a reference.

not authentic
the text I received is much thicker (nearly 2x the size) than the original 1300 page text which makes for a very heavy load.The images are much darker than those it was compared to as well. I can only assume that this text is not authentic.

Good but complicated
I am using this book as part of my graduate class. Before I got this book, I was using the old edition, believe me the old edition is much simpler, easier to understand than this new one. They have integrated the book with overwhelming symbols for which they do not even have the key/index. You spend a lot of time figuring out what the symbols mean. So, I would recommend that you try to get a hold of the old edition of the book, however remember that the old edition does not cover the modelling part and does not give you exposure to the problem sets.
So, the bottom line is that if you want to get an understanding and feel of the subject goahead for the old edition, but if this isyour core area of research and do not mind a bit of complication in the writing and explanation, go for the new edition.

Excellent reference book
This book is an asset for the student and professional alike.

Great book for environmental chemistry
I have used this book while taking a course in environmental chemistry. This book is easy to read, understand and really simplified a very complex and interesting topic. It covers wide range of topics in envrionmental chemistry. I really recommend my fellow students to get this book ! ... Read more

Product Description
This book narrates the mutually mortal historical contest between humans and nature in Latin America. Covering a period that begins with Amerindian civilizations and concludes in the region's present urban agglomerations, the work offers an original synthesis of the current scholarship on Latin America's environmental history and argues that tropical nature played a central role in shaping the region's historical development.Seeing Latin America's environmental past from the perspective of many centuries illustrates that human civilizations, ancient and modern, have been simultaneously more powerful and more vulnerable than previously thought. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Excellent introduction if you're largely ignorant!
This book is excellent.Eminently readable, it moves swiftly but provides impressive depth regarding the topics selected.Those desiring to study in greater depth will be pleased with the lists for further reading, provided in the back.Miller explains the roots of current environmental problems, punctures popular current myths about the ecological past of native peoples, and shows that the survival of civilization has always involved trade-offs, whether in human or environmental terms.Miller is also adept at explaining cultural differences in perception, so that I was easily able to understand the differences.I checked this book out from the library, but I will certainly be buying this for my own shelves.In sum, this is a quick and easy read, but certainly not a light-weight.

an indispensable introduction to the topic
An Environmental History of Latin America is a short, vigorous, engaging introduction to the story of human beings' endeavor, before and after European contact, to survive and thrive in a region that Miller dubs the "Neotropics."Miller ranges widely in time and space, exploring topics as diverse as Mesoamerican farming on chinampas and bicycle commuting in contemporary South America.He is particularly illuminating on the size and complexity of pre-contact Native American civilizations and the puzzling question of how early European explorers overlooked them.The prose is strong and though Miller's tone is occasionally more personal than one expects in an academic work, the effect is engaging, not jarring.All in all, this is a great book, accessible and interesting even to readers who are not experts on Latin America. ... Read more

Product Description

Environmental Ethics: An Anthology brings together both classic and cutting-edge essays which have formed contemporary environmental ethics, ranging from the welfare of animals versus ecosystems to theories of the intrinsic value of nature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

The flaky kind of environmentalism
Environmental ethics is an extremely important subject, but it is not best served by squishy articles about deep ecology and ecofeminism.Philosophers from David Schmidtz to Carol Rose have written brilliantly about pollution, climate change, and conservation.Unfortunately, none of these articles are represented in this volume.If you're in the market for a serious discussion of environmentalism, and environmental policy, check out Eban Goodstein's Economics and the Environment.Unlike most of the articles in this volume, it is both sympathetic to environmental goals and clearly written.

This is a Must-Have!!!
This is a compilation of numerous important and influential articles published in the field of environmental ethics.To fully understand and contribute to the field of environmental ethics, (I think) one should read most (if not all) of the articles published in this anthology. Furthermore, if you're teaching a course on environmental philosophy, this anthology will save you precious time and energy since it contains many of the paradigmatic works within the field. ... Read more

Product Description
This volume traces the history of environmental conditions in the United States through the examination of critical issues such as pollution, conservation, and wilderness preservation. The Second Edition of this popular text includes several new essays and documents and pays particular attention to multiculturalism and gender throughout. In order to place American environmental issues in a larger context, the text emphasizes international relations and globalization. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A decent textbook with a few formatting weaknesses.
For a person interested in an overview of environmental history and some examples of typical sources used by the field, this is a reasonably good textbook. The pieces excerpted for the various sections are a good samplingof some of the best and well-known scholars in the field, and the primarysources would promote interesting discussion in a classroom setting.Smallintroductory sections help explain the significance of each.Theorganization is clear, and the 15-chapter format lends itself well toteaching this book under the 15-week semester system.An appendix provideshelpful definitions of common terms and topics, such as ecofeminism andhuman ecology.

However, the book has several flaws that discourage mefrom giving it an entirely positive endorsement.First, it lacks an index,a major problem for a book of this type.Second, both primary andsecondary sources appear in excerpted form (missing sections are indicatedby ellipses) and lack the footnotes from the originals.Although thesources are fully cited in an appendix, this is frustrating for the readerwho was looking for a more "intact" representation of thematerials in one place.

The editor of this book is Carolyn Merchant
Please make sure that you put the editor in for this books and add to your search engine.The editor is Carolyn Merchant.It doesn't come up when you do an author search for her.

Thanks! ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Includes new material on the latest environmental and international politics
The fifth edition of Pamela S. Chasek, et.al.'s GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS provides a fine set of discussions about the global environment. This updated introduction to the world's most important environmental issues includes new material on the latest environmental and international politics, climate change, and issues of economics and globalization.

book review
This book arrived way earlier than I thought it would and was in the shape as described. ... Read more